Patent GB-730129-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to telephone indexes
IPC: B42F17/34
Filed: 1953-06-10
Abstract: 730,129. Filing papers indexing. CERETTI, E. June 10, 1953, No. 15961/53. Classes 16 and 146(1). A telephone index of the kind having selector mechanism comprises a casing containing index cards and having a hinged cover on which is set a rotatable disc with circular cavities marked with characters relative to the index cards, which cards can be consulted by bringing the corresponding disc character against a stop lever with slight further rotation to open the index, means for picking up the cards being adapted to slide along the sides of the cards and connected to a toothed device meshing with a gear operated by rotation of the disc, means being provided for holding the cover closed and means for locking the disc in the turned position for any index character, such means being arranged to disengage the disc, which returns to its resting position as soon as the index cover is closed. In the casing 1, index cards 2, 2a, 2b ... with successively cut away edges, rest on a support 2n narrower than the cards and can be turned about rings 16, the selected card and those above being lifted by a pick-up device comprising a cross piece 17 with inturned ends 18 which can slide along the edges of the cards to lie under the stepped part of the selected card and those cards above. The cross piece 17 is secured to a toothed bar 19 sliding between guiding plates 20 on the inside of cover 4 which is hinged to the casing 1 by a pivot rod 14, springs 13 on the rod 14 urging the cover 4 to open. The cover 4 is provided with a plate 4a with an opening 4b in which a disc 3 with index holes 6, 6a, 6b ... is rotatably mounted on a pin 23 having a head 24 and the disc 3 being pressed to return to its initial position by a spring 25. A stop lever 5 is mounted at 7 on cover 4 to lie over disc 3 so that any index hole 6 can be brought by a finger round to the lever 5 which is then moved in the direction of arrow X to open the index. The cover 4 is held closed by a hook 11 on a lever 9 engaging a bridge 12 on the front of the casing 1, the lever 9, which is urged to the closing position by a spring 34, being pivoted at 10 on the cover 4 and operated to open position by the stop lever 5 through an arm 8. On the underside of cover 4 and secured to the pin 23 to rotate with the disc 3, are a toothed gear 22 and a wheel 26, the gear 22 meshing with teeth 21 on the bar 19 and move the pick-up device 17, 18 and the wheel 26 being provided with seats 27, 27a, 27b ... corresponding to the holes 6, 6a, 6b ... into which a tooth 28 on arm 29 of a lever 30 can engage to lock the disc 3 and gear wheel 22 in the turned position when the cover 4 is opened. The lever 30 is mounted to oscillate at 31 on the cover 4 and the end 32 of its other arm 33 is held against the cover 4 by the bridge 12 when the cover is closed so that the tooth 28 is out of engagement with wheel 26, an arm of spring 34 pressing the tooth 28 into engagement when the cover is opened and arm 33 released. The operating mechanism on the cover 4 is enclosed by an inner housing 41. The index cards 2 are separately secured on the rings 16 by pressure on the chamfered edges 38 of cuts 35 extending from the edge 36 of the card to the holes 37. The disc 3 is made from a synthetic resin in which the characters 40 are made by injection of thermosetting resin into a recess and differently coloured resin applied to the empty space to make each character flush with the surface of the disc.