US2789876A - Collective drawer lock construction for insulated filing cabinets and the like - Google Patents

Description

C. C. HEILMAN ET AL COLLECTIVE DRAWER LOCK CONSTRUCTION FOR INSULATED FILING CABINETS AND THE LI April 23, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1, 19 53 a S S R mmw W w T I 4 T b A L MM C JV V. B

April 23, 1957 c. c. HEILMAN ETAL 2,789,876 COLLECTIVE DRAWER LOCK CONSTRUCTION FOR INSULATED FILING CABINETS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1953 ]Nl ENTORS Ceabb CCHez/Lma/n a ATTORNEYS Cwrb DlCira ber k April 23, 1957 c, c. HE|LMAN ETAL 2,789,876

COLLECTIVE DRAWER LOCK CONSTRUCTION FOR INSULATED FILING CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 1 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 63 Mai u-s 1 INVENTORS CeciLaHeiLmwn in F195 By Cwz D.6'ra/ber "2;

ATTORNEYS COLLECTIVE DRAWER LOCK CONSTRUCTION FOR INSULATED FILING CABINETS AND THE LIKE Cecil C. Heilman, Canton, and Carl D. Graber, Orrville, Ohio, assignors to Diebold, Incorporated, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 1, 1953, Serial No. 395,567

8 Claims. (Cl. 312--218) The invention or discovery relates in general to collectivedrawer lock construction for filing cabinets of the type including a case having walls forming two or more compartments, each compartment having an end opening, usually at the front of the cabinet, and a drawer for each compartment of the case, each drawer being operatively mounted for movement into and out of its compartment, and each drawer including a closure front fitting the end opening of its compartment in the closed position.

More particularly, the invention or discovery relates to collective drawer lock construction for such multiple drawer filing cabinets in which each wall of each compartment is a composite insulated wall including spaced sheet metal walls between which is located insulation material, and the drawer front constituting a similar composite insulated wall.

In the normal use of a multiple drawer filing cabinet, access to the contents of each and all drawers of a particular cabinet are available to one person or a group of persons. In this case, a mechanism is sufficient that locks all closed drawers and makes provision for closing a drawer that is inadvertently left slightly open when the mechanism is locked. In such a case, it is undesirable to provide externally operative means by which the locking mechanism can be set to be inoperative on any particular drawer or drawers, although frequently supplied inprior constructions of collective drawer locks, because in such a construction it is easy to trip out the latch on a drawer, thereby enabling an unauthorized person to gain surreptitious entry to the drawer without the knowledge of the person or persons responsible for the contents of the file.

On the other hand there are frequent special cases where the contents of a file or group of files are the responsibility of a supervisor who has under his jurisdiction one or more authorized persons each of whom is individually responsible for one or more drawers less thanthe total number of drawers in a particular filing cabinet having multiple drawers and a collective locking mechanism. In such acase, a means that will enable a particular drawer or certain particular drawers to be disengaged from locking action by the general collective drawer lock is imperative. The necessity for such means is to enable the person or persons with over-all responsibility to lock the particular filing cabinet leaving only the contents of a particular drawer or certain perticular drawers thereof available to the authorized person or persons, who in turn may lock the particular drawer or drawers at a desired time by setting the latch mechanism for each of the particular drawer or drawers in the proper position and closing the drawer or drawers. Each such drawer is then locked by the collective lock controlled by the supervisors key.

Prior to the present invention or discovery, there has not been generally available a collective drawer lock construction adapted to be incorporated in a multiple drawer file, and including parts adjustable to meet the United States Patent ice requirements of normal use or of the special cases outlined above.

The object of the present invention or discovery includes the provision of an improved collective drawer lock construction for a multiple drawer filing cabinet, and which is adjustable in use to prevent separate opening of any particular drawer after the collective drawer lock has been set in the locking position, and to permit alternative setting of the latch mechanism on any particular drawer to enable opening of the drawer after the collective drawer lock has been set to the locking position, or locking of the particular drawer.

Further objects of the present invention or discovery include the provision of an improved collective drawer lock construction for filing cabinets as above set forth, and in which the construction is simplified and adapted for easy and economical manufacture, use, and maintenance.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the collective drawer lock construction, improvements, parts, combinations, and subcombinations, which comprise the present invention or discovery, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and preferred embodiments of which together with their mode of use are set forth by way of example in the following description, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the improved collective drawer lock construction for a multiple drawer filing cabinet and the like of the present invention or discovery may be stated in general terms as including a lock bar mounted in a vertical longitudinal groove formed in a common sidewall of each of the compartments, the lock bar being a common lock bar for each of the drawers of the filing cabinet. A lock bar lifting lever has a pivot mounting adjacent the groove on the sidewall in one of the compartments. The lock bar lifting lever also has a slot and pivot connection with the lock bar. The lock bar lifting lever includes an inwardly extending flange which extends partially into a lower recess of the drawer in said compartment, said drawer mounting a collective lock. The drawer may include a key controlled spring-pressed lock head mounted in the drawer head. From the rear end of the spring-pressed lock head, a rod extends along the drawer side wall adjacent the lock bar. The rear end of the rod is connected with a pusher slide having an outwardly extending flange abuttable against said flange of the lock bar lifting lever, so as to swing the lever upwardly to a locking position.

On the same side wall of each inner compartment mounting the lock bar, a movable drawer catch has a pivotal mounting on the side wall, and a slot and pin connection with the lock bar.

On the adjacent side wall of each drawer, which is also the side wall of the drawer mounting the collective lock pusher slide, a movable latch has a pivotal mounting. Each latch includes a latch notch which is automatically engageable with a catch tongue extending inwardly from the associated drawer catch.

A fiat spring extends rearwardly from the drawer head of each drawer beneath a tongue extending forwardly from the latch of the drawer at the forward side of its pivotal mounting.

The latch on each drawer is normally swingable from a catch engaging position of its notch, when the notch is located adjacent the lock bar, to a position in which the latch notch is located adjacent the drawer head.

For permitting selective stopping of rotation of each latch to the position locating the latch notch adjacent the drawer head, stop means are provided on each drawer side wall between the pivotal mounting of the latch thereon and the drawer front, and said stop means are extendable beneath said tongue on the latch.

By way of example, preferred embodiments of insulated filing cabinet construction including improved collective loch constructions of the present invention or discovery are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which:

Fig. l is a view of a four-drawer vertical insulated filing cabinet including collective drawer lock constructions having the present improvements, the composite drawer compartment forming case being shown fragmentarily in vertical section, and the drawers being shown partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section in the closed positions in their compartments, the collective drawer lock and parts thereof being shown in their positions when the collective drawer lock is locked, and all the drawers are locked thereby:

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the insulation material removed from the composite walls to enable details of construction to be more clearly illustrated, the collective drawer lock being shown in the unlocked position and in locking and unlocking association with the three lower drawers, and the top drawer being shown partially withdrawn, and with its latch swung to a loca' tion in which the latch notch is in an inoperative position with respect to the collective drawer lock;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view as on line 3-3, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, insulation material being removed from the composite walls;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof, as on line 4-4, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the collective drawer lock in the unlocked position, and the drawer partially pulled out.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

The illustrated embodiment of the collective drawer lock construction of the present improvements is shown embodied in a four drawer filing cabinet indicated generally by 10, and which includes a composite case indicated generally by 11 and having composite walls form ing four end opening drawer compartments each indicated generally by 12 and located one above each other in the composite case 11. In each of the end opening drawer compartments 12, a file drawer indicated generally by 13 is mounted for horizontal movement, as by usual drawer suspension means including a guide channel 14 at each side of each compartment 12, the drawer suspension means being of usual construction and not otherwise described in detail.

Each drawer 13 includes an upwardly opening drawer body indicated generally by 15 on the forward end of which is secured a composite drawer front indicated generally by 16. Each drawer body is formed of sheet metal walls and constitutes an upwardly opening longitudinally extending rectangular box, in which are stored in a usual manner letters, documents, and similar material, usually contained in file folders or binders, and there may be provided in the drawer body 15 a usual compressor not shown.

Each composite drawer front 16 includes an outer sheet metal shell indicated generally by 17 in which may be operatively mounted an individual drawer lock of usual construction, not shown. As shown a drawer pull indicated generally by 19 is secured to the front wall 17-1 of each drawer shell 17.

The composite case 11 includes the rectangular composite rear wall indicated generally by 11-1, parallel and laterally spaced rectangular composite side walls, each indicated generally by 11-2, parallel and vertically spaced rectangular composite top and bottom walls indicated generally respectively by 1.1-4 and 11-5, and three vertically spaced composite partition walls each indicated generally greases The several rectangular walls of the composite case 11 are joined with each others at corners and intersections, and form the four drawer compartments 12, for mounting the drawers 13.

Each of the composite walls of the composite case 11 includes outer sheet metal shell walls within which is contained a thicker wall of insulation material, some of the composite walls being provided with metal wire mesh reinforcement.

Each of the case composite side walls 11-2, and the case composite top wall 11-4 and composite bottom wall 11-5, and the composite back wall 11-1, includes an outer single ply rectangular sheet metal shell wall and an inner single ply rectangular sheet metal shell wall. The sheet metal shell walls are spaced from and parallel to each other, and a wall 39 of heat insulating material, such as asbestos cement is located between the sheet metal shell walls, the outer surfaces of the insulating wall 39 being in abutment with inner faces of the sheet metal shell walls. As shown and preferably, the insulating wall 39 embeds a metal wire mesh reinforcement 40 which is spaced from and supported by Z clips each indicated by 41 mounted on the inner faces of the sheet metal shell walls, and the clips on the outer sheet metal shell walls are spaced from the clips on the inner shell walls so that there is no direct metal path having any substantial cross sectional area between the outer sheet metal shell walls and the inner sheet metal shell walls.

Each of the composite partition walls 11-6 includes an upper sheet metal shell wall 46 and a lower sheet metal shell wall 47 which are vertically spaced from each other. The space between the upper sheet metal shell wall 46 and the lower sheet metal shell wall 47 in each composite partition wall 11-6 contains a wall 49 of insulation material having an enlarged front end 49-1.

The ends of the compartment forming walls around the end opening of each compartment constitute an improved jamb frame as set forth in U. S. Letters Patent, No. 2,613,623, issued to Herbert C. Bchrens, and including strainght top, bottom, and side jamb frame members each including walls forming a rectangular groove 50, the straight sides of each groove 50 being formed by an outer tongue wall indicated generally by 51 or 52 and an inner tongue wall indicated generally by 53. For the top compartment 12 there is a jamb frame member having a groove 50 in the front end of the composite top wall 11-4, and in the front end of each composite side wall 11-2, and in the front end of the upper composite partition wall 11-6. A set of outer tongue walls include a tongue wall 51 in the top composite wall 11-4, and in each of the side walls 11-2, and a tongue wall 52 in the top composite partition wall 11-6. A set of inner tongue walls 53 include a tongue wall 53 in the top composite wall 11-4 in each of the side composite walls 11-2 and in the top partition wall 11-6.

The groove side tongue wall 52 in the front end of the top partition wall 11-6 is common to the bottom groove 50 of the top compartment 12 and to the top groove 50 for the compartment 12 which is the second from the top. Similarly, in the middle partition wall 11-6 there is a common groove side tongue wall 52 at its front end which is a side wall for the bottom groove 50 for the compartment 12 second from the top, and for the top groove 50 of the next lower compartment 12, that is the second from the bottom. The bottom partition wall 11-6 has a similar common groove side tongue wall for the bottom groove 51) of the compartment 12 second from the bottom and for the top groove 50 of the bottom compartment 12.

The case bottom wall 11-5 has a front end including a bottom jamb frame member having a groove 50 with an outer groove side tongue wall 51, and an inner groove side wall 53.

All of the compartments include jamb frame side members having grooves 50 formed in the front ends of the case side walls 11-2.

All of the jamb frame members formed in the front ends of the case top wall 11-4, the case side walls 11 2, and the case bottom wall 11-5 have the same composite construction, as set forth in detail in said U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,613,623, issued to Herbert C. Behrens.

In the front-end of each of the partition walls 11-6 a composite double grooved jamb frame member is formed having a construction similar to the single grooved jamb frame member formed in the front ends of each of the case top, side, and bottom walls. As previously described, in the front end of each of the partition walls 11-6 the jamb frame member includes parallel grooves 50 with a composite central common groove side tongue wall 52 and a multi-ply sheet metal tongue wall 53 for each groove.

In each composite drawer front 16, the outer sheet metal shell 17 is filled with a wall of insulatingrnaterial 54, embedding metal wire mesh reinforcement 55, and each drawer front outer sheet metal shell 17 includes in addition to the front wall 17-1, a back wall 17-2, and at the top, bottom, and each side of the shell 17, sheet metal .walls form a straight jamb member having a rectangular vcross section and including an outer composite tongue 56 at the outside of an inner groove 57. The width of each drawer front composite tongue 56 is slightly less than the width of the jamb frame groove 50 in which it enters when the particular drawer is closed, and the width of each drawer front groove 57 is slightly greater than the jamb frame trnulti-ply sheet metal tongme wall 53 which fits in the groove 57 when the particular drawer is closed.

In each composite drawer front 16, a rear rectangular plug portion 16-1 extends rearwardly from the plane of the rear faces of the composite tongues 56 a distance which is substantially twice the depth of the tongues 56 from the front face of the drawer front, the plug portion 16-1 being slightly smaller than the rectangular opening bounded by the jamb frame terminal border portions 37-6 into which the plug portion 17-2 extends when the drawer is closed.

According to the improvements of the application for U. S. Letters Patent of the present inventors, Cecil C. Hellman and Carl D. Graber, filed August 20, 1953, Sen'al No. 375,339, the outer sheet metal shell walls of the composite side walls 11-2 and the composite bottom wall ll-5, and the walls of the jamb frame members are included in an outer sub-assembly indicated generally by 60.

An inner sub-assembly indicated generally by 61, includes inner sheet metal shell walls of the composite side walls 11-2 and the composite top wall 11-4 and the composite bottom wall 11-5. The sub-assembly 61 also includes the inner sheet metal shell wall of the composite back wall 11-1, and the top and bottom walls of each of the composite partition walls 11-6.

When the sub-assemblies 60 and 61 are connected together, they constitute a sheet metal shell assembly indicated generally by 62 for the composite case 11, ready to receive the insulation material through a back opening 63 bounded by the rear ends of the outer sheet metal side, top, and bottom walls of the outer sub-assembly 60.

The sheet metal shell walls of the outer sub-assembly 60 include parallel and laterally spaced rectangular side walls 60-2, and parallel and vertically spaced rectangular top and bottom walls indicated generally respectively by 60-4 and 60-5. The side edges of the top wall 60-4 connect with the upper edges of the side wall 6tl-2 at upper side corners. Similarly, side border portions of the lower walls 60-5 connect with lower border portions of the side walls 60-2 at lower side corners of the subassembly 60.

The outer sheet metal sub-assembly 60 also includes at its front end, the formed and connected sheet metal members previously described, and constituting the plural opening jamb frame indicated generally by 60-6, and each jamb frame member for each drawer opening includes a rearwardly opening groove 60-7, which has a widthsized to receive and fit the front border portion of one ofthe sheet metal walls of the inner sub-assembly 61.

The inner sub-assembly of sheet metal walls indicated generally by 61 is constructed of a plurality of one-piece sheet metal formations, one of which is indicated generally by 61-L, and includes the sheet metal back wall 61-1 and one sheet metal side wall 61-2a.

Another of the separate one-piece sheet metal formations of the inner sub-assembly 61 is the other side wall indicated generally by 61-2b.

The other one-piece sheet metal formations of the inner sub-assembly 61 include the top wall indicated generally by 61-4, and the bottom wall indicated generally by 61-5.

Finally, the inner sheet metal sub-assembly 61 includes for each compartment sheet metal shell liner, formed in part by a portion of a partition 11-6, a sheet metal bottom wall indicated generally by 46 and a sheet metal top wall indicated generally by 47.

The four-drawer filing cabinet 10 including the above described details of construction, is provided as illustrated with one embodiment of the collective drawer lock construction of the present invention or discovery, and which includes guide means for a common lock bar. As shown, the lock bar guide means is in the form of a vertical longitudinal groove 70 formed in the side wall 61-2b of the inner sub-assembly 61. The groove 70 opens into each drawer compartment 12 from one side thereof.

A common lock bar 71 is slidably located for up and down movement in the groove 70, and is a common lock bar for each of the drawers 13 of the file. Adjacent the inside face of the common compartment side wall 61-2b in one of the compartments 12, which as shown is the second from the top compartment, that is second from the top wall 11-4 of the composite case 11, there is located a lock bar lifting lever 72 which has a pivot mounting by means of the pivot screw 73 on the inner sheet metal side wall 61-2b.

The lifting lever 72 has a slot and pivot connection indicated generally by 74 with the lock bar 71, which as shown includes a pivot screw 74-1 screwed into the lock bar 71 through a slot 74-2 in the lever 72.

The body 15 of the drawer 13 located in the second from the top compartment 12 in which the lifting lever 72 is mounted, includes a side wall 75 having a lower recess 76 formed therein, and the lock bar lifting lever 72 includes a flange 72-1 extending inwardly partially into the recess 76, which itself extends horizontally from front to rear of the drawer.

The second from the top drawer 13, as illustrated, also mounts the collective lock indicated generally by 77 which includes, as shown, a key-controlled spring-pressed lock head 78 operatively mounted in a usual manner in the drawer front 16 of the second from the top drawer 13.

From the rear of the spring-pressed lock head 78 there extends a rod 79, and on the rear end of the rod 79 there is mounted a pusher slide 80 having an outwardly extending flange 80-1 which is abuttable against the inwardly extending flange 72-1 of the lever 72 to swing the lever 72 upwardly to the locked position shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4.

In each of the compartments 12, adjacent the inner face of the common side wall 61-2b, there is located a movable drawer catch 81 which extends across the groove 70 and the lock bar 71. Each drawer catch 81 as shown has a pivotal mounting on the side wall 61-2b, as by a pivot screw 82. In the second from the top compartment 12, the drawer catch 81 is located above the lock bar lifting lever 72.

Each drawer catch 81 has a slot and pin connection indicated generally by 83 with the lock bar 71. Each slot and pin connection as shown includes a pivot screw 83-1 screwed into the lock bar 71 through a slot 83-2 formed in the catch 81.

Adjacent the outer face of the side wall 75 of each drawer 13, therev is located a movable latch 84 which has zyeaevs a pivotal mounting on the drawer side wall 75 as by a pivot screw 85. Each latch 84 includes at one side of its pivot screw 85, a latch notch 84-1. From the forward end of each drawer catch 81 there extends inwardly a catch tongue 31-1 which is automatically engageable with the latch notch 84-1 of the latch 84 on the adjacent drawer side wall 75, when the lock bar is in the locked position, and the latch 84 is in the position with its latch notch 84-1 to the rear of its pivot screw 85.

From a connection on the rear of each drawer front back wall 17-2, there extends rearwardly a flat spring 86, which has a rear end extending beneath the latch 84 pivotally mounted on the side wall 75 of the drawer body 15.

On each latch 84 on the side of its pivot screw 85 diametrically opposite the latch notch 84-1, there extends a tongue 8- -2, the under side of which is engaged by the top side of the associated flat spring 86, when the latch is in the usual operative position, hereinafter described in greater detail.

To the rear of the pivot screw 85 on each drawer body side wall 75 there extends outwardly a stop 87 which is at a level, as shown, below the level of the pivot screw 85.

Particularly for certain purposes of the present improvements, between and below the pivot screw 85 on each drawer 75 and the rear face of the drawer front back wall 17-2 there is provided adjustable stop means indicatcd generally by 38, and which are adapted to be selectively positioned at one location clearing the latch tongue 84-2, when the latch 84 is in the locking position, and at another location spaced somewhat below the latch tongue 84-2, and also as shown below the fiat spring 86. As shown, the adjustable stop means 88 is in the form of a tongue cut out from the body of the drawer side wall 75, and it may be bent to and from the stopping position. The adjustable stop means 88 may be otherwise in the form of a. separate hinge. bolt, or similar means positionable selectively in one of the two above described locations.

Each of the improved filing cabinets 10 including the improved collective drawer lock construction as above described in detail, may be produced and shipped with each stop means 88 in the location shown in Fig. 1, lying in the plane of its drawer side wall 75, and clearing the latch. 84. The latch clearing position of each stop means 88 may be described as the special case arrangement of the parts of the improved collective drawer lock, whereby the collective drawer lock may be rendered inoperative with respect to one or more drawers, by swinging the latch 84 of any particular drawer so that its notch end abuts the rear face of the drawer front back wall 17-2, as shown in the top drawer of Fig. 2.

In each of the other drawers of Fig. 2, the adjustable stop means 88 has been bent to the stopping position beneath the tongue 84-2 of the associated latch 84, permitting pivoting operation of latch 84 only sufficiently for locking and unlocking movement thereof with respect to its associated catch 31 operated by the common lock bar 71.

The arrangement of the collective drawer lock parts as shown in the three lower drawers of Fig. 2 may be termed the normal use arrangement, and in which each of the drawers having the normal use arrangement of its collective drawer lock parts is automatically locked each time the collective lock bar is positioned in the up posi tion as shown in Pig. 1, and the drawer is closed.

The lock bar 71 is maintained in the up position shown in Fig. l by the operation of the collective drawer lock 77 to lock the lock head 78 in the pushed-in position shown in Fig. 1 whereby the pusher slide 80 impinges its flange 80-1 against the lock bar lifting lever flange 72-1, swinging the lock bar lifting lever 72 upwardly and elevating the lock bar 71.

When the collective drawer lock 77 is unlocked, permitting the lock head 78 to be spring-pressed outwardly as shown in Fig. 2, the pusher slide 80 is withdrawn from abutment with the lifting lever 72, and the Weight of the lock bar 71 causes it to slide downwardly and swing the drawer catches 81 to the lower position shown in Fig. 2, which is the drawer unlocking positions thereof.

As shown, the lock head 78 is key operated and when unlocked is spring-pressed so as to maintain the lock head in the unlocked position shown in Fig. 2, with the pusher slide 3t} withdrawn from abutment with the lock bar lifting lever 72. As previously stated, the springpressed lock head 73 is of usual construction, whereby in the unlocked position, it automatically extends outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, and in the locked position it is maintained in the in-pushed position shown in Fig. .l.

The pusher slide may be moved between a position abutting the lock bar lifting lever 72 and maintaining the same in its up position, and a position withdrawn from the lifting lever, by other means than the spring pressed lock head and rod 79. Such other means may include a combination lock and mechanism interposed between the combination lock and pusher slide 86, the combination lock being operative from the front of the drawer front 16 on which it is mounted.

Each drawer 13 may be provided with an individual drawer lock of either key or combination type when it is desired for security reasons.

The flat spring 36 is provided as shown, so that if the tile is turned so as to locate its top wall 11-4 on the floor as its base, the latches 84 will be prevented from dropping out of engagement with their respective catches 81, when the same are in the elevated locking position as shown in Fig. 1.

It is noted that when the catches 31 are so located, and one or more of the drawer latches are located in their normal locking positions as shown in Fig. 1, closing of each drawer serves to cam the rear end of each latch 84 over the catch tongue 81-1 of the associated catch 81, whereby the notch 84-1 of the latch 84 drops into hook and locking engagement with the catch tongue 81-1.

When the common lock bar 71 is dropped to the unlocking position shown in Fig. 2, each catoh tongue 31-1 is lowered below the level necessary for engagement with the associated notch 84, as shown in Fig. 2.

The embodiments of the present invention illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the same or to the particular details thereof, but is commensurate with any and all novel subject matter contained herein which may at any time properly under the patent laws be set forth in the claims hereof or originating herein, and the elements of any of such claims are intended to include their functional or structural equivalents.

l/Ve claim:

1. Multiple drawer cabinet construction combined with collective drawer lock construction, in which the cabinet construction includes case walls forming a plurality of drawer compartments located one above another, the case walls including an aligned side wall of each compartment in alignment with the similarly located side wall of each of the other compartments, and other case walls including another side wall and a top wall and a bottom wall for each compartment, and each compartment having a front end opening, a drawer for each. compartment of the cabinet, each drawer being operatively mounted for movement into and out of its compartment and each drawer including a closure front fitting the end opening of its compartment in a closed position after movement into its compartment and each drawer having one side wall adjacent its compartment aligned side wall, there being an intervening space between the one drawer side wall and the aligned compartment side wall when the drawer is in its closed position, and in which the combined collective drawer lock construction includes a common lock bar extending through each compartment adjacent its aligned side wall, guide means mounting the common lock bar for up and down movement between an upper drawer locking position and a lower drawer unlocking position, a drawer catch in each compartment adjacent the aligned side wall and the common lock bar and the drawer catch being located in the intervening space, means mounting for movement the drawer catch in each compartment on the aligned side wall thereof, and means operatively connecting the drawer catch in each compartment with the common lock bar for effecting movement of the catch to a locking position when the lock bar is in its upper locking position and to an unlocking position when the lock bar is in its lower unlocking position, :a lock bar lifting lever located in the intervening space in one of the compartments adjacent the aligned side wall and the common lock bar, means pivotally mounting the lifting lever on the adjacent aligned compartment side Wall and means operatively connecting the lifting lever with the common lock bar for moving the lock bar by pivoting movements of the lever, movable latch means operatively mounted by a pivot means on the one side wall of each drawer, the latch means being located in the intervening space when the drawer is closed, the latch means including a latch notch portion extending radially at one side of the pivot means and having a latch notch formed therein, each drawer catch including a catch tongue extending for automatic engagement by the latch notch of the associated drawer latch means when the latch notch portion of the latch means extends rearwardly from the pivot means and the drawer front and the drawer catch is in locking position, the latch means being adapted for swinging of the latch portion forwardly toward the drawer front for rendering the latch notch inoperative with respect to the associated drawer catch tongue, lifting lever actuating means on the drawer in the compartment in which the lifting lever is located, and the lifting lever actuating means being operative when the drawer is in its closed position to effect pivoting movements of the lifting lever and including an operating head accessible from the outside of the drawer front of the drawer mounting the lifting lever actuating means.

2. Multiple drawer cabinet construction combined with collective drawer lock construction as set forth in claim 1 in which a stop extends from the one side wall of each drawer at the rear of and below the level of the axis of the pivot means mounting the latch means.

3. Multiple drawer cabinet construction combined with collective drawer lock construction as set forth in claim 1 in which the latch means includes a tongue portion extending radially in the direction opposite the radial direction of the latch notch portion, and in which the adjustable stop means are mounted on the one side wall of each drawer for selective positioning between the axis of the pivot mounting means of the drawer latch and the drawer front, the adjustable stop means being located below the level of the axis of the pivot mounting means for selectively limiting the pivotal movement of the latch means when the tongue portion extends toward the drawer front.

4. Multiple drawer cabinet construction combined with collective drawer lock construction as set forth in claim 1 in which spring means are associated with the latch means, the spring means urging the latch means to pivot so that the latch notch portion moves downwardly when extending in the rearward direction from the pivot means.

5. Drawer cabinet construction combined with drawer lock construction, in which the cabinet construction ineludes case walls forming a drawer compartment, the case walls including opposite side walls and a top wall and a bottom wall for the compartment, and the compartment having a front end opening, a drawer for the compartment, the drawer being operatively mounted for movement into and out of the compartment and the drawer including a closure front fitting the end opening of the compartment in a closed position after movement into the compartment and the drawer having one side wall adjacent one of the compartment side walls, there being an intervening space between the drawer one side wall and the adjacent compartment one side wall when the drawer is in its closed position, and in which the combined drawer lock construction includes a lock bar extending through the compartment adjacent the compartment one side wall bounding the intervening space, guide means mounting the lock bar for up and down movement between an upper drawer locking position and a lower drawer unlocking position, a drawer catch in the compartment adjacent the compartment one side wall and the lock bar, and the drawer catch being located in the intervening space, means mounting for movement the drawer catch in the compartment on the one side wall thereof, and means operatively connecting the drawer catch in the compartment with the lock bar for effecting movement of the catch to a locking position when the lock bar is in its upper locking position and to an unlocking position when the lock bar is in its lower unlocking position, a lock bar lifting means operative on the lock bar, movable latch means operatively mounted by pivot means on the one side wall of the drawer, the latch means being located in the intervening space when the drawer is closed, the latch means including a latch notch portion extending radially at one side of the pivot means and having a latch notch formed therein, each drawer catch including a catch tongue extending for automatic engagement by the latch notch of the associated drawer latch means when the latch notch portion of the latch means extends rearwardly from the pivot means and the drawer front and the drawer catch is in locking position, the latch means being adapted for swinging of the latch notch portion forwardly toward the drawer front for rendering the latch notch inoperative with respect to the associated drawer catch tongue, and actuating means for the lock bar lifting means, the actuating means including an operating head accessible from the outside of the front of the cabinet.

6. Drawer cabinet construction combined with drawer lock construction as set forth in claim 5, in which a stop extends from the one side wall of each drawer at the rear of and below the level of the axis of the pivot means mounting the latch means.

7. Drawer cabinet construction combined with drawer lock construction as set forth in claim 5 in which the latch means includes a tongue portion extending radially in the direction opposite the radial direction of .the latch notch portion, and in which the adjustable stop means are mounted on the one side wall of each drawer for selective positioning between the axis of the pivot mounting means of the drawer latch and the drawer front, the adjustable stop means being located below the level of the axis of the pivot mounting means for selectively limiting the pivotal movement of the latch means when the tongue portion extends toward the drawer front.

8. Drawer cabinet construction combined with drawer lock construction as set forth in claim 5 in which spring means are associated with the latch means, the spring means urging the latch means to pivot so that the latch notch portion moves downwardly when extending in the rearward direction from the pivot means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 13 63,844 Swanson June 3, 1913 1,730,909 Anderson Oct. 8, 1929 2,653,070 McClellan Sept. 22, 1953

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