US3791708A

US3791708A - Drawer locking system

Info

Publication number: US3791708A
Application number: US00267385A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Signore
Original assignee: AVM Corp
Current assignee: American Locker Group Inc
Priority date: 1972-06-29
Filing date: 1972-06-29
Publication date: 1974-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-12

Abstract

A writing slide controlled lock mechanism for simultaneously locking drawers of a pedestal type desk. The mechanism features latch members carried by the drawers and a locking bar movable by closure of the writing slide to a locking position for effecting locking of the drawers which are in or are subsequently moved into closed position.

Description

1 1 Feb. 12, 1974 United States Patent Signore Tannewit2...........,...r...........

mmm I y mk S 6 l o SB 97 4 3 6 43 999999 HHHHHH 00604 0129374 7340062 ,9 0 923600 2 2048 3 ,2 1.1 121 DRAWER LOCKING SYSTEM Inventor: Dennis J; Signore, Ellicottville, NY.

[73] Assignee: AVM Corporation, Jamestown,

[22] Filed: June 29, 1972 Appl. No.1 267,385

Primary ExaminerPaul Gilliam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bean & Bean ABSTRACT A writing slide controlled lock mechanism for simulta- [52] US. Cl. 312/221 [51] Int Cl E05c 7/06 312/216, 221

Field of Search.

neously locking drawers of a pedestal type desk. The mechanism features latch members carried by the References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS drawers and a locking bar movable by closure'of the writing slide to a locking position for effecting locking of the drawers which are in .orare subsequently moved into closed position.

2,873,159 Becker.........................v...... 312/223 312/221 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Schuette Wheary...

r. e k C e B Pmmmm'm v 3.791.708

- sum 2 {1F 2 Fig.2.

DRAWER LOCKING SYSTEM SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to drawer locks and more particularly to locks of the type including a locking bar movable vertically to effect locking of a plurality of vertically stacked drawers, such as are provided in a pedestal desk or filing cabinet.

In. a preferred form of the invention, movement of a lockable writing slide to closed position is employed to drive a spring returnable locking bar from an upper drawer unlocked to a lower locked position, whereby permitting latches pivotally carried by the several drawers to cooperate with abutments defined by drawer case or slide channels to lock the drawers in closed position. Upon return movement of the locking bar to its upper position incident to movement of the writing slide to open position the bar automatically removes the latches from locking engagement with the case channels in order to permit opening of the drawers.

In an alternative form of the present invention, movement of the writing slide to closed position serves to drive the locking bar upwardly into a locked position in which it lockingly engages the drawer latches.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein: Y

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer lock formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing adjacent parts of a pedestal desk;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 22 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing an alternative form of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is now made more particularly to FIG. 1, wherein the drawer lock of the present invention is generally designated at and shown in combinationwith a conventional pedestal desk construction 12. Desk construction 12 is shown for purposes of references as including a pedestal frame having vertically rising leg and horizontally disposed rear and

front frame members

14, 16 and 18, respectively; frame mounted rear and side pedestal wraps or

panels

20 and 22, respectively; writing slide 24; a plurality of drawers only one of which is shown at 26; and writing slide and drawer case or slide channels 28 and 30a-30c, respectively. Writing slide 24 may be releasably locked in closed position by suitable means, such as a key operated barrel lock 32 having a retaining or latch plate 34 removably receivable within a slot or recess 36 formed in front frame member 18.

Lock 10 generally includes a generally L-shaped actuator plate 40; a lock bar 42, which is supported for vertical reciprocating movements by frame leg 14; and a plurality of latch dogs 44,. which are provided at least one in association with each of drawers 26.

More specifically, actuator plate 40 is shown as being supported for vertical pivotal movements relative to the pedestal frame by writing slide case channel mounted pin shaft 46; and as having a first leg portion 48 arranged for receipt within a vertically disposed lock bar slot-50 and a second leg portion 52 arranged for engagement by the rear edge 54 of writing slide 24 when. the latter is moved into closed position. Suitable means, such as coil spring 55 end connected to leg portion 52 and case channel 28, normally tends to retain plate 40 in its unlocked position illustrated in FIG. 1, while permitting movement thereof into the locking position illustrated in FIG. 2 when leg portion 52 is engaged by rear edge 54 of writing slide 24 when the latter is closed.

Lock bar 42 is shown as being of generally L-shaped construction, wherein a first flange 56 is formed with a plurality of vertically spaced guide slots 58 and essentially parallel upper flange portions and lower

support flange portions

60 and 62, respectively; and a second flange 64 is formed with slot 50 and a plurality of side opening, vertically spaced slots 66-68. Second flange 64 is also formed with essentially parallel support flange portions70 and 72, which are defined by bending over material partially cut away to define slots 66 and 67. Guide slots 58 are dimensioned to slideably receive reduced diameter shank portions 74 of beaded lock nuts 76, which are threadable onto studs 78 carried by frame leg 14. In the specific construction illustrated, the ends of shank portions 74, which extend through slots 58, additionally serve to clamp the slotted or apertured central flange extension 80 of case channels 30a-30c in assembled relationship with frame leg 14.

It will be understood that in the preferred form of the present invention, engagement of shank portions 74 with the lower ends of guide slots 58 determines the upper or unlocked position of lock bar 42 and when the lock bar is in this position the upper surface of

support flange portions

62, 70 and 72 are arranged essentially flush with the upper surfaces of case channel lower flanges 30a-30c', respectively. In this connection, it will be appreciated that a gig may be employed to accurately control the spacing of apertures formed in frame leg 14 for the receipt of studs 78 and that present metal cutting and bending techniques makes it possible to accurately control the spacing between lock bar guide slots and the positioning of lock

bar support flanges

62, 70 and 72 relative thereto, as well as the vertical spacing between the mounting openings 80a in central flange extension 80 and associated case channel lower flanges 30a'30c. Thus, by employing studs 78 and lock nuts 76 to both clamp the case channels to the frame leg and to determine the upper position of the lock bar, the flush relationship of

support flange portions

62, 70 and 72 relative to case channel lower flanges 30a'30c' may be assured.

Alternatively, the unlocked position of lock bar 42 may be determined by engagement of upper flange portion60 with a part of the pedestal frame in a manner,

not shown. In either case, the lock bar may be moved into its upper position by engagement of leg portion 48 with the upper end of slot 50 or the lower surface of upper flange portion 60.

Each of latch dogs 44 is supported for. vertical pivotal movement by a pin shaft 82, which extends outwardly from a side wall of its associated drawer 36. Preferably, pin shaft 82 additionally serves to mount a drawer rear supporting roller 84.

In the preferred construction illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the free swing end of each latch dog is down turned to define a foot 44a, which slides along case channel lower flange portion 30a30c, during opening and closing movements of the drawer whereby to normally support the latch dogs in a first pivotal position thereof. If desired, coil spring devices 86 may be associated with one or more of latch dogs 44 for the purpose of positively biasing their feet 44a downwardly in a clockwise sense, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. When desiring to lock the drawers of a desk or cabinet employing the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is merely necessary to move writing slide 24 into its fully closed position wherein it may be retained by operation of lock 32. When the writing slide 24 is in closed position, its rear edge 54 engages with actuator plate leg 52 and the actuator plate 40 is thereby main tained in the locked position illustrated in FIG. 2 against the return bias of coil spring 55. Upon movement of actuator plate 40 to its locked position, lock bar 42 is lowered into its locked position illustrated in FIG. 2, due to the weight of the lock bar, to engagement of actuator plate leg 48 with the bottom end of slot 50 and/or to downward force exerted by coil springs 86 on support flange portions 70, 72 and/or 62 through latch dogs'44. As will be apparent, with

support flange portions

70, 72 and 62 disposed below case channel flanges 30a30c, the weight of latch dogs 44 and/or their associated springs 86 is operable to swing the latch dogs downwardly into a secondpivotal position wherein latch dog feet 44a engage against the rearwardlyrfacing edges of case channel flanges 30a-30c, which serve to define abutments for positively locking their associated drawers in closed position. Any drawers-remaining in open position after the writing slide is locked in closed position, will be automatically locked when returned to their closed positions.

When desiring to unlock drawers 26, it is merely necessary to unlock lock 32; spring 55 being normally effective to both force the writing slide open sufficiently to permit return of actuator plate 40 to its original unlocked position and to raise lock bar 42 to its unlocked position. As

support flange portions

70, 72 and 62 are returned to their initial positions wherein they are arranged flush with case channel flanges 30a30c, latch dog feet 44a are raised sufficiently to free same from engagement with the rear ends of the case channels.

The alternative construction of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 3 differs from that previously described in that actuator plate 40 is arranged such that it is pivoted in a counter-clockwise sense upon closing movement of the writing slide to effect upward movement of the lock bar into a locked position and spring 55 normally tends to drive the lock bar downwardly into an unlocked position, not shown. Further, in this construction, the feet of latch dogs 44 are deleted and replaced by downwardly opening slots 44b, which are dimensioned to receive those portions of second flange 64 forming the lower ends or edges of slots 66-68. Thus, in this construction lock, bar 42 defines abutments for locking the drawers in closed position, which are either inserted into or removed from slot openings 44b when the lock bar is moved vertically between its upper locked and lower unlocked positions. Any drawers remaining in open position after the writing slide is locked in closed position, will be automatically locked when returned to their closed position. In this connection, it will be understood that the inclined end 440 of each latch dog serves to cam its latch dog upwardly as the drawer approaches its fully closed position and that when the drawer is fully closed the weight of the latch dog and/or the bias of its associated coil spring pivots the latch dog downwardly to a position wherein the lock bar is received within slot 44!).

I claim: I

l. A locking mechanism in combination with a desk having a pedestal cabinet with a pull outwriting slide, at least one pull out drawer arranged below and in vertical alignment with said slide, surface means for independently supporting said slide and said drawer for movement between opened and closed positions, and a lock means for releasably retaining said slide in closed position, said locking mechanism comprising:

a latch dog carried one by each said drawer for vertical, pivotal movement relative thereto, said latch dog being normally supported in a first pivotal position by sliding engagement with said surface means during opening and closing movements of said drawer;

abutment means defined by a rear end portion of said surface means and associated one with each said latch dog;

lock bar means supported by said desk for movement between vertically spaced unlocked and locked positions, said lock bar means including latch dog supporting means arranged in an essentially coplanar relationship with said surface means when said lock bar means is in said unlocked position, whereby to support said latch dog in said first pivotal position when said drawer is in closed position, said latch dog supporting means being arranged vertically below said surface means when said lock bar means is in said locked position, whereby to permit said latch dog'to pivot downwardly from said first pivotal position into a second pivotal position for drawer locking engagement with its associated abutment means when said drawer is moved into closed position; and

means responsive to movement of said writing slide between opened and closed positions for moving said lock bar means vertically between said unlocked and locked positions, respectively, whereby when said writing slide is in said closed position and said drawer is in said closed position said latch dog is engaged with its associated abutment means to effect locking of said drawer in said closed position.

2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism additionally includes spring means tending to bias said latch dog from said first pivotal position into said second pivotal position, said latch dog being pivotally mounted on a side wall of said drawer by a pin shaft and said pin shaft additionally serves to mount a drawer rear supporting roller.

3. A locking mechanism in combination with a desk having a pedestal cabinet with a pull out writing slide, at least one pull out drawer arranged below and in vertical alignment with said slide, surface means for independently supporting said slide and said drawer for movement between opened and closed positions, and a lock means for releasably retaining said slide in closed position, said locking mechanism comprising:

a latch dog carried one by each said drawer for vertical, pivotal movement relative thereto, said latch from a position essentially coplanar with said surface means when said lock bar means is in said unlocked position into a position elevated above said surface means when said lock barmeans is in said locked position; and

means responsive to movement of said writing slide between open and closed positions for moving said lock bar means between said unlocked and locked positions, respectively, whereby when writing slide is in closed position and said drawer is moved into closed position said latch dog is moved into engagement with said abutment means.

4. A cabinet construction comprising in combination:

a cabinet frame;

a plurality of drawers;

a plurality of surface means fixed to said frame in a vertically spaced relationship for supporting said drawers relative to said frame in a vertically aligned relationship and for independent movement be,- tween drawer open and closed positions, each said surface means defining an abutment adjacent a rear end thereof;

a latch dog carried one by each of said drawers for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, each said latch dog having a foot end portion for normally supporting said latch dog in a first pivotal position by sliding engagement with its drawer associated surface means during opening and closing movements of its drawer but being movable rearwardly of said abutment defined by its drawer associated surface means when its drawer is in fully closed position;

a lock bar carried by said frame for vertical reciprocating movements and having a plurality of supporting surface means spaced vertically therealong at distances corresponding to the distances between said surface means; and

operating means for selectively moving said lock bar between an upper unlocking position wherein said supporting surface means forms a continuation of said surface means for supporting said foot end portions out of engagement with said abutments and a lower locked position wherein said supporting surface means is disposed vertically below said surface means for permitting downwardly pivotal movement of said latch dogs to position said foot end portions in drawer locking engagement with said abutments.

5. A cabinet construction according to claim 4, wherein said frame includes a vertically rising frame leg, each of said surface means includes a case channel having at least a vertically extending mounting flange and a horizontally disposed flange portion for supporting an associated drawer and its latch dog during opening and closing movements of said drawer, and said case channels and said lock bar are fixed to said frame leg by an assembly serving to define said upper unlockv 6 ing position wherein each said supporting surface means forms a continuation of said horizontally disposed flange portion of an associated one of said case channels, said assembly including a plurality of vertically rising guide slots formed in said lock bar in a predetermined relationship to said supporting surface means, a mounting opening formed in each said vertically extending mounting flange adjacent a rearwardly extending end thereof in pre-determined relationship to an associated horizontally disposed flange portion, a

plurality of threaded studs extending horizontally from said frame leg in a predetermined vertically spaced relationship, and headed lock nuts provided one in association with each said stud and having reduced diameter shank portions dimensioned to be slideably received within said guide slots, said studs being received one within each of said mounting openings and the shank portion of an associated stud mounted lock nut passing through one of said guide slots and clamping the vertically extending mounting flange to said frame leg, engagement of said shankportions with lowermost ends of said guide slots determining the upper unlocking position of said lock bar.

6. A cabinet construction comprising in combination:

a cabinet frame;

a plurality of drawers;

a plurality of surface means fixed to said frame in a vertically spaced relationship for supporting said drawers relative to said frame in a vertically aligned relationship and for independent movement between drawer open and closed positions;

plurality of latch-dogs carried one by each .of said drawers for vertical pivotal movements relative thereto, each of said latch dogs being supported for sliding movement in engagement with its drawer associated surface means during opening and closing movements of its drawer and having a downwardly opening slot positionable rearwardly of its drawer associated surface means only when its drawer is in fully closed position;

a lock bar carried by said frame for vertical reciprocating movements, said lock bar defining a plurality of abutments spaced vertically therealong at distances corresponding to the distances between said surface means; and

operating means for selectively moving said lock bar between an upper locked position wherein said abutments are raised above said surface means to insert said abutments within said latch dog slots to lock said drawers in fully closed position and a lower unlocked position wherein said abutments are moved downwardly from within said latch dog slots and said latch dogs are supported by said surface means for sliding movement as aforesaid.

7. A cabinet construction according to claim 6, wherein said frame includes a vertically rising frame leg, each of said surface means includes a case channel having at least a vertically extending mounting flange and a horizontally disposed flange portion for supporting an associated drawer and its latch dog during opening and closing movements of said drawer, and said case channels and said lock bar are fixed to said frame leg by an assembly including a plurality of vertically rising guide slots formed in said lock bar in a predetermined relationship to said abutments, a mounting opening formed in each said vertically extending tions dimensioned to be slideably received within said guide slots, said studs being received one within each of said mounting openings and the shank portion of an associated stud mounted lock nut passing through one of said guide slots and clamping the vertically extending mounting flange to said frame leg.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism in combination with a desk having a pedestal cabinet with a pull out writing slide, at least one pull out drawer arranged below and in vertical alignment with said slide, surface means for independently supporting said slide and said drawer for movement between opened and closed positions, and a lock means for releasably retaining said slide in cLosed position, said locking mechanism comprising: a latch dog carried one by each said drawer for vertical, pivotal movement relative thereto, said latch dog being normally supported in a first pivotal position by sliding engagement with said surface means during opening and closing movements of said drawer; abutment means defined by a rear end portion of said surface means and associated one with each said latch dog; lock bar means supported by said desk for movement between vertically spaced unlocked and locked positions, said lock bar means including latch dog supporting means arranged in an essentially coplanar relationship with said surface means when said lock bar means is in said unlocked position, whereby to support said latch dog in said first pivotal position when said drawer is in closed position, said latch dog supporting means being arranged vertically below said surface means when said lock bar means is in said locked position, whereby to permit said latch dog to pivot downwardly from said first pivotal position into a second pivotal position for drawer locking engagement with its associated abutment means when said drawer is moved into closed position; and means responsive to movement of said writing slide between opened and closed positions for moving said lock bar means vertically between said unlocked and locked positions, respectively, whereby when said writing slide is in said closed position and said drawer is in said closed position said latch dog is engaged with its associated abutment means to effect locking of said drawer in said closed position.

3. A locking mechanism in combination with a desk having a pedestal cabinet with a pull out writing slide, at least one pull out drawer arranged below and in vertical alignment with said slide, surface means for independently supporting said slide and said drawer for movement between opened and closed positions, and a lock means for releasably retaining said slide in closed position, said locking mechanism comprising: a latch dog carried one by each said drawer for vertical, pivotal movement relative thereto, said latch dog being normally supported in a first pivotal position by sliding engagement with said surface means during opening and closing movements of said drawer; lock bar means supported by said desk for vertical movement between upper locked and lower unlocked positions, said lock bar means defining abutment means associated one with each said latch dog, said abutment means being movable from a position essentially coplanar with said surface means when said lock bar means is in said unlocked position into a position elevated above said surface means when said lock bar means is in said locked position; and means responsive to movement of said writing slide between open and closed positions for moving said lock bar means between said unlocked and locked positions, respectively, whereby when writing slide is in closed position and said drawer is moved into closed position said latch dog is moved into engagement with said abutment means.

4. A cabinet construction comprising in combination: a cabinet frame; a plurality of drawers; a plurality of surface means fixed to said frame in a vertically spaced relationship for supporting said drawers relative to said frame in a vertically aligned relationship and for independent movement between drawer open and closed positions, each said surface means defining an abutment adjacent a rear end thereof; a latch dog carried one by each of said drawers for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, each said latch dog having a foot End portion for normally supporting said latch dog in a first pivotal position by sliding engagement with its drawer associated surface means during opening and closing movements of its drawer but being movable rearwardly of said abutment defined by its drawer associated surface means when its drawer is in fully closed position; a lock bar carried by said frame for vertical reciprocating movements and having a plurality of supporting surface means spaced vertically therealong at distances corresponding to the distances between said surface means; and operating means for selectively moving said lock bar between an upper unlocking position wherein said supporting surface means forms a continuation of said surface means for supporting said foot end portions out of engagement with said abutments and a lower locked position wherein said supporting surface means is disposed vertically below said surface means for permitting downwardly pivotal movement of said latch dogs to position said foot end portions in drawer locking engagement with said abutments.

5. A cabinet construction according to claim 4, wherein said frame includes a vertically rising frame leg, each of said surface means includes a case channel having at least a vertically extending mounting flange and a horizontally disposed flange portion for supporting an associated drawer and its latch dog during opening and closing movements of said drawer, and said case channels and said lock bar are fixed to said frame leg by an assembly serving to define said upper unlocking position wherein each said supporting surface means forms a continuation of said horizontally disposed flange portion of an associated one of said case channels, said assembly including a plurality of vertically rising guide slots formed in said lock bar in a predetermined relationship to said supporting surface means, a mounting opening formed in each said vertically extending mounting flange adjacent a rearwardly extending end thereof in pre-determined relationship to an associated horizontally disposed flange portion, a plurality of threaded studs extending horizontally from said frame leg in a predetermined vertically spaced relationship, and headed lock nuts provided one in association with each said stud and having reduced diameter shank portions dimensioned to be slideably received within said guide slots, said studs being received one within each of said mounting openings and the shank portion of an associated stud mounted lock nut passing through one of said guide slots and clamping the vertically extending mounting flange to said frame leg, engagement of said shank portions with lowermost ends of said guide slots determining the upper unlocking position of said lock bar.

6. A cabinet construction comprising in combination: a cabinet frame; a plurality of drawers; a plurality of surface means fixed to said frame in a vertically spaced relationship for supporting said drawers relative to said frame in a vertically aligned relationship and for independent movement between drawer open and closed positions; a plurality of latch dogs carried one by each of said drawers for vertical pivotal movements relative thereto, each of said latch dogs being supported for sliding movement in engagement with its drawer associated surface means during opening and closing movements of its drawer and having a downwardly opening slot positionable rearwardly of its drawer associated surface means only when its drawer is in fully closed position; a lock bar carried by said frame for vertical reciprocating movements, said lock bar defining a plurality of abutments spaced vertically therealong at distances corresponding to the distances between said surface means; and operating means for selectively moving said lock bar between an upper locked position wherein said abutments are raised above said surface means to insert said abutments within said latch dog slots to lock said drawers in fully closed position and a lower unlocked positIon wherein said abutments are moved downwardly from within said latch dog slots and said latch dogs are supported by said surface means for sliding movement as aforesaid.

7. A cabinet construction according to claim 6, wherein said frame includes a vertically rising frame leg, each of said surface means includes a case channel having at least a vertically extending mounting flange and a horizontally disposed flange portion for supporting an associated drawer and its latch dog during opening and closing movements of said drawer, and said case channels and said lock bar are fixed to said frame leg by an assembly including a plurality of vertically rising guide slots formed in said lock bar in a pre-determined relationship to said abutments, a mounting opening formed in each said vertically extending mounting flange adjacent a rearwardly extending end thereof in pre-determined relationship to an associated horizontally disposed flange portion, a plurality of threaded studs extending horizontally from said frame leg in a pre-determined vertically spaced relationship, and headed lock nuts provided one in association with each said stud and having reduced diameter shank portions dimensioned to be slideably received within said guide slots, said studs being received one within each of said mounting openings and the shank portion of an associated stud mounted lock nut passing through one of said guide slots and clamping the vertically extending mounting flange to said frame leg.