US1889635A - Card index system - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 1932.

D,A.CASEY CARD INDEX SYSTEM 4 She ts-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1930 WK N Nov. 29, 1932. D. A. CASEY CARD INDEX SYSTEM Filed April 17, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 new ' Nov. 29, 1932. CASEY CARD INDEX SYSTEM Filed April 17, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 29, 1932. D. A. CASEY CARD INDEX SYSTEM Filed April 17, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3H ucnfot DEN/1N5 A C/qsEv dffonwq Patented Nov. 29, 1932 PATENT OFFICE DENNIS A. CASEY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA CARD INDEX SYSTEK Application fled April 17, 1830. Serial No. 445,082.

This invention relates to card filing or index systems and more particularly to means for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, and is an improvement on my pending application filed February 19, 1929, and bearing Serial No. 341,111. I

One of the primary objects of my invention is the provision of novel means for quickly and accurately locating the desired card in the group of filed cards by the manipulation of suitable selectivekey bars in conjunctionv with means including a movable member for tilting the desired card to an angle relative to the other cards.

Another salient object of this mventlon is the provision of a casing for receiving the filed cards, with movable master key bars and racks for supporting the cards in the easing and selective key bars movable into slots in the lower edge of a certain card for permitting the segregation of said card, so that the same can be conveniently and quickly removed from the casing. I

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a card filing and selecting system comprising a casing having mounted therein a pair of master key bars and racks for supporting the cards. a pluraln ity of selective key bars to accord with the letters of the alphabet and for engaging in predetermined slots cut in certain of the cards with novel means operating in direct conjunction with the master key bars for act ing upon a card selected to swing the same to a position above the other cards whereby the same can be readily seen and withdrawn by the operator.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of novel means for operating the master key bars and the cardlifting means, said means embodying a handoperated shaft having a cam on one end thereof for rocking the card-swinging means and a sleeve or hollow shaft on the operating shaft for actuating? the master key bars in timed relatiofi fii the cam.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for operating the card racks directly from the master key bars for facilitating the raising of the cards w1thout the accidental ti ping thereof A still further object o? my invention is'to generally1 improve and simplify the construction as s own in my pending application and to bring about the desired results in a more facile and expeditious manner.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved card index and selector device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the device in its first position after operat on of the master key bars.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the second position of my improved 7 0 device, with certain selective key bars raised.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectionthrough my improved device taken on the line 44 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the position of the selec- 7 tive key bars after the second operation.

Figure 5 is a transverse section through my improved device on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows in the same position as Figure 4. c

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the improved device taken on the line 66 of Figure 5 showing the position of the selective bars after the second operation.

- Figure 7 is a side elevation of my improved 85 device showing parts thereof broken awa and in section and illustrating the third position of the key bars and operating cam with the master key bars lowered and the selective key bars remaining in their raised position.

Figure 8 is a transverse section through my improved device taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 looking in the direction of the arrowsOillustrating the third position of the keys.

Figure 9 is a section similar to Figure 8 illustrating the fourth operative position and showing the selected card swung to its tilted position to be easily grasped by the operator. 1

Figure is a detail horizontal section illustrating the arrangement of the master key bars and the card-swinging device.

igure 11 is a detail transverse section through the operating and hollow shaft taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view illustrating the left-hand rear corner of the device and showing the connection between one of the card rack bars and one of the master key bars.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my improved device which comprises a suitable casing or the like 15 for a plurality of filing cards 0, which will be later more specifically described,

go The casing 15 for receiving the cards 0 is of an elongated character and of such a shape as to permit the cards to be placed therein transversely and the same includes a base frame including side plates 16 and 17 which may be provided with depending feet or the like 19 at the ends thereof. The front ends of the side plates 16 and 17 have connected thereto in any preferred way the front transversely extending cross-plate 20 and the rear ends of the side plates have secured thereto the rear wall or plate 21 which extends a considerable distance above the side plates 16 and 17. The upper edge of the front plate 20 can have secured thereto a front wall 22 which may terminate in the same horizontal plane as the rear wall 21. The front plate 20 supports the forwardly extending substantially U-shaped guard bar 23 for the key board which will be later described.

A transversely extending guide and rest bar 24 is connected with the side plates 16 and 17 and is arranged adjacent to the rear wall 21, for a purpose which will be later more fully set forth.

The operating mechanism embodies a. pair of longitudinally extending master key bars indicated respectively by the reference characters 25 and 26 and these key bars rest adjacent to their rear ends on the cross guide and rest bar 24. The rear ends of the master keybars 25 and 26 are provided with depending lugs 27 having front inclined faces 28 for riding up on the guide and rest bar 24 as will be later brought out. The forward ends of the master key bars 25 and 26 are connected by means of pivot pins 29 with cranks 3O rigidly secured to the hollow shaft 31 which is rotatably mounted on the transversely extending operating shaft 32. This shaft 32 has its opposite ends rotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the side plates 16 and 17 of the base and one end of the operating shaft 32 has formed thereon a hand crank 33 for permitting the turning of this shaft,

but any desired operating member can be substituted for the crank. The opposite end of the operatin shaft 32 has secured thereto a cam or half-w eel 34 for operating the cardsw ngm device 35, which will be later described in detail. It is to be noted that the hollow shaft 31 is provided at spaced points with transversely extending substantially semi-circular slots 36, through which protrude operating pins 37 for the said hollow shaft 31. These pins are carried directly by the operatin shaft 32 and the arrangement of the pins 3 and the slots 36 is such that a partial revolution of the operating shaft 32 is permitted before the turning of the hollow shaft 31 and the consequent operation of the master key bars. It is to be noted, however, that when the shaft 31 is turned in a clockwise directionfrom the crank end the master key bars will be swung forwardly and upwardly and that the rear ends thereof will ride up on the rear guide and rest bar 24 consequently raising the said master key bars above the selective key bars 38, which form an important part of the present invention.

The selective key bars 38 likewise extend longitudinally of the casing and are arranged in spaced parallel relation to one another and to the master key bars 25 and 26. There is preferably provided a selective key for each letter of the alphabet and these selective keys may be arranged in any preferred alignment or way to permit the convenient operation thereof, similar to the arrangement of the key bars of a typewriter.

The forward ends of the selective key bars 38 extend through suitable guide slots formed in the front plate 20 of the base 15 and the rear ends of the key bars may be rockably mounted on suitable links, or as shown the same can be provided with depending lugs 39 having front beveled faces 40 for riding up on the guide and rest bar 24 when the same are pulled forwardly. The key bars 38 are pulled forwardly and raised by means of links 41 which are rockably mounted intermediate their ends on a suitable pivot pin 42 carried by supporting cars 43 formed on or secured to the front frame plate 20. The upper rear ends of the links are connected by means of pivot pins 44 to key bars 38 and the inner forward ends of the links 41 are connected by means of links 45 with their respective key levers 46. The key levers 46 extend through a suitable opening 20' in the front wall 20 of the base and are rockably mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin 47. The forward ends of the key levers 46 are provided with finger portions or keys 48 which bear the letter of the alphabet or number which they represent. By this construction, it can be seen that when a key lever is operated, its corresponding selective key bar will be raised above the level of the other key bars and master bars, providing the same have not already been operated.

Referring to the filing cards C, it 1s to be noted that the same can be made of thin eard-' eating numbers can also be placed on the lower edge of the cards to agree with the indicating numbers on the key bars.

If the cards are to be selected according to the names of persons thereon slots 51 are cut in the lower edge of the cards directly under the letters spelling the name of the person on the card and thus when these key bars are selected the same can ride into the cut out slots. I

I prefer to reinforce the top edges of the cards by suitable thin reinforcing strips 52 which can be formed of sheet metal and it can be seen that these reinforcing strips 52 can extend beyond one upper corner of each card and that the opposite end of the reinforcing strip likewise extends beyond the card and is provided with a downturned foot 53. The corner of each card inward of the foot 53 is provided with an enlarged cut-out notch 54:.

The ends of the reinforcing strips 52 form means for engaging the longitudinally extending upper supporting or card rack bars 55 and 56 and these supporting card rack bars 55 and 56 operate in conjunction with the master key bars 25 and 26 for raising all of the cards at predetermined times as will-be later described.

The ends of the rack bars 55 and 56 have rigidly secured thereto depending slide bars 57 the lower ends of which are provided with feet 58 which are adapted to be engaged by the master key bars and these feet normally rest on the upper edge of said master key bars. The slide bars 57 can be mounted in suitable guides for vertical sliding movement and in the present instance I have shown the same provided with guide slots 59 through which extend guide pins 60 carried respectively by the front and rear walls 22 and 21 of the casing. The card rack 55 and 56 can be connected together by cross bars 61.

Now referring to the mechanism 35 for swinging a selected card at an angle to the other filed cards for permitting the convenient grasping thereof by the operator and which operates in conjunction with the cam 34, the same embodies a longitudinally .extending rock shaft 65 mounted in suitable hearings in the front and rear frame plates 20 and 21. This shaft 65 has formed thereon the crank arm 66 which is provided at its upper end with the laterally extending operating arm. 67 which overhangs the cam 34. This operating arm 67 is normall held in engagement with the periphery o the cam 34 by a suitable tension spring 68. Connected with the rock shaft 65 and swinging therewith is the longitudinal operating rod 69 egnnected with the rock shaft by crank arms The cards are filed in the case transversely and in view of the novel card selector mechanism the same do not have to be filed alphabetically or in any predetermined arrangement, and in order to prevent the cards from tilting forwardly or backwardly, the cardsupporting rack bars'55 and 56 can be provided with upstanding pins 71 arrange in the path of the reinforcing strips 52. Like wise in order to insure the proper movement of these card-supporting rack bars 55 and 56, the same can be provided with forwardly and rearwardly extending guide eyes 72 receiving guide pins 73 rigidly secured to the front and rear walls 22 and 21.

The device is now ready for operation and any card can be readily selected. For the purpose of illustration, should the card for D. Casey be desired to be removed from the case the device would be operated in the following manner. turned which rocks the hollow shaft 31 raising the master key bars 25 and 26 and consequently moving all of the cards to a raised position. The desired key bars 38 are operated from the key levers and the keys corresponding to the notches or slots cut in the bottom of the D. Casey card, which will raise these key bars to the same height as the master key bars. The crank 33 is now turned back to the first position to lower the master key bars and the card having the notches cut thereincorresponding to the raised selective key bars will move to a lowered position, while the other cards will still be held in their raised position by the same engaging the raised selective key bars. Thus the D. Casey card is segregated or selected from the other group of cards and in order to permit the easy and convenient grasping thereof by the operator the crank is again turned in the first direction which will initially turn the cam 34 swinging the crank 66 and its operating arm 67 inwardly and then raising the master key bars 25 and 26. The continued movement of the rock shaft 65 will swing the rod 69 inwardly into the notched lower right-hand corners (Figures 8 and 9) 75, of the lowermost segregated card and upon further movement of the rod 69 the same will push down on this corner of the card while the master key bars raise the same to a tilted position shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. The card can then be quickly removed.

The crank can now be returned to its normal position so that the master bars will be lowered and the selective key bars can be The crank 33 is initially moved back to a normal position by the manual pulling up on the key levers, or as shown, a clearing bar 80 can be provided for this pur ose.

T e clearing bar 80 extends transversely across the front end of the machine and is pivotally secure'd to supporting brackets 80' carried by the front wall 20 and thus it is obvious that upon pushing down on the clearing bar that the same will engage the key levers and swing the same to their lowered position. The clearing bar can again be raised to its normal position above the said key bars.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have rovided a novel device for selecting any deslred filed card from a group of cards in a file case.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but 1- What I claim as new is:

1. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, a casing for receiving the group of filed cards, a pair of master key bars movable in the casing for raising all of the filed cards simultaneously, a plurality of selective key bars movable 1n the casing, and means for tilting a selected card.

2. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, the combination with a casing having longitudinally extending master key bars, a plurality of selective key bars extending in spaced parallel relation to the master key bars, and independent means for actuating each selective key bar,

means for simultaneously raising and lowering both of the master key bars, of a plurality of cards adapted to be received within the case and to normally rest upon all of the key bars, having notches cut in the lower edges thereof at certain selective points to correspond to certain selective key bars, whereby upon raising of the master key bars all of the cards will be raised and whereby upon operation and raising movement of the desired selective key bars and upon lowering of the master key bars aselected card will be permitted to drop in a plane below the other cards, said other cards being held raised by the operated selective key bars, and means engaging the selected lowered card whereby to cooperate with the master key bars in raising the same at an angle to the other cards to facilitate the grasping thereof by the operator.

3. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, the combination with a casing, master key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, a plurality of selective key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, of a plurality of cards received within the casing and resting upon the master key bars, whereby upon raising movement of the master key bars all of the cards will be raised, said cards having notches cut in their lower edges at certain selected points to correspond to certain selective key bars, whereby when said selective key bars are raised and the master key bars are lowered, a selected card having notches corresponding to the raised selective key bars will be lowered and the other cards will be held raised thereby, means for independently operating each selective key bar, independent means for operating the master key ars, and means for engaging and tilting the selected card.

4. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, the combination with a casing, master key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, a plurality of selectivekey bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, of a plurality of cards received within the casing and resting upon the master key bars, whereby upon raising movement of the master key bars all of the cards will be raised, said cards having notches cut in their lower edges at certain selected oints to correspond to certain selective key bars, whereby when said selective key bars are raised and the master key bars are lowered, a selected card having notches corresponding to the raised selective key bars will be lowered and the other cards will be held raised thereby, means for independently operating each selective key bar, independent means for operating the master ke bar, means for engaging and tilting the se ected card, and means for operating said card tilting means in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the master key bars.

5. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, the combination with a casing, master key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, a plurality of selective key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, of a plurality of cards received within the easing and resting upon the master key bars, whereby upon upward movement of the master key bars all of the cards will'be raised, said cards having notches cut in the lower edges thereof at certain selected points to correspond to certain selective key bars, whereby when said selective bars are raised and the master key bars are lowered, a selected card having notches cut therein to correspond to the raised selective key bars will be lowered and the other cards will be held raised by said raised selective key bars, means for independently operating each selective key bar, and means for operating the master key bars including a transversely extending shaft, means for operating the shaft, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted on the first shaft having slots therein, pins carried by the first shaft extending through the slots for engaging the opposite end walls thereof, and

cranks carried by the hollow shaft and operativel connected to the master key bars.

6. ll) a device for selecting a desired card from a. group of .filed cards, the combination with a casing, master key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, a plurality of selective key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, of a plurality of cards received within'the casing and resting upon the master key bars whereby upon upward movement of the master key bars all of the cards will be raised, said cards having notches cut in the lower edge thereof at certain selected points to correspond to certain selective key bars, whereby when said selective bars are raised and'the master key bars are lowered, a selected card having notches out therein to correspond to the raised selective key bars will be lowered and the other cards will be held raised by said raised selective key bars, means for independently operating each selective key bars, means for operating the master key bars including a hollow shaft rotatably mounted on the first shaft having slots therein, pins carried by the firstshaft extending through the slots for engaging the opposite end walls thereof, cranks carried by the hollow shaft and operatively connected to the master key bars, and means for engaging and tilting the selected card relative to the other cards to facilitate the grasping of the selected card by the operator.

7. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, the combination with a casing, master key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, a plurality of selective key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, of a plurality of cards received within the casing and resting upon the master key bars, where by upon upward movementof the master key. bars all of the cards will be raised, said cards having notches cut in the lower edges thereof at certain selected points to correspond to certain selective key bars, whereby when said selective bars are raised and the master key bars are lowered, a selected card having notches cut therein to correspond to the raised selective key bars will be lowered and the other cards willbe held raised by said raised selective key bars, means for independently operating each selective key bars, means for operating the master key bars including a transversely extending shaft, means for operating the shaft, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted on the first shaft having slots therein, pins carried by the first shaft extending through the slots for engaging the opposite end walls thereof, cranks carried by the hollow shaft and operatively-connected to the master key bars, means for engaging and tilting the selected card relative to the other cards, and means for operatin said card-tilting means from the first sha 8. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, the combination of a casing, master key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, a plurality of selective key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, of a plurality of cards received within the easing and resting upon the master key bars, whereby upon upward movement of the master key bars all of the cards will be raised, said cards having notches cut in the lower edges thereof at'certain selected points to corres )ond to certain selective key bars, where y when said selective key bars are raised and the master key bars are lowered, a selected card having notches therein corresponding to the raised selective key bars will be lowered and the other cards will be held raised by said selective key bars, means for independently operating the selective key bars, means for operating the master key bars, including a transversely extending rotatable shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a hollow sleeve on the shaft having arcuate notches therein, operating pins on the shaft received in the arcuate notches, crank arms on the sleeves operatively connected with the master key bars, a cam on the shaft, a longitudinally extending rockable shaft, a crank arm on said longitudinally extending rockable shaft having an operating arm overlying the cam, spring means normally holding the operating arm in engagement with the periphery of the cam, and an operating rod carried by the rock shaft movable in the path of one corner of a lowered card for tilting said card at an angle to the other cards to permit the convenient grasping thereof by the operator.

9. In a device for selecting a desired card from a group of filed cards, a casing having a plurality of longitudinally extending key bars therein, a guide and rest bar connected with the casing on which the key bars at the rear ends thereof are adapted to rest, the key bars having depending lugs provided with inclined leading edges for engaging the rest bar, a swinging key lever for each key bar, a link rockably mounted intermediate its ends for each key lever and key bar, and means operatively connecting the opposite ends of the link to its respective key bar and key lever. v

10. In a device for selectinga desired card from a group of filed cards, the combination with a casing, master key bars mounted in the casing for movement in vertical planes, a plurality of selective key bars mounted in the casing for. movement in vertical planes, of a plurality of cards received within the casing and resting upon the master key bars, whereby upon upward movement of the master key bars all of the cards will be raised, said cards having notches cut in the lower edges thereof at certain selected points to corre 0nd to certain selective key bars, where y when said mentioned selective key bars are raised and the master key bars are lowered to a selective card having notches cut in the lower edge thereof corresponding to the raised selective key bars, will e lowered and the other cards will be held in a raised position by said raised selective key bars, means for independently operating each selective key bar, means for o crating the master key bars, each of the car s having areinforcing strip at its upper longitudinal edge extending beyond its side edges, card-supporting rack bars movable with the master ey bars en a in under the extended terminals of the rem orcmg strips of said cards.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DENNIS A. CASEY.

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