Progressive slide assembly

A progressive slide assembly for supporting a movable component for longitudinal displacement relative to a fixed component said progressive slide assembly comprising:

• an outer channel member arranged to be secured to a fixed component, an inner channel member arranged to be secured to a movable component, and an intermediate channel member, said channel members dimensioned to be assembled in nested relationship and having overlapping edges arranged to form ball races therebetween, anti-friction means arranged to be mounted in the ball races between said outer channel member and said intermediate channel member and between the latter and said inner chamber member to support said channel members for longitudinal movement relative to each other, said anti-friction means comprising ball bearing retainers consisting essentially of cord-like strips of material having apertures spaced longitudinally thereof and ball bearings freely mounted in said apertures, and positive drive means arranged between the inner movable channel member and said intermediate channel member and between the latter and said fixed outer channel member for effecting positive longitudinal movement of said intermediate channel member progressively with the longitudinal movement of said inner channel member.