US1953900A - Filing cabinet - Google Patents

Description

April 43, 1934. c. P JwoLTE-Rs 1,953,900

FILING CABINET File Jan. 12, 1932 4 sheets-sheet 1 A INVENTOR Curl F. Wolts.,

IApril 3, 1934. c. F. WOLTERS 1,953,900

y FILING CABINET Filed Jan. l2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'TOR ATTORNEYS C. F. WOLTERS FILING CABINET `April 3, 1934.

4` Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 12, 1932 ATTORNEYS April 3, 1934. C. F. WOLTERS `1,953,900

FILINQCABINET 7 Filed Jan. 12, 1932 4 sheets-sheet 4' N99. 1,11 5,21 73%EL 1 2 INVENTOR 88 A. CullEWoltQrs,

94 4, BY y *WWW-ATTORNEYS Patented pr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES FILING CABINET Carl F. Wolters, Marietta, Ohio, assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application January 12, 1932, Serial No. 586,252

18 Claims.

This invention relates to cabinets adapted to support and house filing trays or other ofce equipment.

It comprehendsi, generally, the provision of means for supporting such tray at a height convenient to the operator, and an encasing frame and closure encasing and housing the ling tray when the latter is not in use, the frame and closure being adapted for lowering movement away from the ling tray to an open position when access to the ling tray is desired. Means are provided for guiding the frame and closure between closed and open positions, the guide means having associated therewith means for 1.3 automatically retaining the parts in either position.

The invention further comprehends a cabinet supported on wheels in order that it may be readily moved to any desired position about an office, and means associated with the wheels for locking them to prevent movement of the device while. it is being used.

These and other objects and advantages, including those related to the arrangement and conformation of the component parts, will become apparent from the following description of typical embodiments of the invention illus- Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical section show- .23 ing the cabinet in closed or inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the cabinet in open or operative position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on line 3`3 of Fig. 2;

e.; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively front and side views of one front wheel of the cabinet, showing the adjacent cabinet structure partly in 4;) section;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan section taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 3, depicting brake actuating mechanism for the front wheels;

Fig. 8 is a perspective "iew of a member for supporting the cabinet closure or cover;

' Fig. 9 is a side view, partly in section, illustrating another form of the invention;

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary bottom plan view,

showing approximately half of the cabinet shown in Fig.`9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary section taken on line 11--11 of Fig. 9; and,

Fig. 12 is a detailperspective view of one closure actuating part shown in Fig. 9.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the cabinet in- -cludes a flanged tray 15 for supporting a filing device, such as indicated at 16, or the like. The bottom of the tray is secured upon a plate 17 having a depending peripheral flange 18. U- shaped clips 19, fixed to the plate 17 adjacent the corners thereof, are fastened, as by bolts 21, to upper tubular leg sections 22. The latter telescope within lowerv tubular leg sections 23 which are joined together by rungs 24.

The tray 15 may be adjusted to the desired height by telescoping movement of the leg sec tions 22 and 23. A plurality of apertures 45 are provided in the latter for selectively receiving removable fasteners 46 which lock the leg sections together in the position desired.

At the bottom of each of the rear legs, or' those depicted at the left of Fig. 1, is a caster. the axes of the wheels 25 of the casters being oiiset from the vertical caster pivot axis 26 to allow the cabinet to be moved readily in any direction. Atthe front end of the cabinet, the leg sections 23 are provided Iwith fixed forks 27 in which wheels 28 are journalled. Each wheel has a series of recesses 29 therein and upon partial rotation of the wheel one of 'the recesses ner leg of the fork.

Pivoted at 32 to the front leg section 23, are resilient levers 33, the lower arms thereof carrying pins 34 movable in apertures 31 into engagement with recesses 29 of the wheels for locking the latter against rotation. Upper arm portions 35 of the levers 33 are extended into engagement with actuating rods 36 slidably supported adjacent their outer ends in brackets 37 carried by the front rung 24. The inner ends of the rods 36 are pivoted at 38 to an actuating lever 40 pivotallyconnected at 39 to the bottom of the front rung. Springs 41 disposed and acting between lever arms 35 and leg sections 23 normally move the levers 33 to carry pins 34 into `engagement with the recesses 29.

An operator may rotate the lever 40 by moving the pedal portion 42 thereof, thus effecting outward movement of rods 36 to retract pins 34 from the recesses 29 of ythe wheels. The frictional resistance of the lock mechanism is preferably great enough to hold the parts in retracted position against the tension of springs 41. To lock the device the lever end 42 is moved in the opposite direction, whereupon the springs will eiiect movement ofthe pins into the wheel recesses. In the` event that the wheel recesses are not aligned with the pins, partial rotation of the wheels will produce such alignment, the

'may be aligned with an aperture 31 in the insprings 41 insuring that the wheels will lock as soon as the aligned position is reached.

Extending about the tray 15 is a closed trarne 47 having front and rear walls 48 and side walls 49, each having inturned anges 51 at the bottom thereof and inwardly and thence downwardly extending flanges 50' at the upper edge thereof. Disposed at each side of the cabinet between the walls 49 and the side walls of the tray 15 are a pair of crossed linlns 52 and 53, respectively pivoted to the tray and side wall 49 adjacent the front of the cabinet, as indicated at.54 and 55. The links are pivoted together at 56, intermediate of their ends. The opposite ends of the links 52 and 53 are provided with rollers 57 and 58, respectively engaged in horizontal guide members or trackways 59 and 61 that are secured to rear portions of the Itray 15 and side walls 49 oi.' the frame 47 in horizontal alignment with the pivot points 55 and 54, respectively.

Above the guideways 61, on each side of the tray, are aiixed horizontal guideways 62, receiving rollers 63 carried by the free ends of side arms 64 of a generally U-shaped member 65, the web 66 of which is approximately the width of the cabinet. The arms are pivoted at 67, adjacent the web 66, to side walls 49 of the frame. Adjacent the juncture of the web 66 and side arms are guide members 68 adapted for sliding engagement with channel guides 69 carried by a closure 71 at the sides thereof. The closure has peripheral return bent flanges 72 for abutment with flanges 50 of the frame walls 48 and 49.

A handle 73 is affixed to the forward end of the closure and by lifting the latter upwardly, thereby moving the closure 71 and U-shaped member in a counter-clockwise direction (as the device is viewed in Figs. 1 and 2) about the pivot axes 67, the frame will be lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2 by reason of the movement of rollers 63 in the guideways 62. Subsequently the closure 71 may be lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2, the guide channels 69 thereof moving downwardly guided by members 68 carried by the U-shaped member 65. The arms 64 of the latter are cut away, as indicated at 74 in Fig. 2 to permit of the frame lowering movement. Brackets 75, for abutment with the upper side wall edges of the tray 15, when the frame is lowered, are carried by the arms 64 to relieve the pivots 67 of the weight of the closure after lowering movement.

To close the cabinet and raise the frame walls the handle is moved pwardly and forwardly, reversing the action heretofore described and bringing the parts to the relative positions shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the link and guide mechanism 52, 53, 59, 61 will at all times retain the frame walls 48, 49 in proper vertical alignment relative to the tray 15. When the frame and closure are lowered, as shown in Fig. 2, the contents of the tray are exposed and accessible, and the parts will be retained in such position by gravity. -When the frame is raised and the closure is in the position of Fig. 1, the contents of the tray will be completely enclosed, the anges 51 of the frame walls abutting the bottom of the tray to prevent the entrance of dust or moisture. The parts are likewise retained in closed position by the weight of the closure 71, since the pivot points 67 and the rollers 63 are in substantially vertical alignment at such times.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive, the tray 15' is supported by legs 23 and is encased by a. frame having front and rear walls 48 and side walls 49. The frame h a flange 51' at the bottom thereof adapted to abut the bottom of the tray 15 and a peripheral return bent flange 50' at the top thereof.

Closure 71 has depending side flanges 72' provided with elongated slots 81 slidably receiving pins 82 secured to the side walls 49. each pin being disposed adjacent the rear upper corners of the respective side wall. By means oi a handle 73 on the forward end of the closure, the latter may be rotated upwardly about the pin axes and then moved downwardly to the broken line position de picted in Fig. 9, the pins sliding in the slots 81 during such movement.

The frame is supported at each side by a. pair of arms 83 and 84 mounted on shafts 85 and 86 respectively, rotatable in brackets 87 carried by the bottom of tray 15. Gear segments 88 and 89 are formed on the respective arms about the axes of shafts 85 and 86, the teeth of one segment meshing those of the segment of the other arm of the pair. Rollers 89 are mounted on the free ends of the arms and are guided in horizontal guideways 91 carried by the frame. Each arm has a spring attaching extension 92, the extensions of each pair of arms being connected by a tension spring 93. Stop projections 94 on segments 88 and 89 cooperate to limit the downward movement of the arms.

When the frame is raised, or in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9, the effective lever arms of the arms 83 and 84, upon which the springs 93 act, is suflciently great that the spring will urge the arms 83 and 84 together so that the rollers 89 will have an upward component of force, pressing the frame flange 51 into contact with the bottom of tray 15'. To lower the frame, the operator need only press it downwardly to the broken line vpositions of Fig. 9, thereby rendering the contents of the tray accessible. I n lowered position the vertical component applied by springs 93 to raise the arms and frame is reduced to such an extent that the weight of the frame either overcomes this vertical component and retains the arms in the lowered position with stop projections 94 in engaged relation, or the spring passes the shaft axes as indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 9.

The frame will remain in lowered position until raised by the operator. It will also be understood that the relation between arms 83 and 84, springs 93 and stops 94 and the associated mounting and housing structure may be arranged so that the spring action may be applied to provide a snap action by the spring and the force components moving past the shaft axis, as suggested by the showing of Fig. 9.

It will be understood that the gear segments 88 and 89 together with shafts 85 and 86 will co-act to maintain the arms 83 and 84 in the same corresponding positions relative to tray and frame, thereby maintaining the frame horizontal during lowering and raising movements, and while it is positioned at its limits of movement.

It will further be understood that the embodiments herein described and illustrated are merely illustrative of the inventive principles involved, which may be applied with advantage to devices having other structural characteristics, all within the purview of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an open topped frame extending about the side walls of said tray, means for guiding the frame for vertical movement relative to the tray,

a closure for said frame, a member pivoted to the frame adjacent one end of the tray and having sliding engagement with the closure for permitting longitudinal movement of the closure, an arm carried by said member extending from the pivot axis, 4said arm being disposed'between a wall of said tray and the adjacent wall of said frame, and means connecting said tray and the free end of said arm, whereby said closure may be moved to a substantially upright position adjacent one `end of the frame with its center of gravity beneath the pivot axis, and upon movement to such position that the frame will be lowered relative to the tray to provide access to the latter.

2. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an open topped outer casing extending about and enclosing the tray, guide means between the tray and casing for guiding the latter for vertical movement relative to the tray, cover means including a closure for the casing, said cover means being pivoted to the casing at one end thereof, and means connecting the cover means and tray for moving the casing downwardly relative to the tray upon upward movement of the closure about the pivot axis.

3. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an open topped frame extending about the tray, guide means between the tray and frame for guiding the latter for vertical movement relative to the tray, cover means including a closure and an arm extending substantially transversely thereof, va projection at the outer end of said arm, and a substantially horizontal guideway for said projection carried by the tray, whereby, upon movement of said closure about the pivot axis to a substantially upright position, said frame will be lowered relative to the tray to provide access to the tray.

4. In a cabinet,l a tray and supporting means therefor, an outer casing embracing said tray, andA link' means carried by the tray and connected to and located inside the casing for guiding the casing for vertical movement relative to the tray to enclose articles supported on the tray in the upper position and extending substantially below the tray in the lower position to expose said articles, said link means including a pair of links each having one end connected to the tray and one end connected to the casing, and means associating the links for maintaining the ends thereof which are connected to the casing in the same horizontal plane.

5. In a cabinet, a tray member and supporting means therefor, an outer casing member normally extending about said tray member, and means for guiding the casing member for downward movement relative to said tray member to extend below said tray in lowered position, said means com- 6. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an outer casing normally extending about said tray, means carried by the tray for guiding the casing for vertical movement relative to said tray, a closure for said casing, means for supporting the closure upon the casing for means for the frame and for the closure whereby.

the frame may be lowered and the closure may be moved to one side of the cabinet to permit of access to the tray.

8. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an outer casing normally extending about said tray and forming movable side and end walls therefor, a pair of links on the inside of said side walls of the cabinet, said links being pivoted to each other medially of their ends, each link being connected at one end to the tray and at its opposite end to the casing, the connections of said links at one end of the cabinet comprising fixed pivots and the connections at the opposite end of the cabinet comprising a roller mounted on each link and a horizontal guideway on the tray and casing, each guideway engaging one of said rollers.

9. In va cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an imperforate casing normally extending about said tray to enclose the same, a pair of links on each side of the cabinet between thecasing and the tray, the links of each pair being pivoted together medially of their ends, each link being connected at one end to the tray and at the opposite end to the casing, the connections of one pair of links at one end of the cabinet being pivoted, and the connections of saidone pair of links at the other'end of the cabinet comprising rollers on the links engaging horizontal trackways on the tray and casing, said casing housing said links in all relative positions thereof,v and said casing extending substantially below the tray in lowered position.

10. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an outer imperforate sheet metal casing normally extending about said tray, a pair of links on each side of the cabinet between the casing and the tray, the links of each pair being pivoted together medially of their ends, each link being connected at one end to the tray and at the opposite end to the casing, the connections of one pair of links at one end of the cabinet comprising xed pivots and those at the opposite end comprising pivots movable horizontally relative to the tray and casing respectively whereby the casing maybe lowered to a position to extend substantially below the tray.

11. In a cabinet, a tray including supporting mean's therefor, a continuous frame having side and end walls extending about said tray and a closure at the top of said tray, said closure having a side flange depending over one side wall Aat of said frame, ahorizontal slot in said flange and to one of said members and having rollers at their opposite ends. and horizontal trackways on the other of said members guiding and supporting said rollers whereby said casing encloses the tray and contents in itsupper position and extends below the tray in lowered position to expose the contents of said tray.

13. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, a frame normally extending about said tray, a pair of links pivoted to said tray, said links diverging upwardly from the pivot points and having rollers at their upper ends, horizontal guide means on the frame supported upon the rollers. gear segments carried by cach link, said segments being in mesh, and spring means connecting said links for retaining said frame in normal position.

14. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, a frame normally extending about said tray, a pair of links` pivoted to said tray, said links diverging upwardly from the pivot points and having rollers at their upper ends, horizontal guide means on the frame engaging said rollers, means connecting the links for movement of the same amplitude in opposite directions about their pivot axes, and spring means connecting the links for retaining said frame in normal position, said links being ineffective to return the frame to normal position when it is lowered to bring said links to substantially horizontal positions.

15. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor. an open ended sheet metal casing embracing said tray having inwardly extending flanges on the upper and lower ends, the flange on the lower end engaging the bottom of said tray to limit upward movement thereof, guiding and elevating means housed on the inside of said casing between said flanges and connected with said tray, and a cover for the upper end of said casing connected to said means for operating said means in movement of the cover to open position to lower said casing to extend substantially below said tray.

16. In a cabinet, a tray and supporting means therefor, an open ended sheet metal casing forming side and end walls for said tray and embracing said tray, said casing having inwardly extending flanges on the upper and lower ends, the flanges on the lower end portion engaging the tray bottom in elevated position of said casing, guiding and operating means inside said casing and between said flanges adjacent said side walls connected with said tray for guiding said casing between an elevated position extending above said tray and a lower position extending substantially below the tray, and a cover on the upper end of said casing movable to an open position adjacent a side of said casing.

17. In a cabinet, a tray, a sheet metal casing forming side and end walls for said tray, an inverted U-shaped member having the connected ends of side arms thereof, pivotedto the upper end of said casing and the free ends of said side arms supported and guided by said tray, a cover slidably mounted on said U-shaped member and adapted to move said member on its pivot to raise and lower the casing relative to the tray, and guiding means between the tray and casing.

18; In a cabinet, a tray, a sheet metal casing forming side and end walls for embracing said tray having inturned lianges on the upper and lower end portions, the flange on the lower end portion substantially engaging the bottom of said tray in the upper position to enclose said tray and contents, a U-shaped member having side arms connected at one end and pivoted on said casing, the free ends of said side arms having a travelling connection with the sides of said tray, and a cover slidably mounted on said U-shaped member operable to move said member on its pivot and lower and raise said casing relative to said tray.

CARL F. WOLTERS.

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