Card storage transfer and positioning device for use in conjunction with card retrieval apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for use in association with coded cards having planar faces and an edge which in at least one operative orientation are disposed in substantially parallel noncoplanar relationship with their edges aligned, said apparatus comprising: a card-selecting mechanism including a card-supporting structure for supporting a plurality of coded cards which are disposed in at least one operative orientation in parallel noncoplanar relationship with their edges aligned, a multipurpose device for storing cards independently of said card-supporting structure, said cards being stored with their faces disposed in parallel noncoplanar relationship and their edges aligned, and for transferring said cards between said device and said card-selecting mechanism for support by said card-supporting structure, said device including, a. a planar panel relative to which cards can move when being transferred between said device and said card-selecting mechanism, said planar panel being normally remotely located and physically disconnected relative to said support surface of said card-selecting mechanism, and b. retaining structure at least partially enclosing said cards and positionable between first and second positions relative to said panel, and cooperating with said panel, and cooperating with said panel, when in said first position, to store said cards and, when in the course of being positioned between said first and second positions, to move said cards relative to said planar panel and thereby transfer said cards between storage in said device and support by said cardsupporting structure, respectively.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multipurpose device includes meanS for slidably mounting said planar panel and said retaining structure to permit said retaining structure to be easily maintained in operative position relative to said panel when said retaining structure moves between its first and second positions when transferring said cards between storage in said device and support by said selector supporting structure, respectively.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said supporting structure has a planar card-supporting surface adapted to supportingly engage the edges of cards which are disposed substantially perpendicularly thereto, wherein said multipurpose device stores said cards with said cards disposed substantially perpendicularly to said panel, and wherein said apparatus further includes positioning means associated with said planar panel and with said card-selecting mechanism for positioning said panel and card-supporting surface in coplanar relation to permit said cards disposed substantially perpendicularly to said panel and supporting surface to slide from one of said panel and supporting surface to the other, and thereby facilitate transfer of said cards between storage in said device and support by said supporting surface in said card-selecting mechanism.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said supporting structure includes a planar supporting surface adapted to supportingly engage the edges of cards which are disposed substantially perpendicularly thereto, wherein said multipurpose device stores said cards with said cards disposed substantially perpendicularly to said panel, wherein said panel and retaining structure are engaged and disengaged when said retaining structure is in said first and second positions relative to said panel, respectively, and wherein said multipurpose device includes a plurality of parallel partitions disposed substantially perpendicularly to said panel and mounted for movement with said retaining structure for maintaining cards in substantially perpendicular disposition relative to said supporting surface when said retaining structure is in said second position and disengaged from said panel and said retaining structure and partitions are positioned in said selector and said cards are transferred to said supporting structure.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multipurpose device includes a barrier movable between one position in which cards stored in said device are selectively removable and another position in which cards stored in said device are unremovable.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said positioning means includes a draw-type assembly slidably mounted by said card-selecting mechanism for movement, in a direction parallel to the direction in which said cards slide, between an outer position wherein said assembly at least partially supports said planar panel coplanar to said supporting surface and an inner position wherein said assembly is adjacent cards supported on said supporting structure.

Claim 8

Apparatus for use in association with coded cards having planar faces and an edge which in at least one operative orientation are disposed in parallel noncoplanar relationship with their edges aligned, said apparatus comprising: a card-selecting mechanism including a card-supporting structure for supporting a plurality of coded cards, which are disposed in at least one operative orientation in parallel noncoplanar relationship with their edges aligned, a multipurpose device for facilitating storage of cards in substantially parallel relation independently of said card-supporting structure and for maintaining said cards when operatively associated with said card-selecting mechanism disposed substantially perpendicular to said card-supporting structure, said device including a. opposite sidewalls and a central wall interconnecting said sidewalls, said walls collectively at least partially surrounding a plurality of said cards and susceptive of being alternatively removably positioned on said card-supporting structure and positioned independently of said selector to facilitate storage of cards by said supporting structure of said selector and remote from said selector, respectively, b. a plurality of partitions fixed relative to at least one of said walls and disposed to maintain cards surrounded by said walls in substantially perpendicular disposition to said support structure when said walls and cards are positioned on said card-supporting surface, as well as to maintain said cards parallel when said walls and cards are positioned independently of said selector.

Claim 9

Apparatus for use in association with coded cards having planar faces and an edge which in at least one operative orientation are disposed in parallel noncoplanar relationship with their edges aligned, said apparatus comprising: a card-selecting mechanism including a card-supporting structure for supporting a plurality of coded cards, which are disposed in at least one operative orientation in parallel noncoplanar relationship with their edges aligned, a multipurpose device for facilitating storage of cards in substantially parallel relation independently of said card-supporting structure and for maintaining said cards when operatively associated with said card-selecting mechanism disposed substantially perpendicular to said card-supporting structure, said device including a. opposite sidewalls and a central wall interconnecting said sidewalls, said walls collectively at least partially surrounding a plurality of said cards and susceptive of being alternatively removably positioned on said card-supporting structure and positioned independently of said selector to facilitate storage of cards by said supporting structure of said selector and remote from said selector, respectively, b. a plurality of partitions fixed relative to at least one of said walls and disposed to maintain cards surrounded by said walls in substantially perpendicular disposition to said support structure when said walls and cards are positioned on said card-supporting surface, as well as to maintain said cards parallel when said walls and cards are positioned independently of said selector.

Claim 10

A multipurpose device for storing and transferring cards having a sorting edge notched in a coded pattern which is useful with a card-selecting mechanism having a card-supporting surface for slidably engaging the sorting edges of cards disposed perpendicularly thereto with their edges aligned and further having sorting bars selectively elevatable above said supporting surface into engagement with the notched sorting edges of cards supported on said supporting surface, said device comprising: a planar panel relative to which the sorting edges of cards perpendicularly disposed thereto are adapted to slide when cards are transferred between storage in said device and support by said supporting surface in said selector, said panel having front, rear and opposite side edges, a retaining structure positionable between engaged and disengaged positions relative to said panel, said retaining structure including at least opposite sidewalls and an interconnecting member, and being susceptive of disposition with said opposite sidewalls perpendicular to said panel and in association with said opposite side panel edges, respectively, when said retaining structure and panel are engaged, and susceptive of disposition remote from said panel when said retaining structure and panel are disengaged, and mounting means for slidably mounting said planar panel and said opposite sidewalls to permit said retaining structure to be maintained in operative position relative to said planar panel when said retaining structure moves between its engaged and disengaged positions to transfer said cards between storage in said device and support by said supporting structure.

Claim 11

A multipurpose device for storing and transferring cards having a sorting edge notched in a coded pattern which is useful with a card-selecting mechanism having a card-supporting surface for slidably engaging the sorting edges of cards disposed perpendicularly thereto with their edges aligned and further having sorting bars selectively elevatable above said supporting surface into engagement with the notched sorting edges of cards supported on said supporting surface, said device comprising: a planar panel relative to which the sorting edges of cards perpendicularly disposed thereto are adapted to slide when cards are transferred between storage in said device and support by said supporting surface in said selector, said panel having front, rear and opposite side edges, a retaining structure positionable between engaged and disengaged positions relative to said panel, said retaining structure including at least opposite sidewalls and an interconnecting member, and being susceptive of disposition with said opposite sidewalls perpendicular to said panel and in association with said opposite side panel edges, respectively, when said retaining structure and panel are engaged, and susceptive of disposition remote from said panel when said retaining structure and panel are disengaged, and mounting means for slidably mounting said planar panel and said opposite sidewalls to permit said retaining structure to be maintained in operative position relative to said planar panel when said retaining structure moves between its engaged and disengaged positions to transfer said cards between storage in said device and support by said supporting structure.

Claim 12

The device of claim 8 wherein said retaining structure further includes a plurality of partitions disposed parallel to and between said opposite sidewalls for maintaining cards enclosed by said walls perpendicularly disposed relative to said supporting surface when said retaining structure is positioned in said selector.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9 further including a barrier movable between a first position whereat said barrier is adjacent said front edge and spans said opposite sidewalls for enhancing the retainment of cards stored in said device and a second position whereat said barrier is nonadjacent said front edge to facilitate removal of cards stored in said device.

Claim 14

The device of claim 9 wherein said interconnecting member is a rear wall and wherein said retaining means includes a top panel means spaced from said planar panel and spanning said opposite sidewalls for engaging, when said cards and retaining structure are in said selecting mechanism, cards at the edge opposite their sorting edge for preventing disengagement of said card-sorting edges and said supporting surface.

Claim 15

The device of claim 11 further including means associated with said opposite sidewalls and engageable with said selector mechanism for maintaining said partitions in noncontacting relationship with said sorting bars when said bars are elevated.