US2362017A

US2362017A - Drawer construction

Info

Publication number: US2362017A
Application number: US399517A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank P May
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-06-24
Filing date: 1941-06-24
Publication date: 1944-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1961-11-07

Description

Nov. 7, 1944. F. P. MAY

DRAW ER CONSTRUCTION Filed June ,24, 1941 imam/4 W %%/1 in a plane parallel to its normal position.

Patented Nov. 7, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRAWER CONSTRUCTION Frank P. May, Rochester, N. Y. Application June 24, 1941, Serial No. 399,517

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a drawer having a concealed compartment.

Whereas there have been many constructions in the past involving drawers and other parts of furniture having concealed compartments, it is believed that the subject matter of the present invention provides a marked improvement in constructions of this type. While the presence of the concealed compartment of this invention is entirely unobvious to those unfamiliar with the construction, access may be gained readily'to those who know its location.

The invention relates'to a drawer comprisin a bottom, sides and ends, together with a panel defining a movable false bottom normally supported above the drawer bottom in a plane sub" stantially parallel thereto. This panel and the drawer sides are provided with connecting means to restrain the panel against complete removal from the drawer by lifting it. A member projecting upwardly from the panel serves to define a partition for the drawer, and the panel may be connected to the drawer sides by means of grooves formed in the sides permitting the panel to slide A modification contemplates a pivotal connection for the panel near the back of the drawer so that one end of the panel may be lifted and swung through an arc to expose the compartment below it. The upwardly projecting member, in. one form of the invention, also serves as an operator for the panel to lift or slide it as the case may be. In another form, this upwardly projecting member may serve as a locking means to hold the panel in position with respect to the other elements of the drawer. Other latching or locking means to hold the panel in its normal position are likewise contemplated.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the attached drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a drawer embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken along 2--2 of Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan of a drawer showing a modiline . fication:

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Thedrawer depicted in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is provided with abottom 20, sides 22, a front end 24 and a rear end 26 fitted together in a suitable manner. Somewhat above the bottom 20. the sides 22 are provided with opposed grooves 28 which slidably receive a false bottom or panel 30 which defines with the bottom 20 a concealed compartment 32. As clearly depicted in the drawing, the drawer front may also be provided with a groove 34 to receive the forward end of the panel and support the same in its closed position. The rearward end 26 extends downwardly to just above the plane of the panel so as not to interfere with its sliding movement, and the rear end of the panel is supported with respect to the drawer bottom by a strip 36. A member 38 projects upwardly from the panel, and clears the sides 22 so as to slide with the panel and at the same time define a partition for the drawer. In order to prevent accidental sliding of the panel, another upwardly projecting member 40 is slidably received in opposed vertical grooves 42 and. 44 formed in'the upwardly projecting member 38 and the rear end 26.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the device is operated by opening the drawer asufflcieni; amount to permit removal of the upwardly projecting member 40, whereupon, by grasping the upwardly projecting member 38, the panel can be slid rearwardly in the grooves 28 to expose the concealed compart ment 32.

In the event that other latching means are preferred, the upwardly projecting member 40 may be dispensed with or used in conjunction with such other means.

The modification depicted in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawing is quite similar to that of the preceding figures in most respects. In this case however, the upwardly projecting member 40 has not been used and in lieu of the upwardly projecting partitioning element 38, there has been substituted an upwardly projecting member 46 slidably received in opposed vertical grooves 48 formed in the sides 22 and in a groove 50 formed in the upper surface of the panel 3|].

The operation of this modification is effected by pulling the drawer from its guides, not shown, a suflicient distance to permit removal of the partition 46 by vertically sliding it from the grooves 48 until it no longer engages the groove 50 formed in the panel, whereupon the panel may be slid rearwardly as in the previous case to expose the concealed compartment.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the false bottom or panel 30 is shown as pivotally related to the sides 22 by means of pivot pins or dowels 52 located at a distance above the bottom 20 which is greater than their distance from the rear end 26 in order to permit the panel to swing through an are great enough to expose substantially the entire concealed compartment 32. The lower portion of the rear end 26 may be recessed to form a bearing shoulder 54 against which the rear end of the panel may abut in its closed position. A spacing block or strip 56 may be arranged near the front of the drawer to support the forward end of the panel in its closed position. If desired, the panel and bottom, or other part of the drawer, may be provided with cooperating fastening elements 58 and 60 respectively, which may assume the form of snap elements to restrain the panel against undesired swinging movement when the drawer is opened for normal use. And in this case also, the upwardly projecting member 38 may serve as a handle for opening and closing the concealed compartment in addition to its partitioning function.

In operation, the drawer is pulled from its guides, the handle 38 grasped and the panel swung about its pivots 52 against the resistance of the fasteners 58 and 60 where they are used.

Whereas several modifications of the present invention have been described in detail, the scope of the invention should not be restricted thereto except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A drawer comprising a bottom, elements constituting sides and ends, a panel providing a unitary movable false bottom in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, at least one of said elements containing a slot, an edge of said panel normally projecting into said slot, means connecting said panel with said side walls to restrain said panel against complete removal by lifting, and a member projecting upwardly from said panel providing a partition for said drawer.

2. A drawer comprising a bottom, side and end walls, a panel providing a movable false bottom normally supported above said bottom in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, said panel and said side walls being slidably related to restrain said panel against removal by lifting, and

one of said walls containing an opening permitting sliding movement of said panel therethrough to a position beyond that normally occupied by said panel.

3. A drawer comprising a bottom, side and end walls, a panel providing a movable false bottom normally supported above said bottom in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, one of said walls containing a slot through which said panel i slidable, means connecting said panel with said side walls to restrain said panel against removal by lifting, and a removable member projecting upwardly from said panel and interfitted with said side walls providing a temporary partition for said drawer.

4. A drawer comprising a bottom, side and end Walls, a panel providing a movable false bottom normally supported above said bottom in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, one of said walls containing a slot through which said panel is slidable, means connecting said panel with said side walls to restrain said panel against removal by lifting, and a removable member projecting upwardly from said panel and interfitted with at least one of said walls providing a temporary partition for said drawer.

5. A drawer comprising a bottom, sides and ends, a panel providing a movable false bottom normally supported above said bottom in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, means slidably connecting said panel with said sides to enable movement of said panel in its own plane and to restrain said panel against removal by lifting, a member projecting upwardly from said panel and parallel with said ends providing a partition for saiddrawer, and a removable partition supported by said panel between said member and one of said ends, said removable parti tion cooperating with said drawer to prevent movement of said panel.

6. A drawer comprising a bottom, sides and ends, a panel providing a movable false bottom normally supported above said bottom in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, said sides containing opposed grooves slidably receiving said panel and restraining said panel against removal by lifting, and a member carried by and projecting upwardly from said panel providing a handle for said panel and a partition for said drawer, said partition cooperating with said drawer to prevent sliding movement of said panel.

- FRANK P. MAY.