US2226670A - Cabinet - Google Patents

Description

s; F. PRATT ETAL' Dec. 31, 1940. K

CABINET Filed Dec. 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l #uffi Syvum/MMS .3.1 Seeyvdpr 'WM/m 1h31, 1940.; SEPRATT ETA; 2,226,670

CABINET Filed Dec. 8, v195e '2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 PATENT OFFICE k CABINET Seely F. Pratt and Harvey H. Yawman, Le Roy,

N. Y., assignors to Union Steel Chest Corporation, Le Roy, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 8, 1938, Serial No. 244,705

3 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to cabinets and more particularly to a sheet metal drawer cabinet for general utility purposes and adapted tc a wide variety of domestic, oiilce and factory 6 uses, and the invention has for its primary object the provision of certain novel features involving the construction, arrangement and correlation of parts with certain advantageous results including minimization of the number of parts so as to 10 facilitate their assembly and the promotion of maximum strength and durability at a minimum cost.

The invention is, in the main, directed to a type of cabinet capable of effective manufacture in 15 small two-drawer units, with provision for their ready and effective connection in any desired multple in stacks, in which the number of units may, of course, vary in accordance with the demands of use. It is' not, however, to be understood as limited 20 to such unit manufacture, since many of the structural features readily adapt the invention to use in connection with cabinets of larger size and greater drawer capacity as the practical requirements of use may dictate.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto ap- 30 pended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

35 In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the various features of the present invention and form a part of this specification,

Figure l is a top plan view of the blank of the body of the case as initially formed.

40 Figure 2 is a perspective view thereof showing the blank with its initially upset flanges.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank of one of the internal wall braces of the case.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of these 45 internal wall braces bent to its final form.

Figure 5is a perspective view showing the upset blank of Figure 2 bent along transverse lines to form the case body.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rear wall.

50 Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing one of the front corner joints of the case body.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view through one of the front corner joints of the case as nally 55 formed.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the complete cabinet in a plane slightly above the upper drawer.

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view therethrough. 5

Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal section taken therethrough.

Figure 12 is a\detail section through a portion of one of the drawers, taken on line I2--I2 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is afragmentary perspective view of a lo portion of one of the drawers, on an enlarged scale showing the division plate holding means.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the complete cabinet with the drawers partially withdrawn. 15

Figure 15 is a top plan view of the blank of one of the drawers.

Referring now to these figures and, in the first instance, to Figure 14, the rectangular case of the improved cabinet, as generally indicated at I6, is shown as including a top I1, a bottom I8, side walls I9 and 20 and a rear wall 2|, the latter of which is better seen in Figure -9, together forming an open front through which the drawers 22 and 23 are slidabl'e into and out of the case. 25

According to the-present invention, the top, bottom and side walls of the case, constituting the body thereof, are formed as integral parts of a blank, plainly shown as it is initially cut out in Figure l, with cut-out longitudinal side edges generally mapping out in the blank rectangular sections I'l, I8, I9, and 20B, respectively corresponding to the top Il, bottom I8 and side walls I9 and 20 of the completed body.

As shown in Figure 2, the blank is upset along its two longitudinal edges and one end so that there is formed along what may be defined as the rear edge of the blank an upstanding flange 24, the opposite ends of which are beveled as at 25, and the intermediate portions of which are 40 provided with V-shaped notches 26 between the several sections thereof, resulting in edges beveled like the end edges 25, so that, when the blank is bent along transverse .lines between its several sections to form the case body as shown in Figure 5, these beveled edges will come into edgewise abutting relation at the corners of the rear end of thebody. Thus at the rear end of the body there is completed a surrounding inturned flange with plain mitered abutting joints at the corners. to facilitate reception of the rear wall 2l, which in this instance is a plain flat rectangular section of the metal adapted to be placed against the inner surface of the rear flange of the case body, to

which its edge portions may be securely fastened at spaced points therearo'und as by means of soot welding.

The upset blank shown in Figure 2 is also provided at one end with an upstanding end flange 21, which, when the blank is bent between its sections to form .the case body shown` in Figure 5, may overlap the adjacent free edge of the bottom wall I8, to which it may be securely fastened as by means of spot welding.

The upset blank of `Figure 2 is, in addition to the foregoing, provided with a rightangular upwardly and inwardly deflected flange 28 along its forward edge, this flange being cut away at its ends and at points between the several sections of the blank to provide the inturned portion of the flange with rightangular abutting edges 29 and the upstandng portion of the ange with overlapping portions 30 and underlapping portions 3|, the several underlapping portions 3| beingoifset inwardly a distance corresponding to the thickness of the metal, so that, when the body of the case is bent to ultimate form as shown in Figure 5. the flange 28 as a whole will constitute a boxed rib surrounding the open front of the case, with the cut-away edge portions 29 thereof in meeting or abutting relation and the cut-away edge portions 39 and 3| in overlapping relation, in which the edge portions 30, corresponding in contour to the offset area of the portions 3|, will precisely interfit and seat within such offsets so as to complete overlapping joints at the front corners of the bex, which are at the same time ush or even with the adjacent surfaces of the cabinet front. The overlapping of these parts 3 and 3| provide for secure connection of the corner joints at the Afront of the case by means of spot welding of theoverlapped portions.

The cabinet case as thus-formed is reinforced by internal vertically disposed side braces, and each of these braces, one of which is seen in detail in Figure 4, consists of a single rectangular sheet of metal cut out according to the blank of Figure 3, the upright side edges of this blank 3|a being subsequently bent to form an angular ange 33 at one edge and an L-shaped flange 34 at its opposite edge.

Each wall brace plate 32 is placed' in upright position along and spaced from the inner surface of one of the side Walls I9 and 2D of the cabinet case, with its flanged side edge 33 extending forwardly within the front flange 28 or hollow rib of the cabinet body, so that the inturned portion of the body flange 28 will be effectively reinforced, the outwardly projecting fiange 33 extending into edgewise contact with the side wall, as plainly seen in Figure 7.

The two wall braces 32 are, of course, reversible for the foregoing purpose, and each thereof extends along its respective side Wall of the cabinet for a portion of the depth of the cabinet only, and with its rear flange 34 lying atwise against the inner surface of the cabinet side wall so as to provide for a spot-welded or other desirable connection between this flange and the side wall.

Between the forward and rear flange portions 33 and 34 thereof, each sidewall brace is out away vertically to provide for upper and lower .inturned flanges 35 and the intermediate inwardly upset flanges 36, the latter being centrally between the upper and lower flanges 35 so that these several flanges define between them drawer receivingspaces, the flanges themselves constituting drawer guides.

The drawers 22 and 23 are each preferably formed from a blank 31 as shown in Figure 15, cut out with extending side and end portions which, when bent upwardly at right angles to the body portion, constitute the front wall 38 of the drawer, its rear wall 39 and its side walls 40 and 4|,

of which the front wall 38 preferably has a centrally located portion outwardly o'set along a curved line to form an integral drawer pull or handle 42.

Preferably also, the sidewalls 40 and 4| have at their opposite ends extending flanges 43 which, in the finished form of the drawer. are disposed angularly to overlap portions of the sides of the front and rear walls 3B and 39,. the latter being formed with conformable indented portions 44 offset a distance equal to the thickness of the metal so that angular aps 43 just above mentioned may enter the conformable depressionsv of the'front and rear walls 38 and 39,l and in this way not only provide for a better connection of the walls of thev drawers by spot welding or otherwise connecting the flaps 43 in their overlapped positions, but create a drawer, the front wall of which presents an attractive appearance-with a generally flush even front surface.

Each drawer is also preferably provided in its front wall 38 below its drawer pull 42 with a series of struck-up lips 45 located at lthe four corners of a rectangular area for the convenient engagement of the corners of a card, so as to hold the card atwise against the front wall of the drawer for various purposes in identifying 'the contents of the particular drawer.

Each drawer is furthermore provided at equidistantly spaced points along-its several walls with inwardly offset vertical ribs 4B arranged in parallel relation in pairs, and a single horizontal inwardly offset rib 41 above each pair of vertical ribs. This arrangement provides for detachable engagement with the upright walls of the drawers of the ends of division plates 48, the ends of the plates being received between the .upright parallel ribs 48, below and confined against vertical displacement by the horizontal ribs 41. These division plates are of the well-known type having interengaging slitted portions where they cross one another, and they may or may not be used in either of the drawers or used in only one drawer as use may dictate, the provision made for their reception affording a considerable range in their location and in the resulting compartments within the drawers formed thereby.

In order that the units may be utilized in multiple in stacks, the top and bottom I8 of the case are provided with similarly depressed circular areas at 49, at spaced points which are in truevertical alignment so that the top I1 has a. series of depressions and the bottom I8 has a series of depending bosses or feet in vertical alignment with depressions 49 to thus enter the top depressions of the next lowermost unit of a stack. Preferably, the bases of the depressed areas 49 are provided with central apertures 5| to receive through the interseated bosses and depressions short connecting bolts, if it is desired to rapidly unite the several units of a stack of units.

What is claimed is:

1'. A drawer cabinet including top, bottom and side walls and having an open front, said cabinet being formed of sheet material and-having the forward edges of the top, bottom and side walls turned inwardly and rearwardly to provide a substantially continuous rearwardly extendag ange spaced from said top, bottom and side walls and extending around the open front of the cabinet,

and a pair of combined top and side wall braces and drawer guide members consisting of bracing walls within the cabinet at opposite sides thereof extending rearwardly from said open front along the major portions of the cabinet side walls, said members being of identical construction and applicable in reversed relationto the opposite sides of the cabinet, each member having a lateral iiange along its front vertical edge in parallelism with an inturned portion of the side walls behind the rearwardly extending flange of the latter, said lateral iiange serving to maintain the forward portion of its respective member spaced from the side wall of the cabinet, an outwardly offset flange along its rear vertical edge secured to the inner surface of the cabinet side wall, said lateral flanges projecting above and below the upper and lower edges of the member and into bracing contact at the upper and lower ends thereof with the top and bottom walls of the cabinet, a plurality of inwardly struck iianges formed on each member and extending in parallelism horizontally including upper and lower anges substantially at the level of the rearwardly extending iiange portions of the top and bottom walls respectively, and a medial ange between said top and bottom flanges, said top, bottom and medial flanges providing drawer guides and supports for the cabinet.

2. A drawer cabinet including top, bottom and side walls,vand having an open front, said cabinet being formed of sheet material and having the forward edges of the top, bottom and side walls turned inwardly and rearwardly to prove a substantially continuous rearwardly extending ange spaced from said top, bottom and side walls, and extending around the open front of the cabinet, and -a pair of combined top and side wall braces and drawer guide members comprising bracing walls within the cabinet at opposite sides thereof extending rearwardly from said open front along the major portions of the cabinet side walls. said members being applicable in reversed relation to the opposite sides of the cabinet, `each member having a lateral iiange along its front vertical edge, the upper and lower ends oi' said lateral flange extending into bracing contact with the top and bottom walls of the cabinet, said lateral flange serving to maintain the forward portion of its respective member spaced from the side wall of the cabinet. an outwardly offset flange along the rear vertical edge of the drawer guide member secured to the inner surface of the cabinet side wall, a plurality of anges providing drawer guides and supports extending inwardly and substantially horizontally from each of said members, saidA flanges including upper and lower flanges substantially at the level of said rearwardly extending ange portion of the top and bottom walls respectively, and at least one medial ange between said top and bottom flanges.

3. A drawer cabinet including top, bottom and sidewalls and having an open front, said cabinet being formed of sheet material and having the forward edges of the top, bottom and side walls turned inwardly and rearwardly to provide a substantially continuous rearwardly extending flange spaced from said top, bottom and side walls and extending around the open front of the cabinet, and a pair of combined top and side wall braces and drawer guide members consisting of bracing walls within the cabinet at opposite sides thereof extending rearwardly from said open front along the major portions of the cabinet side walls, said members being applicable in reversed relation to the opposite sides of the cabinet, each member having a lateral ange along its front vertical edge in parallelism with an inturned portion of the side walls behind the rearwardly extending flange of the latter, said lateral iiange serving to maintain the forward portion of its respective member spaced from the side wall of the cabinet, an outwardly offset flange along its rear vertical edge secured to the inner surface of the cabinet side wall, said lateral flanges and outwardly offset iianges each projecting above and below the upper and lower edges ofthe member and into bracing contact at the upper and lower ends thereof with the top and bottom walls of the cabinet, a plural ity of inwardly struck flanges formed on each member and extending in parallelism horizontally including upper and lower flanges substantially at the level ofthe rearwardly extending flange portions of the top and bottom walls respectively, and a medial flange between said top and bottom iianges, said top, bottom and medial flanges providing drawer guides and supports for the cabinet.

, SEELY F. PRATI.

HARVEY H. YAWMAN.

CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,226,670. December 51,- 191m.

sEELY F. PRATT, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent :requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 55,4 claim 2, for the word "prove" read provide; and that4 the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed tms 28th day of January, A. D. 19in.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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