US3429632A - Multiple drawer file cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 25, 1969 P. A. SIMON ETAL 3, ,6

MULTIPLE DRA WER FILE CABINET v Filed March 15. 1968 Sheet of 2 INVENTORS Y ,4. lMOM Psnsz 4504/42. .PALJETZ, BY BEA/d-IMM/ F/riaunu nweugw Feb. 25, 1969 P. A. SIMON ETAL 3,429,632

MULTIPLE DRAWER FILE CABINET Filed March 15, 1968 Sheet 3 of 2 FIE 5 I INVENTORS BYE United States Patent laims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A file cabinet of the lightweight, collapsible type constructed from cardboard, fiberboard or like materials having an outer shell within which a collapsible H-frame structure is inserted, the H-frame being formed from a single blank of bendable material and including a horizontally extending divider section and vertically depending reinforcing panels which supportably engage the top and bottom walls of the outer shell. A rigid, reinforcing rim extends around the inside periphery of the open front end of the outer shell and is held in place against front edge portions of the aforesaid H-frame by inwardly turned flaps.

Background of the invention Inexpensive storage files made from bendable blanks of scored cardboard or fiberboard are now in widespread use. Such files are normally shipped knocked down or collapsed and are erected at the point of use by the purchaser. Files of this type which employ sliding drawers are commonly manufactured and sold as single-drawer units. The file or storage units consist of a shell or casing in which a single drawer is slidably inserted. If the user wishes to provide himself with a cabinet-like structure employing a plurality of file drawers, it is necessary to stack a number of the single-drawer units on top of each other and secure them together by attachment means normally supplied by the manufacturer. To the best of our knowledge, there is not available on the market today a multiple-drawer file cabinet of the lightweight, inexpensive cardboard type wherein a plurality of sliding drawers are supported within a single outer shell or casing.

Brief summary of the invention Having in mind the foregoing need for a collapsible and inexpensive, multiple-drawer file cabinet, we have designed and manufactured such a unit which is particularly characterized by an H-shaped drawer-supporting framework which is removably inserted within a unitary casing or shell.

The H-frame support member is advantageously formed from a single cut and scored piece of bendable material similar to the material from which the outer, collapsible shell is constructed. When folded from the knocked-down condition in which it is shipped to the shape in which it is used, the H-frame member comprises a horizontal divider section and upwardly and downwardly depending reinforcing panels which are hingedly connected to the lateral edges of the horizontal divider section.

As a particularly advantageous feature of our improved file cabinet, the aforesaid reinforcing panels of the H- frame structure include upper and lower edge portions which abut against the top and bottom walls of the outer casing, thereby substantially adding to the strength and rigidity of the entire, multiple-drawer file unit and providing good support for the horizontal divider section on which a drawer is slidably received.

As a further beneficial feature of our file cabinet, We provide a rigid reinforcing rim which is installed in fric- "ice tional engagement with the inside periphery of the open front end of the outer shell. The reinforcing rim rests against the front edges of the H-frame structure, and is held in place by inwardly turned flaps which are hingedly connected to the forward ends of the top, bottom and side walls of the outer casing.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will become readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout the several views.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the file cabinet of this invention showing two slide drawers in place;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of the cabinet of FIGURE 1 with the drawers removed;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing a portion of the H-frame and reinforcing rim structure of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded, perspective view showing the manner in which the reinforcing rim and H-frame structure are assembled within the outer casing of the file cabinet; and

FIGURE 5 is a rear, perspective view of the partially folded and assembled H-frame member.

A preferred embodiment of the file cabinet of this invention is shown fully assembled in FIGURE 1. The cabinet is comprised of an outer casing or shell 1 and an internal shelf or divider section 2 which cooperates with casing 1 to form compartments within which drawers 4 and 6 are slidably received. Outer casing 1 is preferably formed from a single sheet of lightweight, inexpensive material such as cardboard or fiberboard. Any of the lightweight, bendable materials, including paperboard, which are commonly employed for fabricating boxes and which have sufficient strength to hold their shape when bent, could be used for casing 1. The term boxboard as used hereinafter is intended to encompass all such materials. Casing 1 is preferably formed from a corrugated sheet of material which is cut and scored in such a manner that it can be folded from a collapsed or knocked-down condition in which it is shipped to the generally rectangular, cabinet configuration shown in FIGURE 1. The sheet material of which casing or shell 1 is constructed is comprised of inner and outer paper layers 3 and 5 between which a corrugated layer 7 is sandwiched. Casing 1, as assembled at the point of use, includes top and bottom walls 8 and 10 hingedly connected along score lines to side walls 12 and 14. A solid back wall is formed by bending and interlocking a plurality of flaps which extend freely from the rear edges of top, bottom and side walls 8, 10, 12, and 14. The rear wall is not shown since it is constructed and formed in a manner well known in the art and forms no part of this invention. Corrugations 7 extend vertically within side walls 12 and 14 so as to lend compression strength to casing 1 in a vertical direction.

The front edges of walls 8, 10, 12 and 14 define a front opening through which drawers 4 and 6 may be slidably inserted into casing 1. Drawers 4 and 6 are also preferably fabricated from boxboard material, and, like casing 1, may be shipped knocked down and assembled at the point of use. Each drawer is provided with a pull handle 16 and an index frame 18 on its front face. Lower drawer 6, which is shown partially pulled out, has material 17 stored therein.

For the purpose of dividing casing 1 into separate, drawer compartments we have provided a unique H- frame structure generally indicated by reference numeral 20 in FIGURES 4 and 5. Frame structure 20 is comprised of a horizontally extending shelf or divider section 2,

and upwardly and downwardly extending reinforcing panels 22, 24, 26 and 28. It is desirable that the material from which frame structure 20 is fabricated be lightweight, bendable and of sufiicient strength to properly support a drawer of the type described above with reference to slidable drawers 4 and 6. Although sheet metal could be employed for this purpose, we prefer to use boxboard which can be cut and folded to provide the desired H-frame configuration. FIGURE 5 ShOWs how a single, flat sheet of boxboard 21 could be scored and folded to provide frame structure 20. Boxboard sheet 21 would normally be shipped in a fiat, unfolded condition in a package with collapsed casing 1 and knocked-down drawers 4 and 6. At the time of assembling the file cabinet for use, sheet 21 is very easily folded into the shape shown in FIGURE 4 by first folding it in half so as to bring central panels 32 and 34 into face-to-face relation ship. Depending panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 are then folded upwardly and downwardly from panel sections 32 and 34 along score lines 36, 37, 38 and 39 to the vertical position necessary for the installation of frame structure 20 within casing 1. A corrugated strengthening sheet 40 is then inserted between central panels 32 and 34, the sandwich structure of panels 32 and 34 and sheet 40 comprising together a horizontal divider section generally indicated by reference numeral 2. After being folded in the aforesaid manner, H-frame structure 20 is slidably inserted into casing 1 in the manner indicated in FIG- URE 4. Edge 30 of central shelf or divider section 2 will face the open end of casing 1 in the manner indicated in FIGURES 3 and 4.

As is best indicated in FIGURES 1 and 4, vertically extending reinforcing panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 will be disposed adjacent to and parallel with side walls 12 and 14 of casing 1 when frame assembly 20 is installed in its position of use. Also, upper and lower edge portions 23, 25, 27 and 29 of the reinforcing panels will engage the inside surfaces of top and bottom walls 8 and 10. The unitary structure of H-frame 20 and the supporting engagement of vertical panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 with top and bottom walls 8 and of casing 1 greatly strengthens and rigidizes the entire cabinet assembly. Divider and drawer-supporting section 2 is rendered particularly sturdy and solid by virtue of the combination of corrugated sheet 40 with covering panels 32 and 34. Depending reinforcing panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 also serve to solidly brace divider section 2 on which drawer 4 is slidably supported.

In order to further strengthen the cabinet structure, a rigid rim 42 of generally rectangular or quadrilateral shape is installed in frictional engagement with the inside periphery of the open end of casing 1 in the manner indicated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4. Rim 42 abuts against and is positioned by the forward edges of panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 of frame structure 20. In order to insure that rim 42 does not slip rearwardly between the aforesaid reinforcing panels and side walls 12 and 14 of casing 1, corrugated sheet 40 of divider section 2 is sized so that it will extend laterally outwardly beyond panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 into contact with side walls 12 and 14. Outwardly extending portions 41 and 43 of corrugated sheet 40 serve as shoulders against which side legs 44 and 45 of rim 42 abut, as is best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

In order to secure H-frame structure and rim 42 in place, a plurality of flaps are hingedly connected to the forward edges of top and bottom walls 8 and 10 and side walls 12 and 14. Top and bottom flaps 46 and 47 extend freely from top and bottom walls 8 and 10. Two, spaced-apart flap sections 48 and 49 are hingedly connected to the front edge of side wall 12 and a similar set of fla s 50 and 51 are connected to side wall 14. Flaps 46 and 47 are notched at their corners as is indicated at 52 and 53; and side flaps 48, 49, 50 and 51 are provided with tabs 54 and 55 at their upper and lower extremities. Thus, when the flaps are folded inwardly over reinforcing rim 42 to the fully assembled position of FIGURE '1, tabs 54 will interlock with notches 52 so as to hold the side and top flaps together in a manner well known in the art. Side flaps 48, 49, 50 and 51 are also provided with depending tabs 56 on their inner edges. complementary locking notches 58 and 59 are provided at the opposite sides of central panels 32 and 34 of divider section 2, these notches being shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. When side flaps 48, 49 and 50 and 51 are turned inwardly around side legs 44 and 45 of rim 42, tabs 56 will swing across panels 32 and 34 and engage notches 58 and 59 therein.

The construction of unitary H-frame structure 20 from a single sheet 21 of boxboard material has proved to be particularly desirable from the standpoints of both strength and ease of assembly and packaging. Packaging is simplified because sheet 21 may be shipped flat in a compact package with collapsed casing 1 and drawers 4 and 6. These three knock-down components may be shipped in a package small enough to meet parcel post regulations. It would be possible to form an H-frame structure by using two, separate U-shaped members and securing their bases in face-to-face contact to provide a horizontal divider section comparable to section 2 of frame 20; the side legs of the U-shaped members would extend vertically in opposite directions to serve as the upright reinforcing panels. However, such a frame assembly would not have the additional strength derived from a unitary H-frame of the type shown and described above.

A file cabinet adapted to house more than two drawers could be constructed according to the basic structural concepts of our invention by utilizing a plurality of H-frames similar to structure 20.

We contemplate that these and other modifications in the form, detail, arrangement of the various parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. A lightweight, collapsible file cabinet comprising:

a casing having top, bottom and side walls, said casing having a back closure wall and an open front end;

a drawer-supporting, divider section supported within said casing between said top and bottom walls substantially parallel thereo, said divider section having upwardly and downwardly extending support panels connected to its side edges with at least said downwardly extending support panels abutting against said bottom wall at their lower edges;

flaps hingedly secured to the front edges of said top, bottom and side walls, and folded inwardly thereover when said file cabinet is assembled, the inwardly folding flaps of each of said side walls comprising two, spaced-apart flap sections which swing inwardly over the top and bottom surfaces of said divider section;

means securing said flap sections to said divider section;

and two drawers removably positioned in said casing, one of said drawers being slidably supported on said divider section.

2. A file cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said drawer-supporting divider section and support panels are formed from a single piece of light-weight, bendable material folded over on itself so as to provide two face-to-face central panels which comprise said divider section, said support panels being hingedly connected to the side edges of said central panels along score lines;

and further including a corrugated strengthening sheet substantially coextensive with said central panels and sandwiched therebetween.

3. A file cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said means securing said flap sections to said divider section comprises lock tabs on each of said flap sections at the ends thereof adjacent said divider section; and

complementary notches in said divider section within which said tabs are received in locking engagement when said flap sections are swung inwardly.

4. A file cabinet as defined in claim 1, and further including:

a rigid, four-sided rim extending around the inside peripheral edges of said open front end of said casing, said rim having side legs which are in abutting engagement with the front edges of said support panels, and said flaps being folded inwardly over said rim on all four sides thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Scheinman 312-259 X Rosen 229 Mitten 321 9 X Lane 229-15 Kozlowski et a1. 229-42 Gronquist 312-25 9 Fiterman et a1 312-259 Beeby 22'9-15 X JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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