Document holder

In a device for filing bound items such as books, loose leaf notebooks, and the like, said bound items being characterized by having a binding with a spine terminating head and tail in edge portions, said device comprising in combination:

• an elongate member longitudinally terminating in a first end and a second end spaced apart a distance substantially equal to that separating said edge portions, said member also having a back extending between said ends and a structure distal from said back which is dimensioned to fit said spine;
• first and second elongate fingers disposed adjacent to said first and second ends respectively of said elongate member and attached thereto so as to be movable relative to each other between a first position and a second position, at least said first position being characterized by said first and second fingers extending toward said second and first ends respectively, said fingers also being adjacent and substantially parallel to said structure and more distal from said back than is said structure so as to accommodate between said first finger and said structure and between said second finger and said structure the said head and tail edge portions respectively of said binding;
• said second position being characterized by said first and second fingers being disposed further from one another than said head and tail edge portions are from one another;
• defeatable restraining means for maintaining said first and second fingers in said first position;
• and
• at least one hook means on said member;
• whereby one of said bound items may be detachably affixed to said elongate member by the cooperative action of said first and second finger and said elongate member may be attached to a filing system by said hook means;
• the improvement wherein said defeatable restraining means comprises:
• first and second interlocking means at one end of said elongate member so configured and disposed as to be movable with respect to one another between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition, said engaged condition being characterized by said first and second interlocking means being cooperatively engaged with one another so as to prevent motion of said first and second fingers at least from said first position toward said second position, and said disengaged condition being characterized by said first and second interlocking means being disposed so as to not restrict motion of said first and second fingers relative to one another;
• resiliently distortable means so configured and disposed as to normally supply a first force to resiliently urge said first and second interlocking means into said engaged condition;
• and
• means for applying a second force to said resiliently distortable means so as to overcome said first force while simultaneously moving said first and second interlocking means to said disengaged condition.