The Wheeldex (also called the Simplawheel), with its one central hole, did not hold the cards securely and so, Danish engineer Hildaur Neilson revised and improved it, rebranding his device the Rolodex (rolling index). First marketed in 1958 by his boss Arnold Neustadter (1910-1996) through their company Zephyr American, it was just one of many inventions Neustadter sold, along with the Autodex for phone numbers, the Swivodex [left] an inkwell that did not spill, the Punchodex, and the Clipodex for stenographers. These are all copyrighted brands and so, written with a capital letter.

There were a number of “card filing systems” applying for and receiving U.S. copyrights including Scholfield 2,046,655 July 7, 1936; Scholfield 2,205,932 June 25, 1940; Scholfield 2,231,029 February 11, 1941; Hayes 2,286,911 June 16, 1942; Scholfield 2,316,489 April 13, 1943; Scholfield 2,332,606 October 26, 1943; Scholfield 2,413,078 December 24, 1946; Scholfield Re.22,765 June 11, 1946; Scholfield 2,493,167 January 3, 1950; Houghtaling 2,484,033 October 11, 1949; and Scholfield 2,500,709 March 14, 1950. The “Wheeldex card file for all hand posted records” is dated in one source November 28, 1940.

New York Times April 19, 1996

No password needed, gloves not included