US2375438A

US2375438A - Interlock

Info

Publication number: US2375438A
Application number: US365231A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter F Regenhardt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-11-12
Filing date: 1940-11-12
Publication date: 1945-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 1962-05-08

Description

May 8, 1945. w. F. REGENHARDT INTERLOCK Filed Nov. 12, 1940 Patented May 8, 1945 UNITED gSTATES PATENT oI-Flcs Walter F. Regnnellianrgveland, Ohio Application November 12, 1940, Serial No. 365,231

8 Claims.

An object of the present invention is 'to provide Afor interlocking two generally flat elements by a generally flat key, the flat elements having registering openings for receiving a leg of the key and the leg of the key having a shoulder which abuts the edge of the opening in one of the elements to prevent accidental withdrawal of the key. l

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a plurality of individual ille cases showing the lower part of one case interlocked with the top portion of another case and the lower portion of a third case about to be positioned on the top of the ilrst mentioned case, the section of the lower two cases being taken on line l-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a top view, in section, of the file cases shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary view, in section and on a larger scale, showing interlocking parts of the cases, the section being taken on' line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and v k Fig. 4 is a top view of the improved locking Although, the present invention relates generally to interlocking two elements, for the purpose of illustrating a preferred form of the invention, I have shown ya plurality of individual ille cases interlocked wall to wall by my invention. In the specic illustration, the filel cases are shown in stacked relationship.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1 a fragmentary sectional view of the lower part of a case 20, a sectional view of a case 2| and a fragmentary sectional view of the upper part of a case 22. 'I'hese vcases are adapted to be stackedand interlocked for forming a unitary filing cabinet. Each of the cases `comprises a sleeve formed by a sheet of metal, which sleeve includes side walls 2i and 26a bottom wall 21 and a top wall 28. The ends of the sheet forming the sleeve may be secured together, preferably at the bottom by butt welding or overlapped and then welded as is shown in' Fig. 2. A reenforcing ring 30 is disposed within the front end of the case and is suitably secured to the sheet metal walls as by welding. The back of each case is closed by a sheetmetal wall 3l. Each of the cases receives a drawer (not shown) through the open front thereof and the rear of the bot'- tom wall of the drawer may be provided with spaced gliders for supportingthe rear portion of the drawer. 'I'he construction thus far specifically described is similar to the le cases shown in my Patent No. 2,123,803 issued July l2, 1938.

The top wallof each of the cases isl pierced and bent to form two spaced openings 31 and ledges 38. The bottom wall of each case is similarly pierced and` bent to provide `two spaced tongues 39, kwhich tongues are adapted to be received in the openings 31 in the top wall of another of the cases. The tongues 39 are` inserted in the openings 31 by placing one case onk the top wall of another case, with the side wallsV in alignment, and then sliding the uppermost case rearwardly as is clearly illustrated in Fig. l. 'The tongue 39 is adapted to engage the underside of the top wall of the lower case for preventing the rear of the upper case from being raise the lower case. y i V ,l u y The front ends of the cases are rattached vby my improved interlocking mechanism.4 This mechanism is formed by piercing the bottom walls of the cases to provide two spaced. openings 4| and shearing and bulging the top walls`f, the case to form projecting or locking members, The locking members 42 are adapted to extend through the openings 4| when one of the cases is stacked on the other with the tongues 39 in the opening v31 as described above. This is shown in the lower left hand part of Fig. l and in Fig; 3. The side walls of the openings 4| are arranged to closely embrace the side walls of the locking members 42 for maintaining the cases in alignment.

ders 45,and the undersides of the top wall ofthe members 42 provide abutments 46 facing the

walls

21 and 28 when the members 42y are inserted through the openings 4| in the vwall 21. When themembers 42 are in position in the openings 4I, part of the mouths of the recesses 43 and part of the shoulders 45 project above,` the by the edge of the openings 4|.

.bottom wc-allf21gofl the next upper case. It is to be unaerstodtiiatthe openings 4| and the locking membersj4 2 may: beprovided on any of the adjacent' wallsl of the cases but in the preferred enibodimentthe openings 4l are formed in the "bottom .wall 21Y and the locking members 42 are "formed, on the top wall 28.

' 'A key-411s provided for interlocking the adjacent' wallsof j the cases. Preferably this key is fbrmedfofaflexible resilient sheet metalfand is part lof section 58 upon the tops of the locking y members 42 and forcing the ends of legs 48 downwardly into alignmentwith the mouths 44 of the recesses 43, and then pulling the key for- Wardly until the projecting portions 54 of the Section() are moved over thepforward endsof theflocling' members 42. Since the key 41 is i ',edj of resilient material the section 58 can .be e'xe'd relative to the legs 48 to move the pro- 'jetlmrigportions 54 over the tops of the locking members and the portions 54 are then biased againstthe wall 21 in alignment with the shoulders 45'.; The shoulders 55 on vthe portions 54 are adapted to abut the shoulders 445 of the locking members 42 to aid in preventing accidental removal of the key 41. When the key is in the locking position, the legs 48 extend'alongside the abutment 46 on the interior of the lower case and the cams 5| of the legs 48 are in the open-v ings 4I-and the shoulders 52, formed by the cams 5I, are in alignment with shoulders 51 formed The shoulders 52 'and 51 abut one another when `the keyis urged rearwardly, with respect to the cases, for preventing accidental removal of the key.

The material from which the key 41 is rformed is suiliciently flexible so that leg 58 can be lifted either by ones fingerl or a small tool, and in order to unlock the cases, it'is necessary only to lift upwardly on the forward end of the key leg 58 andpush rearwardly on the key. The shoulders 52 of the cams' 5I will cause spreading of the abutment 46 and the

walls

21 and 28 for removing the legs 48 from the recesses 42 of the locking members 42. Then by lifting the unlocked case so thatV the openings 4I are clear of they members 42 and then by pulling forwardly on the unlocked oase to remove the tongues 38 from their:l engagement with the underside of the top ment of the drawer. By using my improved interlock, the height of the gliders on the drawers may be very slight to cause the drawers to pass over the interlock.

While the form ofl embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim: f

A1. In combination, an element having an opening therethrough; a second element including a locking member having a part projecting through the opening in the first mentioned element and having an abutment spaced from and facing said first mentioned element; and a key for locking the member in the opening, said key including a leg extending between the abutment and the first mentioned element, said leg having a shoulder extending in the opening in the rst mentioned element for abutting the first mentioned element at an edge of said opening.

2. In combination, an element having an open- 'ing therethrough; a second element including a locking member having a part projecting through the opening in the rst mentioned element and having an abutment spaced from and facing the first mentioned element; and a key for locking the member in the opening, said key including a leg extending between the abutment .and the first mentioned element, said leg having a shoulder extending in the opening in the first mentioned element for abutting .the iirst mentioned elements at an edge of said opening, the said shoulder forming a cam for moving the key in the direction of said abutment when the key 'is moved from the 'locking member.

3. In combination, an element having an opening therethrough; a secondv element including a locking member having a part projecting through the opening in the first mentioned element and having an opening in one end and having an abutment facing in the direction of said first mentioned element and a locking key including a yoke, a leg extending from the yoke into the opening in the projecting part of the locking member, said leg having a shoulder'extending in the opening in the nrst mentioned element for abutting the first mentioned element at an edge of said opening, and said key having a section extending f from the yoke and alongside the projecting part of the locking member and engaging the first mentioned element.

wall 28, the case can be removed from the cabl inet.

'I'he thickness of the materials shown in the drawing, including the reenforcing ring 88, have v `been exaggerated for the purpose of clearly showall of the elements of the invention, but it is apparent from the disclosure that when vthese materials are of proper thickness, I have pro--A vided an interlocking mechanism which requires only the minimum amount of space. Preferably the locking mechanism at the front end of the cases is interposed :between the paths of the drawer gliders and therefore such mechanism does not obstruct or hinder the gliding move- 4. In combination, an element having an openfing therethrough; a second element including a locking member having a part projecting through the opening in the first mentioned element, said projecting part having an opening in one end and having an abutment `facing inthe direction of' said first mentioned element and a shoulder on the wall opposite said opening; and a locking key including a yoke, a leg extending from the yoke into the opening in -the projecting part of the lockixm member, said leg having a shoulder extending in the opening in the first mentioned element for abutting the iirst mentioned element at an edge of said opening, and said key'having a section extending from the yoke and alongside .the projecting part of the locking member, said section having a shoulder for abutting the rst mentioned shoulder when the leg extends in the opening in the locking member, said section and leg being flexible and resilient with respect to one another so that the shoulder of the section can be erating for preventing accidental removal of the exed over the locking member when the key is inserted or removed from the locking member. 'y

5. In combination, an element having an opening therethrough one Wall of the opening forming a shoulder; a second element including a locking member having a part projecting through the opening in the first element, said part having a shoulder facing in the same direction as the nrst mentioned shoulder, said locking member having an abutment spaced from and facing the first mentioned element; and a key for locking the member in the opening, said key including a leg extending between the abutment and the rst mentioned element, said key having a shoulder facing the first mentioned shoulder when the leg is in the locking member and a section extending alongside the locking member, said section having a shoulder facing the second mentioned shoulder when the key is in locking position.

6. In combination, an element having an opening therethrough one wall of said opening forming a shoulder; a second element including a locking member having a part projecting through the opening in the rst element, said projecting part having a shoulder facing in the same direction as the first mentioned shoulder, said locking member having an abutment spaced from and facing the first mentioned element; and a key for locking the member in the opening, said key including a leg extending between the abutment and the first mentioned element and a section adapted to extend alongside the locking member, said section being flexible and resilient with respect to the leg, said section having a shoulder adapted to be nexed over the locking member when the leg is inserted between the abutment and the nrst mentioned element, the last mentioned shoulder engaging the second mentioned shoulder when the key is in locking position, and means forming a second shoulder on the key, the last mentioned shoulder being adapted to engage the nrst mentioned( shoulder, said shoulders coopkey from the locking member.

7. In combination, two generally nat elements arranged with outer surfaces in contact, one of said elements having an opening provided therein, an onset portion on the other element, said onset portion extending through the opening in K the rst element, and key means for preventing separation of said elements, said key means including a flat yoke with a plurality of legs extending therefrom in the same direction, the yoke and one leg engaging the inner surface of the first element on opposite sides of said opening, the other leg engaging the inner surface of said onset portion, the last mentioned leg having a shoulder facing toward said yoke and abutting the edge of the first element at said opening to prevent accidental Withdrawal of said leg.

8. In combination, two generally flat elements arranged with surfaces in contact, one of said elements having an opening formed therein, an

onset portion on the other element, said onset portion extending through the opening in said first element and engaging certain edges thereof, said offset portion having an abutment spaced from and facing said rst element, said onset portion having an open side, and key means for securing said elements in position, said key means having a yoke portion with a tongue projecting into the open side of the onset portion of said second element, said tongue having a cam portion terminating in a shoulder, the combined thickness of said tongue and cam portion being greater than the relative distance between the nrst element and the abutment of said onset portion, said cam serving to flex adjacent portions of said elements during movement of said tongue into and out of said onset portion whereby said shoulder will engage an edge of said opening to prevent accidental withdrawal of said tongue.

WALTER F. REGENHARDT.