Card retrieval system
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorNobuyuki Yanagawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A large number of cards are vertically randomly stored on a horizontal platen. Each card has a serrated bottom code edge contacting the platen, a magnetic chip implanted in a vertical edge and a hook on the upper edge. Selected serrations are removed from the bottom edges of the cards to constitute a selection code. Selected sorting bars are raised into position between the serrations, and a magnet attracts the magnetic chips so that only the selected card having serrations removed corresponding to the raised sorting bars is pulled horizontally backward by the magnet by a distance of one serration. A push bar then engages with the hook of the selected card, and pushes the selected card horizontally forward and simultaneously lifts the selected card clear of the other cards to a retrieval position.
Claims7
In a system for retrieving a selected one of a plurality of coded sheets, the system having a horizontal platen on which the sheets are vertically disposed in a storage position, the sheets having coded bottom edges contacting the platen, selector means provided to the platen to engage with the coded bottom edges of the sheets so that horizontal movement of only the selected sheet from said storage position to an intermediate position is possible when said selector means is actuated, biasing means to urge the sheets from said storage position towards said intermediate position, and actuating means operative to actuate said selector and biasing means, the improvement comprising:
- hook portions formed on the upper edges of the sheets;
- and
- an engaging member movable by said actuating means;
- said actuating means being operative to sequentially actuate said selector means and said biasing means to move only the selected sheet from said storage position to said intermediate position and thereafter move said engaging member in a combined vertical and horizontal direction to engage with the hook portion of the selected sheet and lift and move the selected sheet to a retrieval position, said engaging member being arranged to engage with the hook portion of only the selected sheet in said intermediate portion and to clear the hook portions of the other sheets during the combined vertical and horizontal movement, and said biasing means being operative to move the selected sheet in one horizontal direction parallel to the horizontal edges of the sheets, and the horizontal component of the combined vertical and horizontal direction in which said engaging member is moved by said actuating means is opposite to the one horizontal direction.
In a system for retrieving a selected one of a plurality of coded sheets, the system having a horizontal platen on which the sheets are vertically disposed in a storage position, the sheets having coded bottom edges contacting the platen, selector means provided to the platen to engage with the coded bottom edges of the sheets so that horizontal movement of only the selected sheet from said storage position to an intermediate position is possible when said selector means is actuated, biasing means to urge the sheets from said storage position toward said intermediate position, and actuating means operative to actuate said selector and biasing means, the improvement comprising:
- hook portions formed on the upper edges of the sheets;
- and
- an engaging member movable by said actuating means;
- said actuating means being operative to sequentially actuate said selector means and said biasing means to move only the selected sheet from said storage position to said intermediate position and thereafter move said engaging member in a combined vertical and horizonal direction to engage with the hook portion of the selected sheet and lift and move the selected sheet to a retrieval position, said engaging member being guided by at least one cam surface formed on a structural portion of the system to move in said combined vertical and horizontal direction, said engaging member being arranged to engage with the hook portion of only the selected sheet in said intermediate position and to clear the hook portions of the other sheets during the combined vertical and horizontal movement.
In a system for retrieving a selected one of a plurality of coded sheets, the system having a horizontal platen on which the sheets are vertically disposed in a storage position, the sheets having coded bottom edges contacting the platen, selector means provided to the platen to engage with the coded bottom edges of the sheets so that horizontal movement of only the selected sheet from said storage position to an intermediate position is possible when said selector means is actuated, biasing means to urge the sheets from said storage position toward said intermediate position, and actuating means operative to actuate said selector and biasing means, the improvement comprising:
- hook portions formed on the upper edges of the sheets;
- and
- and engaging member movable by said actuating means;
- said actuating means being operative to sequentially actuate said selector means and said biasing means to move only the selected sheet from said storage position to said intermediate position and thereafter move said engaging member in a combined vertical and horizontal direction to engage with the hook portion of the selected sheet and lift and move the selected sheet to a retrieval position, said actuating means including at least one cam for sequentially actuating said biasing means and said engaging member, said engaging member being arranged to engage with the hook portion of only the selected sheet in said intermediate position and to clear the hook portions of the other sheets during the combined vertical and horizontal movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.