Loose-leaf binder.

Application filed November 28,1904, Serial No. 234,458.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Charles H. Brown,, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of 5 Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders; and I do hereby declare the following to be'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to io which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of binders in which loose leaves are removably secured together in book form; and it has for its object the provision of a binder of this character that is simple, cheap, and durable 20 in its construction and easily and quickly manipulated for the reception or removal of a leaf.

The invention is fully described in the following specification and shown in the accom25 panying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved binder with the covers partly broken away, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the 30 backing member or holder of my invention, which is U shape in cross-section and has its sides each provided with a longitudinal depression 2, adjacent to the rear edge thereof. The holder 1 is formed or stamped from sheet 35 metal or other suitable material that is of sufficient stiffness to retain its shape.

Mounted within the channel of the holder 1 are one or more binding members 3, each of which is bent from a single piece of wire or 40 other resilient material suitable for the purpose intended. The lower or rear portion of each of the members 3 is shaped to seat within the bottom of the channel formed by the member 1 and is formed with laterally - extending 45 loops 4, which project through the slots 5, provided in transverse alinement in the opposite walls of the depressions 2 in position to receive a locking pin or wire 6, as shown. From the loops 4 the supporting-legs of the 50 member 3 converge toward each other, then extend upwardly a short distance, being formed at this point with depressions 7 to form a receiving-opening for the operatingkey 8, and finally terminate in the impaling pins or prongs 9, which are shaped to con- 55 jointly form a transversely-elongated opening and have their ends or points abutting in central position over the key 8. The elongated formation of the prongs 9 render the same of sufficient size to accommodate a con- 60 siderable number of sheets, while at the same time making them compact in form and also enables sheets to be secured to the prongs when the binder is lying on its side with said ,prongs in. vertical position. 65

The operating-key 8 is of sufficient length ' to pass through the receiving-opening provided therefor in each of the binding members 3, usually two in number, and to extend beyond one end of the backing member 1, as 7° shown in Fig. 1,. the extended end being formed with a winged thumb-piece or other suitable means for gripping and turning the same. Cam-surfaces are provided on the key 8 at its points of impingement with the legs 75 of the members 3 and are so arranged as to cause the companion prongs 9 of each of said members to have a simultaneous receding movement when the key is given a quarterrevolution, thereby enabling loose sheets to 80 be easily secured to or removed from said prongs.

Projecting laterally from the upper edges of the U-shaped member 1 are the flanges 10, to which the covers 11 are intended to be se- 85 cured or hinged in a suitable manner. It is apparent that the usual form of book-backing may be used should it be desired to cover the back of the member 1.

It is obvious that my invention forms a 90 cheap, durable, and efficient tariff or looseleaf binder the several parts of which may be easily and quickly assembled together and also that such changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction of the 95 parts as fairly fall within the scope of the same may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.