Locking ring metal
AssigneeU.S. Ring Binder, L.P.
InventorPaul Whaley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking ring metal (10) includes binder rings (12, 14, 16) each formed by a pair of complementary shaped binder ring halves. Each ring half has an end attached to a frame (18, 20). The frames are movable relative to each other to open and close the binder rings. The frames are installed in housing (22) at one end of which a trigger (11) is mounted. A travel bar (34) installed within the housing above the frames and not connected to the trigger includes blocking elements (50) which, when in position, prevent movement of the frames to lock the binder rings in their closed position. A coil spring (48) attached to the travel bar and housing biases the travel bar in the direction to open the binder rings.
Claims20
A locking ring metal for a binder holding hole-punched sheets of paper and the like, comprising:
- at least one binder ring formed by a pair of complementary shaped binder ring halves;
- a pair of frames, one end of each ring half being attached to a respective one of the frames, the frames being movable relative to each other to move the other ends of the ring halves out of and into contact with each other so as to open and close the binder ring;
- a housing in which the frames are installed;
- a trigger mounted on one end of the housing for moving the frames to open and close the binder ring;
- and,
- a travel bar installed within the housing above the frames and not connected to the trigger, the travel bar including a blocking element which overlays the frames and, when in position, prevents movement of the frames in a direction to open the binder ring so as to lock the binder ring closed.
A locking ring metal for a binder holding hole-punched sheets of paper and the like, comprising:
- a plurality of binder rings spaced along the length of the ring metal, each ring being formed by a pair of complementary shaped binder ring halves;
- a pair of frames, one end of each ring half being attached to a respective one of the frames, the frames being movable relative to each other to move the other ends of the ring halves out of and into contact with each other so as to open and close the binder rings;
- a housing in which the frames are installed;
- a trigger mounted on one end of the housing for moving the frames to open and close the binder rings;
- a travel bar installed within the housing above the frames and not connected to the trigger, the travel bar including a blocking element overlaying the frames and which, when in position, prevents movement of the frames in a direction to open the binder rings so to lock the binder rings in their closed position;
- and,
- a spring attached to the travel bar and urging the travel bar in the binder rings' opening direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.