US2496184A

US2496184A - Furniture drawer construction and method

Info

Publication number: US2496184A
Application number: US675937A
Authority: US
Inventors: Canon Paul L Von
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-06-11
Filing date: 1946-06-11
Publication date: 1950-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 1967-01-31

Description

Jam.. @32PM WE1@ a. L. www @ummm FURNITURE DRAWER CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD Filed June ll, 1946 Syvum/VLM" @www Patented Jan. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' Paul L. Von Canon, West End, N. C.

Application June 11,

3 Claims.

My invention has for its object to improve the method of construction of wooden drawers for furniture which simplifies the processes involved in the manufacture of the several pieces required, aids in their subsequent assembly and adds to the strength of the completed structure.

Another object of my invention is to provide a furniture drawer in which the side pieces of the frame may be secured to the front piece by a relative rotary movement thereon and simultaneously secured by the application of the back piece, the several pieces when so assembled being automatically locked together to form a rectangular frame.

Furthermore my invention contemplates the formation on the inner face of the drawer front piece and the adjoining ends of the side pieces of mortised joints which may be interlocked by a rotary movement of the side pieces to bring them into position at right angles to said front piece, in which position they are maintained by fastening to them other elements of the drawer such as the bottom and/or the usual back piece which is suitably attached to their rear ends.

To these and other ends my invention comprehends further improvements all as will be fully described in the accompanying specification, the novel features thereof being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing an edge view of the meeting portions of the front and side pieces of a drawer and illustrating the shapes applied to each for interlocking them in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of a completed drawer.

Figure 3 is a, side elevation of a completed drawer.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of a drawer showing the back piece locked in position on the rear ends of the side pieces.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary views illustrating one form of dovetail interlocking suitable for securing ends of the back and side pieces, Figs. 5 and 6 being enlargements of these parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively and Fig. '7 being a sectional view taken on the line 'Ix-'Ir of the two former figures.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing another form of interlock embodying a tongue and groove mortised connection.

Figures 9 and 10 are diagrammatic detail views illustrating the first and second steps respectively of forming the mortising joint in the front piece of a drawer.

Similar reference characters in the several :Iigures indicate similar parts.

In the construction of articles of furniture such as dressers, chiffoniers, high boys, desks and the 1946, Serial No. 675,937

like, the drawers with which they are equipped represent the major part of the cost of construction. Because of the many uses to which drawers are put it is essential that they be strongly built and so constructed that they present a pleasing appearance, and retain their original shape without warping so that they will be free running in their cabinets throughout the life of the piece of furniture of which they constitute the essential part.

In order to meet these several requirements I have devised a drawer construction that is adapted to machine construction or shaping of the several parts which possesses the further advantage of ready assembly of said parts which may be accomplished without the use of clamps or fastening devices passing through one part into another for securing them together.

A drawer constructed in accordance with my invention comprises a front piece I of given depth and length, two

side pieces

2 and 3 of equal depth and of a prescribed length, and an inner end piece 1i. The bottom of the drawer, indicated by 5, is preferably secured around its four edges by providing a channeled groove in the inner faces of the four side walls of the drawer in which its edges are secured as these walls are assembled, as shown in dotted lines. Also extending in a central position between the front I and back I is a guide rail t which I provide since in carrying out my invention the

sides

2 and 3 are not depended upon in guiding a drawer in its in and out movements in the cabinet to which it is fitted.

The front piece I is dimensioned as usual to nt a designated opening in a cabinet front. On its inner face at each end a portion thereof is cut away, as shown in Fig. 1, to form inner recessed steps and angular shoulders rising therefrom, the width of the steps and shape of the shoulders being cut according to the thickness of the side `

pieces

2 and 3. These steps and shoulders are formed in two.operations as illustrated in Figs. 9 and l0. The rst operation is performed by cutting a groove 'I to the desired depth using any appropriate tool for the purpose, such as a top tenon head cutter. The bottomof this groove forms the recessed step indicated by 8 in Fig. l. This grooving operation leaves surplus material, as indicated at S (Fig. 9) and a straight wall Ill in which latter I form an undercut to provide a shoulder I I of substantial thickness. In this step of the procedure I use a shaping tool I2, such as a back scoring or coping head, having avperipheral shape formed to provide the undercut in wall IU with an inwardly extending inclined face I3 extending from shoulder I Ito a point beyond the inner edge of the recess or step 8, as indicated at I4. The drawer front piece I is presented endwise against a stop I5 and moved crosswise yof the 60 tool I2, as will be understood and by this opera- 3 tion the surplus edge 9 of the board is removed simultaneously with the formation of shoulder I I, undercut I3 and inner shoulder I4. Cutting away the part 9 leaves a shoulder I6 which defines the outer edge of the recess or step 8.

On the inner faces of the outer ends of side pieces 2 and 3 I form countershapes of the outlines formed by shoulders II, undercut I3 and step B so that there is a perfect matching when these parts are brought together. Thus a side piece has a foot portion I1 and a tongue I8.

As will be seen from inspection of Fig. 1 the shapes given the matching parts is such that when a side piece is positioned angularly to the front piece with its foot I'I in the recess 8 the tongue I8 just clears the edge of the projection formed by shoulder II. Hence by raising the outer end of the side piece to rotate it into a position at 'right angles to the front piece its lower outer corner pivots against the shoulder IE and with the parts in the last mentioned position their separation is prevented by the interlocking of shoulders I I and I8. It will be seen therefore that the two sides of a drawer may be applied simultaneously to the opposite ends of a front piece.

Fixing the forward ends of the side pieces permanently is eifected when the back piece 4 is applied to their ends. As this also should be a permanent connection I dovetail their extremities and have shown in Figs. 5 to 8 details of suitable formations for these corners. Figs. 5 and 6 show a type of dovetailing which has proved satisfactory in service. In this the wedge shaped tongues I9 on the end piece 4 are rounded on their lower sides and undercut as indicated by 20, as are the corresponding recesses formed in the ends of the

side pieces

2 and 3, the undercutting of the tongues in addition to their wedge formation serving to create a very strong union between the parts preventing any separation of the rear ends of the side pieces. Another means which I have also employed for accomplishing this purpose is shown in Fig. 8 and comprises a tongue and groove connection, the tongue 2| being on the end of the side piece and tting a groove on the inner face of the end piece. In whatever fo'rm may be used for attaching these parts it is preferable to leave a marginal strip 22 on the side pieces Zand 3 as acontinuation of their outer faces which overlap the ends of the back piece thus furnishing perfectly smooth surfaces tothe outer sides of the drawer.

In effecting the end locking feature of a drawer embodying my invention itwill be observed that I accomplish it by moving the end board 4, when placed in operative position, in a direction toward and parallel to the front piece I. In practice 'the method followed by the cabinet maker in assembling the parts is to first place the front piece I on the assembly bench with its inner face uppermost and the bottom board -5 positioned in its groove thereon. He then takes the two side pieces, one in each hand, placing their foot portions lin the two recesses 8 and by a rotary movement bringing them into an upright position causing their outer ends to become interlocked with the front piece and their longitudinal grooves to embrace the side edges of the bottom board. In 'this position the side pieces are secured by applying to their then uppermost ends the end piece 4 4 which is forced into its nal position with a slight downward movement. During this movement the groove therein also embraces the remaining edge of bottom 5 so that the latter is supported at each of its four edges in the finished structure.

As an alternate means of assembly of the drawer frame it will be appreciated that the end board might be fixed to the ends of the side pieces thus holding said sides in parallelism and causing their connection with the front piece by a movement transversely thereon to interlock the forward ends in the step and grooves of the front p1ece.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of constructing furniture drawer 'frames consisting in forming on the ends of the inner face of a drawer front piece and the inner faces of the contiguous ends of the frame side pieces, shoulders and recesses adapted to interlock upon relative rotary movement of the side pieces toward each other, to bring them into a right angle position on the front piece and subsequently afxing the drawer back piece to the rear ends of said side pieces.

2. The method of constructing furniture drawer frames consisting in forming' on the ends of the inner face of a drawer front piece a stepped recess `and an undercut above informing upon each of the inner sides vof the forward ends of the drawer side pieces foot pieces and projections corresponding to said recesses and undercuts, said side pieces adapted to interlock with the vfront piece when applied "to the front piece in an angular position and rotated into a position at right angles to the front, forming on the rear ends of said side pieces and on the extremities of a drawer back piece cooperating projections and recesses and subsequently interlocking them to secure the side pieces in their i'nterlocked relation with the drawer front piece.

3. The method of constructing furniture draw ers consisting in providing dimensioned front, side and rear end frame pieces, and a vrectangular bottom piece, each'of the frame pieces being provided with a longitudinal rabbeted slot on their inner faces for the reception of an edge of said bottom, and forming on the ends of the inner face of the front piece and the inner faces of the contiguous ends of the side pieces corresponding Shoulders and recesses adapted to be interlocked upon relative rotary movement of the side pieces toward each other to bring them into a right angular position on the front piece, and 'ai'xing to the rear ends of the side vpieces the rear end piece.

PAUL L. VON CANON.

REFERENCES CITED l The following references areof record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 411,924 Lindelman CCIS. l, 1889 434,044 Estay Aug. 12, 1890' 1,159,229 Keith Nov. 2, 1915 1,169,328 Holtgrewe Jan. 25, Y1916 2,430,200 Wilson Nov. 4, 1947