US3803736A

US3803736A - Card index

Info

Publication number: US3803736A
Application number: US00247520A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Kramer
Original assignee: IPPEN HEIKO ARLAC WERK
Current assignee: ARLAC WERK HEIKO IPPEN KG DT; IPPEN HEIKO ARLAC WERK
Priority date: 1972-04-01
Filing date: 1972-04-26
Publication date: 1974-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-16
Also published as: GB1372913A; IT959216B; CH530872A; ES402807A1; DK135933C; BE787409A; AT317844B; JPS4917300A; NL7205519A; DK135933B; NL150060B; FR2178490A5

Abstract

A card index comprising a case with a stack of index cards covered by a pivotably mounted cover member. A set of selector keys are adapted to swing the cover and with it one or several cards upwardly into a substantially vertical viewing position. Each selector key is slidably movable along an upper case surface and is coupled by a link mechanism to an associated rocking lever. The rocking levers are adapted to swing the cover member and with it a selected number of index cards having suitable recesses upwardly into the viewing position. A similarly arranged locking key serves to return the cover member and the index cards into the closed rest position of the card index.

Description

United States Patent Kramer Apr. 16, 1974 [54] CARD INDEX FOREIGN PATENTS R APPLICATIONS lnvemorr Wolfgang Wilhelm Bernhard 1,154,437 9/l963 Germany 40/l04.0l Kramer, Essen Germany 678,855 9/1966 Belgium 40/lO4.0l [73] Assignee: Kommanditgesellschaft Arlac-Werk Heiko [ppen Germany Primary Examiner-Harland S. Skogqu1st Assistant Examiner-J. H. Wolfe [22] Fled: 1972 Attorney, Agent, or FirmToren & McGeady [21] Appl. No.: 247,520

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Fm'eign Application Priority Data A card index comprising a case with a stack of index Apr. 1, 1972 Germany 2216016 cards covered by a pivotably mounted cover member. A set of selector keys are adapted to swing the cover [52] U.S. Cl. 40/104,01 and with it one or several cards upwardly into a sub- [51] Int. Cl- 11/00 stantially vertical viewing position. Each selector key [58] Fi d 0! efl 'eh 104 7 is slidably movable along an upper case surface and is coupled by a link mechanism to an associated rocking I lever. The rocking levers are adapted to swing the [56] References Cited cover member and with it a selected number of index UNITED STATES PATENTS cards having suitable recesses upwardly into the view- 2 524 704 /1950 Henderson /10401 ing Position A Similarly arranged bcking key serves 2:536:544 l/l95l Gordenier et 8].... 40/10401 to return the Cover member and the index cards into 2,957,260 10/1960 Zandelin 40 10401 the Closed rest position of the Card index- 2,968,110 l/l96l Quarnstrom 40/7805 3,073.049 l/l963 Levesque 40/l04.01 3 Clams 7 Dl'awmg Flgures 43%,? LY 1 16 026 26016 1166 1 66291 mug/111162091796 206 I 1' i T 16 i 2 I 1 11 f 3- a; E t 4'1 i5 I DT 1621b I l I M0 0 201 702 20 201 20 706 I 1 10 -I i e)- erg/ 600 J no, 1116 11261731 011.1151, 192 1: 414i: 4W) fii'llb 41 e e all 150 151 467 45 eei if i wwt i 466 43:1 4 58 4 9 l0- i f i H2 2 61 14 11 33 12 so 83 P! Is 7: 0 .\\\1\ .\l IT\11\ 12\ ws .w\15\1t\ '1-1\11PM I 54. 5'1 53 5Q (10 G1 (:12 (63 PATENTEDAPR 16 e974 SHEET 1 BF 5 CARD INDEX This invention relates to a card index comprising a case having a box-shaped bottom member and an upper case cover plate including atray-shaped recess for receiving a plurality of indicia-bearing loosely stacked sheets or cards, and a cover rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis and adapted to cover the trayshaped recess containing the cards, the cover operatively coupled, by means of actuating members and lifting arms engaging under the stack of cards, to a number of selector keys so that upon actuation of one of the selector keys a selected card of the stack of cards together with all cards of the stack of cards overlying the selected card and the cover may be moved into an approximately vertical position and that by actuation of a locking key the cover may be returned into its closing position covering the tray-shaped recess, whereby the ends of the stack of cards are held, in the vicinity of the cover pivot axis, by lateral guide means and are provided at their longitudinal edges facing the cover pivot axis with selector recesses for the passage of the lifting arms.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved card index of the above type which may be more economically manufactured and more easily as-v sembled and is of an increased efficiency. For achieving this object there is now proposed a card index of the type described above which is arranged, in accordance with the present invention such that each selector key consists of a sliding key adapted to be, moved transversely of the cover pivot axis and includes a tongue movable along the surface of the upper case cover plate, a gripping actuator portion molded to its upper surface, and a neck portion molded to its lower surface; each tongue is engaged with an associated slide slidably guided below the upper case cover plate between a pair of lateral guide wall portions molded integrally with the case bottom member; each slide connected to the tongue of an associated key by means of the neck portion and arranged in the vicinity of a slot-shaped opening of the case upper cover plate forwardly of the trayshaped recess for the stack of cards; the slot-shaped opening being of a length approximately corresponding to the sum of the widths of all of the selector keys and being of a width exceeding the length of the neck portion engaging the slide the slide engaging a return,

spring abutting at its one end a vertical abutment molded to the front of the pair of lateral guide wall portions in the path of movement of the slide, and abutting at its other free end against the slide, the slide having at its end facing the cover pivot axis an arm to which is connected one end of an actuator rod for moving the respective lifting arm of a twoarmed rocking lever, the other end of the actuator rod being connected to the other arm of the rocking lever; the rocking lever being rotatably mounted on the cover pivot axis, the width of the rocking lever arm adapted to engage one of the cards or a stack of cards respectively being related to the width of the tongue-shaped keys; the card edges facing the cover pivot axis provided with the selector recesses whereby the recesses in the cards are progressively wider from the second card to the lowermost card of the stack, the width of the recesses increasing from card to card by twice the width of a rocking lever arm engaging a card or a stack of cards.

The locking key for the cover is arranged similarly to the selector keys and isconnected through an actuator rod with one arm of a two-armed rocking lever adapted to be rotated on a vertical axis on the floor of the case bottom member whereas the other free rocking lever arm is connected with the cover pivot axis in such a manner that upon actuation of the locking key the cover may be moved into its closing position.

An illustrative exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in the appended drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a top view of a card index according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the card index of FIG. 1

wherein the cover is swung upwardly into an opened position;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the card index after removal of the upper case cover plate;

FIG. 4 is a lateral cross-sectional view corresponding cover plate 12 adapted to closethe bottom member and provided with a desk-like inclined front portion 12a. The upper case cover plate 12 is provided with a tray-shaped recess 13 for receiving a stack of cards 100. This stack of cards may consist of a number of sheets or cards bearing indicia or the like. In the here described and illustrated embodiment there are provided thirteen index cards which are referenced 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, I09, 110, 111, 112 and 113 respectively, as may be seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The individual cards are provided on their front and rear surfaces with line patterns serving to facilitate the entering of names, addresses and phone numbers or the like. The cards are also imprinted with the letters of the alphabet in such a manner that the card 101 bears on its surface facing the next following card 102 the letter A whereas each of the following cards 103 113 is imprinted with two letters each, the one of which is imprinted on the front surface and the other of which is imprinted on the rear surface of the card. The cards 102 to 113 are furthermore provided at their longitudinal edges facing the rear of the case 10 with

selector recesses

114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, I20, 121, 122, 123, 124 and 125 respectively the purpose of which will be explained further below. The narrow card sides along the longitudinal card edges are provided, approximately in the same height as the selector recesses 114 to 125, with further slot-

shaped recesses

126, 127 serving to hold and guide the cards in the card index case 10 (FIG. 6).

The tray-shaped recess 13 may be closed by means of a cover 15 which is preferably of a box-shaped configuration and includes a peripheral edge of a height corresponding to the one of the stack of cards 100 (FIG. 4). The cover 15 is rotatably mounted in the direction of the arrow x by means of a pivot axis -l6 mounted on the case bottom member. 11. The cover .15 is laterally provided on either side with an arcuate guide rail l7, 18 consisting of angle profiles that are each guided by one of their two flanges in the

recesses

126, 127 of the index cards 101 to 113. In this manner, the index cards 101 to 113 are held on the cover 15 also when the cover and with it the cards are swung upwardly (FIG. 2).

The

selector keys

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and a locking key 32 are provided on the desk-like inclined front portion 12a of the upper case cover plate 12 forwardly of the tray-shaped recess 13. The selector keys 20 to 31 serve to move any selected card into the viewing" position (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) whereas by means of the key 32 the swung up cover will be returned into its closing position. Every selector key to 31 as well as the locking key 32 is provided on its upper surface with a wedge-shapedactuator portion 33 as may be seen best in FIG. 4. The mutual arrang'ement of these actuator portions 33 in such that the actuator portions 33 on the individual selector keys 20 to 31 and the locking key 32 are mutually staggered so that the ready actuation of the individual selector keys are aasured (FIG. 2). The selector keys 20- 31 and the locking key 32' are arranged in the form of sliding keys that are slidable transversely of the cover pivot axis 16. Each selector key consists of a tongue 35 slidable along the upper surface of the upper case cover plate 12,'and a neck portion 36 connected to a slide 40 that is movably'guided in the interior of the case below the upper cover plate 12. The neck portion 36 of each selector keyis disposed within a slot-shaped opening 38 in the upper case cover plate 12. The length of this slotshaped opening 38 is equal to the sum of-the widths of all selector keys 20 to 31 and the locking key 32. The width of the slot-shaped opening 38 is somewhat larger than the length of the neck portion 36 on each selector key so that the neck portion 36 may be shifted within the slot shaped opening 38 transverse ly to the longitudinal extension thereof. Since the tongue and the slide of each selector key .are longer than the width of the slot-shaped opening 38, each selector key is properly guided on the upper case cover plate 12.

The slides that are'associated to the various selector keys 20 to 31 and the locking key 32 and are guided in the interior of the case are referenced 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52 respectively (FIG.

3). Each slide 40 to 52 is guided on a guide plate 53 exvided'at the front end of the guide pathof each slide 40 to 52 between the corresponding pair of guide wall portions. A spring such as the one indicated by the reference 83 bears at its one end against one of these lug earns 70 to 82 and bearswith its other free end against anotherlug cam 84 provided in the interior of the slide having a channel shaped cross-section. Aispring 83 is disposed within the interior of each slide 40 to 52. The slides 40 to 52 are each provided at their ends facing the'cover pivot axis 16 with an approximately vertically

extendingarm

130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141 and 142 respectively. At its bottom end, each arm is provided with an opening 143 through which the free offset end of an actuator rod extends. The actuator rods for the various slides are referenced 150, "151, 152, 153, 154, 155,- 156, 157, 158, 159, 160,

161 and 162 respectively (FIGS.'3 and 4). The other 176a, 177a, 178a, 179a, 180a, 181a of a two-

armed rocking lever

170, 171, 172, 173, 174, .175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180 and 181 respectively the number of which corresponds to the number of selector keys 20 31. The other arms of these rocking levers to .181 are referenced 170b, 171b, 172b, 173b, 174b, 175b, 176b, 177b, 1781;, 179b, 1801: and 1811; respectively. The rocking levers 170 to 181 are each of a width corresponding to the width of one of the selector keys 20 to 31 and are rotatably mounted on the cover pivot axis 16, as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The arms 17% to 18111 of the rocking levers 170 to serve as lifting arms and engage, upon actuation of the associated selector key, the cards in the stack of cards 100which are associated to the respective arms 17% to 18112. The overall arrangement is such that for example when the selector key 20 is actuated in the direction of the arrow y (FIG. 1) the selector key 20 thus taking the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the arm 1701; of the rocking lever 170 engages the card 101. By actuation of this selector key the arm 17% is rotated in the direction of the arrow y, (FIG. 4) and moves simultaneously the cover 15 from its closing position into the substantially vertical position shown in FIG. 4 whereby the card 101 will be moved into the same position as the cover 15. When for example the selector key 24 will be actuated, the actuator rod 154 rotates the rocking lever 174 in such a manner that the rocking lever arm 1741; engages the card 105 and thus moves this card 105 together with, the

overlying cards

101, 102, 103,104, and the'cover 15 into the opened position of the card index.

The swung up cover 15 may be returned into the closing position by means of the locking key 32. The

of the rocking lever is connected by means of an actuator rod 192 to the cover pivot axis 16 in'such a mannerthat upon actuation of the locking key 32 in the direction of the arrow y (FIG. 3) the pivot axis 16 will be rotated in a direction in which the cover 15 is moved together with the cards on the cover into the closing position. Simultaneously the actuated selector key is returned into its initial position by means of the return spring 83 (FIG. 3). I

- The cover 15 may also be returned into the closing position by means of an engagement of the rocking lever 190 with the offset cover portion 150 (FIG. 4). The inventive card index is used as follows: The individual indicia-bearing cards of the stack of cards 100 are associated to the individual selector keys 20 to 31 which are likewise provided with'corres'ponding indicia or corresponding reference or code numbers (FIG. 2). When for example the selector key 20 is movedv in the direction of the arrow y (FIG. 1) along the upper case cover plate 12 the associated actuator rod 150 will be moved in the same direction and rotates thereby the associated rocking lever, in the present instance the rocking lever 170, in such a manner that the rocking lever arm 170b'will swing the card 101 upwardly, together with the cover 15. Thus the card will be moved together with the cover serving as a support into a viewing position in which the selected card is freely visible. When actuating the selector key 20, the spring 83 within the slide 40 will be compressed. When actuating the locking key 32 the cover 15 together with the card or the cards lying in the cover will be returned into the closing position whereby simultaneously the key will be returned into its initial position by means of the return spring 83. In order that the lifting arms 170b to 181b take a substantially horizontal position when the card index is in its rest position the arms 1701; to 181b rest on

vertical cams

200, 201, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210 and 211 respectively that are molded integrally with the floor of the case bottom member 11. Due to these cams 200 to 211 a relatively small swivel movement is required for moving the cover 15 into its opened position. On the other hand, the travel of the selector keys 20 to 31 may be kept relatively short.

All parts of the card index, apart from the cover pivot axis 16, the actuator rods 150 to 162 and the return springs 83 are preferably made of plastic materials or any other suitable materials.

The inventive card index may be made of a relatively small number of mutually identical constructional elements which are readily combined and assembled. This allows for a more economical assembly of the card index. By the fact that the selector keys consist of sliding keys as described a perfect operation of the card index is assured. By the features of using key slides and slide tracks any tilting of the selector keys is avoided and moreover no scratch marks will appear on the case outer surface in the region of the selector keys even after extended periods of usage of the card index.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a card index comprising a case having a horizontally arranged box-shaped bottom member and an upper case cover plate spaced above said box-shaped bottom member and forming a space therebetween, said cover plate having a tray-shaped recess in its upper surface, a plurality of elongate rectangular horizontally arranged indicia-bearing cards stacked one above the other in said tray-shaped recess, means including a horizontally arranged pivot axis mounted in said boxshaped bottom member, a cover rotatably mounted on said horizontal pivot axis so that it is positionable between a closed position covering the tray-shaped recess and an opened position extending upwardly from said box-shaped member affording visual access to the contents of the recess, further means located within said bottom member and operatively coupled to said cover for rotating said cover between the closed and opened positions, a number of selector keys elongated in the direction transverse to the horizontal pivot axis of said cover and mounted on said cover plate and having means so that upon the actuation of one of said selector keys a selected one of said cards together with all said cards of the stack overlying the selected one of said cards and said cover can be moved into the opened position in an approximatley vertical position, a locking key associated with said means operatively coupled to said cover for returning said cover into its closed position covering, the tray-shaped recess, lateral guides located adjacent of said pivot axis for holding the stack of said cards in a stacked arrangement, said cards having longitudinal edges adjacent said pivot axis and containing selector recesses for the selective passage of said means operatively coupled to said cover, each said selector key arranged to move in the horizontal direction transversely of the horizontal pivot axis of said cover, a separate double-arm rocking lever associated with each said selector key, said means operatively coupled to said cover being connected to said rocking levers, and a separate spring associated with each said selector key, wherein the improvement comprises that said cover plate in the portion thereof opposite from the horizontal pivot axis comprise a recess therein having a slot-shaped opening which has a length extending parallel to the horizontal pivot axis of said cover and its length corresponds approximately to the sum of the widths of all of said selector keys extending in the same direction and having a width less than the length of said selector keys, each said selector key having means which include a tongue slidable over the upper surface of said cover plate and bridging said slot-shaped opening, a gripping actuator portion molded on and extending upwardly from the upper surface of each said tongue, a neck portion secured to the underside of each said tongue and extending downwardly therefrom through said slot-shaped opening into the space formed by said box-shaped bottom member and upper case cover plate, said neck portion extending in the width direction of said slot shaped opening a slide secured to said neck portion and located in the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, a plurality of laterally spaced parallel guide wall portions extending transversely of the horizontal pivot axis of said cover and formed integrally with said bottom member, each pair of adjacent said guide wall portions forming a guide for one of said slides, a first lug cam located between and extending transversely of each pair of adjacent said guide wall portions, a second lug cam secured to and extending downwardly from each said slide, said second lug cam located intermediate said first lug cam and the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate, each said spring for said selector keys extending between said first and second lug cams associated with the respective said selector key, the end of each said slide facing the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate having a downwardly extending arm with an opening therethrough, said means operatively coupled to said cover including a separate actuator rod for each said selector key, each said actuator rod coupled to the opening in the associated one of said slides and extending therefrom toward the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate, each said rocking lever mounted on the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate having a first arm to which the corresponding end of said actuator rod remote from said cooperating slide is connected and a second arm which is arranged to engage under a an appropriate one of said cards to lift it and any overlying said cards, said second arm having a width which substantially corresponds to the width of said tongueshaped keys, the selector recesses in the edges of said cards facing the horizontal pivot axis of said cover are arranged so that said selector recesses are progressively wider from the second card from the top of the stack to the lowermost card of the stack, and the width of said recesses increasing from card to card by twice, the

width of one of said second arm of said rocking levers, and said cover is spaced above the recess in said cover plate so that a space is formed above the stack of said cards which is approximately twice as high as the stack of said cards.

2. A card index according to claim 1, wherein said locking key for said cover comprises a wide tongue slidable over the surface of said'cover bridging said slotshaped opening, a gripping actuator portion molded on and extending upwardly from the upper surface of said tongue, a neck portion secured to the under side of said tongue and extending downwardly therefrom through said slot-shaped opening into the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, said neck portion extending in the width direction of said slot-shaped opening and having a length which is a fraction of the width of said slot-shaped opening, a slide secured to said neck portion and located in the spaced formed by said bottom member and cover plate, the end of said slide located closer to the pivot axis of said cover plate having a downwardly extending arm with an opening therethrough, said means operatively coupled to said cover including an actuator rod connected at one end to the opening in said slide, a vertical pivot axis secured to the floor of said bottom member, a two-armed rocking lever.'mounted on said vertical pivot axis and the end of said actuator rod remote from said slide being connected to one of the arms of said rocking lever, the other said arm of said rocking lever beingconnected-to the horizontal pivot axis of said cover so that as said moved from its opened into its closed position.

3. A card index according to claim 1, wherein said locking key for said cover comprises a wide tongue slidable over the surface of said cover, a gripping actuator portion molded on and extending upwardly from the upper surface of said tongue, a neck portion secured to the under side of said tongue and extending downwardly therefrom through said slot-shaped opening into the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, said neck portion extending in the width direction of said slot-shaped opening and having a length which is a fraction of the width of said slot-shaped opening, a slide secured to said neck portion and located in the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, the end of' said slide located closer to the pivot axis of said cover plate having a downwardly extending arm with an opening therethrough, said means operatively coupled to said cover including an actuator rod connected at one end to the opening in said slide, a vertical pivot axis secured to the floor of said bottom member, a two-armed rocking lever mounted on said vertical pivot axis and the end of said actuator rod remote from said slide being connected to one of the arms of said rocking lever, said cover having an offset cover portion, the other said arm of said rocking lever being arranged to engage said offset cover portion of said cover for returning said cover from its open to its closed position.

" i v i

Claims

1. In a card index comprising a case having a horizontally arranged box-shaped bottom member and an upper case cover plate spaced above said box-shaped bottom member and forming a space therebetween, said cover plate having a tray-shaped recess in its upper surface, a plurality of elongate rectangular horizontally arranged indicia-bearing cards stacked one above the other in said tray-shaped recess, means including a horizontally arranged pivot axis mounted in said box-shaped bottom member, a cover rotatably mounted on said horizontal pivot axis so that it is positionable between a closed position covering the tray-shaped recess and an opened position extending upwardly from said boxshaped member affording visual access to the contents of the recess, further means located within said bottom member and operatively coupled to said cover for rotating said cover between the closed and opened positions, a number of selector keys elongated in the direction transverse to the horizontal pivot axis of said cover and mounted on said cover plate and having means so that upon the actuation of one of said selector keys a selected one of said cards together with all said cards of the stack overlying the selected one of said cards and said cover can be moved into the opened position in an approximatley vertical position, a locking key associated with said means operatively coupled to said cover for returning said cover into its closed position covering, the tray-shaped recess, lateral guides located adjacent of said pivot axis for holding the stack of said cards in a stacked arrangement, said cards having longitudinal edges adjacent said pivot axis and containing selector recesses for the selective passage of said means operatively coupled to said cover, each said selector key arranged to move in the horizontal direction transversely of the horizontal pivot axis of said cover, a separate double-arm rocking lever associated with each said selector key, said means operatively coupled to said cover being connected to said rocking levers, and a separate spring associated with each said selector key, wherein the improvement comprises that said cover plate in the portion thereof opposite from the horizontal pivot axis comprise a recess therein having a slot-shaped opening which has a length extending parallEl to the horizontal pivot axis of said cover and its length corresponds approximately to the sum of the widths of all of said selector keys extending in the same direction and having a width less than the length of said selector keys, each said selector key having means which include a tongue slidable over the upper surface of said cover plate and bridging said slot-shaped opening, a gripping actuator portion molded on and extending upwardly from the upper surface of each said tongue, a neck portion secured to the underside of each said tongue and extending downwardly therefrom through said slot-shaped opening into the space formed by said box-shaped bottom member and upper case cover plate, said neck portion extending in the width direction of said slot shaped opening a slide secured to said neck portion and located in the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, a plurality of laterally spaced parallel guide wall portions extending transversely of the horizontal pivot axis of said cover and formed integrally with said bottom member, each pair of adjacent said guide wall portions forming a guide for one of said slides, a first lug cam located between and extending transversely of each pair of adjacent said guide wall portions, a second lug cam secured to and extending downwardly from each said slide, said second lug cam located intermediate said first lug cam and the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate, each said spring for said selector keys extending between said first and second lug cams associated with the respective said selector key, the end of each said slide facing the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate having a downwardly extending arm with an opening therethrough, said means operatively coupled to said cover including a separate actuator rod for each said selector key, each said actuator rod coupled to the opening in the associated one of said slides and extending therefrom toward the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate, each said rocking lever mounted on the horizontal pivot axis of said cover plate having a first arm to which the corresponding end of said actuator rod remote from said cooperating slide is connected and a second arm which is arranged to engage under a an appropriate one of said cards to lift it and any overlying said cards, said second arm having a width which substantially corresponds to the width of said tongue-shaped keys, the selector recesses in the edges of said cards facing the horizontal pivot axis of said cover are arranged so that said selector recesses are progressively wider from the second card from the top of the stack to the lowermost card of the stack, and the width of said recesses increasing from card to card by twice, the width of one of said second arm of said rocking levers, and said cover is spaced above the recess in said cover plate so that a space is formed above the stack of said cards which is approximately twice as high as the stack of said cards.

2. A card index according to claim 1, wherein said locking key for said cover comprises a wide tongue slidable over the surface of said cover bridging said slot-shaped opening, a gripping actuator portion molded on and extending upwardly from the upper surface of said tongue, a neck portion secured to the under side of said tongue and extending downwardly therefrom through said slot-shaped opening into the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, said neck portion extending in the width direction of said slot-shaped opening and having a length which is a fraction of the width of said slot-shaped opening, a slide secured to said neck portion and located in the spaced formed by said bottom member and cover plate, the end of said slide located closer to the pivot axis of said cover plate having a downwardly extending arm with an opening therethrough, said means operatively coupled to said cover including an actuator rod connected at one end to the opening in said slide, a vertical pivot axis secured to the floor of said bottom member, a two-armed rocking lever mounted on said vertical pivot axis and the end of said actuator rod remote from said slide being connected to one of the arms of said rocking lever, the other said arm of said rocking lever being connected to the horizontal pivot axis of said cover so that as said locking key is actuated said cover member can be moved from its opened into its closed position.

3. A card index according to claim 1, wherein said locking key for said cover comprises a wide tongue slidable over the surface of said cover, a gripping actuator portion molded on and extending upwardly from the upper surface of said tongue, a neck portion secured to the under side of said tongue and extending downwardly therefrom through said slot-shaped opening into the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, said neck portion extending in the width direction of said slot-shaped opening and having a length which is a fraction of the width of said slot-shaped opening, a slide secured to said neck portion and located in the space formed by said bottom member and cover plate, the end of said slide located closer to the pivot axis of said cover plate having a downwardly extending arm with an opening therethrough, said means operatively coupled to said cover including an actuator rod connected at one end to the opening in said slide, a vertical pivot axis secured to the floor of said bottom member, a two-armed rocking lever mounted on said vertical pivot axis and the end of said actuator rod remote from said slide being connected to one of the arms of said rocking lever, said cover having an offset cover portion, the other said arm of said rocking lever being arranged to engage said offset cover portion of said cover for returning said cover from its open to its closed position.