US979010A - Filing-cabinet. - Google Patents

Description

nrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH J. KUFFEL, 0F MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN.

FILING-CABINET.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPHJ. KUFFEL, of Manitowoc, WVisconsin, have invented a Filing-Cabinet, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to filing devices for counterslips used by retail merchants, and my object is to provide improved filingmeans whereby the charges against each customer may be filed separately where they can be got at in a moment without trouble.

As is well understood, retail merchants are accustomed to make memoranda of purchases by customers overthe counter and file these memoranda away for billing purposes, instead of entering them separately in a ledger. Now it is very desirable to know at all times how much is charged against a customer each time he makes a purchase, so that the total may be at hand, and to this end on each counterslip is added in the unpaid balance which stands against the customer from previous counterslips. Therefore, when a counterslip is made out, the last previous counterslip must be found in order that the balance may be added to the amount on the new slip.

According to my invention, I provide a filing case with individual drawers, each of the size of a counterslip, and I provide so many drawers as there are customers, or at least so many as there are frequent customers, one for each such frequent customer, and a number of other drawers for occasional customers to be filed alphabetically. I provide these drawers with means whereby, on pressing a button, the corresponding drawer will be shot out by a spring where the counterslip lying on top of the drawer can be read instantly and the drawer pushed back again.

In the most improved form of my invention I further provide means whereby the drawers are held from falling out when pushed forward by the spring, although they can be readily removed by a simple movement wheneverdesired. I further provide a special spring-flap over the top of each drawer which is adapted to hold the contents down and prevent them from becoming engaged in the drawer above when that is pushed out. I further provide means whereby the spring at the back of the drawer may be inspected; and I further provide a filingcabinet made in sections each of which can be removed separately, and the cabinet can Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 23, 1908.

Patented Dec.;20, 1910.

Serial No. 428,790.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, taken in connection with the following descrlption thereof.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a small-sized filing-cabinet of three sections according to my invention, all the drawers in the middle section being removed; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of one end of the cabinet, showing the drawer in plan; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the drawers.

In these drawings every reference letter and numeral refers always to the same part.

The cabinet as a whole comprises a set of metal sections a and an outer wooden case or box 6, which is made to fit any number of sections as may be desired. The case shown in the drawing accommodates only three sections of four drawers each, but it will be understood of course that ordinarily a merchant will require a case many times this size, the sections comprising say 20 to 30 drawers each. The sections are here shown as made of thin sheet metal such as tin plate,

having two outer side-walls c, d, top and bottom walls c and f, and a front face 9 which covers "a portion of the section lying to one side of the row of drawers. To the inner face of the left-hand side-wall c are cient force to propelthe drawer, when released in closed position, into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or if possible to throw it out as far as it will go; the drawer being held from falling out by a pair of small tabs or ears m formed on the front ends of the flange-pieces h, i, and which tabs or ears overhang the sides of the drawer and engage the rear edge a of the drawer at the limit of its outward movement, and prevent it from falling out. The

drawer is however easily removed by simply tilting its front end upward until the lower edge of the back clears the flanges 71,2 below the drawer, when it can be dropped slightly so as to disengage it from the tabs m. above it.

In order to retain the drawer in closed position I provide at one side of each drawer a hooked leaf-spring 0, which may be riveted to one of the flange-pieces i, and which is adapted to engage the end 7) of the spring 7.: which is made to extend over the rear face of the drawer as shown. This spring 0 is bent back and has an eye (1 thereon which receives the turned-down end of a rod 1*, which lat ter extends through the front face g of the section and is provided with a button 8 thereon, so that on pressing the button the spring 0 is thrown back out of engagement with the end 7) of the spring 71: and the drawer pushed out by the latter. A sleeve 25 is preferably secured to the inner side of the face as a guide for the rod 1' to prevent the turned down end thereof from becoming disengaged from the eye g.

In my most improved form I provide each drawer with a spring-flap 1?. which is secured to the rear edge of the drawer and normally stands up in the position shown in Fig. 3, but on pushing the drawer in is bent down so as to occupy a position overlying the contents of the drawer as shown in Fig. 2. Owing to the curvature of the spring, the contents are kept well out of contact with the drawer above and thus prevented from becoming engaged in any projecting part of said drawer and either crumpled up or pushed out at the back of the drawer, as often happens in filing cabinets. Each drawer will also ordinarily be provided with a label-holder 2* in which may be inserted a label 20 hearing the name of the customer or letters of the alphabet or such other matter as may he found convenient.

At the back of each section I arrange a sliding-plate a; which is made removable as shown by the dotted lines in order that the springs 7. may be inspected at a moments glance and any defective ones repaired, or other necessary repairs applied to the back of the section. It will be observed that the springs are so arranged that when the plate .r is removed they will open out and that said plate when returned to position will close up the springs again.

Having thus des'a'ibed my invention, what I claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a filing-cabinet. the combination of a case having a plurality of pairs of slides, drawers sliding on said slides. and downrardly projecting tabs on the front ends of said slides. said tabs extending within the drawers. and being adapted to engage the rear ends of the latter when the drawers are being pulled out.

In a filing cabinet, an integral sheet metal section comprising sides, top and bottom, a plurality of drawers sliding within said section, each provided with an ejecting spring, and a sliding-door at the hack of said section inclosing and forming an abut-- ment for said ejecting springs.

In combination in a tiling-cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, an ejecting spring secured near one end to a rear corner of said drawer and said end projecting over the edge of said corner, the body of said spring normally standing out from said drawer and being pressed flat against the back of said drawer by the back of the cabinet when said drawer is pushed into place, and a spring pawl secured at one end to the casing with its other end engaging said projecting end of the spring.

t. In combination in a filing-cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, an ejecting spring secured near one end to a rear corner of said drawer and said end projecting over the edge of said corner, the body of said spring 'normally standing out from said drawer and being pressed flat against the back of said drawer by the back of the cabinet when said drawer is pushed into place, a spring-pawl comprising a hooked strip of resilient material secured at one end to the casing and the hook of which engages the projecting end of said spring, one end of said strip being turned into an eye, and a rod having one end engaging said eye and the other end passing out at the front of said cabinet, whereby to release said pawl.

5. In combination in a filingcabinet, a drawer sliding therein, means for ejecting said drawer when released, and means for releasably confining said drawer in closed position, comprising, in connection with a projection on the side of said drawer, a spring-pawl having an eye thereon, and a slidable rod atthe side of said drawer having one end engaging said eye and the other end protruding from the front of thecabinet.

6. In combination in a filing-cabinet, a I

drawer sliding therein, means for ejecting said drawer when released,- and means for releasably confining said drawer in closed position, comprising, in connection with a projecting element on the side of the drawer, a strip of resilient material secured at one end to the casing and having an eye form-ed on the other end and a hooked portion intermediately thereof resiliently engaging said projecting element, and a sliding rod mounted at one side of said drawer and having one end protruding from the front of said casing and the other bent at right angles and engaging said eye.

7. In combination in a filing-cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, slides for said drawer and one or more projecting elements at the extreme outer end of the said slides immediately above the drawer, said projecting elements engaging the front face of the back of the drawer to prevent it from falling out, but allowing said drawer to be readily removed when tilted up until the bottom rear edge of the drawer is free from said slides, a removable back to the cabinet and a spring attached to the back of said drawer adapted when released to throw the same substantially all the way out until the back of the drawer strikes said projecting elements, and releasable means for holding said drawer in closed position.

8. In a filing cabinet, in combination with a case, a drawer sliding therein and a spring flap secured to the rear edge of said drawer and normally standing upright, said springflap being pushed down over the contents of the drawer by striking the part imme diately above the drawer when the drawer is pushed in, and having a medial downward sinuosity which rests upon the papers in said drawer and a distal upward sinuosity which abuts against the part immediately over the drawer, thereby keeping the papers within said drawer separated by a vacuity from the part overlying said drawer.

9. In combination in a filing cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, slides for said drawer, one or more projecting elements at the extreme outer ends of the said slides immediately above the drawer, a removable back to the cabinet, and a spring carried by the drawer, the pressure of which is sus tained by said back, said projecting elements engaging the front face of the back of the drawer to prevent it from falling out, but allowing said drawer to be readily removed when tilted up until the bottom rear edge of the drawer is free from said slides.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of April, 1908.

JOS. J. KUFFEL.

Witnesses THos. GnE'rz, PETER BONIN.

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