GB1595199A - Divider for drawer - Google Patents

Description

(54) DIVIDER FOR A DRAWER (71) We, VICKERS LIMITED, a British Company of, P.O. Box 177, Vickers House, Millbank Tower, London SW1P 4RA, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a divider for use in a drawer, having a base constituted by sheet material formed with at least one elongated slot transverse to and substantially shorter than the distance between the sides of the drawer. The slot is provided to locate the divider.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved drawer divider particularly for a filing cabinet which, while being simple in construction and easy to manufacture can readily be secured in and released from the slot, which may be any one of a series of slots along a drawer.

According to the invention, a divider for use in a drawer as defined above comprises a flat plate formed on its bottom edge with at least one flat downwardly proJecting locating lug to pass through the slot and formed at one side with a tag displaced from the bottom edge of an adjacent portion of the divider by substantially the thickness of the bottom sheet of the drawer so that the tag can extend beneath the sheet beyond a first end of the slot, and the lug being formed at the other side with an inclined cam edge which, when the lug is inserted through the slot, can engage the other end of the slot to assist in displacing the divider to one side with the lug passing beyond said first end of the slot.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken along the section line I-I of Figure 3, showing in front elevation a divider located in a drawer; Figure 2 is an end view of the divider as seen in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the drawer showing the divider in position.

Referring to Figure 3, a drawer 1 of a filing cabinet, for example, is formed of pressed metal sections and comprises a base 2, two side walls 3, a front wall 4 and a rear wall 5. The base is formed with two rows of slots 6 extending from the front to the rear of the drawer.

Disposed in the drawer is a divider 7, also in the form of a sheet metal pressing. The divider 7 is predominantly a flat plate but as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a part 11 of the top edge is bent over flat so as to present a smooth upper edge to the divider enabling it to be gripped safely by the user.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, the divider is provided on its bottom edge with two downwardly projecting locating lugs 8, each having a lateral tag 9 at one side of the locating lug adjacent the leading edge of the lug and an inclined cam surface 10 at the other side of the lug adjacent the root of the lug (Figure 1). It will be seen that the width of the leading edge of each locating lug 8 is just slightly less than the length of its slot 6 so as to permit introduction of the lug into its slot. The cam surface 10 then interacts with the edge of the adjacent slot end to assist in displacing the divider to one side and thereby to cause the tag 9 to engage under the edge at the other end of the slot.

Thus, the lugs 8 cannot be removed from their slots 6 by lifting the divider vertically, it being in fact necessary to displace the divider sideways so as to release the tags 9 while simultaneously lifting the divider, in order to release the same.

The bent-over part 11 of the divider and also the portion of the divider immediately behind the bent-over part are extended beyond the sides of the divider to provide lateral wings 13, over each of which is stretched a length of plastics tubing 12.

When the divider is located in the drawer with its tags 9 engaged, the wings rest, by means of the tubing, on the top edges of the sides of the drawer. This arrangement permits the top of the divider to be moved to some extent forwardly and rearwardly relative to the bottom of the divider. Preferably the edge portions 14 of the side walls 3 are folded over so as to provide a smooth upper edge to each wall, thereby preventing the tubing 12 from being cut or otherwise damaged by the side walls 3.

The described divider is simple in construction and simple to manufacture.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A divider for use in a drawer having a base constituted by sheet material formed with at least one elongated slot transverse to and substantially shorter than the distance between the sides of the drawer, the divider comprising a flat plate formed on its bottom edge with at least one flat downwardly projecting locating lug to pass through the slot and formed at one side with a tag displaced from the bottom edge of an adjacent portion of the divider by substantially the thickness of the bottom sheet of the drawer so that the tag can extend beneath the sheet beyond a first end of the slot, and the lug being formed at the other side with an inclined cam edge which, when the lug is inserted through the slot, can engage the other end of the slot to assist in displacing the divider to one side with the lug passing beyond said first end of the slot.

2. A divider according to Claim 1 provided with a second and similarly formed lug.

3. A divider according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, provided adjacent its upper edge with lateral wings.

4. A drawer divider substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. some extent forwardly and rearwardly relative to the bottom of the divider. Preferably the edge portions 14 of the side walls 3 are folded over so as to provide a smooth upper edge to each wall, thereby preventing the tubing 12 from being cut or otherwise damaged by the side walls 3. The described divider is simple in construction and simple to manufacture. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A divider for use in a drawer having a base constituted by sheet material formed with at least one elongated slot transverse to and substantially shorter than the distance between the sides of the drawer, the divider comprising a flat plate formed on its bottom edge with at least one flat downwardly projecting locating lug to pass through the slot and formed at one side with a tag displaced from the bottom edge of an adjacent portion of the divider by substantially the thickness of the bottom sheet of the drawer so that the tag can extend beneath the sheet beyond a first end of the slot, and the lug being formed at the other side with an inclined cam edge which, when the lug is inserted through the slot, can engage the other end of the slot to assist in displacing the divider to one side with the lug passing beyond said first end of the slot.

2. A divider according to Claim 1 provided with a second and similarly formed lug.

3. A divider according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, provided adjacent its upper edge with lateral wings.

4. A drawer divider substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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