Compression mechanism and post binder incorporating the same

Claim 1

A flexible post binder for receiving and retaining sheets therein and suspending the same from horizontally spaced supports, comprising a pair of elongated compressor bars, said compressor bars each having a pair of longitudinally extending rails formed along the opposite sides thereof and forming a longitudinally extending channel, said compressor bars each having at least two holes formed therethrough one adjacent each of the opposite ends thereof and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom with the holes formed in one of said compressor bars aligned with the holes formed in the other, a pair of flexible posts, one of said posts extending in each of the aligned pair of holes adjacent the opposite ends of said compressor bars, the free end portions of each of said flexible posts being bent over and extending inwardly in said channel toward the free end portions of the other, two pairs of slide members with a pair slidably engaging each of said compressor bars, each of said slide members having opposite side portions thereof slidably engaging the rails of the associated compressor bar and having a web portion connecting the rail-engaging side portions thereof, said web portions each having a depressed portion extending in the channel of the associated compressor bar for frictionally engaging an end portion of one of said flexible posts on the side thereof away from said compressor bar, the web portion of each of said slide members on the side thereof away from the other slide member paired therewith extending beyond the rail-engaging side portions thereof and forming a hook member, said compressor bars each having stops formed therein adjacent the opposite ends thereof to limit outward movement of the slide members mounted thereon, said hook members are two sided and formed by notches open in two opposite directions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the associated compressor bar, whereby each slide member has an operatively positioned hook member for use in vertically suspenDing a binder independent of whether it is positioned adjacent one end or the other end of said compressor bar, said slide members each being movable inwardly along its associated compressor bar from a first position against one of said stops in which its hook member extends beyond said compressor bar through a second position in which its hook member is retracted within the end of said channel to a third position on said compressor bar spaced beyond the flexible post associated therewith, and the length of said slide members relative to said predetermined distance being such that each of said slide members in its said first and second positions overlies and maintains frictional engagement with the end portion of the flexible post associated therewith.