US3119643A

US3119643A - Laboratory cabinet

Info

Publication number: US3119643A
Application number: US209356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Levi Julius; Tadiello George
Original assignee: Blickman Inc
Current assignee: S BLICKMAN Inc
Priority date: 1962-07-12
Filing date: 1962-07-12
Publication date: 1964-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-28

Description

Jan. 28, 1964 J. LEVI ETAL 3,119,643

LABORATORY CABINET Filed July 12, 1962* 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q m w M04105 (Er/ INVENTOR5 q- GEMGE TAO/ELM lfM/m ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1964 J. LEVI ETAL 3,119,643

LABORATORY CABINET Filed July 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JUL/U5 LEW INVENTOR.

2 GEORGE 7710/5140 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,119,643 LAhonAronr QAEHNET .lulius Levi, Teaneck, and George Tadielle, Clifiside Park,

This invention relates to a laboratory cabinet, and has as its primary object the provision of an improved laboratory cabinet preferably incorporating upper slidable drawers and lower outwardly swinging doors, although principles embodied in the instant inventive concept may be employed in other arrangements of cabinets or analogous furniture.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet of this character wherein means are provided for compensating for the normal sag of slidable drawers when in open position, so that swinging doors positioned directly beneath the cabinet may be readily opened whether the drawers are open or closed.

A further object of the invention is the provision, achieved by the use of such means for compensating for the sag in the upper drawers of a space saving unit, wherein the provision of a separating strip between the bottom of the drawer and the top of the door is rendered unnecessary.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet provided with a front post, which may be either central, in a double door, a double drawer cabinet, or which may be located at either side of the cabinet in the case of a single drawer and door unit, provided with mounting apertures for a drawer slide in combination with a rear strip in longitudinal alignment with the front strip having a series of spaced tongue-receiving openings therein for the reception of corresponding tongues on the drawer slides, wherein the spaced openings of the rear strip are disaligned with the openings of the front strip, in such manner that the drawer slide guides incline rearwardly of the cabinet.

An additional object of the invention is the provision, in combination with such inclined drawer guides of an enlarged oversize roller carried by the front of the guide which bears against the underside of a corresponding top channel wa'll carried by the drawer to further support the drawer against the normal downward sag occasioned when the drawer is opened in the conventional horizontal guideways.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of laterally elongated or widened tongues at the rear ends of the drawer guides and apertures in the rear supporting strip corresponding in width to such tongues whereby lateral side play of the guides is substantially eliminated, and vertical movement thereof reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet structure of this nature wherein the drawer guides may be positioned at any desired height relative to the front of the cabinet, and any desired height of swinging door may be positioned directly therebeneath without the interposition of a separating strip, the arrangement being such that when the drawer is opened the bottom of its front panel is in substantially the identical horizontal plane in which the lower edge of such front panel lies when the drawer is closed, whereby the door may be swung outwardly without engaging the underside of the drawer -whether or not the latter is closed or open.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a cabinet structure of this nature which is of extreme versatility in that various combinations of drawers and doors may be employed in various arrangements, and

wherein, in the case of a double cabinet, the opposite sides thereof may be identical or contain entirely different arrangements of drawers, doors, or any combination thereof.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet structure of this nature which is strudy and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings: 7

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of one form of cabinet structure embodying the instant inventive concept, the top being removed for the sake of clarity of illustration.

HG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the interior of the cabinet not disclosed in FIG. 1.

FlG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the cabinet embodying features of the instant invention taken substantially along the center line thereof, and showing a drawer having a front panel, and a swingable door in position therein.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded perspective view, parts thereof being broken away, of the guide or slide channel for a drawer, showing the mounting arrangement thereof.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows but disclosing the parts in assembled relation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, one form of cabinet structure constructed in accordance with the instant invention is generally indicated at it and includes a bottom wall 11, the edges of which are coved as at 12 into opposed parallel side walls 13-. The cabinet also includes a rear wall 14 including a pair of removable access panels 15, an integral base structure 16, and a central front panel 17. Base structure 16 includes a flush interior, with a vermin-proofed back 18, and the usual resiliently mounted corner supporting members 19. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention herein shown, the back 14 is provided with a flanged top supporting channel 20, and a channel-shaped front top member '21 also accommodates a top (not shown) which may be of the conventional flat top variety, or contain any necessary accoutrements as desired. Side walls 13 also have inturned top flanges 22.

Rear Wall 14 is provided, adjacent each side wall 13 with a vertical metal strip 23 having a single row of spaced-apart equidistantly positioned horizontally elongated openings 24, the purpose of which will be more fully desribed hereinafter, while a center strip 25 is provided with a double parallel row of similar horizontally elongated openings 26, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter in detail.

Front panel 17 is relatively narrow and is channelshaped including side wall portions 27 which are provided at selectively spaced intervals with bolt openings 28. Bolt openings 28 are adapted for the reception of a threaded bolt 29, which serves as an aide for a front drawer guide roller 36a mounted on a roller or ball bearing carried by the head of member 29, the screw 29 extending through an opening 31 in the side wall portion 32 of a channel suspension slide generally indicated at 33. In the form of the invention herein shown each of drawer channel suspension slides 33 includes a lower fiange34 perpendicular to the side wall portion 32, a cutaway portion 35 which is adapted to coincide with the termination of the side 27 of front panel 17, a top flange 35 parallel to the bottom flange 34 and a verticallyextending guide 37 on the inner edge of top flange 36. Guide flange 37 terminates at 38 in flush relation with the end 39 of horizontal flange 36, the end of which is upwardly flared as at 40 and provided with a tongue 41. Tongue 41 lies in a horizontal plane and corresponds in size to the

openings

24 and 26, and may he interchangeably positioned therein. Lower flange 34 is provided with a corresponding tongue of similar size and configuration, 42, with the

tongues

41 and 42 being so spaced relative to the

openings

24 or 26 that they Will engage simultaneously in two selected vertically aligned openings. Four of guide channels 33 are provided irl the assembly herein shown, one on each side of the cabinet in abutting relation with the associated side wall 13, and two centrally positioned in alignment with and secured to front center panel 17 in the manner previously described. Obviously the channels in the center of the device are oppositely mounted, and confront the opposed drawer channels on the opposite sides of the device. Channel supporting end strips 43 are provided beneath the forward end of each channel slide 33, cut to exact length to serve as reinforcement for the front ends of the channel.

A very important feature of the invention resides in the vertical positioning of the openings 28 and corresponding openings in the side Walls 13 which support the end channel suspension slides relative to the openings 24- and 26. These openings are aligned in a vertical plane so that the

tongues

41 and 42 may readily engage their associated

openings

24 or 26 while the openings 31 land 28 are correspondingly aligned so that the channels lie in parallel relation to provide smooth and easy sliding of drawers generally indicated at 50, and to be more fully described hereinafter, in the drawer suspension slides. However in a horizontal plane the openings 28 are oifset relatively to the openings 26 and 24- and the arrangement is such that the bottom flange 34- of each channel inclines upwardly toward the front of the cabinet 10, the total upward inclination being preferably, although not necessarily limited to, approximately one-eighth of an inch.

Bolts or screws 29 are held in related assembly with their associated components in any desired manner although a spring type push-on nut 51 including an inner plate 52, an outer bowed plate 53 and the usual inwardly struck resilient portions 54, the plates being suitably apertured as at 55, may be employed advantageously for the purpose.

Drawers are of conventional design and include a double front plate having a handle 61, side walls 62, a bottom 63 and a rear end wall 64. The lower portions of side wall 62 are provided with slides 65, of generally conventional design, which are adapted to engage with the channel suspension guides 33 in the usual manner. The rear portion of the guide flanges 65 are provided with rollers 66 in conventional manner, which rollers engage the bottom flanges 34. The rollers 66 are of lesser diameter than the forward rollers 30a, to an extent of approximately one-eighth of an inch preferably, although this is not essential.

By virtue of the increase in diameter of the rollers 36:: and the inclination of the slides 33 a total lift or incline of approximately a quarter of an inch is imparted to each drawer, so that when the drawer is extended the usual sagging thereof which accompanies horizontally disposed slides and which seldom exceeds a quarter of an inch at maximum extension is compensated to the extent that the lower end of front plate 60 is substantially at identicmlly the level, when extended, that it occupies when closed. By virtue of this arrangement swinging doors '70, which are conventionally hinged to the side posts 71 of the frame of the device, and provided with conventional catch means 72 may be readily and expeditiously opened or closed regardless of whether or not the drawer 59 immediately overlying same is in open or closed position. By virtue of this arrangement the usual dividing strip between drawer and door is obviated, thus effecting a substantial saving in usable space in the cabinet.

The cabinet in FIG. 1, illustratively, contains a horizontal shelf 73 on one side thereof, but it is to be understood that any desired compartmentation of the space closed by either of the doors may be employed; Obviously the drawers 50 may be of greater or less depth, and the doors 70 proportioned accordingly, one salient feature of the invention comprising the elimination of any Waste space provided by n separating strip between the lower edge of the front panel 60 of the drawer 50 and the top edge of the associated drawer 70 due to the inclined channel suspension slides, and the enlargement of the front rollers.

It is also to be understood that this inventive concept may be advantageously employed with superposed drawers thus eliminating the necessity of spacer members between adjacent drawers.

The inclination of channel suspension Slides or guides 33 is diagrammatically indicated in FIG. 3 wherein the distance :1 indicated by the arrows, at the front of the cabinet slightly exceeds the distance a' indicated by the arrows at the rear of the cabinet, the distances designating the respective height of the front and rear ends of the slides from the level floor 11.

While the top of the cabinet structure is herein disclosed as being open, it will be readily understood that any desired type of top may be supported on the front and

rear channel members

21 and 26, and on the inwardly extending flanges 22 of side walls 13.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is erein provided an improved cabinet structure, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utiliy and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of the invention hereinbefore shown and described, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment shown and described, it i to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limitmg sense.

We claim:

*1. A cabinet construction comprising a cabinet body having a single uninterrupted front opening therein, a drawer slidably mounted in said cabinet and having a front panel closing the upper part of said opening when in closed position, an outwardly opening, vertically hinged door beneath said drawer having its upper edge closely juxtaposed to the lower edge of said front panel when said door and drawer are both in closed position, means mounting said drawer to preclude sagging of the outer end thereof when in open position, whereby said door may be opened or closed when said drawer is open, a pair of opposed parallel channel suspension guides inclined downwardly from front to rear and corresponding channel slides carried by said drawer engaged in said channel guides whereby the elevation of the rear end of said drawer correspondingly raises the front end thereof when in open position to compensate for gravitational sag of said front portion when extended out of said cabinet, the rear end of said drawer provided with a pair of oppositely disposed rollers movable in said channel guides, and engageable with the bottom flange thereof, and each of said channel guides provided with a roller engageable with the top flange of its associated drawer slide, said rollers carried by said guides being of greater diameter than said first-mentioned rollers further to clevate the rear of said drawer when said drawer is opened to further compensate :for gravitational sag.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the rear end or each channel suspension guide carries a pair of spaced horizontally elongated tongues, and the rear wall of said cabinet body carries a strip having a plurality of equidistantly spaced horizontally elongated openings in which said tongues are selectively engaged, the front portion of said cabinet body having a series of vertically aligned openings for the seourement of the front end of said channel suspension guides, the openings in said strips being horizontally disaligned with the openings in the front of said cabinet body whereby the downward inclination of the rear ends of said guides is effected.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said rollers in said channel guides are mounted on roller bearings carried by a bolt, said bolt being extensible through aligned openings in the side of the channel suspension guide and a selected one of said openings in the front portion of said cabinet body, and a spring nut secures each said bolt in position.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the suspension guide carries a pair of spaced horizontally elongated tongues and wherein each channel suspension guide incl-Ldes a vertical side portion, a horizontal upper flange, and a horizontal lower flange and said tongues extend from the inner ends of said upper and lower flanges.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said upper flange includes a vertically offset end portion carrying the uppermost of said pair of tongues, said offset end portion providing reinforcing support for the inner end of the channel suspension guide, and spaces said tongues in conformity to the spacing of said openings in the adjacent strip.

6. A cabinet structure comprising a cabinet body having a single uninterrupted front opening therein characterized by the absence of horizontal spacers, at least one slidable drawer having a front panel closing an upper portion of said front opening, means mounting said drawer to preclude sagging thereof whereby other movable units positioned beneath said one drawer may be readily opened or closed regardless of the position of said one drawer, a pair or opposed parallel channel suspension guides inclined downwardly from front to rear and corresponding channel slides carried by said drawer engaged in said channel guides whereby the elevation of the rear end of said drawer correspondingly raises the front end thereof when in open position to compensate for lgralvitational sag of said front portion when extended out of said cabinet, the rear end of said drawer provided with a pair of oppositely disposed rollers movable in said channel guides and engageable with the top flange of its associated drawer slide, said rollers carried by said guides being of greater diameter than said firstamentioned rollers further to elevate the rear of said drawer when said drawer is opened to further compensate for gravitational sag.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the rear end of each channel suspension guide carries a pair of spaced horizontally elongated tongues, and the rear wall of said cabinet body carries a strip having a plurality of equidistantly spaced horizontally elongated openings in which said tongues are selectively engaged, the front portion of said cabinet body having a series of vertically aligned openings for the securement of the front end of said channel suspension guides, the openings in said strips being horizontally disaligned with the openings in the front of said cabinet body whereby the downward inclination of the rear ends of said guides is effected.

8-. The structure of claim 7 wherein said rollers in said channel guides are mounted on roller bearings carried by a bolt, said bolt being extensible through aligned openings in the side of the channel suspension guide and a selected one of said openings in the :front portion of said cabinet body, and a spring nut secures each said bolt in position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,620,251 Restivo Dec. 2, 1952 2,620,252 Restivo Dec. 2, 1952 2,872,269 Anderson et al Feb. 3, 1959 2,911,276 Hiers Nov. 3, 1959

Claims

6. A CABINET STRUCTURE COMPRISING A CABINET BODY HAVING A SINGLE UNINTERRUPTED FRONT OPENING THEREIN CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABSENCE OF HORIZONTAL SPACERS, AT LEAST ONE SLIDABLE DRAWER HAVING A FRONT PANEL CLOSING AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID FRONT OPENING, MEANS MOUNTING SAID DRAWER TO PRECLUDE SAGGING THEREOF WHEREBY OTHER MOVABLE UNITS POSITIONED BENEATH SAID ONE DRAWER MAY BE READILY OPENED OR CLOSED REGARDLESS OF THE POSITION OF SAID ONE DRAWER, A PAIR OF OPPOSED PARALLEL CHANNEL SUSPENSION GUIDES INCLINED DOWNWARDLY FROM FRONT TO REAR AND CORRESPONDING CHANNEL SLIDES CARRIED BY SAID DRAWER ENGAGED IN SAID CHANNEL GUIDES WHEREBY THE ELEVATION OF THE REAR END OF SAID DRAWER CORRESPONDINGLY RAISES THE FRONT END THEREOF WHEN IN OPEN POSITION TO COMPENSATE FOR GRAVITATIONAL SAG OF SAID FRONT PORTION WHEN EXTENDED OUT OF SAID CABINET, THE REAR END OF SAID DRAWER PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED ROLLERS MOVABLE IN SAID CHANNEL GUIDES AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TOP FLANGE OF ITS ASSOCIATED DRAWER SLIDE, SAID ROLLERS CARRIED BY SAID GUIDES BEING OF GREATER DIAMETER THAN SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ROLLERS FURTHER TO ELEVATE THE REAR OF SAID DRAWER WHEN SAID DRAWER IS OPENED TO FURTHER COMPENSATE FOR GRAVITATIONAL SAG.