A slide structure comprises a pair of slide members intercoupled by a slide-bearing assembly for longitudinal relative movement between contracted-retracted positions and advanced-extended, and separated positions. A resilient arm is carried by one of the slide members and releasably engages a shoulder on the other slide member when the members are in an intermediate position. The arm is movable to a retained retracted disengaged position, when the slide members are in their intermediate positions, by being longitudinally forwardly slideable along its slide member, or is releasably locked in such position by a slideable lock member and is released from its retracted position upon a predetermined movement of the slide member. The bearing assembly upon extension of the slide member is locked against rearward movement and is released upon a predetermined contraction of the slide members.
A slide mechanism includes at least two telescoping channel shaped slide members or supports having confronting race defining grooves formed in their side legs, ball bearings being retained between the races. The outer channel has a longitudinal slot at the rear end of its cross web and a screw extends between the outer channel side legs to contract these legs on opposite sides of the slot with the tightening of the screw, so that with the telescoping closing of the slide members,some of the ball bearings are tightly embraced by the correspondingly contracted races to lock the slide member against shock and vibration. A rubber sleeve on the screw extends between the side legs and functions as a bumper.
A slide is provided for a drawer. The slide includes two elongated members mounted for relative longitudinal sliding movement. The members include respective side walls shaped to define longitudinal ball bearing tracks. Ball bearings supported by a carrier are accommodated in the tracks to facilitate relative longitudinal sliding movement between the elongated members. The carrier is provided with projections which ride upon ridges in one of the elongated members. The carrier is also provided with spring-like ears mounted in cantilever relationship in the carrier in order to grasp the other of the elongated members. In addition, one of the elongated members is provided with stops to limit the longitudinal displacement of the carrier. One of these stops is in the form of an ear punched from one of the elongated members and the other stop is in the form of a protrusion formed in one of the walls of this elongated member. The carrier is provided with spherically shaped flanges to provide receptacles for the ball bearings.
Lock plate portions are formed in a front end portion of a flat plate portion of a first rail. A stopper member is mounted on a flat plate portion of a second rail. A lock hole and elastic strips are provided on a sloping plate portion of the stopper member. The lock hole is disposed such that it faces the lock plate portions when the second rail moves in the forward direction to a predetermined position. When the lock plate portion faces the lock hole, the elastic strip displaces a front end portion of the sloping plate portion to the flat plate portion side using elastic force of the elastic strip itself and elastic force of the sloping plate portion. Accordingly, the lock plate portions are relatively received in the lock hole.
A release mechanism for telescoping slide assembly including an outer member and an inner member is provided. The mechanism comprises a flexible strip of substantially triangular transverse cross section mounted on the inner member, the flexible strip including two flexible arms each extended from either end of a bottom plate thereof, two opposite recesses, and two locking lugs on the sides of either recess; and an engagement section on outer end of intermediate member, the section including an aperture and a projection on the edge of aperture. In the use position, the locking lugs contact the inner wall of the intermediate member while sliding, and the recesses are clung to both sides of the projection when the inner member has reached a predetermined end of the use position, thus blocking movement of the inner member relative to the intermediate member. Moreover, either arm may be depressed to disengage recess from projection. Hence, inner member may be moved away from outer member or retract inner member. The mechanism can effect a locking or unlocking of inner member in either extending or retracting.
A telescoping guide rail construction comprising a plurality of telescoping rails, generally U-shaped in cross-section, and balls between the rails running in concave ball races formed by integral mouldings of adjacent rails. At least one of the integral mouldings is formed by a portion of a flange bent over at the end of a leg of one of the rails and bent back at least substantially into contact with the leg concerned. In order to resist deformative effects from the rolling action of the balls on their races in use, the free end of the curved-back portion of the flange is bent back towards the leg concerned to form a terminal edge bearing with its extremity on the leg in the vicinity of the base thereof.
