CA1261910A - Knock-down drawer with detachable front panel - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A drawer structure for use in a fabricated, knock-down merchandise display fixture. The drawer, which is adapted for being disposed in a sliding condition on the base of the display fixture, includes a removable front panel with a rotatable cam lock for detachably securing the front panel to the drawer.

Description

PECIPICAfION

This is a divisional application Oe co-pending Canadian Application No. 501,949.
The presellt invention relates to a drawer of a knock-down variety which includes a removable front palle.L which is detachable from the remainder of the drawer, ancl wllich includes ro-tatable cam lock means for locking the front pallel in place on the drawer pan. This drawer is adapted for use in a fabricated knock-down merchandise display fix-ture o~ the type disclosed and claîmed in co-pending Canadian App:l.ication No.
501,949-Fabricated display un.its which may be readilyassembled and disassembled are known in the pr:ior art; it is also known in the prior art to provide a disp:lay rack or fixture having foldable structure for facilitating packing of ; the rack for shipment; also knock-down drawers for facilitating sh~ipment thereof and having means for locking a removable front panel to the front of~the drawer structure are known in the prior art. ~
~0~ U.S. Patent No. 1,084,378 dated 1-13-1~ to J. Wall :
~discloses a display rack with folda~l.e legs for facilitating ~: packing of the rack for shipment. U.~. Patent No. 96,107 dated : , :
10-26-69 to James ~Iatfield discloses a clothes rack with ~: ~ foldable feet having a notch and projection s-tructure for ::: ~ :: ~: ~ :
holding the feet in predetermined position. U~S. Patent No.

2,992,745 dated 7-18-61 to J. Iluff discloses a folda~le rack.

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. , . ~ . , U.S. Patent No. 3,933,402 dated 1-20-76 to Warren Peterson discloses a knock-down drawer including a drawer pan with a removable front panel and locking means accessible, from the front of the panel, for actuation of the locking mearls. U.S.
Patent No. 4,222,542 dated 9-16-80 to Wilson e-t al cliscloses an end panel mount including hooks with a cantilevered spring lock associated therewith. U.S. Patent No. 3,197,265 dated 7-27-65 to M. Rand, U.S. Patent No. 3,572,874 dated 3-30-71 to Ernst Hassel and U.S. patent No. 3,72~,246 dated 4-24-73 to Bob G. ~larrell et al disclose other arrangemen-ts of vertically oriented panels removably secured to a base by means of coupling elements.
The present invention provides a knock-down drawer for slidably mounting on the base of a fabricated, knock-down merchandise display fixture. The drawer includes a separable front panel for facilitating shipment of the drawer and rotatable cam lock means for detachably securillcJ the Eront panel to the remainder of the drawer pan.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a drawer 20 Wit}l a pan structure adapted to be slidably mounted in a display fixture. Planar-like brackets disposed in cJenerally ~ ~ vertical planes generally parallel to the longit-ldinal plane ; of the pan structure extend upwardly from the pan structure adjacent to the forward end thereof. The brackets have coupling means thereon for coaating with coupling means on the lnner side of a retnovable fron-t panel. A further means for detachably securing the front panel to the bracket~ is provided JJ ', `
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comprising a tab disposed .in a generally vertical plane projectiny rearwardly from the inner side of the front panel.
This tab has an opening therethrough which is adapted for alignment with a complementary opening in the respec-tive bracket when the front panel is disposed in its mounted condition on the first mentioned coupling means. ~ securing means is provided comprising a rotatable cam lock member insertable laterally of the bracke-t and tab through the aligned openinys which is rotatable into a locking position to in-terlock the bracket and the tab together thereby preventing disassembly of the front panel from the pan structure.
Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunctioll with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIGURE 1 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the base portion and an associated vertically oriented arm disposed in upright position for providing structural support for the merchandise display ~: .
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~lcck of the fixturc: i.n phantom lines tllcro .iR
illu~trated tlle fold-down po~ltiosl oE tl~o ~cm; t-l~o cslidable knock-down drawcr o~ t2~c ~ixture i~-s al~lo ~l~own ~n thi~ v.iew FIGUI~ 1~ is a 3it3C olevational viow oL' tllc ~ep~ra~le moullting w~b aLlaptcd for ~ccurcll~ent to t1lc ba~se of the fixture adj~cent tl-o ~ront bounclary o~
t~le latter, for swinyably mountill~3 the as~oci~ta~ ~cm Oll the base as illu3trated .in FIGV~E 1t lo FIGURE 2 ls a gcncrally cl~agr~mm~tic, perspcctive 111ustratlon of OllC form o~ mercln~ o c3icsplay unit which inc:Lude~ tlle preFsent:invelltit,n;
FIGUnE 3 i9 a fraglllontary, roducc(l Yi~.C, exploded vi~w of t~le ba~e allLl foldable arm rstrucl:urc and with the knock-down ~rawcr 3tructuro havitlc-l t.lsc~
froslt panel~ thereof removed, and wltl- such banc--arm alld drawer 3tructure really or po~ltioninc~ on a con-ventiona1 kickpl~te ~support to mount tho disp1ay ixture on a floor surfacc;
FIGURE ~ i~ all ¢nlarged fragmcntary, ront clld, broke:l, elevational view of the ba.se-arm anLI
drawer structure of ~IGUnE 3;
FIGURFJ 5 19 a LraCJlllentary, Crll~r~c!d, l:~I.all view t~ken gene~rally alollg tlle plancoE 1inc S-5 of : 25 FIGU~E 4, looking in the direction of the arrow.q~
FIGU~E 6 i3 all clcv~tlolla1 vlew of tlla Ic[t-lland arm member per sc:
FIGURE ~ is a pcr~qpactive illustratloll ~sllow-1ng the asse~bly of the ixture, ~nd particularly the merchandi~e di3~1ay declc of thc E.ixturc wltll t2la ', , b~ck wall uprights thercof, praparatory to in~1ortl.
the front end of tlle mol~cd mercl~a~ iYe di~1L)lay dcck it-to the cross mcmber ~pporte~ 011 tile fol~ 1)la ~rm~ of the ba~e of t~e fi~ture;
FIGURE B i3 an oxplode~1, fragmo11t.1ry vlaw ~howing the as~en~ly of ~ide pancl3 to tl1e )~.qc ~1ni rcar upright~ of the fixture;
FI~UI~E ~ i~ a fragmentnry ~ ntratioll of tho ~s~embly of a divider w~ll panel with th~ mcrc11~t1-lo di~e di3play declc of the Lixture to provi~c dafi1-c~
cubicles for rcceiving merch~ndise and hol~1in~J ~h~
latter on the di~play deck;
FIGURE 10 ig an cxploded, pcrs~active vlcw of the ks1oc~c down drawer, with tllc front p~ncl d~tael1ed from the remai~der of the drawor pan;
FI~URE 11 is an enlarged view of a 3ectio o~ FlGU~lE 10 ~howing tl~e co~ction betwecn t~1e Co~1p-ling on the rear ~ide of the front panel ~nd ti)e coupling on the drawer p~n adapted to receivQ
tl1erein when juxtapo~ed ~nd al-gncd a rotatablo e~
lock, for detachably locking the front panel to tho rel~inder of t11e drawer 6tructure;
E'IGURE 12 is an enlargec1, ~id~ elevat.io11al view of the leEthand rotat~le cam lock for datnci1~
connecting the front panel of tha 1cnock-down drawer to the remaindex oE tho ~rawer ~)~n;
FIGURE 13 is a rear end elevatiot1al view : ~ of the rotat~ble c~m loclc o FIGU~E 12;
FIG~RE 1~ 1 a platl viow of the rotat~l~lo 3U c~- lock of FIGURE I2 t~]cen gener~lly along tho ~ ne .

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, ' ` ~ ;--of FIGUnE 12, 1Ooking in the direction oE tllo nrro~ l FlGunE 15 is a ~ectlona1 vlew oE tllo klloclc-clown drawer etructure ~llld itF3 po91t:ion on t)lo bi~se S of the fi~ture, but rotated 90 from it'3 norma1 llori-.on ta 1 pos it ion;
FIGU~E 16 i'3 a fratJmentary, e1evational.
view of the coupling bracket mounte~ on thc rigl~t nide of the inner surface o~ tlle. front pane1 of tllc dr~w~r structure for coupling t~le front panel to the rn~ lnder of t~le drawer pan:
FIGunE 11 i~ an enl~rged, ~oction~l vl~w o~ the f~ont panel taken gellera11y a1Orlg tlle p1alle of 1ine 17-17 of FIGunE 16 1Ook1ng in tlle clirocl:l.on of the arrow~, and FIGURE lB i9 a ~ragm~ntary 3ide e1evzl1:iolla1 view of the front palle1 ~howing the rcces~3c~d nalnlro of one of the coupling braclcet~ on the rcar ~ of the front pane1 alld i9 talCeil gellt~rally D10~ 3 tllO ~1.alle 20 oE line 18 18 of FIGUl~E 17 looking in tl)o dirccî: i.c~
oE the arrowr3.

The specii1c disp1ay Lixture or cabinel:
i11ustrated in the ~raw1ng, a~ ior is~stallce, ln EIGURE 2, i9 a fixturc adDpted ior merci~alldi~31ng 25 products such a~ greetlng cards, glft wrapplllg (e.g. ribbon~ and bows, wrapuintl paper and the lilco) but lt will be us~er~tood t:lr.~t the f ixture i,9 n~t 1im1tcd to such specific pS.`~ c`t~
~: or mercha~dise, but i9 also a~aElted for u~c wltll c~ er ::

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types and kinds of m~rcl~ cli~c. T~le ~lxtu~(3 i~3 o tlle knock-down type ad~l?ted to bc shiE)pod to tlle ~,lte of ultimate u~3e and to be assembleabla 011 sito, 113in9 r~latively w1skill~3d laborO c~nd rt3qulr~l~g a minlmul,l o tool~3 and separate fa~3tening dovices. By provi(l-ing for ~hipment of the unit in !3ectionc~l ~orm, tlla transer of the unit to the ~3itc of u~3e al1d it3 a~3~3embly thereat, and itc3 di~3a~3scmbly, iE th~t l)ocollle~3 necc~33ary or de3irable, for moving tlle fixturc3 to a~1other location, i!3 facilitated.
Tl1c merchandising flxtura or cabinot i~3 d~3igl1ated by the reEerence nulllber lO and may coll ventionally includa a ba~3e ~3truct~lre 12 (FIGUI~S l al~d 2) which in the embodiment illustrated i3 o generally roctilinear configuration ln plal1 tl~l(;lJI~I~S

3 a~d 7) and wl1lch may includ~ c~ellerally linear ~ic1c members 12a connected by frollt and rear ~enerally linectr member3 12b, 12c.
Movably coupled to t]1C ~a3e 12, genor~lly 2(~ a~1jacent the forward boun(lary thercof, are a pal~ of npaced, generally vertically cxtel1(ling arm mcmb~3r~J
14, which are adapted to providc ~3tructurDl ~3~lpl~0rk for the merc21anc31~3e c1i!3play c3eck ~6 (FIG~ES 2 al~d 1) o the Eixture lO. Di~3play deck 16 i9 preferably formed of molded pla3tic (i~1 thc elllbOdimellt ~ t-trated fashiot1ed in two ~3ection~3 l~a and l~b) an~1 i3 ~dapted to ba ~upportocl from tl1e rcar wal3 ~truc:~ur~
l~ of the fixture and tlla aforalllc?lltioncd arm ~3truc-ture l~, c~nd as will be hareinafter described 1 grcater detail.

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13ach of the arm.~ 14 i3 pref ernbly f orlll(?d o~ ~heet-llke mater.tal, BUCh a~l, f~r ~nst:ancc FlllCt~t metal, and m~y include at t11o forward ~oundnry thereoE a bcnt flallye section 1'3 ~FIGS. 1 ~nd ~1) lor 5 aiding in rigidifying tlle rc.~pectiva arm. llln ~t~ cr ond of each arm l~l preferably hal9 a notche(1 out section 20 formed tl~ereil1 with a defining lal:erllly extel1ding t~b portion 20a, for a purpo~t! to l~c 11c rc-inafter descrihed. rhe lowcr end portlon of cac11 lO arm i8 provided with a slot 22 which Op~ll9 Ul.~ OlltO
the bottom boundary of the arm, with ~uch bottoln boundary being prefcra~ly arcuatc, as at 2~, E~rovisl-ing a geDnerally widenec1 ba~e for the arm, and WlliCIl 3ubsequently ~lope3 diagol1ally upwardly anc1 inw1r(1ly lS a~ shown in FIG. l, to mer~3e with the gener~lly linearly extenc1ing ~lyper so- ction 26 of t11o arm.
I~rm 14 may be provl.dcd Wit]1 a lal:orally oxtending projcctlon 2F3 wl~ic11 include~ hcad por-tlon 28a and a 3hank 2E~b attached to tht3 1~aa(1 2~3a~
20 ~nd exter~dlng laterally to be at1chored to t11o~ COI~-frt3nting ~ide of the respt c tive arm l~ . ~leadt d proj~ction 2~3 l~ adapt:ed to pa~.~3 through an clc)l1g.1~ed vertically arranged slot 30 (~lt;UR13 l) in uL~.~tal1dlll9 mounting web or bracket 32 whlch i3 preferilhly dotachably anchort~d to the base 12 adjacent tho forward houndary thereo, antl 7~0Xt to tllo arl~
Web 32 also lnclude 3 ~ laterally c!xtendillc3 pro jectlon 3~ ~FIGURES l, ~ and 5? ~laVin9 a head 3~a tllor~o~
with the shal-k portion of t}le projectior1 3~ beillr:l 30 adapted to be received through t:l1e aEort3mt~ni:iol1ed : ~:

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glot ~2 in the lower en~ of tl1c arm l~, Wit~1 the ~l1ank portion rece~vcd in the up~er end oE t1~e sl.ot a~ best shown ln FlGU1~E l. Web 32 m~y inclurk!
dcpending hook 35 adapte~ to bc ~nterloc)cec1 lnto ;1 5 rCCeiViilg 810t in base l2, and al.so includcs ~.~tte~a1 il1tegral flange 35a, for mountin(3 web 32 on t11e b~ge 12.
It will be seen that tlle arm l4 i~ L
in an uprigl1t vertically cxtendi11g pO~itiOI- by Illeall.
lo Of t31e retailler projectloll 3~ extentli1)9 t11rou91 er~lly complementary 910t 22 ill t~1e arm l~ and wi.~1 tl1e pivot projection 2~ cxtendi11(3 through t11e COlil-lemcntary elongated ~lot 30 ln tllo mountincJ wc~ 3..
~11e11 it is desircd to fol~l t11e nrm (or arl11r~ a11d ~wing it downwardly relativa to tllo base 12 l11 o~ r to decrease the overall ~cig1~t of t1~ ba~e a11d arm assembly, the arm may be fir~t l~ftcd uE~wardly, : t31us movin~ the 910t ~2 in thc lower encl t11crcoE
above tlle shank portion o pro~ccti.on 3~ on t1~e mountiny web, an~ al30 cau~i.n-3 th~ projection 2fl 011 ; the arm to be mov~d upwar~ly to tl1c uppcr e;1d o~ th(~
slot 30 in the mounting web, aftor w11ic31 t11e arm l~
can be readily pivoted or swung downwardly a11d rear-wardly, Wit]1 the arm ridil1c3 on its arcuate base portion surface 24 to a lowered po11itlo11 as .~how~1, or i1~stance, in FIGU1~E l. The leEt and rlg11t1ra11~1 : : arm~ of the base-arnt as~eln~ly are preferably mirlo ~: ima~es of one another.
: In the ombodi1nc1lt illus~rated, t11e ~.)a3c-ar1n assembly 12, l~ ha~ mou1ltec1 t11crcos1 a ~lidabIe :: : :

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:lo knoc~down drawer structur~-? 36, with tllC? draW('r l~nn lIaving slots or rece~3c?s 36a formod in tlle 3idc! wnlI~
tllereof for receivin~ tlIe rearward end oE cro!~ mclll-ber 38 (FIGUIIE 1) wl-ich extend.~ bctwcen tlle 1(~t ancl r1ght swingable nrm~ on tlle hase. 1n tlIt? u~ri(JIIt E)osition of tlIe arms and cros~ member 3~, tlle latter foxm~ a forward boul~dary for tlIe mercIlan-lise cli~L)lay Lixture. ~9 aforem~?ntiolIc(l~ the upper end oL cncl of the arms 1~ llas a rece~s 20 formed thcre.il~ wlI.i.
receive in snug, frictionally held cond1tion, tl~c projecting portion 3Ba on the cros3 membcr 3~, ~o tl~us detachably and ~r1ctiorIn11y lIold t}lc crt~q~ mclll~cr in assembled relatiollsllip wit}I arlos 1~. Cro3~ mc~ cr 3~ i~ preferably formed of ~encrally sprillg-:like vr ~lexible matarial, such a~q for ilI~tance, pla3ti.c or mctal, so that the projectillg port1On 3~a of tho cro~ member can be forced clownwardly into ~llutJ
frictionally he1d xclatiorlsIIlp with tl~c akorcmall~ioll~d reces~es 20 in the end~ oE tlIe arm~, tllu~ detacl~ably llolding the croq~ mcmbcr 3~ in p1ace.
Cro~a member 3~ ~reEerably ha~ a forwnrc~
re~rwardly Inclined lip portiorI 3~b tl~ereoIl, WliiC'Il i9 adapted to rece1vo t}~e lowcr or Eorward er~d ~)f t1~c aforementioned marcl~anclise dI~p1ay deck 1.6 of tlle Eixture and ~ecure it in po3it.ion, an~l as w.ill ~n llereinafter de3cribed in ~Jreater detai~.
. The rear portion o~ baae 1~ may bc pro-vided with upstanding E1al)ge3 42 tllereon llavin~J rear-wardly projcctinq hook~ ~2a wllich are a~ptc~l to rece~ve in ~upported re1ati.oll, the rear starl~ar(l ;

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(E;`IGU1~ES 1 an~1 7) ~orming the eear structu~a lB o tl)e merchal1dise d~splay fixtur~. Standarcls ~ ~ra removably supported on brac)ccti~ ~2 io ~ manner lcnow in the art, and will not be cJescribed in yro~tar detail here. Suffice it to say t1~at suc1) 6~and.~.r(1 }lave elongated sloti~ ~a (~'lGU1~E: l) orlnc~1 t11ere.
in a manner known, and t11r.o11g11 w11ic11 extcnd ~ n aforen1entioned hook3 ~2a of a3i~0ciate~ ~UppOI t bracket 42.
lU Il1 the em~ot3il11(?11t illu~rated, tllc ba.q~-~rm, and drawer assembly i~ ~dapte(1 to bc ~,u~ ortacl on a kickplate structure ~6 (1~I~UI~S 1 ~1~d 3) wh.ic11 i9 know~l in tl1e art arld ormi~ no particu1ar i.nventive part of tl1e present arra1~c~el11ent of fixture. $11CI
lS kickplate 46 preferably 11as up3tant3irlg cOUpli.ncJ
flanges 46a (FIGU11E 3) w1~ic11 are adapted to bc received in complel11cl1tary i~lotn ~7 (FIG1J11E 5) .i~ c underinide of t11e base 1~1atform 12, for pO3itio1~3a1-J
and removably ret~ini11g tl)e basc-arm structura ~lld lrawer 36 assembly on tha kickplate. It will 1~e ~een that the 3cic)cplate ~G raisos t11e fixtur~ l.U ~1p off t11e floor i~urface for tl1e heig}1t of the 3ciclcplatc, with the base bein~ received thereon in general.1.y i~nug, aligned relationsl1ip, to tl1u~ provide a 11i~3l1ly stable support for tlle f.ixture. In t:hii~ collnecl:i~>n, t1~e forward boundary oE the kickplate may ali~o inclucle ral~Qd lip portion 5~ ~Fl~Un~S l and 33 w11icl1 in adapted to ganerAlly ab11t with tl~e a~oremerltiol1o-1 ront bounaary of base 12 o thc fixture and ~ n 3~ aid in properly positio11ing tl~e lltter on tl~a k~ckE)late ~tructure.

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]2 The rear ~tructure lU oE the fixtu~c 1()m.~y include vcrtically sp~ced croH~3 member~ 52, 52a detachably extending betweeI) thn aforema1lttonl3d ra~r 3tandard~ ~. Cros~3 mcl~ crs 52, 52~ may ~c dctachably socured in readily removabl~ rolat~on to tl~e standard3 ~ in a malll)er known in the art, ~nc3 with the upper encl of the cleck portion l~a an(I
tlla upper end of upper dec1c E~ortion 16b beiJ)c~
coupled, as by mi3aIl~3 o t1lc3 re~pactive a~30ci.ated 10 molc3ed hook portion 5'~ tlleraon, to thc ros~ectiva cros3 member, to ~ul)port the ~leck a~selmbly l~ on the r~ar cro~s member~. Tl~e lower end oE tllc molclcd deck portion 16a which may ~e formatl oE geller~lly flexible but self ~3upporting molc3ed pla~tic n~tcr3~1l .i.3 preerably receivecl in a generally V-sh~E)cd, in end elevation, elon~3~te~ retalner member 56, wllich member 56 may be al~o orme~l of molded E)lastic ml~terial. Member 56 i~ reccivecl undc3r t)ll~ aforl3-mentioned lip 38b of the cro~s mamber 3EI supportod 2() on the arm~ 14, anc3 as 3)l0wn for in~tancc in FIC;IJI~
Tl~e lower 1ange $6a o r~taincr membl3r 56 i3 adaptcd to be received in projecting portion 3~a of cro!3H
melllber 38, a~ shown in FI(,UI~E l. Since the dack I6 oE the ixture i~ supported on t11e rcar cro~s malllb~r~
25 5~, S~ta, and on th~ front wall cro3s member 3~3 oE
tlIe fixture, thc3 deck 13 m.~intalned in ixed, hal(l po~ltion between 3uch ~3upportlng structure ~or receiving thereon merchandi!3a to be dl~pl.1yccl.
In thi~ connecl:ion, tIIe moldec3 mc~rcI~n(li~e 30 c1i~pl-y deck 16 m~y Include moIdecI reces~:eq 6() , ~
~' -l3 (FIGUI~FS 7 anc3 9) Eormed therein and op~nl.t1-J onto tlle outer ~dge of tl-e re3pective step formed or molded on the deck, with 8llCl~ rCCC!39e9 6() boioy ~1apted to receive t3ivider wob-3 or panel~: 62 whlt 1-5 ir- the embodiment illustratt-tl have depel1ding f lex -ible leg~ 62a ~FIGUI~E 9) formed t:hereon, for ~c l~
received in the a~orementioned rc.lpective rece~!3 G0 in the molded deck to frictiol1ally hold tlle divider web~ in po3ition on t~1C ;te!c~ped deck L~or~:ion 10 to form cubiclès which can rcceive thercl~ O
mcrchandist3 to be di~laye~1. D.ivider clip9 621 ay al~o be providcd a~1aptcd ~or rictional clippillg onto a respeetive web for dividing tllC f:ormcd cub1cle into a plurality of scctions. I)ivi~ler wel)~3 15 62 and clip~3 62b arc preferably ~ormed of gonoraJ.l.y c].ear pla3tic~ so t)lat the merehcandise in the rt3spectivt-3 cubiclo can L~e vit3wed througl1 l:llo tllv.i(ler web .
neferring now l.n part.it ular to FI~;~n ri 1) 20 it will be ~een that the~t3 may be ~rovi.dctl !3idc panels 63 for the f ixture wllic}l have 910t3 6 3a l t:l1e reax edge th~-3reof with an ~ nterior pin G3b extending tran3verst3ly tl1roug)1 I:he re3L~ect:ive of such 810t and with tht-3 ~lot being ad~ptcd to receivc 25 t:here~n a bayos1et type couplcr ~rackc~t 6~1 wllicl~ ul mounting hook~ G4~ thereol1 extendil1g generally p~ en-dlcular to tlhl3 plane of the ma jor yortlon oE t11c br~cket, wit:h the hook~ G~la bt3~ng adaptt3d to be received in and suE~portt3d in a pair of vertically 3() spaced slo'c t 66 in the rear stal~dard~ of tlle :~ : . ~ :

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fixturo, to t11U~ ~up~)ort tIIe ~ide pa~Icln 63 on l:hc fixture to clo3e in tllo 3idl3~ tht~reof~ TI~t~ baoc m~y al~o have one or more oyenings 6~ (FlGUI~ES 5 ar~
tllereln adapted to receive a bracket 70, for aidlIlcJ
in supporting the welght of tho ~it~e panel 63 alId en~uring itB retention to the rc-m~ dl3r oE thQ Elx-ture struCturc.
R~3Eerring now in particular to FlGUI~S ~() through lB in conjunction with Fl~.UIIE 4 tho ~forc-mentioned knock-dowIl drawer structure 36 provide~
for storing merc3aandisc in tht lower part of tIIc ~ixture preparatory to movinc3 lt upwardly to tht mt~rchandi3e display dcck a~ thc latter 1~ cle~red of merchandi~e by 3alc. SucIl drawt3r ~tructurc i~
~referably provided in knoc~t clowlI coIIdition a'.3 :;lIOWI~, w.ith the drawer struct-~rt- 36 be.iIlcl a3~0mbleLl~lc with the aforomentioIlo(l I~a~c 12 aIld swinc3a~1c ar ~tructure 14 ~or sIIipmcllt aa a uI1it, and a~ ~how for i~tance in FI~UI~
Such drawer ~tructure 36 ln tlIo cIlll)odllllc!J~t illu~trated includes a fabricated drawt3r p~n 72 co~pris~ng side walls 72iI a back walL 72h, a~Id a bottom wall 72c extending ~atwecIl tIlt3 ~ldn ancI L.lClt walls to provide t)~e drawer pan ~tructur~I. Wall .5 72a, 72b and 72c may be conveIliell~ly formtd or .~nstanceO of wood or flako ~oartl, bUt may be ~orIllo(I
of other materlal~, aIld aro pre~t3rably ~c3rmanerItly 3ecured toget~Ier.
ProjectiIlg upwardly from t11e ~orw.lrd boundary oE the drawcr paIl 72 oII tlIe re~pt3ttlvc ~idc of the drawer pan i~ a bracket 7~, wlllcll ha.~3 l1ook portions 74a projcctlng forwar~lly thcrefrom, a which providc couplers for coupllng thc fro~t l-a 76 of tlle drawcr structure, ~o the drawcr pall. Ii-~Cl bracket 74 may be ~astenc~ to the rcspcctivc .~ l?
wall 72a of thc drawer structurc, a~ at 7~, ~y fa3teners or any oth~r suita~le mcan~.
The front panel 76 o the knock-clown drawer structure includes, Oll lts rear ~urface, elongated coupling brac1cet ~tructure 79 and oriont~d so a~ to be clisposed in generally confrc)llti1lt~
relatiollshiE~ witl~ respect to the re3pectiv~ co~.lE~ g bracket 74~ Each clonc~atcr3 brac1cet 79 compri~c.~ I.n the en~odiment illu.~tratctl a ~a~.r of vertically lS spaced slots B0 tilerei1l wltl~ thc slots colmllutllcaLill~J
in the embodiment illustrated with a recess 82 (FIGURES 16 and 17) formed in the front panel 7G.
SUch rece3s B2 p~ovides for recelving the a~;~ocillted hook portions 74a of tho respective couplinc; braclcet 7~ through tlle confrorltirlg slots B0 atd illtO tl~e fron~ panel, 90 tllat tlle ront panel 76 can bc di?1-po~ed in 3upport~d, held relatio1l on tlle brac1cet hook~ 74a and ag lllustrat.ed in F~GUn~S 1 ancl ll.
In the embo~iment ill~lstrated, the couplincJ brnckct3 79 are preerably recess~cl into the rcar ~urfacc~ of tha front pan~l 76 as s~own in l~l~UIIE 1~.
Projecting outwardly al-~ roarwardly from thc respective brackct 79 an~l formad ~n tllc ~mbocli ment illustrated from a partially savcrcd pOI'tiOII
thereo, is a flaIlc3e or tab ~ rab ~ itl aCCOrdallCC

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` ' " " "' `' ' ' , ' ~ '`: ` ' , . 1.6 with the inventlon, ha~ al~ opcning 86 forme(3 t:lleroLIl, wlth thc opening or 910t t36 opening onto th~ rcar boundary of tab ~4. W2~cn the front panel 76 of tl-a ~rawer assembly 36 is hung on the hook E)ortion~ 7~a S of bracket 74, the opening ~6 ln each tab ~ i.s alJ.gn~d with and disposed adjacent to a yenerally key-~llapod opening 88 formed ln the respective cou~ling brack~t 74.
A rotatable cam lock 90 (FIGUII~S 11~ D
a~apted to be received tllrougll tha ~ligned ~tld rcgls-tcred openings 86, ~B, and t~-en rotated so a3 to rele~ably lock tll~ front panel 76 to th~ drawcr ~n, thu~ forming the ~rawer ~tructure and ~p~ci~
cally the front thereof.
Cam lock 90 13 providel3 ill tha form o a lefthand member and a righthand mcm~er, witll tllc lefthand and the r~gllthalld melllbers being mir~or lma~Je.
of one another. Each cam lock member 90 comprl~e~
a body portion 90a, an arm portion 90b ex~ending laterally from the body portion, a il-gcr portloll 90c projectlng generally perpendicularly from the arlll port~on, and a handle portion 90d projectlng outward-ly from the body portion, and as illustr~tecl il~
afor~mentioned FIGURES 11-14.
After the arm portion 90b and a~sociat(~(l finger portion 90c of tllc cam lock 90 i~ received through the respectlve aligned and regl~tere~l upcn-ing~ 86, 8B in the associated tab 84 and bra~ko~ '7~, the lock m~mber 90 may tllen be rotated downw~rdly, by mean~ o the handle portion 90c3, wl~creby t~e 1~
bracket 74 and ta~ ~4 on reqpectively tllo draw~r p~n and the rec~r sido of tho front panel 7fi aro held ln interlocked relatlon between the projectill~J
finger 90c and the ~paced body portion 90a (FIC,UI~E
13) to lock the front panel 76 to the rcm~in(lcr of the drawer structure.
It will be seen tllat by providing Eor rea~y detachment o tlle frollt paslol 76 Eroln 1 lle remainder of t11e drawer ~tructure, and by prov~dirl~
l~ ~or ready re-attacllment thereof to t7~e ~r~wor ntrllc-ture, the shipment oE the ~an portion of tho dr.lw~r structure wit2~ and on the aforcmontioned basc 1~
and pivotal arm support structure 1~ i~ facilltate-l, with the ront panel being ~ble for in3tance, to l~c st~cked in with the drawer pan ~tructur~ for sl~ mol~t purposes with the arm3 1~ ~ciny locate~1 in fold-~low condition. Upon arriva1 at tl-e ~ite of u~e of t]lO
fixture,the front panel 76 can bc rcad~ly a~n~ quic1tly a99embled with the remain~er of the drawer ~truct~lro to provide the finished drawer, ready to storc merchalldi3e .
Referring now in particular to FIGUI~ S
and 15, in the ell~o~ ent illu3trate~, t11o dr:.~w-~r structure 36 i9 prefcrably mountcd upon roller~l ')2 to facilit~te it~ In~va~le rolatiot)~11ip with rcsl?cct to the base 1~, Wit21 the roller~ 92 boin~ rot~tal-1y mounted in recesqes 9~ formo~ in tlle ~a~c 12. ~ o roller~ 92 facilitate tlle smootl~ ~lidability o~ tll3 rcspective drawer Witll re3poct to tho f lxture an~1 eniiance the desirabllity oE t1~& ~ixture. ~ ntop ~)G

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may be provided on the underside oE each drawer 3G structure adapted for engagement with a stop 98 mounted in confronting relationship on the base 12 (FIGURE 15) so as to limit the inward movement of the drawe relative to the base. ~s can be best seen in FIGURE 1, in the operative assembled condition of the fixture, the front panel 76 of the drawer is adapted to be received beneath the cross member 38 extending between the arms 14, with the upper end of the front panel being preferably provided with a recess 98 therein for use as a handle gripping portion, for opening and closing the respective drawer.
From the foreyoing description and accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention provides a knock-down drawer structure for use itl a knock-down merchandise display fixture, which facilitates the shipment of the component parts of the fixture as a Utlit, and which enables the JJ:

:.' `' ' drawer structure to ~e rapidly and exp~di~io~ y as~embled anc~or di~as~cmbled, ~or ~hlpmetlt oE tl~e fixture to its site of u~o, w)lile providing tho convenient movement of tlle fixture from one localio to another location if that ~ecomes noce~qary or de3irable. The fixture i~ adaptcd to ~e gcncrtllLy rapidly a~sembleablc an~ di~a~cmblcable utili7.illy relatively un~killed l~or and a mln~mum o a~xlliary fastening device~.
lo The terms arld eXpre~BiOIls whiCil l1aVe }3Cen used are u~ed a~ term~ of dc~cription and not o~
limitation, and there is no intention in thc uqo oE
~uch term~ and exprcssions of excluding any cqniva-12llts of any of tl~e feature~ ~howll or describe(l, or portion3 thereof, and it is rccognized t2lat variot~n modification~ ~re po~ible wlthill the ~cope oE tllc invention claimed.

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Claims (5)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A drawer capable of being shipped, in a knocked-down condition and later assembled and installed for use in a display fixture, said drawer including a pan structure adapted to be slidably mounted in said fixture, planar-like brackets disposed in generally vertical planes generally parallel to the longitudinal plane of said pan structure extending upwardly from said pan structure adjacent the forward end thereof, said brackets having coupling means thereon, a removable front panel for said drawer structure, said front panel including coupling means on the inner side thereof adapted for coacting with the first mentioned coupling means for removably mounting said front panel on said brackets, and means coacting between said front panel and said brackets for detachably securing said front panel to said brackets, the last mentioned means including a tab disposed in a generally vertical plane and projecting rearwardly from the inner side of said front panel, said tab having an opening therethrough which is adapted for alignment with a complementary opening in the respective of said brackets when said front panel is disposed in said mounted condition on said first mentioned coupling means, said securing means also including a rotatable cam lock member insertable laterally of said bracket and tab through said aligned openings in said bracket and said tab and then rotatable into a locking position to interlock said bracket and tab together, thus preventing disassembly of said front panel from said pan structure.

2. A drawer in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said cam lock member comprises a body portion and an arm portion extending laterally from said body portion, a finger portion projecting generally perpendicular to said arm portion, and a handle portion projecting from said body portion, said finger and arm portions being adapted to be received through said aligned complementary openings in said coupling means, and upon rotation of said cam lock member, positioning said finger portion relative to said openings to prevent withdrawal of said cam lock member from said aligned openings.

3. A drawer in accordance with Claim 1 including strip-like brackets mounted on said inner side of said front panel and comprising the second mentioned coupling means, each of said strip-like brackets comprising an elongated member of generally rigid sheet material having slots therein spaced vertically with respect to one another, said tab being disposed intermediate said slots and projecting laterally of said elongated member including an opening formed therein generally complementary to an opening in the respective of said brackets on said pan structure, the second mentioned opening comprising said first mentioned coupling means, and being adapted for registration with the first mentioned opening upon assembly of said front panel to said pan structure, whereby said cam lock member can be passed through said aligned registered openings and rotated to detachably lock said front panel to said pan structure.

4. A drawer in accordance with Claim 3 wherein said cam lock member includes a pair of said members, one of which is adapted for assembly with bracket and tab structure of the lefthand side of said drawer and the other of which is adapted for assembly with other bracket and tab structure on the righthand side of said drawer, to detachably lock said front panel to said pan structure, said righthand cam lock member being a mirror image of said lefthand cam lock member.

5. A drawer with a removable front panel comprising a drawer pan having mounting means including a generally planar bracket, for mounting a panel on the front thereof, a front panel removably secured to said drawer pan, and fastening means coacting between said drawer pan and said panel releasably securing said front panel to said pan, said fastening means comprising a rotatable cam member which is adapted to pass through complementary openings on said panel and on said pan for detachably securing said panel to said pan, said fastening means also including a generally planar tab attached to the inner side of said panel in rearwardly projecting relation therefrom and oriented in generally juxtaposed condition to said bracket in the mounted condition of said panel on said pan, said complementary openings being located in said bracket and said tab and being registered with one another to receive therethrough, from laterally of the coacting bracket and tab, said rotatable cam member, thus preventing disassembly of said panel from said pan.