Synchronization and precision sequencing of ball retainer relationship to one-half of slide movement

Claim 1

Synchronized elements for telescoping ball bearing slide mechanisms, comprising: an outer slide member of generally channel shape and having a longitudinally extending bottom wall and oppositely arranged ball races along the side edges of the bottom wall, said ball races being concave in cross section and having said concave portions facing inwardly; an inner slide member of generally channel shape and having a longitudinally extending bottom wall and oppositely arranged ball races along the side edges of the bottom wall, said ball races bEing concave in cross section and having said concave portions outwardly, the inner slide member being operably disposed within the outer slide member; bearing balls disposed in adjacent concave portions of said ball races of the respective outer and inner slide members; a ball retainer operably disposed between the outer and inner slide members for retaining the balls operably in the ball races; a pair of mesh wheels adjacent opposite sides of the slide mechanism operably connected to the ball retainer and movable in accordance with relative longitudinal movements of the slide members; and racks comprising a separate part on the bottom walls of the inner and outer slide members, said racks being in the path of movement of the meshing wheels and cooperating therewith wherein the ball retainer has longitudinally extending bottom parts and a reversed raised channel shaped longitudinally extending part connected with said bottom parts by connecting walls normal to the bottom parts, said ball retainer having retainer arms with openings in at least some of said retainer arms for retaining balls in longitudinally spaced relationship; pivot pins having end portions operably received in openings provided therefor in each of the connecting walls of the ball retainer, the meshing wheels being mounted on said pivot pins for operable rotation; said wheels extending through openings in one of the bottom parts of the ball retainer for engagement with the adjacent racks in order to maintain a synchronized relationships between the ball retainer and the slide members.