Card holder
United States Patent 1 Cronheim 1 1 CARD HOLDER [76] Inventor: Richard B. Cronheim, 7 Upper Barnes, St. Louis County, Mo. 63124 [22] Filed: Aug. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 392,620  
 [52] U.S. 206/73, 206/4524, 206/425, 211/11, 248/447, 248/413 [51] Int. Cl 865d l/36, B421 17/06 [58] Field of Search 206/73, 425, 45.24, 45.17; 248/453, 461; 211/11; 40/28; 220/38, 41  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 930.338 8/1909 Benjamin 206/4524 1,502,248 7/1924 Hawley 206/4517 1,840,439 l/1932 Ewell 206/4524 1,869,714 8/1932 Rodack 248/453 2,605,892 8/1952 Waber et al 220/41 2,792,144 5/1957 Mayer 220/38 2,829,767 4/1958 Scripture 206/73 [11] 3,874,501 [451 Apr. 1, 1975 3,180,697 4/1965 Mulch 220/41 3,276.618 10/1966 Relich 220/41 3,669,227 6/1972 Alford 190/11 Primary ExaminerWil1iam 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Bernstein Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ralph W. Kalish [57] ABSTRACT A card holder comprising a container having a bottom wall, end walls, side walls, and a slidably mounted top closure. A card support plate is swingably engaged to said top closure and depends from the normally rearward, marginal portion thereof; said plate having a pair of spaced-apart clip-forming members for retaining a preselected card thereon; there being an arm hingedly engaged to said support plate in its lower end portion for disposition between same and the adjacent side wall of the holder, and being swingable between collapsed condition and extended plate-bracing condi non.  
 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures CARI) HOLDER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to card files and, more particularly. to new and useful improvements in card holders incorporating a card support plate.  
  It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a card holder which uniquely embodies a support for a preselected card so as to present same for ready, repeated reference as desired by the user.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide a card holder of the type especially useful for reference cards which embodies an easily operated closure for maintaining the cards against inadvertent soiling as might occur during card usage.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide a card holder of the type stated incorporating a card support plate with collapsible brace means for presenting said plate at a convenient angle for review by the user of the retained card.  
  It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a card holder of the type stated which embodies a card support plate adapted for disposition against the confronting portion of the holder when in disuse so as to conduce to an overall compactness.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide a card holder of the type stated which may be most economically manufactured: which consists of a relatively few sturdy parts conducive to the durability of the holder in usage; and which is reliable in use by reason of the simple yet highly effective mechanical means for producing the relative movements required.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a card holder constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention illustrating the same in closed, storage condition.  
 FIG. 2 is an end elevational view.  
  FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view, as viewed from the lefthand side of FIG. 2.  
 FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view.  
  FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3. illustrating the holder as supplied with cards.  
  FIG. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIG. 3. illustrating the holder in full open position.  
  FIG. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIG. 3, illustrating the holder in closed condition, but with the support plate in operative position.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now by reference numerals to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a card holder comprising a container having end walls Ll. front and back side walls 2.2, a base wall 3, and a top closure 4. As shown herein said end walls 1,1, and side walls 2.2 incline downwardly and inwardly so that the cross-sectional area of the lower end of holder A is less than that in the upper portion for purposes presently appearing. Said holder A is adapted primarily to receive an assembly of cards, such as, for example only, the usual 3 X 5 cards which are used for a multiplicity of reference purposes, as for recipes, addresses, library volumes, etc.: said cards being indicated at By reason of the contour of container A the area of base wall 3 will determine the number of cards r which may be retained by holder A; with the relatively enlarged upper portion facilitating the separation of the cards for inspection.  
  Closure 4 is of flat, plate-like form and at its opposite ends is provided with depending runners 5.5 having inwardly opening guideways 6.6. respectively, slid-ably for receiving guides 7.7, respectively, integral with the upper end portions of end walls 1.] and terminating at their ends spacedly from the edges of the respective walls LI Provided within each guidcway 6.6 proximate its forward end or that adjacent to front side wall 2, is a detent 8.8. respectively, for abutting a stop 9.9, respectively, formed at the rearward end of guides 7.7, respectively, to limit the rearward, container opening movement of closure 4 (see FIG. 3) as well as to prevent inadvertent displacement of the same.  
  Closure 4 in its rearward edge portion is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart depending bearings [0,]0&#39; for journalling therein of pivot pinforming projections I I,] l respectively, disposed in the upper marginal portion I2 of a support plate 13. Said plate 13 is of substantially like extent and configuration as side wall 2&#39; which it confronts on its inner surface; and bottom edge 15 so that the same is suspended from closure 4 by said pins lIJl; which establish a pivot axis for swingable movement thereabout of said plate l3. In the central bottom marginal portion 15 of plate I3 there is provided a downwardly opening recess [6 from the opposite sides of which project short hinge pins I7.I7&#39; for extension into knuckles ISJR&#39;. respectively, presented at the lower end of a relatively narrow elongated arm I9 for hingedly mounting same for swinging about the axis developed by said pins l7,l7&#39;. Arm 1) is flat, having a thickness comparable to that of plate 13 and is thus normally disposed upon the inner side of plate I3, and in upwardly swung position arm 19 is planarwise parallel to support plate 13 against which it abuts; there being an outwardly opening elon gated recess 20 formed in the outer face of back wall 2 for receiving said amt I9 when upwardly swung and with plate 13 disposed against said back wall 2&#39;. Thus recess 20 is of a form complementary to arm I9 for compactly accepting same. As support plate 13 is moved away from back wall 2&#39;, as will be shown hereinbelow, said arm I) will swing downwardly and with its hinge-remote, free end traveling progressively along the base of recess 20 for ultimate disposition in the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 for plate-bracing purposes.  
  Also integrally formed with plate [3 in the lower portion thereof is a pair of spaced-apart clips 21.2! projecting slightly outwardly from the outer face of support plate 13.  
  It will thus be seen that with holder A in closed, storage eondition, as illustrated in FIG. I, support plate 13 will be in normal downwardly depending disposition in substantially abutting relationship on its inner face with the outer face of back 2&#39;; and with arm 19 being upwardly swung and received within recess 20. Further forward movement of closure 4 is prevented by the abutment of support plate 13 against wall 2&#39; in its upper edge portion. As indicated above, holder A is supplied with an assembly of cards r&#39; having the preselected in telligence thereon.  
  When the user desires to open holder A for access to cards 0. closure 4 is caused to be moved slidingly rearwardly with runners 5,5 traveling relatively along guides 7.7. respectively; with such opening movement being terminated by abutment of detents 8,8 and stops 9,9, respectively, as above described (see FIG. 6). Such rearward sliding movement of closure 4 will ncc cssarily cause rearward displacement of support plate 13 and thereby arm [9 is released to swing about hinge pins 17,17 with its normally upper free end sliding downwardly along recess 20. When closure 4 has reached its opening limit arm 19 will be in full down ward disposition substantially coplanar with bottom wall 3 (see HO. 6), thus serving to maintain closure 4 in open condition so that the user may conveniently inspcct cards c for locating a desired one.  
  After withdrawing the particular desired card, indicated c, the user may then dispose same upon the outer face of support plate 13, with the same being retained within clips 21,21 to facilitate reference thereto, while the user is engaged in an activity requir ing intermittent review of card c.  
  To close holder A while card t&#34; is disposed on support plate 13, arm 19 may be swung upwardly to permit forward sliding movement of closure 4 which will thus carry support plate 13 forwardly. After completing the closing action the user may dispose arm I) within the lower end of recess 20 and at an angle of less than 180 to the horizontal for bracing support plate 13 in outwardly swung disposition to allow ease of reference to card 1&#34; (see FIG. 7).  
  To restore holder A to fully closed condition, plate 13 is pulled upwardly from the position shown in either FIGS. 6 or 7 to permit arm 19 to be swung upwardly as plate 13 is swung downwardly toward back wall 2&#39; for return to the position shown in FIG. 1.  
  Thus in view of the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention uniquely and most compactly coniprehends a repository for reference cards as well as a support for presenting a selected card for convenience of reference. Holder A is especially suited for kitchen usage in that it permits the cook to make repeated review of the card 0 as needed during the particular operation while allowing the hands to be free for effecting the necessary manipulations.  
  Furthermore, such card support plate 13 is adapted for usage even with the holder A closed so that the interior of the latter is proof against the unauthorized entry of foreign matter which might soil or mar cards c.  
  The present invention may be fabricated from any suitable, durable material but it has been found that the same is particularly amenable to construction from plastics, such as acrylic resins, whereby the walls of holder A may be rendered transparent, if desired.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A card holder comprising a container having a bottom wall, a pair of front and rear side walls, and a pair of end walls, said container being normally open to the top, a closure provided for said normally open top of said container, means slidably mounting said closure on said container end walls for movement in a plane parallel to the bottom wall between container-open and container-closed condition, said closure having a portion projecting beyond said rear side wall when said closure is in container-closed condition, and a support plate hingedly engaged to said closure in its rearward pro jecting portion, said support plate being presented rearwardly of said rear side wall and being swingable in a vertical plane.  
  2. A card holder as defined in claim I and further characterized by said front and rear side walls being inclined inwardly toward said bottom wall, said support plate being substantially of like height as said rear side wall being in close confronting relationship thereto when said closure is in container-closed condition, said support plate having a height greater than the perpendicular distance between the plane of said closure and the plane of said bottom wall so that when said closure is in container-open condition, said support will incline rearwardly and outwardly at its lower end for closure support purposes.  
  3. A card holder as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by clip means provided upon said support plate upon its face remote from the rear side wall of said container,  
  4. A card holder as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by an arm swingably engaged to said support plate for normal disposition between same and the rear side wall of said container for maintaining said support plate in selected swung position.  
  5. A card holder as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by said arm being swingably mounted upon said support plate in the lower central portion thereof, said arm being free in its portion remote from its swingable mounting, there being a recess formed in the rearward, confronting face of said rear side wall of complementary configuration to said arm.  
  6. A card holder as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by means for limiting the containeropening movement of said closure in which position said support plate will be commensurately removed from said container rear side wall.  
  7. A card holder as defined in claim 6 and further characterized by said arm being flat and having a thickness comparable to that of said support plate.  
  8. A card holder comprising a container having a bottom wall, a pair of front and rear side walls, and a pair of end walls, said container being normally open to the top, a closure provided for said normally open top of said container, means slidably mounting said closure on said container end walls for movement in a plane parallel to the bottom wall between container-open and container-closed condition, a support plate having an upper marginal portion being hingedly engaged to said closure in the rearward portion of the latter for normal dependence of said support plate downwardly from said closure in confronting relationship to the adjacent side wall of said container and being substantially coextensive with said side wall, said support plate being swingable about the established hinge axis between downward position and upwardly swung position, there being an arm swingably engaged to said support plate for normal disposition between same and the adjacent side wall of said container for maintaining said support plate in selected swung position.  
  9. A card holder as defined in claim 8 and further characterized by said arm being swingably mounted upon said support plate in its portion remote from its hinged engagement to said closure, said arm being free in its portion remote from its swingable mounting, there being a recess formed in the confronting face of said adjacent side wall of said container of complemenwhen the latter is in confronting relationship to the adjacent side wall of said container said arm will he accepted within said recess throughout the length oi said arm.