US3908339A — Packer grid and fingers assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 182 words

In a packer grid and fingers assembly comprising A. a grid of generally horizontal orientation defining at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration having an article-passage therethrough; and B. a plurality of replaceable finger subassemblies for each said grid cubicle disposed about saId passage thereof and having a generally vertical orientation, each of said finger subassemblies comprising i. an elongated substantially rigid finger, said finger having a front surface facing said passage axis and a rear surface facing said grid cubicle, ii. means for removably and pivotally securing said finger subassembly to said grid cubicle external to said passage, and iii. means for urging an end of said finger spaced from said grid toward the axis of said passage; the improvement wherein said finger subassemblies are separately mounted in different corners of said grid cubicle with the rear surface of said fingers facing said corners, and said securing means comprises a block secured adjacent the rear surface of said finger and having a horizontal groove on the finger-facing surface intermediate the ends thereof pivotally mounting said finger subassembly on said grid.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 182 words

In a packer grid and fingers assembly comprising A. a grid of generally horizontal orientation defining at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration having an article-passage therethrough; and B. a plurality of replaceable finger subassemblies for each said grid cubicle disposed about saId passage thereof and having a generally vertical orientation, each of said finger subassemblies comprising i. an elongated substantially rigid finger, said finger having a front surface facing said passage axis and a rear surface facing said grid cubicle, ii. means for removably and pivotally securing said finger subassembly to said grid cubicle external to said passage, and iii. means for urging an end of said finger spaced from said grid toward the axis of said passage; the improvement wherein said finger subassemblies are separately mounted in different corners of said grid cubicle with the rear surface of said fingers facing said corners, and said securing means comprises a block secured adjacent the rear surface of said finger and having a horizontal groove on the finger-facing surface intermediate the ends thereof pivotally mounting said finger subassembly on said grid.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said blocks has a horizontal axis extending transversely across a different one of said corners.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said groove extends across said finger-facing surface and pivotally mounts said finger subassembly to a portion of said grid assembly connecting adjacent sides of said grid cubicle.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 66 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said block has an upper portion resiliently displaceable from the rear surface of said finger, and said finger subassembly is removably mounted on a portion of said grid engaged between said upper portion and the rear surface of said finger, whereby said finger subassembly is removable from said grid by pressure exerted against the resilient bias of said upper portion.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 176 words

In a packer grid and fingers assembly comprising A. a grid of generally horizontal orientation defining at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration having an articlepassage therethrough; and B. a plurality of replaceable finger subassemblies for each said grid cubicle disposed about said passage thereof and having a generally vertical orientation, each of said finger subassemblies comprising i. an elongated substantially rigid finger, said finger having a front surface facing said passage axis and a rear surface facing said grid cubicle, ii. means for removably and pivotally securing said finger subassembly to said grid cubicle external to said passage, and iii. means for urging an end of said finger spaced from said grid toward the axis of said passage; the improvement wherein said finger subassemblies are separately mounted in different corners of said grid cubicle with the rear surface of said fingers facing said corners, and said urging means comprises a resilient composition disposed between the rear surface of said finger and said grid urging the bottom end of said finger towards said passage axis.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 176 words

In a packer grid and fingers assembly comprising A. a grid of generally horizontal orientation defining at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration having an articlepassage therethrough; and B. a plurality of replaceable finger subassemblies for each said grid cubicle disposed about said passage thereof and having a generally vertical orientation, each of said finger subassemblies comprising i. an elongated substantially rigid finger, said finger having a front surface facing said passage axis and a rear surface facing said grid cubicle, ii. means for removably and pivotally securing said finger subassembly to said grid cubicle external to said passage, and iii. means for urging an end of said finger spaced from said grid toward the axis of said passage; the improvement wherein said finger subassemblies are separately mounted in different corners of said grid cubicle with the rear surface of said fingers facing said corners, and said urging means comprises a resilient composition disposed between the rear surface of said finger and said grid urging the bottom end of said finger towards said passage axis.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

The assembly of claim 5 wherein said urging means comprises a spring operatively engaged by the rear surface of said finger.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

The assembly of claim 6 wherein said urging means comprises a leaf-spring bearing on said grid and urging the bottom of said finger forwardly.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The assembly of claim 6 wherein said urging means comprises a helical compression spring secured to said grid and urging the bottom of said finger forwardly.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 164 words

In a packer grid and fingers assembly comprising A. a grid defining at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration having an article-passage therethrough; and B. a plurality of replaceable finger subassemblies for each said grid cubicle disposed about said passage thereof and having an orientation generally normal to said grid, each of said finger subassemblies comprising i. an elongated substantially rigid finger, ii. means for removably and pivotally securing said finger subassembly to said grid cubicle external to said passage, and iii. means for urging an end of said finger spaced from said grid toward the axis of said passage; the improvement wherein said grid comprises a plurality Of intersecting plates forming said at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration, and a plurality of centrally apertured polygonal means for locking a pair of intersecting plates in said intersecting relationship; and wherein said finger subassemblies are disposed in corners of said grid cubicle with the rear surface of said fingers facing said corners.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 164 words

In a packer grid and fingers assembly comprising A. a grid defining at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration having an article-passage therethrough; and B. a plurality of replaceable finger subassemblies for each said grid cubicle disposed about said passage thereof and having an orientation generally normal to said grid, each of said finger subassemblies comprising i. an elongated substantially rigid finger, ii. means for removably and pivotally securing said finger subassembly to said grid cubicle external to said passage, and iii. means for urging an end of said finger spaced from said grid toward the axis of said passage; the improvement wherein said grid comprises a plurality Of intersecting plates forming said at least one grid cubicle of polygonal configuration, and a plurality of centrally apertured polygonal means for locking a pair of intersecting plates in said intersecting relationship; and wherein said finger subassemblies are disposed in corners of said grid cubicle with the rear surface of said fingers facing said corners.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 156 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein said grid cubicle each of said plates has at least two spaced groups of a pair of slots of a first width and an intermediate slot of a second width between said pair of slots, said first width being substantially the thickness of said locking means between said central aperture thereof and an outer corner thereof and said second width being substantially the thickness of an intersecting plate, each of said slots vertically opening on a single horizontal edge of said plate, one of said intermediate slots of a first of said plates receiving a portion of a second of said plates vertically aligned with one of said intermediate slots of said second plate to form an intersection, and said slot pairs of said first and second plates about said intermediate slots receiving opposed corners of said locking means to lock said first and second plates in such intersecting relationship.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

The assembly of claim 10 wherein in said grid cubicle said slotted horizontal edges of said intersecting plates are disposed in alternating vertical configuration.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 79 words

The assembly of claim 10 wherein each of said plates has at least three of said spaced slot groups horizontally aligned, and wherein one of said locking means locks a pair of said intersecting plates intermediate the end slot groups thereof to form one corner each of four of said grid cubicles, each side of said one locking means being engaged by a different one of said finger subassemblies associated with a different one of said four grid cubicles.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein said grid further comprises a plurality of rigid posts, each of said posts depending from a point of intersection of said plates to provide a bearing surface for an associated one of said urging means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein each of said grid cubicles comprises four of said plates interlocked by four of said locking means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 52 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein said securing means comprises a block disposed on one surface of said finger and having a horizontal groove on the finger-facing surface intermediate the ends thereof, said groove engagingly and pivotally receiving a side of said locking means between the corners thereof within said grid cubicle.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 67 words

The assembly of claim 15 wherein a first portion of said block on one side of said groove is integrally fastened to said finger, and a second portion of said block on the other side of said groove is resiliently displaceable away from said finger to permit said locking means side access to and from said groove by passage between said second block portion and said finger.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 23 words

The assembly of claim 16 wherein said first block portion is below said groove and said second block portion is above said groove.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 14 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein said block is of low friction resilient composition.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 35 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein in said finger subassembly one end of said finger thereof normally extends over said securing means thereof and said urging means thereof to shelter said securing and urging means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 214 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein said grid cubicle is of generally horizontal orientation and comprises four of said plates interlocked by four of said locking means to form a rectangular configuration, each of said locking means having a centrally apertured square configuration and interlocking two of said plates; and wherein four of said finger subassemblies are associated with said grid cubicle, one of said associated finger subassemblies having a generally vertical orientation and being associated with one side of one of said four locking means, said finger thereof havinG a front surface facing said passage axis of said grid cubicle and a rear surface facing an adjacent corner of said grid cubicle, said securing means thereof comprising a block dispersed on said rear finger surface and having a horizontal groove on the finger-facing surface thereof intermediate the ends thereof, said groove suitably receiving said one associated side of said of said one locking means, the lower portion of said block beneath said groove being integrally fastened to said finger and the upper portion of said block above said groove being resiliently displaceable away from said finger to provide said associated one side of said one locking means access to and from said groove between said upper block portion and said rear finger surface.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 80 words

The assembly of claim 20 wherein each of said plates is horizontally extended and has at least three of said spaced slot groups horizontally aligned, and wherein one of said locking means locks a pair of said plates intermediate the end slot groups thereof to form one corner each of four of said grid cubicles, each side of said one locking means being engaged by one of said finger subassemblies associated with a different one of said four grid cubicles.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-09-29	1979-03-31	1979-09-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-09-29	1983-03-31	1983-09-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-09-29	1987-03-31	1987-09-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Packer grid and fingers assembly

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