Filing system and elements therefor

Abstract

.[.A filing system for the compact filing of information having a file container with a plurality of backing cards in said container. Cooperating between said file cards are fulcrum means positioned near the bottom edges of said backing cards and with support means for supporting the backing cards adjacent a fulcrum means, the parts being so arranged as to permit selected backing cards normally supported in a substantially vertical position to be separated or fanned apart at their top edges so that information on the upper portions of said backing cards may be accessible upon a limited number of cards. Also positioned between the backing cards are data cards which are supported by a data card support positioned above the fulcrum means. Access may be had to the data cards upon "fanning" of a limited group of backing cards..]. .Iadd.A filing system for the compact filing of information and having a file receptacle containing a plurality of backing cards that are separated near their bottom edge by a plurality of fulcrums. The interaction of several of the cards at these fulcrums and at their lower edges causes a limited number of the card to be separated or fanned at their upper portions so that information thereon may be fully visible. Data element support members are also provided on the receptacle so that when backing cards separate the data elements, the data elements will not interfere with the fulcrum action by falling down between the backing cards. The receptacle and backing cards interengage to prohibit vertical movement of the backing cards relative to the receptacle during the fulcrum action. Data elements are held against rearwardly positioned backing cards to assure visibility of said data elements during said fulcrum action. .Iaddend.

I claim: .[.1. A filing system of the class described, the combination of: 
     
        means..]. .[.2.  A combination as defined in claim 1 including lock-down means cooperating between said receptacle and said backing cards to restrain said backing cards from raising upwardly from their normal operating position and for holding said fulcrum means substantially on said fulcrum line so as to prevent any substantial change in the pressure of contact between said backing cards and said fulcrum means..]. .[.3. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said lock-down means comprises flange means extending inwardly from the side wall of said receptacle and notch means formed in said backing card means to receive said flange means..]. .[.4. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said backing cards are of substantially rectangular configuration and in which said lock-down means is in the form of flange means extending inwardly from the side walls of said receptacle into notches formed in the side edges of said backing cards, and in which said fulcrum means comprises a plurality of protuberances horizontally arranged along said fulcrum line, said protuberances of adjacent cards being offset to provide for compressibility of the group of backing cards in said receptacle..]. .[.5. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said fulcrum means includes a plurality of protuberances extending from said backing cards in substantial horizontal alignment near but spaced from the lower edge of said backing cards and along said fulcrum line, and means for holding said backing cards and said protuberances in contact with each other, and said protuberances acting not only as fulcrum means but also as means for spacing said backing cards to provide a space for receiving a data element, and a data element in one or more of said spaces, each such data element being supported by said data element support means..]. .[.6. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said fulcrum means includes a plurality of protuberances extending from said backing cards in substantial horizontal alignment near but spaced from the lower edge of said backing cards and along said fulcrum line, and means for holding said backing cards and said protuberances in contact with each other, said protuberances acting not only as fulcrum means, but also as means for spacing said backing cards to provide a space for receiving a data element, and a data element in one or more said spaces, each such backing card being supported by a backing card support means, and in which said backing card support means extends along the longitudinal side walls of said receptacle and is located at or above the fulcrum line of said fulcrum means and permits said backing cards to pivot or move longitudinally of said receptacle..]. .[.7. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said means to position the backing cards, which is element (d) of claim 1 is arranged to converge downwardly and serves as a means for holding said backing cards and fulcrum means in contact while permitting the upper portions of a number of said backing cards to fan outwardly..]. .[.8. A combination as defined in claim 7 in which said means to position said backing cards and fulcrum means, which is element (d) of claim 1 in contact has converging walls movable into parallel 
     
     
        positions to hold the backing cards in vertical arrangement..]. .[.9.  A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said fulcrum means includes a plurality of protuberances extending from said backing cards in substantial horizontal alignment and in which the protuberances of adjacent backing cards are offset from each other whereby a group of backing cards can be compressed in a direction normal to their planes with the individual backing cards flexing under compression..]. .[.10. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said backing cards are separated to form spaces therebetween for receiving data elements in such spaces, data elements in one or more of said spaces which rest on said means for supporting said data elements, and data elements gripping means for holding said data element when said backing cards are in fanned 
     
     
        relationship..]. .[.11.  A filing system of the class described, the combination of: a. a file receptacle having spaced apart longitudinal side walls for containing a group of backing cards positioned one behind the other;   b. a plurality of backing cards in said receptacle positioned in side-by-side relationship, one behind the other and having substantially planar bodies and side, bottom and top edges;   c. fulcrum means positioned near the bottom edges of said backing cards and cooperatively engaging between adjacent backing cards contained in said receptacle;   d. backing card support means in said receptacle for supporting said backing cards with said fulcrum means positioned along a fulcrum line which extends from one side of said receptacle to the other;   e. means in said receptacle operating to position said backing cards and said fulcrum means to cause relative pivotal movement of adjacent backing cards about said fulcrum line when a number of said backing cards are caused to converge at their bottom edges and thus cause fanning of a limited number of backing cards; and   f. data element support means for supporting data elements which may be positioned between adjacent backing cards to prevent such data elements from movement into a position between said backing cards and said fulcrum   
     
     
        means..]. .[.12.  A combination as defined in claim 11 in which said backing cards are spaced apart to provide a space for receiving data elements between said backing cards, and a data element in one or more of said spaces..]. .[.13. A combination as defined in claim 12, including means on a forwardly positioned backing card engageable with said data element for holding it against the forward face of a rearwardly positioned backing card..]. .[.14. A combination as defined in claim 11 in which said backing cards are spaced apart to provide a space for receiving data elements between said backing card, a data element in one or more of said spaces, and means near the top edges of said backing cards for holding said backing cards in spaced relationship when said backing cards are 
     
     
        parallel to each other..]. .[.15.  A filing system of the class described, the combination of: a. a file receptacle having spaced apart longitudinal side walls for containing a group of backing cards positioned one behind the other;   b. a plurality of backing cards supported in said receptacle in side-by-side relationship, one behind the other and having substantially planar bodies and side, bottom and top edges;   c. fulcrum means positioned along a fulcrum line near the bottom edges of said backing cards and cooperatively engaging adjacent backing cards contained in said receptacle;   d. means in said receptacle operating to position said backing cards and said fulcrum means to cause relative pivotal movement of adjacent backing cards about said fulcrum line when a number of said backing cards are caused to converge at their bottom edges and thus cause fanning of a limited number of backing cards;   e. data elements positioned between one or more of said backing cards; and   f. means on the back of a forwardly positioned backing card for releasably holding each such data element against a rearwardly positioned backing   
     
     
        card, and spaced from the forwardly positioned backing card..]. .[.16.  A filing system of the class described, the combination of: a. a file receptacle having spaced apart longitudinal side walls for containing a group of backing cards positioned one behind the other;   b. a plurality of backing cards in said receptacle positioned in side-by-side relationship, one behind the other and having substantially planar bodies and side, bottom and top edges;   c. fulcrum means positioned near the bottom edges of said backing cards and cooperatively engaging between adjacent backing cards contained in said receptacle, said fulcrum means holding said backing cards in spaced relation to provide a data element receiving space;   d. means in said receptacle operating to position said backing cards and said fulcrum means to cause relative pivotal movement of adjacent relative pivotal movement of adjacent backing cards about said fulcrum line when a number of said backing cards are caused to converge at their bottom edges and thus cause fanning of a limited number of backing cards;   e. a data element in one or more of said spaces; and   f. data element supporting means positioned below said data elements for releasably supporting said data elements to prevent same from moving into   
     
     
        a position between said backing cards and said fulcrum means..]. .[.17.  A combination as defined in claim 16 including means for holding each such data element against the forward face of a rearwardly positioned backing 
     
     
        card when said backing cards are in fanned relationship..]. .[.18.  A filing system of the class described, the combination of: a. a file receptacle having spaced apart longitudinal side walls for containing a group of backing cards positioned one behind the other;   b. a plurality of backing cards supported in said receptacle in side-by-side relationship, one behind the other and being spaced apart to provide data element receiving spaces between adjacent backing cards;   c. fulcrum means positioned between said backing cards along a fulcrum line near the bottom edges of said backing cards and cooperatively engaging adjacent backing cards contained in said receptacle;   d. means in said receptacle operating to position said backing cards and said fulcrum means to cause relative pivotal movement of adjacent backing cards about said fulcrum line when a number of said backing cards are caused to converge at their bottom edges and thus cause fanning of a limited number of backing cards;   e. a data element positioned in one or more of said spaces, said data elements having planar bodies; and   f. spacer means on the back of a forwardly positioned backing card for forming said space between adjacent backing cards, said spacer means holding said data element against the forward surface of a rearwardly positioned backing card holding such data element spaced from the rearward   
     
     
        surface of the forwardly positioned backing card..]. .[.19.  A combination as defined in claim 18 in which said backing cards forming said data elements receiving spaces provide a forward surface and a rearward surface defining each such space, and in which said spacer means comprises protuberances on said rearward surface engageable with said data element and holds such data element against said forward surface and spaced from said rearward surface..]. .Iadd. 20. A file system for supporting removable data elements comprising the combination of: (a) a file receptacle having spaced apart longitudinal sides and having a hold-down portion;   (b) a plurality of file backing cards supported in said receptacle, one behind the other, and each card comprising: (1) a sheet having top, bottom, and side edges and front and rear faces;   (2) means on one face of said sheet and positioned along a fulcrum line at a location closer to said bottom edge than said top edge and spaced above said bottom edge for separating said one face of said sheet from an adjacent file card, thereby causing fanning apart of said top edges of said sheet and said adjacent file card upon movement of said bottom edges thereof toward one another, the fanning of said cards tending to lift vertically at least one of said cards; and   (3) hold-down means formed on said sheet whereby said sheet engages said receptacle hold-down portion thereby constraining the file cards against upward vertical movement during fanning; and     (c) means on said receptacle for automatically supporting readily removable data elements positioned between adjacent backing cards to prevent such data elements from movement into a position between said backing cards and   
     
     
        said separating means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21.  A file system according to claim 20 further comprising means in said receptacle operating to position said backing cards and said separating means to cause relative pivotal movement of adjacent backing cards about said fulcrum line when a number of said backing cards are caused to converge at their bottom edges and thus cause fanning of a limited number of backing cards..Iaddend. .Iadd. 22. A file system according to claim 21 wherein said means to position the backing cards comprises front and back walls which are closer together at their bottom than at their top..Iaddend. .Iadd. 23. A file system according to claim 21 in which said means to position said backing cards and said separating means has converging walls movable into parallel positions to hold the backing cards in vertical arrangement. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 24. The file system according to claim 20 wherein said hold-down means holds said backing cards such that said separating means are maintained on said fulcrum line so as to prevent any substantial change in the pressure of contact between said backing cards and said separating means..Iaddend..Iadd. 25. A file system according to claim 20 in which said hold-down portion of said receptacle comprises a flange extending inwardly from the side wall of said receptacle and wherein said hold-down means of said backing card comprises a notch formed in said backing card to receive said flange. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. A file system according to claim 20 wherein said separating means comprises a plurality of protuberances horizontally arranged along said fulcrum line, said protuberances of adjacent cards being offset to provide for compressibility of said plurality of backing cards in said receptacle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 27. A file system according to claim 20 wherein said separating means comprise a plurality of protuberances along said fulcrum line, said system further comprising: means for holding said backing cards and said protuberances in contact with each other, said protuberances acting as means for spacing said backing cards to provide a space for receiving a data element, and a data element in one or more of said spaces, each said data element being supported by said means for automatically supporting data elements. .Iaddend..Iadd. 28. The file system according to claim 20 in which said means for supporting data elements extends along the longitudinal side walls of said receptacle and is located at or above the fulcrum line of said separating means and permits said backing cards to pivot or move longitudinally of said receptacle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 29. A file system according to claim 20 wherein said separating means includes a plurality of protuberances extending from said backing cards in substantial horizontal alignment and in which the protuberances of adjacent backing cards are offset from each other whereby a group of backing cards can be compressed in a direction normal to their plane with the individual backing cards flexing under compression. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 30. A file system according to claim 20 in which said backing cards include data element gripping means for holding said data element when said backing cards are in fanned relationship. .Iaddend..Iadd. 31. A file system according to claim 20 in which said backing cards are spaced apart to provide a space for receiving data elements between said backing cards, said system additionally comprising data elements in one or more said spaces. .Iaddend..Iadd. 32. A file system according to claim 31 including means on a forwardly positioned backing card engageable with said data element for holding said data element against the forward face of a rearwardly positioned backing card. .Iaddend..Iadd. 33. The file system according to claim 31 including means near the top edges of said backing cards for holding said backing cards in spaced relationship when said backing cards are parallel to each other. .Iaddend..Iadd. 34. The file system according to claim 20 including means on the back of a forwardly positioned backing card for releasably holding a data element against a rearwardly positioned backing card, and spaced from the forwardly positioned backing card. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 35. The file system according to claim 20 wherein said means for supporting data elements comprises a shelf extending longitudinally along said receptacle upon which said data elements rest. .Iaddend..Iadd. 36. The file system according to claim 33 in which said means for holding said backing cards in spaced relationship comprises protuberances on the rearward surface of said backing card engageable with said data element, said means holding such data element against the forward surface of a rearward backing card and spaced from said rearward surface of said forward backing card. .Iaddend..Iadd. 37. The file system according to claim 20 wherein several of said backing cards abut on one another below said fulcrum line, said abutment limiting the extent to which the top edges of said several cards can be spaced apart, and thereby fanning apart the top edges of said several cards. .Iaddend..Iadd. 38. The file system according to claim 20 wherein said separating means comprises a plurality of protuberances integral with said sheet formed along said fulcrum line at a location at or below said hold-down means, and wherein said hold-down means comprises a notch formed in said sheet to engage said hold-down portion of said receptable. .Iaddend.