Background Art Compressor bars for securing documents into files are luzown. One construction has a base with a pair of openings through which the prongs of a document file can extend and a pair of resilient rods held within the base and extending between the pair of openings, the base being elongate and the openings being spaced apart in a generally longitudinal direction ; an arm including means for flexing the rods at a position between the two openings, the arm being moveable between a first position in which the flexing means flexes the rods and a second position in which the flexing means does not flex the rods or flexes them to a lesser extent; and two sets of lands, each set being attached to the base between the flexing means and the respective openings, said lands being positioned to provide a fulcrum about which each rod can pitch whereby the flexing of the rods by the flexing means causes the spacing between the rods in the openings to alter between a first spacing in which the rods can grip prongs extending through the openings and a second spacing that is wider than the first spacing. In one such compressor bar, the arm (luiown as a transverse button) is pivotally attached to the base to pivot about an axis extending in the same general direction as the said longitudinal direction between the openings in the base. The arm is preferably pivotally attached to one of the rods to move between the first and second positions, and includes a cam surface that, when pressed into the space between the rods, urges them apart and so flexes them. The flexing means may also include a further surface that maintains the rods in a stable arrangement in which they are in their flexed state. Alternatively, the arm (lcnown as a longitudinal button) may be pivotable about an axis extending transversely of the longitudinal direction, with the flexing means acting on the rods as above. Such devices are disclosed in European Patent Specification No. 0 941 870.

Further devices are shown in UK 1 531 891, with the actual punching elements in UK 1 522 991, and devices with simple punch elements in German 4 238 783.

Conventionally, when documents are to be placed onto prongs in a document file, for

example a lever arch file, the paper is first perforated using a hole punching device.

As a last resort, if such a device is unavailable, the paper can be speared onto the prongs manually, but this is-difficult and leads to untidy perforations with possible unwanted tearing of the paper, and paper waste enfolded between adjacent paper sheets, preventing them from stacking evenly.

Summery of the Invention The present invention solves this problem simply and neatly by combining a perforating device and a compressor bar so as to provide a compressor bar for document files comprising a base having at least one opening through which prongs of a file can be received, the base in use selectively releasably. gripping the prongs to compress and hold documents in the file and being hingeably attached to a handle portion moveable from an open position to a closed position, wherein the base and handle portion provide a tooth and eye arrangement such that when the handle portion is in ie open positio the C. to^u'3nd eye do not engage but when the handl portion is closed the eye fits closely around the tooth, which is of tubular construction having a sharp, crenellated top edge, to perforate an inserted document.

The present invention further provide a perforator for a document file comprising a base, the base being provided with at least one tooth, the perforator comprising a handle hingeably attached to the base so that the handle is moveable from an open position to a closed position, the handle being provided with at least one eye aligned to the at least one tooth at the closed position so as to punch an inserted document when the handle is moved from the open position to the closed position.

The present invention further provide a perforator for a document file comprising a base, the base being provided with at least one eye, the perforator comprising a handle hingeably attached to the base so that the handle is moveable from an open position to a closed position, the handle being provided with at least one tooth aligned to the at least one eye at the closed position so as to punch an inserted document when the handle is moved from the open position to the closed position.

Although the examples referred to herewith describe files having two or three prongs, arrangements of four or even more prongs can also be used.

Brief Description of the Drawings Further preferred features of the invention are in the dependent claims and in the

following description of illustrative embodiments, made with reference to the drawings in which: Figs. 1 and 7 are perspective views of the lever arch mechanisms of lever arch files including a compressor bar with perforator embodying the present invention ; Figs. 2 and 8a, 8c are more detailed perspective views of the compressor and perforator devices of Figs. 1 and 7 respectively ; Figs 3 and 9 are perspective views of the under side of the compressor and perforator devices ; Figs. 4 and 10 are perspective views of the compressor and perforator devices where the base and handle are in the open position; Figs. 5 and 11 show the components of the compressor and perforator devices; Figs. 6a and 6b and 12a and 12b show a cross section of the compressor and perforator devices in the open and closed positions, with a piece of paper.

Detailed Description of the Preferred embodiments The compressor and perforator devices fit onto the prongs of the lever arch file and compress the papers into place on the prongs. The perforator devices are conveniently and cheaply manufactured, eliminating the need to pre-perforate the papers using a conventional hole punch, which may not be available, before putting documents onto a file. Additionally, the documents to be perforated can be aligned with the file itself, or documents already in the file, to ensure that the perforations are correctly located. Only a small force is required to perforate the papers, as the teeth contact the paper initially on a small area and cut into it, then advance to cut out the full hole.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 show conventional lever arch files with a compressor and perforator device 16 of the present invention attached to its prongs 2. The compressor and perforator device shown in Fig. 1 has a longitudinal release arm or button arrangement 24 as shown in Fig. 2; however a different arrangement 25 as shown in Fig. 8 or a transverse button as described in EP 0941870 can be used. The operation of the apertures 18 for the prongs ; the rods and rod lands 20 and 22, and the buttons flexing the rods or releasing them could be in conventional manner.

Fig. 2 and Fig. 8 show the compressor and perforator arrangement, overall in Fig. 8 in the free position in detail Fig. 8b ; and in the locked position in detail Fig. 8c, with the rods 20 flexed. A plurality of eyes 14 are provided on a handle 8, the eyes 14 penetrating through the body of the handle. These eyes 14 are spaced to correspond to

the teeth 12 which can be seen received within the eyes 14. The tooth and eye arrangements are spaced to correspond with the prongs 2 on the file, two in Fig. 1, three in Fig. 7.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 9 show the underside of the compressor and perforator devices. The rods and lands conventionally found in compressor devices can be seen here, as well as rivets 26 which hold each tooth 12 onto a base 6 of the compressor and perforator device.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 10 show the compressor and perforator devices with the handle 8 in an open position. The teeth 12 can be seen protruding from the base 6 and the eyes 14 formed in the handle can also be clearly seen. The teeth 12 comprise metal pressings with tubular upper ends on which sharp edges are formed. Although this arrangement effectively perforates holes into paper, an alternative embodiment could have the teeth protruding from the handle with the eyes being cut into the base.

Fig. 5 and Fig 11 show the compressor and perforator device dismantled. It can be seen that each tooth is surrounded and supported by a set of three tangs 36 struck out from the base 6. The tooth 12 is secured into place by a rivet 26. The tangs 36 also serve as stops which limit the closing movement of the handle portion 8. Pairs of mounting lugs 28 are struck out from the base 6. Pairs of arms 27 integrally formed with the handle portion 8 having laterally projecting parts 32 engageable in holes 29 in the lugs 28, to form a hinged connection between the base 6 and the handle portion 8.

Figs. 6a and 6b and 12a and 12b show cross sections of the compressor and perforator devices in use. The paper 4 is placed between the opened handle portion 8 and base 6 with the paper resting on the teeth 12. When the handle portion 8 is subsequently closed, the teeth 12 cooperate with the eyes 14 and perforate the paper 4 with a shearing action, leaving the cut paper 30 resting on the teeth 12 as can be seen in Fig.

6b and Fig. 12b.

Other embodiments are possible. For example, the tooth and eye arrangement can be reversed such that the tooth protrudes from the handle portion and the eye is formed into the base. The type of compressor device used can also be varied. Although the examples herewith refer to devices for use with files having two or three prongs, compressor and perforator devices for use in files having four or even more prongs and corresponding tooth and eye arrangements are envisaged.