US3057358A - File card drawers with means to compact the file cards - Google Patents

Description

1962 E- BERGMAN 3,057,358

FILE CARD DRAWERS WITH MEANS TO COMPACT THE FILE CARDS Filed March 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l my PM imu- -m j INVENTOR. F- G 2 0 BEEGMAN gkflkjlan;

ATTUE EX Oct. 9, 1962 E BERGMAN FILE CARD DRAWERS WITH MEANS TO COMPACT THE FILE CARDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1961 FIG4 INVENTOR. 0 BERG/HAN 2 Arrow/Ex J I. '.......'l

3,057,358 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,057,358 FILE CARD DRAWERS WITH MEANS TO CUMPACT THE FlLE CARDS Ed Bergman, New York, N.Y., assignor to Art Steel Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 96,296 1 (Jlaiin. (iii. 129-28) This invention relates to file card drawers with means to compact the file cards and keep them in compacted condition.

Certain features disclosed herein are disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 853,835, filed Nov. 18, 1959, now abandoned for Card File Drawers with Means to Compact the File Cards.

An object of this invention is to provide a drawer of the character described provided with a longitudinal central rack and with a track comprising longitudinal, inwardly opening rail grooves at opposite sides of said rack, a card follower to push cards forwardly in the drawer and provided with a rearwardly extending slider fixed thereto and having outwardly extending rail flanges loosely and slidably received in said grooves, and a central portion straddling said rack and interconnecting said flanges, a link pivoted to the follower and being inclined downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, and an actuating lever pivoted mediately the ends thereof, to the link, and having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined handle, and a downwardly extending arm projecting down through an opening in the central position of said slider and normally having its lower end engaging between a pair of rack teeth, and making an angle of less than 180 with said link, and being of such length that the handle may either be swung forwardly from normal position, to move said arm into straightline alignment with said link to advance the follower forwardly and move it upwardly to press said rail flanges of the slider against the tops of said grooves for toggle clamping the follower in advanced position, and for holding itself in clamped condition, or the handle may be swung back from normal position to raise the lower end of said arm up out of engagement with respect to said rack teeth, to permit the follower with its slider to be slidably moved easily forwardly or rearwardly in the drawer.

With such construction, the follower may remain in normal condition in any longitudinal position to which it is moved, against accidental movement; it may be readily moved back or forth in its drawer by first pulling the handle back and when it is desired to compact cards at the front end of the drawer, the follower may be first slidably moved forwardly to contact the pack of cards, and then the handle may be swung forward to further compact the cards and to self clamp the follower in card compacting position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a card drawer and follower of the character described in which the opening in the central straddling portion of the slider comprises a transverse slot of such width as to permit swinging back of the handle sufficiently to pull the lower end of the arm of the lever out of engagement with respect to the rack teeth, but narrow enough to grip and bind or lock said arm and prevent it from sliding out of the slot, so that it cannot disengage from the slider.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described, spring means biasing said link and arm of said lever pivoted thereto, toward straightline alignment, to aid in preventing accidental breaking of the toggle clamp of the follower.

A further object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable file card drawer of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which shall be smooth and positive in operation, easy to manipulate and yet practical and efiicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of this invention,

PEG. 1 is a top plan view of a file card drawer with follower, embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, and Showing the toggle clamping mechanism for the follower, in position for easy sliding movement back and forth in the drawer, with the lever handle pulled back;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of the structure of FIG. 2, with the clamping mechanism in normal position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, with the toggle mechanism in locking or clamping position, with the lever handle pushed or swung up;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7--7 of HG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a device embodying the invention. Said device 10 comprisesa drawer 11 which may be made of metal. Said drawer 11 comprises a body 12 having a bottom wall 13 from the sides of which extend upwardly, side walls 14. The bottom wall 13 comprises a pair of raised co planar portions 15 between which is a central longitudinal depressed channel portion 16 of channel shaped cross section having a bottom web 17 connected by side offset portions 18 to said co-planar portions.

At the rear end of the body 12 is a back wall 20 of any usual construction fixed to the rear edges of walls 13 and 14.

At the front end of the body is a front wall 21 of any usual construction fixed to the front edges of wall 13, 14 and provided with a handle 22.

Fixed to the bottom web 17 of the depressed trough 16 of the bottom wall is a longitudinal combined track and rail member 25. Said member 25 extends from the rear end of the bottom wall 12 to a point several inches short of the front wall 21. Said member 25 may be made of a single piece of sheet metal and comprises a bottom web 26 contacting and welded or otherwise secured to web 17. Extending up from the sides of wall 26 are side walls 27 contacting offset shoulders 18. EX- tending inwardly from the upper ends of side walls 27 are horizontal, co-planar, similar, symmetrically disposed flanges 29. Thus inwardly opening opposed grooves 30 are formed between flanges 29 and wall 26, for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Wall 26 is formed with equally spaced, transverse, centrally located upwardly punched teeth 31, the ends of which are spaced inwardly of the inner edges of the flanges 29. Said teeth 31 are rounded transversely of said teeth, and they are also rounded at their ends. The spaces between the teeth are about as Wide as the teeth themselves.

Slidably mounted in the drawer, for forward and rearward movement, is a file card follower 4i). Said follower comprises a follower member 41 having a vertical wall 42 having a top rearwardly extending flange 43 provided with a rear, downwardly extending lip 44. Extending rearwardly from the lower end of wall 42 is a horizontal flange 45.

Fixed to the rear of the follower member 41 is a slider 46. Said slider 46 comprises a vertical central strip 47 contacting the rear surface of wall 42 and welded or riveted or otherwise secured thereto. At the upper end of strip 47 are a pair of side, parallel apertured cars 48 located just beneath flange 43 and between wall 42 and lip 44. Extending rearwardly from the lower end of strip 47 is runner or rider 519.

Said runner or rider 51 comprises a saddle portion having a top web wall 51 which extends from the lower end of strip 47, and overlies the rack teeth 31. Extending down from the sides of top web 51 are side walls 52 which pass down between the inner edges of flanges 29 and the outer ends of the rack teeth 31. Extending outwardly from the lower ends of side walls 52 are coplanar horizontal flanges 53 loosely received in the inwardly opening grooves 30. The thickness of the flanges 53 is less than the vertical height of grooves 30 between wall 26 and flanges 29. The flanges 53 extend forwardly somewhat forwardly of the plane of wall 42. Thus, the follower may move forwardly and rearwardly as the flanges 53 slide in grooves 30.

Means is provided to cause the follower to be advanced from any position to which it is moved, and to clamp the follower in advanced position. To this end, ears 48 carry a transverse pivot pin 60. Pivoted thereto is a link 61 having a transverse web 62 and side flanges 63 formed with suitable bearing openings 64 through which said pivot pin 60 passes.

Web 62 is formed near its lower end with an opening 66 and provided with an annular rearwardly extending flange 67 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. The flanges 63 are formed adjacent the lower ends thereof with openings carrying a transverse pivot pin 68. Pivoted to said pin 68 is a lever 70. Lever 70 comprises a lower arm 71 having side flanges 72 formed with openings through which the pivot pin 68 passes. Flanges 72 are interconnected by a web 73. Flanges 72 straddle flanges 63 of the link. Extending upwardly and rearwardly from arm 71 is a handle arm 75.

Web 73 has a tongue 76 at its lower end extending beyond side flanges 72. The top wall 51 of the slider is formed with a transverse slot 80 and side walls 52 of said slider are formed with enlarged slots 81 communicating with slot 80 and extending both forwardly and rearwardly thereof. Tongue 76 is narrower than web 73 and projects through slot 80. Flanges 72 straddle the walls 52 and are located inside of the inner edges of flanges 29, so that the lower ends of said flanges 72 may move down substantially to flanges 53.

It will be noted that link 61 extends down to a point somewhat below the mid-height of wall 41. It is inclined downwardly and rearwardly.

The slot 80 is of greater dimension between its edges than the thickness of tongue 76.

On pin 68 is a torsion spring 90 having spaced coils 91 receiving the pin, extending from said coils are arms 92 extending upwardly and against the inner surface of web 62 of link 61. Arms 92 are interconnected by a semi-circular portion 93 extending around flange 67 of opening 66. Extending from coils 91 are also free arms 94 contacting the inner surface of web 73.

Torsion spring 30 tends to move the link 61 and arm 71 toward straight line alignment.

Normally, when the pack of file cards C are loose, link 61 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly as shown in FIG. 3. Arm 71 makes an angle of less than 180 to link 61. Tongue 76 projects down through slot 86 and contacts wall 26- between a pair of rack teeth 31. In

4 such position, the arm 71 is somewhat inclined downwardly and forwardly.

The arm 71 is of such length that the lower edge of the tongue 76 will reach wall 26 between teeth 31, but the flanges 53 will be substantially on wall 26, at opposite sides of the teeth 31. In such position, push rearwards or forwards and the follower member 41 will not move the follower because of engagement of tongue 76 with teeth 31.

However, if the handle 75 is pulled back and lever 70 is swung in a clockwise direction from position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 2, tongue 76 is pulled up above the teeth 31, and the follower may slidably move easily forwardly or rearwardly and the slider flanges 53 are still close to wall 26 and are loose in the grooves 39.

It will be noted that as lever 78 is rotated in a clockwise direction relative to pivot 68, link 61 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction about pivot pin 60. Also during such movement the angle of arm 71 to the horizontal decreases. The width of slot and the thickness of web 73 and its angle is such that said web will bend between the opposed edges of the slot to prevent said tongue 76 from being pulled all the way out of the slot. The tongue 76 will contact the upper side of the rear edge of the slot and the underside of the forward edge of said slot.

When it is desired to compact the file cards C to prevent warping, the follower with the handle 75 retracted (FIG. 2) is pushed forwardly as far as the wall 42 will go. The lever 70 is then moved in a counter-clockwise direction causing the lever to first move to position of FIG. 3 and then to position of FIG. 4. As the lower end of tongue 76 engages the plate 26, between teeth 31 (FIG. 3), further rotational movement of the lever will cause the follower to first advance sufliciently to tightly compact the file cards and then to lift the follower for moving flanges 53 up tightly against the underside of flanges 29 to clamp the follower in advanced position. As this operation is accomplished the link 61 and arm 71 of lever 70 moves into straight line aligned position forming a toggle which acts to maintain the follower in self-clamping condition. When the operator withdraws his hand from the lever after the parts have reached the toggle position of FIG. 4, the follower stays clamped and it will not unclamp, until the handle 75 is again pulled back to break the toggle.

When the handle 75 is pulled back to the position of FIG. 2 and then released, the spring W tends to move the parts back to the normal position of FIG. 3, since the spring tends to move the link and arm toward straight line aligned position.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In combination, a drawer having a bottom wall a longitudinal track in the bottom wall provided with transverse teeth and with lateral flange means, a follower in the drawer movable forwardly in the drawer, a rearwardly extending rider rigidly fixed to the lower end of the follower and having lateral flange means engaging under the flange means on the track, said rider being formed with an opening, a link, a first pivot pivoting said link at its upper end to the rear of the follower, said link being inclined rearwardly toward the bottom wall and away from said follower, a lever, a second pivot pivoting said lever to the lower end of said link, said lever being provided with a lower portion having a tongue at its lower end slidably and pivotally engaging in said opening in the rider, said opening being spaced rearwardly of said first pivot, in a first position, said lower portion of said lever being inclined downwardly and forwardly from said second pivot toward the bottom wall, with the lower end of said tongue in engagement between adjacent teeth on the track, said lever having a handle at its upper end, said link and lower portion of the lever constituting a toggle and being of such lengths that upon swinging the upper handle portion end of said lever in one direction toward the follower, said link and handle portion of the lever assume a dead center position wherein said first and second pivots and the lower end of said tongue become colinear in a line inclined downwardly and rearwardly away from the follower, and wherein the lower end of the tongue in said colinear position is forced against the track between a pair of adjacent teeth thereof, and moves the follower forwardly, and, when the follower is pressed against a bunch of cards in the drawer,

6 moves the follower up to press the flange means on the rider against the flange means on the track, to lock the follower against movement relative to the drawer, said link and lever being movable to a second position wherein said second pivot is slightly beyond said dead center position, and means for preventing further movement of said second pivot beyond said second position and away from said dead center position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 564,404 Andrews July 21, 1896 628,183 Painter July 4, 1899 2,236,807 Swimmer Apr. 1, 1941 2,624,343 Welk Jan. 6, 1953 2,924,222 Myers Feb. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 507,841 France July 7, 1920

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