US2809086A - Extensible chassis carrier - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 8, 1957 H. 5. FALL EXTENSIBLE CHASSIS CARRIER Filed April so, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVE'NTURW ATTURNE'Y H. S. FALL EXTENSIBLE CHASSIS CARRIER Oct. 8, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 50, 1956 1/ N VEN TUE HHHHHH mum Hill IIH""" all ATT/JRA/Ey 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Filed April so, 1956 lllllll INVENTUR A ieaseri HAL Ey- M 6? m ATTURNEY WW" 0% v United States Patent EXTENSIBLE CHASSIS CARRIER Herbert S. Fall, Indianapolis, Ind. Application April 30, 1956, Serial No. 581,541

2 Claims. (Cl. 312-323) This invention relates to a device to be carried in a cabinet for supporting and carrying a chassis of the electronic type in a manner in which the chassis may be carried within the cabinet, pulled forwardly out of the cabinet and supported in that forward postiion, and rocked by its forward end around and upwardly while still supported in order to permit access to the underside of the chassis.

Primary objects of the invention are to provide a track structure, one track on each side of the cabinet, which will have an exceedingly thin cross-section in order to provide the maximum spacing for the carrying of chassis; a cradle carried by the track structure to which the chassis may readily be secured and removed; holding the chassis in a generally horizontally disposed position during the travel of the chassis outwardly and inwardly of the cabinet; rocking means for permitting the cradle to be revolved from that generally horizontal position around to an upright position for access to the Wiring and elements appearing on the underside of the chassis; a construction of quite low cost in production; a construction which is easily operated and secured in the outward position; and which may be readily manipulated.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of the invention in the form as best known to me at the present time, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front perspective of a structure to which the invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan and partial section of the chassis carrier structure;

Fig. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale in side elevation of the chassis track structure;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section on the line 55 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view on a still further enlarged scale in horizontal section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view in vertical section on the line 77 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a view in vertical section on the line 8-8 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 9 is a view in vertical section on the line 9-9 in Fig. 4.

A pair of fixed position rails or tracks 10 and 11 are fixed by their rear end in spaced apart relation by means of a transversely positioned inverted channel 12. The forward ends of these rails 10 and 11 are each respectively fixed to supporting brackets 13 and 14. These brackets 13 and 14 have respectively the cars 15 and 16 vertically disposed and extending outwardly from the respective rails. These ears 15 and 16 abut the marginal portions 17 and 18 about the front opening of the cabinet generally designated by the numeral 19. The ears 15 and 16 are removably engaged to these marginal portions 17 and 13 by any suitable means, herein shown as by screws 20 passing through the marginal portions 17 and 18, through horizontally slotted portions 21 of the cars 15 and 16 and screw threadedly engaging in a bar 22 extending vertically along and in contact with the back sides of the ears 15 and 16. These members 22 may betermed bar nuts. In this form of support, the brackets 13 and 14 constitute the sole support of the tracks 10 and 11 as tied together by the rear spacing and stabilizing member 12.

Each of these tracks 10 and 11 has a back, vertically disposed web, Fig. 5 designated by the numeral 23, from the top and bottom edge portions of which are overturned in rectangular manner the flanges 24 and 25 to leave guiding troughs 26 between the flanges and the web 23.

The tracks 10 and 11 carry a cradle generally designated by the numeral .27. This cradle 27 is formed in a rectangular skeletonized shape to comprise a pair of side angle bars 28 and 29 each having horizontally disposed legs 30 and 31 with upright legs 32 and 33. The forward ends of the angle bars 28 and 29 are interconnected by an inverted channel bar 34. Near the rear end portions of these angle bars 28 and 29 is an interconnecting inverted channel member 35.

This cradle 27 is carried between the tracks 10 and 11 through intermediate slide members 36 and 37 which are respectively slidingly received between the flanges 24 and 25 of the tracks 10 and 11. Each of these slide members 36 and 37, Figs. 5, 7 and 8, is shaped in the nature of a flattened channel with a wide web 33 vertically disposed, from the top and bottom edges of which web there extends the legs 39 and 4!) respectively outturned one in relation to the other and terminating in flat portions in a common plane parallel to and spaced from the web 38. The top leg 39 slides along the web 23 and behind the top flange 24 and the lower leg 43 slides along the face of the Web 23 and back of the flange 25 so that the members 36 and 37 are free to slide longitudinally of the tracks 10 and 11 and be supported vertically thereby.

Each of the slide members 36 and 37 has a pair of longitudinally aligned slots 41 and 42. Rivets 43 and 44 are fixed respectively to approximately the mid-point longitudinally of the cradle members 28 and 29 and near their upper edge portions to extend through the forward slots 42 of these slide members 36 and 37.

Each of the cradle members 23 and 29 carries a leaf spring 45 and 46 respectively fixed thereto by end portions, and carrying on their free end portions buttons 47 and 43 respectively in alignment with the rear slots 41. Normally these buttons 47 and 43 extend transversely through the slot 41 in each instance. In this manner, the cradle 27 is slidably carried between and by the slide members 36 and 37 with the rivets 43 and 44 sliding longitudinally of the slots 42, and the buttons 47 and 48 sliding longitudinally of the slots 41. The lengths of these slots limit the cradle 27 longitudinal travel in relation to the slide members 36 and 37.

Travel of the cradle 27 outwardly from the cabinet 19 will initially bring the rivets 43 and 44 to the forward ends of the slots 42, whereupon the slide members 36 and 37 will then be pulled forwardly along the track members 19 and 11. Outward travel of these slide members 36 and 37 is limited by means of a button 49 carried by a leaf spring member 50, in turn fixed by an end portion 51 to the slide members 36 and 37 in each instance, dropping into a hole 52 provided in the forward end of the track members 1 and 11 respectively. In the form herein shown, the hole 52 extends not only through the track members 1e and 11, but also through the brackets 13 and 14. The leaf spring 59 extends forwardly beyond the button 49 so as to have an end 53 exposed on the outersides of the slide members 36 and 37 forwardly of the brackets 13 and 14 and hence forwardly of the cabinet edge margins 17 and 18. These end portions 53 may be pushed inwardly toward the web 38 of the slide members 36 and 37 so as to withdraw the buttons 49 from engagement with the fixed tracks and 11 so that when the cradle 27 is pushed inwardly of the cabinet 19, and the rivets 43 and 44 strike the rear ends of the slots 42, carrying the slide members 36 and 37 inwardly along the tracks 10 and 11, the slide members 36 and 37 are free to make that travel by being released from engagement through the buttons 49 with the fixed members It} and 11.

One more feature needs to be described, namely the provision made for rocking the cradle 27 from its horizontal position shown in solid lines, Fig. l, to the dotted line position. Normally the buttons 47 and 48 riding in the slots 41 will retain the cradle 27 in its normally horizontally disposed position. By releasing these buttons 47 and 48 by pushing them inwardly from the slide members 36 and 37 out of the slots 41, the cradle 27 may then be rotated on an axis through the rivets 43 and 44. Rotation of this nature is limited to an upward travel of the forward end of the cradle 27 by reason of the fact that the rear ends of the angle bar members 28 and 29 ride by their upper edges of the side legs 32 and 33 under flanges 54 and 55 extending one toward the other from the slide members 36 and 37, as is shown in Fig. 2.

Both of the forward slots 42 are notched out at their forward ends on the lower marginal edges thereof as at 56, Fig. 4, so as to allow the rivets 43 and 44 to drop downwardly into those notches 56 and thus resistingly retain the cradle 27 in the forwardly extended position, Figs. 3 and 4. This is highly desirable particularly when the cradle 27 is to be rocked and work is to be done upon the chassis generally designated by the numeral 57 as indicated in Fig. l. Incidentally, the chassis 57 which is completely shown only in Fig. l, is removably attached to the cradle 27 either through the upturned legs 28 and 29 or the horizontally disposed legs 30 and 31 as may be desired in accordance with the formation of the chassis itself. A panel 58 is provided to close off the front of the cabinet 19 by being attached to the front end of the chassis 57 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. When the cradle 27 is to be returned from its rotated position, it may be rocked around until the buttons 47 and 48 spring into the slots 41, and then the forward end of the cradle 27 may be lifted sufficiently to bring the rivets 43 and 44 up out of the notches 56 and pushed rearwardly to slide along the marginal edge of the slots 42. As indicated in Fig. 8 particularly, the rivet 44 carries an enlarged cylindrical portion 59 which approaches in diameter the height of the slot 42, and then there is a washer 60 on the outside of that cylindrical portion 59 retained over the rivet by any suitable manner, such as by the spring clip 61.

While the mounting of the chassis carrying structure has been described as consisting of two brackets 13 and 14, it is obvious that additional brackets may be applied to the rear ends of the tracks 10 and 11 to interconnect them with the rear portion of the cabinet 19, although in a majority of cases, that is unnecessary because of the fact that by the peculiar construction of these brackets 13 and 14, wherein they extend vertically approximately twice the height of the fixed tracks 10 and 11, and extend rearwardly along the outer faces of those tracks 10 and 11 a considerable distance, the rocking of the track portions 10 and 11 is thereby prevented due to the long bearing vertically of these brackets 13 and 14 along the marginal cabinet edge portions 17 and 18. In fact, in this mounting with the cradle 27 extending from the front of the cabinet 19 a distance approximately inches, 21 load up to at least 200 pounds may be carried by the carrier even though that load is applied to the outer end over the cross-bar 34. Normally the carrier in this construction of its mounting is designed to carry a load safely of around 150 pounds.

Thus in summing up the construction, it is to be seen that no particular skill is required in mounting the supporting device to the cabinet and mounting the chassis on the carrier; the entire structure mounts entirely from the front of the cabinet about the opening therein; there is an ultra-slim thickness of the mounting; the carrier is latched out in an extended position; and the carrier or cradle proper may be tilted and latched at various angles for ease of electronic maintenance. The structure of this angle latching consisting in the present form of a series of spaced apart holes 66 through the cradle upturned legs 32 and 33 centered on an arcuate line, the radius of curvature of which is centered on the axis of the rivets 43 and 44, and buttons 64 and 65 are carried on free end portions of leaf springs 62 and 63 fixed to the outer sides of and toward the front ends of the intermediate slide members 36 and 37 whereby the buttons 64- and 65 are in the paths of and received in these holes 66 as the cradle may be rocked upwardly by its front end about the rivets 43 and 44. The buttons 64 and 65 may be pulled out by hand from the holes 66 to permit rocking and later holding of the cradle at the desired degree of cradle tilt.

For maintenance or replacement purposes it may be desirable at times to remove the chassis 57 from the cabinet 19, which is particularly true when work to be done on the electronic elements requires the use of shop tools. Quick and easy removal of the chassis from the cabinet is made possible by pushing the end portions 53 of the leaf springs 50 inwardly toward the slide members 36 and 37 so as to withdraw the buttons 49 from engagement with the fixed tracks 10 and 11. Then when the cradle 27 is pulled outwardly of the cabinet 19 the slide members 36 and 37 are free to continue that outward travel by being released from engagement with the fixed members 10 and 11.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form in detail, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed in the structure without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I. claim:

1. A chassis carrier for mounting in a cabinet having an opening defined by vertical marginal edge portions between which the carrier may be selectively extended from the cabinet, said carrier comprising a pair of brackets each engageable with one of said edge portions; a rail fixed by a forward end portion to each bracket and extending therefrom within the cabinet; each of said rails having upper and lower edges turned to define opposing guide grooves therealong; a slide member carried by each of said rails slidably guided by their top and bottom edges within said grooves; a cradle having side members; said slide members lying between said rails and adjacent the respective cradle side members; a pin fixed to each of said side members; each of said slide members having a slot longitudinally disposed therealong and terminating near the front end of the member; said pin slidingly entering said slot; each of said slide members having a second slot extending longitudinally thereof rearwardly from said first slot; a leaf spring fixed by one end to each of said cradle sides adjacent their rear. ends; and a button fixed on the free end of each of said springs in line with said second slot and directed toward said slide members; said cradle side members each having an opening through which said buttons may travel to enter said second slot.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said cradle may pivot about said pins upon release of said buttons from said second slots; a leaf spring fixed by one end to each of the forward end portions of said slide members; said cradle side members each having a number of openings spaced apart on an arc, the center of curvature of which is on the axis of said pins; and a button on each of said last springs in the path of said last openings received in those openings selectively and retaining the cradle in a rocked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 516,583 Adkins Mar. 13, 1894

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