US2383512A

US2383512A - Knockdown collapsible closet

Info

Publication number: US2383512A
Application number: US537547A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rosenthal Charles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-05-27
Filing date: 1944-05-27
Publication date: 1945-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1962-08-28

Description

(1 EQCDESEPJ114I\L KNQCKDOWN COLLAPSIBLE CLOSET Aug. 28', 1945 Filed May 27 1944 INVENTOR BY T fiMrw ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,383,512 KNOCKDOWNCOLLAPSIBLE CLOSET Q v Charles, Bosenthal, New York, N. Y.

Application May 27 1944, Serial No'. 537,547 1 Claim; (o 312 144) This invention has general reference to knock-down collapsible storage containers and particularly those of the closet or cabinet types adapted for the storage of clothing-which is hung up full length therein.

It has been observed that closets or cabinets of this type, which usually include a foldable one piece body unit constructed of corrugated paper board, are unwieldy*and difficult for the average purchaser to set up and it is therefore the primary object of the pres ent invention to provide in a container of this character such a construction and arrangement as to simplify and facilitate the assembly and setting up operations.

More particularly, the invention resides in an improved collapsible knock-down closet of; the type set forth in my prior United States"Let-*' ters Patent No. 2,299,766 which improvement embodies in addition to the front spacing strip, hingedly connected to the top and bottom wall members and defining one of a pair of complementary units, a rear spacing strip unit which is detachably associated with the rear portions of the top and bottom wall members so as to materially aid in the setting up and assembly of the closet while further functioning, when the same is set up, to reinforce and strengthen the structure to thereby relieve the body unit of the stresses and strains which would otherwise be imposed thereon by the weight of the garments hanging in the closet and supported by the top wall.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention is disclosed in greater detail in the following specification, particularly pointed ,out in the appended claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof a knock-down collapsible storage closet or cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention showing the rear of the same with the rear spacing strip unit in applied position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view therethrough taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference and particularly to the form of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3, the closet includes a body unit A which, as shown, is preferably fashioned from corrugated cardboard, paper board or any other equivalent inexpensive light weight sheet material to form a one piece structure consisting of a'rear wall member or portion ID, with oppositely disposed side wall members or portions II and I2 hingedly connected toand extending forwardly from the opposite vertical edges of the rear wall members or portions and preferably integral therewith. The 'un'it-A-also includes a pair of front wall members or portions l3 and I4 forming closures or doors which are hingedly'connected re-' spectively to the forward vertical edges of the side wall members or portions H' and 'I2 and which are preferably integral therewith so that i the entire body unit A may be formed from a single sheet of material cut to size and scored.

The closet also embodies a complementary unit B adapted to interfit with the body unit A to provide the complete closet or cabinet and which unit B is made up of top and bottom wall members i5 and I6, each of which is preferably fashioned from a rectangular panel of corrugated paper board enclosed in a marginal frame of wood I! having grooved inner faces within which are fitted the marginal edges of the panels and the outer faces of which frames are rabbeted to provide confronting marginal recesses 18. When the closet is in its assembled set-up condition, the top and bottom edge portions of the rear and side wall members H], H and I2 and the front closure members l3 and M are adapted to be disposed within the marginal recesses l8 so that the outer faces of said body unit members lie approximately flush with the unrabbeted portions of the outer faces of the frames H. The unit B also includes a front spacing strip I9, preferably constructed of wood, and which is connected at its upper and lower ends respectively to the marginal frames ll of the top and bottom wall members l5 and I6 by means of hinges 20 to permit said members to be swung inwardly from, a set-up. condition, at right angles to the strip, to acollapsed condition parallel therewith. The spacing strip l9 has its forward face adjacent the opposite edges longitudinally rabbeted to provide recesses for accommodating the free vertical edges of the 010- sure members I3 and I 4 and turn buttons 2| or equivalent means are provided for retaining said closure members in closed position. Any suitable type of keeper elements 2| are pivotally mounted on the marginal frames I! for detachably retaining the upper and lower edge portions of the body unit members I 0, II and I2 within the recesses I8.

In order to provide means for facilitating and aiding in the setting up and assembly of the notches 22 opening through the forward face of the strip C adjacent tothe upper and lower ends thereof and screws 23 anchored medially of the rear portions of the frames ll of the top and bottom members I5 and I6 and protruding rearwardly therefrom, the heads of which screws. are of such a size as to snugly fit within the notches 22 of the strip C so as to frictionally retain the strip in associated relation with the top and bottom members l5 and 16 of unit B. During the setting up and assembly of the closet, the top and bottom members liand l6 are disposed at aright angle to-the front spacing strip I9 with the bottom member resting on the floor. The upper and lower edge portions ofthe rear wall member ID of the body unit A are then positioned in the recesses N3 of the rear portions of the frames I! of the top and bottom members and the keeper elements or catches 2| swing to active position overlying the same. The rear strip unit C is then disposed in vertical position in rear of the rear wall' member [0 and the notches 22 engaged with the screws -23 thus steadying the assemblage while the upper and lower edge portions of the side wall members II and I2 are being located in the recesses I8 of the side portions of the frames l1 and the keeper elements or catches 2| have been moved to active position. In addition to serving as a means for facilitating the setting up and assembly of the closet, the rear spacing strip unit C also serves to reinforce and strengthen the structure and relieve the body unit of the stresses and strains resulting from the weight of the garments hanging from the hanger bar carried by the top member l5.

What is claimed is:

In a knock-down collapsible storage closet of the character set forth, the combination with a body unit having a rear wall memlbenside wall members connected to and extending forwardly from the opposite vertical edges of the rear wall member and a pair of closure members hingedly connected respectively to the forward vertical edges of the side wall members; and a complementary unit consisting of top and bottom wall members having inwardly offset marginal portions respectively complementary to and receiving in the inwardly ofi'setportions thereof the 20' upper and lower edge portions of the rear and side wall members and the closure members respectively, means on the top and bottom wall members 'engageable with the end portions of the body unit to retain the same within the offset marginal portions, a front spacing strip hingedly connected respectively at its upper and lower ends to the forward portions of the top and bottom Wall members; means releaseably retaining "the closure members inwardly against the spacing strip; of a rear spacingstrip unit positioned outside of the rear wallmember and having notches adjacent its oppositeends, and means at the rear portions of the-top and bottom wall members disposed outwardly beyond the marginal inwardly offset portions thereof and engaging the notches of said spacing strip unit so that the same supports the top wall member on the Ibottom wall member and prevents relative vertical movement therebetween.

CHARLES ROSENTHAL.