CA2070307A1 - Drawer lockout mechanism - Google Patents
Drawer lockout mechanismInfo
- Publication number
- CA2070307A1 CA2070307A1 CA002070307A CA2070307A CA2070307A1 CA 2070307 A1 CA2070307 A1 CA 2070307A1 CA 002070307 A CA002070307 A CA 002070307A CA 2070307 A CA2070307 A CA 2070307A CA 2070307 A1 CA2070307 A1 CA 2070307A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- drawer
- sliding member
- rod member
- sliding
- lockout mechanism
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B65/00—Locks or fastenings for special use
- E05B65/46—Locks or fastenings for special use for drawers
- E05B65/462—Locks or fastenings for special use for drawers for two or more drawers
- E05B65/463—Drawer interlock or anti-tilt mechanisms, i.e. when one drawer is open, at least one of the remaining drawers is locked
- E05B65/464—Drawer interlock or anti-tilt mechanisms, i.e. when one drawer is open, at least one of the remaining drawers is locked comprising two or more lock elements aligned in end-to-end abutting relation
Abstract
ABSTRACT A mechanism that allows for the opening of any one drawer of a filing cabinet while causing the selective locking out of the remaining drawers of the filing cabinet is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a plurality of sliding members that are horizontally translatable between a retracted position and an extended position, and a series of rod members that are vertically translatable between a first position and a second position, with the sliding members and the rod members positioned so as to interact with one another. The rod members are used to block the movement of the sliding members from their respective retracted positions to their respective extended positions when a selected one of the sliding members is translated upon opening of a selected one of the drawers.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to filing cabinets and more particularly to drawer lockout mechanisms used in filing cabinets to preclude more than one drawer being opened at a time.
BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Filing cabinets of the type typically used in offices usually have two, three, or more drawers displaced one on top of the other. In some models of cabinets, particularly those referred to as "lateral" type cabinets, the drawers may be in the form of open-front sliding shelves, wherein a corresponding front door flips upwardly out of the way of one or more of such sliding shelves, so as to allow the shelves to be slid in and out of the cabinet for access. The mechanism of the present invention is equally adapted to be utilized with either of such drawers or sliding shelves, and, for the sake of brevity, the words "drawer"
or "drawers" will be used hereafter in the present specification and claims to include both sliding shelves of the nature described above and the more typical full-fronted sliding drawers illustrated in the Figures.
In some models of filing cabinets, one or more of the drawers can be simultaneously opened. In such instance, at least where the drawers are filled with files or the like, the entire filing cabinet could tip over, particularly where the uppermost drawer(s) are amongst those opened. Since a filing cabinet and the contents therein can weigh many hundreds of pounds, such tipping presents a serious safety risk, particularly to a person ~ . :
~ ~ ~ç ~ 7 standing or crouching in front of the fil:ing cabinet, having just opened a drawer thereof.
Various prior art mechanisms have been developed that allow for any one drawer of a filing cabinet to be opened only when all other drawers are closed. Such mechanisms are in common use, are well-known, and are generally referred to in this specification and the appended claims as "drawer lockout mechanisms". One well-known prior art lockout mechanism has a rotatable hub associated with each drawer with vertically oriented rods attached to each of the hubs. When a particular file drawer is opened, the hub associated therewith is rotated so as to push in an upward direction a first rod that extends upwardly therefrom and to hold down a second rod that extends downwardly therefrom. The first rod is pushed upwardly so as to block the outward movement of any drawers above the drawer that has been opened. The second rod is held down to block the outward movement of any drawers below the drawer that has been opened.
It has been found that such prior art mechanisms are somewhat bulky, complicated and have a great number of parts.
Large size limits the drawer applications with which such lockout mechanisms can be used. Moreover, malfunctioning of such lockout mechanisms is not uncommon because of the complexity and the relatively large number of parts. Further, because many die cast parts are utilized in prior art lockout mechanisms, such mechanisms are expensive to manufacture.
The present invention relates to filing cabinets and more particularly to drawer lockout mechanisms used in filing cabinets to preclude more than one drawer being opened at a time.
BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Filing cabinets of the type typically used in offices usually have two, three, or more drawers displaced one on top of the other. In some models of cabinets, particularly those referred to as "lateral" type cabinets, the drawers may be in the form of open-front sliding shelves, wherein a corresponding front door flips upwardly out of the way of one or more of such sliding shelves, so as to allow the shelves to be slid in and out of the cabinet for access. The mechanism of the present invention is equally adapted to be utilized with either of such drawers or sliding shelves, and, for the sake of brevity, the words "drawer"
or "drawers" will be used hereafter in the present specification and claims to include both sliding shelves of the nature described above and the more typical full-fronted sliding drawers illustrated in the Figures.
In some models of filing cabinets, one or more of the drawers can be simultaneously opened. In such instance, at least where the drawers are filled with files or the like, the entire filing cabinet could tip over, particularly where the uppermost drawer(s) are amongst those opened. Since a filing cabinet and the contents therein can weigh many hundreds of pounds, such tipping presents a serious safety risk, particularly to a person ~ . :
~ ~ ~ç ~ 7 standing or crouching in front of the fil:ing cabinet, having just opened a drawer thereof.
Various prior art mechanisms have been developed that allow for any one drawer of a filing cabinet to be opened only when all other drawers are closed. Such mechanisms are in common use, are well-known, and are generally referred to in this specification and the appended claims as "drawer lockout mechanisms". One well-known prior art lockout mechanism has a rotatable hub associated with each drawer with vertically oriented rods attached to each of the hubs. When a particular file drawer is opened, the hub associated therewith is rotated so as to push in an upward direction a first rod that extends upwardly therefrom and to hold down a second rod that extends downwardly therefrom. The first rod is pushed upwardly so as to block the outward movement of any drawers above the drawer that has been opened. The second rod is held down to block the outward movement of any drawers below the drawer that has been opened.
It has been found that such prior art mechanisms are somewhat bulky, complicated and have a great number of parts.
Large size limits the drawer applications with which such lockout mechanisms can be used. Moreover, malfunctioning of such lockout mechanisms is not uncommon because of the complexity and the relatively large number of parts. Further, because many die cast parts are utilized in prior art lockout mechanisms, such mechanisms are expensive to manufacture.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drawer lockout mechanism for use in conjunction with a filing cabinet, with the filing cabinet having at least a first drawer and a second drawer each mounted thereon in generally horizontally translatable relation between a closed and an opened configuration via respective slidably operable first and second track assemblies, and with the first drawer being disposed above the second drawer.
The drawer lockout mechanism comprises:
a first sliding member having a first ramped surface and being operatively retained within a first guide means mounted either directly or indirectly on an interior side wall of the filing cabinet, the first sliding member being translatable in a first generally horizontal plane between a retracted position and an extended position during corresponding translation of the first drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a second sliding member having a second ramped surface and being operatively retained within a second guide means mounted either directly or indirectly on the interior side wall of the filing cabinet, the second sliding member being translatable in a second generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of the second drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
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a first rod member having opposed upper and lower ends and being operatively retained within the first guide means for translational sliding motion along a generally vertical axis oriented generally transversely to the first plane between a first position and a second position, the rod member having a first edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with the first ramped surface of the first sliding member when the first sliding member is in its retracted position and the first rod member is in its first position;
a second rod member having opposed upper and a lower ends and being operatively retained within the second guide means for translational sliding motion along the vertical axis between a first position and a second position, the second rod member having a second edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with the second ramped surface of the second sliding member when the second sliding member is in its retracted position and the second rod member is in its first position;
wherein, upon the horizontal translation of the first drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, the first sliding member moves from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing the first edge portion of the first rod member to engage and ride up the first ramped surface of the first sliding member causing upward translational movement of the first rod member along the generally vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the first sliding member is permitted to pass beneath the first rod member to its extended position, at which extended position the first sliding member intersects the vertical axis thereby to prevent upward translational movement of the second rod member along the vertical axis from its first position to its second position and thereby causing the second rod member to prevent the generally horizontal translat~onal movement of the second sliding member which prevents the s~cond drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration; and, wherein, upon the horizontal translation of the second drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, the second sliding member moves from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing the second edge portion of the second rod member to engage and ride up the second ramped surface of the second sliding member causing upward translational movement of the second rod member along the vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second sliding member is permitted to pass beneath the second rod member to its extended position so as to allow the generally horizontal translational movement of the second sliding member, which allows the second drawer to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and at which second position the second rod member intersects the first horizontal plane, so as to thereby block the first sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the first drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened i ~ 7 ~1 ~,3 ~
configuration.
Advantages of the drawer lockout mechanism of the present invention include reduction in size and weight over prior art mechanisms. This, in turn, provides design application flexibility. Further, the drawer lockout mechanism of the present invention has only two die cast metal parts in contrast to prior art drawer lockout mechanisms, typically having about five die cast metal parts. Reduction in both the size and the number of die-cast metal parts reduces the cost of the mechanism.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a filing drawer lockout mechanism that is smaller, lightweight and inexpensive to produce.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce a filing drawer lockout mechanism that is easy to install, even in the field.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce a filing drawer lockout mechanism that has a minimum number of die cast parts, since such parts are relatively expensive to produce.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filing drawer lockout mechanism that has replicated parts so as to minimize manufacturing costs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filing drawer locking mechanism that is readily adaptable to filing cabinets having two, three, four or more drawers.
Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.
DETAI~ED DEBCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED ENBODIMENT
::
Introduction to the Drawings Figure 1 of the drawings is a is an isometric view of a typical three-drawer filing cabinet having a drawer lockout mechanism according to the present invention (shown in ghost outline) installed thereon;
Figure 2a of the drawings is an isometric view of the drawer lockout mechanism of Figure 1, with parts omitted for clarity, showing the mechanism in a configuration corresponding to all of the drawers of the filing cabinet being closed;
Figure 2b of the drawings is an view similar to Figure $~ ~
za, showing the mechanism in a configuration corresponding to the middle drawer of the filing cabinet being partially opened.
Figure 3 of the drawings is an exploded isometric view of a portion of the drawer lockout mechanism of Figure 1 from a first side thereof;
Figure 4 of the drawings is an exploded isometric view similar to Figure 3, from an opposite second side thereof;
Figure 5a of the drawings is an isometric view of a portion of the lockout mechanism of Figures 1-4, with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding to a drawer specifically the middle drawer of Figure 1, being in a closed position;
Figure 5b of the drawings is an isometric view similar to Figure Sa, corresponding to a drawer specifically the middle drawer of Figure 1, being in a partially opened position;
Figure 5c of the drawings is an isometric view similar to Figures Sa and Sb, corresponding to a drawer specifically the drawer of Figure 1, being in a substantially fully opened position;
Figure 6a of the drawings is a partially cutaway side elevational view of a portion of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure Sa;
Figure 6b of the drawings is a partially cutaway side elevational view of a portion of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure 5b;
Figure 6c of the drawings is a partially cutaway side elevational view of a portion of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure 5c;
Figure 7a of the drawings is a sectioned top plan view of a portion of the present invention corresponding generally to the configuration of Figures 5a and 6a;
Figure 7b of the drawings is a sectional top plan view of a portion of the present invention corresponding generally to the configuration of Figures 5b and 6b, and Figure 7c of the drawings is a sectional top plan view of a portion of the present invention corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure~ 5c and 6c, but with the drawer more fully opened.
Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, there will be seen a filing cabinet 20 having a first drawer 22, a second drawer 24 and a third drawer 26, with the first drawer being disposed above the second drawer 24 and the second drawer 24 being disposed above the third drawer 26. Each of the first 22, the second 24 and third 26 drawers are mounted on the filing cabinet 20 in generally horizontally translatable relation between a closed and an opened configuration via respective slidably operable first 23, second 25 and third 27 track assemblies. Each track assembly is substantially identical and for that reason, and in the interests of brevity, reference will be made for the purposes of describing the track assemblies to the second track assembly 25 only (See Figures 1, 3 and 4). The second track assembly 25 includes a fixed track portion 100 that is securely affixed to a first interior side wall 29 of the filing cabinet 20 by any well known fastening means such as machine screws or rivets, and a movable track portion 104 that is securely affixed to the first drawer 22. The fixed track portion 100 and the movable track portion 104 are of substantially conventional design, and interfit in slidable relation to each other by means of ball-bearing mounts (not shown). There is a flange 102 that projects transversely from one end of the fixed track portion 100 (see Figure 3), and a rubber end cap 106 at the opposite end of the movable track portion 104 that also protrudes transversely therefrom.
Together, the flange 102 and the rubber end cap 106 limit the relative sliding travel of the also opposed fixed track portion 100 and the movable track portion 104 with respect to each other.
In a similar manner, the first 23 and third 27 track assemblies each have a fixed track portion and a movable track portion (not shown).
As seen in Figure 1, the second drawer 24 has been ~ ~ 7 ~ ~ ~ b moved outwardly to a substantially opened configuration, while the first 22 and third 26 drawers remain in their closed configurations in the filing cabinet 20.
Referring now to Figures 2a and 2b in order to explain the basic operational logic of the drawer lockout mechanism 28 of the present invention, there will be seen three sliding members: a first sliding member 30; a second sliding member 40;
and a third sliding member 50. Figure 2b shows each of the first 30, second 40 and third 50 sliding members in their respective positions corresponding to the configuration of the drawers as shown in Figure 1, while Figure 2a shows the positions of the sliding members when all three drawers 22, 24, and 26 are closed.
Except as otherwise noted herein, reference will initially be made in this detailed description to the second sliding member 40 and those portions of the illustrated lockout mechanism immediately interacting therewith as the second drawer 24 moves from its closed to its substantially opened configuration as indicated by arrow A of Figure 1. The configurations, mounting and mode of operation of each of the first 30 and third 50 sliding members is substantially similar to that of the second sliding member 40, so that a complete description of the structure and form of each is not separately required for a full understanding of the teachings of the invention. Rather, for the sake of brevity, only significant differences in the form or function of the essential components of the interlocking mechanism associated with each of the first .
2~7~3~ ~?
22, second 24 and third 26 drawers will be detailed herein.
However, the interaction of such essential components so as to allow only the opening of one of these drawers at a time will be described in detail.
The second sliding member 40 has a ramped surface 44 thereon at a leading edge thereof. The second sliding member 40 is operatively retained within a second guide means 42 that is in turn rigidly fixed to an interior side wall 29 of the filing cabinet 20, preferably by agency of machine screws 70 attaching it to the fixed track portion 100 of the second track assembly 25. The second sliding member 40 is operatively retained within a generally horizontally disposed cooperating slot 74 that is formed in the second guide means 42. The cooperating slot 74 extends from the front 76 to the rear 78 of the second guide means 42. The second sliding member 40 is translatable in a second generally horizontal plane, generally designated by reference arrow "B" between a retracted position as shown in Figures 2a and 6a and an extended position as shown in Figures 2b and 6c during corresponding translation of the second drawer 24 between its respective closed and opened configurations. The retracted position of the second sliding member 40 is defined as the position that allows the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 to be in contact with the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. At its retracted position, the ramped surface 44 of the second sliding member 40 is generally adjacent the edge portion 45 at lower end 47 of the second rod member 46. The extended position of the second sliding member 40 is defined as .
2 ~
the position that causes the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 to be functionally separated from the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. At its fully extended position, the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 contacts the top surface 5 140 of the second sliding means 40.
The second sliding member 40 has a detent 41 arranged along a respective top surface 140. The purpose of the detent 41 will be described subsequently.
The detent 41 is defined by a rearwardly sloping surface 49 at the front thereof and by a generally vertically oriented surface 48 at the rear thereof. A generally horizontal adjoining surface 141 extends between the rearwardly sloping 15 surface 49 and the generally vertically oriented surface 48 so as to adjoin them.
Analogously to the second sliding member 40, the first sliding member 30, and the third sliding member 50 are similarly 20 configured are retained in respective second guide means 32 and 52 (see Figure 1), and also operate, in a similar manner to that of the second sliding member 40 as detailed more fully below.
There is also provided a second rod member 46 that has 25 opposed upper 43 and lower 47 ends. The second rod member 46 is operatively retained within a generally vertically disposed cooperating slot 80 within the second guide member 42 for translational sliding motion along a generally vertical axis .. . , ~ . . .
, ..
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.: ..
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2 ~ 7 ~ 3 ~3 ~
designated by reference line "c-C". The generally vertically disposed cooperating slot 80 extends from the top 82 to the bottom 84 of the second guide means 42. The generally vertical axis "C-C" is oriented generally transversely to the second generally horizontal plane referenced by arrow "B" and the second rod member 46 translates generally vertically between a first position as shown in Figures 2a and 6a and a second position as shown in Figures 2b and 6c. The first position of the second rod member 46 is defined as the position wherein the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 contacts the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. The second position of the second rod member 46 is defined as the position wherein the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 is functionally separated from the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. The second rod member 46 has an edge portion 45 adjacent its lower end 47. The edge portion 45 is adapted for operative engagement with the ramped surface 44 of the second sliding member 40 when the second sliding member 40 is in its retracted position and the second rod member 46 is in its first position. The edge portion 45 of the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 is preferably radiused. In the preferred embodiment, the edge portion 47 of the second rod member 46 is coincident with the lower end of the second rod member 46.
The first 36, second 46 and third 56 rod members are spring biased downwardly along the generally vertical axis "C-C"
by a biasing spring 69. In the preferred embodiment shown, one end of the biasing spring 69 is attached to the first rod member ~6. The other end of the biasing spring 69 is indirectly attached to the filing cabinet 20 via protruding insertion into socket 73 in the first guide means 32 associated with the first drawer 22, which socket 73 is analogous to socket 73 of the second guide means 42 (see Figures 3 & 4).
Upon horizontal translation of the second drawer 24 from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, as shown in Figure 1, the second sliding member 40 is moved from its retracted position towards its extended position thereby causing the edge portion 45 of the second rod member 46 to engage and ride up the ramped surface 44 of the second sliding member 40 and to subsequently engage the detent 41 therein. This movement of the second sliding member 40 causes upward translational movement of the second rod member 46 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second sliding member 40 is permitted to pass beneath the second rod member 46 to its extended position, so as to allow the second drawer 24 to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration. Further, at this extended position, the second sliding member 40 intersects the vertical axis "C-C" and blocks the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56 thereby to prevent upward translational movement of the third rod member 56 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position.
At its second position, the second rod member 46 intersects the first horizontal plane "D" so as to thereby block .
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:
the first sliding member 30 from translating from its retracted position to its extended position, thereby to prevent the first drawer 22 from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration. The second sliding member 40, being in its extended position as shown in Figures 5c and 6c, causes the third rod member 56 to remain in its first position, which prevents generally horizontal translational movement of the third sliding member 50 from its retracted position towards its extended position, which in turn prevents the third drawer 26 from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration.
Upon horizontal translation of the first drawer 22 from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, which translation is not shown in the Figures, the first sliding member 30 moves from its retracted position towards its extended position, thereby causing the edge portion 35 of the first rod member 36 to engage and ride up the ramped surface 34 of the first sliding member 30 and to subsequently engage the detent 31 therein. The purpose of the detent 31 is to limit the forward travel of the first sliding member 30. Such engagement of the ramped surface 34 by the edge portion 35 causes upward translational movement of the first rod member 36 along the generally vertical axis 66 from its first position to its second position, at which second position the first sliding member 30 is permitted to pass beneath the first rod member 36 to its extended position. At this extended position the first sliding member 30 intersects the vertical axis "C-C" and blocks the upper 2 0 r~ 3 7 end 43 of the second rod member 46 thereby to prevent upward translational movement of the second rod member 46 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position. The second rod member 46 therefore remains in its first position and prevents generally horizontal translational movement of the second sliding member 40 from its retracted position towards its extended position, which in turn prevents the second drawer 24 from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration. Further, the second rod member 46 remaining in this first position causes the third rod member 56 to be blocked from moving from its first position to its second position so as to prevent generally horizontal translational movement of the third sliding member 50 from its retracted position towards its extended position, which in turn prevents the third drawer 26 from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration.
Upon horizontal translation of the third drawer 26 from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, which translation is not shown in the Figures, the third sliding member 56 moves from its retracted position towards its extended position, thereby causing the edge portion 55 of the third rod member 56 to engage and ride up the ramped surface 54 of the third sliding member 50. This causes upward translational movement of the third rod member 56 along the vertical axis "C-C"
: from its first position to its second position, at which second position the third sliding member 50 is permitted to pass beneath the third rod member 56 to its extended position. At this .~
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extended position the third sliding member 50 intersects the vertical axis "C-C". The third sliding member 50, then being in its extended position, allows the third drawer 26 to be translated from its closed translation to its opened configuration.
When the third rod member 56 is in its second position, it intersects the second generally horizontal plane "B", so as to thereby block the second sliding member 40 from sliding from its retracted position to its extended position, which in turn prevents the second drawer 24 from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration. Further, vertical movement of the third rod member 56 from its first position to its second position also causes upward translational movement of the second rod member 46 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position. At this second position the second rod member 46 intersects the first horizontal plane "D", so as to thereby block the first sliding member 30 from translating from its retracted position to its extended position, which in turn prevents the first drawer 24 from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration.
As can be best seen in Figures 3 through 7c, the second sliding member 40 is moved between its first and second positions by a carrier means, generally designated by the reference numeral 61, which carrier means is firmly attached to the movable track portion 104 by fasteners 66. The carrier means 66 comprises a carrier pin 116 that is selectively actuated into and Qut of engagement with the second sliding member 40. The carrier pin 116 moves horizontally, but in a direction generally transverse to the direction of translation of the second sliding member 40 between a projecting position, wherein the carrier pin 116 engages an elongated aperture 94 (see, for example, Figures 5a and 7a) and a withdrawn position wherein the carrier pin 116 does not engage the elongated aperture 94 (see, for example, Figures 5c and 7c). The elongated aperture 94 in the second sliding member 40 is adapted to receive the carrier pin 116 therein. The moveable track portion 104 of the second track assembly 25 has a carrier bracket 110 mounted thereon, with the carrier pin 116 being mounted for movement within first 120 and second 122 openings in the carrier bracket 110. The first opening 121 is in a first vertical wall portion 124 and the second opening 122 is in a second vertical wall portion 126. The projecting position and the withdrawn position of the carrier pin 116 are referenced with respect to the carrier bracket 110, with the projecting position shown in Figure 7a and the withdrawn position shown in Figure 7b and 7c.
The carrier pin 116 is selectively actuated by an actuation means 86 that is integrally die cast as a portion of the second guide means 42. In the preferred embodiment shown, the actuation means 86 extends outwardly from the second guide means 42 and terminates in an upwardly directed pair of arms 90.
One end of the carrier pin 116 is in operative sliding contact with a flexible cam surface in the form of a leaf spring 118, at a generally central position on the concave side of the leaf spring. A coil spring 67 (see Figures 7a -7c) encircles the carrier pin 116 and biases it towards the withdrawn position.
The spring 86 acts between a raised shoulder portion 87 on the one end of the carrier pin 116, which raised shoulder portion slides within the first opening 120 in first vertical wall 124.
The leaf spring 118 is mounted on the carrier bracket 110 with a bent portion at each end thereof serving to assist in retaining the leaf spring 118 on the carrier bracket 110.
When the second sliding member 40 is in its retracted position, arms 90 of the actuation means 86 displace the leaf spring 118 so as to actuate the carrier pin 116 to its projecting position, thereby to engage the elongated aperture 94 of the second sliding member 40.
When the second sliding member 40 is translated to its extended position, which occurs when the second drawer 24 is moved from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, the actuation means 86 no longer displaces the leaf spring 118, and the carrier pin 116 is thereby urged under the biasing of the coil spring 67 to move from its projecting position to its withdrawn position, so as to thereby disengage from the elongated aperture 94 of the second sliding member 40 and to move forwardly therefrom.
~;' 2 ~ ri The curved leaf spring 118 is retained within and oriented along a first channel 112 within the carrier bracket 110. The first channel 112 is oriented generally parallel to the direction of translation of the second sliding member 40. The 5convex side 123 of the leaf spring 118 generally faces into the first channel 112. When in use, the arms of the actuation means 86 pass through the first channel 112 thereby contacting the convex side 123 of the leaf spring 118 and deforming the leaf spring 118 toward a generally flattened configuration, so as to 10cause the pin 116 to translate to its projecting position.
Each of the movable track assemblies 23, 27 associated with the respective first 22 and third 27 drawers has associated with it a respective carrier pin, actuation means, guide means 15and leaf spring, all of which are not specifically illustrated or described above, but which are structurally the same as the carrier pin 116, guide means 42, actuation means 86 and leaf spring 118 and functionally analogous thereto in their respective modes of interaction with the respective sliding members 30 and 2050. For the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of these structures will not be repeated, their placement and operation being obvious to one skilled in the art in view of the preceding description.
25While but a single preferred embodiment of drawer lockout mechanism according to the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be resorted to without ~7~?~7 departing from the scope of the invention disclosed and claimed.
For example, it is specifically contemplated that the mechanism may be utilized with filing cabinets having as few as two drawers and more than three drawers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drawer lockout mechanism for use in conjunction with a filing cabinet, with the filing cabinet having at least a first drawer and a second drawer each mounted thereon in generally horizontally translatable relation between a closed and an opened configuration via respective slidably operable first and second track assemblies, and with the first drawer being disposed above the second drawer.
The drawer lockout mechanism comprises:
a first sliding member having a first ramped surface and being operatively retained within a first guide means mounted either directly or indirectly on an interior side wall of the filing cabinet, the first sliding member being translatable in a first generally horizontal plane between a retracted position and an extended position during corresponding translation of the first drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a second sliding member having a second ramped surface and being operatively retained within a second guide means mounted either directly or indirectly on the interior side wall of the filing cabinet, the second sliding member being translatable in a second generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of the second drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
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a first rod member having opposed upper and lower ends and being operatively retained within the first guide means for translational sliding motion along a generally vertical axis oriented generally transversely to the first plane between a first position and a second position, the rod member having a first edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with the first ramped surface of the first sliding member when the first sliding member is in its retracted position and the first rod member is in its first position;
a second rod member having opposed upper and a lower ends and being operatively retained within the second guide means for translational sliding motion along the vertical axis between a first position and a second position, the second rod member having a second edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with the second ramped surface of the second sliding member when the second sliding member is in its retracted position and the second rod member is in its first position;
wherein, upon the horizontal translation of the first drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, the first sliding member moves from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing the first edge portion of the first rod member to engage and ride up the first ramped surface of the first sliding member causing upward translational movement of the first rod member along the generally vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the first sliding member is permitted to pass beneath the first rod member to its extended position, at which extended position the first sliding member intersects the vertical axis thereby to prevent upward translational movement of the second rod member along the vertical axis from its first position to its second position and thereby causing the second rod member to prevent the generally horizontal translat~onal movement of the second sliding member which prevents the s~cond drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration; and, wherein, upon the horizontal translation of the second drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, the second sliding member moves from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing the second edge portion of the second rod member to engage and ride up the second ramped surface of the second sliding member causing upward translational movement of the second rod member along the vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second sliding member is permitted to pass beneath the second rod member to its extended position so as to allow the generally horizontal translational movement of the second sliding member, which allows the second drawer to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and at which second position the second rod member intersects the first horizontal plane, so as to thereby block the first sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the first drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened i ~ 7 ~1 ~,3 ~
configuration.
Advantages of the drawer lockout mechanism of the present invention include reduction in size and weight over prior art mechanisms. This, in turn, provides design application flexibility. Further, the drawer lockout mechanism of the present invention has only two die cast metal parts in contrast to prior art drawer lockout mechanisms, typically having about five die cast metal parts. Reduction in both the size and the number of die-cast metal parts reduces the cost of the mechanism.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a filing drawer lockout mechanism that is smaller, lightweight and inexpensive to produce.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce a filing drawer lockout mechanism that is easy to install, even in the field.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce a filing drawer lockout mechanism that has a minimum number of die cast parts, since such parts are relatively expensive to produce.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filing drawer lockout mechanism that has replicated parts so as to minimize manufacturing costs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filing drawer locking mechanism that is readily adaptable to filing cabinets having two, three, four or more drawers.
Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.
DETAI~ED DEBCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED ENBODIMENT
::
Introduction to the Drawings Figure 1 of the drawings is a is an isometric view of a typical three-drawer filing cabinet having a drawer lockout mechanism according to the present invention (shown in ghost outline) installed thereon;
Figure 2a of the drawings is an isometric view of the drawer lockout mechanism of Figure 1, with parts omitted for clarity, showing the mechanism in a configuration corresponding to all of the drawers of the filing cabinet being closed;
Figure 2b of the drawings is an view similar to Figure $~ ~
za, showing the mechanism in a configuration corresponding to the middle drawer of the filing cabinet being partially opened.
Figure 3 of the drawings is an exploded isometric view of a portion of the drawer lockout mechanism of Figure 1 from a first side thereof;
Figure 4 of the drawings is an exploded isometric view similar to Figure 3, from an opposite second side thereof;
Figure 5a of the drawings is an isometric view of a portion of the lockout mechanism of Figures 1-4, with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding to a drawer specifically the middle drawer of Figure 1, being in a closed position;
Figure 5b of the drawings is an isometric view similar to Figure Sa, corresponding to a drawer specifically the middle drawer of Figure 1, being in a partially opened position;
Figure 5c of the drawings is an isometric view similar to Figures Sa and Sb, corresponding to a drawer specifically the drawer of Figure 1, being in a substantially fully opened position;
Figure 6a of the drawings is a partially cutaway side elevational view of a portion of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure Sa;
Figure 6b of the drawings is a partially cutaway side elevational view of a portion of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure 5b;
Figure 6c of the drawings is a partially cutaway side elevational view of a portion of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity, corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure 5c;
Figure 7a of the drawings is a sectioned top plan view of a portion of the present invention corresponding generally to the configuration of Figures 5a and 6a;
Figure 7b of the drawings is a sectional top plan view of a portion of the present invention corresponding generally to the configuration of Figures 5b and 6b, and Figure 7c of the drawings is a sectional top plan view of a portion of the present invention corresponding generally to the configuration of Figure~ 5c and 6c, but with the drawer more fully opened.
Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, there will be seen a filing cabinet 20 having a first drawer 22, a second drawer 24 and a third drawer 26, with the first drawer being disposed above the second drawer 24 and the second drawer 24 being disposed above the third drawer 26. Each of the first 22, the second 24 and third 26 drawers are mounted on the filing cabinet 20 in generally horizontally translatable relation between a closed and an opened configuration via respective slidably operable first 23, second 25 and third 27 track assemblies. Each track assembly is substantially identical and for that reason, and in the interests of brevity, reference will be made for the purposes of describing the track assemblies to the second track assembly 25 only (See Figures 1, 3 and 4). The second track assembly 25 includes a fixed track portion 100 that is securely affixed to a first interior side wall 29 of the filing cabinet 20 by any well known fastening means such as machine screws or rivets, and a movable track portion 104 that is securely affixed to the first drawer 22. The fixed track portion 100 and the movable track portion 104 are of substantially conventional design, and interfit in slidable relation to each other by means of ball-bearing mounts (not shown). There is a flange 102 that projects transversely from one end of the fixed track portion 100 (see Figure 3), and a rubber end cap 106 at the opposite end of the movable track portion 104 that also protrudes transversely therefrom.
Together, the flange 102 and the rubber end cap 106 limit the relative sliding travel of the also opposed fixed track portion 100 and the movable track portion 104 with respect to each other.
In a similar manner, the first 23 and third 27 track assemblies each have a fixed track portion and a movable track portion (not shown).
As seen in Figure 1, the second drawer 24 has been ~ ~ 7 ~ ~ ~ b moved outwardly to a substantially opened configuration, while the first 22 and third 26 drawers remain in their closed configurations in the filing cabinet 20.
Referring now to Figures 2a and 2b in order to explain the basic operational logic of the drawer lockout mechanism 28 of the present invention, there will be seen three sliding members: a first sliding member 30; a second sliding member 40;
and a third sliding member 50. Figure 2b shows each of the first 30, second 40 and third 50 sliding members in their respective positions corresponding to the configuration of the drawers as shown in Figure 1, while Figure 2a shows the positions of the sliding members when all three drawers 22, 24, and 26 are closed.
Except as otherwise noted herein, reference will initially be made in this detailed description to the second sliding member 40 and those portions of the illustrated lockout mechanism immediately interacting therewith as the second drawer 24 moves from its closed to its substantially opened configuration as indicated by arrow A of Figure 1. The configurations, mounting and mode of operation of each of the first 30 and third 50 sliding members is substantially similar to that of the second sliding member 40, so that a complete description of the structure and form of each is not separately required for a full understanding of the teachings of the invention. Rather, for the sake of brevity, only significant differences in the form or function of the essential components of the interlocking mechanism associated with each of the first .
2~7~3~ ~?
22, second 24 and third 26 drawers will be detailed herein.
However, the interaction of such essential components so as to allow only the opening of one of these drawers at a time will be described in detail.
The second sliding member 40 has a ramped surface 44 thereon at a leading edge thereof. The second sliding member 40 is operatively retained within a second guide means 42 that is in turn rigidly fixed to an interior side wall 29 of the filing cabinet 20, preferably by agency of machine screws 70 attaching it to the fixed track portion 100 of the second track assembly 25. The second sliding member 40 is operatively retained within a generally horizontally disposed cooperating slot 74 that is formed in the second guide means 42. The cooperating slot 74 extends from the front 76 to the rear 78 of the second guide means 42. The second sliding member 40 is translatable in a second generally horizontal plane, generally designated by reference arrow "B" between a retracted position as shown in Figures 2a and 6a and an extended position as shown in Figures 2b and 6c during corresponding translation of the second drawer 24 between its respective closed and opened configurations. The retracted position of the second sliding member 40 is defined as the position that allows the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 to be in contact with the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. At its retracted position, the ramped surface 44 of the second sliding member 40 is generally adjacent the edge portion 45 at lower end 47 of the second rod member 46. The extended position of the second sliding member 40 is defined as .
2 ~
the position that causes the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 to be functionally separated from the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. At its fully extended position, the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 contacts the top surface 5 140 of the second sliding means 40.
The second sliding member 40 has a detent 41 arranged along a respective top surface 140. The purpose of the detent 41 will be described subsequently.
The detent 41 is defined by a rearwardly sloping surface 49 at the front thereof and by a generally vertically oriented surface 48 at the rear thereof. A generally horizontal adjoining surface 141 extends between the rearwardly sloping 15 surface 49 and the generally vertically oriented surface 48 so as to adjoin them.
Analogously to the second sliding member 40, the first sliding member 30, and the third sliding member 50 are similarly 20 configured are retained in respective second guide means 32 and 52 (see Figure 1), and also operate, in a similar manner to that of the second sliding member 40 as detailed more fully below.
There is also provided a second rod member 46 that has 25 opposed upper 43 and lower 47 ends. The second rod member 46 is operatively retained within a generally vertically disposed cooperating slot 80 within the second guide member 42 for translational sliding motion along a generally vertical axis .. . , ~ . . .
, ..
, . ~ ' " ' ' ., ~
.: ..
' :.
2 ~ 7 ~ 3 ~3 ~
designated by reference line "c-C". The generally vertically disposed cooperating slot 80 extends from the top 82 to the bottom 84 of the second guide means 42. The generally vertical axis "C-C" is oriented generally transversely to the second generally horizontal plane referenced by arrow "B" and the second rod member 46 translates generally vertically between a first position as shown in Figures 2a and 6a and a second position as shown in Figures 2b and 6c. The first position of the second rod member 46 is defined as the position wherein the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 contacts the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. The second position of the second rod member 46 is defined as the position wherein the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 is functionally separated from the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56. The second rod member 46 has an edge portion 45 adjacent its lower end 47. The edge portion 45 is adapted for operative engagement with the ramped surface 44 of the second sliding member 40 when the second sliding member 40 is in its retracted position and the second rod member 46 is in its first position. The edge portion 45 of the lower end 47 of the second rod member 46 is preferably radiused. In the preferred embodiment, the edge portion 47 of the second rod member 46 is coincident with the lower end of the second rod member 46.
The first 36, second 46 and third 56 rod members are spring biased downwardly along the generally vertical axis "C-C"
by a biasing spring 69. In the preferred embodiment shown, one end of the biasing spring 69 is attached to the first rod member ~6. The other end of the biasing spring 69 is indirectly attached to the filing cabinet 20 via protruding insertion into socket 73 in the first guide means 32 associated with the first drawer 22, which socket 73 is analogous to socket 73 of the second guide means 42 (see Figures 3 & 4).
Upon horizontal translation of the second drawer 24 from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, as shown in Figure 1, the second sliding member 40 is moved from its retracted position towards its extended position thereby causing the edge portion 45 of the second rod member 46 to engage and ride up the ramped surface 44 of the second sliding member 40 and to subsequently engage the detent 41 therein. This movement of the second sliding member 40 causes upward translational movement of the second rod member 46 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second sliding member 40 is permitted to pass beneath the second rod member 46 to its extended position, so as to allow the second drawer 24 to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration. Further, at this extended position, the second sliding member 40 intersects the vertical axis "C-C" and blocks the upper end 53 of the third rod member 56 thereby to prevent upward translational movement of the third rod member 56 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position.
At its second position, the second rod member 46 intersects the first horizontal plane "D" so as to thereby block .
-:
:
the first sliding member 30 from translating from its retracted position to its extended position, thereby to prevent the first drawer 22 from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration. The second sliding member 40, being in its extended position as shown in Figures 5c and 6c, causes the third rod member 56 to remain in its first position, which prevents generally horizontal translational movement of the third sliding member 50 from its retracted position towards its extended position, which in turn prevents the third drawer 26 from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration.
Upon horizontal translation of the first drawer 22 from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, which translation is not shown in the Figures, the first sliding member 30 moves from its retracted position towards its extended position, thereby causing the edge portion 35 of the first rod member 36 to engage and ride up the ramped surface 34 of the first sliding member 30 and to subsequently engage the detent 31 therein. The purpose of the detent 31 is to limit the forward travel of the first sliding member 30. Such engagement of the ramped surface 34 by the edge portion 35 causes upward translational movement of the first rod member 36 along the generally vertical axis 66 from its first position to its second position, at which second position the first sliding member 30 is permitted to pass beneath the first rod member 36 to its extended position. At this extended position the first sliding member 30 intersects the vertical axis "C-C" and blocks the upper 2 0 r~ 3 7 end 43 of the second rod member 46 thereby to prevent upward translational movement of the second rod member 46 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position. The second rod member 46 therefore remains in its first position and prevents generally horizontal translational movement of the second sliding member 40 from its retracted position towards its extended position, which in turn prevents the second drawer 24 from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration. Further, the second rod member 46 remaining in this first position causes the third rod member 56 to be blocked from moving from its first position to its second position so as to prevent generally horizontal translational movement of the third sliding member 50 from its retracted position towards its extended position, which in turn prevents the third drawer 26 from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration.
Upon horizontal translation of the third drawer 26 from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, which translation is not shown in the Figures, the third sliding member 56 moves from its retracted position towards its extended position, thereby causing the edge portion 55 of the third rod member 56 to engage and ride up the ramped surface 54 of the third sliding member 50. This causes upward translational movement of the third rod member 56 along the vertical axis "C-C"
: from its first position to its second position, at which second position the third sliding member 50 is permitted to pass beneath the third rod member 56 to its extended position. At this .~
s~7 ~ 7~
extended position the third sliding member 50 intersects the vertical axis "C-C". The third sliding member 50, then being in its extended position, allows the third drawer 26 to be translated from its closed translation to its opened configuration.
When the third rod member 56 is in its second position, it intersects the second generally horizontal plane "B", so as to thereby block the second sliding member 40 from sliding from its retracted position to its extended position, which in turn prevents the second drawer 24 from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration. Further, vertical movement of the third rod member 56 from its first position to its second position also causes upward translational movement of the second rod member 46 along the vertical axis "C-C" from its first position to its second position. At this second position the second rod member 46 intersects the first horizontal plane "D", so as to thereby block the first sliding member 30 from translating from its retracted position to its extended position, which in turn prevents the first drawer 24 from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration.
As can be best seen in Figures 3 through 7c, the second sliding member 40 is moved between its first and second positions by a carrier means, generally designated by the reference numeral 61, which carrier means is firmly attached to the movable track portion 104 by fasteners 66. The carrier means 66 comprises a carrier pin 116 that is selectively actuated into and Qut of engagement with the second sliding member 40. The carrier pin 116 moves horizontally, but in a direction generally transverse to the direction of translation of the second sliding member 40 between a projecting position, wherein the carrier pin 116 engages an elongated aperture 94 (see, for example, Figures 5a and 7a) and a withdrawn position wherein the carrier pin 116 does not engage the elongated aperture 94 (see, for example, Figures 5c and 7c). The elongated aperture 94 in the second sliding member 40 is adapted to receive the carrier pin 116 therein. The moveable track portion 104 of the second track assembly 25 has a carrier bracket 110 mounted thereon, with the carrier pin 116 being mounted for movement within first 120 and second 122 openings in the carrier bracket 110. The first opening 121 is in a first vertical wall portion 124 and the second opening 122 is in a second vertical wall portion 126. The projecting position and the withdrawn position of the carrier pin 116 are referenced with respect to the carrier bracket 110, with the projecting position shown in Figure 7a and the withdrawn position shown in Figure 7b and 7c.
The carrier pin 116 is selectively actuated by an actuation means 86 that is integrally die cast as a portion of the second guide means 42. In the preferred embodiment shown, the actuation means 86 extends outwardly from the second guide means 42 and terminates in an upwardly directed pair of arms 90.
One end of the carrier pin 116 is in operative sliding contact with a flexible cam surface in the form of a leaf spring 118, at a generally central position on the concave side of the leaf spring. A coil spring 67 (see Figures 7a -7c) encircles the carrier pin 116 and biases it towards the withdrawn position.
The spring 86 acts between a raised shoulder portion 87 on the one end of the carrier pin 116, which raised shoulder portion slides within the first opening 120 in first vertical wall 124.
The leaf spring 118 is mounted on the carrier bracket 110 with a bent portion at each end thereof serving to assist in retaining the leaf spring 118 on the carrier bracket 110.
When the second sliding member 40 is in its retracted position, arms 90 of the actuation means 86 displace the leaf spring 118 so as to actuate the carrier pin 116 to its projecting position, thereby to engage the elongated aperture 94 of the second sliding member 40.
When the second sliding member 40 is translated to its extended position, which occurs when the second drawer 24 is moved from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, the actuation means 86 no longer displaces the leaf spring 118, and the carrier pin 116 is thereby urged under the biasing of the coil spring 67 to move from its projecting position to its withdrawn position, so as to thereby disengage from the elongated aperture 94 of the second sliding member 40 and to move forwardly therefrom.
~;' 2 ~ ri The curved leaf spring 118 is retained within and oriented along a first channel 112 within the carrier bracket 110. The first channel 112 is oriented generally parallel to the direction of translation of the second sliding member 40. The 5convex side 123 of the leaf spring 118 generally faces into the first channel 112. When in use, the arms of the actuation means 86 pass through the first channel 112 thereby contacting the convex side 123 of the leaf spring 118 and deforming the leaf spring 118 toward a generally flattened configuration, so as to 10cause the pin 116 to translate to its projecting position.
Each of the movable track assemblies 23, 27 associated with the respective first 22 and third 27 drawers has associated with it a respective carrier pin, actuation means, guide means 15and leaf spring, all of which are not specifically illustrated or described above, but which are structurally the same as the carrier pin 116, guide means 42, actuation means 86 and leaf spring 118 and functionally analogous thereto in their respective modes of interaction with the respective sliding members 30 and 2050. For the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of these structures will not be repeated, their placement and operation being obvious to one skilled in the art in view of the preceding description.
25While but a single preferred embodiment of drawer lockout mechanism according to the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be resorted to without ~7~?~7 departing from the scope of the invention disclosed and claimed.
For example, it is specifically contemplated that the mechanism may be utilized with filing cabinets having as few as two drawers and more than three drawers.
Claims (22)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1) A drawer lockout mechanism for use in conjunction with a filing cabinet, said filing cabinet having at least a first drawer and a second drawer each mounted thereon in generally horizontally translatable relation between a closed and an opened configuration via respective slidably operable first and second track assemblies, said first drawer being disposed above said second drawer, said drawer lockout mechanism comprising:
a first sliding member having a first ramped surface and being operatively retained within a first guide means mounted on an interior side wall of said filing cabinet, said first sliding member being translatable in a first generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of said first drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a second sliding member having a second ramped surface and being operatively retained within a second guide means mounted on the interior side wall of said filing cabinet, said second sliding member being translatable in a second generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of said second drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a first rod member having opposed upper and lower ends and being operatively retained within the first guide means for translational sliding motion along a generally vertical axis oriented generally transversely to said first generally horizontal plane between a first position and a second position, said rod member having a first edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with said first ramped surface of said first sliding member when said first sliding member is in its retracted position and said first rod member is in its first position;
a second rod member having opposed upper and a lower ends and being operatively retained within the second guide means for translational sliding motion along said vertical axis between a first position and a second position, said second rod member having a second edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with said second ramped surface of said second sliding member when said second sliding member is in its retracted position and said second rod member is in its first position;
wherein, upon said horizontal translation of the first drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, said first sliding member is moved from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing said first edge portion of the first rod member to engage and ride up said first ramped surface of the first sliding member causing upward translational movement of said first rod member along said generally vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the first sliding member is permitted to pass beneath said first rod member to its extended position, at which extended position said first sliding member intersects said vertical axis thereby to prevent upward translational movement of said second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position and thereby causing said second rod member to prevent said generally horizontal translational movement of said second sliding member which prevents said second drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration; and, wherein, upon said horizontal translation of the second drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, said second sliding member is moved from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing said second edge portion of the second rod member to engage and ride up said second ramped surface of the second sliding member causing upward translational movement of the second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second sliding member is permitted to pass beneath said second rod member to its extended position so as to allow said generally horizontal translational movement of said second sliding member, which allows said second drawer to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and at which second position the second rod member intersects said first horizontal plane, so as to thereby block said first sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the first drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration.
a first sliding member having a first ramped surface and being operatively retained within a first guide means mounted on an interior side wall of said filing cabinet, said first sliding member being translatable in a first generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of said first drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a second sliding member having a second ramped surface and being operatively retained within a second guide means mounted on the interior side wall of said filing cabinet, said second sliding member being translatable in a second generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of said second drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a first rod member having opposed upper and lower ends and being operatively retained within the first guide means for translational sliding motion along a generally vertical axis oriented generally transversely to said first generally horizontal plane between a first position and a second position, said rod member having a first edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with said first ramped surface of said first sliding member when said first sliding member is in its retracted position and said first rod member is in its first position;
a second rod member having opposed upper and a lower ends and being operatively retained within the second guide means for translational sliding motion along said vertical axis between a first position and a second position, said second rod member having a second edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with said second ramped surface of said second sliding member when said second sliding member is in its retracted position and said second rod member is in its first position;
wherein, upon said horizontal translation of the first drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, said first sliding member is moved from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing said first edge portion of the first rod member to engage and ride up said first ramped surface of the first sliding member causing upward translational movement of said first rod member along said generally vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the first sliding member is permitted to pass beneath said first rod member to its extended position, at which extended position said first sliding member intersects said vertical axis thereby to prevent upward translational movement of said second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position and thereby causing said second rod member to prevent said generally horizontal translational movement of said second sliding member which prevents said second drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration; and, wherein, upon said horizontal translation of the second drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, said second sliding member is moved from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing said second edge portion of the second rod member to engage and ride up said second ramped surface of the second sliding member causing upward translational movement of the second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second sliding member is permitted to pass beneath said second rod member to its extended position so as to allow said generally horizontal translational movement of said second sliding member, which allows said second drawer to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and at which second position the second rod member intersects said first horizontal plane, so as to thereby block said first sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the first drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration.
2) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first and second guide means are mounted on said interior side wall of said filing cabinet by way of rigid attachment to respective ones of said fixed track portions, which fixed track portions are themselves rigidly affixed to said interior side wall.
3) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 2, wherein the upper end of said second rod member is in contact with the lower end of said first rod member when said first sliding member is in its retracted position.
4) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 3, having at least one biasing means mounted between the filing cabinet and said rod members so as to bias said rod members towards their respective first positions.
5) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 4, wherein said first sliding member is moved between its first and second positions via a carrier means that is selectively actuated into and out of engagement with said first sliding member in a direction generally transverse to the direction of translation of said first sliding member, said carrier pin being selectively actuated between a projecting position and a withdrawn position by an actuation means mounted on the guide means;
wherein, when said first sliding member is in said retracted position, said actuation means causes said carrier pin to engage said first sliding member, and when said first sliding member is translated towards its extended position, said actuation means causes said carrier pin to disengage said first sliding member.
wherein, when said first sliding member is in said retracted position, said actuation means causes said carrier pin to engage said first sliding member, and when said first sliding member is translated towards its extended position, said actuation means causes said carrier pin to disengage said first sliding member.
6) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 5, wherein said carrier means is a carrier pin.
7) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 6, wherein said first sliding member includes an elongated aperture therein for receiving said carrier pin.
8) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 7, wherein each of said first and second track assemblies includes a fixed track portion and a movable track portion.
9) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 8, wherein said movable track portions each have a carrier bracket mounted thereon, said carrier pin being mounted within said carrier bracket, wherein said projecting position and said withdrawn position are referenced with respect to said carrier bracket.
10) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a spring means mounted on said carrier bracket so as to bias said carrier pin toward said withdrawn position.
11) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 10, wherein said spring means is a coil spring encircling said carrier pin.
12) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 11, further comprising a flexible cam surface mounted on said carrier means in operative sliding contact with said carrier pin so as to move said carrier pin to said projecting position upon operative interaction between said flexible cam surface and said activation means.
13) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 12, wherein said flexible cam surface is a curved leaf spring.
14) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 13, wherein said curved leaf spring is retained within and longitudinally oriented along a first channel that is itself oriented generally parallel to the direction of translation of the first sliding member, with the concave side of said leaf spring in said operative sliding contact with said carrier pin, and wherein, in use, said actuation means passes longitudinally through said first channel, thereby contacting the convex side of said leaf spring in a progressively deflecting manner so as to straighten said leaf spring and thereby cause said carrier pin to move toward said projecting position against the biasing of said coil spring.
15) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 14, wherein said first sliding member each has a first detent arranged along a respective top surface, said first detent in said first sliding member being adapted to receive the lower end of said first rod member.
16) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 15, wherein said first detent is defined by a rearwardly sloped surface at the front thereof and a generally vertically oriented abutting surface at the rear thereof, and with a generally horizontal adjoining surface therebetween.
17) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 16, wherein said first edge portion of said first rod member is coincident with said lower end of said first rod member.
18) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 17, wherein said first edge portion of the lower end of said rod member is radiused.
19) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 18, wherein said first ramped surface is at the leading end of said first sliding member.
20) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 19, wherein said first sliding member is operatively retained within a generally horizontally disposed cooperating slot formed in said first guide means, and said first rod member is operatively retained within a generally vertically disposed cooperating slot formed in said first guide means.
21) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 20, wherein said first guide means is securely fastened to said first track portion of the slidably operable first track assembly.
22) The drawer lockout mechanism of claim 21, for use in conjunction with a filing cabinet, said filing cabinet having at least a first drawer, a second drawer and a third drawer, each mounted thereon in generally horizontally translatable relation between a closed and an opened configuration via respective slidably operable first, second and third track assemblies, said first drawer being disposed above said second drawer and said second drawer being disposed above said third drawer, said drawer lockout mechanism additionally comprising:
a third sliding member having a third ramped surface and being operatively retained within a third guide means mounted on the interior side wall of said filing cabinet, said third sliding member being translatable in a third generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of said third drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a third rod member having opposed upper and lower ends and being operatively retained within the third guide means for translational sliding motion along said vertical axis between a first position and a second position, said third rod member having a third edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with said third ramped surface of said third sliding member when said third sliding member is in its retracted position and said third rod member is in its first position;
wherein, when said first sliding member is at its extended position, said first sliding member thereby prevents upward translational movement of said second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, and said second rod member thereby prevents upward translational movement of said third rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, thereby causing said third rod member to prevent said generally horizontal translational movement of said third sliding member from its retracted position, which in turn prevents said third drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration;
wherein, when said second sliding member is at its extended position, said second sliding member thereby prevents upward translational movement of said third rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position and thereby causes said third rod member to prevent said generally horizontal translational movement of said third sliding member from its retracted position, which in turn prevents said third drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration; and, wherein, upon said horizontal translation of the third drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, said third sliding member moves from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing said third edge portion of the third rod member to engage and ride up said third ramped surface of the third sliding member causing upward translational movement of the third rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the third sliding member is permitted to pass beneath said third rod member to its extended position so as to allow said generally horizontal translational movement of said third sliding member, which allows said third drawer to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and at which second position the third rod member intersects said second horizontal plane, so as to thereby block said second sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the second drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and further causes upward translational movement of the second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second rod member intersects said first horizontal plane, so as to thereby block said first sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the first drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration.
a third sliding member having a third ramped surface and being operatively retained within a third guide means mounted on the interior side wall of said filing cabinet, said third sliding member being translatable in a third generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position during corresponding translation of said third drawer between its respective closed and opened configurations;
a third rod member having opposed upper and lower ends and being operatively retained within the third guide means for translational sliding motion along said vertical axis between a first position and a second position, said third rod member having a third edge portion adjacent its lower end adapted for operative engagement with said third ramped surface of said third sliding member when said third sliding member is in its retracted position and said third rod member is in its first position;
wherein, when said first sliding member is at its extended position, said first sliding member thereby prevents upward translational movement of said second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, and said second rod member thereby prevents upward translational movement of said third rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, thereby causing said third rod member to prevent said generally horizontal translational movement of said third sliding member from its retracted position, which in turn prevents said third drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration;
wherein, when said second sliding member is at its extended position, said second sliding member thereby prevents upward translational movement of said third rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position and thereby causes said third rod member to prevent said generally horizontal translational movement of said third sliding member from its retracted position, which in turn prevents said third drawer from being moved from its closed configuration towards its opened configuration; and, wherein, upon said horizontal translation of the third drawer from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, said third sliding member moves from its retracted position toward its extended position thereby causing said third edge portion of the third rod member to engage and ride up said third ramped surface of the third sliding member causing upward translational movement of the third rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the third sliding member is permitted to pass beneath said third rod member to its extended position so as to allow said generally horizontal translational movement of said third sliding member, which allows said third drawer to be translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and at which second position the third rod member intersects said second horizontal plane, so as to thereby block said second sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the second drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration, and further causes upward translational movement of the second rod member along said vertical axis from its first position to its second position, at which second position the second rod member intersects said first horizontal plane, so as to thereby block said first sliding member from sliding from its retracted to its extended position thereby to prevent the first drawer from being translated from its closed configuration to its opened configuration.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002070307A CA2070307A1 (en) | 1992-06-03 | 1992-06-03 | Drawer lockout mechanism |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002070307A CA2070307A1 (en) | 1992-06-03 | 1992-06-03 | Drawer lockout mechanism |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2070307A1 true CA2070307A1 (en) | 1993-12-04 |
Family
ID=4149957
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002070307A Abandoned CA2070307A1 (en) | 1992-06-03 | 1992-06-03 | Drawer lockout mechanism |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2070307A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2012075665A1 (en) * | 2010-12-06 | 2012-06-14 | 江苏通润装备科技股份有限公司 | Mutual constraint type safe multi-drawer locking structure |
-
1992
- 1992-06-03 CA CA002070307A patent/CA2070307A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2012075665A1 (en) * | 2010-12-06 | 2012-06-14 | 江苏通润装备科技股份有限公司 | Mutual constraint type safe multi-drawer locking structure |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |
Effective date: 19941205 |