Abstract: A compressor for cards stored in a drawer of magnetic material comprising a base positionable in the drawer and a compressor member mounted on the base for pivotal movement relative to the base between an extended position in which the compressor member can support the cards in a vertical position and a retracted position in which the compressor member is retracted from the cards. A spring biases the compressor member toward the extended position. A first magnet section on the base cooperates with the magnetic material of the drawer for magnetically retaining the compressor on the drawer. A second magnet section on the base retains the compressor member in the retracted position against the biasing force of the spring.

Abstract: A machine for the manufacture of a panel file for the storage of flat, flexible data elements is herein disclosed. A sheet of flexible resilient material is unrolled from an arbor. The material is cut into strips and rolled onto reels. The strips are substantially narrower than the depth of the pockets to be formed in the panel file. The reels are mounted on a strip aligning mechanism so that as the strips are unloaded from the reels they are in a parallel overlapping relationship. The strips are then pulled through an accumulator and placed in a heat sealing die. In the heat sealing die, the strips are joined to each other proximate the ends thereof to form a layered panel of overlapping pocket entrances. Also in the heat sealing die, a pocket forming sheet is attached to the back of the layered panel of strips.

Abstract: A file card for use in a filing system for compact filing of information. Such a system includes a file receptacle for a plurality of the file cards. The cards include fulcrum means adjacent their bottom edges and are normally supported in the file receptacle in substantially vertical positions. However, by manually fanning apart any pair of the file cards at their top edges, the fulcrum means of these and adjacent cards cooperate with one another and with the file receptacle to automatically fan apart the upper portions of file cards adjacent the manually fanned apart cards, thereby making visually scannable the information on the upper portions of such cards. In one embodiment the file cards are merely divider cards, and data cards are inserted between them. In this instance the data cards are supported by a data card support arrangement which is integral with the file receptacle, and holding elements are provided on the file cards to position the data cards against desired ones of the file cards.

Abstract: A panel file, for the storage of flat, flexible data elements, consists of plural, vertically spaced pockets, the entrances of which are formed by a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending strips of resilient material. The strips are arranged so as to have an upper edge which overlaps the lower portion of the next upwardly adjacent strip. The strips are fastened together at their lateral margins. The lower portions of the pockets are formed by a support sheet which is attached to the panel on the surface opposite the pocket entrances. The support sheet is cut so as to have a column of inverted "V"-shaped straps, each having a vertex which is attached to the back of strips above overlapped portions thereof. The strips have an upwardly indented bottom edge with a central vertex at the point where the support sheet strap is attached to the next downwardly adjacent strip.

Abstract: .[.A filing system for the compact filing of information having a file container with a plurality of backing cards in said container. Cooperating between said file cards are fulcrum means positioned near the bottom edges of said backing cards and with support means for supporting the backing cards adjacent a fulcrum means, the parts being so arranged as to permit selected backing cards normally supported in a substantially vertical position to be separated or fanned apart at their top edges so that information on the upper portions of said backing cards may be accessible upon a limited number of cards. Also positioned between the backing cards are data cards which are supported by a data card support positioned above the fulcrum means. Access may be had to the data cards upon "fanning" of a limited group of backing cards..]. .Iadd.