Microform reader cover plate opening mechanism

Claim 2

An opening mechanism for a pair of microform carrier plates movable in fore-and-aft manner in a microform reader, one of the plates being fixed to the carrier and the other being pivotable along one edge thereof in relation to the fixed plate to enable insertion and removal of the microform, said mechanism comprising arm means rockably supported from the reader and with the free end thereof engaging with the surface of the pivotable plate, said pivotable plate having a hinge portion thereon along said edge extending from the pivot in a direction opposite to said plate, said hinge portion having a recess therein, and means on the arm means engagable with a stop means on the reader for limiting rockable movement of the arm means after movement of the plates in the forward direction, said arm means bearing against the pivotable plate and into the hinge portion recess for causing opening of said pivotable plate.

Claim 3

The mechanism of claim 1 including means urging said arm means into continuous engagement with the pivotable plate.

Claim 4

The mechanism of claim 1 including a support member carried by the reader and wherein the arm means is a toggle member rockably supported from the support member.

Claim 5

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said stop means on the reader is engageable by the pivotable plate hinge portion for limiting pivotable travel of said plate.

Claim 6

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the means on the arm means engagable with said stop means on the reader is an abutment for limiting rotation of the arm means to a position wherein the line of force exerted upon the toggle arm by the pivotable plate is directed toward the center of the pivot connection to retain the pivotable plate in an open position.

Claim 7

In a reader, a microform carrier having a frame, an upper and a lower plate slidable with the frame in a fore-and-aft direction, said lower plate being fixed to said frame, and means for pivotally opening the upper plate from the lower plate for insertion and removal of a microform when moving the plates in the forward direction, said means comprising a support member secured to the reader in a position above the plates, and toggle means pivotally supported from the support member and having an arm the free end thereof being engagable with the surface of the upper plate, said upper plate bEing pivotable along the rear edge thereof, said rear edge having a recess therein, said arm entering the recess upon movement of the carrier in a forward direction and pivoting said toggle means to bear against said recess whereby the upper plate is pivoted to separate the upper from the lower plate.

Claim 8

In a reader, a microform carrier having a frame, an upper and a lower plate slidable with the frame in a fore-and-aft direction, said lower plate being fixed to said frame, and means for pivotally opening the upper plate from the lower plate for insertion and removal of a microform when moving the plates in the forward direction, said means comprising a support member secured to the reader in a position above the plates, and toggle means pivotally supported from the support member and having an arm the free end thereof being engagable with the surface of the upper plate, said upper plate bEing pivotable along the rear edge thereof, said rear edge having a recess therein, said arm entering the recess upon movement of the carrier in a forward direction and pivoting said toggle means to bear against said recess whereby the upper plate is pivoted to separate the upper from the lower plate.

Claim 9

In the reader of claim 6 wherein said toggle means includes a torsion spring for biasing said arm in continued engagement with said upper plate and for directing said arm into said recess upon forward movement of the plates.

Claim 10

In the reader of claim 6 wherein said toggle means includes an abutment thereon engageable with the reader frame for limiting rotation of the toggle means upon forward movement of the microform carrier and upon the bearing of said arm into said recess for pivoting of the upper plate.

Claim 11

In a microform reader having a frame, a microform carrier containing an upper and a lower glass plate and movable in fore-and-aft manner, said upper plate being pivotable in said carrier at one end thereof, and means for automatically separating said plates upon movement of the carrier in the forward direction, comprising a U-shaped support member secured to the reader frame above the microform carrier, a toggle arm pivotally carried by the support member having a portion directed into continuous engagement with the upper glass plate, said upper plate having a hinge portion along one end thereof and having a recess therein on the side of the pivot opposite to said plate for entering by said toggle arm portion, and stop means on the toggle arm engageable with the support member for limiting rotation of the toggle arm after entering of said arm portion into the recess and bearing therein, upon forward movement of the microform carrier, for separating the plates and wherein the upper plate is retained open for insertion and removal of a microform.

Claim 12

In a microform reader having a frame, a microform carrier containing an upper and a lower glass plate and movable in fore-and-aft manner, said upper plate being pivotable in said carrier at one end thereof, and means for automatically separating said plates upon movement of the carrier in the forward direction, comprising a U-shaped support member secured to the reader frame above the microform carrier, a toggle arm pivotally carried by the support member having a portion directed into continuous engagement with the upper glass plate, said upper plate having a hinge portion along one end thereof and having a recess therein on the side of the pivot opposite to said plate for entering by said toggle arm portion, and stop means on the toggle arm engageable with the support member for limiting rotation of the toggle arm after entering of said arm portion into the recess and bearing therein, upon forward movement of the microform carrier, for separating the plates and wherein the upper plate is retained open for insertion and removal of a microform.

Claim 13

In the reader of claim 9 including means urging the toggle arm into contact with the upper plate and rockably into said recess for bearing therein, upon forward movement of the microform carrier, to cause separation of the plates.

Claim 14

In the reader of claim 9 including a torsion spring connected with the support member and with the toggle arm for biasing said arm into entering said recess upon forward movement of the microform carrier.

Claim 15

In the reader of claim 9 wherein the carrier includes pins engageable by the hinge portion of the upper plate to combine with the stop means on the toggle arm to stop pivotal movement of the toggle arm in a position wherein the line of force exerted upon the toggle arm by the upper plate is directed along the center of the toggle arm pivotal connection for retaining the upper plate in the open position.