US2055038A - Cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 22, 1936. MCKEAN ET AL 2,055,038

I I CABINET Filed May 1, 1955 I ,fllmfl'ean flsbamze Tasizqq I Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES I CABINET Donald J. McKean' and Osborne Tusting, San

. A Francisco, Calif.

Application May 1, 1935, Serial No. 19,279

. 3 Claims.

' Wise whichshould be filed away at points where access may be had thereto conveniently and quickly.

(It is an object of the inventionto provide a cabinet which: can hold alarge number. of different kinds of forms in a comparatively small space, each group or pileof forms being supported in an inclined positionysothat the sheets comprising the groupwill be maintained by gravity in one extreme position where one end will be neatly stacked or piled and at the same time visibleso as to be readily .identified.

A further object is to provide the cabinet with a series of superposed shelves of simple construction ,having. means for, holding them normally retracted but with their contents visible for identification purposes.

Afurther object is to provide a cabinet the trays of which can be quicklyyreleasedto allow a selected shelf to gravitate forwardly into position where a -.desired.number of sheets piled thereon ,caniabe removed;

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the cabinet showing the trays in retracted positions.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section through a portion of the cabinet, a portion of one of the trays being shown in its projected or delivering position.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55, Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a section on line 66, Figure 4.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l designates a cabinet housing which can be of any desired materials and of any size and proportions. In the present instance this housing comprises a, base 2 having upstanding metal walls 3 closing the side and back and connected by a top 4. The lower portion of the front is open as shown at 5 and struck inwardly from the side walls of the housing are abutments or ears 5 arranged in parallel series which are inclined upwardly and rearwardly from points adjacent'to the opening 5, it being understood that the series of ears on the two opposed sides of the housing are oppositelydisposed and correspond with each other. Thus the corresponding seriesof the two sides of the housing can sup port trays "I which, in the present instance, are made up of fiat sheets of metal.

Each of these sheets of metal hasa front retaining flange 8 the middle portion of which is cut away as at 9 while a recess Ill is extended into the plate from the cut-away portion 9 for a 'short distance'so as to provide a clearance fora finger used in removing one or more forms supported by the tray. r A tooth ll is struck downwardly from each tray .1 near its forward end'at one sideithereof and this tooth is so located that when its tray is in retracted position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, said-tooth will be located back o-f-and engage one of the front ears 6 so that the tray will thus-be prevented frorn'sliding forwardlyout of the position shown in said figures. Y

A stop flange I 2 is pressed downwardly from each side of each tray near its back end and these flanges have their forward ends cut away to provide stop teeth I 3. These teeth are normally spaced back from the uppermost ears 6 on which the tray is mounted.

In practice each of the trays in the cabinet can be loaded with a stack or group of forms which. will rest at their forward ends against the front flange 8 on said tray and bridge the cut-away portion 9 and recess 10. Before loading each tray is inserted back into the cabinet so as to rest on its group of ears 6 and the tooth II will engage a front ear 6, holding the tray in the position illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

After all of the trays have been provided with forms, the contents can be readily identified through the spaces between the front ends of the trays and through the spaces provided at 9 where the flanges 8 are cut away. When it is desired to remove a particular form its position can be located readily by looking downwardly on the trays and the proper tray can then be lifted at its front end so that its tooth II will disengage from its adjacent ear or abutment 6, releasing the tray which will gravitate forwardly on its supporting ears until the stop teeth l3 contact and engage the rearmost ears 15 supporting the tray as shown for example in Figure 4. This will bring the tray to a stop in a projected position and the desired number of forms can be lifted therefrom.

Thereafter the tray can be thrust backwardly upon its supporting ears and the tooth l I will ride over the front ear 6 and finally drop into its position back thereof thereby holding the tray against forward sliding movement.

It will be noted that not only do the trays gravitate forward to delivering positions under their own weight and the weight of the load thereon but the forms supported on the tray whether they be long or short will also gravitate forwardly against flange 8 so that they are constantly neatly held on the tray and in proper position to be identified. 7

It is to be understood that the supporting means shown for the trays is only one of many which may be provided and obviously means other than the teeth and stop flanges can be used for limiting the movement of the tray. The means shown is a simple form which can be employed and for that reason has been portrayed as one of the preferred forms. 7

What is claimed is:

1. A cabinet including a housing, a tray therein for supporting material loosely, means for supporting the tray at such an angle as to cause loose material thereon to gravitatetoward one end of the tray and to cause the tray to gravitate relative to the housing, means on the tray for limiting the gravitation of the material thereon, limiting means projecting from the tray and cooperating with one of said supporting means for holding the tray against gravitation while in full extended position, and retaining means carried by and projecting from the tray and cooperating with one of said supporting means for holding the tray against gravitation while in full retracted position, said tray being liftablev at its front end to disengage said retaining means from the engaged supporting means and release'the tray for gravitation until stopped by the limiting means, said retaining means having an inclined bottom edge for gliding over and reengaging said supporting means when the tray is moved back intorfull retracted position.

2. A cabinet including a housing, a tray therein for supporting material loosely, means for supporting the tray at such an angle as to cause it to gravitate relative to the housing, limiting means projecting from the tray and cooperating with one of said supporting means for holding the tray against gravitation while in full extended position, said limiting means having a downwardly and forwardly extended edge movable under the engaged supporting means to hold the adjacent portion of the tray close to said supporting means, retaining means projecting from the tray and cooperating with one of said supporting means for holding the tray against gravitation while fully retracted, said tray being liftable at its front end to lift the retaining means from the engaged supporting means and release the tray for gravitation to full, extended position, said retaining means having an inclined bottom edge for gliding over said supporting means when the tray is moved back into full retracted position, thereby to reengage said supporting means and hold the tray in fullvretracted position.

3. A cabinet including a housing, a tray therein forrsupporting'material loosely, fixed means for supporting the tray at such an angle as to cause it to gravitate relative to the housing, said means. providing spaced abutments, limiting means on the tray and fixed relative thereto for stopping the gravitation of the tray by engagement with one of the abutments, retaining means fixed on the tray and projecting therefrom for normally engaging one of the abutments to hold the tray in full retracted position and against gravitation, said tray being liftable at its front end to disengage the retaining means from the abutment to permit gravitation of the tray until stopped by DONALD J. MCKEAN. OSBORNE TUSTING.

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