GB2230231A - Portable suspension file for form feed paper - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable suspension file for form feed paper, the file having first and second covers 5,6, each having a channel bar 51 for receiving therein flexible cords 53 at both ends to allow the flexible cords to be inserted through the perforations of form feed paper. Retainers 2 are slidably mounted in the channel bars, the flexible cords may be pulled out for insertion into the perforations of the form feed paper or may be retained by the retainers in the channel bars. A hanger 1 is provided and attached to cover 6 by rivets 7, so that the file may hang on a storage stand by means of either notch 11 or 12 (Fig.3), the central slot 13 being used for carrying the file by hand. Alternatively (Fig.4) suspension may be by means of the retainers 2. <IMAGE>

Description

PORTABLE FILE FOR FORM FEED PAPER This invention relates to a portable file for form feed paper, more commonly known as continuous feed paper.

Computerization leads the way to better management. It is undoubtedly know that computerization will be widely accepted in all industries as the 21st century approaches. Because computers have the capability for accurate operation at high speed, it has been widely used in industrial and business circles, and is also favourably invited by young students. More particularly, computers have been acknowledged as one of the most technological advancements in the worlds. Factory Automation (FA), the Office Automation (OA), and Home Automation (HA) are widely promoted by Governments as well as the people concerned in the developing countries. Through mass media, new information and technology are continuously introduced to the population.It is indisputable that the computer will play a decisive role in the future for information storage and retrieval, and the influence of computers in our lives will become stronger each day. Computers do not only help to change people's every day life at home, but also to improve the stucture of industrial and business circles, so as to further allow a country to meet the challenge of improving the material standards of living of the population. Because computers have such a magical power, people love it and are afraid of it at the same time. Because computers operate so fast and can store so much information these are used to help people to accurately obtain an answer within a very short time and they are used more and more.

However, through the application of information processing systems and the relative equipnent and tools, the filing of form feed paper data reports becomes another problem to the filing clerk. By conventional processes and equipment, the filing of form feeds data reports may not be easily achieved. For example, when a filing clerk wishes to pick up a form feed data report file from a file storage or to replace in the store, due to the limitation of the size of one fingers, one may have to use one hand to hold or support that file and to use the other hand to pull the file from the file store or put the file into the file store. During the operation it is easy to drop the form feed paper because of neglect, and the filing clerk will have to reassemble the paper again.Furthermore, regular file stores or shelves that are commonly used by the filing section of business firms are not designed to sustain large amounts of form feed paper documents or files. The suspension of heavy files from a storage frame may deform the frame and further cause the hanging files to collapse.

In view of these problems it is desirable to provide a portable file for form feed paper which substantially eliminates many of the problems disclosed above.

According to the present invention there is provided a portable file for form feed paper including a pair of covers between which the form feed paper is stored, a hanger mounted on one of the covers for suspending the portable file during storage, two U-shaped channel bars one being fixedly mounted on each cover, respectively, for receiving therein a flexible cord which is arranged to be threaded through perforations in the form feed paper, and retainer means slidably engageable in the opposed ends of each channel bar between a first position in which the flexible cord can be pulled to tighten the flexible cord and a second position in which the retainer means are inserted into the ends of the channel bars to hold the flexible cord firmly in position.

In one preferred embodiment the retainer means comprises a pair of rails defining a plurality of elongated grooves therealong so that by pressing the rails the retainers are removable from the channel bars to allow straightening of the flexible cord. Conveniently the portable file has stopping means in the channel bars for preventing removal of the retainer means from the channel bars. Preferably, the covers are each provided with a recess along the top edge thereof, the channel bars being located in the recesses. The channel bars may be fixed to the covers, respectively, by rivets. Conveniently, the hanger preferably comprises a plate having a slot therein for carrying the hanger in ones hand.The hanger includes two partially circular notches one at each end thereof for hanging the file on a frame stand and covers are each provided with a hook along each lateral side thereof for hanging the file on rails of a storage frame so that the file is suspended between the rails.

Therefore, there has been described a portable file for form feed paper, comprising an upper cover board, a lower cover board, flexible cords, a hanger, several retainer means, and several rivets. The upper and lower cover boards each comprise an integrally formed channel bar for setting flexible cords therein at both ends to allow the flexible cords to pass through the perforations of the form feed paper. By retainers which slide in the channel bars, the flexible cords may be pulled out for insertion into the perforations of form feed paper or may be retained by the retainers in the channel bars respectively. A hanger is provided and attached to the lower cover board by means of rivets, which hanger comprises a central slot for holding the file by hand, and also comprises a circular notch at both ends for hanging the file on a storage frame or stand.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompaning drawings, in which Figure 1 is an expanded perspective view of a portable file accordingto the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the portable file of Figure 1 in an assembled condition; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of portable files of Figure 1 in which the files are hanging on a storage frame by a hanger; and Figure 4 is a schematic drawing similar to Figure 3 but showing another embodiment of a portable file according to the present invention in which a number of files are hanging on a storage frame by bilateral hook means of the file.

Referring specifically to Figures 1 to 4, a portable file for form feed paper includes a hanger 1, four retainers 2, a plurality of rivets 7, a plurality of flexible cords 53, an upper cover 5 and a lower cover 6.

The hanger 1 comprises a plate having an oval slot 13 at the center thereof, two semi-circular notches 11 and 12 respectively arranged at both ends, and an extension 14 at one side and lower edge with one or more holes 15 made thereon.

The four retainers 2 are paired off and respectively arranged at both sides of the upper and lower covers 5 and 6. Each retainer comprises at the top surface a plurality of elongated grooves 21, an index 22 and a stopper 23, and comprises at the bottom surface a rail 24.

The upper cover 5 comprises at one side a channel bar 51 for setting therein of flexible cords 53, wherein channel bar 51 includes therein one or more stop blocks 52 at both ends, and lies within a bent edge portion 54 the inner flap of which comprises a plurality of holes 55 for setting therein of respective rivets 7 for further positioning of the upper cover 5. When a flexible cord 53 is located in the channel bar 51 of the upper cover 5 respectively at each end, the retainers 2 are positioned in the respective ends of the channel bars until they engage therein respective stop blocks 52 so that two parallel interlocking flaps extending along each retainer 2 engage with channel bar 51 to support the retainers therein with the flexible cord 53 therebelow.When positioned a file, the retainer 2 is pushed to slide into channel bar 51 by its bottom rail 24, and the upper cover 5 is turned round along the folded portion 54 of the channel bar 51 to allow the bilateral flexible cords 53 to be exposed. Both the bilateral flexible cords 53 are further pulled straight for positioning form feed paper thereon using the perforations of the form feed paper.

After positioning the form feed paper, the two flexible cords 53 at both ends are located in the channel of the channel bar 51 and the upper two retainers 2 are respectively located in the channel bar 51 at both ends to allow the two flexible cords 53 to be retained respectively in the bottom rail 24 of each retainer 2 such that the sliding of each retainer 2 on the channel bar 51 is smoothly operated by pressing of a persons finger on the elongated grooves 21 to push the respective retainer 2 according to the direction of the index 22.

The lower cover 6, similar to the upper cover 5, comprises a channel bar 61 for positioning therein flexible cords 63 and retainers 2. Therefore, during positioning of the form feed paper document, the paper may be located in the file from either side thereof.

Furthermore, the lower cover 5 comprises a recess 66 at the center of the channel bar 61, having thereon one or more holes 67, such that extension 14 of the hanger 1 is located in the recess 66 and fixedly attached thereto by means of rivets 7 for insertion into holes 15 of the extension 14 and the holes 67 of the recess 66. By means of the arrangement described, the hanger 1 and the lower cover 6 are connected together as shown in Figure 2.

The flexible cords 53, 63 are arranged to be inserted throught the perforations of a form feed paper document and retained by the retainers 2 in the channel bars 51, 61, wherein the retainers 2 are allowed to slide along the channel bars 51, 61 by the interengagement of rail 24.

The flexible cords 51, 61 inserted through the perforations of form feed paper are provided for holding form feed paper up to 100mum thick (or 1200 pages approximately).

In the present embodiment, the hanger 1 comprises an oval slot 13 at the center for holding the file by hand to conveniently carry the file, and also comprises two circular notches 11 and 12 at opposite ends for hanging of the file on a frame by either notch 11 or 12 as shown in Figure 3. The Upper cover 5 and the lower cover 6 may be arranged respectively to provide a hook at both ends for hanging of the file on the rail of a storage frame to suspend the form feed paper document as shown in Figure 4.

Therefore there has been described a portable file for form feed paper including a hanger, a plurality of retainers, a plurality of rivets, an upper cover and a lower cover. The e hanger comprises an oval slot at the center thereof for holding the file in ones hand, a circular notch is respectively arranged at both ends for hanging the file on a storage frame or stand. An extension is provided at one side with one or more holes made thereon, the hanger being set in a recess at the center of the lower cover to allow the hanger to be connected with the lower cover by rivets through the holes of the said extension of the hanger and the holes made on the recess.The upper and lower covers each comprise a rectilinear U-shaped channel bar located in recesses along one side edge of the covers for setting therein a flexible cord respectively at both ends, the flexible cord being turned straight for insertion into the perforations of the form feed paper document. The retainers are respectively inserted in the channel bars of the upper and lower covers at both ends, each retainer comprises at the top surface thereof a plurality of elongated grooves, an index and a stopper, and also comprises at the bottom surface a rail. By pressing on the elongated grooves of the retainer, each retainer is pushed to slide in the channel bar of the upper and lower covers by the rail of each retainer along the direction of the index, so as to allow each flexible cord to be further pulled straight for setting of the form feed paper through the perforations thereof, and each retainer is pushed back into both ends of the elongated channel of each upper and lower cover to retain the flexible cords respectively. The retainer is stopped by stop blocks located at both ends of the channel bars to prevent breaking of the retainers from the channel bars so that the form feed paper document can be firmly retained in the file.

Claims (9)

CLAI4S

1. A portable file for form feed paper including a pair of covers between which the form feed paper is stored, a hanger mounted on one of the covers for suspending the portable file during storage, two Ushaped channel bars one being fixedly mounted on each cover, respectively, for receiving therein a flexible cord which is arranged to be threaded through perforations in the form feed paper, and retainer means slidably engageable in the opposed ends of each channel bar between a first position in which the flexible cord can be pulled to tighten the flexible cord and a second position in which the retainer means are inserted into the ends of the channel bars to hold the flexible cord firmly in position.

2. A file as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainer means comprises a pair of rails defining a plurality of elongate grooves therealong so that by pressing the rails the retainers are removable from the channel bars to allow straightening of the flexible cord.

3. A file as claimed in claim 1 or 2, including stop means in the channel bars for preventing removal of the retainer means from the channel bars.

4. A file as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the covers are each provided with a recess along the top edge thereof, the channel bars being located in the recesses.

5. A file as claimed in claim 4, wherein the channel bars are fixed to the covers, respectively by rivets.

6. A file as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hanger comprises a plate having a slot therein for carrying the hanger in ones hand.

7. A file as claimed in claim 6, wherein said hanger includes two partially circular notches one at each end thereof for hanging the file on a frame stand.

8. A file as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the covers are each provided with a hook along each lateral side thereof for hanging the file on rails of a storage frame so that the file is suspended between the rails.

9. A portable file substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.