PC Board mounting apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for facilitating the handling of a printed circuit board and for mounting the printed circuit board on a platform, said printed circuit board comprising a first surface carrying a plurality of electric components and a second opposed surface forming a plurality of conductive paths to which the leads of said components are electrically connected by a plurality of solder fillets, said apparatus comprising an elongate rail member having a substantially flat base adapted for mounting on said platform, a pair of opposed longitudinally disposed side walls extending upwardly from said base, a series of longitudinally disposed rib and boss means extending upwardly from said base and intermediate said side walls, the upwardly facing surfaces of said side walls and rib and boss means forming a longitudinal supporting surface for abbutingly receiving the second surface of the printed circuit board along an edge thereof such that said base is maintained in spaced relation below said supporting surface at a distance greater than the extent to which said solder fillets depend from said printed circuit board second surface, said apparatus further comprising a first snap action tab transversely disposed intermediate said side walls and extending upwardly from said base near one distal end thereof and a second snap action tab longitudinally disposed intermediate said side walls and extending upwardly from said base near the longitudinal center thereof, said first and second snap action tabs being adapted for longitudinal and transverse deflection respectively for engaging the first surface of the printed circuit board along respective adjacent edges thereof so as to snap lock the second surface of said printed circuit board in abutment with said printed circuit board supporting surface.