Followers for filing units

Claim 2

A file unit comprising a file receptacle including side walls having guideways extending longitudinally of said receptacle, said guideways including outer walls spaced outward from the planes of the respective side walls and extending generally parallel to said side walls, and a follower assembly, said follower assembly including a file retainer base and a pair of guide arms, said guide arms being disposed at opposite edges of said base and extending generally perpendicular to the plane of said base, said guide arms being slidably engaged in said guideways for supporting and guiding said follower assembly as said assembly is moved longitudinally of said receptacle, said arms being linearly reciprocable laterally relative to said base between outward positions wherein each of said arms is in contact with the respective outer wall and inward positions wherein said arms are clear of said outer walls, means yieldably urging said arms outward from said base into firm contact with the respective outer walls, said receptacle and said arms including cooperative locking means engageable upon such outward movement of said arms to prevent sliding movement of said follower assembly in at least one direction longitudinally of said receptacle and disengageable upon such inward movement of said arms, and operating means for moving said arms inward to such inward positions against the force of said yieldable means for disengaging said locking means and simultaneously clearing said arms from said outer walls to permit free sliding movement of said follower assembly longitudinally of said receptacle.

Claim 3

A file unit as in claim 1 including an outwardly extending protuberance associated with each of said guide arms, and said side walls being provided with apertures for receiving said protuberances.

Claim 4

A file unit as in claim 1 including a prong extending outward on each of said guide arms, and said outer walls being formed with apertures for receiving said prongs.

Claim 5

A file unit as in claim 1 wherein said arms maintain guiding engagement with said guideways when moved inward to disengage said locking means.

Claim 6

A file unit as in claim 1 including a slide arm joiNed to each of said guide arms, said slide arms being disposed adjacent said base and reciprocable toward and away from one another for effecting such lateral movement of said guide arms.

Claim 7

A file unit as in claim 5 wherein said side walls are provided with apertures along the lower edges of said guideways, and each of said slide arms having a shoulder engageable with the respective adjacent apertures when said slide arms are in their outward positions.

Claim 8

A file unit as in claim 5, wherein said side walls are provided with apertures beneath said guideways, and a prong on each of said slide arms disposed to engage the respective adjacent apertures when said slide arms are in their outward positions.

Claim 9

A follower assembly for use in file receptacles provided with side walls having guideways therein, comprising a base plate, a pair of L-shaped members mounted on said plate, each of said members including a slide arm disposed generally parallel to said plate and a guide arm extending generally normal to the plane of said plate for engaging such guideways for supporting and guiding said follower assembly as said assembly is moved longitudinally of such a receptacle, said guide arms being disposed along opposite edges of said plate, said members being linearly reciprocable laterally of said plate between outward and inward positions, operating means yieldably urging said members outward relative to said base plate for firm contact of said guide arms with outer walls of such guideways, means on said members for locking engagement with such side walls when in such outward positions relative to said plate to prevent sliding movement of said follower assembly in one direction longitudinally of such a receptacle, and said operating means including means for moving said members inward against the force of said yieldable means for disengaging such locking engagement and moving said guide arms to inward positions clear of such outer walls for free sliding movement of said follower assembly longitudinally of such a receptacle.

Claim 10

A follower assembly for use in file receptacles provided with side walls having guideways therein, comprising a base plate, a pair of L-shaped members mounted on said plate, each of said members including a slide arm disposed generally parallel to said plate and a guide arm extending generally normal to the plane of said plate for engaging such guideways for supporting and guiding said follower assembly as said assembly is moved longitudinally of such a receptacle, said guide arms being disposed along opposite edges of said plate, said members being linearly reciprocable laterally of said plate between outward and inward positions, operating means yieldably urging said members outward relative to said base plate for firm contact of said guide arms with outer walls of such guideways, means on said members for locking engagement with such side walls when in such outward positions relative to said plate to prevent sliding movement of said follower assembly in one direction longitudinally of such a receptacle, and said operating means including means for moving said members inward against the force of said yieldable means for disengaging such locking engagement and moving said guide arms to inward positions clear of such outer walls for free sliding movement of said follower assembly longitudinally of such a receptacle.

Claim 11

A follower assembly as in claim 8 wherein said means for locking engagement comprises an outwardly extending protuberance on each of said members.

Claim 12

A follower assembly as in claim 9, wherein each of said protuberances comprises a prong located along the longitudinal center line of the respective guide arm.

Claim 13

A follower assembly as in claim 9, wherein each of said protuberances comprises a shoulder on the respective slide arm.

Claim 14

A follower assembly as in claim 9, wherein each of said protuberances comprises a prong on the respective slide arm.

Claim 15

A follower assembly for use in file receptacles provided with side walls having guideways therein comprising a retainer plate, means defining a pair of laterally extending guide channels along said plate, a pair of L-shaped members each having a slide arm extending inward along one of said guide channels and a guide arm, said guide arms being disposed outward of opposite edges of said plate and extending generally normal to the plane of said plate for engaging such guideways for supporting and guiding said follower assembly as said assembly is moved longitudinally of such a receptacle, operating means engaging the inward end portions of said slide arms for linearly reciprocating said members along said channels between outward and inward positions and including means yieldably urging said members outward relative to said plate for firm contact of said guide arms with outer walls of such guideways, means on said members for gripping engagement with such side walls when in an outward position relative to said plate to prevent sliding movement of said follower assembly in one direction longitudinally of such a receptacle, and said operating means including means for moving said members inward against the force of said yieldable means for disengaging such gripping engagement and moving said guide arms to inward positions clear of such outer walls for free sliding movement of said follower assembly longItudinally of such a receptacle.

Claim 16

A follower assembly for use in file receptacles provided with side walls having guideways therein comprising a retainer plate, means defining a pair of laterally extending guide channels along said plate, a pair of L-shaped members each having a slide arm extending inward along one of said guide channels and a guide arm, said guide arms being disposed outward of opposite edges of said plate and extending generally normal to the plane of said plate for engaging such guideways for supporting and guiding said follower assembly as said assembly is moved longitudinally of such a receptacle, operating means engaging the inward end portions of said slide arms for linearly reciprocating said members along said channels between outward and inward positions and including means yieldably urging said members outward relative to said plate for firm contact of said guide arms with outer walls of such guideways, means on said members for gripping engagement with such side walls when in an outward position relative to said plate to prevent sliding movement of said follower assembly in one direction longitudinally of such a receptacle, and said operating means including means for moving said members inward against the force of said yieldable means for disengaging such gripping engagement and moving said guide arms to inward positions clear of such outer walls for free sliding movement of said follower assembly longItudinally of such a receptacle.

Claim 17

A follower assembly as in claim 13 wherein said gripping engagement means comprise protuberant means on said members for engaging protuberance receiving means of such side walls.

Claim 18

A follower assembly as in claim 13 wherein said operating means includes an operating plate member overlapping the inner end portions of said slide arms, said operating plate and said slide arms including cooperative means for reciprocating said L-shaped members along said channels in response to reciprocation of said operating plate toward and away from the upper edge of said retainer plate, said yieldable means urging said operating plate away from said upper edge and said cooperative means thereby urging said L-shaped members outward for effecting such gripping engagement, and said operating plate member including a gripping section spaced beneath the upper edge of said retainer plate for grasping by an operator to move said operating plate upward toward said upper edge and thereby to move said L-shaped members inward.

Claim 19

A follower assembly for use in file receptacles provided with side walls having guideways therein, comprising a retainer plate including a top edge strip extending rearward from the main portion of said plate and a return flange extending from the distal edge of said strip in spaced parallel relationship to such main portion; means defining a pair of laterally extending guide channels along said plate; a pair of L-shaped members each having a slide arm extending inward along one of said guide channels and a guide arm, said guide arms being disposed outward of opposite edges of said plate and extending generally normal to the plane of said plate for engaging such guideways; an operating plate of generally Z-configuration in cross section and including a first section overlapping the inner end portions of said slide arms, a second section extending outwardly therefrom, and a third section engaging the inward surface of said return flange; said first section of said operating plate and the inner end portions of said slide arms including cooperative engaging means for reciprocating said members along said channels in response to reciprocation of said operating plate toward and away from the upper edge of said retainer plate; means on said members for gripping engagement with such side walls of such a file receptacle when in an outward position; and a compression spring confined between said top edge strip and said second section for normally urging said operating plate away from said strip, and said cooperative means thereby urging said L-shaped members outward from said retainer plate into such gripping engagement, said second section of said operating plate member being spaced beneath the upper edge of said retainer plate for grasping by an operator to move said operating plate upward and thereby to move said L-shaped members inward.

Claim 20

A follower assembly for use in file receptacles provided with side walls having guideways therein, comprising a retainer plate including a top edge strip extending rearward from the main portion of said plate and a return flange extending from the distal edge of said strip in spaced parallel relationship to such main portion; means defining a pair of laterally extending guide channels along said plate; a pair of L-shaped members each having a slide arm extending inward along one of said guide channels and a guide arm, said guide arms being disposed outward of opposite edges of said plate and extending generally normal to the plane of said plate for engaging such guideways; an operating plate of generally Z-configuration in cross section and including a first section overlapping the inner end portions of said slide arms, a second section extending outwardly therefrom, and a third section engaging the inward surface of said return flange; said first section of said operating plate and the inner end portions of said slide arms including cooperative engaging means for reciprocating said members along said channels in response to reciprocation of said operating plate toward and away from the upper edge of said retainer plate; means on said members for gripping engagement with such side walls of such a file receptacle when in an outward position; and a compression spring confined between said top edge strip and said second section for normally urging said operating plate away from said strip, and said cooperative means thereby urging said L-shaped members outward from said retainer plate into such gripping engagement, said second section of said operating plate member being spaced beneath the upper edge of said retainer plate for grasping by an operator to move said operating plate upward and thereby to move said L-shaped members inward.