US2163835A - Multiple locker - Google Patents

Description

Patented June 27, 1939 PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE LOCKER Henry A. Forrer, Canton, Ohio, assignor to John- Full Steel Products, Inc., Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 3, 1938, Serial No. 211,619

Claims.

The invention relates to lockers or compartments for storing clothes, supplies and the like, and more particularly to a multiple locker the individual units of which operate simultaneously 1 and are controlled by a single locking means.

The present improved multiple locker is particularly adapted for use in school rooms and the like where it is desirable that a group of individual or student lockers be operated simultaneously only at the will of the teacher or person in charge.

Prior multiple locker constructions have provided for simultaneously opening and closing a plurality of individual units, but the doors of said units project a substantial distance out in front of the locker, either when they are in open position or during their opening and closing movement, thereby requiring extra room space for clearance.

In certain of these prior constructions the doors of the individual units are hinged or pivoted in such a way that they swing out of one compartmerit space in closed position and into another compartment space in open position, With this arrangement, the individual doors swing out into the room during their opening and closing movements, and also waste space is required within the compartment which cannot be used for storage, since the extra space is unoccupied when 30 the doors are closed and is occupied by one of the units when the doors are in open position.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a multiple locker in which the individual units thereof do not project out 35 into the room when they are in open position.

Another object is to provide an improved multiple locker in which the individual units swing out into the room a minimum amount during their opening and closing movements.

40 A further object is to provide an improved multiple locker in which all of the compartment space may be utilized for storage without being affected by the opening and closing movements of the individual units.

45 Another object is to provide an improved multiple locker having its individual units interlock in both open and closed positions so as to prevent unauthorized movement thereof.

A further object is to provide an improvedv 50 multiple locker in which the individualunits are pivotally mounted in such a way as to substantially prevent springing'or-iorcing the units out of position, especially when they are in open posi- 7 tion. 55 These and other objects are attained by the improvements comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is disclosed and described herein by way of example, and defined in the appended claims;

In general terms the invention may be stated as comprising a multiple locker including angularly shaped door units movable simultaneously, each unit being pivotally mounted centrally of itself in such a way that the unit swings substantially within its own compartment space during its en- 10 tire opening and closing movement.

Referring to the drawing iorming part hereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multiple locker in open position and embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view showing the locker in closed position, a partially open positionv of the individual units being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the locker in fully open position; 20

Fig. 4 is a transverse fragmentary sectional view through the top of the locker at one of the individual units; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the means for locking the doors in open and closed positions,

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

As shown in the drawing, the improved multiple locker preferably includes a top wall 6, a bottom wall 'Lside or end walls 8 and 9, and a rear wall l0 forming a locker compartment which is adapted to fit in a building recess provided in a school room or the like where the locker is to be used.

It is usually desirable to provide one or more individually accessible compartment spaces in the locker compartment, and accordingly a supply closet indicated generally at Il may be located at one end of the compartment by providing a partition wall I2 spaced from end wall 8 and provid- 40 ing suitable shelves l3 therein. A flat door [4 may be hinged on end wall 8 and arranged for being individually locked by a lock 15.

Similarly, a teachers closet or locker compartment space indicated generally at [6 may be provided at the other end of the compartment, and is provided with a fiat door I! hinged on end wall 9 and adapted to be individually locked by a lock I8.

The space between the supply closet I I and the teachers closet I6 is divided into individual locker compartments by means of individual doorsv indicated generally at D. These doors are L- shaped in cross section and each includes two side panels 213 and 2| which are joined together at a corner of the door and which extend substantially at right angles to each other. The panels 20 may be termed the front panels, because they form the front sides of the doors in closed position, as

shown in Fig. 2.

Each door D preferably has a web member 22 at the top and a web member 23 at the bottom thereof, and the web members extend between the panels 20 and 21 and have curved outer edges as shown at 24 forming substantially triangular shaped webs. The bottom web members 23 may be used as bottom shelves if desired.

Preferably the web members 22 and 23 are pivotally mounted centrally of the panels 20 and 2| at the center of each compartment formed thereby on the top and bottom walls 6 and 1 respectively of the compartment. As shown in Fig. 4, the mounting means may include a pivot pin 25 secured in the web member and rotatably received in a bushing 26 mounted on a channel member 2'! secured to the compartment top Wall. The mounting means at the bottoms of the doors may be the same as at the tops thereof, or may include suitable anti-friction bearings, the pivot pins 25 being secured in the web members 23 and rotatably mounted on bottom wall I.

The doors D are operatively connected together for simultaneous opening and closing movement by means of an operating bar 28 extending longitudinally of the locker compartment and pivotally connected to each door D. Preferably the bar 28 extends across the tops of the doors, being pivoted to the web members 22 thereof as at 29, although the bar could just as well be located at the bottoms of the doors and be pivoted to the bottom web members 23.

The panels 28 and 2| of the doors D may be constructed of sheet metal and the corner joining the panels is preferably rabbetted to form a vertically extending channel or groove indicated at 38. Preferably each panel 29 and El projects beyond the curved edges of the web members 22 and 23 of each door, as shown at 35, and these projecting portions are adapted to fit into the corner channels 38 of adjacent doors for interlocking the doors D in open and closed positions.

The curved edges 24 of the web members 22 and 23 are so constructed as to clear the corners of adjacent doors, when the doors are simultaneously opened or closed, in a manner indicated by the dotted line positions of the doors in Fig. 2.

In the closed position of Fig. 2, the projecting portion of each panel 28 of the doors fits into and interlocks with the channel 30 of the next adjacent door to the left, as viewed in the drawing, the flat supply closet door it and partition wall !2 being constructed so as to form a channel indicated at 32 for receiving the projection 3| of panel 20 of the door D adjacent thereto. In this position, the free or swinging edge portion 33 of door 5! is similarly received in the corner channel 38 of the door D adjacent thereto and thus all of the doors D as well as flat doors I 4 and I! are interlocked with each other.

In the open position of Fig. 3 the projection iii of each panel 2! fits into and interlocks with the channel 38 of the next adjacent door to the left, the partition l2 of closet H being offset at 35 for receiving the projection on panel 2! the door D adjacent thereto.

By means of this interlocking construction, locking one of said doors D against movement when in either open or closed position, will positiyely prevent unauthorized movement of any of the doors D, as by springing or forcing said doors out of position relative to each other. The looking means may be the single lock 18 mounted on the teachers door ll, arranged when door ll is closed to engage with panel 2| of the adjacent door D, when the doors D are in closed position, thus locking all the doors D as well as door H in their closed positions.

In order to lock the doors D in open position, the free or swinging edge portion 33 of door I! may be inwardly flanged so as to fit over the projecting portion 3! of panel 29 of the adjacent door D in open position, as shown in Fig. 5, and the bolt 36 of lock i8 may be engaged with said panel 26. Since the doors D are interlocked with each other in open position by means of projections 3! and channels 30, the act of locking the fiat door II with the adjacent panel 26 will lock all of the doors in open position against closing movement.

By locating the pivots 25 intermediate the panels 26 and iii of the respective doors and substantially centrally of the compartment spaces defined by the doors, the doors D will swing substantially within their own compartment spaces during opening and closing movement, and will not swing out into the room any material distance. The dotted positions of doors D shown in Fig. 2 indicate the maximum distance the doors project in front of the locker compartment at any time during opening and closing movement.

Thus in closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, the side panels 2i of doors D define the individual compartment spaces, and the panel 2| adjacent the teachers closet It serves as an inner partition wall therefor, so that said closet can be individually used at any time without moving or disturbing any of the doors D.

When the doors D are swung to open position, the panels 25 occupy the spaces or positions formerly occupied by panels 2! when the doors were closed, so that the same compartment spaces are defined by said panels 28 as were defined by panels 2! when the doors were closed. Consequently, since each door D occupies substantially the same compartment space in open and closed positions, and during its opening and closing movement, there is no waste space in the locker compartment, and substantially all of it may be utilized for storage.

If desired the doors D may be provided with suitable shelves indicated at 38 having hangers thereon, and similar shelves 39 may be provided in the teachers closet it, as shown.

For the purpose of ventilation, the top wall 8 of the multiple locker compartment may be slotted adjacent the rear wall H3 as shown at id, to provide communication between the room and the air inside the locker compartment. Thus when the doors D are closed, air can circulate through slot 40 and thence through all of the individual compartment spaces which open toward the rear wall and are therefore accessible by means of slot 4!].

In the operation of the improved multiple locker, assuming the doors D to be in closed position, the teacher has but to unlock and open the door I l of closet It, and by pushing on panel 2! of adjacent door D all of the doors D may be simultaneously swung to the open position of Fig. 3. If desired the doors 'may be locked in open position by merely closing door l7 and looking it in engagement with the adjacent panel 20, in the manner indicated in Fig. 5.

Due to the fact that doors D are pivoted substantially centrally thereof, the doors will resist being sprung or forced out of position, as by a student standing or pressing on the edge of the lower web members 23.

With the present improved construction, the swinging doors are wholly within the compartment in both open and closed positions and swing out into the room a relatively negligible distance during their opening and closing movements.

Various changes and modifications in details of construction and arrangement are comprehended as being within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: a

l. A multiple locker including walls defining a 7 compartment, individual L-shaped doors having joined front and side panels defining individual compartment spaces in open and closed positions, web means extending between the panels of each of the doors, and means pivotally mounting said web means on the compartment walls and located so that the front panel of each door when fully open occupies the position of the side panel thereof when the door is closed, said doors being adapted to swing from open to closed position substantially within the compartment spaces defined by their panels, and means operatively connecting the doors for simultaneous opening and closing movement thereof.

2. A multiple locker including walls defining a compartment, a plurality of individual L-shaped doors operatively connected together for simultaneous opening and closing movement, said individual doors each having a front panel and a side panel and said doors defining individual compartment spaces, a substantially triangular Web member connecting the front and side panels of each door, and means pivotally mounting each web member at the center of an individual compartment space whereby in open position the front panel of each door is wholly within the compartment and occupies the space occupied by its side panel in closed position.

3. A multiple locker including walls defining a compartment, a plurality of individual L-shaped doors operatively connected together for simultaneous opening and closing movement, said individual doors each having a front panel and a side panel and said doors defining individual compartment spaces, a web member connecting the front and side panels of each door, means pivotally mounting said web members on said compartment walls for opening and closing movement of the doors, the pivot means being located so that in open position the front panel of each door occupies the space occupied by its side panel in closed position, and means on said doors for interlocking with adjacent doors in open and closed position.

4. A multiple locker including top, bottom, rear and side walls defining a compartment, a plurality of individual doors operatively connected together for simultaneous opening and closing movement, said doors each having a front and a side panel connected at a corner thereof and the side panels defining individual compartment spaces when the doors are in closed position, means pivotally mounting each door on the top and bottom compartment walls at points intermediate the front and side panels thereof, and an independently operable door hinged on one compartment side wall and having means for engaging and locking one of said individual doors in open and closed position.

5. A multiple locker including top, bottom and side walls defining a compartment, a plurality of individual doors operatively connected together for simultaneous opening and closing movement, said doors each having a front panel and a side panel connected at one corner and the side panels defining individual compartment spaces when the doors are in closed position, a web member for each door connecting its front panel to its side panel, means pivotally mounting the Web members on the top and bottom compartment walls for swinging the doors substantially within their own compartment spaces from open to closed position, and single means for locking said doors in open and closed position.

HENRY A. FORRER.

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