Plate bracket for mounting a cassette box

• US 4,426,056 A
• Filed: 03/31/1981
• Issued: 01/17/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shape
• Original Assignee: Shape
• Inventors: Gelardi, Anthony L., Gelardi, Paul J., MacLeod, Robert B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/249,681
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 248/225.1, 248/233.4, 312/9, 312/12, 312/14, 312/107, 312/111, 206/387, 206/601, 206/821, 220/23.4
• US Class Current: 248/225.11
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/023 Containers for magazines or cassettes

Abstract

A bracket for mounting a cassettebox that includes a flat substantially thin rectangular plate member attachable to a table, shelf or other like surface. Integrally formed on the flat plate member are alignment and locking elements formed along the side edges of the flat plate member for positioning a flat plate member of another bracket in side engaging alignment thereto, so that cassetteboxes mounted on adjacent brackets are aligned with each other in side-by-side relationship. In addition, there are provided male beveled side edges integrally formed along the front portion of the flat plate member for insertion into female dovetail grooves formed along the bottom side edges of the cassettebox. Flanges are formed along the non-beveled rear portions of the side edges of the flat plate member for aligning engagement with and positioning thereon track members formed along bottom side edges of the cassettebox that is to be mounted onto the bracket. At least one female notch is formed in the front edge of the flat plate member for engagement with at least one male nodule formed at the front bottom edge of the cassettebox that is to be connected to the bracket. All of the above elements can be formed of a single piece of molded material to provide an inexpensive mass-produced mounting bracket of a simple and small configuration, but one that is versatile and ensures a proper mounting function for the cassettebox.

Claims

1. A flat bracket for mounting a cassettebox having interconnect means formed along the bottom side edges thereof and alignment and locking means formed along the front bottom edge thereof, said bracket comprising:

(a) a flat substantially thin rectangular plate member attachable to a table, shelf or other like surface and having apertures formed therethrough for receiving screws for mounting said flat plate member to the table, shelf or other like surface, and wherein the bottom surface of said flat plate member has a relief formed in the central portion thereof except around said screw apertures for flush attachment of said flat mounting bracket to a table, shelf or other like surface without warping or cupping of said flat plat member and for affixing an identifying logo, label or the like to said flat plate member without interference with the flush attachment of said flat plate member to the table, shelf or other like surface;

(b) interconnect means formed along the side edges of said flat plate member for mating with the corresponding interconnect means of the cassettebox, wherein the cassettebox is held on top of said flat plate member;

(c) first alignment and locking means comprising at least one female notch formed in the front edge of said flat plate member for engagement with at least one male nodule formed at the front bottom edge of the cassettebox connected to the mounting bracket for positioning the cassettebox on top of said flat plate member in front even-alignment with said flat plate member; and

(d) second alignment and locking means comprising a female notch formed in one side edge of said flat plate member and a male nodule formed on the other side edge of said flat plate member, wherein the male nodule of the flat plate member is mateable with the female notch of a flat plate member of an adjacent mounting bracket for side engagement alignment thereto, wherein the cassetteboxes held on adjacent mounting brackets are aligned with each other in side-by-side relationship,

and wherein said flat plate member, interconnect means, and first and second alignment and locking means are formed of a single integral piece of molded material.

2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein said interconnect means comprises male beveled side edges of said flat plate member for insertion into female dovetail grooves formed along the bottom side edges of the cassettebox container.

3. The bracket of claim 2, wherein said male beveled side edges are formed only along the front portion of said flat plate member for allowing easy alignment and insertion of the corresponding female dovetail grooves formed only along the front portion of the bottom side edges of the cassettebox.

4. The bracket of claim 3, wherein said male nodule and female notch of said second alignment and locking means are formed along the non-beveled rear portion of the side edges of said flat plate member.

5. The bracket of claim 3, wherein said flat mounting bracket further comprises flanges formed along the rear portions of said side edges of said flat plate member for aligning engagement with and positioning thereon track ribs formed along the bottom side edges of the cassettebox.

6. The bracket of claim 5, wherein said female notch and male nodule of said second alignment and locking means are formed along the flanges, so that the corresponding flanges of side aligned mounting brackets abut each other and wherein a space is formed between the corresponding front beveled side edges of the side aligned mounting brackets for easy positioning of respective cassetteboxes onto the mounting brackets.

7. The bracket of claim 1, wherein said apertures have chamfered surfaces for receiving and mounting said screws flush with the top surface of said flat plate member for preventing interference with the bottom surface of the cassette container mounted on said flat plate member.

8. The bracket of claim 1, wherein said rectangular plate member has outer length and width dimensions equal to or less than the outer length and width dimensions of the bottom of said cassettebox for slidable and detachable connection thereto.

9. The bracket of claim 8, wherein said substantially thin rectangular plate member has a thickness dimension approximately from 0.075 to 0.150 inches.

10. A flat bracket for mounting a cassettebox having interconnect means formed along the bottom side edges thereof, said bracket comprising:

(a) a flat substantially thin rectangular plate member attachable to a table, shelf or other like surface and having outer length and width dimensions equal to or less than the outer length and width dimensions of the bottom of said cassettebox container for slidable and detachable connection thereto;

(b) interconnect means formed along the side edges of said flat plate member for mating with the corresponding interconnect means of the cassettebox, wherein the cassettebox is held on top of said flat plate member; and

(c) alignment and locking means formed along the side edges of said flat plate member for positioning a flat plate member of another flat mounting bracket in side engaging alignment thereto, wherein the cassetteboxes held on adjacent mounting brackets are aligned with each other in side-by-side relationship,

and wherein said flat plate member, interconnect means, and alignment and locking means are formed of a single integral piece of molded material.

11. The bracket of claim 10, wherein said alignment and locking means comprises a female notch formed in one side edge of said flat plate member and a male nodule formed on the other side edge of said flat plate member, and wherein the male nodule of the flat plate member is mateable with the female notch of a flat plate member of an adjacent side-aligned mounting bracket.

12. The bracket of claim 11, wherein said interconnect means comprises male beveled side edges of said flat plate member for insertion into female dovetail grooves formed along the bottom side edges of the cassettebox.

13. The bracket of claim 12, wherein said male beveled side edges are formed only along the front portion of said flat plate member for allowing easy alignment and insertion of the corresponding female dovetail grooves formed only along the front portion of the bottom side edges of the cassettebox.

14. The bracket of claim 13, wherein said male nodule and female notch of said alignment and locking means are formed along the non-beveled rear portion of the side edges of said flat plate member.

15. The bracket of claim 13, wherein said flat mounting bracket further comprises flanges formed along the rear portions of said side edges of said flat plate member for aligning engagement with and positioning thereon track ribs formed along the bottom side edges of the cassettebox.

16. The bracket of claim 15, wherein said female notch and male nodule of said alignment and locking means are formed along the flanges, so that the corresponding flanges of side aligned mounting brackets abut each other and wherein a space is formed between the corresponding front beveled side edges of the side aligned mounting brackets for easy positioning of respective cassetteboxes onto the mounting brackets.

17. The bracket of claim 10, 11, or 12, wherein said flat plate member has apertures formed therethrough for receiving screws for mounting said flat plate member to the table, shelf or other like surface and wherein the bottom surface of said flat plate member has a relief formed in the central portion thereof except around said screw apertures for flush attachment of said flat mounting bracket to the table, shelf or other like surface without warping or cupping of said flat plate member and for affixing an identifying logo, label or the like to said flat plate member without interference with the flush attachment of said flat plate member to the table, shelf or other like surface.

18. The bracket of claim 17, wherein said apertures have chamfered surfaces for receiving and mounting said screws flush with the top surface of said flat plate member for preventing interference with the bottom surface of the cassettebox mounted on said flat plate member.

19. The bracket of claim 10, wherein said substantially thin rectangular plate member has a thickness dimension approximately from 0.075 to 0.150 inches.

20. The bracket of claim 10, 11, 12, or 15, further comprising alignment and locking means having at least one female notch formed in the front edge of said flat plate member for engagement with at least one male nodule formed at the front bottom edge of the cassettebox connected to the mounting bracket for positioning the cassettebox on top of said flat plate member in front even-alignment with said flat plate member.