US2923584A - Cabinet assembly - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2, 1960 F. J. BRODERlCK, JR

CABINET ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12. 1955 FIG. I

FREDERICK J. BRODERICK JR.

ATTORNEY Feb. 2, 1960 F. J. BRODERICK, JR 4 CABINET ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept FIG. 4

FIG.5

INVENTOR FREDERICK J. BRODERICIK JR ATTORNEY Feb. 2, 1960 F. J. BYRODERICK, JR 2,

CABINET ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet,3

Filed Sept. 12. 1955 FiZG INVENTOR FREDERICK J. BRODERICK JR.

BY MKW ATTORNEY well as the carpet sweeper and vacuum cleaner.

United States Patent This invention relates to cabinets and more particularly to cabinets for storing a considerable amount of material for easy access to a housewife or other user.

In our increasingly complex society, more and more implements are required by a housewife for an efiicient management of her household. This is especially true in the kitchen since the housewife generally stores cans and boxes of food, all of her dishes and cooking utensils and often even such implements as mops and brooms as Even as the number of items required for an efiicient house hold management is tending to increase, the amount of space available in the kitchen is tending to decrease because of the increased costs of home building. This has been further aggravated by the tendency to make modern kitchens open so that less wall space is available for the conventional type of wall cabinet.

Attempts have been made to alleviate the problem of storage space but these attempts have not been entirely successful. For example, cabinets have been built into the kitchen. These cabinets have been disadvantageous because many of the drawers and shelves in the cabinets have been out of reach of the housewife and even her husband. The cabinets have also been disadvantageous because they have been stacked in vertical relationship. By stacking the cabinets one above the other, the space in the cabinets have been fairly deep. Items have often to be hunted because the items in only one cabinet can be seen at a time and because items have been stacked one upon another.

Rolling and portable cabinets and tables have also been used in the kitchen. These cabinets and tables have been disadvantageous because they tend to occupy a large amount of space and tend to use the space inefiiciently. The tables and cabinets have been disadvantageous for another important reason. The cabinets and tables are generally provided with rollers which move along thefloor and tend to permanently scar the floor wherever they move. This is especially true when the floor is covered with linoleum, as is generally true in the kitchen, since linoleum has a fairly soft top surface.

This invention provides a cabinet which overcomes the above disadvantages. The cabinet includes a plurality of cabinets each stacked in a horizontal relationship to the others. By stacking the drawers next to each other in a horizontal direction, the drawers can be provided with shelves and walls having an opening in a vertical plane rather than in a horizontal plane as in the drawers now in use. Providing the opening in the vertical plane facilitates an efiicient use of storage space and makes every item in the drawer easily visible when the drawer is withdrawn from the cabinet.

Means are included for making the drawer easily removable from the cabinet. These means include guide members and rollers extending from the drawers to a position within the guide members to obtain a firm support of the drawers in any position of withdrawal of the drawers from the cabinet. A plurality of tracks are included, each disposed below a different drawer. The tracks are attached at one end to the cabinet frame and are bent at an intermediate position for slidable movement in a vertical direction at a position near the front of the drawers.

Rollers extend from the drawers to the track and slide along the track-to control the position at which the track becomes bent upwardly for slidable movement in the vertical direction. The rollers slide along the track in accordance with the movements of the drawers into and out of the cabinet. By supporting the drawers on the tracks and moving the drawers along the tracks, movement of the drawers can be obtained with a minimum amount of effort and without any permanent defacement of the floor.

An object of this invention is to provide a cabinet having at least one drawer so disposed as to provide an efiicient utilization of space and to make everything stored within the drawer quickly visible and easily reached.

Another object is to provide a cabinet having at least one drawer which can be easily slid out from the cabinet or slid back into the cabinet with a minimum amount of friction. t

A further object is to provide a cabinet having at least one drawer which can be opened or closed without disfiguring the floor or creating any permanent marks on the floor. a

Still another object is to. provide a cabinet slidable on a track for easy movementof the cabinet and preservation of the floor and without having the track at all exposed in any position of the cabinet.

A still further object is to provide a cabinet having a plurality of drawers stacked in a first horizontal direction relative to one another and separately movable out of the cabinet in a second horizontal direction transverse to the first direction to obtain a compact arrangement for the storage of a large number of diiferent items.

Another object is to provide a cabinet of the above character which is compact, utilitarian and inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a detailed description of the invention and from the appended drawings and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet constituting one embodiment of the invention as seen from a position in front of and to the right of the cabinet, the cabinet being shown with certain drawers partially open and with certain walls broken away to illustrate other features in some detail;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the top portion of the cabinet as seen from substantially the same position as that shown in Figure l, certain members being broken away to show other members in some detail;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the bottom portion of the cabinet as seen from substantially the same position as that shown in Figures 1 and 2, certain members being broken away to show other members in some detail;

Figure 4 is a somewhat enlarged sectional view substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 5 and illustrates certain features in further detail, including the disposition of a drawer in the cabinet in the closed relationship of the drawer;

Figure 5 is a somewhat enlarged sectional view substantially on the lines 5-5 of Figures 1 and 5 and illustrates certain additional features in some detail in the closed relationship of the drawer as shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 4 and illustrates the disposition of various members including the bottom of the drawer relative to the cabinet when the drawer has been withdrawn from the cabinet; and

Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views substantially on the lines 7-7 and 88, respectively, of Figure 6 and illustrate in further detail cer tain features shown in Figure 6.

V In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a cabinet generally indicated at 10 is provided with a frame which includes a pair of base plates 12 (Figure 3) and a base plate 14 (Figures 4 and'6). The base plates'12 are laterally disposed at opposite sides of the cabinet and the base plate 14 is positioned between the base plates 12 at the rear of the cabinet.

A plurality of support plates 16 (Figure'3) are fixedly positioned on the top surfaces of the base plates 12 and 14 at the four corners of the cabinet. Threaded studs 18 extend upwardly from the support plates 16 and through angle bars 20 fixed by nuts 22 which are adapted to screw on the studs. The angle bars 20 are adjustably positioned relative to the base plates 12 and 14 as by varying the positions of the nuts 22 on the threaded studs 18. This is to adjust the cabinet height to fit variable ceiling heights at installation.

Outer panels 24 (Figures 1, 3 and are attached to the angle bars 20 as by a plurality of screws 26 (Figure 3) extending through the panels into the angle bars. The panels 24 are provided with suitable dimensions and with a smooth and finished surface so as to serve as the outer Walls. of the. cabinet along all sides except the front. .Studs 30(Figures 1 and 2) extend through the side panels 24 at an upper position in the panels and provide 'a support for posts 32 disposed vertically at the opposite corners of the cabinet 10. The studs 30 extend through the posts 32 into jambs 34 (best seen in Figure 2) having a plurality of holes 36 disposed at spaced intervalsin the vertical direction. By providing the holes 36 and by extending the studs 30 into different holes, the jambs 34 can be adjustably positioned in the vertical direction relative to the panels 24.

A pair of angle brackets 40 (best seen in Figure 2) extend longitudinally across the front and rear of the cabinet 10 at a position near the top of the cabinet. Each of the angle brackets 40 is provided with a vertical leg integral with a horizontal leg and is suitably attached to the jambs 34 as by welding. In the final assembly of the cabinet 19, the angle bracket 40 at the front of the cabinet it? is adapted to be covered by a sheet 42 which extends between the panels 24 at the front of the cabinet. The sheet 42 may be provided with a smooth and finished exterior surface similar to the outer surface on the panels 24 or it may be provided with any other suitable surface.

A plurality of guide members 44 (Figures 2 and 5) are attached as by welding to the angle brackets 40. The guide members 44 extend laterally between the front and back of the cabinet 10 at spaced intervals in the longitudinal direction and rest at their opposite extremities on the horizontal legs of the angle brackets 40. In vertical section, each of the guide members 44 has a pair of vertical portions integrated by a top horizontal portion. Horizontal portions also extend inwardly at the bottom of each guide member 44 and bend upwardly to form lip portions 46 (best seen in Figure 2). In this way, an opening '48 is provided at the bottom of the guide member for the insertion of rollers 5i) (Figure 4) between each lip portion 46 and the vertical wall of the guide member adjacent to the lip portion.

A tongue 52 (Figure 4) extends from each pair of rollers 50. Each tongue 52 is suitably attached as by screws to a, support plate 54 which is in turn attached to the walls of a drawer at a position near the upper and rear end of the drawer. For purposes of subsequent discussion, the drawers will be separately identified and are indicatedgenerally at 56, 58 and 60 (Figure 1) indie drawings. Each of the drawers 56, 58 "and 6'0 extends downwardly from a position just below the bottom of the sheet 42 to a position near the floor. Although three drawers are shown, it should be appreciated that any other number may be provided.

Each of the drawers 56, 58 and 60 is provided with at least one side wall 62, a rear wall 64 and a front wall 66 (Figures 1, 4 and 5). In order to provide rigidity and strength to the drawers 56, 58 and 6d, the drawers are provided with at least one fixed shelf 68 near the top of the drawers and with at least one fixed shelf 69 near the bottom of the drawers. Handles 7d are suitably attached to the front wall 66 of each drawerto facilitate manual operation of the drawer into any position of opening'or closure relative to the frame of the cabinet 10.

The drawers 56, 58 and 60 are adapted to hold different types of items. For example, the drawer 56 is provided with a plurality of holes 72 (Figure 1) at least some of which are adapted to hold hooks 74 (Figure 5). By including the hooks 74, certain items such as pots and pans can be conveniently hung on the hooks within easy reach. It would also be possible to hang such items as brushes and even brooms on the hooks 74.

The drawers 58 and 60 may be provided with a plurality of slots 76 (Figure 5) along their front walls 66 and-their rear walls 64. The slots 76 may be disposed atspaced intervals in the vertical direction along an intermediate length between the top and bottom of each of the drawers 58 and 6t). Removable shelf supports '80 (Figure 4) are adapted to fit into adjacent pairs of slots 76 to holdshelves 82 at particular vertical levels. In this way, the drawers 58 and 6t) may be divided into a plurality 'ofcompartmentsti t (Figures 4 and 5) each having an adjustable height to store particular items such as; cans; groceries and packages. Ridges '86 (Figure 4) may be provided in the shelves 552 to hold the items in fixed position within the compartments as the drawers '53 and 69 are moved into and out of the cabinet 10.

The fixed shelves 69 and the adjustable shelves 82 in the lower halves of the drawers 56, 58 and 60 are slotted at their front ends as at 96 for purposes which will be described in detail subsequently. Tracks 92 extend upwardly through the slots 99 and carry at their top end rollers 94 (Figures 4, 6 and 7) fixedly positioned relative to the tracks as by rivets 96. The peripheries of the rollers 94 slope radially inwardly with progressive increases in distance toward. the axial centers of the rollers so that the rollers may be properly positioned by C-shaped guide members 98 (Figure 7) during the rotation of the rollers. The guide members 98 are suitably attached as by screws to the front walls 66 of the drawers 56, 58 and 60 and are disposed in a vertical direction along a portion of the lower halves of the drawers.

A pair of angle brackets 100 (Figure 7) are suitably attached as by screws to the front wall 66 of each of the drawers 56, S8 and 66. The angle brackets 100 are disposed on opposite sides of their associated guide members 28 and at a position below the guide members. The brackets 100 support an axle M2 on which is mounted a pair of rollers 164. Each pair of rollers 1434 contact an associated track 92 at one end and extend at their other end into a socket i236 provided in the front wall 66 of one of the drawers.

The tracks 92 are made of a material such as thin strips of high tensile steel having properties of flexibility and resiliency. Because of these properties, the tracks 92 (Figure 6) bend through a curved path at a distance just above the floor and then extend rearwardly along the floor. Attheir rear position, the tracks 92 are .positioned below a cross bar 1% (Figures 4, 5 and 6) and are suitably attached to the cross bar as by rivets. The cross bar 108 is disposed longitudinallyacross the cabinet .at an intermediate position in the lateral direction and is the base plates 12.

r A pair of rollers 110 (Figures 4, 5, 6 and 8) are disposed on each track 92 in slidable relationship to. the track. An axle 112 (best seen in Figure 8) extends through each pair of rollers 110 and holds a, tongue 114 which extends upwardly from the -axle. At its upper end, each tongue 114 is flanged as at 16 for attachment of the flanged portion as by rivets 118 to the fixed shelf 69 at the bottom of the associated track 92.

Guide members 120 (Figures 4, 5, 6 and 8) having shapes in cross-section corresponding substantially to those of the guide members 98 extend laterally along the cabinet 10 at the bottom of the cabinet. The guide members 120 are supported at spaced points on the cross bar 108 and the base plate 14 at the rear of the cabinet 10. The guide members 120 co-operate with rollers 122 having configurations correspondingly substantially to the configurations of the rollers 94 described above. rollers 122 are mounted on shafts 124 fixedly attached to the rear walls 64 of the drawers 56, 58 and 60. Stop plates 126 (Figure 6) are suitably attached to the guide members 120 at the front ends of the guide members to limit the outward movements of the drawers from the cabinet 10 by preventing the forward movements of the rollers 122. n

In order to withdraw any one of the drawers 56, 58 and 60 from the cabinet 10, the handle 70 at the front of the.

The

cabinet is first grasped. For example, the handle;70 of the drawer 58 is first grasped and the drawer is pulled outwardly from the cabinet 10. When the drawer. 58 is pulled outwardly, the rollers 110 (Figures 4, 5, 6 and 8) move to the left along the track 92 and force the track to move downwardly from the position shown in Figure 4 to a position approaching that shown in Figure 6. The track 92 is forced downwardly to a horizontal position because of its natural disposition in this plane and because of t the progressive release of the force exerted" by the drawer on the track as the drawer is moved outwardly. This force is exerted by the drawer through the guide member 98 and the roller 94to maintain the front end of the track 92 in a vertical plane.

As the drawer 58 moves toward the left, its support by the cabinet is firmly maintained. This results in part from the operation of the guide member 120 on the roller 122. As has been described previously, the guide member 120 is fixedly positioned relative to the frame of the cabinet 10 and the roller 122 is attached to the rear wall 64 of the drawer 58. Since the roller 122 fits within the guide member 120 with relatively close tolerances, the guide member operates to limit the sway which the drawer 58 can experience at the bottom of the drawer. The guide member 120 and the roller 122 are especially instrumental in preventing any rotational movement of the drawer 58 relative to the frame of the cabinet 10 on an axis extending from the lower left corner to the upper right corner in Figure 4.

, The guide member 44 (Figures 2, 4 and 5 and the rollers 50 also operate to support the drawer 58 at any position of withdrawal of the drawer from the frame of the cabinet 10. The guide member 44 supports the drawer 58 because of its coupling through the tongue 52 and the support plate 54 to the drawer. The support is provided at an opposite end from the disposition of the rollers 110 on the track 92 and the roller 122 in the guide member 120. By separating the points of support in this manner, the load'provided by the drawer 58 in the cabinet 10 is evenly distributed. This even distributiion of the load occurs at any position to which the drawer 58 may be withdrawn from the cabinet 10.

The guide member 44 not only acts to distribute the load of the drawer 58 but it also acts to prevent any swaying action of the drawer in the cabinet 10. This results from the disposition of the rollers 50 in the tracks produced between the lips 48 and the vertical walls of the guide member 44. The guide member 44 co-operates withthe rollers 50 in preventing sway because-the rollers fit into the guide members with relatively little horizontal play. The prevention ofswayis also obtained because of the relatively great distancebetween the guide mem-' bers 44 and 120. As the track 92 moves downwardly in accordance with the movements of the drawer 58 from the cabinet 10, it is prevented from flapping toward the front wall 66 of the drawer or toward the-shelves 82. This results from the co-operation between the guide member 98 and the roller 94 in preventing the roller from moving toward or away from the front wall 66. Since the track92 is attached to the roller 94, it also remains a fixed distance from the front wall 66. This is true whether the drawer 58 is in the position shownin Figure 4 or in the position shown in Figure 6 or in an intermediate position between these two extreme positions. By preventing the track 92 from flapping from a fixed plane, the track cannot become subjected to excessive bending pressures which would tend to rupture the track or jam the drawer 58 against further movement into or out of the cabinet.

The drawer 58 cannot be fully withdrawn from the cabinet 10 because of the action of the stop plate 126 (Figures 6 and 8) in limiting the movement of the roller 122 in .the guide member 120. Because of this, the drawer 58 can be easily pushed into a position of full closure from any position of partial or full opening. When the drawer 58 has been partially or fully pullednoutwardly from the cabinet 10, the itemsstored within the cabinet become immediately visible and quickly available for withdrawal. This results from the factthat one of the sides of the drawer is open, so that items can be easily. seen without any necessity of moving them.

In like manner, the drawers 56 and 60 can be withdrawn from the cabinet 10 to any position of partial or full opening. The drawers 56 and 60 can be opened to any position with a'minimum amount of effort and merely by pulling outwardly on the handles 70. The drawers 56 and6tl are well supported by the cabinet 10 at any position of opening because ofthe action of various components including the track 92 and the rollers and including the guide members4-4 and and the rollers 50 and 122 associated with the drawers.

The cabinet described above has certain important a'dvantages. It provides an optimum amount of storage space in a limited volume and makes an eflicient use of the space for the storage of a considerable number of items. The cabinet 'offersthese advantages in part by aligning a plurality of drawers in a first horizontal direction and providing for a horizontal movement in a second direction transverse to the first direction. The eflicient storage of items in the drawers is also obtained by maintaining open one ofthe side walls in each drawer. This causes all of the items stored in each drawer to be instantaneously visible and easily removable when the drawer is opened.

The cabinet is also advantageous for other reasons. By using a track, guide members and associated rollers for each drawer, each drawer can be opened or closed upon the exertion of a minimum amount of elfort. Furthermore, no pits, scars or other marks are produced on a floor when a drawer is opened or closed. This results from the fact that the drawer rides on the track as it is being opened or closed.

The use of the tracks, guide members and associated rollers is also advantageous in providing a balanced dis; tribution of the weight of each drawer over the full frame of the cabinet. This balanced distribution of weight is obtained regardless of the degree of withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet. It is instrumental in providing an easy movement of the drawer into or out of the cabinet at any position of the drawer relative to the cabinet.

Although this application has been disclosed and il-. lustrated with reference to particular applications, the principles involved are susceptible of numerous other 7 applications which will'be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

7 What is claimed is:

1. A cabinet, including, a frame, at least one drawer slidably supported by the frame within the cabinet, a first guidemember extending along the frame at a position nearthe top of the cabinet, means extending from the drawer for slidable movement along the frame to support the drawer from the frame at any position in which the drawer is withdrawn from the cabinet, a track supported by the frame at one end and free for movement at the other end and positioned on a surface for supporting the cabinet and having flexible properties, for adjusting its position in accordance with the withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet to support the drawer at, any position of withdrawal, guide means disposed in cooperative relationship with the drawer at the free end of the track and including a roller movable with the track at thefree end of the track and coupled to the guide means for controlling the movements of the free end of the track during the withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet or the return of the drawer into the cabinet, and means extending from the drawer for slidable movement on the track to facilitate the movement of the drawer along the track.

2, A cabinet, including, a frame, a drawer adjustably positioned relative to the frame, a track disposed under the drawer and fixedly positioned at one end relative to theframe and fixedly positioned at the other end relative to the drawer in the direction of drawer movement and flexibly disposed for movement relative to the drawer a direction transverse to the direction of drawer movement and in accordance with the drawer movements, means extending from the drawer to'the track to support the drawer on the track and to facilitate the movement of the drawer along the track and to facilitate the flexible adjustment of the track for movement in the transverse direction in accordance with the movements of the drawer, guide means disposed in the transverse direction in cooperative relationship with the drawer, and means including a roller movable in the guide means and coupled to the track for controlling the movements of the track in the transverse direction with the movements of the drawer.

3. Acabinet, including, a frame, a drawer adjustably positioned relative to the frame, a track disposed below the drawer for support of the drawer and for positioning on a surface for supporting the cabinet and having resilient properties for extending upwardly along the drawer at a position within the drawer, at least one roller extending from the drawer to the track for rotary movement along the track in accordance with the withdrawal of the drawer from the frame or the insertion of the drawer into the frame, means including a first guide member attached to the front of the drawer and extending downwardly in the drawer and including a first roller movable in the guide member in accordance with the movements of the drawer for maintaining the track in a particular relationship with respect to the drawer for any disposition of the drawer relative to the frame, a second guide member attached to the frame, and means including a second roller movable in the second guide member in accordance with the movements of the drawer for maintaining the drawer in fixed positioning relative to the frame in directions other than the direction of withdrawal of the drawer from the frame.

4. A cabinet, including, a frame, a plurality of drawers disposed in contiguous relationship to one another in a first horizontal direction and movable relative to one another and to the frame in a second horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, a plurality of first guide members fixedly disposed relative to the frame at spaced positions on the frame, a plurality of rollers movable in the first guide 8. members in accordance with the movements of thedrawers for cooperating with the guide members to provide; a balanced distribution of the weights of the drawers over the cabinet frame and to prevent any swayingortwisting motion of the drawers relative to the frame re gardless of the positioning of the drawers relative to the frame, and means including a track disposed between the drawers and a surface for supporting the cabinet and including a plurality of rollers extending from the drawer to the track and movable with the drawers to. prevent: any marks from being imposed on the supporting sur-! face in any position of movement of the drawers, a sec 0nd plurality of rollers, and a second plurality of guide members each disposed in cooperative relationship with a different one of the drawers and extending downward ly in the associated drawer and coupled to a different one ofthe rollers in the second plurality for controllingthe disposition of a particular track in any position of withdrawal of the associated drawer from the frame.

5. A cabinet as set forth in claim 4 in which each trackhas a first portion disposed along the supporting surface in accordance with the movements of a different drawer to prevent the drawer from marking the support! ing surface and each track has a second portion dispos able in a vertical direction along its associated drawer and in fixed horizontal positioning relative to the second guide means coupled to the drawer and in accordance with the disposition of the first portion along the supporting surface. 7 i

6. A cabinet, including, at least one drawer, means including a track positioned at one end on a surface for supporting the cabinet and extending at a second end along the drawer and including a first roller disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the track and movable along the track for providing for an adjustable positioning of the drawer in the cabinet in any relative position of opening or closure, a second roller disposed. in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first roller, means including the second roller for coopcrating with the track means and the first roller in maintaining the drawer in a firm position relative to the cabinet and for providing a support against any swaying or twisting movement of the drawer relative to the cab inet, a third roller disposed in a plane substantially per pendicular to the planes of the first and second rollers, and means including the third roller disposed in coupled relationship with the drawer for co-operating with the second end of the track to control the disposition of this end of the track relative to the drawer in any posi: tion of withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet.

7. A cabinet, including, at least one drawer extending vertically and slidable horizontally and having a plurality of walls including a wall at one side and open at the other side to provide access to objects stored with in the drawer, there being a plurality of apertures in the side wall for the attachment of hooks to the wall to hold objects disposed within the drawer, at least a first guide member disposed on the cabinet and extending in a substantially horizontal direction into the cabinet near a first vertical end of the drawer, means including a first roller movable along the first guide member in a first plane and including first support means extending from the roller for supporting the drawer in any disposition of the drawer in or out of the cabinet, ,atleast a second guide member disposecl on the cabinet and extending in a substantially horizontal direction into the cabinet near a second vertical end of the drawer opposite to the first vertical end, and means including a second roller movable along a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane and including second support means extending from the roller for aiding in the support of the drawer and for cooperating with the first guide member, the first roller and the first support means in preventing the drawer from having any swaying or twisting move;- rnent, a flexible track disposed below the cabinet ,for

supporting the cabinet and extending upwardly into the drawer at the front end of the drawer and slidable at its forward end upwardly or downwardly within the drawer in accordance with the movements of the drawer relative to the cabinet, at least a third guide member extending downwardly in the drawer at the front end of the drawer, and means including a third roller movable along the third guide member in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first and second planes for controlling the movement of the track upwardly or downwardly in the drawer at the front end .of the drawer and for controlling the disposition of the track relative to the drawer at the front end of the drawer in any position of withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet.

8. A cabinet, including, at least one drawer, a first guide member supported by the cabinet and disposed at a first vertical end of the cabinet and extending into the cabinet, at least a first roller disposed in close fit within the first guide member for movement in a first plane into and out of the cabinet in accordance with the movements of the drawer and without lateral swaying, means including a tongue fastened at one end to the first roller and at the other end to the drawer to obtain a transfer of motion between the drawer and the roller, a second guide member disposed at a second vertical end of the cabinet opposite to the first vertical end and extending into the cabinet, at least a second roller supported by the cabinet and disposed within the second guide member for movement in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane into and out of the cabinet in accordance with the movements of the drawer, and means connecting the second roller to the drawer for the transfer of motion between the drawer and the roller, flexible means disposed between the bottom of the cabinet and a surface for supporting the cabinet and extending into the cabinet in coupled relationship to the cabinet for expansion or contraction along the support surface in accordance with the movements of the draweriout of or into the cabinet to prevent the movements of the drawer from marring the supporting surface.

9. A cabinet, including, at least one drawer extending vertically and slidable horizontally and having a plurality of walls including a wall at one side and open at the other side to provide access to objects stored Within the drawer, there being a plurality of apertures in the side wall for the attachment of hooks to the wall to hold objects disposed within the drawer, at least a first guide member disposed on the cabinet and extending in a substantially horizontal direction into the cabinet near a first vertical end of the drawer, means including a first roller movable along the first guide member in a first plane and including first support means extending from the roller for supporting the drawer in any disposition of the drawer in or out of the cabinet, at least a second guide member disposed on the cabinet and extending in a substantially horizontal direction into the cabinet near a second vertical end of the drawer opposite to the first vertical end, and means including a second roller movable along a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane and including second support means extending from the roller for aiding in the support of the drawer and for cooperating with the first guide member, the first roller and the first support means in preventing the drawer from having any swaying or twisting movement, a first portion in the track and positioned below the drawer to support the drawer, and a second portion in the track and extending through an are into the front end of the drawer, and the track being provided with flexible properties to become positioned below the drawer in accordance with the position of withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet.

10. A cabinet, including, a frame, a plurality of drawers disposed in substantially parallel relationship to one another in a first horizontal direction and each having at least one vertical side open to facilitate the storage of objects, a first plurality of rollers, a first plurality of guide members supported by the frame, means including the rollers and the guide members in the first plurality for providing a support of the drawers from the frame near a first vertical end of the cabinet and for producing a movement of the rollers in a first plane upon a change in the relative position of the drawers within the cabinet, a second plurality of rollers, a second plurality of guide members supported by the frame, means including the rollers and the guide members in the second plurality for providing a support of the drawers from the frame near a second vertical end of the cabinet and for producing a movement of the rollers in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane upon a change in the relative position of the drawers within the cabinet, an end plurality of tracks each disposed below a different one of the drawers to support its associated drawer and each disposed at one end within the associated drawer in coupled relationship to the drawer to follow the movement of the drawer.

11. A cabinet, including, a frame, a plurality of drawers disposed in substantially parallel relationship to one another in a first horizontal direction and each having at least one vertical side open to facilitate the storage of objects, a first plurality of rollers, a first plurality of guide members supported by the frame, means including the rollers and the guide members in the first plurality for providing a support of the drawers from the frame near a first vertical end of the cabinet and for producing a movement of the rollers in a first plane upon a change in the relative position of the drawers within the cabinet, a second plurality of' rollers, a second plurality of guide members supported by the frame, means including the rollers and the guide members in the second plurality for providing a support of the drawers from the frame near a second vertical end of the cabinet and for producing a movement of the rollers in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane upon a change in the relative position of the drawers within the cabinet, a plurality of tracks each disposed below a different one of the drawers to support its associated drawer, each track being attached at one end tothe frame and being disposed at a second end within its associated drawer and being coupled at the other end to the front wall of the drawer and being provided with flexible properties to move along the front wall of theassociated drawer and to become disposed below the drawer in accordance with the position of withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet, and a third plurality of guide members and a third plurality of rollers, each guide member in the third plurality extending downwardly along the front of a dififerent drawer and each roller in the third plurality being disposed in cooperative relationship with a different one of the guide members in third plurality for movement with the second end of track to control the disposition of the second end of the track relative to the associated drawer in any position of withdrawal of the drawer from the cabinet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 511,894 Kahn Ian. 2, 1894 1 854,789 Woyak May 28, 1907 924,164 Judelson June 8, 1909 1,841,620 McCoy Jan. 19, 1932 2,547,368 Booth Apr. 3, 1951 2,697,916 Alsing Dec. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 272,940 Germany Apr. 15, 1914 352,053 Great Britain June 29, 1931 489,592 Germany Ian. 18, 1930

Images