Records management apparatus for constructing and maintaining a file folder-based document filing and retrieval system

Claim 1

Records management apparatus for use in constructing and maintaining a cross-referenced, easily enterable file folder --based filing and retrieval system, said apparatus comprising: a number of substantially rectangular pages connected together along one common edge, each page having suitable but similar dimensions to carry visually perceivable written indicia thereon; a plurality of consecutive, substantially rectangular main category pages included in said number of pages, each main category page being spaced from another main category page by a plurality of said rectangular pages; a plurality of consecutive, at least substantially uncovered, but visually different, primary tab members, each main category page having one of said primary tab members secured thereto and projecting outwardly therefrom, each consecutive primary tab member being spaced apart from another primary tab member and having suitable dimensions such that each primary tab member is at least substantially uncovered by each adjacent primary tab member, each primary tab member having a different category heading disposed thereon, and each main category page having: a number of subcategory headings arranged on each category page, each subcategory heading forming a portion of a subset of said different category heading, and a different file indicia mark on each category page adjacent each subcategory heading; a series of consecutive subcategory pages separating a first one of said main category pages from a second one of said consecutive main category pages, said series of subcategory pages comprising said plurality of rectangular pages spacing each main category page from another, said consecutive main category pages being further included adjacent the first of said number of rectangular pages and spaced throughout said number of rectangular pages to terminate before a remaining plurality of said number of rectangular pages further included in said series of consecutive subcategory pages; a series of consecutive secondary tab members at least substantially overlapped and covered by each primary tab member, each secondary tab member being secured to, and projecting outwardly from one of said series of consecutive subcategory pages, each secondary tab member having one of said subcategory headings disposed thereon, and each subcategory page having: an indicia mark thereon correlated to one of said file indicia marks on said first of said category pages, and a series of representative file content headings representing suggested document contents of a file folder dedicated to the filing subcategory of the subcategory page; a file index sheet associated with said number of rectangular pages, said file index sheet having: a series of index headings thereon, each index heading forming a part of a subcategory subset of one of said subcategory headings, at least some of said category headings thereon, each index heading further forming a measure of a larger subset of one of said category headings and further being correlated adjacent one of said category headings of which said index heading forms said part, at least some of said subcategory headings thereon, each subcategory heading being correlated adjacent one of said index headings forming said part of its subset, each subcategory heading being further correlated adjacent one of said category headings of which said subcategory heading forms said portion, and at least some of said indicia index marks thereon, each of said indicia marks being correlated adjacent one of said subcategory headings and further corresponding to said subcategory heading; and a series of label sets, each label set being attached to one of said pages separating one of said main category pages from another of said main category pages, each label set visually corresponding to one of said primary tab members, each label set containing a number of individually removable labels.