US3556621A

US3556621A - File card follower mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3556621A
Application number: US834665A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isaac D Blakley
Original assignee: Stewart Warner Corp
Current assignee: ILCO UNICAN Corp A CORP OF; Bassick Sack Corp
Priority date: 1969-06-19
Filing date: 1969-06-19
Publication date: 1971-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-19

Abstract

THE BOTTOM OF A CARD FILE DRAWER CARRIES A U-SHAPED TRACK WHICH RECEIVES THE BASE OF THE CARD FOLLOWER ALLOWING THE CARD FOLLOWER TO SLIDE THEREIN. THE TRACK INCLUDES A SERIES OF UPSTRUCK, INCLINED DETENTS. A DEPENDING TAB FROM THE FOLLOWER BASE CONTACTS THE UPSTRUCK DETENTS SO AS TO READILY SLIDE OVER THE INCLINED SURFACES IN ONE DIRECTION BUT IS FULLY RESTRAINED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Description

Jan. 19, 1971 1. D. BLAKLEY 3,556,621

FILE CARD FOLLOWER MECHANISM "Filed June 19, 1969 v INVENTOR ISAAC D. BLAKLEY BY OM94 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,556,621 FILE CARD FOLLOWER MECHANISM Isaac D. Blakley, Winston-Salem, N.C., assignor to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill. Filed June 19, 1969, Ser. No. 834,665 Int. Cl. A47b 63/00 US. Cl. 312-183 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to card file drawers and more particularly to a simplified unitary card follower which may be readily moved lengthwise of the card file drawer but is gravity locked in a selected position.

Description of the prior art Card files of the drawer type, normally employ a file card holding rod which passes through the face plate of the card file drawer, and supports a card follower. Spring means or the like latch the card follower at preselected longitudinal positions by exerting a clamping pressure on the card holding rod. Where the card file drawer does not employ a holding rod or similar element, it is conventional to employ one or more spring locking member for locking the card follower in a selected longitudinal position. Such spring locking members act directly on the drawer bottom or sides.

In order to define the longitudinal path or movement of the card follower within the card file drawer, various guide means have been employed. In some cases, a configured, longitudinal track is carried on or recessed within the sidewalls or a single track is carried on or embedded within the drawer bottom. The card follower locking means are associated with the guide track and separate spring members may be carried by the card follower. Even where the spring member is integral with the card follower itself, the designs have been relatively complex and the locking means unreliable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a card file drawer or like container of rectangular configuration which includes a longitudinally extending guide track carried by the drawer bottom with a card follower including a base portion slidably positioned with the track. The improvement resides in a plurality of unidirectional detent means at spaced longitudinal positions on the track and detent engaging means carried by the card follower base portion allowing the follower to be readily slid along the track in one direction but positively restrained in the opposite direction.

Preferably, the rack is formed from sheet metal bent into U-shaped cross section and carried by a recess within the bottom of the drawer. The detent means comprises a series of longitudinally spaced, upwardly inclined, struck out portions, and the detent comprises a single depending struck out tab axially overlying the track detent means. The side walls of the U-shaped track terminate in lateral edges which extend towards each other. The follower base Patented Jan. 19, 1971 is wider than the gap between the track lateral edges, allowing the follower to be released from the detent means by merely tilting the base in opposite inclination to the upstruck detent means. The upstruck portions of the track are half-moon in plan configuration and the center of the follower base portion is arched to conform to the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wooden card file drawer incorporating the simplified follower arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in section, of the card file drawer shown in FIG. 1 with the follower in solid lines in latched position and in unlatched position by phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view, in section, of the card file drawer of FIG. 2 taken about line 33.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing, a card file drawer 10 is shown as being of wooden rectangular frame construction including a face plate 12 at the front end, opposed side walls 14 and a rear wall or end plate 16, coupled together in conventional fashion by screws 18 or the like. The bottom 20 of the file card drawer may be open or as shown, formed of wood as are

elements

12, 14 and 16. In conventional fashion, face plate 12 carries on its inner surface, an inclined backup plate 22 also formed of wood and coupled to the face plate 12 by a suitable screws 24 or the like. The surface 26 of the backup plate is inclined such that the cards (not shown) carried by the card file drawer 10 lie inclined slightly from the vertical when they are stored within the drawer. The function of the file card drawer is to store identically sized file cards (not shown) whose number may be readily varied, with the cards vertically oriented for limited separation to facilitate searching. In this respect, as indicated previously, it is conventional to employ a longitudinally adjustable card follower 38 which acts in conjunction with the inclined surface 26 of the backup plate to define the drawer file card receiving area whose longitudinal dimension may be readily varied to allow access to the cards for searching purposes, or removal, placement and replacement of the same.

In this respect, the file card drawer 10 has its bottom wall 20, recessed at 28, the full extent thereof, the longitudinal recess 28 positioned centrally of the drawer and opening up onto the drawer bottom surface 30. The rectangular recess '28 carries a guide track 32 formed of sheet metal stock and bent into U-shape in cross section. Side wall portions 34 terminate in lips or lateral edges 36 which extend towards each other and define a gap therebetween which is somewhat less than the lateral dimension of recess 28. The opposed lateral edges 36 of the sheet metal track 32 lie flush with the bottom surface 30 of the file card drawer.

The card follower indicated generally at 38 is unitary in construction, formed of sheet metal stock and includes a card support portion 40 which is inclined rewardly, slightly from the vertical and further includes, at its upper end, right angle lift tab portion 42 and at its lower end, a card follower base portion 44 which extends horizontally and generally at right angles to the card support portion 40. The base portion 44 has a width which is in excess of the gap between edges 36 of the track such that the base portion 44 is captured within the track. The neck 46 which joins the base portion 42 to the card support portion 40 is appropriately narrow and is of a lateral dimension less than the gap between the laterally opposed edges 36 of 3 the track. The width of the card follower card support portion 40 is slightly less than the distance between side walls 14 of the card file drawer and the height of the same is somewhat less than that of drawer face plate 12.

The present invention is directed to a simplified detent latching or locking mechanism for locking the card follower at selected longitudinal positions between the end wall 16 and the backup plate 22, while at the same time allowing the card follower 38 to be readily moved in either direction by instantly releasing the detent latching mechanism. In this respect, the bottom portion 47 of the sheet metal track carries a longitudinal series of struck out portions or detent means 48 which are half-moon in plan configuration (FIG. 1) defining narrow slits 50, relatively sharp right angle edges 52, and upwardly inclined surface portions 54 whose angle of inclination is towards the backup plate 22. Cooperating with these detent means is the detent engaging means of the card follower comprising a depending, struck out tab 56, integrally formed with base portions 44 of the card follower. Tab 56 extends downwardly a short distance from the bottom surface of follower base portion 44 and generally at right angles thereto.

In operation, the card follower 38 rests by gravity with the base portion 44 being captured within the longitudinally extending track 32 and with the bottom surface 58 resting on the edges 52 of the upstruck detent means 48 of the track. Further, the depending tab 56 or detent engaging means is in abutment with the edge 52 of one of the upstruck, half-moon detent means 48. Assuming that the card follower 38 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, any attempt at moving the card follower from right to left, such as the force exerted by the pack of cards (not shown) position between the card follower 38 and the backup plate 22, is resisted by engagement of the detent engaging means or tab 56 with the detent means 48, precisely, on upstruck edge 52 of the same. Dis-engagement of the detent latching or locking means is accomplished merely by lifting and tipping the card follower towards the face plate 12 as indicated by the phantom line position of the card follower. This raises the front end or the neck 46 of the card follower 38, normally accomplished by lifting up on lift tab portion 42. The end 45 of base portion 44 remote from the detent engaging means or tab 56 merely rides on the sheet metal track 32 as the card follower 38 moves longitudinally as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 with the card follower in inclined or lift position. It is important to note, however, that in returning the card follower 38 towards the face plate 12 of the file card drawer, there is no necessity to maintain upward pressure on the card follower. The inclined portions 54 of the detent means allow the detent engaging tab 56 to easily ride over the same during movement of the card follower from left to right. The card follower thus may be returned toward the front end or face plate 12 of the file card drawer by sliding the same such that the tab 56 rides over each succeeding inclined portion 54 of the detent means of the track.

The present invention has been described with reference to a single embodiment in which the sheet metal track is carried within a central recess formed within a bottom wall 20 of the file card drawer. Multiple sheet metal tracks and multiple card follower base portions may be employed at laterally spaced positions on or within the file card drawer bottom wall. Further, while the 4 face plate, backup plate, rear plate, side wall, and bottom wall have been shown and described as bein formed of wood and while the card follower and the track as being formed of metal, such construction is exemplary only and all parts may be formed of metal, wood, plastic, or a combination of the same as desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a file card drawer or the like having a longitudinally extending track carried by the drawer bottom and a card follower including a base portion slidably positioned therein, the improvement comprising:

detent engaging means carried by said card follower base portion and unidirectional detent means carried by said track whereby said follower may be readily slid along said track in a first direction but is positively restrained from movement in the opposite direction due to gravity engagement between said detent means and said detent engagement means.

2. The file card drawer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said detent means comprises a series of longitudinally spaced, upwardly inclined surface portions carried by said track, and said detent engagement means comprising a tab depending from said follower horizontal base portion in detent engaging position.

3. The card file drawer as claimed in claim 2 wherein said track is formed of sheet metal stock, is U-shaped in cross sectional configuration and includes side walls terminating in lateral edges which extend toward each other, said follower base portion is positioned within said track, and has a lateral width in excess of the gap between the lateral edges of said track.

4. The file card drawer as claimed in claim 3 wherein said follower is formed of sheet metal stock, bent into Z-shaped configuration including a horizontal lift tab portion at the upper end, a generally vertical card support portion and a horizontal base portion connected by a neck whose width is less than the gap existing between the opposed lateral edges of said track.

5. The card file drawer as claimed in claim 2 wherein said detent means comprises a series of longitudinally spaced struck out portions of said track including inclined surface portions which are directed toward the front end of said card file drawer.

6. The card file drawer as claimed in claim 5 wherein said struck out portions are half-moon shaped in plan configuration, said base portion includes an upwardly curved central portion whose curvature corresponds to the curvature of the upstruck detent means.

7. The card file drawer as claimed in claim 4 wherein said detent means comprises a series of longitudinally spaced struck out portions of said track including inclined surface portions which are directed toward the front end of said card file drawer.

8. The card file drawer as claimed in claim 7 wherein said struck out portions are half-moon shaped in plan configuration, said base portion includes an upwardly curved central portion whose curvature corresponds to the curvature of the upstruck detent means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner