US2987356A

US2987356A - Modular furniture

Info

Publication number: US2987356A
Application number: US711109A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Harry A Simpson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-01-24
Filing date: 1958-01-24
Publication date: 1961-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1978-06-06

Description

June 6, 1961 H. A. SIMPSON, JR 2,987,356

' MODULAR FURNITURE Filed Jan. 24, 1958 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W 67 INVENTOR flar/yfl ja'm as'ozz .Ji}

TTORNEY5 June 6, 1961 H. A. SIMPSON, JR

MODULAR FURNITURE 5 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1958 I N VEN TOR fiafly/Z 6222 5022,

Junie 6, 1961 H. A. SIMPSON, JR 2,987,356

MODULAR FURNITURE Filed Jan. 24, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E a /i/ 9 w A? I HHIIH ll. g

ATTORNEYS June 6, 1961 H. A. SIMPSON, JR

MODULAR FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 24, 1958 BY fi. 4. 2...

ATTORNEYS June 6, 1961 H. A. SIMPSON, JR

MODULAR FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 24, 1958 United States Patent O 2,987,356 MODULAR F Harry A. Simpson, Jr., Portsmouth, Va., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Jan. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 711,109

5 Claims. (Cl. 312-111) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to furniture and particularly to furniture for use aboard naval ships and the like. More particularly, this invention relates to ready-made modular, as contrasted with custom built, furniture for use aboard naval ships.

As is well known, furniture space aboard a naval ves sel is generally at a premium, particularly on a ship conversion job, with a result that heretofore there has had to be a compromise between available space, utility and comfort. This in turn has resulted in custom-built furniture, or where ready-made furniture has been used, a large inventory of various shapes and sizes has had to be stocked.

An object of this invention is to provide ships furniture incorporating novel features that overcome inherent disadvantages in existing ships furniture.

A further object of this invention is to provide readymade sectional furniture for use aboard naval ships.

A further object of the invention is to provide sectional furniture wherein the various sections are so constructed as to be readily assembled into a unitary structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide modular furniture wherein the various sections are so dimensioned as to fall within a common denominator.

A further object of the invention is to provide sectional furniture wherein various different sections are readily interchangeable to fit existing conditions.

A further object of this invention is to provide sectional furniture wherein each of the various sections incorporates common fastening mechanism for interchangeability of the various sections.

A further object of this invention is to provide a secretary bureau incorporating a novel drop leaf which serves as a writing surface.

Briefly, in accordance with this invention there is provided various sections of furniture including a full length wardrobe, a half length wardrobe, a file section, a utility locker, a secretary bureau, a chest of drawers, a common top and a common base or foundation; each so dimensioned as to fit within a common denominator or multiple thereof, and each provided with common interlocking means for interchangeably assembling the various sections into a unitary structure.

Advantages of the sectionalized construction is the fact that various combinations can be effected with a minimum of parts and a minimum of effort. For instance, a file section may be very desirable for an engineering or an administrative oflicer, while an oflicer in another capacity might prefer a drawer section. A substitution can easily be made since each section is a separate and interchangeable unit. Besides making various combinations to suit oflicers in a particular category, the unit can easily be made to either hand simply by stacking to suit.

If a ships appurtenance, such as a fire control valve, were located on the bulkhead against which the furniture assembly was to be installed, one of the utility lockers for example, could be omitted and the assembly arranged in a manner that would afford access to the valve.

On a ship conversion job light bulkheads between staterooms could be eliminated and units set back-to-back, thereby forming a division of staterooms, as well as providing stowage space.

In an existing stateroom Where there is less than the required lineal footage of bulkhead, the assembly can be divided into two or more subassemblies to fit available space.

The full length wardrobe is intended for stowage of long coats and is provided with a shelf for cap stowage in the top section. It is quite obvious that offieers uniforms stowed in a full length wardrobe creates a loss of valuable space at the bottom of such wardrobe. From this observation came the idea of a shorter or half Wardrobe which afford a more compact stowage space for uniforms. Each of the wardrobe sections is provided with a unique clothes compressor for securing the closing in rough seas.

For a two-ofiicer stateroom, the secretary bureau section is equipped with two safes for confidential papers, wallets, and personal effects. They are provided with a shelf for better arrangement. A drop leaf, which in open position serves as a writing surface, is located at desk height above the deck.

The utility locker incorporated unique features. In addition to drawer stowage for small items such as underwear, handkerchiefs, socks, etc., it is provided with an adjustable shelf for stowage of books.

Completed units have been installed on naval ships and seemed to meet full requirements of personnel using the same. The unitary assembly has a neat compact appearance since all hardware is flush and all hinges concealed, affording unbroken surfaces. The entire assembly is mounted on a stainless steel sub-base with an ample toe space at the front. The parts used for a single ofiicer stateroom are identically constructed but differently arranged from the illustrated two-officer stateroom.

The invention, together with the above and other objects and advantages thereof, is set forth in more technical detail in the following description and accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a unitary furniture assembly for a two-ofiicer stateroom in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a drawer locking mechanism, taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section and side elevational view of a full length wardrobe, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section and front elevational view of the wardrobe, taken on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper left hand corner of the wardrobe shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged front elevational view, partly in vertical section, of a utility locker shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a vertical section of a locker shown in FIG. 9, and taken on line 1414 thereof;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 15-15 of Fig. 10;

FIG. 12, is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 1616 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged front elevation, partly in section, of a secretary bureau shown in FIG. 1;

e 7 3 FIG. 14 is a horizontal section taken on line 21--21 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on line 2222 of FIG. 13; and g 7 FIG. 16 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 23-23 of FIG. 15.

Referring now to the drawings, first to FIG. 1, wherein, for purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown an assembly of furniture for a two-officer stateroom, and which furniture comprises a full length wardrobe 30, a half length wardrobe 70, a file section 80, a pair of utility lockers 90, a two-oflicer secretary bureau 130, a pair of chests of drawers 170, a unitary top 190 and a unitary base or foundation. 200. The various sections are interlocked, as described hereinafter, to comprise a unitary assembly, supported on the deck 210 of the stateroom.

As disclosed hereinbefore, an advantage of the sectionalized construction of this invention is the fact that various combinations of furniture can be effected. For example, a file section 80 may be very desirable for an engineering or an administrative officer, while an ofiicer in another capacity might prefer an additional drawer section 170 or an additional utility locker 90, or vice versa. Substitutions can easily be made since each section is a separate and interchangeable unit. A one-oflicer, usually a senior oflicer, stateroom may be fashioned by omitting, for example, the half length wardrobe 70 and the file section 80, or by interchanging these sections with other sections, or by any suitable rearrangement to meet the needs and desires of such oflicer. Besides making various combinations to suit oflicers in a particular category, the unit assembly can easily be made to either hand simply by stacking to suit. For interchangeability, the various sections are so dimensioned, as to height, Width and depth, as to fall within a common denominator, or multiples thereof. The various sections are fabricated from sheet metal of suitable thickness, flanged and reinforced as necessary, as described in detail hereinafter for the individual sections, subassemblies and accessories.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-8, the full length wardrobe 30 compries a'pair of side walls 31, a rear wall 32, a pair of doors 33, a top 34"and a bottom 35. The front portion of each of the side walls 31 is flanged inwardly, as at 31a (FIG. 6) to provide a door jamb. An angle member 36, bent in the manner shown in FIG. 6, fits into the flange 31 and is spot or seam welded thereto and to the side walls. The angle member 36 forms a rectangular frame that reinforces the front of the wardrobe and forms a amb for the doors. flange portion 32a that fits into the'rear of the side walls and is spot or seam welded thereto. The doors. 33, which are hinged to the door jamb by suitable, invisible hinges, not shown, are flanged inwardly, as at 33a, FIG. 4, on the four edges thereof for reinforcement and for snug fit within the door jamb. The right hand door, as viewed in FIG. 1, overlaps the left door and is provided with a handle 3311 that operates a pair of rods 330 for securing the doors in closed position. The side and rear walls of the wardrobe are :flanged inwardly at the top and bottom thereof (FIG. as at 31b and 3212, respectively, to receive the top and

bottom members

34 and 35. a V

The top 34 of the wardrobe is flanged downwardly and outwardly at the four sides thereof, as at 34a, FIG. 8, and the outward flange of the top is fitted beneath the inward flange, of side, front and rear walls. and is ,spot or seam welded thereto. At the back near each side thereof, the top 34 is; provided with a pair of fixed detents 40, FIG. 5, which detents are for securing the outer a side thereof, the top 34 is provided'witli a pair of movable detents 42. .As shown'in FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the detents 42 comprises a stirrup or U-shaped guide 43 hav- The rear'wall 32 has a ing horizontal flanges 43a thereof welded to the under surface of the top or closure member 34. A slidahle detent 44, having a front return bend portion 44a and right angle or drive portion 44b is guided and supported by the stirrup. The arrangement,- as described in more detail hereinafter, is such that with the outer top member 19% positioned on top of the assembly (FIG. 1) the movable detents 42 are driven home, each to a position similar to that of FIG. 7, whereupon the return bend portion 44a of the detents secures or clamps the outer top member 1913 of the assembly to the top of the. wardrobe. Each of the various sections that make up the assembly of FIG. 1 is provided with similar fixed and movable detents for securing the outer top member 190 to the various upper sections of the assembly and thereby secure the assembly into a unitary structure.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom securing means of the full length wardrobe 30 is generally similar to the top securing means. Here, the inside bottom comprises a rectangular sheet, flanged downward and inward with the downward flange snugly fitted into the bottom of the vertical walls of the wardrobe and welded thereto. Beneath the inner bottom 35 is an outer bottom or base member 46. Base member 46, as shown in FIG. 5, comprises a flat top 46a, a first downward flange 46b, an outward flange 460, a second downward flange 46d, flush with the outer walls of the wardrobe, and an inner flange 46e, which inner flange rests upon a similar inner flange 200s of the foundation of sub-base member 200 of the unitary assembly. The foundation member is secured to the deck 210 of the ship in suitable manner, not shown, and is set back at the front of the assembly to provide a toe space and access openings 210a, as shown at the lower left hand corner of FIG. 4. A pair of fixed detents 47 is attached to the under surface of bottom member 46 at the rear corners thereof (FIGS. 4 and S). A pair of movable detents '48,'only one of which is shown in FIG. 4, is attached to the front, under surface of member 46. The

bottom detents

47 and 48 are generally similar to and perform similar functions as the top detents and 42, respectfully, and need not be described in further detail. It should be noted, however, in accordance with this invention, each of' the several sections of the assembly (FIG. 1) is provided with similar detents so that the sections are interchangeable, as described hereinbefore.

Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, the full length wardrobe is fitted with a shelf 50 in the upper portion thereof for stowage of ofiicers caps or the like. Shelf 50 is formed of a flat sheet 50a having downward flanges 50b at the four sides thereof and a front ledge 50c. Flanged members 52 are weldedto the side and; rear walls of the wardrobe, with the upper portions. of such members spaced from such walls for snugly receiving the side and rear flanges 50b of the shelf.

A clothes hanger bar 54 is mounted beneath the shelf by a pair of bracketsSS, which brackets are mounted on opposite side walls ofthe wardrobe, and movably mounted on the hanger bar is a clothes compressor assembly 56. Clothes compressor assembly '56 comprises a clot-hescompres sor bar slidably mounted on hanger bar 54 and having a detent 68a operatedby a handle'68b for adjustably latching it thereto: An inverted T-bar 66 is attached to the clothes compressor for holding clothes in place against one side wall 31 of the wardrobe.

The half'length wardrobe 70 (FIG. 1) is substantially identical, except for height and omission of the cap shelf, with the full length .wardrobe 30, and need not be described in detail. It is suflicient to state' that'the detents at the top andbottom for connection to'other sections of the assembly andthe clothes compressor of the half length wardrobe are the same as like members described in detail hereinbefore' for the full length wardrobe.

Referring again to FIG. 1; thefile section 'comprises side and rear walls, top and bottom members and -a base,

all flanged, reinforced and provided with fixed and movable detents, the latter for interchangeability, in the same manner as described in detail hereinbefore for the full length wardrobe 30. The file section includes a verticallyextending compartment located behind a door 82 and a pair of file drawers 84. The door is provided with a handle 83 that operates a pair of rods 83a for securing the door in closed position. The drawers 84 may each be conventional file drawers that need not be described in detail, except that the securing means for the file drawers is similar to that (FIG. 2) for the chest of drawers which will be described in detail hereafter. The file section comprises a unitary structure that is interchangeable with other sections of the furniture assembly and may be variously located within the assembly of stateroom furniture as described hereinbefore.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-12, each of the pair of utility lockers 90 (FIG. 1) comprises side and rear walls, top and bottom members and a base, all flanged, reinforced and provided with fixed and movable detents (FIG. the latter for interchangeability, in the same manner as described in detail hereinbefore for the full length wardrobe 30. Each of the pair of utility lockers includes a book compartment 92, closed by a pair of doors 94 (FIG. 1), and beneath the book compartment is a pair of drawers 120. The right hand door overlaps the left hand door and is provided with a handle 95 that operates a pair of rods 95a for securing the doors in closed position. The doors are shown in open position in FIG. 9 and for clarity of illustration are omitted from FIG. 10.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the book compartment 92 includes a vertically adjustable book shelf 96, which shelf comprises a fiat bottom 96a, upturned sides 96b and an upturned front or ledge 960. A movable ledge 97 is pivotally mounted on ledge 96c by a pair of concealed hinges.

Continuing with the utility lockers, each of the drawers 120 (FIG. 9) is mounted on a pair of slides 122, only one of which is shown in FIG. 10, wherein the drawer is omitted for clarity of illustration, which slides are mounted on opposite side walls of the drawer compartment 121. The front of the drawer compartment is formed with a flanged opening 121a, shaped to receive a mating portion, not shown, formed on the outer end of the drawer. The drawer may otherwise be of conventional construction, except that a latching mechanism indicated generally by reference numeral 124 may be like that shown in FIG. 2 for the chests of drawers 170 (FIG. 1), described in detail hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGS. 13-16, first to FIG. 13, the two-oflicer secretary bureau 130 comprises side and rear walls, and top and bottom members all flanged, reinforced and provided with fixed and movable detents (FIG. the latter for interchangeability in the same manner as described in detail hereinbefore for the full length wardrobe. The secretary bureau includes a pair of safes 132, a pair of full length vertical compartments 134, four half length vertical compartments 136, a pair of drawers 138, a horizontal compartment 148, all behind a drop leaf door or closure member 142, which drop leaf is shown in open position in FIGS. 1 and 13-16, and which drop leaf forms a writing or working surface when in such open position, as described hereinafter.

Each of the safes is of conventional construction formed with a shelf 143, an access door 144, hinged at 145, and provided with a combination lock 146 and an operating handle 147. As shown in FIG. 14, each of the safes is attached to the frame of the secretary by four internal screws 148. The full length compartment 134, half length compartment 136, compartments for the drawers 138 and the horizontal compartment 140 are set back relative to the front of the secretary and are formed as an integral subassembly fabricated as a unit for insertion into the secretary, as shown in FIG. 15. This sub- 6 assembly comprises a top wall 150, a bottom wall 152, a rear Wall 154, two intermediate horizontal plates 156 (FIG. 13), two intermediate vertical Walls 158 and three vertical partitions 159, all welded into a unitary structure in suitable manner, not shown.

Referring to FIG. 15, the drop leaf door or closure member 142 is fashioned as a box-like structure formed of a top sheet 142a and a bottom sheet 142b, each flanged as shown to form end and side walls, united into a unitary structure, as by spot welding. The top or working surface, in open position, of the drop leaf is covered with a Writing surface 160, formed of sheet cork or like material. A piano-type hinge 162, having opposite flanges 162a and 162b welded to the back of the drop leaf and to the bottom front of the door jamb, respectively, pivotally mounts the drop leaf on the secretary. Downward movement of the drop leaf is limited to the horizontal position shown by a pair of stops 164. In closed position, the drop leaf fits Within the door jamb and is secured in this closed position by a suitable lock, not shown.

In FIG. 15, one each of a pair of front and back detents 166, and 167, respectively, is shown in detail. Each of the front or movable detents 166 is of the same construction and operates in the same manner as the movable detents 42 of the full length wardrobe (FIGS. 4, 7 and 8), which latter detents have been described in detail hereinbefore and need not be repeated here. The back or fixed detents 167 (FIG. 15) each comprises a flanged reinforcing member 168 that is contoured to fit the flanged portion at the top-rear of the secretary casing and is: welded thereto, and a straight member 169 formed with: a return bend 169a for stiifness is welded to reinforcingmember 168. The arrangement is such that the bottom; surface of the return bend 169a is fixedly spaced from the top flange of the rear wall of the secretary.

FIG. 15 is hereinbefore described as an enlarged ver-- tical section taken on line 22-22 of FIG. 13. However, in addition to the secretary bureau structure of FIG. 13,. FIG. 15 includes, at the top thereof, the bottom portiom of one of the utility lockers (FIG. 10). This inclu-1 sion of the bottom portion of the utility locker in FIG. 15 is for clarity in illustrating the manner of attaching one subassembly or section of the furniture to another section; specifically of connecting the bottom of the utility lockers 90 (FIG. 1) to the top of the secretary bureau: 130. That is, referring first to FIG. 10, it is noted, the utility locker 90 has an inward flange 90a at the bottom.= thereof. Now then, assuming that the movable detent 166 is withdrawn to the broken line position (FIG. 15),. the utility locker is elevated or tipped at the front in a manner that the back portion of flange 90a may be fitted! under the return bend portion 169a of the fixed detent.. The utility locker is now moved forward relative to the; secretary bureau and until the flange at the bottom front of the locker clears the flange at the top front of the secretary so that now the front end of the locker may" be lowered relative to the secretary and the movable detent 166 driven home to the full line position shown: in FIG. 15, which clamps the bottom of the locker to the top of the secretary. The secretary bureau is provided with a pair of openings in the interior top thereof, which openings afford access to the movable detents. As stated hereinbefore, each of the sections or subassemblies (FIG.. 1) of the stateroom furniture is provided with movable; and fixed detents, flanged portions and access openings. for assembling the various sections in the manner and; for the purpose desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, each of the pair of? chests of drawers 170 comprises side and rear walls, top" and bottom members and a base, all flanged, reinforced and provided with fixed and movable detents, the latter' for interchangeability in the same manner as describedin detail hereinbefore for the full length wardrobe and for the secretary bureau. Each of the pair of chests of z drawers comprises four drawers 172 each of which is.

mounted'nfor sliding movement on; suitable slides, not shown, attached to the side walls of the-casing. Each of the drawers is provided with a lock 174'and with a pair of pullhandles 176, to be describe in detail hereinafter, and each of the drawers if flanged at the front thereof, as shown in FIG. 2, which flange fits into mating flanges, not shown, at the front of the chest structure.

Either or both of the pull handles as desired; may be constructed with latching mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A shown in FIG. 2, the front end of-the drawer is provided with a recessed cover, indicated generally by reference numeral 178, the'recessof which is accessible through an opening 179a in a cover plate 179. The latch mechanism comprises a latch bolt 180 mounted for vertical sliding movement between the outside surface 181' of the front of the drawer and a guide member 182. The

latch bolt, which is a relatively flat member (FIG. 3), has an upper horizontal portion 180a (FIG. 2), an intermediate handle or trigger bar 180b and a' lower beveled portion 1800', which beveled portionpasses through a slot; in the bottom of the drawer and in a reinforcing pad 183 welded to the bottom of the drawer, and the beveled portion 180a of the ,bolt engages behind a flange 184a formed on the base 184 of the drawer housing. A shoulder pin 186 is secured in openings in opposite legs of a U-shaped member 188, which member is welded to the frontof the drawer. As shown, the lower portion of the shoulder pin 186 passes through an opening in'the' upper horizontal portion 180a of the latch bolt, which portion of the bolt rests upon the lower leg of U-shaped member 188, which leg is also providedtwith'an opening to receive the. lower portion of the'shoulder pin. A compression spring 189 surrounds the shoulder pin and is confined between the upper leg of the U-shapedmember 188 and the upper horizontal portion 180a of the latch bOlt;

The drawer is shown in latched'or secured positionin FIG.. 2. To unlatch the drawer, an operator inserts the ends of his fingers into the opening 179a in the cover plate 179 and presses upwards upon the trigger 18Gb of the latch bolt, whereupon the latchbolt is moved upward against the pressure of compressed spring 189 and the bottom -18tic-of the latch bolt is withdrawn from behind the flange 184a. The drawermay now be moved forward relative to the chest, whereupon the inside of the drawer is accessible throughthe open top thereof. To close and secure the drawer it is only necessary to shove the drawer inward relative to the chest, whereupon the beveled portionlSfic at the bottom of the latch bolt rides upwards upon the flange 184a and against thepressure of spring 189 until the bottom of the bolt clears the flangeand the 7 spring returns the bolt to the latched position of FIG. 2.

Thus it is seen, in accordance with this inventiom-there' isprovided a furniture assembly particularly adapted for use aboard naval ships, wherein individual sections, such as, full length wardrobes,half length wardrobes,-file secvidual sections, as well as common topand -basemem-' hers, is provided with identical securing or fastening means 7 whereby various individual sections may be readily and interchangeably assembled intoa unitary structure. In addition to the interchangeable featurestof the several sections, the 4 individual :sections incorporate various novel features such as the clothes compressor, the bookshelf,

the dropleaf'and the locking mechanismgeach of which cooperates'with'each other in providinga 'newand prac- V tical furniture assembly. 7

11i; should be understood, of course,i.that the foregoing disclosure relates to' only a preferred embodiment of the invention and' that numerous modifications or alterations unitary assembly. a

may be made therein without 'departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the. appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a unitary furniture assembly, a'plurality of individual interchangeable sections forming separate stowage spaces, each of said sections being formed of sheet metal and having generally rectangular front, rear, side, top and bottom walls so dimensioned as to fall within multiples of a common denominator, each of said sections having top and bottom portions thereof adapted to fit one upon the other for interchangeability ,of such sections in a manner that the bottom of one section fits on top of another section and vice versa, and the top and bottom of each of the plurality of sections having like fastening means thereon for holding the sections into a unitary assembly, said fastening means including flange portions at the top and bottom of each of the sections so arranged that the bottom flange'of one section rests upon the top flange of another section, and detent means for locking such flanges in superimposed relation to thereby form a unitary column of the sections, said detent means including a pair of fixed detents spaced on one side of each of the sections with each such fixed detent having a portion thereof spaced from a flange portion of the section in a manner as to receive a flange portion of an adjacent section, and a pair of longitudinally moveable detents spaced on an opposite side of each of the sections, each of said longitudinally moveable detents being mounted on one section in a manner as to be moved into and out of contact with a flange portion of an adjacent section to thereby clamp and unclamp adjacent flange portions of the superimposed sections.

2. A unitary furniture assembly as set forth in claim 1 which includes a plurality of columns of sections having a common top or closure member and a common base or foundation member wherein the common top and the common base each include fastening means thereon similar to and cooperating with the fastening means of the top and bottom sections of the columns, respectively, for uniting such columns into a unitary assembly.

3. In a unitary furniture assembly, a plurality of individual interchangeable sections forming separate stowage spaces, each of said sections being formed of sheet metal and having generally rectangular, front, rear, side, top and bottom walls so dimensionedas to fall within multiples of a common denominator, each of said sections having top and bottom portions thereof adapted to fit one upon the other for interchangeability of such section in a manner that the bottom of one section fits on the top of another section and vice versa, and the top and bottom of each of the plurality of sections having like fastening means thereon for holding such sections into aunitary assembly, said fastening means on each of the sections including a setback portion atthe top of .each of the walls of the section, and a flange projecting inwardly at the bottom of each of the walls of the section in a manner that when superimposed the flange at the bottom of one section rests upon the base of the. setback portion of a lower section, and detent means, a pair of fixed detents spaced on one side of each of the sections with each such fixed detent having a portion'thereof spacedfrom aflange portion of the section in a manner as to receive a flange portion of an adjacent section, and a pair of longitudinally moveable detents spaced on an opposite side of each 7 of the sections, each of said longitudinally moveable detents being mounted on one section in a manner as to be moved into and out of .contact with a flange portion of an adjacent section for clamping the setback and flanged portions of superimposed sections into a unitary. columnar assembly. 7 I V V 4. A unitary furniture assembly as set forth in1claim 3 which includes a plurality of columns of superimposed sections and means including a common top and a common base for uniting the plurality ofcolumns into a 5. A unitary furniture assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein the common top and the common base include fastening means thereon corresponding, respectively, with the fastening means at the bottom and top of the several sections of the assembly, so that the various sections are interchangeable with each other Within the assembly and still fit the common top and the common base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,052,794 Brooks Feb. 11, 1913 10 Anderson Oct. 12, Madsen Jan. 13, Bracken Sept. 13, Berren Sept. 16, Houser Apr. 11, Hermes Sept. 26, Regenhardt May 8, Weiskopf July 3, Little Dec. 8,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of