GB2300350A

GB2300350A - Cabinet

Info

Publication number: GB2300350A
Application number: GB9508715A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Garry Arthur Law
Original assignee: SEECO
Current assignee: SEECO
Priority date: 1995-04-29
Filing date: 1995-04-29
Publication date: 1996-11-06
Also published as: GB9508715D0

Abstract

The cabinet includes a base unit (2), a removable wall portion (6), a removable top portion (8) and a lock means (36). The lock means (36) is arranged to prevent removal of both the top portion (8) and the wall portion (6) when locked.

Description

CABINET The present invention relates to a cabinet. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a weatherproof cabinet or enclosure for electrical equipment, which is intended for use in a roadside location.

Cabinets for housing and protecting electrical equipment in roadside locations are well-known and are frequently used in association with telephone equipment, traffic light control equipment etc. Such cabinets are also increasingly required for use with cable television transmitting equipment.

A typical cabinet for housing such equipment is fabricated from sheet steel and has a front panel that may be removed to allow access to the electrical apparatus contained within. Whilst such cabinets provide good protection for the equipment, access for maintenance and repair is somewhat restricted. Further, if the cabinet is damaged accidentally or through an act of vandalism, it is generally necessary to replace the entire cabinet.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cabinet that mitigates at least some of the aforementioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a cabinet including a base unit, a removable wall portion, a removable top portion and a lock means, wherein the lock means is arranged to prevent removal of both the top portion and the wall portion when locked.

Because both the top portion and the wall portion can be removed, the cabinet provides very good access to the components contained within the cabinet. The top portion and the wall portion can also be replaced separately, should they be damaged, so avoiding the need to replace the whole cabinet. Further, because both the top portion and the wall portion are locked in position by means of a single lock, manufacturing costs are minimised and removal and replacement of those parts is quick and simple.

The top portion may be arranged to be detached from the base unit by being displaced in a first substantially horizontal direction, for example by being slid to the rear of the base unit.

The wall portion may be arranged to be detached from the base unit by being tilted in a second direction substantially opposite said first direction, for example by being tilted forwards.

The lock means may be arranged to prevent relative movement of said top portion and said wall portion in said first and second directions. For example, the lock may be designed to prevent the top portion being slid to the rear and the wall portion being tilted forwards.

Advantageously, the lock means is provided on said wall portion and when locked engages said top portion. The lock means may alternatively be provided on the top portion and engage with the wall portion.

The lock means may be mounted rearwards of the face of the wall portion, thereby protecting the lock from deliberate damage.

Advantageously, the lock means comprises a turret lock.

Advantageously, the removable wall portion comprises the front wall portion of the cabinet.

Advantageously, the base unit, the top portion and the wall portion are made substantially of sheet metal.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the cabinet; FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view, showing the separate components of the cabinet, and FIGURE 3 is a side view of the cabinet in cross section.

As shown in Figure 1, the cabinet consists of a base unit 2, a lower front portion 4, an upper front portion 6 and a top portion 8. Each of those components is fabricated from sheet steel by bending and, where necessary, welding. The components are shown in more detail in Figure 2.

The base unit 2 comprises a rear panel 12 and two side panels 14. The lower edges 12a, 14a of the rear panel 12 and the side panels 14 are bent inwards to increase the rigidity of the base unit 2. The upper edges 12b, 14b of the rear panel 12 and the side panels 14 are similarly bent inwards.

The front edge portions 14c of the two side panels 14 are bent inwards perpendicular to the side panels 14 and the inner portions 14d of the front edge portions 14c are bent rearwards through a further 90 , so that they lie parallel to the two side panels 14. The front edge portions 14c, 14d extend from the lower end of the base unit 2 to a point a few centimetres from the upper end of the unit. A horizontally extending notch 16 is provided in the rear edge of each inner portion 14d, towards the upper end of the front edge portions 14c. Two fixing holes 18 are provided towards the lower end of each inner front edge portion 14d.

Two further notches 20 are provided towards the upper end of the base unit 2, one on each side of the unit where the rear panel 12 joins the two side panels 14.

The lower front portion 4 includes a front panel 21, the upper and lower edges 22, 24 and the side edges 26 of which are bent rearwards through 90 . Two tag clips 28 are provided in each of the side edges 26, for engagement with the fixing holes 18 in the base unit 2.

The upper front portion 6 includes a front panel 29, the side edges 30 and the upper and lower edges 31,32 of which are bent rearwards through 90". The overall width of the upper front portion is slightly greater than that of the base unit 2, so that the side edges 30 lie to the outside of the side panels 14 of the base unit 2, when the cabinet is assembled. The upper and lower edges 32 of the upper front portion 6 terminate a few centimetres from the side edges of the upper front portion, to accommodate the width of the front edge portions 14c of the base unit 2.

A Z-shaped bracket 34 is provided towards the lower end of the upper front portion 6, on the inner face thereof. The Z-shaped bracket 34 fits over the upper edge 22 of the lower front portion 4 in the assembled cabinet, to secure the lower edge of the upper front portion in position.

A lock 36 is provided towards the upper edge of the upper front portion 6. The lock 36 is mounted on a bracket and is set back from the front panel 29 of the upper front portion 6. The lock 36 includes a radially rotatable locking arm 40.

The top portion 8 includes a sloping upper panel 42, front and rear walls 44, 46 and two side walls 48. A shelf 50 extends rearwards from the lower edge of the front wall 44 and has at its rear edge a downwards-extending wall 52. A lip 54 extends forwards from the lower edge of the wall 52.

A pair of metal plates 56 are located in the rear corners of the top 8 and are each welded to the rear wall 46 and one of the side walls 48. A forwards-extending shelf 58 is provided on the rear wall, slightly above the level of the plates 56. The shelf is formed by cutting a horizontal slot and two vertical slots in the rear wall 46 and folding the flap so formed forwards through 90', Alternatively, the shelf may be formed by welding a steel plate onto the rear wall 46.

When the top portion 8 is placed on the cabinet, the shelf 58 rests on the top edge 12b of the rear panel 12, so aligning the plates 56 with the notches 20 provided in the rear and side panels 12, 14 of the base unit 2. The top portion 8 is then pushed forwards so that the plates 56 engage the notches 20 and the lip 54 engages the notches 16 in the inner edge portions 14d of the base unit 2. The top is therefore retained on the base unit 2 and can be removed only by sliding it towards the rear of the base unit 2, so that the lip 34 disengages the notches 16 and the plates 56 disengages the notches 20.

When the cabinet is closed and locked, as shown in Figure 3, the arm 40 of the lock 36 engages the rear of the wall 52 of the top portion 8 and prevents the top portion being moved towards the rear of the base unit 2. The lock also prevents the upper front portion 6 being tilted forwards, and the engagement between the upper front portion 6 and the top portion 8 prevents the upper front portion being lifted upwards. The upper front portion 6 is therefore retained on the base unit 2 by the lock 36, the top portion 8 and the Z-shaped bracket 34. The lock 36 thus serves to prevent the removal of both the top portion 8 and the upper front portion 6.

When the lock 36 is released, the upper front portion 6 can be removed by tilting it forwards and lifting the Z-shaped bracket 34 clear of the lower front portion 4. The top portion 8 can be removed by sliding it rearwards and lifting it from the base unit 2. Access can thereby be gained to all the components contained in the cabinet.

Further, as the top portion 8 and upper front portion 6 can both be removed, they can be replaced easily if damaged.

Claims

1. A cabinet including a base unit, a removable wall portion, a removable top portion and a lock means, wherein the lock means is arranged to prevent removal of both the top portion and the wall portion when locked.

2. A cabinet according to claim 1, in which the top portion is arranged to be detached from the base unit by being displaced in a first substantially horizontal direction.

3. A cabinet according to claim 2, in which the wall portion is arranged to be detached from the base unit by being tilted in a second direction substantially opposite said first direction.

4. A cabinet according to claim 3, in which the lock means is arranged to prevent relative movement of said top portion and said wall portion in said first and second directions.

5. A cabinet according to claim 4, in which the lock means is provided on said wall portion and when locked engages said top portion.

6. A cabinet according to any one of the previous claims, in which the lock means is mounted rearwards of the face of the wall portion.

7. A cabinet according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the lock means comprises a turret lock.

8. A cabinet according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the base unit, the top portion and the wall portion are made substantially of sheet metal.

9. A cabinet according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the removable wall portion comprises the front wall portion of the cabinet.

10. A cabinet substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.