# US 4,393,788 A · Retractable protective-screens and equipment including them > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,393,788 A - Document ID: US4393788A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/230,152 - Filed: 1981-01-30 - Granted: 1983-07-19 - Earliest claimed: 1981-01-30 - Inventors: Bernard F. Campbell; Leslie Vallance - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393788A ## CPC - G07F 19/20: {Automatic teller machines [ATMs]} - E05D 7/00: Hinges or pivots of special construction (used for special suspension arrangements E05D15/00; so as to be self-closing E05F1/06, E05F1/12; with means for raising wings before being turned E05F7/02) - G07F 19/201: {Accessories of ATMs} - G07F 19/205: {Housing aspects of ATMs} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00) ## Abstract The protective screen of a through-the-wall automated-teller machine covers a recessed part of the machine facia and is retracted through a slot in the facia wall to reveal environmentally-vulnerable items for customer operation. The screen, which is in the form of a curved metal plate, is driven in both retraction and extension via a single rack-and-pinion coupling. The rack is a length of powered-drive belting clamped upon a foam-rubber backing to the inside of the plate centrally of two pairs of arcuate channel-guides for the two side-edges respectively of the plate. The channel-guides of one pair are mounted on opposed side-walls of the facia recessed-part externally of the machine whereas those of the other pair are mounted internally behind the facia. Nylon blocks clipped to corners of the plate run in the channel-guides. ## Claims ### Claim 1 In equipment including a retractable protective-screen in the form of a member having two side-edges that are guided for movements of the member in extension and retraction of the screen, and drive means coupled to said member to drive it in at least one of said movements, the improvement wherein said drive means is coupled to said member to established driving engagement therewith via a rack-and-pinion coupling, said coupling comprising a rack carried by said member, said rack being an elongate strip of flexible material having projecting teeth formed integrally therewith, said strip being secured to said member at least at spaced positions along the length of the strip to extend on said member substantially centrally thereof intermediate said side-edges, and a pinion engaging with the teeth of the rack, said drive means being coupled to said pinion to rotate the pinion and thereby drive said member via said rack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Equipment according to claim 1 wherein said strip comprises a length of powered-drive belting. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Equipment according to claim 1 including resilient material, said strip being clamped to said member with said resilient material sandwiched between said strip and said member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Equipment according to claim 1 including channel-pieces for guiding the screen in extension and retraction, and elements located on said side-edges adjacent corners of the said member to run in said channel-pieces so as thereby to guide the screen as aforesaid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Equipment according to claim 1 wherein said member is a curved metal plate, said strip being clamped along its length to said plate to conform to the curve of the plate. ### Claim 6 In equipment including a protective screen inn the form of a substantially rectangular plate that extends through a slot in a wall of the equipment, guide means for guiding opposed side-edges of the plate throughout movements of the plate through said slot between an extended position in which the plate is extended with respect to the front of the wall and a retracted position in which the plate is retracted with respect to said front of the wall, and means coupled to the plate to drive the plate between said extended and retracted positions, the improvement wherein said drive means is coupled to the plate via a rack-and-pinion coupling, the rack of said coupling being an elongate strip of flexible material having projecting teeth formed integrally therewith and said strip being secured to said plate to extend substantially parallel to said side-edges and substantially centrally of the plate intermediate said side-edges, and the pinion of said coupling being drivingly engaged with the teeth of the rack, said drive means including means operable to rotate the pinion in selectively one or the other of two senses for respectively retracting or extending the plate through said wall. ### Claim 7 In equipment including a protective screen in the form of a substantially rectangular plate that extends through a slot in a wall of the equipment, guide means for guiding opposed side-edges of the plate throughout movements of the plate through said slot between an extended position in which the plate is extended with respect to the front of the wall and a retracted position in which the plate is retracted with respect to said front of the wall, and means to drive the plate between said extended and retracted positions, the improvement wherein said drive means comprises a rack-and-pinion coupling to the plate, the rack of said coupling being carried by said plate to extend substantially parallel to said side-edges of the plate, and the pinion of said coupling being drivingly engaged with said rack, and means operable to rotate said pinion in selectively one or the other of two senses for respectively retracting or extending the plate through said wall, said guide means comprising two pairs of guides, one pair of guides being located entirely to the front of said wall and the other pair of guides being located entirely to the rear of said wall, and four elements located on said side-edges of said rectangular plate to run in respective ones of said guides for guiding the plate throughout movements in retraction and extension. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Equipment according to claim 7 wherein said plate is curved and said guides are each of arcuate configuration to guide the curved plate in said movements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) Equipment according to claim 7 wherein said rack comprises a length of powered-drive belting. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) Equipment according to claim 7 including resilient material, and wherein said rack is clamped to the plate with said resilient material as a backing to said rack. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) Equipment according to claim 7 wherein said rack is mounted to extend substantially centrally of said plate. ### Claim 12 In a customer-operable automated-teller machine which includes a facia having an environmentally-vulnerable part that is required to be exposed during customer-operation of the machine, and a protective screen-member that it guided at its side-edges for movements through the facia between a retracted position in which said part is exposed as aforesaid and an extended position in which said part is covered by the protective screen-member, and means operable selectively to drive the screen-member in at least one direction between its retracted and extended positions, the improvement wherein said drive means is coupled to said screen-member via a rack-and-pinion coupling, the rack of said coupling being an elongate strip of flexible material having projecting teeth formed integrally therewith and said strip being secured along its length to said screen-member to extend on said member substantially centrally thereof intermediate said side-edges, the pinion of said coupling drivingly engaging with said teeth of said rack, and said drive means comprising means operable selectively to rotate said pinion to drive said screen-member via said rack in said one direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A machine according to claim 11, wherein said rack is a length of resilient powered-drive belting.