Card tray follower

Claim 2

A card or the like file tray, wherein a card follower is mounted by a guide device within the tray for sliding movement lengthwise thereof and releasably locked in a desired position by a follower mounted latching mechanism arranged for releasable engagement with essentially equally spaced teeth of a rack extending essentially co-extensive with said guide device, the improvement for permitting movement of said follower rearwardly along said guide device upon application to the follower of the rearwardly directed impact force without damage to the latching mechanism or teeth of the rack, wherein: said latching mechanism includes a vertically movable lower end portion disposed rearwardly of said follower and biased downwardly for releasable engagement with said teeth, said lower end portion defining a downwardly facing convex cam surface dimensioned to be received within the spaces between adjacent rack teeth and at least one supporting surface arranged adjacent said cam surface, said supporting surface limiting the extent to which said cam surface projects into said spaces.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said portion defines a pair of essentially co-planar supporting surfaces, said supporting surfaces forwardly and rearwardly bounding said cam surface relative to the direction of sliding movement of said follower within said tray and being normally engageable with upwardly facing edge surfaces of said rack teeth to limit the extent to which said cam surface projects into said spaces as aforesaid.

Claim 4

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said cam surface has a dimension measured lengthwise of said rack essentially corresponding to the spacing between said adjacent rack teeth, whereby to prevent movements of said follower lengthwise of said rack when said cam surface is disposed in a space between adjacent teeth.

Claim 5

A follower for use in combinations with a card file or like tray, wherein said tray includes a guide track extending lengthwise of a bottom wall of said tray and a rack arranged to extend essentially co-extensive with said guide track, said rack defining a plurality of essentially equally spaced apart teeth, said follower comprising in combination: a plate; a mounting flange fIxed to said plate, said mounting flange having a guide portion extending forwardly beneath of said plate for engagement with said guide track whereby to support said plate above said guide track to extend transversely of said guide track for sliding movements lengthwise of said tray; and a latching mechanism including a latch flange supported on said plate and mounting flange for vertical reciprocating movements relative to said rack and spring means for normally biasing a lower end portion of said latch flange downwardly into engagement with said rack, said lower end portion carrying a downwardly facing convex cam surface dimensioned to be received within spaces between adjacent teeth and a supporting surface arranged adjacent said cam surface, said supporting surface limiting the extent to which said cam surface projects into said spaces by engagement with the upwardly facing edge surface of at least one of said teeth.

Claim 6

A follower for use in combinations with a card file or like tray, wherein said tray includes a guide track extending lengthwise of a bottom wall of said tray and a rack arranged to extend essentially co-extensive with said guide track, said rack defining a plurality of essentially equally spaced apart teeth, said follower comprising in combination: a plate; a mounting flange fIxed to said plate, said mounting flange having a guide portion extending forwardly beneath of said plate for engagement with said guide track whereby to support said plate above said guide track to extend transversely of said guide track for sliding movements lengthwise of said tray; and a latching mechanism including a latch flange supported on said plate and mounting flange for vertical reciprocating movements relative to said rack and spring means for normally biasing a lower end portion of said latch flange downwardly into engagement with said rack, said lower end portion carrying a downwardly facing convex cam surface dimensioned to be received within spaces between adjacent teeth and a supporting surface arranged adjacent said cam surface, said supporting surface limiting the extent to which said cam surface projects into said spaces by engagement with the upwardly facing edge surface of at least one of said teeth.

Claim 7

A tray according to claim 4, wherein said lower end portion defines a pair of essentially co-planar supporting surfaces, said supporting surfaces forwardly and rearwardly bounding said cam surface relative to the direction of sliding movement of said follower within said tray and being normally engageable with upwardly facing edge surfaces of said rack teeth to limit the extent to which said cam surface projects into said spaces as aforesaid.