GB2205732A

GB2205732A - Furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2205732A
Application number: GB08714292A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Beckett
Original assignee: CYRIL BERNSTEIN Ltd
Current assignee: CYRIL BERNSTEIN Ltd
Priority date: 1987-06-18
Filing date: 1987-06-18
Publication date: 1988-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2007-06-18
Also published as: GB8714292D0; GB2205732B

Abstract

In an article for furniture such as a fitted kitchen unit having a drawer, one of the runners (16) which supports the drawer is provided with means (40) for adjustment of height of the side (10) of the drawer relative to the carcase. This facilitates smooth running by permitting correction of misalignment of the runners. A preferred form of adjustment has an end of a runner (16) attached eccentrically to a plug (40) pivotally mounted in a drawer side (10). <IMAGE>

Description

FURNITURE This invention relates to articles of furniture having one or more drawers. Although not confined to fitted furniture, the invention is particularly applicable to fitted furniture such as kitchen units and fitted bedroom furniture.

The support of a drawer from the carcase of an article of furniture can be accomplished with various types of runner construction. An arrangement which is commonplace for fitted units is to employ a chipboard carcase, with a drawer made of chipboard, and runners screwed to the carcase~and drawer. Such runners are normally made of steel and each provided with a plastic wheel or other plastic part to run on an elongate track of the other runner. In some cases a drawer has sides which are plastic extrusions or injection mouldings Then it is conventional for the drawer sides to have their runner incorporated into them. Older furniture may have wooden runners fixed in place or incorporated into drawer sides.

An objective with furniture is to have drawers which run easily. We have appreciated that this objective can be frustrated - i.e. drawers do not run easily - through runners which are not properly positioned. Use of wood-based materials such as chipboard gives rise to some inevitable inaccuracy in manufacturing. A carcase may twist out of true if standing on a floor which is not exactly level.

A carcase of fitted furniture may be twisted out of true during installation.

We have now found that such hindrance to free running drawers can be overcome or reduced, without creating more serious other problems, by providing for adjustment of the mounting position of at least one end of the track of a runner relative to the item (carcase or drawer side) to which it is attached.

The present invention is directed to a carcase accommodating the drawer, with each side of the drawer supported from the carcase through a pair of cooperating runners.

According to the invention, at least at one side of the drawer, for at least one runner which provides an elongate track for contact with the other runner of the pair, the height of at least one end of the elongate track is adjustable relative to the drawer or carcase to which that runner is attached. Such a provision for adjustment enables upward or downward adjustment of the closed position of at least one end of the associated side of the drawer relative to the carcase. This is so whether the runner which is adjusted is secured to the drawer, or secured to the carcase.

In general an adjustment which alters the height of a track of a runner at one end will alter the orientation of the track by pivoting around some point away from the end, e.g. around the point of attachment of the opposite end portion of the runner.

Adjusting the height and/or orientation of the entire track has the benefit that both runners of a pair can retain their correct relative positioning e.g. with respective tracks parallel to each other and thus continue to run smoothly one on the other while misalignment of the pairs of runners at respective sides of the drawer is corrected.

Adjustment of the track will generally be accomplished by adjusting the runner as a whole. This can be done with a conventional runner. Conceivably, however, a runner could have a track which is adjustable relative to another part of the runner, and such a possibility is within the scope of the invention.

Adjustment means may serve only to permit adjustment and hold an adjusted position. Preferably, however, adjustment means are operable to shift the position of the track (or runner with its track).

It is suitable to provide adjustment means which serves to enable adjustment of height while also serving to support or hold the runner track at an adjusted position for testing without restricting the possibilities for further adjustment.

As well as supporting or holding an adjusted position, adjustment means may also be operable to shift the position of the track.

It is preferred that adjustment means should also serve to attach the track to the carcase or drawer.

Alternatively or additionally, when a satisfactory adjusted position is reached, the track may be fixed by securing means other than the adjustment means.

This could be the insertion of screws to fix the track at the adjusted position. However, insertion of screws creates screw holes which are an obstacle to further adjustment because it is impractical to screw in again at a position which is only slightly different. It is preferable to postpone any fastening which creates a permanent deformation of material until a final adjusted position is achieved.

Adjustment means may both permit adjustment of height and also define and limit a range of adjustment travel.

Adjustability may be provided at both sides of a drawer, or only one. Adjustment may be continuously variable or be by discrete steps, the former being preferred.

Preferably adjustment means are proximate one end of a said track. Moreover, it is desirable for them to be proximate the front end of an adjustable runner, partly because it is desirable to provide adjustment of the front of a drawer, but also for the sake of convenient access. Adjustment means could be provided at both ends, i.e. front and back, if desired.

If a drawer has solid sides, e.g. made of chipboard, the adjustment means can fit into a drawer side. Conveniently it extends through the drawer side and is operable from the drawer interior.

If a drawer has hollow sides (e.g. plastic mouldings) it may well be preferable to provide adjustment of a runner attached to the carcase. This is also possible when the drawer has solid sides.

Adjustment means for a runner attached to the carcase are preferably operable from the interior of the carcase, that is to say they are operable at the face to which the runner is attached.

The adjustment means may be a swing link or eccentric wherein the adjustment means comprises a member pivotally mounted to the carcase or drawer about a first axis and pivotally mounted to the runner about a second axis spaced from the first axis.

A simple and economical adjustment means comprises a plug rotatable in a cavity in the carcase or drawer, and an end portion of the runner is pivotally attached to the plug at a position which is off centre relative to the plug axis.

The runners of each pair may in particular each have a part, such as an elongate web, for attachment to the drawer or carcase respectively; a projecting part, such as a projecting flange, defining an elongate track; and at one end only, means for contacting the other runner of the pair. The part for attachment, and the track, will generally be metal.

Such means for contacting the other runner may comprise a plastic wheel or a plastic sliding part, tomakesliding or rolling contact with the other runner.

One preferred possibility is for each runner to have a wheel, preferably a single wheel, at one end able to roll on the track of the other runner. Another possibility is for the runner attached to the carcase to have a wheel preferably a single wheel, at its front end, which makes rolling contact with the track of the runner attached to the drawer. The other runner of such a pair may have parts to slide on the runner attached to the carcase, e.g. a pair of such parts engaging above and below the track of the runner attached to the carcase.

An advantage of forms of this invention is that such runners can be fixed in place using screws, as is conventional. One fixing screw may be driven into the adjustment means, and eventually used to tighten and fix the adjustment means.

For further explanation, embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of a carcase; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a drawer; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one side of the drawer and the runner attached thereto; Figs. 4; 5 and 6 are perspective, side and end views of a runner adjuster used in the drawer of Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 7 is a side view of an adjustable runner attached to a carcase.

The first embodiment is an item of fitted furniture having a carcase of conventional construction (part of which is shown in Fig. 1). This is fitted with the drawer as illustrated by Figs. 2 to 6.

The drawer shown in Fig. 2 has its sides 10 and back 12 made from laminated chipboard. These are jointed to each other and to the front 14 by pegs and end fittings. The base of the drawer is a sheet of hardboard trapped in grooves in the vertical walls of the drawer. The drawer is supported in the carcase by pairs of cooperating runners at each side.

The runners 16 attached to the drawer, and the runners 18 attached to the carcase are steel pressings. The runners attached to the drawer each have a vertical web 20 from which a generally horizontal flange 22 extends. A wheel 24 is pivotally mounted on the web 20 near to the rear end of the runner.

The runners 18 attached to vertical side walls 26 of the carcase also have vertical webs 28. These are screwed to the carcase at a fixed position by chipboard screws 30. From this vertical web project a pair of horizontal flanges 32, 34. A wheel 36 is pivotally mounted near the front end of the web 28. When the drawer is fitted in the carcase the runners 18 fixed to the carcase support the runners 16 attached to the drawer and thus support the weight of the drawer. At each side, when the drawer is closed, the wheel 24 rests on the horizontal flange 32 while the horizontal flange 22 rests on the wheel 36. As the drawer is pulled out the wheels run on these flanges which constitute running tracks for the wheels.

When the drawer is pulled sufficiently far out it tends to drop and this is restrained by the wheels 24 pressing upwardly on the flanges 34.

The runners 16 attached to the drawer have a slight upward arch 38 at the front ends of their running tracks 22. When the drawer is completely closed these arches 38 fit over the front wheels 36 of the runners on the carcase and hold the drawer in a closed position. The runner 16 at the right hand side of the drawer has a lip (not shown in the drawings) extending downwardly from the outer edge of its flange 22. This lip hooks over the wheel 36 at the right hand side and controls the lateral position of the drawer.

As so far described the construction is a typical conventional construction.

At each side the runners 20 are adjustable on the drawer by means of an adjusting member 40 shown in Figs. 4 to 6.

Each adjusting member 40 is a plug moulded from polyamide or polyacetal. It is basically a cylinder 42 with a larger diameter head 44 at one end and an eccentric blind bore 46 in from the other end. The plug is fitted into a round hole which is machined through the drawer side 10 and matches the diameter of the plug. It is inserted from the inside and cannot pass through because of the head 44. The head has a cross slot 48 so that the plug can be turned with a screwdriver.

Each runner 20 is attached to the drawer side by a chipboard screw through a countersunk slot 50 at the rear end portion of the runner. A chipboard screw 52 is also passed through a countersunk round hole in the front end portion of the runner 16 and screwed into the bore 46 in the plastic plug. The cylindrical section 42 of the plug is slightly shorter than the thickness of the drawer side.l0.

When the screw 52 is tightened, the plug's head 44 is pulled against the inside of the drawer side 10 while the front end portion of the runner 16 is pulled against the outside, and thereby fastened in place.

If the screw 52 is slackened, the plug can be turned, and because the bore 46 is eccentric the front end of the runner is moved up or down as indicated by arrow 54. The height adjustment achieved in this way is about + 2mm. The screw through slot 50 should also be slackened during such adjustment to allow the rear end of the runner to slide as the plug is turned.

After the carcase has been installed at the intended position, the drawer is fitted into the carcase. If levelling is required the drawer is taken out, the screws holding one or both runners 16 are loosened and the heights of the drawer side(s) relative to their runner(s) 16 are adjusted as necessary. This can be carried out with the drawer again fitted to the carcase, and pulled out - just as for normal use - sufficient to give access to the heads 44 of the adjustment plugs 40.

When satisfactory adjustment is achieved all screws are tightened and additional screws are inserted through the middle holes 56 in the runners 16. This has the effect of locking the adjusted position.

It will be appreciated that the runners 16 differ from conventional runners only in the presence of the slots 50. The only special parts used are the plugs 40 which are simple plastic mouldings.

The second embodiment is again an item of fitted furniture with a drawer. The drawer is again supported on co-operating runners, but in this case it has runners fixedly attached to it. These can be conventional, i.e. the same as runners 16, but with a round hole instead of slot 50.

The carcase has runners 58 which are conventional runners as shown in Fig. 1, but adjustable at their front ends. Initially these runners 58 are attached to the carcase wall 26 only by screws 60 through holes at their rear end portions. Their front end portions rest on a special fitting 62.

This is a round plastic plug which is a push fit into a blind bore into the inside face of the carcase wall 26 just below the runner. The plastic fitting 62 carries an adjusting screw 64 which presses on the underside of runner 58.

Adjustment is effected by turning this screw, reached from below via the cupboard below the drawer.

When a final adjusted position has been reached screws are inserted through the remaining holes 66 in the runner.

In this embodiment raising or lowering of a runner 58 has the effect of raising or lowering the co-operating runner 16 as well, and hence raising or lowering the associated drawer side 10 as well.

Claims

1. An article of furniture having a drawer and a carcase accommodating the drawer, with each side of the drawer supported from the carcase through a pair of co-operating runners, wherein at least at one side of the drawer, for at least one runner which provides an elongate track for contact with the other runner of the pair, the height of at least one end of the elongate track is adjustable relative to the drawer or carcase to which that runner is attached, thereby enabling upward or downward adjustment of the closed position of at least one end of the associated side of the drawer relative to the carcase.

2. An article according to claim 1 wherein adjustment means are provided for enabling adjustment of the height of at least one end of the elongate track of the said runner relative to the carcase or drawer to which it is attached, the adjustment means serving to support or hold an adjusted position for trial thereof without restricting further adjustment of that position.

3. An article according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the elongate track of the runner is held to the drawer or carcase through adjustment means proximate one end of the track and which permit adjustment of the height of the said end relative to the drawer or carcase while attaching the said end thereto.

4. An article according to claim 2 or claim 3 having said adjustment means proximate the front end of a runner.

5. An article according to claim 3 wherein said adjustment means attach the front end portion of a runner to the drawer.

6. An article according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the runner comprises an elongate metal part and said attachment means attach an end thereof to a non-metallic part of the carcase or drawer.

.

7. An article according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the other end of the runner is screwed to the said non-metallic part of the carcase or drawer.

8. An article according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein the adjustment means can selectively be tightened to fix the runner or slackened to permit adjustment.

9. An article according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the adjustment means comprises a member pivotally mounted to the carcase or drawer about a first axis and pivotally mounted to the runner about a second axis spaced from the first axis.

10. An article according to claim 9 wherein the adjustment means comprises a plug rotatable in a cavity in the carcase or drawer, and an end portion of the runner is pivotally attached to the plug at a position which is off centre relative to the plug axis.

11. An article according to claim 10 wherein the end portion of the runner is attached to the plug by a screw into the plug at a position off centre relative to the plug axis.

12. An article according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the opposite end portion of the runner is provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the runner, and is attached to the carcase or drawer by a screw through the slot.

13. An article according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein the runner is attached to a side of the drawer, the plug is rotatable in a bore through the wall of the drawer, and the plug has a head which is exposed on the inside of the side of the drawer and prevents the plug from being drawn outwardly through the side of the drawer.

14. An article according to any onedfthe preceding claims wherein each runner has a part for attachment to the drawer or the.carcase respectively, a projecting part defining an elongate track, and atone end only means for contacting the track of the co-operating runner.

15. An article according to claim 14 wherein, for at least one runner of each co-operating pair, the means for contacting the track of the co-operating runner is a single wheel at one end of the first runner.

16. An article according to claim 15 wherein, for the said co-operating runner, the means for contacting the track of the first runner is a single wheel at one end of the said co-operating roller.

17. An article according to claim 15 wherein, for the co-operating runner, the means for contacting the track of the first runner is one or more plastic parts to slide on the first runner, and located at one end of the said co-operating roller.

18. An article according to any one of claims 15, 16, or 17 wherein the first said runner is attached to the carcase with the roller at the front end of the runner.

19. An article of furniture having a drawer and a carcase accommodating the drawer, with a side of the drawer supported from the carcase through a runner adjustably attached to the drawer, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.