A lever arch clip is specified by four interfaces: base plate width, spine width, hole size and lever side. JXY builds the A series (LA50CP-A, LA75RM-A) on a 54 mm base plate, the B series (LA75RM-B, LA75RP-B, LA75CM-B) on 53 mm and 55 mm, the K series (LK75SP, LK75SM) on 52 mm and 54 mm, and the SD series (SD096). Spine widths are 55, 75, 80, 95 and 100 mm, hole sizes 3.8, 4.2 and 4.5 mm, thickness codes 60C, 65C or 70C.
Why does a lever arch clip need a specification sheet at all?
A lever arch clip is the moving half of a folder: it must line up with holes punched by another supplier, hold a stack of known thickness, and survive thousands of lever pulls.
A line item reading only “75 mm lever arch clip” leaves three dimensions open: the base plate the rivets pass through, the rivet diameter, and the lever side. The specification sheet, not the product name, is what a procurement manager should approve, because the board punching die depends on it.
Which numbers decide whether the clip actually fits?
Base plate width, hole size and hole position. JXY organises its range by series, and the series letter is the fastest route to the plate width you need.
Lever arch clip series and base plate widths
| Series | Models | Base plate width |
| A | LA50CP-A, LA75RM-A | 54 mm |
| B | LA75RM-B, LA75RP-B, LA75CM-B | 53 mm / 55 mm |
| K | LK75SP, LK75SM | 52 mm / 54 mm |
| SD | SD096 | Confirmed per drawing |
The gaps between the 52, 53, 54 and 55 mm plates are not cosmetic: shifting a rivet hole by 1 mm changes where it lands relative to the board edge and the fold line, which decides whether the mechanism drops in or has to be forced.
How does spine width map to document capacity?
Spine width is the internal depth of the folder spine, and the clip’s arch must fill it. JXY offers 55, 75, 80, 95 and 100 mm spine widths. With the stack otherwise unchanged, a deeper spine carries a taller stack: 55 mm is the shallowest of the range and 100 mm the deepest.
Sheet count is not a fixed number attached to a spine width, though. Two folders with the same 75 mm spine hold different quantities of paper depending on grammage, whether punched pockets or dividers are used, how many index tabs are fitted, and whether printing is single or double sided. Build a mock-up at the paper weight your market buys before committing to a tooling order.
Why must base plate width match the folder board?
Because the board arrives already punched. The rivets pass through the plate and the board together, so the two hole patterns must match. If the plate is 1 mm narrower or wider than the pattern assumes, the assembler either forces it in, which flexes the board, seats the rivet at an angle and can crack the plating around the rivet head, or re-punches, which adds a step and scrap.
Board thickness matters for the same reason: plate plus board decides how much rivet shank is consumed, which is why hollow rivets come in a range of lengths. It is also why the A series and B series are not interchangeable mid-project — 54 mm and 55 mm plates are different tooling.
How do you match hole size to the rivet?
JXY lever arch clips are produced with holes at 3.8 mm, 4.2 mm or 4.5 mm, and the hole must match the rivet shank diameter rather than come close to it.
Hole under size:
- driving the rivet in deforms the hole edge, the plating cracks there, and corrosion starts at the crack instead of the visible face.
Hole over size:
- the clip rotates on the rivet, the lever feels loose, and the board wallows out around the hole.
If you cannot measure the mating rivet, send it to the factory for confirmation. Stamped and plated parts are normally toleranced to a published standard such as ISO 2768-1 general tolerances, so both sides argue about the same numbers.
What do the base plate thickness codes 60C, 65C and 70C mean?
JXY codes base plate material thickness as 60C, 65C or 70C in ascending order, and the code sets how much the plate resists bending when the lever is actuated.
Match the gauge to the abuse, not to the catalogue: an office folder opened daily does not need the plate of one that travels in a courier bag. Heavier gauge also means more steel per piece and a slightly heavier finished folder in a container shipped by weight. If complaints say “the clip bends when the lever is pulled”, that is a gauge question, not a plating question.
How do you specify a right-hand or left-hand lever?
A right-hand clip has the lever at the right-hand edge of the spine when the closed folder faces you; left-hand is the mirror image. Both are available.
Matching an existing folder.
- Send a sample and state the lever side in words on the purchase order; mirrored photographs cause most wrong-side shipments.
New design.
- Write “right-hand lever” or “left-hand lever” in the specification text rather than marking an arrow on an artwork file, because artwork gets flipped during prepress.
Retail consistency.
- Keep lever side, compressor bar and spine label art consistent across a range; a left-hand opener with right-hand artwork reads as a defect on shelf.
Bright nickel, checker or satin: how do you choose a surface treatment?
Plating does two jobs at once: appearance and corrosion resistance. JXY finishes lever arch clips in bright nickel, checker or satin.
| Surface treatment | Appearance | Best fit |
| Bright nickel | High reflectivity | Office and premium channels where the mechanism is seen on shelf |
| Checker | Textured pattern | School and bulk retail products that show scuffs |
| Satin | Low-sheen matte | Folders positioned as premium or design-led |
Corrosion resistance is verified by salt spray testing to a published method such as ASTM B117 or ISO 9227, so approve the hours with the finish, otherwise two shipments of “bright nickel” can behave differently. For consumer products, EU nickel release in prolonged skin contact is restricted under REACH Annex XVII entry 27 and harmonised through EN 1811, and SGS explains the EN 1811:2023 harmonisation. The plastic handle is standard in black, other colours available or customisable.
What does a complete lever arch clip specification look like?
| Parameter | Options in the JXY range | What it controls |
| Series | A, B, K, SD | Base plate width and tooling family |
| Models | LA50CP-A, LA75RM-A (A); LA75RM-B, LA75RP-B, LA75CM-B (B); LK75SP, LK75SM (K); SD096 (SD) | Specific part and drawing |
| Base plate width | 54 mm (A); 53 mm / 55 mm (B); 52 mm / 54 mm (K) | Fit to the punched board |
| Spine width | 55 mm, 75 mm, 80 mm, 95 mm, 100 mm | Document capacity |
| Hole size | 3.8 mm, 4.2 mm, 4.5 mm | Match to the rivet shank |
| Base plate thickness | 60C, 65C, 70C | Plate stiffness and lever feel |
| Lever position | Right-hand or left-hand | Assembly and presentation |
| Compressor bar | 120 mm / 130 mm, metal or plastic button | Keeping the stack aligned |
| Surface treatment | Bright nickel, checker, satin | Appearance and corrosion resistance |
| Quality system | SGS, ISO | Factory-level process control |
What belongs in a lever arch clip RFQ?
Write these into the enquiry so quotations become comparable: model code, or “equivalent to” plus a sample; base plate width and hole centre-to-centre distance; hole size; spine width; thickness code; lever position and bar length; surface treatment and salt spray hours; handle and button colour; board thickness and rivet type; annual volume and whether the model needs new tooling.
The board and rivet detail prevents a plating failure at the rivet hole, and the volume and tooling answer decides your project path, because an existing JXY model and a new drawing are different projects. Confirm process control through ISO 9001:2015 and plan sampling against ISO 2859-1.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard spine width for a lever arch folder?
There is no single standard, but the commercial range runs from 55 mm at the shallow end to 100 mm at the deep end. JXY supplies lever arch clips in 55, 75, 80, 95 and 100 mm spine widths. Choose by the paper stack you intend to sell: 75 mm covers general office filing, while 95 mm and 100 mm suit archive and legal products.
Can I use a 54 mm base plate on a board punched for 55 mm?
No. The rivet holes in the plate must line up with the holes already punched in the board, and a 1 mm difference moves every hole relative to the board edge. The assembler then either forces the plate and risks cracking plating, or re-punches the board. The A series (54 mm) and B series (53 mm / 55 mm) are separate tooling families.
What hole size should I specify for a lever arch clip?
Specify the hole to match your rivet shank diameter. JXY produces lever arch clip holes at 3.8 mm, 4.2 mm and 4.5 mm. An under-size hole deforms at the edge when the rivet is driven in and the plating cracks there, while an over-size hole lets the mechanism rotate on the rivet and the board wallows out. If the rivet diameter is unknown, send the rivet to the factory.
Do lever arch clips come in left-hand versions?
Yes. JXY supplies lever arch clips with either a right-hand or a left-hand lever. Right-hand means the lever sits at the right-hand edge of the spine when the closed folder faces you, and left-hand is the mirror image. State the side in words on the purchase order and confirm it against a physical sample.
How do I check a lever arch clip sample against my existing folder?
Measure four things: base plate width, hole diameter, hole centre-to-centre distance and spine width. Then rivet one clip to a spare board and work the lever through a full open-and-close cycle, checking that the arch seats without the plate lifting off the board. If all four measurements match, the clip is compatible.
Next Step: Get a Lever Arch Clip Specification Review
Send the folder board drawing, the rivet you intend to use and the spine width you have in mind. Reviewing four interface numbers takes minutes, and it is cheaper than finding a 1 mm base plate mismatch after the board has been punched.