Magnetic tray device

Claim 1

A device adapted for use in fanning magnetic filing system including a tray structure of non-magnetic material having spaced upright, extruded sidewall sections formed integral with an extruded elongate rectangular horizontal bottom section, said extruded sidewall sections providing pockets for accommodating elongate magnets, said tray structure also including two nonmagnetic endwall sections, interlocking coupling means for attaching said endwall sections to the opposed ends of a bottom and sidewall section, whereby to present a tray chamber, elongate magnets housed within the pockets of said sidewall sections in the vicinity of the upper margins thereof, an elongate rectangular index card accommodating auxiliary tray positioned within and traversing the aforesaid chamber, said auxiliary tray including a bottom portion and a pair of longitudinally spaced upwardly flaring wall portions whereby to limit the extent of tilting toward the front and back of the tray structure, and a plurality of rectangular index or data cards in vertical face-toface relation traversing within said tray chamber and positioned between said flaring wall portions, each card having a magnetic portion adjacent opposed sides thereof in the vicinity of a complementary magnet, said filing device further including parallel and laterally spaced longitudinal prongs, said prongs being secured adjacent the bottom portion of the auxilliary tray and adapted to penetrate said cards so as to maintain the cards in a substantially vertical alignment, whereby the tendency of said cards to tilt or become dislodged is avoided and the lower edge of the cards is stabilized so as to preclude dragging along the bottom of the auxilliary tray.

Claim 2

A device adapted for use in fanning magnetic filing system including a tray structure of non-magnetic material having spaced upright, extruded sidewall sections formed integral with an extruded elongate rectangular horizontal bottom section, said extruded sidewall sections providing pockets for accommodating elongate magnets, said tray structure also including two nonmagnetic endwall sections, interlocking coupling means for attaching said endwall sections to the opposed ends of a bottom and sidewall section, whereby to present a tray chamber, elongate magnets housed within the pockets of said sidewall sections in the vicinity of the upper margins thereof, an elongate rectangular index card accommodating auxiliary tray positioned within and traversing the aforesaid chamber, said auxiliary tray including a bottom portion and a pair of longitudinally spaced upwardly flaring wall portions whereby to limit the extent of tilting toward the front and back of the tray structure, and a plurality of rectangular index or data cards in vertical face-toface relation traversing within said tray chamber and positioned between said flaring wall portions, each card having a magnetic portion adjacent opposed sides thereof in the vicinity of a complementary magnet, said filing device further including parallel and laterally spaced longitudinal prongs, said prongs being secured adjacent the bottom portion of the auxilliary tray and adapted to penetrate said cards so as to maintain the cards in a substantially vertical alignment, whereby the tendency of said cards to tilt or become dislodged is avoided and the lower edge of the cards is stabilized so as to preclude dragging along the bottom of the auxilliary tray.