GB978268A - Index selector devices - Google Patents

Abstract

978,268. Card indexes. LAUGHTON & SONS Ltd. Dec. 17, 1962 [Dec. 20, 1961], No. 45575/61. Heading B6E. A card index, e.g. for telephone numbers, comprising a stack of cards having stepped cut-away portions and disposed in a box having a lid which may be raised with one or more cards to reveal a selected card, is characterized in that selection of the card to be revealed is effected by a slider movable along the cutaway portions of the cards, the slides being coupled to a dial, generally similar in appearance to a telephone dial, by means of a spring strip which is wound and unwound in response to rotation of the dial, so that the extent of movement of the slider is dependent on the extent of rotation of the dial. The stack of index cards 27 is supported on a platform 14 in the base of the box 10. The latter has side walls 11 and is closed by a lid 16 having depending flanges 17 spaced from the side walls 11, Fig. 6. A slider 28 having arms 29 is mounted on the lid. The free ends of arms 29 are bent around the flanges 17 to form fingers 30 underlying the stepped cut-away edges of the index cards. The slider has an upturned lug 34 guided in a member 31 and is connected to a twopart housing 38 by a spring strip 37. The housing comprises a lower part 40 having an upstanding wall 42 and an inner part 39 having a depending wall 41. The two parts are slotted to receive the spring strip 37, which passes between the walls 41, 42 and into a coil in the centre of the housing. The spring strip is riveted to the wall 41 and its free end is attached to a lug pressed out of the lower part. The latter is fixed relative to the lid. The inner part 39 is rotatably mounted on a bushing 46 and is rotated by a dial 55, coupled thereto by a lug 57. The dial is provided with circular cavities bearing letters of the alphabet and a downturned peripheral flange 63 having notches 62 between adjacent cavities. A spring-biased member is pivoted at 58 to the lid, has a finger stop 59 overlying the dial, and a latch 68 extending downwardly through an aperture in the lid to engage a blade spring 70 and maintain the lid in its closed position against the action of springs 19. On dialling a letter, one's finger strikes the stop 59 to pivot the member, whereby the latch 68 is disengaged from the blade spring to free the lid and a catch 61 engages one of the notches 62 to hold the dial in position against the action of the spring strip 37. Also, rotation of the dial moves the slider a corresponding amount to underlie the appropriate index card. The index cards are filed on arcuate posts 23 carried by a pivoted plate 20, held in position by a leaf spring 26. The posts project through slots 24 in the lid, when the latter is closed. A protective covering 73 dips over the lid.