Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
~513~i30
The present invention relates to an index card
registe~ with card selector means, including a housing
consi~ing of a cover memb~r and a bottorn member, a
plurality of selector keys disposed in an array of several
rows and columns, a drawer biased by a compression spring
and adapted to be locked by a locking mechanism, a plurality
of index card.s accommodated within the drawer, the index
cards including punched-out se~ctor apertures in their
rearwardly disposed mar~inal portions of a stack of index
cards, each selector key being mounted on one end of an
associated one-armed pivot lever which is resiliently uxged
into an initial position by spring means and carries at its
free end index aard retaining means, the index card retain-
ing nleans cooperating~with ~he index cards so that when
depressing a selector kqy all lndex cards overlying the
index c~rd associated with this selector key wil~ be
retained when the drawer move~ outwardly from the housing
wherea~ the selected index card and a].l index cards under-
lying the ~elec~ed index card m~e outwardly together with
the drawer, and means or unlocking the drawer and releasing
the index card that has been selected ~y a selector key
by urging t~e unlocked drawer outwardly by means of the
compxe~sion sprin~, the drawer including entrainment cams
adapted to engage punched-ou~ entrainment apertures in the
index card~.
q'here are alx~ady known various widely diffe.rirlg
types o~ index card regi~ters wlth selector device~. These
heretofore known .index aard registers generally include a
housing ~ox receiving a ~tack o~ loosely inserted index
cards/ and ~ keyboard wh~xein the keys are providod with
- 2 - ~
~5~3~3~
suitable indicia. By actuation of the keys desired cards
may be ~elected. The index cards may bear, in an alpha-
betical sequence, any type o~ desired data or notes that
are to be kept readily accessible for reference purposes.
One heretofore known index card register is of a relatively
flat configuration when closed and may be opened by means
of a number of manually actuatable keys by which the index
card register may be opened in a desired position to expose
to sight the data that have previously been recorded on an
index card. This index card reyister also includes a lock-
ing key by means o~ which the cover member adapted to cover
the index cards may be moved into the closed position.
When the cover member i9 cloeed t simultaneously all of the
raised index cards arè automatically returned into their
initial stacked position.
.In another heretofore known type o~ index card
register the housing inolude~ a drawer that is biased by
a compression spring anq is adapted to be closed by a key-
bolt. The drawer serves to reaeive the index cards. This
heretofore known index card register furthermore comprises
means ~cr unlocking ~he drawer and exposing to sight an
index card that has been selected by actuation of a
corresponding selector key, by unlocking the drawer and
moving the same into a po~ition in which the drawer projec~s
from the housing. This outward movement is effected under
the bias of the compres~ion 6pring.
These prior art index card registers are table
type devic~s and are employed in a lying position on a
supporting surface. The hou~in~s of the index card
registers may also have the form o~ a bas~ member for
~15~3530
supporting a telephone apparatus when the housing ~f the
card register includes a drawer for moving the selected
index cards outwardly ~rom the housing.
A common ~eatuxe of all heretofore known index
card registers is ~llat the multi-key keyboard is arranged
in a orward position o~ the index card register, and the
keys axe arranged in a row, i.e. side by ~ide. The here-
tofore known index card registexs, moreover, are of
relat~vely large dimensions.
~t is an object of the present invention to provide
a novel and improved in~ex card register of minimum
dimensions~
It is another obj ect of the present invention to
provide an index card regi~ter in which the area covered
by the selector keys approximately corresponds to the base
surface of ~he index caxd register.
It is st.ill another object of the present inventio~
to provlde an index card register that may be assembled
from a minimum of parts.
It is still another object of the present invention
to provlde an index card register that may be manufactured
and assembled at low aos~.
In accardance with the present invention, these
and fur~he~ objects are ach.ieved in an index card regis~er
of the type stated above by the ~act that the selector keys
of a plate-shaped, squar~ o~ rectangular configuration are
coupled to the pivot levers by ~ertical webs, and the
selector keys disposed within a column,one behind the
other!axe of a width that c~rresponds to ~he overall width
of the pivot levers mounting re~pectively these selector
~5 !3S3~
-
keys, and the selector keys being connected to the pivot
levers so that a rearward selector key is cantilev~red to
the left with respect to its associated pivot lever, and
aforward selector ~ey is cantilevered to the right with
respect to its associated pivot lever.
An index card register which is arranged as
above defined is of minimum dimensions, due to the arrange-
ment of the selector keys in rows and columns since the
area covered by the selector keys is only slightly smaller
than the base surface of the card register housing. By
this e~pedient the overall dimenslons o~ the index card
regi~ter may be minimized. By employing one-armed pivot
levers that are rigidly connect~d to the associated
- 4a
~ 0 5 8 5 30
!
member, th~ drawer deten~ bar includlng a draw~r lockin~
mechanism adapted to be unlocked to permit outward mo~e~
ment of the drawer when being bias~d by the card retAlnær
pin o a depres~ed selector key; selec~or t~ngues with .
apertures for th~ card r~tainer pins along ~sarward
marginal portions of the indax ~ards disposed in a s~3ak
within the drawer, ~h~ ~el~c~or tongue~ incr~in~ in
extension by step-like increments from a lowermo~t index
card having one ap~rture up to an uppermost index card
having a highe t number o~ aperture6, rom a bottom rlqht
hand position to a top le~t hand position, i.e. aoro~s the
s~ack o card~, the number o~ ~p~rtures ln the selector
tongues inarea~ing from the lowermo~t inde~ card to the
uppermo~t index card by one for each card, wh~re~y the
incremental on~ apertur~ in each lndex card as oompared
to ~he apertures in an adjacent underlying index card is
exposed with respect to the aperture-containlng ~elector
tongue portion~ of an a~jacent underlying index card; and
a triangular entrainment cam in a forward region of the
drawer, th~ entrainment cam adapted to cooperate with
entrainment apertures in ~ f~rward region of the index
card~
~ n ind~x card regis~er which is arranged a~
above defined is of minimum dimensions, due to ~he arrange-
ment of the selector key~ in rows and columns since thearea covered by the sel~tor keys is only slightly smaller
~han t~e base surface o~ the card register housing~ ~y
this expedient the overall dime~sions of the ~ndex card
regist~r may be minimiz~d. ~y employing one-armed pivot
lever~ that are rigidly connected to the associated
s~s~
selector ~ey~ the assembly opera~ion i~ reduc~d to
assembling a ~ew part~ only. Moreovex, operati~nal
reliability o the index card register i~ en~ured sin~e
by employing resilient mean~ at the rear wall of the ca~d
reglster h~using each pivot lever is being held in a
position in which t~e free end~ of the card retainer pina
are above ~he s~ack o~ index aard~. Any in~orrect operatW
ion i8 excluded ~ince when a~tuatlng a sele~tor key the
card retain~r pin a~soclated with the actuated selector
key i~ ~ein~ inserted into the associated apertures ~f ~he
index card~ in the staak of index cards and thu~ the pin
opera~e~ the drawer locking mechanism which when ~ctuated
unlocX3 the drawer ~o that during the outwar~ movement o~
the drawer the card retainer pin o~ the actuated ~eleator
key re~aln~ all oi thosa index cards in the ~tack o cards
that ov~rlie the selected index card. An additiana}
advantage is that the 3elector t~ngues of the index car~s
provided with the apertures are arranged in ~ rearward
marginal portion of the index ~ards ~o that when removing
the index cards for writlng thereon any adamage to th~
selector tongues is avoided~
The means for ~upporting the free ends of the
card retainer pins depending from the ree ends o~ the
pivo~ l~vex8 in a position above the uppermost index aard
in the stack of index ca~ds ~nd thereby above the apertures
of the index card~ ~on~i~t~ o~ a plurality of resilient
tongues ~ounted at the xear wall of the hou~ing bottom
member, the pivot lever~ being ~upported at their free ends
by these ton~ues.
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~513530
Th~ drawer lockinq mechanl~m includes th~
drawer detent bar di~po~ed in ~he path o~ rnOVQment o~ the
drawer, the drawer detent bar being plvotably mounted
about a hori~ontal pivot axi~ in t}~e vicinity of the r~r
5 wall o~ ~he housing bottom member, a ~orward portion o$
the drawer detent bar being movable in an aperture, a rec~s~
or the lilce in the bottom wall of the drawar, the drawer
detent bar being resili~nt and adapted to ke retained ln
a locking po~ition and further includes a cent~l retaln-
1 O ing cam in the landing re~gion o~ tha drawer, and ~ lug ina botk~m re~ portion o~ the dr~wer, the lus be ing a~apt~d
to enS~age the xetaining cam.
The selec~ox key~ consi6t of s~uare or xe~tang-
ular tab~, each o~ which i~ connected by a vertical web ~o
15 an as~ocia1:ed pivot lev~. The width of every of four
selector keys disposed in al column s~orresponda ~ubstan~lally
to the width o~ the our plvo~ levers supporting the~e
selector key~. Due to ~his unlque configuration the
selector key~ may be arran~ed ln row~ and columns in def in-
20 ing a vlrtually con~inuous ~ur~ace array so that the~elector keys may be a~commodated in a minimum o~ space.
The Pour ~elector }ceys in a column are conn~cted 'co their
associa~ed pivot levers in a m~nner whereby the rearward
selecto~ key is cantil~vered towa~d the left ~ide, and
25 the forward selector key is cantilevered toward the righ~
side with r~pect to it~ as~ociat~d pivot lever, and the
two ~ntermediate selector k~ys are conneeted to tlleir
associated pivo~ lever~ ln B manner whereby all of the
four ~lector key~ are aIigned in a column. In thi~ '
30 arrangement the rearward selector key of four ~elec~s:r
keys de~ining a column unit includes a portion oantilever~d
to th~ let, and the orward ~alectox key 1ncludes a
portion cantil~vered to the righ~ whereby eaoh of the~e
two cantilevered portions i~ of a width ~ub~tantially
corresponding to the width of threa pivot lev0r~, and th~
two selector keys dispo3ed betwe~n rearward and ~orward
selectox k~ys each include on vne sidQ a cantilev~red
portion of a width sub~antlally corresponding to the wldth
o~ a pivot lever/ and on t~e o~her ~ide a can~ilevered
portion of a width sub~ntially corresponding to the w~d~h
of two pi~ot levers.
Acco~aing to a ~urther eharacteri~tic, th2 top
cove~ plake o~ the hou~ing cov~r member may include an
apertux~ the ~ize and dime~slo~s of which ~u~etantiall~
correspond to ~he area covered by the array o~ selector
keys.
In the following, the invention will be de~rlb-
ed more in detall with ~eferonQe to a pre~erred embodiment
shown in the appended drawings wherein
FIG~RE 1 i~ a top view of an index card
regist~r compri~ing bo~tom and cover member~ in accordance
with the pre~ent inventionS
FIGURE 2 is a lateral elevational view of the
index card regi~terJ
~IGURE 3 is a ~op view of the co~er member:
~IGURE 4 13 a top vlew of the index card
regist~r whe~eby the cov~r membex has been removedt
FIGURE 5 i~ a top view of the index card
register after removal o~ th~ coYer member whereby the
drawer is in a position ln whioh it partly project~ from
~ 8
~5~i3a~
the hou~ing J`
FIGURE 6 i~ a vertical ~ectiot~al View alon~.
the lin~ VI-VI of FIG. l;
FIGURE 7 i~ a top view o~ the index card
S regi~ter whereby ~he cov~3r member i8 removed, and showlng
a stack of c:ards di~po~3d within the s~rawer
FIGURE 8 i~ a la~eral elevational view o~
four selec:tor keys d$~posed in a column;
FIGURE 9 i3 a top view of ~he our sel~ctor
keys o FIG ~ 8 disposed in laterally spaced po~ition~ J
FIGURE 1 Q is a bottom view of the selector key~
of FIG. 9;
E'IGURE 11 is a bottom view of the pivot le~er~
o~ the ~elector keys;
FIt:URE 12 is a top view of an index card;
FIGURE~ 13, 1 3A and 1 3B are top views o~ the
frorlt portion~ o~ index cards dieposed one behind 'ch~ o~her
and ~howing t,he ~pertur~ containin~ selector tongue~ in
the rearward portions o~ the c~rds;
FIGURE 14 i~ a fragmentary bottom view o~ a
~tack o~ index card~ and 6ho~inq the aperture~containing
selecto~ tongue~ at ~he ~eaxward por~ions o:E tlie index
card~ J
FIGURE l S i~ a fragmentary top view o~ the
2 5 lowermost index card and showing the selector tongue with
one aperture 7
FIGURE 16 i~ ~ ~xagmentary top view o~ the
index ~ard overlying th~ lowermost index aard and ~ho~ing
~lle ~elector tongue with ~wc3 aperturess
3û FI~URl: 17 is a fra~mentary top view o~ the
~ S~ ~ 3 ~
two index card~ o~ S. 15 and 16 in an ov~rlying
position~ and
FIGURE 18 i~ an exploded ragmen~ry per~
specti~e view of ~he two index card~ o FIG~. 1$ and 16.
ReEerrin~ to ~IGS. 1, ~ and S the index aard
register of the present inv~ntion is ~hown approxima~aly
in orlginal ~ize. ~he lndex card regi~ter lnclude3 a
housing 10 with a box-shaped cover member 1 1 and a l~kewl~e
box-shaped bottom member 21, The cover member 11 and ths
bottom member ~1 are mu~ually interconnec~ed by mean0 such
as ~crews or adh~ive att~chments ~not shown), and are
pref~rably made of a suitable pla~tic ma~erial. The ~v~r
me~b~ 11 includes the ~ide walls 13, 15, a front wall 12
and a rear wall 14, as ~ell as a top cover plat~ 16 ln
which i~ cut out a square o~ generally rectangular apertur~
17. ~he portion o~ tha ~op cover plate 16 facing the fr~nt
wall 1 2 of the co~er me~ber 11 i9 inclined and may be
provld~d with a tray-shaped ~ecess (no~ ~hown) for reaeiv-
ing writing utensil~ or th~ like.
The bottom member 21 includes the side wall~
23, ~, a fron~ wall ~2, a xear wall 25 and a botto~ wall
26. A ~lot~haped ~per~ure 27 in the f~ont wall 22 serve~
to receive a drawer 30. The bottom member 21 furthermore
inClude~ spaced guide bars 2~, ~g~ that extend in a
direation parallel to the side wall~ 23, 24. Angle-shaped
retaining led~es 19, 19a are di~posed in a rearward region
of the bottom member 21 and in the vici.nity of the ~uide
bars 19, 29a ~ ~hese reta~ning ledges 19, 19a are ~rranged
in the path o movement ~ t~e drawer 30 and overlie p'artly
a stack of index cards ~QO aocommodated within the drawer
- 10 - .
5 3~
30 to hold the ~tack in th~ deslred height and ~ecure
the i~dex cards agains~ t-oPf ~ 9ee FIGS. 5 ~nd 6).
The bottom member 21 o~ the housing 10 r~c2i~es
the dr~wer 30 which con~ists o a bot~om wall 31, the
S side wall~ 32, 33 and a front wall 34 intexaonnecting the
front ends of ~he two ~ide wall~ 80 that th~ drawer 30 i8
open at it~ rear end.
Alternately, th~ drawer may be guided differen~-
ly within ~he bot~om member 21. Thu3 the b~ttom wa~
of the drawer may ~e pr~vi~ed with a web engag~ng a groo~e
in the bottom wall o~ he bo~tom member 21. A dove-tail
~haped cross-~eotional profile may be used tQ pre~ent any
unde~r~d lift-of o~ ~he drawer from the bo~tom memb~r.
The bottom wall 31 o~ tho dxawqr 30 inalud~s at its ront
bottom end a cam 35~ Thls cam 35 i~ adapted to engage a
groove-~haped recess 28 ln ~he bottom wall 26 o~ ~he bottom
member 21 when pu hi~g the drawer into the ~ous$ng 10.
This groove-shaped recee~ 28 extends from the front ~dge
of the bottom wall 26 o~ the bottom member 21 and i6
arranged centrally in the bottom wall 26. A steel ~pring
rod 36 is arranged in th~ raglon o~ this groove-shaped
rece~ as so that its ree end 36a is withln the area oP
the groove~shaped rece~s 28 whereas the oppo~ite end 36b
of the steel sprin~ rod 36 i~ rlgidly conn0cted to the
bo~tom wall 26 of the bottom member 21. The action of
the 8te~1 spring rod 36 corre~ponds to ~he a~tion of a
thrust ~pring which i8 biased by movln~ the drawer 3Q into
~he bottom member 21 of th~ housing 10 so that when un-
loaklng the drawer 30 tha drawer ma~ be driven outwardly
by means o~ the st~el ~pring rod 36 which re~iliently
~ ~5~530
retur`ns in~o it~ initial po~ition ~FIG. 5~.
The bottom wall 31 o~ the drawer 30 further-
more include~ in it~ rearward portion a c~ntral lug 37
constituting one member of a drawer locking mech~nis~ 170
described ~urther below, Alon~ rear portion~ of ~he slde
walls 32, 33 of the d~awer are arranged ~uldl.nq detents
38, 38a tha~ pr~ject from the upper edges of the qid~
walls 3~, 33 and are cantil~vered in lateral direction~
in ov~rlying the guide bar~ ~9, 29a that are molded ln-
tegrally with the bot~om w~ll 26 oE ~he bottom mem~sr 21.
These guiding detents 38, 38a ~multaneously ~erve to
delimit ~he path o~ ou~ward movemen~ oE the drawer 30
(FIG5. 4 andS). Resilien~ bu~er elements 39, 39a made
o~ fel~ ox the like at ~he lnner ~urfaces o~ the two part~
of the slde wall 22 and on both ~ides of the aperture 27
in the bott~m member ~1 and in the path of movement o
ths guiding detents 38, 38a ~erve imultan00usly to d~limit
the path of movement o~ drawer movement. Alterna~ely, the
path of outward movement ~ the drawer 30 may likewise be
delimit~d by means o~ ~uitable devices o a dif~erent
: de~ign~
A plurality u~ ~ele~tor keys o~ a square or
recta~gUlar con~iguration a~e a~ranged within th~ aperture
17 of the top cover pla~e 16 of the cover member 11~ The
selector key~ are arran~d in an array substan~ially
covering the entirP sur~ace of the apertur~ 17 in the
cover member 11.
In the embo~lmen~ shown i~ PI~. 1 there are
provided twenty four ~ tor key~ 40, 41, 42, 43, 44; 45,
46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 5t, ~, 53, 5~, 55, 56, 57, 58, 5~, 60,
61, 62 ~nd 63. The~e ~el~c~or ~eys may bear ~uitable
- 12
~ 3 ~
indicia ~uch as letter~ o~ the alphabe~.
The selec~or key~ 40 to 63 are conneated to
a ~orrespondin~ number o one-armed pivo~ levers 70, 71,
72, 73~ 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 7~, 80, 81~ 82, 33, 84, ~5, ~,
87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92 and 93 the end~ 70a, 71a, 72a, 73a,
74a, 75a, 76a, 77a, 78a, 79a, 80a, 81a, 82a, 83a, ~4a, 85a,
86a, 87~, 88a, 89a, 30a, 91a, 92a and 93a of which are
provided with openings 100 (FIG. 8~ for receiving a mount
ing rod 101 ~e~ving as ~ piv~t axi~. The mounting rad 101
is ~upport~d .~t it~ two ~nd~ 101a, 101b ln r~pecti~e
bearing rods 102, 103 in a posi~ion above the drawer 30
and in a forward region o~ the housing 10. The.bearlng
rode 102, 103 are arrànged on either ~ide of the dr~wer 30,
are integral with the bo~to~ wall Z~ of tha bottom member
21 and extend ~ertically of the bottom wall 2~. The pivot
lever~ 70 to 93 are lndividually pivotably mounted abo~t
thi~ mountin~ rod 101. The mounting rod 101 may readily
be removed together with the pivot lever~ 70 to 93. The
guide bars 29, 29a along t}~e bottom member 21 extend in
the longitudinal directlon o ~he drawer and serve con
currently as guide mean~ ~or the outward movemen~ of the
drawer 30 or for proper inwa~d move~ent o ~he drawer into
the housing 10.
The ~ree end3 70b~ 71b, 72b, 73b, 74b, 75b, 76b,
2$ 77b, 78~, 7~b, 80b, 81~, 82b, 83b, 84b, 85b, 8~b, 87b, 88b,
89b, 90b, 91b, 92b and 93b of the pivot levers 70 to 93
are provided at their low~r ~ur~ace~ with card retainer pins
110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, tl7, 118~ 119, 120, 121,
122, 123, 124~ 125, 126, 1~7, 12~, 129, 130, 131, 132 and
133. The ar~angem~nt o~ ~h~se card retainer pins 110 to
- 13
~ ~ S ~ ~ 3 ~
133 will be de~cribed ~urther ~elow.
The selector key~ S0 to 63 define an array o~
~ix selector key~ in ea~h of four tran~verse r~ws A, ~, ~
and D ~n corre~ponding c~lumns a, b, c, d, e and ~, A~ may
best b~ seen from FIG. 1. ~ue to this arrangement of the
~elector keys 40 ~o 63 in rows and column8 the key~ require
a rathex restricted spaae ~o that the overall card r~gi~tsr
device may b~ o~ very small dimen~ion~. The aperture 17 ln
the top cover plate 16 o ~he cover member 11 clo8ely
corre3ponds to the ~urf~ce area covered or ~lled in by the
array o~ ~elector key~ ~0 ~o 63,
In order to allow a la~erally clo8ely packed
arrangement o~ the pi~ot lever~ 70 to 93 in the hou~lng 10
the ~elector key~ are o~ a partlaular configuration ~nd
are arranged in a particular manner, a~ may be seen ~om
FIGS. 8 to 10. q`hi~ arrang~m~nt Will be explained ~ith
re~eran~e to the fou~ ~leat~r keys 40, 41, 42 and 43
that are di~po~ed in the v~rtical column a. These four
~ selector ke~s 40 to 43 aon~i~t, as likewis~ the ~emaining
; 20 selec~or keys 44 to 63, o ~ad-~haped member~ 40a, q1a,
42a, ~3a t~at axe conneated by a web 40b, 41b, 42b, 43h
xespeatively to an asso~i~ted plvot levér 70~ 71, 72, 73
respeatively, In the arrang~ment of the selector key~ 40,
41, ~2 , 43 the pad-~haped member 40a of the selector key
40 at the pivet lever 73 i~ ~antilevered toward the left
hand ~ide, and the pad-nhaped momber 43a o the selector
key 4 3 at ~he pivot lever 7Q is cantileve~;ed toward the
rigbt ha~d side (a~ ~hown in the drawing~ where~y the pad-
shaped mem~er 40a i5 cQnn~c:ted ~t the rear end of the'
pivc~t le-.re~ 73 ~ and th~ pad~shaped member 43a of th~
~ 14 -- ;
~ ~ S 8 S 3~
selec~o~ key 43 i8 connec~ed to the end o th~ pivot levar
70 ~acl~g the bearing rod 102 (see also FIGS. 9 and 101.
The pad~sh~ped member~ 41a, 42a o~ the ~elector keys 41,
42 ~hat are d~sposed b~ween the two outer selec~or key~
40 and 43 are connected ~ith the plvot levers 72, 71
re pectively in a manner ~o that the pad-shapad m~mbers 41a,
42a axe cantilevered alon~ both ~ide~ but alon~ differen~
length8. The cantileve~ed portion of the pad-shaped ~ember
40a o~ the selector key ~0 ~æ ~ a width co~re~ponding ~ub-
Stantially to ~he width oE ~hree pivo~ lever~ 73, 72, 11.
Analogously the cantilevered portion of the pad-shap~d
membe~ 43a o the sele~or key 43 i5 of a width su~s~ntlal-
ly ~orre~ponding to ~h~ wldth of the ~hre~ pivot le~r~ 71,
72 and 73. ~he pad-sh~ped member 41a is ~onnected to the
pi~ot l~vex 72 in a mann6r 80 that the pad-shaped member
4ta i~ cantilevered ~ow~rd the s~lector ~ey 40 by t~ wldth
o the pivot lever 73, wherea~ the portion o~ the pad-~haped
mem~a~ 41a of the selector key 41 facing the selector kay
42 i~ o a width sub~tan~ially corresponding to the width
of the pivot lever~ 71, 70~ The ~ele~tor key 42 i~,
similarly ~o the selector k~y 41,connec~ed to the p~ot
lever 72. The portion o~ th~ pad-~hape~ member 4~a oE the
~el~ctor key 42 ~acing the s~lector key 41 i~ of u width
sub~tantially coxre~ponfling to the width of tha two pi~ot
lev~r~ 72, 73, and th~ ~antilevered portion of the pad-
~haped member 42a faclng the ~lector kcy 43 i~ o a
width ~ub3tantially ao~e~ponding ~o the width of ~he piYot
lever 70. Due to this arrang~ment, four seleator key~ 40,
41, 42 and 43 may be ar~anged one behind the other irl a
colum~ c~ every pad-~haped member 40a, 41a, 42a and 43a
- 15
:~5~53~
of ~he ~ele¢~or keys 40~ 41, 42, 43 i~ o a wldth
corre~ponding ~o the width of ~our pivot laver~ 73, 72,
71 and 70 re~pectively~ The select~r keys of th~ eolumn~
b, c, d, e and ~ are analogously de~igned and are connected
to their associa~ed pivot levers, with the re ul~ that a
plurality of selector keys may be accommoda~ed within a
minimum of ~pace~
As may be seen from FIG. 8, the card retain~r
pins 110 to l33 arranged at the free end~ 70b to 93b ~f
the plvot levers 70 to 93 are arran~ed in two row~ whe~by
the card retainer pins o~ ev~ry other pivo le~er d~f$n~
a row 80 that the card ~etalne~ pins 1 11, 113, 115, 1 17 ~
119, 121, 123, 125, 127, 129, 131~ 133 define a fir~t row
and the card retainer pln~ 110, 112, 114~ 116, 11~,'120,
122, 124, 126, 128, 130 and 132 de~ine a second row. Every
row o~ card retainer pin~ thus compri~es ~welve pin~. The
caxd retainer pin~ 110 to 133 axe arranged at the lower
surfaoes of the pivot l~vex~ ~0 ~o 93 and may be made of
metal or ~ ~uitable pla~tlc material. Alternativ~ly, tha
pivot lever~ may be made in~egrally with ~h~ aard retainsr
pins~
The pivot lever~ 70 to ~3 are supported at
their fxee ends 70b to ~3b on re~ilient tongues 140, 141,
142, l43, 1~4, 145, 146, 147~ 14~, 14~, 1S0, 151, 152, 153,
2S 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 15~, 160, 161, 162 and 163. The~e
re~ilient t~gues 140 ~o 163 are integrally moulded at the
rear wall 25 oE the bottQm memb~r 21 so that the pivot
lever~ 70 to 93 assume a posit~on in whiah the ~ree end~
of the c~rd retaine~ pins 110 to 133 are above the stack
of inde~ card~ 200 ~FIG. 6)~
_ ~6
SI!~310
A drawer loalcing mechani~m 170 ~or locking the
drawer 30 in an inward poal~ion within ~he ho~sing 10
con~i~ts of the lug 37 ~ the bottom wall 31 of th~ drawer
30 and a drawer deten~ bar 171 that i-~ rotatably moun~d
about a horizontal axi~ 172 in the region of the bottom
wall ~6 ~f the bottom memb~r 21. Th~ drawer ~etent bar
171 l~ moun~ed 90 that the Porward por~ion 171a of the
drawer ~atent ba.r 171 i~ rotatably movable in the direction
of the arrow X toward a ~e~ilient ~lement 173, and
adapt~d to be returned ln~o it~ initial position ~F~G. 6~
by thi~ re~ilient element 173. The re~ilient element 173
may aon~ist of a spring, a ~oam rubber pad or the like.
Prefe~ablyf ~he drawer detent bar 171 exhibits ~esilient
prop~xtie~. A~ may be ~een in FIG~ 6, the drawer det~n~
bar 171 i8 arranged in the region of an openi~g 26a in the
bottom wall 26 o~ the bo~om member 21 and ~ o~ a lehgth
corre~pondlng to ~he w~th o~ the drawer or re~pectively to
the width o~ the pivot lever3 70 ~o 93 carrylng the card
reta~n~r pins 110 to 13~. When actuating any of the sel~ctor
keys 40 to 6~, the asso~lated card retainer pin i~ moved
downwardly by its associate~ pivot lever and will engage
~he drawer datent b~r 171. The drawer de~ent bar 171 18
therePoxe ursed at itB ~o~ward end 171a into the op~ning
26a in the bottom wall 26 o~ the bottom member 21.
The drawer ~etent b~r 171 include~ a central
trough~haped depresslon 174 ~ha~ extends into ~he path
o movement o the lug 37 o~ the drawer 30. An upright
~e~alrling cam 175 i~ mould~d along th~ drawer detent bar 171
~n the region of the trough-~haped depression 174. The
drawer detent ~ar 171 may be made of a plastic ma~erial
1 7
~ ~ S 8 S 3~
of th~ same or of a di~erent type a~ the housing 10.
The overall de~ign charactar1s ic~ o the in~ex card
reglster are as ~ollowss When movlng the dr~w~r 30 inw~rd-
ly into the bottom member 21 of the hou ing 10, the lu~ 37
at the drawer 30 embraces th~ cam 175 whereby the dr~wsr
detent bar 171 a~sume~ an approximately horizontal poeltlon
or a po~ition in which ~he ~orward portion 170a oP the
drawer detent bar 171 i~ in an upper position. This upper
pocition of ~he rearwar~ly mounted drawer detent bar 171
will ~e assumed when tha ~orward region 171a of the draw0r
detent bar 171 comes to rest above the reces~ 26a ln the
bott~m wall 26 o~ ~he bottom member 21. The drawer d~tent
bar 171 i~ arrangad in ~he reglon of the path of movemen~
of the aard re~ainer pin~ 110 ~o 133. When actuating a
selector k~y, the a~soaiat~d pivot lever oonnectad ~o th~
actua~ed sele~tor key will be xo~ated, with the ~ult
that ~he card retainer pin ~earing free end o~ the pl~ot
lever will be moved downwardly in the direction o~ th~
arrow ~1 (FIG. 8) so that the corresponding card retalner
pin engage~ the fo~ward re~i~n 171a of the drawer detent
bar 171 and urges the drawer de~ent bar at it~ forwar~ portion
in~o the opening or xeae~g 2~a of the bottom wall 26 o~ the
bottom member 21. ~hereb~ th~ resilient element 173 will
be compressed and biased. ~t ~he moment in which ~he c~rd
retainex pin has urged ~he ~o~ward portion 171a of the
drawer detent bar 171 into the reces~ or opening 25a of
the bot~om w~ll 25 of the bott~m member 21 the drawer 30
will be unl~cked insofar a3 the cam 175 i~ rota~ed outward~
ly from th~ lug 37 conne~ed to ~he drawer 30. Since the
drawer 30 i3 spring-bia~d, the drawex 30 will be moved
a~ 10 -
3~
ou~wardly in this moment ~FIGS. 5 and 6). A1ternatively~
the d~awer detent bar 171 may be replaced ~y a devic~ o
a di~ferent design, and ~uch a devic~ must in ~ny ca~e
permit to unlock the dr~wer 30 from the bottom memb~r 21.
When the bottom wall 26 of the bottom m~nber 21 ie of a
sufficient thickness the openin~ 26a in the bottom wall 26
may be replaced by a reGe~. It i8 important, ho~ever,
that fo~ unlocking the drawer the drawer detent bar 171 ma~
be urged, with its ~orward portion 171a, in~o an opening
or a reces~ so that the unlocking operation may be initi~ted.
The ~tack o~ index card~ 200 con~i~ts o~ ~
numbe~ of index cards made o~ h~avy grade paper, cardboard
or th~ like, ~h~ number of i~dex cards corresponding to ~he
number of sqlector key~ 40 to 63. In the embodiment of the
index card register Qho~n in the drawing~ there are provid-
ed ~w~nty four index ca~d~, desi~nated by the reference
numerals 2~ 02, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 20g~ 210,
211, 212, 213, 214, 215, ~16, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222,
223 and 224. At the rear edge oE thq index cards 202 to
~24 i~ provi.ded a selec~or tongue 202a, 203a, ~04a, 205a,
206a, 207a, 20~a, 209a, ZlOa, 211a, 212a, 213a, 214a~ 215a,
216a, 217a, 218a, 21~a, 2~0a, 221a, 222a, Z23a and 224a
re~pe~tively, and in th~s~ ~elector tongu~ are provided
apertures 250. The~e ape~ture~ 250 in the selector tongues
of the index cards are arran~e~ in ~wo parallel rows which
corre~pond to the arran~emen~ o~ the card retainer pins 110
to 13~ 80 that each aperture i3 operatively ~oci~ted with
a card retainer pin. Th~ aperturas 250 in the index card~
202 to 2~4 are of a sub~t~ntially circular cenfigurat~on.
The lowe~most index card ~01 i~ devoid o~ apertures 250.
~L~S~S30
The configurat$on and th~ Arr~ng~ment o the
seleator tongues 202a to 224a are a~ ~11Ow9~ Commencing
with the in~ex card 202 at the bottom the num~r of aperturc~
250 in each overl~ing index oard increase~ by one ap~rtu~e.
Thus the index card 203 o~rlying ~h~ index c~rd 202 ~ith
one aperture 250 includ~s two aperture~ 250 ~PIGS. 15 ~
Furthermore; ~he selector tongue~ axe arranged so that the
incremental aperture by which the number of ape~t~re~ in any
of the lndex ca~ds is ~ug~en~ad with resp~ct ~o the number
o~ ap~rtures in the adJaa~nt underlying card i~ neith~r
cover~d by a seleator tongue nox ~y an aperture in any other
inde~ aard~ FI~. 15 ~llu~tra~es a portion of the ind~x ca~
202 with it~ ~elector tongue 202a ~hat bears a singl~
aper u~e 250a. The selector ton~ue 202a in~ludes an obliq~e
left hand side ed~e 202b whereby the co~figuration of th~
selector tongue 202a is ~uah that the ~elector tongue may
ju~t accommodat~ the apexture ~50a. The index card 203 ov~r~
lying the index card 2~2 includes a selector ton~ue 203a
oE approxim~tely squar~ ox rectangular configuration in
which are arranged tWQ apqrtures 250a and 25~b whereb~ the
aperture 250a of t~e index ~rd 203 coincide~ wi~h the
aperture 250a of the in~ex card 202 when ~he two index
cards overlie each o~her (FIG. 16). ~hen the two index card~
202 and 203 ovexlie each oth~r, the ~elector tongue 203a
~f the index card 20~ c~ver~ tho selector tongu~ 202a o~
~he lndex card 202 to ~uoh an ~xten~ that only th~ ~alector
tongue 202a i8 covexed wh~x~s the xem~ining portion 203b
of the selec~or tongu~ 203a i5 oxposed (FIGS. 17 an~
When a~tuating the corr0sponding ~elector key the card
retainer pin as~ociated ther~wi~h i~ in~erted through ~h~
- 20
~L~5853~3
aper~ur~ of the ~elector ~ongue 203a of ~h~ ~ndex card ~03
and engage~ the drawer detent bar 171. ~he aard reta~.nQr
pin retains the index ~ard 203 and any further index card~
that overlie the index card 2030 Since no card retainer
pin i~ inserted through the aperture 250a ~ the selectox
to~ue 202a, the index card 202 will not be ratained but
will move foxward toge~her wlth the ou~wardly moved ~rawer
30.
The en~rain~ent of the selected index ca~d ox
respec~ively of the ~elected index ca~d and any index eard~
und~rlying the ~elect~ inde~ ~ard is ensured by mean~ of
a cam 180. This cam 180 i~ centr~lly moulded at the bottom
wall 31 of th~ draw~r 30 ~d~acent the drawer front wall 34.
The index cards 201 to 224 include at th~ir ~orward end~
an ~per~ure 230 each lnto which the cam 18~ engag~s. When
the d~awer 30 moves outwardly from the housing 10, the
sele~ted index card, together with any underlying ind~
cards, will be drawn ~rom the stack o~ card~ by thi ~n~rain-
ment aam. Thi~ entrainment cam 180 i9 of an approximately
triangulax coniguratio~ which ensures that all of those
index ~ard~ that are no~ b~ing r~tain~d by a card retalner
pin lnserted t~rough the ap~rture~ 250 may ~hus be r~leased
from the c~m 180 so tha~ only ~he libera~ed index card
together with the underl~ing index cards will move outward-
ly together with t~e d~awer.
The selector tonsues 2~2a to 224a of the indexcards 202 to 224 are a~ranged in a pattern that rese~bles
a flight of stairs, a~ ma~ be ~een from FIG. 14.
The operation ~ the inventive index card
register i~ brie1y as ~ollowss Durlng periods of non-usage
~585~0
the dxAwer 30 i~ inser~ed into ~he hou~ing 10, The draw~r
30 accommodates a number of index cards that are ovex-
lying each other in a 3tack oX index card~ 200. The index
cards include, at their rear edge, selector tongue~. ~ach
S index card i8 provided with one selector tongue. In th0~e
selec~or ton~ues are provide~ apertures 250. When aatuat- !
ing a ~elector k~y, ~he pivvt lever connected to thi~
actuated ~elector key will be moved, at its ~re~ end, toward
the b~tom wall 26 of ~he bottom member 21 whereby the card
retainer pin dependin~ ~rom thi~ pivot lever i8 inserted
through the operatively a~s~ciated apert~res 250 of the
index cards arranged in its path of movement ~o that the
pin Q~g~ges the drawer de~ent bar 171. The forward portion
171a oE the drawer de~en~ bar 171 will thereby be urged
into the opening or re~e~s 2~a in ~he bottom wall 26 o ~he
bottom member 21. At this moment is released the lug 37
of ~h~ dxawer 30 which had previously be retained by th~
cam 135 of the drawer detent bar 171. Upon rotation of
the drawer detent bar 171 the cam 175 is withdrawn from the
lug 37 by a rotary mov~m~nt. In this instance the drawer
30 i8 a~celerated ~orwa~dly ~y the compression spring
(no~ ~hown) an~ ~oncur~ently en~rains the ~eleeted index
card and all index card~ un~rlying the selected index card
wher~a~ all index aard~ overlyln~ ~he selected index card
are being retained by the d~pressed aard retainer pin.
When the projectin~ drawer wi~h the corre~ponding index
card ~xposed to sight i~ no longer required, the drawer 30
may be moved back into th~ hou~ing 10 and will be retained
therein by the fact that the lug 37 at the drawer bo~tom
wall 31.engage~ th~ cam 175 and i8 being retained in the
~ 2~ _
~ ~ S ~ 5 3~
lockin~ position by the d~wer det~nt bar 171~ When
relea~ing the actuating pressure o~ the card reta~ner pln
on the drawer de~ent b~ 171, ~he l~t~r i~ ~oved baak-
wardly by the re~ient element 173 into the slightly r~i~ed
position, i.e. into a po~itlon ensuring engagement o~ the
lug 37 on the drawer 30 with the c~m 175 of ~he draw~r
detent bar 171, for lnt~rlocking the3e member~. In the
inserted position of th~ drawer ~0, the index cards ln th~
stack o~ index cards 2~3 a~e x~tai~ed by th~ angled retaln-
ing ledge~ 19, 19a di~p~ed intern~lly o~ the housing 10
and partly overlapping laterally the index cards o~ th~
staok of index cards 200 ~o that the index cards and thelr
~ele~tor tongue~ assume a 1a~ planar shape in the reglon
of th~ card retainer pin~.
The index cærd re~i6~er o~ the present inventlon
may be ~esi~ned and manuPactured at low cost, and thl~ i~
partly due ~o ~he ~ac~ tha~ th~ ~elector key~ 40 ~o 63
define toge~her with 1:hair as~ociated pivot levers 70 ~o 93
an as~embly that may readily b~ removed since the pivot
lever~ 70 to 93 are merely ~lided, at their one ends, ontothe mounting rod 101. ~ny mal~unc~ion or wrong 3election
is excluded since only tho~ index cards will be released
for which the asso~iatod ~eleator key has been actuated.
~ince the selec~or tong~es having the apertures are
arranged at ~he rear en~s o~ the index card~, a relatively
large po~tlon of the index card surface i5 available for
receiving indicia, data or the like. The entrainment cam
180 on the bottom wall 31 o~ the drawer 30 may also be
~eplaced by laterally ~ranged entrainment cams~ ~he index
card~ would then have to include co.rrespondingly ~haped
- 23
1~58S~O
re~e Se9 or engagement with the~ la~er~l entrainment
cam~ whereby lt must be en~ured that the s~l~c~ed index
card ~oyeth~r wi~h any undarlylny index card~ are prop~r~y
entrained when the drawer 30 move~ outwardly from the
housing/ and that the index card~ that are retained by the
card retainer pin are ~eleased from ~he entrainment ~m~.
For ln~crlbing the lndex card~ the latter may readlly b~
removed individually rom th~ aard xegl~ter hou~lng.
The pre~en~ invention i8 not intendQd to be
re~tri~ted to ~he abo~e de~cribed and illu~txated embodi-
ment. Modi~ications in ~he arrangement of the guide meane
for the drawer, in the arrangement of the resilient tongues
biased by the card retaln~r pin~ and in th~ arrangem~nt of
the drawer locking and unlocking m~chani~m are likewlse
con~ldered to be within ~he scope of the present inv~ntlon.
Thu~ the drawer de~ent bar may consi~ of a resilient
tongue made ~f a pla~ti~ material moulded ~ntegrally with
the bottom member of ~he hou~ing, Due to it~ inherent
restoring capacity such a re~ilient tongue will again
return into it~ initial ~patial po~ition when releasing a
pre~ure force applied ~o this tonyue by a card ret~iner
pin ~o that th~ drawer ma~ be locked. ~here may likewi~e
be provided a d~aw~r l~ing ~echani~m of a different desi~n.
Thus the fr~nt edge of ~he drawer detent bar may be provid-
~5 ed with a vertical engaglng bar, and the drawer may beprovlde~, at its rear bottom wall portion, with a wedge-
shaped landing surface h~ving a rearward vertieal portion
behind which enga~es th~ enga~ng bar of the drawer detent
bar to retain the draw~ in the inward position. The
drawer detent bar may al~o be in the form of a key-bolt
2~ -
S30
provided with suitable rneans ~o~ locking the drawer.
~ he index c~rd regi~er may be employed not
only for presenting phone number~, addre~e~ and the like
but likewise for tabulating or clas~iying goods of ~ny.
5 type and the like.
- 25
