US2275664A - Record holder - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1942. B, A WHITNEY 2,275,664

RECORD HOLDER File'd NOV. 27, 1959 INVENTOR.

jjF/PA A. W/i/TA/EV BY V, W M ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. l0, 1942 RECORD HOLDER Byrl A. Whitney, Lakewood, Ohio Application November 27, 1939, Serial No. 308,320

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to trays or holders for relatively large flat objects, particularly disk phonograph records.

The principal object of this invention is to store or file records or similar articles in a minimum amount of space while supporting the records in position to permit any individual record to be quickly and easily located and withdrawn. An-

other object is to protect the records against contact with each other not only while they are stored in the tray but while they are being withdrawn or replaced. Another object is to arrange separators to be posltionedbetween the individual records in such a manner as to facilitate the indexing and the locating of any desired record for withdrawal or the locating of the proper space for a record when it is being returned to the tray. Another object is to provide a simple, economical, and, yet durable holder which occupies a minimum of space and may be readily stored in a cabinet and moved to any desired position.

Other objects and advantages and the manner in which the various objects are realized will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a phonograph record holder showing the records supported therein;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on a plane indicated by line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a phantom perspective view with the central separators removed showing the relation of the parts;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of a portion l of the holder with the records removed from the compartments;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the large support for the records;

Figure 6 is an end view of the large support for the records;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the small support for the records; and

Figure8 is an end view of the small support for the records.

Referring to the drawing the holder shown comprises end supports II, which may be of any desired ornamental design, connected together by three rods I2, I3 and I4 which also carry separators and record supports dividing the spaces between the end supports into a plurality of individual record compartments. As shown the rod I2 is arranged in the upper rear corner of the device, the rod I3 in the lower rear corner and the rod II in the lower forward comer. The

rods are preferably provided with nuts which may be drawn up to clamp the separators and spacers between the end frames, or may be secured to the end frames in any suitable manner to form a relatively rigid structure.

The separators are divided into two groups I5 and I6 which differ slightly in shape, the separators I5 alternating with the separators I6. Each of the separators preferably consists of a sheet of thin relatively flexible material such as pressboard or similar material which will not injure the records and is sufilciently flexible to permit the separators to yield in removing or replacing the records.

The rod I2 is preferably coveredwith a, sleeve I! of rubber or other yieldable material which serves as a buffer to protect the records in case they are thrust against it in removing or replacing the same. The upper rear corner of each of the separators I5 and I Ii is formed with an opening through which the rod I2 and sleeve II passes, the openings preferably being of such size to fit closely about the sleeve I! while permitting these corners of the separators to move therealong. The rod I3 is provided with a plurality of spacing washers I8, one located between each two adjacent separators. Each of the separators is provided with a hole receiving and fitting closely about the rod I3 'so that when the device is assembled, the lower rear corners of the'separators may be firmly fixed in position by tightly drawing up the securing means for the rod I3. In order to conserve space the-outermost separators may be pressed tightly against the end supports II, or if desired jam nuts may be located on the rods I2, I3, and I4 between the end supports II and the outermost separators.

The rod I 4 similarly passes through openings in the lower forward corners of the separators I5 and I6 which fit closely about the rod. Washers I9 and 20 of two different diameters but of the same thickness as the spacing washers I8 are also mounted on the rod I4, one washer being located between each two adjacent separators. The securing means for the rod I4 are likewise drawn spacers l8 at the rear and the'washers l9 and 20 at the front, will engage and support records placed between the separators. The rod I2 is preferably spaced so as to be normally out of contact with the records. Thus the separators and rods form separate compartments open at their tops and their front sides.

As shown in Figure 2 a record 2| placed immediately to the right of one of the separators l6 will be supported by one of the washers l8 on the rod l3 and one of the rod I4 and will occupy the position shown with a portion of the record projecting forwardly from between the adjacent separators. Similarly a record '22 placed immediately to the right of a separator IE will rest upon one of the washers l8 at the rear and one of the large washers 20 at the front so that a portion of this record will project upwardly from between the adjacent separators.

The separators l5 and I6 are provided with index tabs 23 and 24, respectively, located at their upper forward corners. The separators iii are shaped at their upper forward corners so as'to approximately conform to a portion of the peripheries of the records 22, and the tabs 23 formed upon these separators are arranged to project upwardly and outwardly from the curvature of the records 22. The tabs on the separator l6 are located below the tabs 23 and the separator l6 and tabs24 are likewise shaped to conform in the region of the tabs to the curvature of the records 2|. Thus the uppermost tabs 23 are arranged to designate the records 22 supported upon the large washers 20 and substantially coinform to the adjacent contours of these records.

Similarly the lower set of tabs 24 are arranged to designate the records 2| supported upon the small washers l9 and likewise are arranged to substantially conform to the contour of these records.

The tabs 23 and 24 are designed to receive numbers or the like for indexing purposes and by the arrangement shown are located so that each tab is visible and is adjacent the record which it designates and the records may be returned to their compartments by contacting. the proper tab and sliding the record into position. In removing or replacing the records the separators may yield slightl by bending or by sliding of their upper rear corners along th sleeve 11.

The washers I8, l9 and 20 may be made of any desired material although I prefer fiber or reasonably rigid rubber since such material does "not injure the records in the event they are dropped or forcibly moved against their supports while at the same 'timeit permits the assembly of separators and'washers to be tightly secured on the rods l3 and It so as to make the entire tray relatively rigid and durable. It will be understood that the trays can be provided with any desired number of compartments and likewise can be constructed for any desired size of record or similar article. Preferably each tray is constructed to receive a number of records which may be readily handled or carried about and a plurality of trays may be stored in a cabinet, shelving, or the like. Handles are preferably provided upon the end supports as by forming the supports with outwardly extending projections 25.

Whil I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail it will be understood that many modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

small washers I9 on the I claim:

l. Aholder for disks and the like formed with a plurality of compartments open at the top and front each arranged to receive a single disk, supporting elements in said compartments arranged to engage and support the disks therein, the supporting elements in certain of said compartments being arranged to support said disks with portions thereof projecting through the open tops of the compartments and the supporting elements in alternate compartments being arranged to support disks therein with portions projecting through the open fronts of the compartments, with the centers of the disks in alternate compartments offset diagonally from 'each other along a line extending from the rear portion of the tops of the compartments to the lower portion. of the fronts of the compartments.

2. A holder for disks and the like comprising separators forming a plurality ofcompartments. supporting elements in the lower portions of said compartments at the front and rear sides thereof having portions arranged to engage disks in said compartments at two separated points, the disk engaging portions of the supporting elements in the rear sides of said compartments being located at substantially the same level and at substantially the same distance from the front of the holder, and the supporting elements in the front sides of said compartments having their centers substantially aligned and their disk engaging portions alternately positioned at two difierent levels, whereby disks of the same size are supported at different levels in alternate compartments.

3. A holder for disks and the like comprising a plurality of separators forming individual compartments, supporting members in said compartments at the lower rear side thereof having portions arranged to engage disks in said compartments, the disk engaging portions of said supporting members being located at substantially the same level and at substantially the same distance from the front of the holder in all of said compartments, and other supporting members in said compartments at the lower forward portions thereof spaced from said first mentioned supporting members and having disk engaging portions arranged in alternate compartments at two different levels and at correspondingly different distances from the front of the holder, whereby disks of the same size are supported at different levels in alternate compartments.

4. A holder for disks and the like including a plurality of separators, a pair of rods passing through said separators at spaced points, a series of washers on each of said rods spacing said separators apart and-serving as supports for disks positioned between said separators, the washers of one of said series being of the same size and the washers of the other series being ofdiiferent sizes between alternate separators.

5. A holder for disks and the like comprising a plurality of supports secured together in spaced relation to form a plurality of compartments open at their tops and front sides, means within said compartments to support disks arranged to support certain of said disks with portions projecting through the tops of said compartments and alternate disks with portions projecting through the front sides of said compartments, and indexing tabs on certain of said separators arranged adjacent the disks projecting from the tops of said compartments and indexing tabs on alternate separators arranged below said first mentioned ing formed at their upper forward portions with a curvature corresponding to a portion of the disks projecting through the tops of adjacent compartments and having indexing tabs projecting outwardly therefrom, and alternate separators being formed with a curvature conforming to a portion of the disks projecting through the front sides of adjacent compartments and having indexing tabs projecting therefrom positioned below said first mentioned indexing tabs,

7. A holder for disks and the like comprising rods passing through the lower portions of said end supports and said separators, spacers on said -a. pair of end supports, a plurality of separators positioned between said end supports, spaced rods disposed between adjacent separators, said end supports, separators and spacers being tightly secured upon said rods forming a plurality of separate compartments, and a rod secured'to the upper rear portions of said end supports and passing through said. separators, each intermediate separator being slidable along said last mentioned rod toward and away from the ad-- jacent separator on each side thereof.

8. A holder for disks and the like comprising a pair of end supports, a plurality of separators positioned between said end supports, spaced rods passing through the lower portions of said end supports and said separators, spacers on said rods disposed between adjacent separators, said end plates, separators and spacers being tightly secured upon said rods forming a plurality of separate compartments, said spacers forming supports for disks in said compartments and certain of said spacers engaging said disks in alternate compartments at two different levels, and a rod secured to the upper rear portions of said end plates and passing through said separators, said separators being slidable along said last mentioned rod;

\ BYRL A. WHITNEY.

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