March 13, 1934. H. KAI
TEMPORARY BINDER OR LOOSE SHEET HOLDER Filed Jan. 9, 1935 TTRNEJ/S Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES TEMPORARY BINDER OR LOOSE SHEET HOLDER Louis H. Kai, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Shakespeare Products Company, Kalamazoo,
Mich.
Application January 9, 1933, Serial No. 650,940
2 Claims.
 The main object of this invention is to provide a temporary binder or loose sheet holder of the prong type which is very simple in structure and manipulation, the sheet engaging prongs being positively manipulated from open to closed position and reversely.
 A further object is to provide a structure having these advantages which is very economical in its parts and in the assembly thereof.
 Objects relating to details and economies oi my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.
 A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:
 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a loose sheet binder embodying the features of my invention.
 Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the mounting strip, showing the arrangement of the parts.
 Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevation, the open position of the handle being indicated by dotted lines.
 Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section taken on a line corresponding toline 4 4 of Fig. 2, the open position of the parts being indicated by dotted lines.
 Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section on a line corresponding toline 5 5 oi Fig. 2.
 In the embodiment illustrated, the back l and thecovers 2 and 3 are connected by suitable hinges. On the inner side of theback 1, I mount in a vertical position the channel-shapedspring back plate 4, this back plate being of curved cross section and having curvedflanges 5 prcviding internal opposed bearingrecesses 6. The back plate is lixedly secured as by means ofrivets 7.
 The prong-carryingrods 8 are journaled in these bearings and have inwardoset portions 9 terminating in parallel portions l0 disposed in coacting knuckle-like bearing engagement. The ends of the prong-carrying rods terminate in laterally disposed prongs l1 arranged in coacting pairs, one prong having a recess l2 in its end to receive thetip 13 of the coacting prong. These prongs are disposed throughholes 14 in the back plate.
 Theparts 10 of the prong-carrying rods are urged yieldingly against each other by the springing of the back plate so that by swinging the prong-carrying rods from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 which is the closed position to a position shown by dotted lines, the prongs are opened and yieldingly held in open or in closed position.
 Afinger piece 15 is provided, this iinger piece having astem 16 arranged in one of the bearing recesses of the back plate with the linger piece projecting at the end of the back plate, the stem (Cl. 12S-24) terminating in a laterally turned portion 17 which is soldered at 18 to one of the prongs.
 The linger piece is formed of a piece of wire and is upwardly olset at 19 so that the finger piece is supported in an elevated position above theback 1 and sufficient room is provided for the swinging of the nger piece.
 The end of the linger piece is turned inwardly at 20 so that there are no parts projecting which are likely to engage.
 With the parts thus formed and arranged, they may be very economically produced and assembled and the resulting structure is strong and durable and easily manipulated.
 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:
 l, In a loose sheet binder, the combination with a back member and covers hinged thereto, of an inwardly facing spring back plate of curved channel cross section mounted on said back member and having opposed pairs of apertures at the edges thereof, prong-carrying rods supported by the ilanges of said back plate and having inwardly offset arms at their ends supported in rocking engagement under the spring pressure of said back plate and terminating in coacting laterally disposed prongs arranged through said openings, and an operating rod supported by one of said back plate flanges and having a laterally turned inner end connected to one of said prongs, the outer end of said operating rod projecting from the end of said plate and terminating in a laterally disposed linger piece.
 2. In a loose sheet binder, the combination of a spring back plate of curved channel cross section having opposed pairs of apertures at the edges thereof, prong-carrying rods journaled in the iianges of said back plate and having inwardly offset arms at their ends supported in rocking engagement under the spring pressure of said back plate and terminating in coacting laterally disposed prongs arranged through said openings, and an operating rod journaled in one of said back plate flanges and having a laterally turned inner end secured to one of said prongs within said back plate, the outer end of said operating rod projecting from the end of said plate and terminating in a laterally disposed `linger piece.