US924225A - Locking device for drawers and trays. - Google Patents

Description

W. H. P. FEELY. LOCKING DEVICE FOR DRAWPRS AND TRAYS. APPLICATION ExLEn JULY 15, 1908. RENEWED MAY 5, 1909.

924,225. Patented June 8, 1909.

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LOCKING DEVICE FOR DRAWERS AND TRAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

Application filed July 15, 1908, Serial No. 443,575. Renewed May 5, 1909. Serial No. 494,137.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. P. FEELY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Devices for Drawers and Trays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locking devices for drawers and trays; and it especially relates to improvements in looking devices for extension trays of wardrobe trunks.

It is a matter of great convenience to the user, that wardrobe trunks should be equipped with movable drawers or trays, and that there should be a simple andeasily operated device for simultaneously looking all the trays. I have therefore provided my wardrobe trunks with extension trays by which term I mean trays arranged in one part or compartment of the trunk so that the front of the trays extends out beyond the front of the compartment of the trunk in which the trays are situated. When the trunk is closed, the projecting part of the trays enters the other compartment of the trunk. In this manner relatively great depth and capacity can be given to the several trays, which is again a matter of great convenience to the user. But while my present invention is particularly adapted to use with the extension trays of a wardrobe trunk, it is of course, not restricted to such use, but isapplicable to all cases where a number of drawers or trays are contained in a single chamber, frame or holder, as in a clothes press, file case, bureau and the like.

In order that the locking device shall be always ready at hand, it is indispensable that it be attached permanently to the holder containing the trays; since otherwise it is liable to be mislaid, and not at hand when needed. But in order that it may fulfil the functions required of it, said locking device must also be readily movable from a locking to an unlocking position, and there must be some cooperating means for retaining said device in its closing position so that it cannot be accidentally displaced. This is especially important when the invention is applied to the trays of trunks, in which case, unless the locking device were provided with such retaining means, it would be displaced by the jolting of the trunk during transportation. I have therefore provided in this invention a device for simultaneously locking a plurality of trays, in combination with means for retaining said locking device in its closing position as long as desired.

Referring to the drawings which accom pany the specification, Figure l is a front elevation of a bank of extension trays in their casing or holder, and adapted for use in a wardrobe trunk. The locking device is shown in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same parts and in the same position. Fig. 8 is a broken top view and section on a large scale to clearly illustrate the details of the locking device.

The banks of trays AA having handles a of any number as desired, slide in and out in the usual manner in their casing B; bb being the partitions which support and separate the said trays. \Vhen the said trays are intended for wardrobe trunks, they are adapted to be placed in a compartment of such a trunk with their front sides extending out beyond the front of said compartment.

hen, the trunk is closed the projecting parts of the trays A and casing B enter the other compartment of the trunk. When the trunk is open, the position of the trays is such, that when the locking device is unlocked, all or each of the trays can be readily slid in and out of the casing B and out of the trunk.

Referring now particularly to the locking device to which the present invention especially relates, the same is constructed in the following manner: A rod D preferably of metal, and of a length sufficient to lock every tray A, is guided by eyes at its extremities on guides E, F, which are permanently fastened to said casing B. Said guides E and F are fastened at their inner ends about at the middle of the front of said casing B, and the outer. ends of said guides E and F are bent backwardly around the corner of said casing and fastened to the sides thereof, so that when said rod D is slid to the unlocking position it will be at the side of said casing B and out of the way of all the trays, which can then be freely opened. Said rod I) may be made of such size and shape as to have great stiffness, so that it can not be sprung out at the middle. But I prefer to make it of more convenient size and shape and to provide a guard G at about the center of the said rod, which guard G is generally similar to the said guides E, F, and is fastened at its ends to the front of one of the partitions and to the side of casing B as shown. Said guard G extends over said rod D and prevents the springing out of the middle thereof. My preferred means for retaining said rod D in the locking position consists of a spring H secured at one end to a partition Z), and provided with a head h so positioned as to clamp said rod D against the inner bent end of guard Gr, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The clear space between the front edge of the partition 6, and said rod D is sufficient to allow said rod D to be slid over the head h of said spring H when said spring is pressed inward by the user. It will be evident, that when said rod D is slid. laterally around the corner of the casing B, any or all of the trays may be drawn out. To lock the trays all of them are pushed fully back into the casing B; said rod D is then slid laterally on its guides E, F to its locking position snapping over the end of said spring H, and then being held thereby in its closing position until released by the user.

Now having described my improvements, I claim as my invention.

1. A locking device for trays, consisting of a laterally movable rod, a guide therefor permanently attached to the tray holder and extending laterally beyond the extreme ends of the trays, and means for retaining said rod in its locking position, substantially as described.

2. A locking device for trays, consisting of a laterally movable rod, guides engaging the extremities of said rod and being permanently attached to the tray-holder and extending laterally clear of the extreme end of the trays, and means for retaining said rod in its closing position, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a bank of trays, tray-holder, of a laterally movable rod permanently connected with the tray holder at one end, and movable to a position clear of the extreme ends of the trays, and a retaining spring for holding said rod in its locking position midway of the ends of said trays, substantially as described.

4:. The combination in a locking device, of a bank of trays, a holder therefore guides extending from the open side of the holder around to a closed side thereof, a locking rod laterally movable on said guides, and a retaining device for holding said rod in its locking position, substantially as described.

5. The combination with extension trays of wardrobe trunks, of a locking device for the trays consisting of a late ally movable rod adapted to simultaneously back all the trays and permanently connected with the tray-roller, and means for retaining said rod in its closing position, substantially as described.

Signed at New York city this 14th day of July, 1908.

lVILLIAM H. l. FEELY.

\Vitnesses H. V. BROWN, l/VAL'rnR N. Harms.

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