US3713535A - Automatic card selector for random access card file system - Google Patents

Abstract

A random-access card file system formed by cartridges for storing the cards and an automatic card selector adapted to extract any desired card therefrom regardless of its location in the cartridge. Each cartridge is capable of accommodating at least one deck of cards. Each card in the deck includes an upstanding tab whose longitudinal position is related to a particular point on a linear scale extending the full length of the deck. The selector is provided with a carriage movable to a position in registration with any desired incremental point on the scale, the carriage bearing a crane having a card picker thereon, whereby when the carriage of the selector is set to a particular position and a switch is actuated, the crane completes an operating cycle in the course of which it is caused to bow down over the cartridge to permit the picker to engage and clamp onto the tab of the selected card and to then lift the card from the cartridge onto a presentation bar.

Description

in] 3,713,535 Jan. 30, 1973 United States Patent 1 Engelstein et al.

[54] AUTOMATIC CARD SELECTOR FOR RANDOM-ACCESS CARD FILE SYSTEM [75] Inventors: Stanley Engelstein, New York;

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Gene A. Church Michael Ebert Assistant Examiner- Attorney [57] ABSTRACT access card file system formed by car- Isidore Dorman, Whitestone, both ofN.Y.

A random- [73] Assignee: Bell & Howell Company, Chicago,

Ill.

reg tridg [22] Filed: Dec. 2,1971

Appl. No.: 204,160

tab whose longitudinal position is related to a particular point on a linear scale extending the full length of ided with-a carriage RelatedU.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 118,455, Feb. 24, the k. The selector is prov 1971. movable to a position in registration with any desired incremental age bearing a point on the scale, the carri ennoo hoatt mums m eMwwk h uC P i ya m p :6 U0 h m n m eh ww m mhfl M CwD. f m mow mfl ee LS m r duwm e.le f TMmC -H .WOU a u e d u T h aw i c I r 3 he hh V cyo mfuHC V W a sm w .n o a d nr rdew manPo ccaob 56 0 ob 5H H 97 005 B0 5N 0", 8A5 9"" in "H0 mml mmh "NC r "a ""8 Us Lu C S .1 UhF ll] 2 8 555 [ll engage and clamp onto the tab of the selected card and to then lift the card from the cartridge onto a presentation bar.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,524,545 8/1970 Doundoulakis et al..............209/8'O.5 17 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 'A wace 3/97 PATENTED JAN 30 I973 SHEET 2 OF 5 PAIENTEUJAM 30 I915 SHEEI 3 OF 5 PATENTEU JAN 3 0 I975 sum u or 5 7/ /////////VM 7// /////a PATENIEnJAusolsrs 3 713 535 SHEET 5 0F 5 NOID Box

AUTOMATIC CARD SELECTOR FOR RANDOM- ACCESS CARD FILE SYSTEM RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of out copending application entitled RANDOM ACCESS CARD FILE SYSTEM, Ser. No. 118,455, filed Feb. 24,1971.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to retrieval systems for randomly-stored file cards, and more particularly to a card-file cartridge and automatic cardselector combination making it possible to extract any desired card from the cartridge regardless of its position therein and to present the extracted card to the user.

The term card as used herein is intended generally to cover any type of filing element which may be stacked in boxes or in any other form of file receptacle, and it includes ordinary single-sheet file or tabulating cards, aperture cards in which a microfilm slide is mounted within a card aperture, microfiches and microfiche jackets of the type disclosed in Engelstein US Pat. No. 3,238,655. The term card is therefore intended to encompass any existing form of filing element formed by one or more sheets of paper, cardboard or plastic material or combinations thereof.

In the traditional, ordered card-filing system, the stacked cards are serially arranged in alphabetical, numerical or other order in accordance with an established classification system. When, in a system of the ordered type, a clerk wishes to consult a particular card, he goes to the appropriate file box or drawer and then proceeds to search for that card. If, for example, the card bears the identification number 126 and should be found in a file box intended for cards 100 to 199, the clerk riffles through the cards in that box until he locates card 126. After use, to avoid misfiling, the clerk must be careful to return card 126 to its correct position in the proper file box.

Thus, in a conventional, ordered file system, a significant amount of clerical time is consumed not only in searching for and finding a given card, but also in returning the card to its orderly position. Should the card be misfiled, as a result of clerical error, the search to locate the misfiled card takes up even more time.

In order to effect economies in clerical operations, data-retrieval systems have been developed adapted to extract a desired card from a stack or deck of randomly-stored cards. In existing data-retrieval systems, the system is arranged to quickly and accurately select from a large number of cards lying in face-to-face contact in a file, a particular card corresponding to a code marking or other form of identification in a master file index. The cards in the file may be in any random order and, after being extracted from the file for inspection, reproduction or other use, the card may be returned to any position within the file and subsequently retrieved without difficulty.

In most random-access retrieval systems of the type in current use, the cards are formed with a series of edge notches and apertures which are sensed by sorting rods. Thus, in the well-known McBee Key Sort Card Selection System, each card, at its lower edge, is provided with a series of equally-spaced apertures arranged in a row, which apertures define adjacent code locations or notch sites that are adapted to be selectively provided with one or more notches to facilitate, in cooperation with sorting rods, selection of a desired card from a deck of stored cards.

The Mosler retrieval system described in US. Pat. No. 3,536,l94 is similar to the McBee system save that in Mosler, sorting rods act to leave the desired card available for selection and removal, whereas in McBee, the sorting rods positively engage the desired card for selection and extraction from the deck.

The Mosler and McBee systems, as well as other commercially-available random-access systems involving edge-notch cards operating in conjunction with sorting-rod mechanisms are relatively elaborate and expensive. The cost of existing random-access file systems is quite high, and in some instances prohibitive, so that the file user may be compelled by economic considerations to install a non-random ordered file system despite its inherent drawbacks.

In our copending application, above-identified, there is disclosed an easily-operated random access system formed by cartridges, a file selector common to all the cartridges making it possible to select any desired card from a cartridge regardless of its position therein. Instead of cards having a complex pattern of notches or apertures, all that is entailed is a deck of cards, each of which has an upstanding tab at a longitudinal point determined by its index number.

In the system disclosed in our copending application, the cartridges containing the decks of cards cooperate with a removable selector including a linear track having a scale thereon and a carriage settable along the linear track to any desired incremental point on the scale. Supported on the carriage and projecting therebelow is a tab-engaging picker which is adapted frictionally to engage any tab in the deck whose position corresponds to the carriage setting, regardless of the transverse position of the tab on the deck. When the selector is seated on the cartridge, any tab which lies in longitudinal registration with the selected scale point is frictionally engaged and gripped by the picker, and when the selector is thereafter lifted from the cartridge, the selected card is removed from the deck.

A major advantage of a random-access system in accordance with the invention disclosed in our copending application is that it is operationally compatible with traditional filing techniques. With this random-access system, it is not necessary to abandon existing file cabinets and storage facilities employed in the traditional system, for these may readily be adapted to the new system which makes use of file-card cartridges that may be stored in existing facilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved random access card retrieval system, generally of the type disclosed in our copending application, wherein cartridges adapted to store cards having upstanding tabs cooperate with a selector mechanism, the present mechanism for this purpose serving to automatically extract the selected card and to present it to the operator.

In our earlier system, the operation of the selector is entirely manual and involves a series of operations, the

first being to manually set the selector carriage to the desired point on the scale. The next step is to seat the selector on the cartridge, thereby causing the picker supported below the carriage to engage a particular tab. Then the selector is withdrawn from the carriage to lift the selected card from the deck. Finally, the selected card is removed from the picker.

In the present invention, the operation of the selector is partially or fully automatic. Among the significant features of the present invention are the following:

1. The selector action is automatic and rapid, and once the carriage is set to a desired point on the scale and a switch actuated, a cycle is initiated in which the picker moves toward the card deck in the cartridge and acts to engage the tab of the selected card, after which it rises to extract the card.

2. The picker action is positive and when it engages the tab of the selected card, it clamps itself firmly thereon. Because the teeth of the picker are initially in loose condition, these teeth accommodate themselves to card tabs of different thickness or tabs which may become deformed in use.

3. The picker, after clamping onto the tab, is agitated to dislodge other cards which may adhere onto the selected card, so that only the selected card is extracted.

4. The picker raises the selected card onto a presentation bar which holds the selected card horizontally for easy removal.

5. The automatic picker action is initiated the moment the cartridge containing the cards is put in place for selection.

6. The automatic selector is adapted to cooperate with a cartridge having a pair of compartments for receiving two decks, the cartridge being received on a slidable tray which may be quickly shifted from a first station in which one of the decks is oriented for selection to a second station in which the other deck is so positioned.

Also, an object of the invention is to provide an efficient, reliable and low cost random access system formed by cartridges for cards and an automatic selec tor for quickly extracting selected cards and for presenting them to the user at a convenient angle.

Briefly stated, these objects are attained in a system wherein the cards to be filed are contained in a group of cartridges, each having a pair of compartments for accommodating two decks of cards in face-to-face contact. Each card in the deck is provided with an upstanding tab whose longitudinal position reflects its index number. Thus, the card having the lowest index number in the deck has its tab adjacent the left end thereof, and that with the highest index number adjacent the right end thereof, cards having intermediate index numbers having their tabs at respective incremental points between the left and right ends.

The automatic selector for the cartridges includes a slidable tray which is positioned below a crane having a picker thereon. The crane is supported on a carriage which is movable along a linear truck whereby the carriage may be set in registration with an incremental point on the scale representing the index number of the card to be selected. The tray is shiftable from a first station in which the first deck lies in operative relation to the crane, to a second station in which the second deck is so positioned.

When the selector mechanism is actuated, an operating cycle is initiated. The crane which is normally retracted relative to the cartridge is caused to bow to an extent, causing the picker thereon to engage the tab of the selected card. The picker is constituted by a comb of loosely-held teeth whereby all tabs in line with the comb are received between a pair of adjoining teeth. The arrangement is such that when a tab is so engaged, the teeth in the picker comb are then pressed together, causing the pair of teeth engaging the tab to clamp thereon, at which point the crane is raised to lift the selected card from the deck onto a presentation bar supporting the card horizontally to facilitate removal by the operator. As the crane rises from the deck, it is vibrated to dislodge any card that might adhere to the selected card.

OUTLINE OF THE DRAWING For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a random-access filing system in accordance with the invention, in which file cards are stored in a cartridge and are extracted therefrom by an automatic selector mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the cartridge and selector mechanism combination;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the slidable cartridge tray of the selector mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a selector mechanism in the lowered position of the picker crane, the raised position thereof being shown in dashed lines;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the file cards;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken through the file card in the plane indicated by line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section taken through the picker crane and the related deck of cards in the cartridge;

FIG. 8 illustrates the loose teeth of the picker comb at the point at which a card tab is first engaged;

FIG. 9 illustrates the teeth of the comb in the pressed state serving to clamp the engaged tab;

FIG. 10 shows the picker extracting the selected card from the deck;

FIG. 11 shows the relationship between the teeth of the picker comb and the tab of the selected card;

FIG. 12 shows the selected card being lifted by the picker comb;

FIG. 13 is a side view of a modified arrangement for the picker carriage;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the modified arrangement for the picker carriage; and

FIG. 15 is a diagram of the electrical circuit for the selector mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a cartridge and an automatic selector combination in accordance with the invention, the former being generally designated by numeral l0, and the latter by numeral 11. In practice, the filing system may be constituted by a large assembly of cartridges and a single selector to extract cards from any cartridge in the assembly.

To give a simple example, if the system is intended for the storage of, say, a maximum of 10,000 file cards, one may provide 100 cartridges, each capable of accommodating 100 cards. Obviously there may be fewer than 100 cards in any cartridge. These cartridges may be placed in a compartmentalized cabinet for ready access, or the cartridges may be arranged on a rotary turret or turntable, or in a Ferris-wheel type of storage device adapted to be indexed to present a selected cartridge to the user. As pointed out previously, existing filing facilities for a non-random system may be used to house the cartridges for the random-access system.

For purposes of illustrating the invention, we shall stay with the example given above and now consider a cartridge designed to accommodate 100 cards of the microfiche jacket type disclosed in the above-identified Engelstein patent, modified to function in the randomaccess system. Again, it is noted that the invention is usable with any form of card, but regardless of the type of card employed, it must be provided with tabs as hereinafter described.

Cartridge l0, asseen in FIGS. 1 and 4, is an opentop, box-like structure, preferably made of highstrength plastic material, including front and rear walls 10a and 10b, and an intermediate wall 10c partitioning the interior into front and rear compartments I and II of equal size. Each compartment is capable of storing a deck of 50 cards. The dimensions of the compartments relative to the cards received therein are such that the upper margins of the cards are exposed. In practice, the cartridges may be provided with removable or hinged covers serving to protect the cards when the cartridges are stored.

The microfiche jacket cards MM, as best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, are each constituted by two transparent rectangular panels 12 and 13 in superposed relation, the panels being formed of clear, flexible plastic material, such as polyester film or any other suitable transparent sheeting having high tensile strength. Interposed between these panels and bonded thereto are spacer ribs formed by longitudinally-extending strips 14 in parallel relation to define parallel channels C to C open at either end. The channels are of like width to accommodate microfilm strips of a given size, such as 16 mm. or 35 mm. film.

As shown in FIG. 4, a deck D, of 50 cards MM is stored in compartment I of cartridge 10, and a like deck D,, is stored in compartment II. The cards in each deck are provided with upstanding tabs T. When the cards are microfiche jackets, these tabs may be fabricated by extending the rear panel 13 of the microfiche jacket above the uppermost rib 14 and diecutting the extension to define the rounded tab profile. Since with a microfiche jacket of the Engelstein type, the rear panel is formed of a relatively heavy plastic sheet, the resultant tab is stiff and durable. Alternatively, the tabs need not be integral with the card but may be separately formed and bonded to the cards at appropriate positions.

With two decks of 50 cards each contained in every compartmentalized cartridge, for indexing purposes the 100 cartridges for a file system of 10,000 cards may be identified in a master index by cartridge numbers I to 100, and the cards in deck I by card numbers 0 to 49, and those in deck [I by card numbers 50 to 100.

In order to facilitate selection, tabs T of the cards in each of decks D, and D,, are placed to occupy distinct longitudinal positions relative to scales S, and S,, printed in parallel relation on a scale plate 15 which is shiftable relative to masking strip 16 whose ends are secured to the frame. Strip 16 is provided with an elongated window along whose lower edge is printed a row of indicia 16A. In one position of the plate, the scale S, is aligned with the indicia 16A and scale 8,, is hidden, and in the second position thereof, scale S, lies under and is hidden by the strip, whereas scale 8,, is in alignment therewith.

Scale S, is graduated from 0 to 49; hence the tabs T formed on the front deck D, of cards are displaced fromeach other to occupy positions in longitudinal alignment with the incremental points on this scale. Scale II is graduated from 50 to 99, the increments of which correspond to the increments 0 to 49 on Scale S Tabs T formed on the rear deck D,, of cards are also displaced from each other to occupy positions in longitudinal alignment with the incremental points on the related scale.

Since the scale increments are the same for both decks, the series of tab positions thereon is the same, the distinction residing in whether the deck is placed in the front or rear compartment of the cartridge. It will be appreciated that the number of tabs one may place on a deck of cards depends on the length of the deck and the size of the tabs, as well as the ability of the selector to discriminate between displaced tabs.

While in the system described above, a distinct tab position is assigned to each card, one may have two or more cards in a deck with the same tab position, as in those situations where data related to a particular subject cannot be contained on a single card.

In the master index for a system as described above, the cards are identified by their cartridge, compartment, and tab position. Thus a card identified in the master index as 93-II-77 is to be found in cartridge 93, rear compartment II thereof, and tab position 77. However, while this card belongs in the rear compartment of cartridge 93, it may be placed at any random position in this compartment, for the selector is adapted to pick up this card regardless of its placement in the deck.

In practice, as shown in FIG. 11, it is possible to place the tabs, which have a rounded formation, fairly close to one another so that they overlap, as long as the displacement is sufficient for the selector comb (to be later described) to pick a desired tab without engaging an undesired tab. The tabs need not be rounded but may have any other formation facilitating their selection, such as a trapezoidal form.

As best seen in FIG. 1, selector 11 is provided with a frame having stepped side walls 17 and 18. Mounted on top of the frame and extending between the side walls is a rotatable shaft 19 which supports a U shaped presentation bar 20, having a pair of discs 21 and 22 at the bends thereof. These discs form end guides for the card presented by the bar.

Positioned below shaft 19 and also extending between side walls 17 and 18 is a slotted shaft 23, serving as a track for a carriage PC which is keyed to the slot in the shaft and is movable with limits determined by the slot length. Anchored in the carriage and extending therefrom is the arm 24 of a crane, at the end of which is attached a card picker 25.

Cartridge containing two decks of cards D, and D,, is received in a tray 26 joined to scale plate 15, the tray and scale plate being slidable along underlying tracks 27 and 28 (see FIG. 2) from a first station to a second station. At the first station, deck D, lies in operative relation to the picker thereover, in which event scale S, is aligned with indicia strip 16. At the second station, card deck D,, and scale S,, are in their operative positions.

Shiftable along a cross bar 32 extending between the side walls of the frame at the front thereof is an indicator 33 having a pointer 34 which scans indicia strip 16. Indicator 33 is provided with a finger piece to which, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, a spring-biased detent blade 35 is coupled. Detent blade 35 engages the teeth of a rack bar 36. Thus, to shift indicator 33, one presses down on the finger piece to disengage the detent blade 35 from the rack teeth. When the indicator is aligned with a selected scale position, the finger piece is released to cause the detent blade to engage the rack teeth, thereby locking the indicator setting.

Indicator 33 is operatively linked by a cable 37 running over pulleys 38 and 39 supported on side wall 17 and pulleys 38a and 39a on side wall 18, to a picker carriage PC, the cable passing through hollow shaft 23 serving as the carriage track. Thus, movement of indicator 33 in one direction brings about an equal shift in the position of picker carriage PC in the opposite direction. The cards in cartridge 10 have their backs to scales S, and S,,; hence picker 25 which sees the front of the cards, has a proper scale relation thereto.

We shall now, in connection with FIGS. 4 and 7, consider the nature of the crane and picker assembly. Picker 25 is provided with a stack of identical teeth 40 of triangular shape, preferably formed by metal plates. The teeth are loosely supported on a rod 41 passing coaxially through the hollow arm of crane 24 and terminating in an electromagnet 42 mounted on picker carriage PC.

The stack of teeth 40 forms a comb which is interposed between a pressure plate 40A and a back plate 40B, the pressure plate being secured to the free end of rod 41 and the back plate being secured to the free end of crane arm 24. The arrangement is such that when electromagnet 42 is energized, rod 24 is pulled thereby, causing pressure plate 40A to move toward back plate 408 and to compress the teeth 40 therebetween.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, when picker 25 is brought down, teeth 40 approach the top of card deck D, (or D,,) composed of cards MM. The tab T on the card in exact line with the picker is received between a pair of adjacent loose teeth 40. And when the solenoid of electromagnet 42 is energized, the teeth in the comb are compressed in the manner shown in FIG. 9, whereby tab T of the selected card is now firmly clamped between the pair of teeth. When, thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, picker 25 is raised by the crane, the selected card MM, whose tab T is gripped by picker 25, is extracted from the card deck.

- Thus, as evident in FIG. 11, the triangular teeth 40 engage and grip only that tab in direct line therewith, all other tabs being disregarded including those of other cards which lie in overlapping relation to the gripped tab. When the picker is thereafter raised as shown in FIG. 12, only the selected card MM is withdrawn from the deck.

The mechanism'by which the crane and the presentation bar are caused to swing or bow in the course of each operating cycle will now be explained in connection with FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. Power for operating the selector is provided by a motor 43 whose armature shaft is keyed to an eccentric 44, which is linked to a first bell crank formed by levers 45 and 46, the latter being coupled to carriage shaft 23, and to a second bell crank formed by levers 47 and 48, the latter being coupied to presentation bar shaft 19.

At the beginning of an operating cycle, presentation bar 20 as indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 4, is at a raised horizontal position above cartridge 10 and crane arm 24 bearing picker 25 is upwardly extended. In the course of a single revolution of the motor eccentric, picker 25 is lowered to engage a selected card in the cartridge and to extract the card from the deck as the picker returns to its initial position. I

Concurrently with the picker action, presentation bar 20 is first lowered to a position inwardly displaced relative to the lowered picker and then, as the picker rises to extract the extracted card, the presentation bar is raised to its initial position in front of the picker, at which point it lies below the extracted card and causes it to assume a horizontal position as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4. Thus, at the end of the cycle, the extracted card is outstretched to facilitate its removal by the operator from the picker.

Because of the possibility that a non-selected card may adhere to the selected card and be improperly removed with the selected card, an electromagnetic vibrator 49 is provided. The vibrator is mounted on crane arm 24 and is energized shortly after energization of the picker electromagnet, causing the picker teeth to clamp onto the selected tab. This vibrator functions to dislodge unwanted cards from the clamped selected card.

The circuit by which the various operations may be carried out in their proper sequence in the course of a cycle is illustrated in FIG. 15, which shows motor 43, vibrator 49 and picker solenoid 42 in combination with microswitches 50, 51, 52 and 53 coupled to a suitable source of AC power.

Microswitch 50 may be positioned on the selector frame for manual push-button operation, as shown in FIG. 1, but preferably it is mounted in the cartridge tray, so that when the cartridge is properly nested in the tray, this switch is actuated. Or one can have both a tray-actuated switch and a push-button switch, so that the cycle may be re-initiated while the cartridge remains in the tray. This is desirable when more than one card selection is to be made from the same cartridge.

Microswitches 51, 52 and 53, as shown in FIG. 2, are actuated in a predetermined sequence by cams 51A, 52A, and 53A, mounted on the shaft of motor 43. The cam-operated switch 51 serves to control motor 43 in combination with microswitch 50, such that when switch 50 is actuated, it completes a circuit through initially-closed contacts in switch 51, to energize motor 43. This circuit is broken by cam-operated switch 51 upon the completion of a single revolution. Thus, the

motor begins to turn when the cartridge is placed in the tray and stops turning automatically upon completion of a single revolution.

The cam operation of microswitch 52 is such that when picker has engaged the tab of the selected card, this switch is immediately closed to effect energization of picker solenoid 42 through a suitable rectifier 54, to cause the picker to clamp on the tab, the solenoid being de-energized at the end of the cycle to release the tab. A moment after picker solenoid is energized, the electromagnetic vibrator 49, which operates directly on AC power, is energized upon the cam-controlled closure of switch 53, the vibrator being de-energized well before completion of the cycle.

We shall now briefly review the technique by which a card is selected and the manner in which the selector functions. Let us assume there is a call for a card whose master index number is 93-lI-77. This means that this card is to be found somewhere in rear compartment II of cartridge 93, and that its tab position is 77 on the scale S for the rear compartment.

All the operator need do is to take cartridge 93 from the file cabinet or wherever else it is stored. Before placing the cartridge in the tray of the selector, the operator shifts the tray to a station which renders scale ll operative and he then sets indicator 33 to position 77 in scale Il. Then the operator places the cartridge in the tray, thereby actuating the microswitch which initiates the selection cycle.

This causes the picker to bow down over the cartridge to select the desired card from compartment [1 and to clamp onto the tab thereof, the picker then rising to extract the selected card, during which movement the picker crane vibrates to dislodge unwanted cards. As the picker returns to its initial position, the presentation bar which was lowered as the picker bowed, rises to a position in front of the picker to force the card held thereby to a horizontal position to facilitate its removal from the picker, at which point the cycle is concluded and the system is in readiness for the next cycle. This entire operating cycle is completed in a matter of seconds.

In FIGS. 13 and 14, there is shown a modified arrangement for supporting picker carriage PC so as to separate cable 37 from the shaft supporting this carriage whereby a solid rather than a hollow shaft may be used. In this arrangement, carriage PC is keyed to a solid shaft 55, whereas cable 37 which is tied to the carriage, passes through suitable collars in bell crank lever 48 and in an auxiliary lever 56, which levers are joined together by a bar 57. The selector mechanism is otherwise identical to that shown in the other figures.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made therein without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the indicator 33 which is shown as being manually adjustable, may in practice be operated automatically from a keyboard or by a computer whereby the motorized indicator is caused to shift to a desired scale position. Also while the system is disclosed in connection with cartridges for storing the file cards, in practice the cards may be housed in trays or conveyors which are movable relative to a selector station.

We claim:

length of the track and a carriage movable along said track and settable to any desired incremental point with respect to said scale, said carriage having a tab-engaging picker adapted to engage and clamp onto a card tab whose longitudinal position in a deck of file cards lies in registration with the carriage setting without regard to the transverse position of the card tabs in the deck, and motorized means automatically to shift said picker from a normally retracted position to a tab engaging position and then back to said retracted position, and I B. means for housing file cards in a deck thereof and for receiving said means at a station accessible to said picker, each card having an upstanding tab whose longitudinal position with respect to said scale is determined by its index number, whereby when said picker is shifted from its normally retracted position to its tab-engaging position, the only tabs which are engaged are tabs which lie in registration with the carriage setting, and when said picker is thereafter retracted, the tab-engaged card is fully extracted from the deck.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for housing said file cards are cartridges which are dimensioned to store at least one deck of cards.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cartridges are provided with removable or hinged covers.

4. A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cartridge is divided into two like compartments, each accommodating a deck of cards, and wherein said selector is provided with two parallel scales to effect settings for the respective compartments, said system including a slidable tray for receiving said cartridge and movable from a first station in which the picker is operative with respect to one card deck, to a second station in which the picker is operative with respect to the other card deck.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cards are constituted by microfiche jackets having said tabs thereon.

6. A system as set forth in claim I, wherein said picker is constituted by a comb of loose teeth, the tab being engaged between a pair of adjoining teeth, further including electromagnetic means to compress said teeth whereby said tab is clamped between said pair of teeth.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 including means to effect said compression immediately after the tab is engaged.

8. A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said teeth are mounted in a rod between a pressure plate and a back plate, the rod being attached to said pressure plate and passing through said back plate, and an electromagnet coupled to said rod to draw said pressure plate toward said back plate to compress said teeth.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1, further including a vibrator coupled to said picker and adapted to dislodge non-selected cards from the selected card.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 further including means to render said vibrator operative immediately after said picker has clamped onto a tab.

11. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said picker is supported at the free end of a crane which is adapted to bow, causing said picker to swing from its retracted position to its tab engaging position.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11, further including a presentation bar and means for shifting said bar concurrently with the movement of said picker crane whereby when the picker is in its tab-engaging position, the bar is behind the picker, and when the picker raises a card whose tab is engaged and returns to its retracted position, the bar is concurrently shifted to a position in front of said picker below the raised card, said bar then acting to hold the card outwardly for easy removal.

13. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said crane is anchored on a carriage keyed to a slotted shaft whereby the carriage is only movable longitudinally along the shaft, and means to rotate the shaft to cause the crane to bow.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13, further including an indicator movable to scan said scale, and means linking said indicator to said crane carriage to cause said picker to assume a position related to said scale.

15. in a card selector for cards having upstanding tabs, a picker constituted by a comb of loose teeth, a tab being engaged between a pair of adjoining teeth, and means to compress said teeth to grip the engaged tab.

16. A selector as set forth in claim 15, wherein said means to compress the teeth is constituted by a pressure plate connected to a rod passing through the teeth and coupled to an electromagnet.

17. In a random access filing system, a selector mechanism for automatically selecting one or more cards from a deck thereof, each card in the deck having an upstanding tab thereon whose longitudinal position depends on its index number, said mechanism comprising:

A. a carriage movable along a track parallel to said deck and settable to any desired longitudinal position with respect to said deck, said carriage having a tab-engaging picker adapted to engage and clamp onto a card tab whose longitudinal position in said deck lies in registration with the carriage setting without regard to the transverse position of the card in the deck, and

B. motorized means automatically to shift said picker from a normally retracted position with respect to said deck to a tab-engaging position to engage only those tabs which lie in registration with the carriage setting and then back to said retracted position to fully extract the tab-engaged cards from the deck.

Claims (17)

1. A random-access card filing system comprising: A. a selEctor having a track, a scale extending the length of the track and a carriage movable along said track and settable to any desired incremental point with respect to said scale, said carriage having a tab-engaging picker adapted to engage and clamp onto a card tab whose longitudinal position in a deck of file cards lies in registration with the carriage setting without regard to the transverse position of the card tabs in the deck, and motorized means automatically to shift said picker from a normally retracted position to a tab engaging position and then back to said retracted position, and B. means for housing file cards in a deck thereof and for receiving said means at a station accessible to said picker, each card having an upstanding tab whose longitudinal position with respect to said scale is determined by its index number, whereby when said picker is shifted from its normally retracted position to its tab-engaging position, the only tabs which are engaged are tabs which lie in registration with the carriage setting, and when said picker is thereafter retracted, the tabengaged card is fully extracted from the deck.

1. A random-access card filing system comprising: A. a selEctor having a track, a scale extending the length of the track and a carriage movable along said track and settable to any desired incremental point with respect to said scale, said carriage having a tab-engaging picker adapted to engage and clamp onto a card tab whose longitudinal position in a deck of file cards lies in registration with the carriage setting without regard to the transverse position of the card tabs in the deck, and motorized means automatically to shift said picker from a normally retracted position to a tab engaging position and then back to said retracted position, and B. means for housing file cards in a deck thereof and for receiving said means at a station accessible to said picker, each card having an upstanding tab whose longitudinal position with respect to said scale is determined by its index number, whereby when said picker is shifted from its normally retracted position to its tab-engaging position, the only tabs which are engaged are tabs which lie in registration with the carriage setting, and when said picker is thereafter retracted, the tab-engaged card is fully extracted from the deck.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for housing said file cards are cartridges which are dimensioned to store at least one deck of cards.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cartridges are provided with removable or hinged covers.

4. A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cartridge is divided into two like compartments, each accommodating a deck of cards, and wherein said selector is provided with two parallel scales to effect settings for the respective compartments, said system including a slidable tray for receiving said cartridge and movable from a first station in which the picker is operative with respect to one card deck, to a second station in which the picker is operative with respect to the other card deck.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cards are constituted by microfiche jackets having said tabs thereon.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said picker is constituted by a comb of loose teeth, the tab being engaged between a pair of adjoining teeth, further including electromagnetic means to compress said teeth whereby said tab is clamped between said pair of teeth.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 including means to effect said compression immediately after the tab is engaged.

8. A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said teeth are mounted in a rod between a pressure plate and a back plate, the rod being attached to said pressure plate and passing through said back plate, and an electromagnet coupled to said rod to draw said pressure plate toward said back plate to compress said teeth.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1, further including a vibrator coupled to said picker and adapted to dislodge non-selected cards from the selected card.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 further including means to render said vibrator operative immediately after said picker has clamped onto a tab.

11. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said picker is supported at the free end of a crane which is adapted to bow, causing said picker to swing from its retracted position to its tab engaging position.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11, further including a presentation bar and means for shifting said bar concurrently with the movement of said picker crane whereby when the picker is in its tab-engaging position, the bar is behind the picker, and when the picker raises a card whose tab is engaged and returns to its retracted position, the bar is concurrently shifted to a position in front of said picker below the raised card, said bar then acting to hold the card outwardly for easy removal.

13. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said crane is anchored on a carriage keyed to a slotted shaft whereby the carriage is only movable longitudinally along the shaft, and means to rotate the shaft to cause the crane to bow.

14. A system As set forth in claim 13, further including an indicator movable to scan said scale, and means linking said indicator to said crane carriage to cause said picker to assume a position related to said scale.

15. In a card selector for cards having upstanding tabs, a picker constituted by a comb of loose teeth, a tab being engaged between a pair of adjoining teeth, and means to compress said teeth to grip the engaged tab.

16. A selector as set forth in claim 15, wherein said means to compress the teeth is constituted by a pressure plate connected to a rod passing through the teeth and coupled to an electromagnet.

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