Patent US3904259A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3904259A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Magnetic tape cassette storage containers
Assignee: Boeing Co
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Filing: 1974-02-22
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1994-02-22
Abstract
Abstract Containers suitable for storing magnetic tape cassettes in a manner such that each cassette is entirely enclosed in an individual compartment and, thus, protected from dirt, dust and the like are disclosed. In the one form, each container forms an individual compartment. In an alternate form each container houses a plurality of compartments. In either event, the containers can be interlocked together to form a housing for storing a tape cassette library, the housing having the ability to expand as the library is expanded. Each compartment includes a door, ejection spring and a plurality of guide rails. Preferably, the door is a drop-down door and is latched closed by a fingernail operated latch. When the door is open, the ejection spring moves the cassette housed therein outwardly by an amount adequate to allow the cassette to be grasped by the fingers of the person desiring the cassette.
Inventors
- 👤 William F Hoffmann
- 👤 Jr Walter A Blissell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:23
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/023
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
275 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container for storing magnetic tape cassettes comprising: a container housing at least one compartment defined by a solid top wall, a solid bottom wall, two solid end walls and a solid back wall, and having an open front wall, said top and bottom walls being spaced from one another by an amount slightly greater than the thickness of a tape cassette and said end walls being spaced from one another by an amount slightly greater than the width of a tape cassette, and said back wall being spaced from said open front by an amount slightly greater than the depth of a tape cassette; compressible ejection means mounted in said at least one compartment for directing a magnetic tape cassette held in said one compartment toward said open front wall; and at least one solid door rotatably affixed to said container, adjacent to said open front wall of said at least one compartment, so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, when in said open position, said at least one door allowing access to said at least one compartment such that a magnetic tape cassette can be inserted into said at least one compartment, when in said closed position, said at least one door closing said front wall of said compartment so as to press any cassette within said at least one compartment against said compressible ejection means and thereby compresses said ejection means, said container and said at least one door being formed such that said at least one compartment is entirely enclosed when said at least one door is in said closed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
275 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container for storing magnetic tape cassettes comprising: a container housing at least one compartment defined by a solid top wall, a solid bottom wall, two solid end walls and a solid back wall, and having an open front wall, said top and bottom walls being spaced from one another by an amount slightly greater than the thickness of a tape cassette and said end walls being spaced from one another by an amount slightly greater than the width of a tape cassette, and said back wall being spaced from said open front by an amount slightly greater than the depth of a tape cassette; compressible ejection means mounted in said at least one compartment for directing a magnetic tape cassette held in said one compartment toward said open front wall; and at least one solid door rotatably affixed to said container, adjacent to said open front wall of said at least one compartment, so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, when in said open position, said at least one door allowing access to said at least one compartment such that a magnetic tape cassette can be inserted into said at least one compartment, when in said closed position, said at least one door closing said front wall of said compartment so as to press any cassette within said at least one compartment against said compressible ejection means and thereby compresses said ejection means, said container and said at least one door being formed such that said at least one compartment is entirely enclosed when said at least one door is in said closed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the walls defining said at least one compartment are formed of plastic and said top, bottom, end, and back walls are integrally formed with one another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 2 including an interlocking mechanism associated with said container whereby a plurality of such containers can be interlocked together.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 3, wherein said interlocking mechanism comprises: at least one dovetail projection integrally formed with, and projecting outwardly from, one of said top and bottom walls; and, at least one dovetail aperture integrally formed in the other of said top and bottom walls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 3 wherein said interlocking mechanism comprises: two dovetail projections integrally formed with, and projecting outwardly from, one of said top and bottom walls of said container, said dovetail projections being arrayed along parallel axes; and, two dovetail apertures integrally formed in the other of said top and bottom walls, said dovetail apertures being arrayed along parallel axes and located such that the dovetail projections of one container are adapted to be slid into the dovetail apertures of another container so as to interlock said containers together.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A magnetic tape cassette container as claimed in claim 5 including locking means forming a portion of said dovetail projections and said dovetail apertures for locking two adjacent containers together when the dovetail projections of one of said containers lie in the dovetail apertures of the other of said containers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said locking means comprises at least one dimple formed in one of said dovetail projections and said dovetail apertures, and a button formed in the other of said dovetail projections and dovetail apertures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one door is rotatably attached to said container in a manner such that said door is hingedly attached to said end walls, adjacent to said bottom wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 8 including latch means for latching said at least one door in said closed position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 9, wherein said latch means comprises an arm integrally formed in said top wall but separated from a portion thereof by two parallel slots lying along axes parallel to said end walls.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 10, wherein said compressible ejection means comprises a U-shaped leaf spring having diverging arms, the center of said leaf spring being affixed to said back wall.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 11 including a plurality of guide rails integrally formed in said bottom and end walls and projecting into said at least one compartment so as to define the location of a cassette within said at least one compartment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 12 including stop means for preventing said at least one door from opening beyond a predetermined position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 12, wherein said at least one door includes a panel having a holding means formed therein for holding an identification label.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 14 including housing means for housing a plurality of said containers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 15 wherein said housing means defines a plurality of rectangular chambers, each of said chambers including a bottom wall and two dovetail projections formed in said bottom wall and arrayed along parallel axes, said dovetail projections being located such that the dovetail apertures of said container are adapted to slide onto said dovetail projections included in each of said chambers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one door is rotatably attached to said container in a manner such that said door is hingedly attached to said end walls, adjacent to said bottom wall.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 17 including latch means for latching said at least one door in said closed position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 18, wherein said latch means comprises an arm integrally formed in said top wall but separated from a portion thereof by two parallel slots lying along axes parallel to said end walls.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 19 including stop means for preventing said at least one door from opening beyond a predetermined position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compressible ejection means comprises a U-shaped leaf spring having diverging arms, the center of said leaf spring being affixed to said back wall.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 1 including a plurality of guide rails integrally formed in said bottom and end walls and projecting into said at least one compartment so as to define the location of a cassette within said at least one compartment.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one door includes a panel having means formed therein for holding an identification label.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
225 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said container houses a plurality of generally rectangular compartments, each of said compartments having a solid top wall, a solid bottom wall, solid end walls, a solid back wall, and an open front wall, the top wall of one compartment forming the bottom wall of its adjacent compartment, all of said solid walls being integrally formed together from plastic; said compressible ejection means comprises a plurality of springs, one of said springs being mounted in each of said compartments for directing any magnetic tape cassettes held in said compartments toward the open front walls of said compartments; a plurality of doors, one of said doors being associated with each of said plurality of generally rectangular compartments, each of said doors adapted to be moved between open and closed positions, when in said open position, said doors allowing access to their associated compartment such that a magnetic tape cassette can be inserted therein, when in said closed position said doors closing the front wall of their associated compartments so as to press any magnetic tape cassette held within said associated compartment against the spRing associated with said compartment and thereby compresses said spring, said container and doors being formed such that when a particular door is closed, the compartment associated therewith is entirely enclosed.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 24 including an interlocking mechanism associated with said container whereby a plurality of such containers can be interlocked together.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 25 wherein said interlocking mechanism comprises: at least one dovetail projection integrally formed with, and projecting outwardly from, the top of said container; and, at least one dovetail aperture integrally formed in the bottom of said container.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 26 including interlocking mechanism also includes means for interlocking a plurality of said containers together in side-by-side relationship.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
80 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 27, wherein said interlocking means comprises: an upper lock strip including a dovetail aperture formed such that a plurality of dovetail projections formed in the tops of said containers can be slid therein; and, a lower lock strip having a dovetail outer configuration and formed in a manner such that said lower lock strip can be slid into a plurality of dovetail apertures formed in the bottoms of said containers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 28 including a retractable handle formed in said upper lock strip.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
47 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of doors is rotatably attached to said container in a manner such that said door is hingedly attached to said end walls, adjacent to said bottom wall of its associated compartment.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 30 including a plurality of latches, each associated with one of said plurality of doors, for latching said plurality of doors in their closed positions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
50 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 31 wherein said latches each comprises an arm integrally formed in the top wall of their associated compartments but separated from a portion thereof by two parallel slots lying along axes parallel to the end walls of their associated compartment.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
39 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 32, wherein said springs comprise U-shaped leaf spring having diverging arms, the center of each of said leaf springs being affixed to the back wall of its associated compartment.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
48 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 33 including a plurality of guide rails integrally formed in the bottom and end walls of each of said compartments and projecting into each of said compartments so as to define the location of cassettes within said compartment.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 34 including stop means associated with each of said plurality of doors for preventing said plurality of doors from opening beyond predetermined positions.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
32 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 35, wherein each of said plurality of doors includes a panel having a holding means formed therein for holding an identification label.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container for storing magnetic tape cassettes as claimed in claim 36 including housing means for housing a plurality of containers.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 37, wherein said housing means defines a plurality of chambers, each of said chambers including means for locking at least one container therein.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
47 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said plurality of doors is rotatably attached to said container in a manner such that said door is hingedly attached to said end walls, adjacent to said bottom wall of its associated compartment.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
35 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 39 including a plurality of latches, each associated with one of said plurality of doors, for latching said plurality of doors in their closed positions.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
50 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 40, wherein said latches each comprise an arm integrally formed in the top wall of their associated compartments but separated from a portion thereof by two parallel slots lying along axes parallel to the end walls of their associated compartment.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 41 including stop means associated with each of said plurality of doors for preventing said plurality of doors from opening beyond predetermined positions.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
32 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 42, wherein each of said plurality of doors includes a panel having a holding means formed therein for holding an identification label.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
39 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 24, wherein said springs comprise U-shaped leaf springs having diverging arms, the center of each of said leaf springs being affixed to the back wall of its associated compartment.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
48 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 24 including a plurality of guide rails integrally formed in the bottom and end walls of each of said compartments and projecting into each of said compartments so as to define the location of cassettes within said compartments.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container for storing magnetic tape cassettes as claimed in claim 24 including housing means for housing a plurality of containers.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
33 words
A magnetic tape cassette storage container as claimed in claim 46, wherein said housing means defines a plurality of chambers, each of said chambers including means for locking at least one container therein.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |