US3273952A - Method of making furniture drawers or the like and article produced thereby - Google Patents

Description

i h D R A W E RS AND ART I OLE EEEEEEEEEEEEE BY p 20, 1966 E. HIMELREICH ETAL 3,273,952

METHOD OF MAKING FURNITURE DRAWERS OR THE LIKE AND ARTICLE PRODUCED THEREBY Filed July 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LOUIS E. H\MELRE\CH WARREN A. DILLEN BY M) E SW X ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,273,952 METHUD 0F MAKlNG FURNITURE DRAWERS OR THE LIKE AND ARTICLE PRODUCED THEREBY Louis E. Himelreich, Louisville, and Warren A. Dillen,

.leffersontown, Ky., assignors to H. J. Scheirich Company, Louisvilie, Ky a corporation of Kentucky Filed July 14, 1964, Ser. No. 382,444 Claims. (Cl. 312-330) This invention relates to an improved and economical method for producing articles such as furniture drawers, and to the article so produced. More particularly it relates to a method by which a long intermediate stock member is employed and which is suitable for cutting to size as needed for the purpose of providing the central body structure of a plurality of the articles to be formed. As an example of the use of the invention, bedroom fumiture drawers are commonly designated as small, medium or large with respect to their volumetric capacity and a much greater range of widths (that is, the dimension between the drawer side Walls) is involved than the depths (that is, the dimension between the front and rear walls) or the heights (that is, the dimension from the floor to top edge) of such drawers. The most popular small drawers conventionally have widths ranging from 9 to 18 inches but with heights ranging only from four to six inches and depths ranging only from to 17 inches. Similarly, medium drawers range in widths of from 18 to 36 inches, but with depths ranging from 12 to 18 inches and heights from five to eight inches. Moreover, large drawers similarly range in width from 37 to 48 inches, but in depth from 14 to 19 inches and in height from five to nine inches.

As will thus be noted, the central body portion of a drawer having a depth of 14 inches and a height of six inches might be suitable for use in a small, medium or large type of drawer depending only upon the width which it possesses.

An object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing furniture drawers or the like, in which a central body portion of each of a plurality of drawers are formed from a single elongated stock intermediate by cuting therefrom and at a desired width of the central body portions.

Another object is to provide an economical process for the manufacturing of furniture drawers and in which a reduced number of sizes of stock material are employed.

Another object is to provide an improved furniture drawer.

A further object is to provide a reinforced furniture drawer and formed of a material such as plastic.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of a drawer embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the elongated stock intermediate employed with the invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the side wall members.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the end of the side wall member of FIG. 4.

Referring first to FIG. 2, the invention comprehends the formation of an elongated stock intermediate which, for example, may comprise an extrusion of a plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride or the like, having a length which is limited essentially to the requirements of storage and handling. Lengths in the order of eight feet or longer preferably are employed. Metal extrusions such as alu- 3,273,952 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 minum alloys may also be employed, and indeed the stock intermediate is not necessarily formed as an extrusion since other ways of shaping the same may be used without departing from the essentials of the invention. In any event, however, the intermediate has a cross-section which is uniform transversely of the intermediate at various locations longitudinally thereof and this cross-section includes a rear wall section 10, a floor section 11 and a front wall section 12. In view of constructional features later to be described, these parts may be comparatively thin and having, as for example, a thickness of about 0.100 inch when employed for furniture drawers.

Extending longitudinally of the rear wall section along the top edge thereof is a reinforcing rib integral with the rear wall 10 and which conveniently may comprise a hollow box-like shape having a top surface 13, rear surface 14, and lower surface 15. Extending longitudinally of the front wall section is a plurality of channel-forming reinforcing ribs integral with the front wall and which may conveniently comprise spaced pairs of flat strips 16, 17; 18, 19; and 20, 21. In addition, the extreme upper edge of the front wall is directed outwardly to form an upper reinforcing ledge 22 which terminates in the same plane as the edges of these strips thereby to form abutments against which a separate drawer front member 23 may be mounted, as later to be described.

In accordance with the invention, the elongated stock intermediate will be cut transversely as along dotted lines L and L to form a plurality of detached central body members C and C for drawers later to be assembled, and such body members may, of course, have either the same or different drawer widths. Assuming that the central member C is to be used in constructing the medium-sized drawer shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a left-hand drawer side wall as best seen in FIGS. 4 to 6 and which preferably is molded of plastic such as high impact styrene. This side wall includes an imperforate central web 30 having an inwardly directed integral foot portion 31 adapted to slide in contact with a conventional guide 32 (FIG. 5) mounted upon the front rail portion 33 of the cabinet in which the drawer is to be installed. Projecting inwardly from the web 30 above the foot portion is a first or lower mounting strip 34 separated from .a second or upper mounting strip 35 by a recess 36, FIG. 4, adapted to receive the extreme left hand end of the floor 11 of the drawer. These mounting strips are formed integrally with the drawer side wall and the upper strip at its rearward end is directed upwardly to form a narrow back wall portion 37 for the drawer, while the lower strip similarly is directed upwardly to form a narrow back wall portion 38, the upper rear ends of these strips being joined by the exposed upper ledge 39 and the recess 36 being in communication with recess 40. As will be understood, recesses 36 and 40 have a configuration adapted to receive with a close fit the extreme left hand end of the detached central member C including the box-like reinforcing rib 131415 thereof.

The upper ledge 39 is continued around the upper periphery of the drawer side walls as shown at 41 and 42 and includes a depending skirt portion 43 and 44 serving to give further rigidity to the assembled drawer. Moreover, the upper strip 35 at its forward end is directed upwardly to form a narrow front wall portion 50 for the drawer and joins the upper ledge portion 42 as best seen in FIG. 4. The foot portion 31 at its rearward end joins the back wall portion 38 and at spaced points is joined to the lower surface of the lower mounting strips 34 as by small webs 51 and 52. The intervening web between the foot portion 31 and upper ledge portion 42 provides an offset wall 53 serving a useful purpose as now to be explained.

Projecting inwardly from offset wall 53 is a plurality of guide blocks 54, 55, 56 and 57 which are spaced from the narrow front wall portion 50 and which cooperate to provide the necessary recesses for receiving the left hand edge of the central member C including the spaced pairs of flat strips formed thereon. The upper edge of block 54, as Well as the edge of the lower mounting strip 34, are suitably chamfered to assist in insertion of the central member C into the recesses provided by the drawer side Wall. As will now be seen, when the central member is inserted in place, the narrow front wall portion 50 and the strips 34 and 35 and the narrow rear wall portions 37 and 38 contact a substantial area of the extreme left hand end of that central member. In accordance with the invention, these parts are then joined rigidly together as by means of adhesive, or by heat as when thermoplastic materials are used, or by means of ultrasonic sealing equipment, or the like.

Having thus described the details of construction of the left hand drawer side wall, it will be understood that a right hand drawer side wall 60 indicated generally in FIG. 1 also is employed and is constructed in the same manner, but with a configuration of its face confronting the described left hand side wall forming a mirror image therefor.

Frequently, the drawers made in accordance with the invention will be employed in wooden cabinets and wherein for appearance it is desirable to have the front of the drawer covered with a wooden member. The present drawer is particularly well suited for this arrangement and when the wooden front 23 is used, the inner surface thereof lies in contact with the front edge of strips 16 to 21 and ledge 22 and the ends abut against the offset walls 53. By means of suitable fastenings such as bolts, not shown, passing through the wooden front 2 3 and between the strips 16, 17 and the strips 20, 21, the front is securely attached to the drawer body. Additional fastenings 6'1 and 62 extending from handle 63 and passing between strips 18, .19 and anchored inside the front wall 12, as indicated in FIG. 3, provide additional reinforcement for the drawer.

Additional elements may be joined to the described drawer if desired, as for example, a conventional roller guiding means 64 or suitable drawer dividers (not shown). The bottom 11 of the drawer may be flat or, as shown, may be given a shallow corrugated form for additional reinforcement and in which event the recess 36 in the end walls will have a corresponding form. The inherent reinforcement afforded against torsional and other forms of stressing by the drawer of the present invention constitutes an important feature and as will be noted, the box-like reinforcing structure at the top of the rear wall, the ledges and depending skirts at the top edges of the side walls, and the reinforcing strips on the front wall all contribute to this end and in no way detract from the method by which the elongated stock intermediate can be employed. As will further be noted, the portions of the front wall 1-2 between the pairs of reinforcing strips fit between the blocks 54 and 57 and the wall section 50, and the ends of that front wall 12 abut against the offset walls 53 with the vertical dimensions of the blocks corresponding to the vertical spacings between the strips in adjacent pairs thus to give reinforcement on three different planes where these parts are joined together.

Having thus described the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and it is intended in the following claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method for producing furniture drawers and the like, the steps comprising; providing as a stock intermediate an elongated member having a bottom portion and front and rear wall portions integral therewith and upstanding from said bottom portion in spaced relation to each other and defining therebetween an unobstructed space in which the contents of the drawer may later be stored, cutting said elongated member transversely thereof to form a detached member adapted for use as the central body portion of a drawer, thereafter rigidly affixing a pair of drawer side wall members to the respective ends of said detached member, and thereafter rigidly affixing to the exterior of said front wall portion a front member covering the space between the front ends of said side wall members, thus to form a drawer.

2. In a method for producing reinforced furniture drawers and the like the steps comprising; providing as a stock intermediate an elongated member having a bottom portion and front and rear wall portions integral therewith and upstanding from said bottom portion in spaced relation to each other and defining therebetween an unobstructed space in which the contents of the drawer may later be stored, cutting said elongated member transversely thereof to form a detached member adapted for use as the central body portion of a drawer, providing a pair of drawer side wall members having recesses into which the respective ends of said detached member fit, inserting said ends of said detached member into said recesses in said side wall members, rigidly affixing the parts to each other with said ends occupying said recesses and thereafter rigidly afiixi-ng to the exterior of said front Wall portion a front member covering the space between the front ends of said side wall members thus to form a drawer.

3. A furniture drawer comprising a unitary central body member forming the floor, rear wall, and front wall of the drawer, a pair of separate side walls rigidly affixed to the ends of the central body member and having mirrorimage faces confronting the respective ends of the central body member, said central body member having integral reinforcing portions extending longitudinally thereof and said faces of said side walls having recesses therein receiving the ends of said central body member including the respective ends of said reinforcing portions, and a front member affixed to the exterior of said front wall and cofiering the space between the front ends of said side wa s.

4. A furniture drawer as defined in claim 3 wherein said reinforcing portions include a rib located at the top portion of the rear wall of said central body member.

5. A furniture drawer as defined in claim 3 wherein said reinforcing portions include a plurality of strips projecting outwardly from said front wall in spaced relation to each other, and said side walls include guide blocks integral with said side walls and engaging the respective ends of said strips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,467,698 4/ 1949 Reynolds 2204 X 2,488,916 11/1949 Johnson 31234-9 2,596,881 5/1952 White 220-4 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

OHANOELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A METHOD FOR PRODUCING FURNITURE DRAWERS AND THE LIKE, THE STEPS COMPRISING; PROVIDING AS A STOCK INTERMEDIATE AN ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM PORTION AND FRONT AND REAR WALL PORTIONS INTEGRAL THEREWITH AND UPSTANDING FROM SAID BOTTOM PORTION IN SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND DEFINING THEREBETWEEN AN UNOBSTRUCTED SPACE IN WHICH THE CONTENTS OF THE DRAWER MAY LATER BE STORED, CUTTING SAID ELONGATED MEMBER TRANSVERSELY THEREOF TO FORM A DETACHED MEMBER ADAPTED FOR USE AS THE CENTRAL BODY PORTION OF A DRAWER, THEREAFTER RIGIDLY AFFIXING A PAIR OF DRAWER SIDE WALL MEMBERS TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID DETACHED MEMBER, AND THEREAFTER RIGIDLY AFFIXING TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID FRONT WALL PORTION A FRONT MEMBER COVERING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALL MEMBERS, THUS TO FORM A DRAWER.

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