Method and system for securing a personal computer to a rack

A method of manipulating a PC within a rack comprising the steps of:

• providing a PC with a retractable hook, which is biased toward a non-retracted position;
• moving, in an inwardly direction, the PC into a slot in the rack;
• engaging an inclined edge of the retractable hook with an obstacle, to cause an increased retraction of the retractable hook as insertion of the PC into the slot is increased;
• further inserting the PC into the slot, so that the retractable hook becomes disposed within a void in the slot, thereby restricting translational motion of the PC with respect to the slot;
• pulling a handle on the PC, in an outwardly direction, causing the handle to move with respect to the PC, so as to cause a retraction of the retractable hook from the void in the slot;
• further pulling the handle, in the outwardly direction, causing motion between the PC and the slot;
• and,
• removing the PC from the slot.

A system comprising:

• a rack having a plurality of slots therein;
• a plurality of industrial PCs disposed in the rack;
• a latched PC having:
• a front end mounted handle disposed at a front panel and having a handle faceplate surface thereon, where the handle faceplate surface is biased toward a flush relationship with the front panel;
• the horizontal translation of the handle causes a hook member engaging pin to engage a handle pin receiving void in a retractable hook member, so that the retractable hook member slides vertically and thereby disengages from a retractable hook member tip receiving void in one of said plurality of slots;
• a retractable hook member tip has an inclined leading hook member tip edge which will cause the retractable hook member to retract vertically when the latched PC is slid into one of the plurality of slots;
• the handle pin receiving void of the retractable hook member has a handle pin receiving void maximum height dimension which is disposed distal of handle faceplate surface.