US2832660A - Support for knee space desk drawer - Google Patents

Description

April 29, 1958 H, E. HUTZIELMAN 2,832,660

SUPPORT FOR KNEE SPACE DESK DRAWER Filed Sept. 15, 1956 INVENTOR.

l/awwllm /m/ nited States 2,832,660 Patented Apr. 29, 1958 SUPPORT FOR KNEE SPACE DESK DRAWER Howard E. Hutzelman, Corry, Pa., assignor to Corrylamestown Manufacturing Corporation, Corry, Pa., a corporation of New York Application September 13, 1956, Serial No. 609,602

2 Claims. (Cl. 312-344) This invention relates to improvements in metal ofiice furniture, and more particularly to desks of the one or two pedestal type. Specifically, the invention is directed to the structure of a support for a knee-space drawer. Such drawers are of shallow, wide proportions and occupy the space between the desk pedestals directly beneath the desk top.

A drawer of the type to which the invention is directed is intended to, and generally does, contain small, loose items as distinguished from cabinet drawers that contain files of papers or cards. In fact, this type of drawer is invariably provided with a number of partitions or dividers, as well as a compartmented convenience tray. Access to such a drawer, by reason of its contents, is very frequently necessary and, consequently, such a drawer is moved into or out of open position much more frequently than a file drawer. On the other hand, the proportions of a drawer of this type, as well as its shallow depth, do not lend themselves to being equipped with any of the various ball or roller suspensions available. Due

to the many loose and small items usually contained in a drawer of this type, it is conceivable, particularly in view or" the frequent manipulation thereof, that the contents may often become disordered, thus necessitating the complete removal, cleaning, and replacement of the contained items.

The present invention is directed to, and has for one of its objects the provision of supporting structure for a lznee-space drawer that will assure free and easy movement or" the drawer as may be required.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of this type is highly objectionable in view of the fact F that the multiple small item contents are at best highly susceptible to disarrangement.

A further and important object of the invention lies in the provision of supporting structure for a knee-space drawer that so locates and arranges the relatively slidable parts that they normally cooperate to provide a stop to determine the limit to which a drawer may be extended, but also enable full removal of a drawer through the expedient of tilting the drawer in a direction to bypass such a stop.

A still further object of the invention lies in the provision of an extremely simple, eflicient and inexpensive structure for mounting a knee-space drawer in a manner to provide satisfactory manipulation thereof and enable quick and easy removal of the drawer, as may be required.

Other object and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing; in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pedestal desk with the central portion broken away to disclose the knee-space drawer and its supporting structure;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the drawer supporting rails, the drawer being shown in closed position and the view taken substantially as indicated by the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the drawer fully extended, dotted lines in this view indicating the required angularity of the drawer, preparatory to removal from the desk;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view, taken substantially as indicated by the line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is another enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view, taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the present invention is shown as constituting part of the structure of a conventional two-pedestal desk, generally indicated by the numeral 16*. Desks of this type consist of two, spaced, upright pedestals 11, connected by a bridge-like enclosing top 12. Each pedestalconsists generally of substantially identical inner and outer parallel walls 13, connected by rear wall 14, that in fact produce front opening cabinets. Of course, any arrangement and number of drawers, such as suggested at 16, may be mounted in the pedestals ll.

Between the pedestals and directly beneath the desk top 12 there is located a drawer, generally referred to as a knee-space drawer and, in the present disclosure, indicated by the numeral 17. This drawer includes a drawer head or front 18, base 19, side walls 21, and a rear wall 22. Attached to the drawer side walls 21 are generally Z-shaped bars 23, the lower flange 24 of each of which is secured to the drawer base 19. The upper flange 26 extends laterally away from the drawer side and includes a shallow return-bent flange, thus producing a downwardly opening channel 27, extending substantially the full length of each side of the drawer. Beyond the channel 27 which, as mentioned, terminates substantially at the rear wall 22 of the drawer, the bars 23 continue rearwardly and the body portion of each bar mounts a pair of glides 2S and 29. These glides are suitably supported by pins carried by the bars and, although cylindrical, are not designed or intended to rotate. The fact that the glides are formed from a synthetic material that is highly impervious to wear by reason of frictional contact, and also the fact that the contacting portion of each glide is of the nature of a transverse line, recommends them for use in the present instance. The glides 28 are mounted adjacent the upper portion of the bar 23, directly to the rear of the channels 27. The glides 29 are located further rearwardly of the bar and adjacent the lower portion thereof. Thus the glides on each bar are vertically offset with respect to each other. A horizontal end view of the bars will show the vertical space between the lower surface of the upper glide 28 and the upper surface of the lower glide 29 to be approximately the thickness of the metal used in the construction of the drawer and supporting bars.

Secured to the inner face of each of the inner pedestal walls 13 is a drawer supporting rail 31. The vertical or body portion 32 of the rail abuts the pedestal wall and terminates along its top edge in outwardly extending horizontal flanges 33 which are intended to rest upon corresponding flanges of the pedestal and be secured to such pedestal flanges in any convenient manner, as by screws or welding, prior to mounting the desk top 12. Commencing at its rear end, each rail is provided with an inwardly directed, horizontal flange 34 which is intended to provide a ledge as a support for the glides carried by the drawer. Adjacent the forward end of the rail, the flange is bent or inclined downwardly, as at 36, to form a stop. From this point to its forward end, the

body portion 32 of the rail is of somewhat greater width, this increase being substantially the equivalent of the width of the flange 34. Adjacent the forward end of each rail, a glide 37 is mounted. The glides carried by the rails are for all purposes identical with the glides 28 and 29 previously described, and serve as forward supports for the drawer 17.

To more clearly understand the advantages of the present structure, attention is now directed particularly to Fig. 2. Herein the drawer is shown in retracted position, the horizontal flanges 26 of the bars 23 resting upon the forward glides 37. The upper glides 23, adjacent the rear of the drawer, rest upon the horizontal flanges 34 of the rails 31. It will be observed that the rear glides 29 of the drawer are practically in contact with the under surface of the rail flanges 34. The drawer 17 may be withdrawn from the pedestal and the only frictional contact between it and the supports is a line contact of glides 37 with the flanges 26 and glides 29 with flanges 34. When the drawer has been withdrawn from the pedestal to an extent to expose substantially its entire contents, the lowermost glides 29, carried thereby, will contact the depending flanges 36 and thus prevent further movement. However, as has been mentioned, it frequently becomes necessary to completely remove a kneespace drawer and, in the present disclosure it is merely necessary to slightly raise the front end of the drawer, swinging it about its support on the glides 37. This slight tilting of the drawer causes the glides 29 to move downwardly beneath the stop flanges 36 and become free therefrom. Of course, this would not be possible if the glides 28 and 29 were in vertical alignment, but since the glides 28 are located forwardly of the glides 29, such disengagement from the drawer support is possible. It is believed the drawer tilting and clearance of glides 29 from the stop flanges 36 is clearly indicated in Fig. 3

of the drawing.

It is to be understood that each of the glides shown and described includes a hub 38 which extends laterally beyond the cylindrical glide body and thus serves to limit or control any tendency of the drawer to chatter during manipulation by reason of the contact of these hubs, either with the drawer bars 23, as with glides 37, or in the case of the hubs of glides 28 and 29 contacting the body portions 32 of the rails. Through the provision of glides constructed and located as described, it is possible to design and construct the drawer supporting structure with minimum tolerances. And, of course, since the glides create so little friction, no loss of freedom of movement of the drawer occurs. Also, due to the close tolerances made possible by use and arrangement of the present glides, there is no tendency for the drawer to vibrate, chatter, or twist during manipulation from one position to another. It should be pointed out that applicant, through the use of only six glides, two supporting rails, and the equivalent of two side flanges on the drawer, is enabled to produce a most satisfactory kneespace drawer support that cannot get. out of order and will serve without appreciable wear over a long period of use.

Although applicant has shown and described only one modification of an arrangement of rails, flanges, and antifriction glides, it will be appparent that some modifications of the structure described may be made and are contemplated insofar as they are within the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent 1. Structure for supporting a desk drawer comprising a pair of spaced desk mounted rails, inturned flanges defining the lower edges of said rails, the forward ends of said flanges terminating short of the forward ends of said rails in downwardly inclined stops, glides mounted on said rails forwardly and above said stops, bars secured to the sides of said drawer, flanges extending laterally from the upper edges of said bars overlying said rail mounted glides, other glides at the rear of and carried by said drawer, said other glides having a vertical spacing to enable engagement with the upper and lower surfaces of the flanges of said rails, and laterally extending hubs on all of said glides, the hubs of said rail glides being in close proximity with said bars, and the hubs of said bar glides being in close proximity with said rails whereby to prevent lateral twisting of the drawer during movement from one position to another.

2. Structure for supporting a desk drawer comprising a pair of spaced desk mounted rails, inturned flanges defining the lower edges of said rails, the forward ends of said flanges terminating in downwardly inclined stops, glides mounted on and projecting inwardly of said rails toward each other, said glides being forwardly of and above said stops, bars secured to the sides of said drawer, flanges on said bars extending laterally away from said drawer, said flanges overlying said rail mounted glides and in contact therewith throughout full normal movement of said drawer, a pair of glides mounted on and extending laterally away from each of said bars adjacent the rear ends thereof, laterally extending hubs on all of said glides, the hubs of said rail glides being in close proximity with said bars, and the hubs of said bar glides being in close proximity with said rails whereby to prevent lateral twisting of the drawer during movement from one position to another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,088,957 Hotfstetter Aug. 3, 1937 2,325,896 Waller Aug. 3, 1943 2,550,980 Drake May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,613 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1943 341,745 Great Britain Ian. 22, 1931

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