Patent GB-779325-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to indexes
Inventor: WEST CHARLES
IPC: B42F17/34
Filed: 1955-12-22
Abstract: 779,325. Filing papers; indexing. GREIF, F. Feb. 6, 1956 [Dec. 22, 1955], No. 36734/55. Class 146(1). A selector index comprising a base 8, to which a cover 9 is hinged at 13 and pressed upwardly by a spring 15, and index cards 18 having stepped tabs 44 each corresponding to a key pivoted at the front of the base 8 on a common axis, the cards 18 being loosely mounted on arcuate pins 16 or the like carried by the hinge pin 13 so as to be movable with the cover 9 when the cards are separated at the required position by pressure on the appropriate key, is provided with a series of pivoted selector fingers 34 arranged side by side on a common horizontal axis 21 at the front edge of the underside of the cover 9, each finger co-operating with a corresponding key 39 at the front of the base 8 and being mounted to move between an inoperative position in which it projects downwardly and an operative position in which it is directed rearwardly to lie under the corresponding tab 44 so that the cards thereabove will be moved with the cover, each key 39 having a lever arm 42 for moving the selector finger 34 to the operative position and means being provided for moving any finger 34 back to the inoperative position when the cover is closed. The cover 9 has sides 12 bored to receive the hinge pin 13 which passes through upstanding lugs 14 on the base 8, a coiled spring 15 being mounted at each end to lift the cover. The front 10 of the cover has a catch 11 to be held under the bevelled edge 45 of a cross rail 46 and a metal strip 19, secured to the inside thereof, has end brackets 20 for the shaft 21. The shaft 21 has a keyway 22 and extends at one end .beyond the bracket 20 and has a ratchet wheel 23 with four equally spaced teeth for engagement with a pawl 24 sliding in guides 25 on the side 12 of the cover and joined by a pivoted rod 28 (not shown) to one of the bearings 14 so that closing of the cover turns the shaft 21 through a quarter revolution, a detent preventing reverse movement. Each selector finger 34 forms part of a boss 30 freely mounted on the shaft 21, the bosses 30 being separated by washers 31 having keys 32 to engage in the keyway 22, the washers 31 being pressed by a spring 33 to engage the bosses 30 closely so that turning of the shaft 21 on closing of the cover will return any finger 34 to its inoperative position. Each boss 30 has radial stops 36, 37 which engage an edge 38 of the metal strip 19 to limit its movement and the finger 34 has a flat upper surface to engage the tab 44 and a curved lower surface for engagement by a rounded end 43 of the lever arm 42, the end 43 engaging in a notch 35 when the finger 34 is in the operative position so that further pressure on the key 39 will lift the cover 9 till the catch 11 is clear of rail edge 45 and the cover is then raised by the springs 15. Each key 39 is provided with a notch 40 to ride on a pressed up part 41 of the base 8, the notch being of such angular extent as to limit movement of the key to the amount required to move the finger 34 into position and raise the cover to clear the catch 11.