US403170A - Vertically-movable kitchen-safe - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH O. WRIGHT, OF OOOHRAN, INDIANA.

VERTICALLY -MOVABLE KITCH EN-SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,170, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed March 30, 1887- Serial No. 233,092. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSIAH O. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cochran, in the county of Dearborn and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vertically-Movable and Transferable Kitchen-Safes, of which the following is a clear, concise, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the safe in its lowered position, the covering for it being omitted except upon one door, and one of the guides being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is-a detail view of one of the guides. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same with a portion of the side of the safe running in it. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the posts of which the safe is composed. Fig. 5 is a view of one of the supports for the shelves, and Fig. 6 is an outline plan of the position occupied by the posts of the safe. 1

My invention relates to kitchen-safes which can be moved vertically from one room of a house to another, or more particularly from the dining-room or kitchen to the cellar, for preserving food and other articles which have been placed in the safe; and it has for its objects to produce such a safe as can be easily moved up or down by means of adjustable weights and without any danger of it sticking or binding; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of the same, as will be hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

in which the same letters of reference indi-' and rear cross-pieces, H and Land the end pieces, J J. The corners or posts are most easily made out of the ordinary angle-iron of the right dimensions to secure the proper strength with as little weight as possible. The two rear posts, F and G, are so placed that the sides of the iron will register with the back and ends of the safe, while the two front posts are so placed that only one side of each post will register with the ends of the safe, and the side will projectfrom the ends of the safe as though they were flanges secured upon the safe.

The shelves of the safe are secured in position by means of the supports or end pieces, J J, which are made of a strip of metal with its edges bent up, thus forming a groove through which the ends ofthe shelf can'be slipped in and out. These supports can be secured to the corner-posts at any desired distance apart, although I have found it most convenient to vary the distances from about an inch and a half at the top to twelve inches.

at the bottom. By taking out some of the shelves this distance can be easily increased between the shelves, thus making this manner of securing the shelves very convenient. Besides it permits the expansion and contraction of the shelves without affecting the dimensions of the safe.

As the safe is made entirely of metal except the shelves and top, it is evident that it will not be affected by the changes of atmosphere from a warm dry room to a cooler moist one, which would thus have a tendency to cause it to bind as it was being movedup. and down or be so loose as to move unevenly,

and noisily.

The top and bottom doors of the safe are hinged crosswise, and the middle ones are hinged vertically. In this way by hinging the top door low enough the safe can be easily opened when in its lowered position, and by hinging the lower door highenough the safe can be opened when in the room above without either of them coming in contact with the floor. These doors, as well as the ends and back of the safe, can be covered with perforated metal or wire-cloth, as desired, the object being to secure a free circulation of air throughout the safe.

The safe is elevated by means of two wire ropes, K K, which are secured to the bottom of the safe and passed over the sheaves L L, and provided with a number of removable weights, M M. The sheaves are each secured to blocks N, secured to the joist, and the weights when in its elevated position, I secure two guides, O 0,- Figs. 2 and 3, to the joist by means of bolts or heavy screws. By providing these guides with slots P P they can be bolted or otherwise secured to the joist of the floor, so that they can be adjusted in relation to the sides of the safe, thus securing a very close fit, and also enabling them to be secured in position without so much precision as would be necessary if they were not slotted. One edge of each of these guides is provided with a channel or groove, 0', within which the outwardlyprojecting portions of the two a I ated with but little trouble or strength, and will avoid the necessity of manually carry front angle-iron posts fit and slide as the safe is moved up or down. To prevent undue friction between the guides and the posts, three anti-friction rollers, R R R, are secured in each end of each guideone upon each side of the'post and one at its edge-which will thus'allow the safe to'move very freely. These guides are of suflicient length and strength to keep the safe in its proper position, and the front posts are made long enough so that when the safe is as high as it will go the lower ends of these two posts will still be in the guides.

A hole is cut in the floor where it is desired to have the safe located of sufficient size to permit the free and easy 'movement of the safe. The safe is then placed in position in this hole, with the top of the safe just even with the floor when the safe is at its lowest point. The guides are adjusted to the sides of the safe, or to the front posts, and the ropes secured to the lower end of the safe and passed up over the sheaves or pulleys, which have been secured to the joists of the floor. The weights are then placed on the ropes and the safe is ready for'use. The first two weights are sufficient to slightly overbalance the weight of safe. There are also provided sectional weights, by the use of which the Weights may be increased to any desired heft as the load is increased.

To facilitate the operation of this safe, I place sectional weights on one of the shelves of the safe, and by removing them from or returning them to the safe it is kept properly balanced, always keeping the weights below enough heavier than the safe and its contents, so that when released it will ascend of its own accord, and may be lowered to its proper positio'n'by a slight pressure of the hand. This safe may be secured in its lowered position by means of any ordinary catch, lock, or fastening.

As thus constructed the safe can be opering food and other articles down into the cellar or cool room for their preservation, and then carrying them back upstairs again when they are desired for use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A safe the corners of which are of angle-iron, the rear posts being so placed that the sides of the iron will register with the backand ends of the safe, while the front posts are so placed that only one side of each post will register with the ends of the safe and the other side will project from the safe, in combination with guides within which the sides of the front postsare placed. g 2. A safe the sides of which are provided with flanges, in combination with guides provided with slots and having a channel or groove upon the inner edge of each and antifriction rollers journaled' along said channel.

JOSIAH O. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

JOHN SIEFFERMAN, A. M. CAMPBELL.

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