US2908538A

US2908538A - Interior file cabinet lock

Info

Publication number: US2908538A
Application number: US579994A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond L Stegmaier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-04-23
Filing date: 1956-04-23
Publication date: 1959-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1976-10-13

Description

""ltm R. L. STEGIMAIER 2,908,538

INTERICR FILE CABINET LOCK Filed April 25, 1956 19 19 Z 2 41 25 Z4 Z7 Oct. 13, 1959 Wm W 'ofimw I ATTORNEYS United States Patent "ice I 2,908,538 INTERIOR CABINET LOCK Raymond L. Stegmaier, Arlington, Va. Application April 23, 1956, Serial No. 579,994

4 Claims. (Cl. 312-218 The present invention relates in general to file cabinet locking mechanisms, and more particularly tointerior drawer locking mechanisms for file cabinets and the like for use with padlocks or other separate locking facilities to conveniently dispense with bar-lock sets for file cabinets.

Propersecurity controls for valuable papers and writings of all types which are desired to be preserved in secrecy or protected from unauthorized inspection requires the provision of some facility for locking file cabinet drawers in which such papers or writings are stored in closed condition. This has conventionally been accomplished by providing vertically aligned fixed hasps or staples at spaced locations on the front of the file cabinet frame, usually on the bottom and one of the intermediate horizontal parting strips into which the elongated steel bar of approximately the height of the front face of the file cabinet is inserted when the drawers are in closed position to overlie the drawer fronts and prevent their withdrawal from the cabinet. Thebar is usually provided with an aperture adjacent the upper end thereof through which another hasp or staple fixed at the upper end of the'file cabinet is projected to receive some type of lock, or the bar is provided with a rearwardly ofiset flange which is apertured to receive a like hasp or staple projecting from the top wall of the cabinet. Such devices are beset with numerous disadvantages, including the problems relating to storage of the bars in out-ofthe way placeswhfle the file cabinets are in use during working hours, the total exposure of the bars rendering them readily subject to tampering by unauthorized personnel, and the time-consuming procedure required to assemble such bars in locking position on the file cabinet.

Efforts have been made to alleviate some of these inder of a cylinder lock mounted in the front wall of the e file cabinet controls a vertical link for depressing locking levers pivoted on the rear wall of the file cabinet and disposed internally thereof and resilientlybiased upwardly into locking engagement with the file cabinet drawers to release the levers from locking relation with the drawers. These linkages have not proved to be a totally satisfac+ tory solution to the problem, as the locking levers are only resiliently. urged into locking engagement with the file cabinet drawers after being cammed downwardly by engagement with the locking drawer projections when the drawers are shifted into closed condition within the file cabinet and are devoid of any means for positively insuring return of the levers to locking engagement with the drawers. Because of this, slight misalignments or de-.

2,908,538 Patented'Oct. 13, 1959 tive'interlocking of the interior locking mechanism with the drawers and full closure of the drawers relative to the file cabinet.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel interior locking mechanism for locking the drawers of a multidrawer file cabinet in closed condition, which is adaptable to be secured in drawer locking condition by conventional commercially available separate lock units.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel internal file cabinet locking mechanism for locking the drawers of a multidrawer file cabinet in closed condition, characterized by simplicity and economy of construction, dependability of operation, and high security characteristics.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, showing only a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing: 7

, Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a file cabinet embodying the present invention, with parts broken away to reveal the structure of the interior locking mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical section view taken along the line 22 of Figure l. I

Figure 3 is a vertical section view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of components of the interior locking mechanism. 1

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate .the corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the interior drawer locking mechanism of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference character 10, is adapted to be positioned within a multidrawer file cabinet 11 of any conventional form between one of the side walls 12 ofthe file cabinet and the adjacent drawer side 13 of the usual reciprocable file cabinet drawer 14. The drawer locking mechanism 10 may be adapted for use with a single drawer 13 of any desired number of vertically aligned drawers in a file cabinet.

The interior locking mechanism 10' comprises an elongated control bar or rod 15 having an exterior head portion 16 which may be a separate member of rectangular, circular or other desired cross section afiixed to or formed integral with the control bar 15 disposed with its outermost portion projecting exteriorly of the file cabinet front Wall 17, through an accommodating aperture 18. The enlarged control bar head 16 is apertured, as indicated at 19, to receive the shackle of an exposed shackle padlock, or the like, 20, when the control bar 15 is projected outwardly of the file cabinet 11 to its farthest extent. The oposite end of the control bar 15 is pivotally partures from critical manufacturers specifications which a Additionally, the conventions adopted for 5 secured, as indicated at 21 to a rotary motion transfer disk 22 at a point adjacent the periphery of the disk 22, and is additionally provided with an aperture'23 through which the hooked end of a coil spring 24 is projected.

The motion transfer disk 22 is pivotally mounted at its center, as indicated at 25, to a rectangular mounting plate 26 adapted to be welded or otherwise affixed to the interior surface of the side wall 12 of the file cabinet 11. A spring anchor flange 27 projects from the rear portion of the mounting plate 26in substantial alignment with the axis of the control bar 15 to support one end of the coil spring 24. A limit pin 28 projects from the mounting plate 26 into an arcuate relieved segment 29 formed in the periphery of the motion transfer disk 22 to abut the shoulders at the opposite ends of the relieved segmeat :29 and limit rotation of the motion transfer "disk 22 to a preselected range of rotary movement.

A locking bar 30 extends vertically along the side wall 12 of the cabinet 11 between the side wall 12 and the drawer sides 13 of the number of vertically arranged drawers 14 to be simultaneously locked by the locking mechanism 10. The uppermost end of the locking bar 30 is pivotally coupled, as indicated at 31, to the motion transfer disk 22, the pivotal coupling 31 being preferably spaced from the disk pivot 25 in correspondence with the radial spacing of the control bar pivot 21 and located in quadrature relation thereto. A rib-like bolt 32 is af fixed to or integral with and projects inwardly from the locking bar 30 alongside the drawer side 13 of each drawer to be locked by the locking mechanism, and terminates at its lower end in a bolt finger 33 which projects downwardly in a vertical plane and is spaced inwardly from the inwardly facing surface of the locking bar 30 to be selectively received in the keeper aperture 34 in the horizontal flange 35 of an angle iron keeper member 36 Welded or suitably affixed to each drawer side 13. A limit shoulder 37 is spaced below the lower end of each bolt finger 33 and projects inwardly from the locking bar 30 to underlie the keeper flange 35 of each keeper 36 and limit upward movement of the locking bar 30.

In the operation of the above described locking mechanism, the components will assume the position illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 when the mechanism is in unlocked condition. When all of the file cabinet drawers 14 have been fully projected into their accommodating recesses in the file cabinet '11, the keeper apertures 34 of the angle iron keepers 36 on the sides of each of the drawers 14 will be in vertical alignment with the bolt fingers 33 of the bolts 32 on the locking bar 30. If the control bar head 16 be then grasped by the operator and drawn outwardly of the file cabinet 11, the motion transfer disk 22 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2 thereby projecting the locking bar 30 downwardly and the free lower ends of the bolt fingers 33 into the keeper apertures 34 of each of the angle iron "keepers 36 associated therewith. The range of vertical movement imparted to the locking bar 30 is preferably suflicient to project the bolt fingers 33 into the keeper apertures 34 to such an extent as to bring the shoulders 38 of the bolts 32 at the upper ends of the bolt fingers 33 into abutment with the keeper flanges 35. When the locking bar 30 is in this position, the exterior head 16 of the control bar will have been shifted outwardly of the file cabinet a sufficient distance to expose the aperture 19 therein immediately outwardly of the file cabinet front wall 17 in condition to receive the shackle of a padlock or other locking unit. The padlock thus coupled with the control bar head 16 will engage the front file cabinet wall 17 upon attempted projection of the control bar 15 into the file cabinet and limit such movement to an extent precluding withdrawal of the bolt fingers 33 from the keeper apertures 34. Upon removal of the padlock 20 and full projection of the control bar 15 inwardly of the file cabinet, the consequent clockwise rotation of the motion transfer disk 22 will elevate the locking bar 30 to completely withdraw the bolt fingers 33 from the keeper apertures 34 and free the file cabinet drawers 14 for annual withdrawal from the tile cabinet 11. The coil spring 24 resiliently retains the control bar 15 in its inwardly projected position to maintain the locking bar 30 in elevated condition wherein the bolt fingers 33 are free of engagement with the keepers 36 of the file cabinet drawers.

While only one preferred embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that other modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a filing cabinet having a plurality of walls including a wall provided with at least one drawer opening and at least one slidable drawer having drawer walls in parallelism with and spaced inwardly from said cabinet walls, a drawer locking mechanism for permitting the drawer to be secured in fully closed position by a padlock located externally of the filing cabinet walls comprising apertured keeper means afiixed to one of said drawer walls and projecting toward the adjacent cabinet wall, vertically arranged reciprocative locking bar means disposed between said keeper means and said adjacent cabinet wall having bolt means integral therewith disposed for movement in a vertical path intercepting an aperture of said keeper means when the drawer is in fully closed position, and reciprocative control means for raising said locking bar means to withdraw said bolt means from interlocking relation with said keeper means upon inward movement of said control means and lowering said locking means to interlock said bolt means with said keeper means upon outward movement of said control means, said control means including a portion projecting through a wall of said cabinet having a padlock shackle-receiving aperture therein positioned to lie immediately outwardly of the cabinet wall penetrated by said control means portion when said control means occupies its outermost position disposing said locking bar means in interlocked relation with said keeper means and said last-mentioned cabinet wall having portions bounding the control means portion projecting therethrough forming a stop surface for a padlock shackle disposed in said shackle-receiving aperture to prevent inward displacement of said control means portion from said outermost position.

2. In a filing cabinet and the like having side walls, a front wall having an aperture therein and provided with at least one drawer opening and at least one slidable drawer having drawer sides in parallelism with and spaced inwardly from said cabinet side walls, a drawer locking mechanism disposed between one of said cabinet sides and the adjacent drawer side for permitting the drawer to be secured 'in fully closed position by a padlock located externally of the filing cabinet walls comprising apertured keeper means atfixed to said adjacent drawer side and projecting toward the adjacent cabinet side, locking bar means arranged for vertical reciprocative movement between said keeper means and said adjacent cabinet side having a downwardly extending projection disposed in a vertical path intercepting an aperture of said keeper means when the drawer is in fully closed position, and control means for raising said locking bar means from a keeper interlocking position and lowering the same into keeper locking position upon inward and outward movement, respectively, relative to said cabinet including a generally horizontally disposed reciprocative elongated control member projecting through said front wall aperture and having a padlock shackle-receiving aperture therein to be disposed immediately outwardly of said front wall when said control member occupies its outermost position and to be positioned within said cabinet rearwardly of said front wall when said control member occupies its innermost position, the portion of said front wall bounding said aperture forming a stop surface intercepting the path of movement of a padlock shackle disposed in said shackle-receiving aperture upon inward movement of said control member to prevent inward displacement of said control member from said outermost position when a padlock is coupled therewith.

3. In a filing cabinet having side walls, a front wall provided with drawer openings and an aperture, and a plurality of slidable drawers having drawer sides in parallelism with and spaced inwardly from said cabinet side walls, a drawer locking mechanism disposed between one of said cabinet sides and the adjacent drawer sides for permitting the drawer to be secured in fully closed position by a padlock located externally of the filing cabinet walls comprising a keeper flange affixed to each of said adjacent drawer sides and projecting toward said adjacent cabinet side and each having a keeper aperture therein, a locking bar supported for vertical reciprocative movement between said keeper llanges and said adjacent cabinet side, said locking bar having a plurality of vertically spaced bolt members corresponding to said keeper flanges rigidly fixed thereon terminating in downwardly projecting fingers located in the vertical axis of said keeper apertures when said drawers are all in fully closed position for projection into said keeper apertures, a generally horizontally disposed reciprocative elongated control member projecting through said front wall aperture and having a padlock shackle-receiving aperture in one end thereof, means pivotally coupling the other end of said control member to said locking bar to raise and lower said locking bar upon inward and outward movement, respectively, of said control member relative to said cabinet for withdrawing said fingers simultaneously from said keeper apertures and projecting the same into positive locking engagement in said keeper apertures and including means for positively holding the locking bar at a lowermost position with said fingers in locking position in said keeper apertures when said control member is at its outermost position, said shackle-receiving aperture being located in exposed condition immediately outwardly of said front cabinet wall when said control member occupies its outermost position disposing said locking bar fingers in interlocking relation with said keeper flanges and said shackle-receiving aperture being withdrawn into said cabinet rearwardly of said front wall when said control member is shifted inwardly to withdraw said fingers from said keeper flanges, the portion of said front wall bounding said aperture providing a stop surface for abutting a padlock shackle disposed in said shackle-receiving aperture to prevent inward displacement of said control member from said outermost position when a padlock shackle is positioned in said shackle-receiving aperture.

4. In a filing cabinet having side walls, a front wall provided with drawer openings and an aperture, and a plurality of slidable drawers having drawer sides in parallelism with and spaced inwardly from said cabinet side walls, a drawer locking mechanism dispoed between one of said cabinet sides and the adjacent drawer sides for permitting the drawer to be secured in fully closed position by a padlock located externally of the filing cabinet walls comprising a keeper flange aflixed to each of said adjacent drawer sides and projecting toward said adjacent cabinet side and each having a keeper aperture therein, said keeper apertures being in vertical alignment with each other, a locking bar supported for vertical reciprocative movement between said keeper flanges and said adjacent cabinet side, said locking bar having a plurality of vertically spaced bolt members corresponding to said keeper flanges rigidly fixed thereon terminating in downwardly projecting fingers located in the vertical axis of said keeper apertures when said drawers are all in fully closed position for projection into said keeper apertures, a generally horizontally disposed reciprocative elongated control member projecting through said front Wall aperture and having a padlock shackle-receiving aperture in one end thereof, a motion transfer disk pivotally supported at its center on said one of said cabinet sides, means pivotally coupling the other end of said control member and an end of said locking bar to said disk at circumferentially and equally radially spaced points on said disk for reciprocating said locking bar axially upwardly and downwardly upon inward and outward axial movement, respectively, of said control member and release and interlock, respectively, said fingers simultaneously with said keeper apertures, said shackle-receiving aperture being located in exposed condition immediately outwardly of said front cabinet wall when said control member occupies its outermost position disposing said locking bar fingers in interlocking relation with said keeper flanges and said shackle-receiving aperture being withdrawn into said cabinet rearwardly of said front wall when said control member is shifted inwardly to withdraw said fingers from said keeper flanges, and said front Wall having wall portions bounding said aperture and positioned to intercept the path of movement of a padlock shackle extending through said shackle-receiving aperture when said control member is projected inwardly from said outermost position to prevent displacement of said control from said outermost position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,036,442 Bullock Aug. 20, 1912 1,277,412 Hardart Sept. 3, 1918 1,280,183 Donathan Oct. 1, 1918 1,955,525 Bales Apr. 17, 1934 2,533,173 Mitchell Dec. 5, 1950 2,547,513 Wikman Apr. 3, 1951 2,559,579 Abrahamson July 10, 1951