Front release for a slide assembly

A telescoping slide assembly comprising interconnected load-carrying, intermediate, and stationary slide members movable relative to one another to extend in an outward direction and retract in an inward direction, the load-carrying and intermediate slide members movable relative to the stationary slide member between fully extended and retracted positions, the intermediate slide member interconnecting the load-carrying slide member and the stationary slide member, said slide assembly having a lock-out mechanism for locking said slide assembly in said fully extended position, said lock out mechanism comprising:

• a resilient cantilevered lock arm having a first end secured to said load-carrying member, a middle section extending toward said intermediate slide segment, and a second end terminating in a lip, said lip configured with a window formed therein for receiving a protrusion formed on said intermediate slide member;
• a protrusion extending from said intermediate member toward said load-carrying member and configured to fit within said lock arm window when said load-carrying member is fully extended;
• an elongated release member slidably disposed within a channel of said load-carrying member such that a first end is adjacent to said lock arm lip and a second end is adjacent to an outward end of said load-carrying member and wherein said elongated release member contacts an upper wall and a lower wall of said load-carrying member;
• and
• wherein translating said elongated release member inwardly causes said elongated release member first end to depress said lock arm lip thereby elastically deforming said lock arm such that said lock arm window moves away from said protrusion thereby allowing relative movement of said intermediate member and said load-carrying member and wherein a force developed by said resilient lock arm does not cause movement of said elongated release member such that said elongated release member remains in an inward position until said slide assembly is moved to a fully retracted position.

A method for unlocking and retracting a load carried by a pair of extended slide assemblies in which each slide assembly comprises a release member is selectively movable between a locked position and a release position, the method comprising:

• applying a first actuating force toward a rearward end of a first one of said slide assemblies to a first release member thereby moving said first release member to said release position, wherein said first release member remains in said release position;
• applying a second actuating force toward a rearward end of a second one of said slide assemblies to a second release member thereby moving said second release member to a release position, wherein said second release member remains in said release position;
• and
• applying a retracting force to said load thereby retracting said slide assemblies.

A lock-out slide mechanism for locking a telescoping slide in an extended position, said slide mechanism comprising:

• a first slide member having an outward end from which the slide telescopes and an inward end toward which the slide retracts and further having an engagement surface;
• a second slide member having an outward end and an inward end, said second slide member slidably connected to said first slide member such that the second slide member is slidable relative to said first slide member;
• a lock arm attached to said second slide member and configured to move in a direction substantially transverse to a vertical plane and having an interference surface configured to engage said engagement surface thereby inhibiting the movement of said second slide member relative to said first slide member;
• and
• an elongated lock release member slidably positioned along said second slide member and contacting an upper wall and a lower wall of said second slide member, said elongated lock release configured such that inwardly displacing said elongated lock release member displaces said lock arm in a direction substantially transverse to a vertical plane thereby disengaging said interference surface from said engagement surface thus allowing relative movement of said second slide member and said slide member, and wherein once displaced inwardly said elongated lock release remains displaced inwardly until said slide mechanism is fully retracted.

A slide mechanism comprising:

• an outer slide member of a generally C-shaped section having a pair of upper and lower bearing raceways facing vertically inward;
• an intermediate slide member of a generally C-shaped section having a pair of upper and lower bearing raceways facing vertically outward and further having a first interengaging surface;
• a first plurality of upper and lower bearings in rolling engagement with respective upper and lower bearing raceways of the outer and intermediate slide members;
• an inner slide member of a generally C-shaped section defining a longitudinal channel therein and having a pair of upper and lower bearing raceways facing vertically outward;
• a second plurality of upper and lower bearings in rolling engagement with the pair of upper and lower bearing raceways of the inner slide member and a second pair of opposed vertically inward facing upper and lower raceways of the intermediate slide member;
• a lock arm fixedly attached to an inward surface of said inner slide member and defining a second interengaging surface configured to engage said first interengaging surface on said intermediate slide member to inhibit the relative movement therebetween;
• and
• an elongated release member slidably disposed within said inner slide member channel and contacting inwardly facing surfaces of said upper bearing raceways and said lower bearing raceways, said elongated release member held in place by the inner slide member channel and further configured to translate longitudinally to displace said lock arm and thereby disengage said first interengaging surface and said second interengaging surface, wherein once said elongated release member is translated to a position to displace said lock arm, said elongated release member remains in said position until said slide mechanism is moved to a fully retracted position.