US2991141A

US2991141A - Drawer track

Info

Publication number: US2991141A
Application number: US773876A
Authority: US
Inventors: Melvin J Houck
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-11-14
Filing date: 1958-11-14
Publication date: 1961-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1978-07-04

Description

M. J. HOUCK DRAWER TRACK Filed Nov. 14, 1958 July 4, 1961 MELVIN J. HOUCK INVENTOR HUEBNER 6 WOR/PE L A TTOAWEVS 2,991,141 DRAWER TRACK Melvin J. Houck, 1340 W. Inyo, Tulare, Calif. Filed Nov. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 773,876 7 Claims. (Cl. 312-341) The present invention relates to a drawer track and more particularly to an improvement in such a track which facilitates its mounting on a drawer.

In the past, drawers have provided side panels having lower edges which were directly slidably supported on rails forming part of a drawer-rail frame secured to the cabinet housing the drawer. The side panels of the drawer slid on the rails as the drawer was pulled out of, or pushed into, the cabinet. Because of undue friction which existed between the sliding surfaces as a result of the woods employed, distortion incident to weather con ditions, inadequate lubrication, and the like, rollers have more popularly been employedfor supporting drawers for in and out movement in their cabinets.

Usually two sets of rollers are employed for mounting a single drawer. A pair of forward rollers are mounted on the drawer-rail frame adjacent to the forward end theerof for rolling against the underside of the drawer, and a pair of rear rollers are mounted on the underside of the drawer adjacent to its rearward end and roll onthe drawer-rail frame. In order to provide a smooth, firm rolling surface having a minimum of frictional resistance, it has been known to provide elongated metal strips on the underside of the drawer, and secured to the lower surface of the bottom panel of the drawer and along the side edges thereof. These metal strips are referred to as tracks and have conventionally been secured to the bottom or other drawer panel by screws, nails, or similar fasteners, which interrupt the smooth continuity of the strips, render their attachment somewhat less dependable than desired, and require more time, labor, and materials in the process of attachment to the drawer than desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved drawer track.

Another object is to facilitate the mounting of a track on a drawer.

Another object is to minimize the time, labor, and materials required in attaching tracks on drawers.

Another object is to provide a drawer track which is substantially smooth and continuous throughout its usable length and which is not interrupted by screws, nails, or other fasteners, within such length.

Another object is to minimize the adaptation of, and/ or damage to, a drawer incident to the attachment of a track thereto.

Another object is to prevent or minimize undesirable wood splitting and/or disassembly or displacement of parts of a drawer as a result of the attachment of a track to the drawer.

Another object is to utilize, in part, the available construction of a drawer to facilitate the mounting of a track thereon.

These, together with otherobjects, will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is :a perspective view of a drawer-rail frame having a drawer mounted on the frame and including a roller track attached to the drawer in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a portion of the drawer being removed for illustrative convenience.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom of the drawer affording a better view of the manner in which the track is attached to the drawer.

nited States FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary section 7 Patented July 4, 1961 taken on a plane longitudinally of the drawer at a position represented by line 33 in FIG. 2 but with the drawer in an upright position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on a plane transversely of the drawer at a position represented by line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a portion of FIG. 2 showing a corner of the bottom of the drawer where the bottom, front, and side panels meet and specifically showing the manner in which the drawer track of the subject invention is mounted in association therewith.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a drawerrail frame is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in FIG. 1 and includes spaced parallel substantially horizontal front and rear rails .11 and 12 interconnected by longitudinally extended spaced parallel bearing rails 13. The drawer-rail frame is adapted to be mounted in a cabinet, not shown, in a well-known manner and does not form any particular part of the present invention. It is to be noted, however, that front axle pins 15 are mounted on the bearing rails adjacent to their front ends in substantially horizontal coaxial positions, and that front rollers 16 are journaled on the axle pins for rotation about horizontal axes transversely of the bearing rails.

A drawer 20 is illustrated in the drawing and includes apair of transversely spaced parallel elongated side panels 21 having upper and lower edges and inner and outer surfaces. The side panels provide elongated longitudinally extended lower grooves 23 in their inner opposed surfaces and relatively adjacent to their lower edges. The

drawer also has longitudinally spaced parallel front and

back end panels

25 and 26, respectively, which also have upper and lower edges and inner and outer surfaces. There is a lower front transverse groove 27 and a rear transverse groove in the inner surfaces of the panels, relatively adjacent to their lower edges, and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the lower grooves in the side panels, all in a manner well-known. It is also to be observed that the front panel provides upper and

lower portions

30 and 31 which are spaced from each other so as to define the front lower groove 27. For purposes of later reference, the lower front groove has upper and lower surfaces which actually form the opposed surfaces of the upper and lower portions. As will also be evident as the description proceeds, the lower portion of the front panel serves as a ledge.

The drawer 20 also includes a substantially rectangular bottom panel 36 having upper and

lower surfaces

37 and 38 and front, rear, and side edges respectively fitted in the lower grooves of the front, rear and

side panels

25, 26, and 21 so that the bottom panel rests on the ledge 31 and specifically on the lower surface of the groove 27. The bottom panel is glued in place or is merely held in place by reason of the assembled relation of the front, back, and side panels. It is to be noted that the bottom panel is, therefore, located in upwardly spaced relation to the lower edges of the other panels so as to provide these other panels with dependent portions below the bottom panel. The bottom panel meets the front and side panels in substantially right-angular relation to define front and rear corners, as will be evident.

A pair of tracks 45 are provided for the drawer 20 and it is in regard to the attachment of these tracks tothe drawer that the subject invention is primarily concerned. Inasmuch as each track is attached to the drawer in the same manner, only one will be described in detail. Each track has an elongated bottom flange 47 having a side edge 48, a front edge 49 and a rear edge 50. The track also includes a side flange 52 integrally right-angularly extended from the bottom flange and has a front edge 53 a rear edge 54 and a side edge 55. Obviously, therefore,

the side flanges are in right-angular relation and meet along a break line. The specific angular relation between the flanges of the track is of significance only in that this angular relation should be substantially the same as that between the bottom panel 36 and either of the side panels 21 along their dependent portions.

The bottom flange 47 of each track 45 has a front driven end portion 60 terminating in the front end edge 49 for such bottom flange. The front end edge 53 of the side flange 52 terminates short of the front end edge of the driven end portion, as will be evident particularly by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. However, a locking key 64 is extended from the break line in right-angular relation from the bottom flange and in the same plane as the side flange but has a side edge which termiha'tes inwardly of the principal side edge of the side flange. The driven end portion and the locking key are formed on the track preferably by cutting a rectangular section out of the end of the side flange of a piece of angular metallic stock so as to leave the narrow locking key and to define a notch in the side flange.

A track bracket 68 is secured by welding to the side flange 52 adjacent to the rearward end of the track 45 and mounts an axle pin 69 on which a rear roller 70 is journaled for rotation about an axis disposed transversely of the track and in opposed relation to the bottom flange 47.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is briefly summarized at this point although it is believed to be readily apparent. After the track 45 has been constructed or formed in the manner described above, it is ready for attachment to a drawer 20. The drawer is inverted in a position similar to that shown in FIG. 2. The track 45 is extended longitudinally of the bottom panel 36 with the bottom flange 47 rested against the bottom surface 38 of the bottom panel and with the side flange 52 against the inwardly disposed surface of an adjacent side panel 21. The track is slid longitudinally forwardly until the front edge 49 of the driven end portion 60 is in abutment with the inwardly disposed surface of the ledge 31. Preferably by means of a hammer, not shown, the track is driven longitudinally forwardly so as to force or wedge the driven end portion into the ledge below the lower surface 38 of the bottom panel 36. Concurrently, of course, the locking key 64 gouges or scores a key-way 75 into the ledge. The track is preferably driven forwardly until the track bracket 68 engages the rear edge of the respective side panel 21. Thereupon, nails 77 are driven through the track bracket into the rear edge of the side panel through the bottom flange 47 of the track adjacent its rear end into the lower edge of the rear panel 26. The front end of the track is held in position by the wedging or fitting of the driven end portion of the bottom flange between the ledge and the bottom. panel 36. It is to be noted that the driven end portion cuts a channel 79 for itself in the ledge. This channel is recessed below the lower surface of the groove 27 in the front panel 25, and the key-way 75 is recessed in this channel alongside of the respectively adjacent side panel 21. The key-way and its cooperating locking key resist transverse movement of the track relative to itself and the drawer, that is, it resists movement of the track longitudinally of the front groove 27.

After the other track 45 has been similarly mounted on the drawer 20, the latter is rested on the drawer-rail frame with the front roller 16 on the frame rolling against the bottom flanges 47 of the tracks 45 and with the rear rollers 70 on the tracks adapted for upward engagement with the bearing rails 13 mounted on the frame, all as is bestillustrated in FIG. 1.

It will be evident that the described attachment of the tracks to the drawer offers several advantages. The

tracks are convenient and easy to attach to the drawer simply by driving them into place and employing one and possibly two nails for holding the rear of the tracks. Elimination of nails or other fasteners adjacent to the forward ends of the tracks provides a substantially continuous, smooth bottom flange along which the front rollers 16 can roll. This facilitates smooth movement of the drawer inwardly and outwardly of its cabinet and reduces wear of the rollers. It has been found that utilization of the described method of attachment of roller tracks reduces the time, labor and materials required for performing the task of attaching the tracks to a drawer. Also, if considerable clearance has been provided by the lower front groove from the bottom panel of the drawer, it will be evident that the driven end portion of the track takes up some of the space so provided to prevent the bottom panel from rattling. When a minimum clearance is provided, the described driven end portion displaces a minimum of wood and avoids spreading of the panels of the drawer while dependably holding the track in place.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of attaching an elongated angular roller track to a drawer wherein the track has a driven end and elongated angularly related side and bottom flanges joined at a break line and terminating in side edges, and wherein the drawer has an end panel providing a ledge portion and a bottom panel rested on said ledge portion, comprising cutting a section out of the side flange of the track at said driven end so as to leave an elongated side key extended transversely of the break line in the plane of the side flange but terminating inwardly of the side edge of the side flange, placing the bottom flange of the track against the bottom panel with the driven end of the bottom flange abutting the ledge, and driving the driven end of the track between the ledge and the bottom panel whereby the key scores a key-way in the ledge so that the key and key-way cooperate to resist movement of the track in a direction transversely of itself.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the driven end of the bottom flange is driven into the ledge to form a channel for the bottom flange.

3. The method of claim 1 including a further step of fastening the track to the bottom panel in longitudinally spaced relation to said driven end.

4. In a drawer having longitudinally spaced parallel front and rear end panels rigidly interconnected by transversely spaced parallel side panels, the front panel having opposite side edges respectively abutting the side panels, the panels having lower edges, the front end panel having spaced upper and lower portions providing therebetween an elongated groove extended longitudinally of the front end panel in upwardly adjacent spaced relation to its lower edge and in opposed relation to the rear end panel, said groove having open opposite ends at said side edges, the groove having upper and lower surfaces, said lower portion having a channel adjacent to one of said side edges of the front panel and being recessed below said lower surface and said one side edge of the front panel having a key-way recessed therein in opposed relation to the side panel abutting said one side edge, the channel and keyway intersecting in right-angular relation, and a bottom panel having upper and lower surfaces and extended between the end and side panels having side edges engaging the side panels and a front end edge fitted in said groove in overlapping relation to said channel and key-way; a track for the drawer comprising an elongated fiat bottom flange extended longitudinally of the bottom panel against the lower surface thereof and providing an end portion slidably fitted in said channel and releasably slidably wedged between the bottom panel and said lower portion of the front panel, a longitudinal locking key integrally downwardly extended along an edge of the end portion of the bottom flange and slidably fitted in said key-way and releasably wedge between said lower portion and the adjacent side panel thereby to resist movement of the flange longitudinally of the groove, the track further including a side flange integrally angularly downwardly extended from the bottom flange, having an edge terminating short of the end portion of the bottom flange, and positioned against said adjacent side panel, and means engaging the bottom flange in longitudinally spaced relation to said end portion securing the track to the bottom panel and resisting rearward longitudinal movement of the end portion out of the channel.

5. A method of attaching an elongated angular guide track to a drawer wherein the track has a driven end and elongated angularly related side and bottom flanges joined at a break line and terminating in side edges, wherein the drawer has an end panel providing a ledge portion and a bottom panel rested on said ledge portion, and wherein the drawer also has a side panel engaging and in substantially right-angular relation to the end and bottom panels, comprising cutting a section out of the side flange of the track at said driven end so as to leave an elongated side key extended transversely of the break line in the plane of the side flange but terminating inwardly of the side edge of the side flange, placing the bottom flange of the track against the bottom panel with the driven end of the bottom flange in opposed relation to the end panel and with the side flange against the side panel, and driving the driven end of the track between the ledge and the bottom panel whereby the key scores a key-way in the ledge between the ledge and the side panel so that the key and key-way cooperate to resist movement of the track in a direction transversely of itself.

6. A method of attaching an elongated roller track to a drawer wherein the track includes an elongated bottom flange providing a driven end, and wherein the drawer has an end panel providing a ledge portion and a bottom panel rested on said ledge portion in flush engagement therewith, comprising placing the bottom flange of the track against the bottom panel with said driven end of the bottom flange in abutment with the ledge where the bottom panel and the ledge are in flush engagement, driving the driven end of the bottom flange into the ledge between :the ledge and the bottom panel thereby chiseling out a channel in the ledge for the bottom flange, said channel being thereby precisely complementarily fitted to the bottom flange, and fastening the track to the bottom panel in longitudinally spaced relation to said driven end.

7. A method of attaching an elongated angular roller track to a drawer wherein the track has elongated angularly related side and bottom flanges with the bottom flange being endwardly extended from the side flange, wherein the drawer has an end panel providing a ledge portion and a bottom panel rested on said ledge portion in flush engagement therewith, and wherein the drawer also has a side panel connected in substantially rightangular relationship to the end and bottom panels, comprising positioning the bottom flange of the track against the bottom panel with the side flange against the side panel and with the extended end of the bottom flange in abutment with the ledge where the bottom panel and the ledge are in flush engagement, and driving the extended end of the bottom flange into the ledge and between the ledge and the bottom panel whereby a channel is formed in the ledge by the bottom flange for resisting movement of the bottom flange transversely of itself along the ledge, said channel being thereby precisely complementarily fitted to the bottom flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 884,727 Grattan Apr. 14, 1908 1,250,520 Schreiner Dec. 18, 1917 1,706,971 Young Mar. 26, 1929 2,559,322 Skamser July 3, 1951