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(11) | EP 0 941 870 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Transverse button compression bar |
| (57) A compressor bar is disclosed for keeping papers within document files, e.g. lever
arch files. The compressor bar comprises:
a base (17) having a pair of openings (18) through which the prongs of a document file can extend and a pair of resilient rods (20', 20'') held within the base and extending between the pair of openings; the base is elongate and the openings (18) are spaced apart in a generally longitudinal direction; an arm (22) including a boss (25) for flexing the rods (20', 20'') at a position between the two openings, the arm (22) having a bore (23) through which one of the rods (20') passes so that the arm is pivotable on the rod (22') about a longitudinal axis to move between a first position in which the boss (25) flexes the rods (20', 20'') and a second position in which the boss (25) does not flex the rods or flexes them to a lesser extent; and two sets of lands (32), each set being attached to the base (17) between the boss (25) and the respective openings (18); the lands provide a fulcrum about which each rod (20', 20'') can pitch whereby the flexing of the rods by the boss (25) causes the spacing between the rods in the openings (18) to alter between a narrow spacing in which the rods (20', 20'') can grip prongs extending through the openings (18) and a wider spacing in which the rods (20', 20'') do not grip the prongs. |
Field of Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to compressor bars for use securing documents within document files of the type that include a pair of prongs that engage holes in the margin of documents to keep the documents within the file. Such prongs may be incorporated into rings or arches for easier reading of the document within the file (so-closed ring binders or arch lever files). In order to prevent documents riding up the prongs, compressor bars are placed above the documents in the file, pressed down on the documents and fastened to the prongs.
Prior art
[0002] A general type of compressor bar is known that comprises:
a base having a pair of openings through which the prongs of a document file can extend and a pair of resilient rods held within the base and extending between the pair of openings, the base being elongate and the openings being spaced apart in a generally longitudinal direction;
an arm including means for flexing the rods at a position between the two openings, the arm being moveable between a first position in which the flexing means flexes the rods and a second position in which the flexing means does not flex the rods or flexes them to a lesser extent; and
two sets of lands, each set being attached to the base between the flexing means and the respective openings, said lands being positioned to provide a fulcrum about which each rod can pitch whereby the flexing of the rods by the flexing means causes the spacing between the rods in the openings to alter between a first spacing in which the rods can grip prongs extending through the openings and a second spacing that is wider than the first spacing.
[0003] In the prior art arrangement, the flexing means is part of an arm that is secured to the base by two side-by-side lugs that are inserted into a slot in the base such that the lugs are positioned adjacent to the edge of the slot. The lugs each have a finger that is bent to overlap the edge of the base next to the slot and thereby prevent the arm from being pulled out from the base. Such an arrangement also provides a pivot about which the arm can move so that the flexing means can in turn move between the first and second positions mentioned above. The disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the fingers of the lugs can easily be bent in which case the arm becomes detached from the base. Also, the bending of the fingers is awkward because they are relatively small and inaccessible.
Description of the Invention
[0004] According to a first aspect the present invention, there is provided a compressor bar of the type specified above in which the said arm is pivotally attached to the base to pivot about an axis extending in the same general direction as the said longitudinal direction between the openings in the base. The arm that includes the flexing means is preferable pivotally attached to one of the rods to move between the first and second positions.
[0006] The flexing means preferably includes a cam surface that, when pressed into the space between the rods, urges them apart and so flexes them. The flexing means my also include a further surface that maintains the rods in a stable arrangement in which they are in their flexed state.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0007]
Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the lever arch mechanism of a lever arch file and including a compressor bar of the present invention shown compressing documents in the file;
Figures 2a and 2b are perspective views of the underneath side and the top (respectively) of the compressor bar of the present invention in a position such that it can move on the prongs of a lever arch file;
Figures 3a and 3b are perspective views corresponding to Figures 2a and 2b but in an arrangement that grips the lever arch mechanism such that it cannot move on the prongs of the lever arch file;
Figure 4 is a view of the components of the compressor bar of Figures 1 to 6;
Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the top side and the underside (respectively) of the arm of the compressor bar of Figures 2 to 4
Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views of the top side and the underside (respectively) of an alternative arm to that depicted in Figures 5 and 6.
Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of the top side and the underside (respectively) of a further alternative arm to that depicted in Figures 5 and 6.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0008] Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown the lever arch mechanism of a document file having prongs 10 that form a closed loop with arched sections 12. The arched sections can be separated from the prongs 10 by movement of lever 14 to allow documents to be removed from the prongs and/or new document to be inserted on the prongs.
[0009] Figure 1 also shows the compressor bar 16 of the present invention. The compressor bar includes a base 17 having two openings 18 through which the prongs of the file pass. Also visible in Figure 1 are rods 20' and 20'' extending most of the length of the base 17 (as will be described in further detail below) and in particular are located on either side of each of openings 18. An arm 22 is also provided that moves the rods 20' and 20'' between a position in which they clamp the prongs 10 between them and a second position (shown in Figure 1) in which they do not clamp the prongs and therefore the bar 16 is freely movable on the prongs.
[0010] Documents 24 are installed within the file. The margins of the documents have two holes punched in them and they are held in the file by the prongs 10. In order to prevent the documents from moving up and down the prongs, the compressor bar 16 grips the prong and so compresses the documents within the file. The mechanism of the compressor bar will be described in further detail below.
[0011] Referring now to Figures 2a and 2b, there is shown the compressor bar having a base 17, which will generally made of pressed steel. The base has a flat bottom rim 26 that engages the document (see Figure 1). Within the base are a pair a spaced-apart rods 20' and 20'' (see Figure 2b in particular) that extend between and across the openings 18. The rods are held centrally by two collars 28 and the ends of the rods are supported on ledges 30. Two sets of lands 32 are provided adjacent to the openings 18 that engage respectively the sides of the rods 20' and 20''. The collars 28, the ledges 30 and the lands 32 can all be pressed out from the same sheet material as is used to form the base 17.
[0012] Arm 22 has a bore 23 in a boss 25 (see in particular Figure 6) that is integrally formed with crosspiece 27. The arm is in the form of a rocker and the boss 25 has an end-face 29 and a bevel face 31. As shown in Figure 2a, the two rods 20' and 20'' are parallel to each other, and, in the windows 18, the spacing is greater than the diameter of the prongs 10 of the document file. Thus, the compression bar can easily be moved up and down the prongs and removed altogether from the prongs. In this condition, the rods 20' and 20'' are unstressed and this occurs when the lever arm 22 is in the position showed in Figures 2a and 2b with the end 33 of the arm 22 being raised and the opposed end 35 being depressed and lying against the top surface of the base 17.
[0013] The boss 25 is positioned within a central opening 36 in the base 17 and one of the rods 20' passes through the bore 23 in the boss 25, thereby allowing the arm to pivot about that rod. When the end 33 of the rocker arm is pressed down, the arm pivots about the bore 23 and the rod 20' on which it is engaged. This pivoting motion presses the bevelled face 31 of the boss against the other rod 20'', causing the centres of the rods to be moved outwardly away from each other until eventually the rods are sufficiently far apart that the edge 43 passes over the rod 20'' and the end face 29 is brought into contact with the rod 20''. The tension in the rods 20' and 20'' keeps the rod 20'' in engagement with end face 29 and such an arrangement in stable.
[0014] Because the lands 32 have a fixed distance between them, they prevent the two ends of the rods from moving outwardly when the central portion of the rods are urged apart by cam surfaces 34. This results in the rods 20' and 20'' flexing and causes the ends of the rods to be moved together in the vicinity of the windows 18. The reduction in the spacing between the rods 20' and 20'' at their ends is possible because the ends of the rods are merely supported on ledges 30 and are freely slidable over such ledges. Figures 3a and 3b show the bar in a state in which the rods have been flexed by the pressing down of the end 33 of the rocker arm 22.
[0015] As can be seen from Figures 3a and 3b, the separation between the rods 20' and 20'' in the openings 18 when the arm 22 is in the position shown in Figures 3a and 3b is less than the diameter to the prongs 10 of the file. The rods 20' and 20'' will therefore grip the prongs and prevent the compressor bar (and any underlying documents) from moving.
[0016] The base also includes a spacer 62 (see Figure 6) that prevents the separation between the rods falling below a minimum when they are in their unflexed state. Thus, spacer 62 prevents the rods from falling out and also maintains sufficient spacing in the region of the openings 18 to allow the prongs of the file 10 to move freely through the openings 18 without being obstructed by the rods.
[0017] The base 17 and the arm 22 can each separately be made from pressed metal sheets although the arm 22 may be cast metal, although is preferably it is made of moulded plastic. The rods 20' and 20'' are of standard resilient steel.
[0018] When the end 35 of the rocker arm 22 is pressed, the arm pivots about rod 20' and the end face 29 slides over rod 20'' and eventually edge 37 between the end face 29 and the bevelled face 31 passes over the rod 20''. After that, the tension in the rods 20' and 20'' then will then no longer cause the boss of the arm to be retained between the rods and so the rods return to their unflexed position shown in Figures 2a and 2b in which the bar is released and can freely move over the prongs of the file.
[0019] Alternative versions of the arm are shown in Figures 7 to 10, which use the same reference numerals as in Figures 5 and 6 to show corresponding features. The arms of Figures 7 to 10 work in exactly the same manner as the arm of Figures 5 and 6 and differ only in their detailed shapes ad the fact that they are made from pressed metal, as opposed to the arm of figures 5 and 6, which is made from plastics material.
[0020] The advantage of the bar of the present invention is that it is more robust than the prior art arrangement and the pivot about which the rocker arm pivots is stronger and so the arm cannot easily become detached from the base. Also, the assembly of the bar of the present invention is easier than in the prior art arrangement.
a base (17) having a pair of openings (18) through which the prongs of a document file can extend and a pair of resilient rods (20', 20'') held within the base and extending between the pair of openings, the base being elongate and the openings (18) being spaced apart in a generally longitudinal direction;
an arm (22) including means (25) for flexing the rods (20', 20'') at a position between the two openings, the arm (22) being moveable between a first position in which the flexing means (25) flexes the rods (20', 20'') and a second position in which the flexing means (25) does not flex the rods or flexes them to a lesser extent; and
two sets of lands (32), each set being attached to the base between the flexing means
(25) and the respective openings (18), said lands being positioned to provide a fulcrum
about which each rod (20', 20'') can pitch whereby the flexing of the rods by the
flexing means (25) causes the spacing between the rods in the openings (18) to alter
between a first spacing in which the rods (20', 20'') can grip prongs extending through
the openings (18) and a second spacing that is wider than the first spacing,
characterised in that:
the said arm (22) is pivotally attached to the base (17) to pivot about an axis extending in the same general direction as the said longitudinal direction between the openings (18) in the base.