GB2052955A - Storage device for cassettes - Google Patents

Abstract

A storage device for magnetic tape cassettes in their cases comprising an elongate casing which has, at its front end, a first compartment open at that end for the reception of a transverse row of cassettes, and behind the first compartment, a second compartment which is open at one side for the reception of a longitudinally extending row of cassettes, said casing being slideable endwise between upper and lower sideways between a storage position, and a partially withdrawn position, in which the casing can be pivoted to one side to permit access to the second compartment, and from which the casing can be pushed towards the opposite side to be sufficiently supported on the lower slideway. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Storage device for cassettes This invention relates to a storage device, especially but not exclusively for storing magnetic tape cassettes with their cases.

An object of the invention is to provide such a device whereby cassettes in their cases, hereinafter referred to simply as cassettes, can be stored, for example on a shelf, one behind another to the full depth of the shelf, whilst permitting easy access to cassettes at the back without the present necessity of handling those at the front.

According to the present invention, a storage device for the purpose aforesaid comprises an elongate casing which has, at its front end, a first compartment open at that end for the reception of a transverse row of cassettes, and a second compartment which is open at one side for the reception of a longitudinally extending row of cassettes, said casing being slidable endwise between upper and lower slideways between a storage position, and a position in which the casing extends substantially perpendicular to the slideways and in which the second or side compartment is accessible.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:~ Figure 1 is a fragmentary front end perspective view of a storage device according to the present invention, and showing the casing in its storage position; and Figures 2 to 4 are plan views, to a smaller scale, showing the casing in different positions.

The storage device consists generally of an inner casing or holder 1 located within a housing 2. The holder 1 and the housing 2 are both elongate and of rectangular cross section, and may be of any desired length.

The device is located on a shelf or other support and extends from front to rear of same.

The holder 1 has at its front end a first compartment 3 which is open at that end, and is dimensioned to receive four cassettes in row from side to side. Behind the compartment 3, there is a second compartment 4 which extends to the rear end of the holder 8, and is open at one side to receive a longitudinally extending row of cassettes. One cassette 5 is shown in each compartment in Fig. 2.

The holds 1 fits slidably into the housing 2 so that the holder 1 can be slid in and out, as will be later explained. The housing 2 has side walls 6, and top and bottom walls 7, 8 which form slideways for the casing 1.

The upper wall 1 A of the casing 1 carries two upwardly projecting pins 9, 10, of which the pin 9 is located adjacent the rear right hand corner (in Fig. 2), and the pin 10 is located substantially midway between the ends of the casing 1. The pins 9, 10 project into a groove 11 in the underface of the top wall 7, the groove extending from front to rear of the wall 7 and opening into the outer end face of the latter at 1 1 A, Fig. 1. The top wall 7 also has on its underface a groove 12 adjacent its front end face and extending parallel to same, the groove 12 being open at both ends, and having on its base a ramp or wedge formation 13, Fig. 1. The top and bottom walls 7, 8 project forwardly beyond the side walls 6 of the housing, and the pin 10 is longer and of smaller diameter than the pin 9.The bottom wall 8 has a tongue 14 which is slidable in a recess in the wall, the tongue 14 extending longitudinally of the housing and having a lip at its rear end which abuts the rear end wall of the holder 1.

In use, if access is desired to one or more of the cassettes 5 in the rear compartment 4, the following action is taken.

The tongue 14 is pulled until the holder 1 projects beyond the side walls 6 of the housing, so that it can be gripped by hand and be pulled forwards to the position shown in Fig.

2. During this action, the pin 10 passes through the open end 1 A of the groove 11, but the larger diameter pin 9 cannot through and is located in the transverse groove 12.

The holder 1 is then swung anti-clockwise through 90 about the axis of the pin 9 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The holder 1 is then pushed to the left until the pin 9 (being shorter) has moved past the ramp 13, and the longer pin 10 engages the ramp 13 and causes the holder to be wedged between the ramp and the forwardly projecting portion of the bottom wall 8, as shown in Fig. 4. One or more cassettes 5 can thus be easily removed from or be placed in the compartment 4. The holder 1 can be returned in the reverse manner to its Fig. 1 storage position.

The tongue 14 preferably has on its underface a stop (not shown) which projects downwards in:# a slot in the bottom wall 8, and abuts the front end of the slot when the tongue has been pulled far enough to cause the holder to project sufficiently beyond the walls 6 to be gripped. The tongue can then be pulled further, if necessary, to pull the housing 2 forwards.

A plurality of the storage devices may be located one upon another, and in this case, an upper housing may be secured to a lower housing by a pin 15, Fig. 2, or the like on the top wall of the lower casing and projecting into the slot in the bottom wall of the upper housing, the pin having a head which overlaps the slot laterally.

Alternatively, two storage devices may be pre-formed as a unit, in which case, there is only one common top/bottom wall between the upper and lower compartments. Thus, if the wall 7 in Fig. 1 were the common wall, it would be provided with a tongue 14, and the walls 6 would continue upwards.

Partition walls or pins may be provided in the compartments 3 and 4 to separate the cassettes.

The storage devices may alternatively or additionally be located side by side.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the grooves 11 and 12 may be of Tsection, and the pins 9, 10 may be replaced by T members, and the ramp 13 may then be dispensed with. Moreover, it is possible for the side walls 6 of the housing to be omitted, and for the walls 7, 8 to be in the form of upper and lower shelves with corresponding grooves and tongues, and, if necessary, additional groove openings 11 A.

The device may also be used for storing other articles, such for example as small books.

Claims (5)

1. A storage device, especially but not exclusively, for storing magnetic tape cassettes with their cases, hereinafter referred to as cassettes, said device comprising a cassette holder or casing having, in its storage position, a front end and a rear end, a first compartment open at said front end for the reception of a plurality of cassettes arranged side-by-side in row extending transversely of the holder, and a second compartment behind said first compartment and open at one side for the reception of a plurality of cassettes arranged one behind another in a row extending longitudinally of said holder, said holder being slideably located between upper and lower slideways, and the arrangement being such that the holder can be partially withdrawn endwise from between said slideways and can then be pivoted at one side substantially through 90' to a position in which said second compartment is accessible.

2. A storage device as claimed in Claim 1, in which said holder has, adjacent its rear end, a first pin on which it is pivotal to said position in which the second compartment is accessible, said pin engaging slideably in a first groove which is on the underface of the upper slideway, extends longitudinally of the latter, and lies adjacent one side thereof.

3. A storage device as claimed in Claim 2, in which said first groove opens into a second groove which is on the underface of the upper slideway, lies adjacent the front end of the latter, and extends transversely thereof, the arrangement being such that, when the holder has been pivoted to one side, and with the pin located in said transverse groove, the holder can be pushed towards the opposite side until the holder is sufficiently supported on the lower slideway.

4. A storage device as claimed in Claim 3, in which there is an opening in the front end face of the upper slideway leading to and aligned with said longitudinally extending groove, a second pin is provided on said holder, engages in the longitudinally extending groove, and is spaced forwardly of the first pin, and a ramp or wedge formation is provided on the base of the transversely extending groove, the width of said opening in the front end face of the upper slideway and the diameter of the first pin are such that first pin cannot pass through said opening, the height of the first pin is such that it can move past said ramp when the holder is pushed towards said opposite side, the second pin can pass through said opening, and is of sufficient length to become wedged against said ramp when the holder is pushed far enough towards said opposite side to be sufficiently supported on the lower slideway.

5. A storage device as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.