Means and method for mounting cathode ray picture tubes

For use in the installation of cathode ray picture tubes of like diagonal dimension in television receiver cabinets, said picture tubes having a substantially rectangular face panel with a rearwardly extending flange, said cabinets including a frontal escutcheon means with an opening for conformally receiving and framing a cathode ray tube face panel, said face panels of said picture tubes being characterized by exhibiting relatively dissimilar circumferential dimensions classifiable as under-, normal-, and over-sized panels, improved centering and support means for accepting and accommodating any of said panels of said tubes, comprising:

• corner guide means rearwardly extending from said opening in said escutcheon means for guiding each corner of a face panel into said opening;
• at least one centering means projecting inwardly from each of said corner guide means, said centering means having at least one taper for centering said corner and said tube in said escutcheon means, the angle of said taper providing for accepting without alteration of said centering means said under- and normal-sized panels, said angle providing also for the yielding and conforming of said centering means to accommodate said over-sized panels;
• means for urging said corners of said tube into said corner guide means and said centering means;
• retention means for retaining said corners in said corner guide means and said tube in said cabinet;
• such that as the corners of a face panel are urged into said corner guide means, under- and normal-sized panels are centered in said escutcheon, and an over-sized panel causes said centering means to yield and conform to the contours of its corners, effectively centering such tubes in said escutcheon means of said cabinet.

For use in a television receiver cabinet, escutcheon means frontally located in said cabinet and having an opening for conformally receiving the substantially rectangular face panels of cathode ray tubes of like diagonal dimension, said face panel having a rearwardly extending flange encircled by a tension band, said tube including a conjoined funnel portion and neck portion oriented on the axis of said tube, said face panels exhibiting relatively dissimilar circumferential dimensions classifiable as under-, normal, and over-sized panels, said escutcheon means being characterized by having means for accepting and accommodating any of said sizes of said panels of said tubes comprising:

• corner guide means rearwardly extending from said opening in said escutcheon means for guiding each corner of a face panel into said opening;
• at least one centering means projecting inwardly from each of said corner guide means, said centering means having at least one taper for centering said corner and said tube in said escutcheon means, the angle of said taper providing for accepting without alteration of said centering means said under- and normal-sized panels, said angle providing also for the yielding and conforming of said centering means to accommodate said over-sized panels;
• means for urging said corners of said tube into said corner guide means and said centering means;
• retention means for retaining said corners in said corner guide means and said tube in said cabinet;
• such that as the corners of a face panel are urged into said corner guide means, said under- and normal-sized panels are centered in said escutcheon, and an over-sized panel causes said centering means to yield and conform to the contours of its corners, effectively centering such tubes in said escutcheon means of said cabinet.

For use in the installation of cathode ray picture tubes of like diagonal dimension in television receiver cabinets, said picture tubes having a substantially rectangular face panels with a rearwardly extending flange encircled by a tension band, and attached to a funnel portion and a neck portion oriented on the axis of said tube, said cabinets including frontal escutcheon means with an opening for conformally receiving and framing a cathode ray tube face panel, said face panels of said picture tubes being characterized by exhibiting relatively dissimilar circumferential dimensions classifiable as under-, normal-, and over-sized panels, improved centering and support means for accepting and accommodating any of said sizes of said panels of said tubes, comprising:

• corner guide means rearwardly extending from said opening in said escutcheon means for guiding each corner of a face panel into said opening;
• at least two axially oriented, malleable ribs projecting inwardly from each of said corner guide means for exerting progressively increasing centering pressure on said face panel, said ribs having tapered sections including angles with respect to the vertical as follows:
• a rearwardly located section having an angle of about 30 degrees for accepting said face panel;
• a forwardly located section having an angle of about 9 degrees for centering said face panel;
• means for urging said corners of said tube into said corner guide means and said centering means;
• retention means for retaining said corners in said corner guide means and said tube in said cabinet;
• such that the angles of said taper of said ribs provide for accepting and centering without alteration of said ribs said under- and normal-sized tubes, but provide for alteration of said malleable ribs by crushing by said tension band when accepting said over-sized tubes.

For use in the assembly of a television receiver having a cabinet including frontal escutcheon means with an opening for conformally receiving the substantially rectangular face panel of a cathode ray tube, a method of supporting and centering said tube, comprising:

• molding said escutcheon means from a malleable plastic deformable under pressure;
• providing guide means in said escutcheon means for each corner of said tube, and rearwardly extending said guide means from said opening;
• projecting a plurality of tapered crush ribs inwardly from each of said guide means, and orienting said crush ribs to exert a progressively increasing force fit on said corners of said face panel;
• guiding said corners of said face panel forwardly into said corner guide means;
• forcing said corners into said corner guide means and retaining said corners therein;
• such that as said corners of said face panel are forced into said corner guide means, said tapered rib means yield and conform to the contours of said corners, effectively centering and retaining said tube in said escutcheon means and said cabinet.

For use in the assembly of a television receiver having a cabinet including frontal escutcheon means with an opening for conformally receiving the substantially rectangular face panel of a cathode ray tube, said panel having a rearwardly extending flange encircled by a tension band, a method of supporting and centering said tube, comprising:

• molding said escutcheon means from a malleable plastic deformable under pressure;
• providing guide means in said escutcheon for each corner of said tube, and rearwardly extending said guide means from said opening;
• projecting a plurality of tapered crush ribs inwardly from each of said guide means, and orienting said crush ribs to exert a progressively increasing force fit on said corners of said face panel;
• guiding said corners of said face panel forwardly into said corner guide means;
• forcing said corners into said corner guide means and retaining said corners therein;
• such that as said corners of said face panel are forced into said corner guide means, said tapered rib means deform under the pressure of said tension band and conform to the contours of said corners, effectively centering and retaining said tube in said escutcheon means and said cabinet.