Ring mechanism biased to closed and locked position

A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising:

• a housing;
• hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting motion relative to the housing;
• rings for holding loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring member being mounted on a first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate relative to the second ring member between a closed position and an open position, in the closed position the two ring members form a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the rings to be moved along the rings from one ring member to the other, and in the open position the two ring members form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the rings;
• an actuating lever mounted on the housing;
• a travel bar operatively connected to the lever and supported by the housing for translational movement relative to the housing, the travel bar including a locking element moveable with the travel bar between a first position blocking pivoting motion of the hinge plates and a second position;
• and
• a spring plate operatively connected to the travel bar and the housing for urging the travel bar to move the locking element toward said first position.