This device consists of 3 vertical rods mounted to your desk and a movable clamp, also mounted vertically. Hole punched documents are placed on these rods, stacked into a pile. When a document in the pile needs to be accessed, one end of the clamp is wedged into the appropriate place in the pile. The other end is placed on the top of the pile, and clamped tight. The pile is then lifted, allowing access to the desired document.
-- Worldgineer, Oct 26 2005

Hole punch 'staple' Inspired by [Ling]'s desk [Worldgineer, Oct 26 2005]

folder with one of these mechanisms inside http://www.fotosear...X/SIX131/006OF2.JPG
what do you (USians) call them? [po, Oct 26 2005]

it could open like a lever arch file.
-- po, Oct 26 2005


I don't know what that is. One advantage to this is that you could more or less read the first 50 or so pages like a book without having to do anything. Then clamp and move pages and read the next 50 or so.
-- Worldgineer, Oct 26 2005


Isn't it a lever-arch (rather than the common-or-garden ring-binder) po?

edit - oh! the clippy, separatey thing? Nope, don't know....
-- zen_tom, Oct 26 2005


yes, like I said above - a lever arch file.
-- po, Oct 26 2005


oops - hopefully this will help; a google turned up the word "Compressor Bar" as the dongle inside the lever arch.
-- zen_tom, Oct 26 2005


Ah, gotcha. But that would take up more room.
-- Worldgineer, Oct 26 2005


the british have bigger desks than the americans?
-- po, Oct 26 2005


I've seen something like this, the rod part, at least, used by the accounting department for stacking statements or invoices or something. That was more than ten years ago, though, and I can't find any links (partly because I've no idea what they're called).

po: depends entirely on the business. I've currently got one 2'x3'. And I have to share that with other people. And I think an arch ring binder is the term you're after, but the only picture I can find doesn't look right.
-- DrCurry, Oct 26 2005


258,000 google hits for lever arch file :)

mines bigger than yours.
-- po, Oct 26 2005


But I've got more than one!
-- DrCurry, Oct 26 2005


Worldgineer, if the rods could be flipped over to the horizontal, then the papers would hang. Then someone could rummage through them to find what they wanted.
To keep things clean, the rods could be enclosed in a metal box, with a pull out drawer to allow access.
Then there is the problem of getting the documents out. I suggest that they be placed in a cardboard sheet, which is folded in the middle. the cardboard sheet itself could be secured to the metal rods, and the document could be slipped inside.
I vaguely recall such a device, but I don't think I have ever used one: preferring to heap stuff on any horizontal surface that comes to hand.
-- Ling, Oct 27 2005


Yes, but you forgot about removing those pesky rods.

I actually like your horizontal hanging idea, just add a hinge to the base. Keep the rest of the idea the same though.
-- Worldgineer, Oct 27 2005



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