Tools for plugging in and unplugging subsystems carried on slideways

Claim 1

A portable device permitting, as desired, either selective plugging in of a printed-circuit module into one of a plurality of bottom grooves formed in a rack and above which groove the module is restrained by lateral slideways, or selective unplugging of one of the modules plugged into the bottom rack grooves, said device comprising: a grip formed by two elements movable relatively to each other and normally held in mutually spaced relationship by return springs; two sets of movable arms pivotally mounted at either end of one of the grip elements; said movable arms being capable, in their resting position, of penetrating into the rack and being provided with claws capable of engaging into lateral recesses provided for the purpose in the side walls of the rack; two cam type actuating means so devised that when the operator moves the two grip elements toward each other they initially cause said movable arms to move into a position wherein their claws engage in said lateral recesses, and thereafter exert a pressure uniformly distributed over the upper edge of said module to be plugged in whereby to plug the same into the bottom groove; and two extraction hooks fixed to either end of the other grip element; said hooks being so devised as to enable the operator, after he has turned the grip the other way round, to engage them into holes provided for the purpose in the module to be extracted and to thereafter unplug the same by squeezing the two grip elements together, said grip then reacting against the edges of the rack through the medium of two abutment members fast with that grip element which supports said movable claw-arms.