GB2047076A

GB2047076A - Drawer runners

Info

Publication number: GB2047076A
Application number: GB7912989A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LB Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: LB Plastics Ltd
Priority date: 1979-04-12
Filing date: 1979-04-12
Publication date: 1980-11-26
Also published as: GB2047076B

Abstract

A drawer runner incorporates a roller towards its forward end and an abutment rearwardly of the roller, the disposition of the roller and the abutment being such that the runner is symmetrical about its central longitudinal axis. A channel may be formed in the inner face of the runner, the channel extending rearwardly from the abutment and opening at the rear end of the runner. There may also be longitudinal recesses at the upper and lower edges of the outer face of the runner. The channel and recesses are provided to adapt the runner for use with special forms of drawer construction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to drawers and drawer runners The invention relates to drawers and drawer runners.

The invention provides a drawer runner comprising an elongated member having an outer face which is adapted to abut against the surface of a supporting structure on which the runner is mounted in use, and an inner face opposite to said outer face and directed away from the supporting structure in use, a rolling member being mounted adjacent the end of the runner which isforwardmost in use, and an abutment member being disposed rearwardly of said rolling member, the disposition of the rolling member and said abutment member being such that the runner is symmetrical about its central longitudinal axis.

Preferably a channel is formed in said inner face of the runner, the channel extending rearwardly from said abutment member and opening at the rear end of the runner.

Preferably also longitudinal recesses are provided at the upper and lower edges of the outer face of the runner, said rolling member being mounted at the inner face of the runner and clear of said recesses such that the recesses form unobstructed tracks extending longitudinally of the runner.

Preferably also said rolling member comprises a roller mounted on a boss formed integrally with the runner and located in a recess in the inner face of the runner, the roller projecting above the upper and lower surfaces of the runner for rolling engagement with a drawer supported thereon.

The invention also provides a drawer assembly comprising a drawer having runner grooves in the opposite sides thereof, and laterally retractable stop members mounted adjacent the rear corners of the drawer in alignment with said runner grooves, together with drawer runners engageable with the runner grooves, roller means being provided adjacent the forwardmost ends of the respective runners and abutment means being provided rearwardly of said roller means for engagement with said laterally retractable stop members on the drawer, longitudinally extending channels being formed in the inner faces of the runners and extending rearwardly from the respective abutment means to accommodate said stop members during sliding movement of the drawer relative to the runners.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a runner according to the invention viewed from the inner face; Figure 2 is a similar view showing the runner assembled; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the runner viewed from the outer face.

Referring to the drawings, the runner comprises an elongated member formed from plastics material having an inner face 5 which is remote from the supporting structure on which the runner is mounted in use, and an outer face 6 which contacts the supporting structure. A series of apertures 7 are provided at spaced intervals along the runner to receive screws or the like (not shown) by means of which the runner is secured in position.

A roller 8 is mounted by means of a stud 9 on a boss 10 formed integrally with the runner adjacent to the end thereof which is forwardmost in use, that is to say which is adjacent to the front of the supporting structure on which the runner is mounted. The roller 8 is received in a recess 11 formed in the inner face of the runner but projects beyond the upper and lower surfaces of the runner to form a rolling surface for contact with a runner recess formed in the side of a drawer to be mounted on the runner. It will be appreciated that similar runners are mounted at opposite sides of the supporting structure and engage with similar runner recesses formed in the opposite sides of the drawer. The stud 9 is provided with a shank 12 having 9 reduced diameter portion or neck 13 which engages in an aperture 14 formed centrally of the boss 10.Internal projections (not shown) in the aperture 14 engage with the neck 13 to retain the stud 9 and hence the roller 8 in position on the runner.

An elongated channel 15 extends lengthwise of the inner face of the runner and terminates in a vertical wall 16 forming an abutment for engagement with a stop member carried by the drawer. The abutment 16 is disposed rearwardly of the roller 8 by a predetermined distance designed to limit the outward movement of the drawer to a predetermined desired extent. A stop member is provided at each side of the drawer for co-operation with the associated runner and each stop member on the drawer may be moved between a retracted position in which it is clear of the drawer runner and enables the drawer to be inserted into or removed from the supporting structure, and an extended position in which the stop member projects into the channel 15 and slides therealong during opening and closing movement of the drawer to the extent permitted by the abutment 16.A drawer provided with retractable stop members of this kind is shown in ourco- pending application No. 14495/77. The forward end of the runner is chamfered at 17 to facilitate engagement of the drawer with the runners.

The outer face of the runner, that is the face which contacts the supporting structure in use, is of lesser height than the inner face whereby to form two longitudinally extending recesses 18. These recesses enable the runner to be used in association with a drawer having runner grooves provided with longitudinally extending lips projecting across the mouth the the groove as described in our co-pending applications Nos. 29261/76 and 17290/77. The recesses 18 receive the lips on the runner grooves of the drawer to provide lateral guidance of the drawer during opening and closing movements thereby improving the sliding action.

It should be noted that the runner is symmetrical about the longitudinal centre line of the recess 18 which also passes through the centre of the abutment 16 and the axis of the stud 9. In this way a pair of identical runners may be mounted one at each side of the supporting structure and it is not necessary to produce separate left and right hand runners.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example in some circumstances the recesses 18 and/or the channel 15 could be omitted and while the runner has been described as moulded from plastics material it could be made of other materials if desired.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicants claim protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A drawer runner comprising an elongated member having an outer face which is adapted to abut against the surface of a supporting structure on which the runner is mounted in use, and an inner face opposite to said outer face and directed away from the supporting structure in use, a roller membey being mounted adjacent the end of the runner which is forwardmost in use, and an abutment member being disposed rearwardly of said rolling member, the disposition of the rolling member and said abutment member being such that the runner is symmetrical about its central longitudinal axis.

2. A drawer runner according to claim 1 wherein a channel is formed in said inner face of the runner, the channel extending rearwardly from said abutment member and opening at the rear end of the runner.

3. A drawer runner according to claim 1 or 2 wherein longitudinal recesses are provided at the upper and lower edges of the outer face of the runner, said rolling member being mounted at the innerface of the runner and clear of said recesses such that the recesses form unobstructed tracks extending longitudinally of the runner.

4. A drawer runner according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said rolling member comprises a roller mounted on a boss formed integrally with the runner and located in a recess in the inner face ofthe runner, the roller projecting above the upper and lower surfaces of the runner for rolling engagement with a drawer supported thereon.

5. A drawer runner according to claim 4 wherein the exposed, inwardly-directed face of said roller is flush with the inner face of the runner.

6. A drawer runner according to any preceding clam wherein the forward end of said inner face of the runner is chamfered to facilitate engagement of a drawer with the runner.

7. A drawer runner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A drawer assembly comprising a drawer having runner grooves in the opposite sides thereof, and laterally retractable stop members mounted adjacent the rear corners of the drawer in alignment with said runner grooves, together with drawer runners engageable with the runner grooves, roller means being provided adjacent the forwardmost ends of the respective runners and abutment means being provided rearwardly of said roller means for engagement with said laterally retractable stop members on the drawer, longitudinally extending channels being formed in the inner faces of the runners and extending rearwardly from the respect abutment means to accommodate said stop members during sliding movement of the drawer relative to the runners, the runners being symmetrical about their central longitudinal axes.

9. A drawer assembly according to claim 8 wherein said runners are constructed in accordance with any of claims 3 to 7.

10. An article of furniture incorporating one or more drawer assemblies according to claim 8 or 9.

11. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.