GB2063651A - Cassette storage - Google Patents

Abstract

A tape cassette storage arrangement has a holder for a standard tape cassette box (the type with a hinged lid) the holder being movable from a storage position to an access position, and the cassette box being operable when in the access position while still being held in place so that a cassette can be taken out or replaced. A plurality of such holders or pivotally held on a circular rod and can be pivoted to the access position where the lid can be opened. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cassette storage system This invention relates to tape cassette storage arrangements, primarily though not exclusively intended for the sort of magnetic tape cassette in common use as a music recording medium.

Such cassettes are sold in boxes, of which there are different types but of which types one, hereinafter called a "standard tape cassette box" or "standard box", is overwhelmingly predominant. This standard box consists of a rectangular base about 106 mm x 17 mm and four side walls of which one is about 106 mm x 70 mm and the other three are only about 27 mm high, the box having a lid hinged to the opposite 17 mm wide side walls near the base and consisting of a pair of opposite side members about 17 mm x 70 mm that, with the lid closed, fit over the 17 mm x 27 mm side walls (these being the hinged members) and an end member joining these side members at their free ends, as well as a web that on closure of the lid completes the 106 mm x 27 mm side wall of the box.The web however only extends between these side members from a point usually 7 or 8 mm away from the hinge to enable the lid to pivot open through some 2700. The lid has a pair of prongs that, when the lid is closed on a cassette in the box, engage the reels thereof to prevent them rotating.

According to the invention, a tape cassette storage arrangement is characterised by comprising a holder for a standard tape cassette box said holder being movable from a storage position to an access position in which the box can be opened, while still being held in place, so that a cassette can be taken out or replaced.

Said box may be releasably held in said holder, so that either the cassette may be removed for playing leaving the box in place or the box may be taken out for example for rearrangement or if the cassette is to be taken away from the immediate vicinity of the arrangement.

Said holder may be pivotable between its stored and access positions, and the arrangement may then comprise a circular section rail (for holding a plurality of holders) said holder having a circular section bearing part fitting on to said rail and stop means to limit pivoting of said holder on said rail between said stored and access positions. The arrangement may comprise a bracket on said rail by which said rail may be affixed to or located on a wall, table top or other supporting surface, said bearing part having a sector cut-out to co-operate with said bracket to form said stop means. Said bearing part may be of such resiliency as to be capable of spanning on to said rail.

Said holder may comprise a channel section member into which the base (as hereinbefore defined) of a standard tape cassette box is a snug fit or which is otherwise adapted to grip said base, the sides of said channel section, however, being cut away to permit pivoting of the box lid. Said channel section member preferably has an end stop to locate the said base against.

The holder may be made of a transparent plastics material permitting inspection of identifying material on the base of a box stored therein.

One embodiment of a taped cassette storage arrangement according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:~ Figure 1 is a perspective view of a standard tape cassette box, Figure 2 is an end elevation of a storage arrangement, Figure 3 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a view in the direction of arrow IV on Figure 2.

Figure 1 illustrates a standard tape cassette box consisting of a rectangular base 11 about 106 mm x l7mmandfoursidewallsl2,13,14,15,ofwhich one, 12, is about 106 mm x 70 mm and the other three, 13, 14, 15 are only about 27 mm high. The box has a lid 16 hinged to the opposite side walls 13, 14 near the base 11 and the lid consists of a pair of opposed side members 17, 18 about 17 mm x 70 mm that, with the lid closed, fit over the side walls 13, 14 (the lid being shown open, however, in Figure 1). An end member 19 joins the side members 17, 18, at their free ends, i.e. remote from the hinged ends, and the side members are also connected by a web 21 that on closure of the lid completes the box.The lid 16 has a pair of prongs 22 that, when the lid is closed, engage the reels of a cassette in the box to prevent them rotating.

The storage arrangement for such a box 20 illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 comprises a holder 23 movable from a storage position (shown in broken lines) and an access position (shown in full lines) in which the box 20 can be opened (as seen in Figure 4) while still being held in place, so that a cassette 24 (shown in chain lines) can be taken out or replaced.

The box 20 is releasably held in the holder 23 so that box and cassette can be removed completely from the arrangement if required.

The holder 23 is pivotable between its stored and access positions, and the arrangement comprises a circular section rail 25, the holder 23 having a circular section bearing part 26 fitting on to said rail 25 and stop means to limit pivoting of said holder on said rail between said stored and said access positions. The rail 25 has a bracket 27 by which the rail may be affixed to or located on a wall, table top or other supporting surface, said bearing part 26 having a sector cut-out at 28 (Figure 2) to co-operate with the bracket 27 to form said stop means.

Said bearing part 26 may be made of material having a resiliency such that it is capable of being snapped on to the rail 25, to avoid the need to thread a spare holder on to the rail from either end.

The holder 23 comprises a channel section member 23a in to which the base 11 of the box 20 is a The drawings originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

snug fit. The material of the member 23a, for exam pie, might be resilient so that the channel section has to be forced open to receive the box 20 and springs back to grip it. The sides 23b of the channel section members 23a are cut away at 29 to permit pivoting of the box lid 16, the cut-outs being slightly wider thanthethicknessoftheside members 17,18 of the box 20. The length of the channel section member 23a is such that the outermost of the side members 17, 18 overhangs the end of the member, so that a cut-out is not necessary at this end. The holder 23 has an end stop 31 (Figures 2 and 3) to locate the base 11 against so as to align automaticalls the side member with the cut-out. A cut-outis provided on each side of the channel section member so that it does not matter which way the box is inserted.

The holder is made of a transparent material permitting inspection of identifying material on the base of a box stored therein.

Generally a plurality of holders 23 will be provided and mounted in side-by-side relationship on a single rail 25.

The brackets 27 may be of special form enabling a plurality of rails 25 to be joined togetherto form a modular system adapted to support a multiplicity of standard boxes at different levels.

Claims (10)

1. A tape cassette storage arrangement, characterised by comprising a holder for a standard tape cassette box said holder being movable from a storage position to on access position in which the box can be opened, while still being held in place, so that a cassette can be taken out or replaced.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that said tape cassette box is releasably held in said holder.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that said holder is pivotable between its stored and its access positions.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterised by comprising a circular section rail, said holder having a circular section bearing part fitting on to said rail and stop means to limit pivoting of said holder on said rail between said stored and access positions.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, characterised by comprising a bracket on said rail by which said rail may be affixed to or located on a wall, table top or other supporting surface, said bearing part having a sector cut-out to co-operate with said bracket to form said stop means.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that said bearing part is of such resiliency as to be capable of snapping on to said rail.

7. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that said holder com prises a channel section member into which the base as herein defined of a standard cassette box is a snug fit or which is otherwise adapted to grip said base, the sides of said channel section, however, being cut away to permit pivoting of the box lid.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, charac terised in that said holder has an end stop to locate the said base against.

9. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the holder is made of a transparent material permitting inspection of identifying material on the base of a box stored therein.

10. A tape cassette storage arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.