Viewing apparatus

Claim 1

A viewing apparatus for containing a pile of flat objects for the successive presentation of each object comprising: a body of generally rectangular shape, said body comprising a base and a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinal side walls extending upwardly from the base, said side walls in part defining a recess at the upper side of the body; divider means extending across said body recess normally to said side walls and connecting the two longitudinal side walls intermediate the ends thereof, said divider means cooperating with said side walls to define a cavity in said body for receiving a pile of flat objects, the divider means being of reduced width when compared to the height of said side walls and being positioned with respect to the side walls and base of said body in such a manner as to define a space for the passage of individual of the objects seriatum between the divider means and said base; plate means positioned in said cavity in said body and movable with respect to the base of said body, said plate means including guide means on the edge thereof juxtapositioned to said divider means for directing objects passed between the divider means and base above said plate means; first resilient means installed in said body cavity for urging a pile of flat objects positioned therein on said plate means away from said base with respect to said base; a slide member supported by said body side walls, said slide member being provided with a window of smaller dimensions than the body cavity, said slide member being movable along said body side walls whereby said slide member window is capable of being positioned in registration with said cavity, said slide member further having first projection means adjacent a first edge of the window therein, said projection means extending generally inwardly toward the bottom of said body cavity and adapted to cooperate with one of the edges of a flat object located uppermost on the pile, said slide member also having further inwardly extending projection means positioned adjacent to a second edge of the window disposed opposite to said first window edge, said second projection means being further positioned at least partly to the side of said divider means facing away from said body cavity whereby said second projection means cooperates with said divider means to limit movement of said slide means in a first direction, said first projection means being adapted to withdrawn a flat object located at the upper end of the pile during movement of said slide member in a second direction by passing the object over the divider means and said second projection means pushing the thus withdrawn flat object beneath said divider means to the bottom of the pile when said slide member is moved in the first direction, said slide member further being provided with stop means; and, limit means carried by said body means and cooperating with said slide stop means for limiting motion of said slide member in the first direction.