US3617074A - Telephone directory cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A telephone directory binder cover having a backer plate, top and bottom plates removably attached to the backer plate and front and back covers, the backer plate having C-shaped recesses extending longitudinally of the backer plate along the marginal edges thereof, the covers having cylindrical edges in said Cshaped recesses, the recesses and cylindrical edges forming a hinge mounting between the backer plate and the cover, the assembled binder cover being adaptable for hinge, cable, or chain mounting.

Description

ates atent Inventors Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Venerio J. Rigolini Brooklyn;

William L. Lawson, Forest Hills, both of N'.Y.

July 1, 1969 Nov. 2, 1971 Whitehouse Products, Inc.

Brooklyn, N.Y.

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY COVER 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

11.8. Cl 281/34, 281/49 Int. Cl B42d 17/00 Field of Search 281/1, 3 R, 4,15 R, 15 A, 16-18, 19, 29, 34, 36, 46-50, 20; 402/7348 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,446 10/1925 Mass 281/47 3,322,129 5/1967 Drysdale 281/49 3,373,749 3/1968 Wance etal.. 281/19R 3,425,421 2/1969 Feder 281/48 FOREIGN PATENTS 608,232 9/1960 ltaly 281/47 Primary Examiner- Robert W. Michell AttorneyCharles B. Smith ABSTRACT: A telephone directory binder cover having a backer plate, top and bottom plates removably attached to the hacker plate and front and back covezs, the backer plate having C-shaped recesses extending longitudinally of the backer plate along the marginal edges thereof, the covers having cylindrical edges in said C-shaped recesses, the recesses and cylindrical edges forming a hinge mounting between the hacker plate and the cover, the assembled binder cover being adaptable for hinge, cable, or chain mounting.

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY COVER This invention relates to binders or holders for use on directories and, more particularly, on telephone directories where one or more directories are placed in a binder or holder and attached or supported in a structure for convenient access for consultation and maintenance.

Directories and, more particularly, telephone directories, are printed and bound with stiff paper covers which, when the directory is used in a public place as, for example, a public telephone booth, are subject to tearing, curling and similar damage. To prevent such damage, it is the usual practice to place such directories in a protective binder or holder and to fasten the directory in such binder or holder to the telephone booth or structure with a chain, cable, hinge or the like. Where the areas serviced by the telephone, or telephones, cover more than one directory area, for instance, a city and its surrounding suburbs, each having its own telephone directory, a plurality of directories may be placed in a single holder or binder.

The type of holder or binder required and the manner in which it is to be fastened to the booth or structure depends, to an appreciable extent, upon whether the telephone booth is an outside booth exposed to the elements, an inside protected booth, a desk or table from which the directory or directories may service a number of public telephones, and the like. If an outside booth, the holder binder must, of course, be weatherproof and, in most instances, include some provision for the fastening of the binder or holder to the booth. In most outside single telephone booths, the directory holder or binder is fastened to the booth with a chain or cable. Where the booth is inside, a weatherproof binder is not required. For such inside use, the binder is either fastened with a chain or cable or may be hinged, at one end, to a suitable structure, such as, a table or desk. 7

The requirements for outside weatherproof binders, inside binders, where weatherproofing is not required, binders that may be fastened with a cable or chain and binders that may be hinged, has led to the need for a wide variety of binders. Thus, a telephone company, which must furnish and maintain such a variety of binders, must purchase a number of different binders and maintain sufficient inventory of each such binder so that, as is required, replacements are available. Not only does such telephone company maintain inventory of each such binder but, in addition, must have sufficient binders of the various types available to its service personnel who, in many instances, service outside booths, inside booths and cable or chain attached and hinged binders.

Over and above the variety of binders required for servicing, in many instances when a binder requires-replacement only a part of the binder has failed. For example, the front or back cover may have become worn, a cover hinge may be broken, the hinge connecting the binder and directory to the booth may be bent or broken or one or more of the other binder parts may have failed. More commonly, the front or back cover may have been defaced. Irrespective of what part of the binder may be damaged, in binders most commonly used the entire binder must be replaced. Thus, those parts of the binder still serviceable are removed along with the failed or damaged part and the entire binder is replaced. The serviceable parts may be later salvaged but such salvaging requires shipping, storage, and handling and a substantial binder inventory.

Many of the problems heretofore encountered with telephone directory binders are overcome in the instant invention by providing a binder which, with a variety of parts, can be readily assembled by the installer at the telephone location to meet the needs of the particular location. Thus, where the telephone booth is located out of doors, the binder may be assembled at the location with weatherproof covers. If the binder and directory are to be mounted with a chain or cable, the binder may be assembled at the location with the appropriate parts for the chain or cable. If, on the other hand, the binder and directory are to be hinge mounted, the binder may be assembled at the location with the appropriate hinge parts.

Only a pair of circuit pliers are required for the assembly of the binder of the instant invention. Assembly of the binder, as will be seen from the following description, is relatively simple. Hence, the binder can be assembled with the particular parts required for the particular installation at the telephone location without difficulty and spare parts can be kept and stored on service trucks without taking up appreciable space. This is important because of the many other items that must be carried and readily available in the usual telephone installers service truck.

Apart from the assembly of the binder of the instant application at the telephone location to meet the particular needs of such location, servicing of the binder of the instant invention, in comparison with binders heretofore used, is relatively simplified. The part or parts of the binder found to be worn or damaged at the installation can be readily removed from the binder and replaced with new parts. Removal and replacement of the worn or damaged binder with a replacement binder and the need for a variety of replacement binders on the service truck is eliminated. Likewise, the shipping, storage, and handling for salvage and substantial inventory of replacement binders is eliminated.

The instant invention will be more fully understood from the following description and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the binder of the instant invention showing the binder with a hinge support in accordance with one of the embodiments of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. I but showing certain of the parts broken away and the parts in exploded view in assembly relationship;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the hinge-supported binder of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, in section, taken at line 4- 4, FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at line 5-5, FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the binder of the instant invention showing the binder in one embodiment supported by a cable;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken at line 7-7, FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a partial side elevational view showing a further modification of the cable support.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the binder of the instant invention includes backer plate, generally designated 2, front cover, generally designated 4, rear cover, generally designated 6, bottom bracket plate, generally designated 8 and, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, top bracket plate generally designated 10, having a hinge bracket 12 for receiving a hinge pin 14, located on a telephone booth.

Backer plate 2 is preferably of metal, cast, forged, machine or extruded and, preferably, is an aluminum extrusion. C- shaped receptacles 20, 24 extend longitudinally along the opposite edges of backer plate 2, the mouth or open end of the C-shaped receptacles being small enough to retain the cylindrical portion of the cover hinges, as hereinafter described, yet large enough to permit the covers to swing open and close. Brackets 26, 28 extend outwardly from the inner side of backer plate 2, along the inner margins thereof, and include, respectively, outwardly extending flanges 30, 32 and inwardly extending flanges 34, 36. Inwardly extending flanges 34, 36 are spaced from the back of backer plate 2 forming a recess therebetween for purposes hereinafter described.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. I and 2, bottom bracket 8 includes keeper portion 40 which, when assembled, slides into the recess in backer plate 2 formed between flanges 34, 36 and the back surface of backer plate 2. Keeper portion 40 of bracket 8 has a hole 42 which, when bracket 8 is in place, is in alignment with hole 44 in backer plate 2. Pin 46 passing through holes 44, 42 and receiving in groove 48, circlet 49. Pin 46, groove 48 and circlet 49, spring engaged in groove 48, holds bracket 8 assembled on backer plate 2. As best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 7, bracket 8 has an outwardly extending portion 50, having a hole 51 therethrough and a portion 52, bent inwardly toward keeper portion 40. Portion 52 has keyed openings 54, 56, FIG. 2, and openings 58, 60 for receiving the curved end portions of rods 62, 64. Ears 66, 68 of bracket 8 extend rearwardly and cover the ends of the C- shaped receptacles 20, 24 of backer plate 2 when bracket 8 and backer plate 2 are assembled. The bottom surface of bracket 8, FIGS. 4 and 7, is covered with a plastic plate 70, such as nylon, having a hole 71 therethrough and riveted to portion 50 with hole 71 of plate 70 aligned with hole 51 of extending portion 50 of bracket 8. When the binder is assembled and installed, plate 70 prevents the end of the binder from marking, gouging, r marring the telephone booth.

Intermediate its ends, backer plate 2 has a hole 72. Button 74 having spring tongues 76 is pressed into hole 72 and may be removed for purposes hereinafter described.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4, keeper portion 80 of top bracket and keeper portion 84 of hinge bracket 12 are joined, as for example, by electric spot welding, with hole 86 in keeper portion 80 aligned with hole 88 in keeper portion 84. Keeper portion 84 of hinge bracket 12 is wider than keeper portion 80 of bracket 10, the wider portion of keeper 84 sliding into the recess in backer plate 2 behind flanges 34, 36, Pin 92, having a groove 94, passes through hole 96 in backer plate 2, aligned with holes 86, 88, circlet 98, in groove 94 of pin 92, holding the top bracket 10, hinge bracket 12, and backer plate 94 assembled.

Top bracket 10 has an outwardly extending portion 100, having ears 102, I04, FIGS. 1 and 3 which, when assembled on backer plate 2, cover the ends of the C-shaped receptacles 20, 24. Portion 106 of top plate 10 bends inwardly toward keeper portion 80 and has keyed openings 108, 110 for receiving the hooked ends of rods 62, 64.

Covers 4, 6 may be identical and used interchangeably or separate front and back covers may be provided. It may be preferred to use a more expensive covering material for the front of the binder, than for the back, or it may be desirable to print, emboss, decorate, or the like, the front cover and not the back. In either event, front and back covers, 4, 6, each include hinge member 111 having cylindrical end 112 which, when the binder is assembled, is received into back or front cover C-shaped recesses 20, 24 of backer plate 2 and are retained therein for pivotal movement to open and close the cover. Hinge member 111 is fastened, as by, for example, rivets, to cover plate 114. Cover plate 114 may be of any suitable material, opaque, transparent or translucent and may, if desired, be covered with cloth or other material. Cover plate 114 may be plastic, pressed fiberboard or any suitable material for protecting the directory or directories, bound in the binder. Where the binder will be used out of doors covered plate 114 should, of course, be weatherproof. For indoor pur poses less expensive cover plate materials may be used.

Hinge member 111 may be metal, plastic, or other material suitable for hinge purposes. For example, hinge member 110 may be stainless, nickel-plated, cadmuim-plated or zinc-plated steel and, where steel, cylinder end 112 may be rolled or extruded along the edge. Preferably, hinge member 111 is of a flexible, plastic material, such as high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers thereof, or suitable plastic material which will withstand repeated flexing and the abuses common to directory binders.

In the embodiment of the instant invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, and described above, the binder is adapted to be hinge supported. In assembling such binder, either bottom plate 8 or top plate 10 is inserted into the recess in backer plate 2 formed by flanges 34, 36 and the back of backer plate 2 and the appropriate pin and circlet are inserted, locking the plate in position. The covers 4, 6 are then assembled by inserting cylindrical portion 112 of hinge 111 into C-shaped recesses 20, 24 and sliding the cover along the backing plate until the end of cylindrical portion 112 abuts the ears on the plate. The remaining plate is then positioned in the recess in backer plate 2 and the appropriate pin and circlet are installed. The hooked ends of rods 62, 64 are hooked into keyed openings 54, 56. The directory, or directories, are then inserted in the binder so that the bound ends of the directory or directories, are between outwardly extending flanges 30, 32 and rods 62, 64 are then locked into keyed openings 108, holding the directory by its back binding between rods 62, 64 and backer plate 2. This may be done with the binder hinged on hinge pin 14 of the telephone booth or before the binder is hinged in position. Because of the variation in the thicknesses of telephone directories and the number of directories that may be bound into a single binder at a particular location, a number of backers 2 of various widths may be provided. Thus, the installer may be provided with a variety of covers and a variety of different size backer plates 2 and, by selection, can adapt the binder to the requirements of the particular location, i.e., directory thickness, indoor or outdoor installation and, as will now be described, hinge or cable mountings.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in this embodiment the directory is supported by cable mounted on a swivel in bracket 122 having holes 124, 126 for mounting the cable on the telephone booth or structure in close proximity to the telephone. In this embodiment the top and bottom brackets are identical. Thus, at the top of the binder a bracket identical to bottom bracket 8 hereinabove described is assembled at the top of backer plate 2. Swivel end 130 is inserted through aligned holes 51 and held in position by circlet 132 in a recess in swiveled end 130. When the binder of FIGS. 6 and 7 is assembled and the directory, or directories, are installed, as hereinabove described, the binder, with the directories, is suspended from its upper end from cable 120.

In FIG. 8, the directory is suspended from a cable in hole 72. In this embodiment the end brackets of FIG. 7 are utilized. Button 74 is removed and swivel 130 is inserted and locked in position with circlet 132.

As can be seen from the foregoing description the binder may be assembled for a number of different installations. By choosing the particular components to meet the requirements of the particular installation, the installer can adapt the binder to particular needs. Furthermore, should a part become worn, damaged or disfigured, the damaged part can be removed or replaced without removing the balance of the binder. Where the directory is hinged, the directory may be hinged on the bottom or the top merely by repositioning the top and bottom brackets. Likewise, the binder may be cable supported from its top, its bottom, or intermediate its length by selectively positioning cable 120 and swivel 130.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but is recognized that various modifications are possible.

What is claimed is: I

l. A binder for telephone directories comprising:

a. An elongated backer plate having a pair of C-shaped recesses, remotely spaced from one another, said recesses extending longitudinally along the elongated marginal edges of said backer plate;

b. a pair of brackets mounted remote one from another in substantially parallel relationship on an inner face of said backer plate, said brackets extending longitudinally along said inner face of said backer plate, each bracket extending outwardly from said inner face and including an outwardly extending flange and an inwardly extending flange, said inwardly extending flange being spaced from said inner face of said backer plate and parallel thereto forming a recess therebetween to receive a top bracket and a bottom bracket;

c. front and back covers each having a substantially cylindrical edge, said cylindrical edge of said front cover extending in one of said C-shaped recesses of said backer plate and said cylindrical edge of said back cover extending in a second C-shaped recess of said backer plate, said cylindrical edges and said C-shaped recesses forming, therebetween, a hinge mounting on said backer plate for said front and back covers, respectively; and d. a bottom bracket and a top bracket both including a keeper portion slidably mounted on said backer plate in the receiving recesses defined between said inner face of said backer plate and said inwardly extending flanges mounted thereon, an outwardly extending portion perpendicularly aligned with said keeper portion, a pair of cars fixed to said outwardly extending portion extending laterally and rearwardly thereof over the ends of said C- shaped recesses forming closures therefor and an angularly disposed inwardly formed edge integral with said outwardly extending portion and extending inwardly toward said keeper portion. 2. A binder as recited in claim 1 in which said binder includes means for attaching said binder to a support structure.

3. A binder as recited in claim 2 in which said means for attaching said binder to a support structure includes a hinge bracket.

4. A binder as recited in claim 3 in which said hinge bracket is attached to said top plate.

5. A binder as recited in claim 2 in which said means for attaching said binder to a support structure includes a cable.

6. A binder as recited in claim 5 in which said cable is attached to said top plate.

7. A binder as recited in claim 6 in which said cable is pivotally attached to said top plate by a pin attached at one end to said cable, said pin extending through said top plate and being held therein by a circlet.

8. A binder as recited in claim 5 in which said cable is attached to the hacker plate of said binder intermediate said top and bottom plates by a pin attached at one end to said cable and extending through said backer plate, said pin being held in said backer plate by a circlet.

9. The binder defined in claim 1 in which each angularly disposed inwardly formed edge of said top and bottom brackets has a pair of axially aligned apertures located therein; and a pair of rods having curved ends, an end of each rod respectively arranged in aligned apertures of said top and bottom brackets.

Claims (9)

1. A binder for telephone directories comprising: a. An elongated backer plate having a pair of C-shaped recesses, remotely spaced from one another, said recesses extending longitudinally along the elongated marginal edges of said backer plate; b. a pair of brackets mounted remote one from another in substantially parallel relationship on an inner face of said backer plate, said brackets extending longitudinally along said inner face of said backer plate, each bracket extending outwardly from said inner face and including an outwardly extending flange and an inwardly extending flange, said inwardly extending flange being spaced from said inner face of said backer plate and parallel thereto forming a recess therebetween to receive a top bracket and a bottom bracket; c. front and back covers each having a substantially cylindrical edge, said cylindrical edge of said front cover extending in one of said C-shaped recesses of said backer plate and said cylindrical edge of said back cover extending in a second Cshaped recess of said backer plate, said cylindrical edges and said C-shaped recesses forming, therebetween, a hinge mounting on said backer plate for said front and back covers, respectively; and d. a bottom bracket and a top bracket both including a keeper portion slidably mounted on said backer plate in the receiving recesses defined between said inner face of said backer plate and said inwardly extending flanges mounted thereon, an outwardly extending portion perpendicularly aligned with said keeper portion, a pair of ears fixed to said outwardly extending portion extending laterally and rearwardly thereof over the ends of said C-shaped recesses forming closures therefor and an angularly disposed inwardly formed edge integral with said outwardly extending portion and extending inwardly toward said keeper portion.

2. A binder as recited in claim 1 in which said binder includes means for attaching said binder to a support structure.

3. A binder as recited in claim 2 in which said means for attaching said binder to a support structure includes a hinge bracket.

4. A binder as recited in claim 3 in which said hinge bracket is attached to said top plate.

5. A binder as recited in claim 2 in which said means for attaching said binder to a support structure includes a cable.

6. A binder as recited in claim 5 in which said cable is attached to said top plate.

7. A binder as recited in claim 6 in which said cable is pivotally attached to said top plate by a pin attached at one end to said cable, said pin extending through said top plate and being held therein by a circlet.

8. A binder as recited in claim 5 in which said cable is attached to the backer plate of said binder intermediate said top and bottom plates by a pin attached at one end to said cable and extending through said backer plate, said pin being held in said backer plate by a circlet.

9. The binder defined in claim 1 in which each angularly disposed inwardly formed edge of said top and bottom brackets has a pair of axially aligned apertures located therein; and a pair of rods having curved ends, an end of each rod respectively arranged in aligned apertures of said top and bottom brackets.

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