Information storage and retrieval system

Claim 2

An information packet comprising: first and second elements having cooperating means for respectively connecting the one to the other to restrict said elements to parallel relative movement therebetween in opposite directions along a predetermined linear path and to confine such relative movement within first and second relative positions of said elements; said first element having first, second and third portions thereof, and said second element having fourth and fifth portions thereof; said first portion having first means engageable to prevent movement of said first element, in a first of said opposite directions, along said predetermined linear path from said first relative position to said second relative position; said second portion having second means engageable to prevent movement of said first element, in a second of said opposite directions, along said predetermined linear path from said second relative position to said first relative position; said third portion having third means engageable to prevent movement of said first element, in either the first or second of said opposite directions, along said predetermined linear path; and said first and second elements having outlines complementarily shaped and constructed such that in said first relative position, said first and third portions extend beyond the outline of said second element and said fourth portion extends beyond the outline of said first element, and in said second relative position, said second and third portions extend beyond the outline of said second element and said fifth portion extends beyond the outline of said first element.

Claim 3

means for selectively engaging the third engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets to prevent movement of a first element along its predetermined linear path when so engaged;

Claim 4

means for selectively engaging the third engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets to prevent movement of a first element along its predetermined linear path when so engaged;

Claim 5

An information packet as recited in claim 1, wherein said fourth portion of said second element includes fourth means engageable to prevent movement of said second element, in the second of said opposite directions, along said predetermined linear path from said first relative position to said second relative position.

Claim 6

An information packet as recited in claim 2, wherein said first and second portions of said first element are located in spaced relation along said predetermined linear path, said third portion of said first element extends substantially parallel to said path, and said fourth and fifth portions of said second element are located in spaced relation along said path.

Claim 7

means for moving the second elements of the supported packets along their predetermined linear paths for the predetermined distance in the first and second of the opposite directions respectively upon contact with their fifth and fourth portions;

Claim 8

means for moving the second elements of the supported packets along their predetermined linear paths for the predetermined distance in the first and second of the opposite directions respectively upon contact with their fifth and fourth portions;

Claim 9

means, engageable with the first engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for extracting from the arrangement those supported paCkets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position; and

Claim 10

means, engageable with the first engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for extracting from the arrangement those supported paCkets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position; and

Claim 11

An information packet as recited in claim 3, wherein parallel relative movement between said elements within said first and second relative positions is for a predetermined distance along said predetermined linear path, and said third engageable means of said first element includes means defining a series of equally spaced notches, said notches being in alignment substantially parallel to said path and forming a plurality of lands respectively between adjacent pairs of said notches, adjacent notches being spaced from each other such that the distance between corresponding points on adjacent pairs of said lands is at least equal to said predetermined distance.

Claim 12

An information packet as recited in claim 3, wherein said first element is a plate, said second element is a jacket having a pair of substantially parallel walls constructed and arranged to sandwich said plate therebetween, said first and second engageable means are respectively first and second hook-defining notches in said plate, and said fourth engageable means is a hook-defining notch in said jacket.

Claim 13

means, engageable with the second engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for holding within the arrangement those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their second relative position.

Claim 14

means, engageable with the second engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for holding within the arrangement those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their second relative position.

Claim 15

An information packet as recited in claim 5, wherein said second hook-defining notch in said plate is shaped and located with respect to said hook-defining notch in said jacket such that in said second relative position of said plate and jacket said second plate notch lies within said jacket notch.

Claim 16

An information packet as recited in claim 6, wherein said first and second hook-defining notches in said plate are shaped and located with respect to said jacket such that in said first relative position of said plate and jacket said second plate notch lies between said jacket walls and in said second relative position of said plate and jacket said first plate notch lies between said jacket walls.

Claim 17

An information packet as recited in claim 2, wherein said fifth portion of said second element includes fifth means engageable to prevent movement of said second element, in the first of said opposite directions, from said second relative position to said first relative position.

Claim 18

An information packet as recited in claim 1, wherein said first element includes means defining an aperture for the receipt of an information-bearing medium, said second element includes a surface constructed and arranged to extend across said aperture, said surface has means for retaining an information-bearing medium within said aperture by fixing the medium to said second element, and said aperture is shaped such that an information-bearing medium retained therein is movable along said predetermined linear path in either of said opposite directions.

Claim 19

A packet as recited in claim 1, wherein said first element is a plate and said second element is a jacket for said plate, said plate has means defining an aperture for the receipt of an information-bearing medium, said jacket has a pair of substantially parallel transparent walls which are constructed and arranged to sandwich said plate therebetween while extending across said aperture, said jacket walls have means for supporting an information-bearing medium therebetween while retaining such a supported medium within said aperture, and said aperture is shaped so that an information-bearing medium retained therein by said supporting means is movable along said predetermined linear path in either of said opposite directions with said jacket.

Claim 20

For use with an arrangement of a plurality of similar packets of the type wherein each packet comprises first and second elements respectively connected for parallel relative movement therebetween in opposite directions along a predetermined linear path for a predetermined distance so that relative movement between such respectively connected elements is within first and second relative positions thereof, each first element has first, second and third engageable portions, and such respectively connected first and second elements have outlines which are complementarily shaped and constructed so that in the first relative position thereof, the first and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element, and in the second relative position thereof, the second and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element, apparatus for positively extracting preselected of such packets from such an arrangement, said apparatus comprising: means for supporting an arrangement of the packets in a manner such that supported packets are aligned with their predetermined linear paths parallel and are each movable along their respective parallel paths; means for selectively engaging the third engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets and for preventing movement of a first element so engaged along its predetermined linear path in either of the opposite directions; means for moving the second elements of the supported packets along their respective predetermined linear paths for the predetermined distance in the first and second of the opposite directions; means, engageable with the first engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for extracting from the arrangement those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position; and means, engageable with the second engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for holding within the arrangement those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their second relative position.

Claim 21

For use with an arrangement of a plurality of similar packets of the type wherein each packet comprises first and second elements respectively connected for parallel relative movement therebetween in opposite directions along a predetermined linear path for a predetermined distance so that relative movement between such respectively connected elements is within first and second relative positions thereof, each first element has first, second and third engageable portions, and such respectively connected first and second elements have outlines which are complementarily shaped and constructed so that in the first relative position thereof, the first and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element, and in the second relative position thereof, the second and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element, apparatus for positively extracting preselected of such packets from such an arrangement, said apparatus comprising: means for supporting an arrangement of the packets in a manner such that supported packets are aligned with their predetermined linear paths parallel and are each movable along their respective parallel paths; means for selectively engaging the third engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets and for preventing movement of a first element so engaged along its predetermined linear path in either of the opposite directions; means for moving the second elements of the supported packets along their respective predetermined linear paths for the predetermined distance in the first and second of the opposite directions; means, engageable with the first engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for extracting from the arrangement those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position; and means, engageable with the second engageable portions of the first elements of the supported packets, for holding within the arrangement those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their second relative position.

Claim 22

Apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said selectively engaging means includes a plurality of selecting members independently actuatable to a position for engaging the third engageable portion of at least one of those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position and means for independentlY actuating each of said selecting members to their respective engaging positions.

Claim 23

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said selectively engaging means further includes a selecting member actuatable to a position for engaging the third engageable portions of those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their second relative position and means for actuating that selecting member to its engaging position.

Claim 24

Apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said holding means includes a first pair of members actuatable to a position for engaging, and actuatable to a position spaced from, the second engageable portions of those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their second relative position and means for actuating said first pair of members to their respective engaging and spaced positions.

Claim 25

Apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said extracting means includes a second pair of members actuatable to a position for engaging, and actuatable to a position spaced from, the first engageable portions of those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position and means for actuating said second pair of members to their respective engaging and spaced positions.

Claim 26

Apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said second pair of members in their engaging position include means for releasably supporting those packets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position and have been extracted from the arrangement of supported packets by said extracting means.

Claim 27

For use with an arrangement of a plurality of similar packets of the type wherein: a. each packet has first and second elements respectively connected for parallel relative movement therebetween in opposite directions along a predetermined linear path for a predetermined distance so that relative movement between such respectively connected elements is within first and second relative positions thereof; b. each first element has first and second portions, respectively engageable to prevent movement of the first element along the predetermined linear path in first and second of the opposite directions, and a third packet-identifying portion engageable to prevent movement of the first element along the predetermined linear path in either of the opposite directions, the third engageable portion being uniquely arranged on a respective first element; c. each second element has fourth and fifth portions; and d. such respectively connected first and second elements have outlines which are complementarily shaped and constructed so that in the first relative position thereof, the first and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element and the fourth portion extends beyond the outline of the first element, and in the second relative position thereof, the second and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element and the fifth portion extends beyond the outline of the first element, apparatus for positively extracting preselected of such packets from such an arrangement, said apparatus comprising:

Claim 28

For use with an arrangement of a plurality of similar packets of the type wherein: a. each packet has first and second elements respectively connected for parallel relative movement therebetween in opposite directions along a predetermined linear path for a predetermined distance so that relative movement between such respectively connected elements is within first and second relative positions thereof; b. each first element has first and second portions, respectively engageable to prevent movement of the first element along the predetermined linear path in first and second of the opposite directions, and a third packet-identifying portion engageable to prevent movement of the first element along the predetermined linear path in either of the opposite directions, the third engageable portion being uniquely arranged on a respective first element; c. each second element has fourth and fifth portions; and d. such respectively connected first and second elements have outlines which are complementarily shaped and constructed so that in the first relative position thereof, the first and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element and the fourth portion extends beyond the outline of the first element, and in the second relative position thereof, the second and third engageable portions extend beyond the outline of the second element and the fifth portion extends beyond the outline of the first element, apparatus for positively extracting preselected of such packets from such an arrangement, said apparatus comprising:

Claim 29

Apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the packets are further of the type whose respective fourth portions have a part thereof which is engageable to prevent movement of its second element along the predetermined linear path in the second of the opposite directions, and said holding means of said apparatus includes: a first pair of members actuatable to first and second positions for respectively engaging the second engageable portions of those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their second relative position and the engageable parts of the fourth portions of those supported packets whose first and second elements are in their first relative position; and means for respectively actuating said first pair of members to their first and second engaging positions.

Claim 30

Apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said first pair of members are further actuatable to a third position spaced from the second engageable portions, and the engageable parts of the fourth portions, of the supported packets and said actuating means further includes means for actuating said first pair of members to their third spaced position.

Claim 31

Apparatus as recited in claim 19, further including a frame, and wherein said first pair of members includes means for releasably mounting said holding means on said frame.