US3252746A

US3252746A - Filing cabinet and latching mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3252746A
Application number: US389411A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Kafferlin; Gene B Hasbrouck; Travers Q Stohlberg
Original assignee: Corry Jamestown Corp
Current assignee: Corry Jamestown Corp
Priority date: 1964-08-13
Filing date: 1964-08-13
Publication date: 1966-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-24

Description

y 1956 w. H. KAFFERLIN ETAL 3,252,746

FILING CABINET AND LATCHING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS:

WILLIAM H. A u

GENE 6. HA 5 BY TRAVERS 0 $1 a Filed Aug. 13, 1964 May 24, 1966 w. H. KAFFERLIN ETAL 3,252,746

FILING CABINET AND LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 13, 1964 2 SheetsSheet 2 IN VENTOR.

WILLIAM H. KAFFERLI N GENE a. HASBROUCK BY TRAVERS o. STOHLBERG WM M/p/ United States Patent 3,252,746 lFllLlING CABHNET AND LATfll-IING MECHANISM William H. Kalferlin, Spring (Ireek, and Gene B. Hasbroncir and Travers Q. Stolllberg, Corry, Pa., assignors to Corry Jamestown Corporation, Corry, Pa., 21 corporation of New York Filed Aug. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 389,411 Claims. (Cl. 312-2343) This invention relates to a handle and latching arrangement for sliding drawers of desks, cabinets, and the like, and is more particularly directed to a handle that incorporates a finger actuated latch mechanism by which the operator may releasethe drawer for withdrawal from a closed or confined position.

Drawer latches heretofore devised have been provided with an actuating member located adjacent a handle or pull. The purpose of such a latch is to prevent inad vertent partial opening of a drawer which might occur as a result of vibration, too vigorous movement of a drawer in a closed position and other causes, It has been discovered that a latch mechanism may be incorporated in a handle, the handle being recessed into the front of the drawer so that as the operator inserts his fingers into the recess, the tips of his fingers engage the latching mechanism and further movement of his fingers into the recess unlatches the drawer in a natural or instinctive manner. Thus, the operator, in grasping the handle, automatically engages the latching mechanism with his fingers. The handle herein has the additional advantage that the actuating mechanism is concealed and does not interfere with the aesthetic appearance of the drawer.

Objection has occasionally been raised with respect to combined handle and latch structures; namely, that their generalstructure is such as to distract from rather than enhance the general appearance of a drawer front. This is due, in part, to the fact that the operative member rested against the face of the drawer front and repeated movement thereof scratched or completely wore off the paint or other finish from the drawer, thus creating an unsightly blemish or scar.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a drawer latch in combination with a handle and latch operating member which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, evenly operated, and readily installed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drawer latch operative member which is so supported that it is completely concealed from view, yet may be readily and conveniently engaged by the fingers of the operator when grasping the drawer handle.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a combination drawer latch and handle wherein the handle comprises a member recessed into the front of a drawer and the latch mechanism is disposed inside the recess.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a drawer latch operative member which is installed at a point behind the front vertical surface of the drawer in order to conceal the latching mechanism inside the drawer front.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved recessed index card inside the combination latch and handle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a drawer according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the drawer and latching mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 moved to position to release the drawer for withdrawal;

FIG. 5 is a schematic View of the latching mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial view of the latching mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the actuating mechanism; and

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view showing the actuating and indexing system in combination.

The structure of the drawer disclosed herein has the advantages of appearance of the drawer shown in Patent No. 3,120,984, yet retains the reliable latching structure such as disclosed in Patent No. 2,732,240.

Now with more particular reference to the drawings, the reference number 10 generally designates a conventional file drawer front to which the present invention is applied. It will be understood that the entire latch structure is concealed behind the front panel of the drawer and is disposed in the space between the front panel 11 and the inner closing plate 18 so that when the drawer is viewed from the front, the viewer sees only the front panel with the rectangular opening 12 therein and the rearwardly inclined plate 17 inside the opening. The display plate 30 may be used to support a suitable index card or the like.

The drawer is shown supported on the drawer guides 13 which are of conventional design and are provided with a notch at the front edge which is defined at its extreme front portion by the keeper 26. This keeper is engaged by the hook 24 on the latch 23. The drawer and drawer guides are generally of the construction shown in Patent No. 2,732,240 and, as indicated herein, the latch 23 may move upward when the drawer is moved to closed position and the hook may slide along the upper surface of the keeper when the drawer is moved into closed position until the hook passes the keeper and the drawer is in fully closed position as shown in FIG. 3.

The latching mechanism is made up principally of three operative parts which are the actuator bar 15, the conmeeting link 16, and the latch 23. The latch 23 is generally U-shaped. Hook 24 forms one leg of the U. The intermediate part 40 of the U-shaped latch has a slot which has a notch 42 which receives a guide member 43.

The leg 46 of latch 23 is received between the legs of the channel which makes up link 16.

The actuating assembly is made up principally of the bracket 32, actuator bar 15, and connecting link 16.

The bracket 32 supports the actuator bar and connecting link on the drawer. The bracket may be made of a die casting or plastic molding and it has the two laterally, generally parallel disposed sides 36 which are connected together by the upwardly and inwardly inclined display plate 30. The bracket 32 is shown supported on the front panel 11 on the inside thereof by means of small flanges 2t) which are welded to the inner side of the front panel 11 and extend into slots 34 in the sides 36.

Each of the sides 36 has an opening 22 therein, which is shaped like a piece of pie. These openings have a lower downwardly and forwardly inclined side 38 and an upwardly and inwardly inclined side 39 that converge and meet at the side adjacent the file and an arcuate side 40 connects the

sides

38 and 39 at their ends opposite where they meet.

The actuator bar 15 rests on the lower side 38 of the opening 22 when in unactuated position. Thus, the actuator bar is suspended between the two sides 36 of the bracket and rests on the lower side 38 thereof. A handle 14 is supported inside the opening in the drawer front and it has a rearwardly extending flange 20 which overlies the actuator bar 15. An index card may be supported on the plate 17 which rests at its lower end on the flange 41 on the bracket and at its upper end on the inner closing plate 18. The actuator bar normally inclines downwardly and rearw-ardly as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. As indicated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the actuator bar 15 has an extension 60 on its left end which is received in opening 45. The opening 45 has enlarged ends 27 and the extension 60 has an upwardly turned end 61. The actuator bar 15 has an upwardly turned car 21 on one end which prevents it from moving laterally out of the openings in the bracket. The actuator bar 15 is received in the openings 22 and its end 25 is turned up and extends through the opening 45 in the connecting link 16. The connecting link 16 extends downwardly and has the hook 24 connected to it. Hook 24 has its inner end 28 attached to the latch 23. Thus, when the actuator bar rocks in openings 22, the actuator bar will rotate and it will raise and lower the connecting link 16 and thereby raise and lower the latch 23 into and out of engagement with the keeper 40. The handle 14 may be made of suitable design to provide a pleasing appearance and, also, to provide a structurally rigid finger engaging member. The rearwardly extending flange 20 of the handle 14 adds strength to the handle 14. This handle is disposed in slot 34.

The plate 17 is made of clear plastic material and may be suitably finished to provide a pleasing appearance for the inside of the cavity just behind the rectangular opening 12 in the front panel 11. The plate 17 is supported on the display plate 30 and may overlie index card 31.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a file drawer and a latch mecharnsm,

a drawer having a front defined by a front panel and an inner closing plate disposed in general parallel relation and defining a space therebetween,

an opening in said front panel,

an actuator bar extending laterally of said drawer and having an axis disposed laterally of said drawer, said actuator bar being disposed between said front panel and said inner closing plate above said opening to rotate about said aXis,

a latching member supported on said drawer for securing said drawer to a cabinet,

said actuator bar having an extension received in an opening in said latching member connecting said actuator bar to said latching member to move said latching member up when said actuator bar is rotated in one direction and to'move s-aid latching member down when said actuator bar is moved in another direction,

said actuator bar being adapted to be engaged by the fingers of an operator inserted in said opening to rotate said actuator bar about said axis whereby said latch may be moved to release said drawer.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein a handle member is attached to said cabinet and defines the upper side of said opening.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein an upwardly and rearwardly extending plate defines the rear side of said opening,

said upwardly and rearwardly extending plate being disposed adjacent said front panel at its lower edge and adjacent said inner closing plate at its upper edge.

4. In combination a drawer having a front and a latch means therefor,

said latch means comprising a bracket attached to said drawer front,

said bracket having side members extending from said drawer front,

an opening in each said side member,

each said opening being defined by an upper side and a lower side diverging from each other,

an actuating bar made of flat material resting at each end on the said lower side of each said opening,

a latch,

means attaching said lock means to said actuating bar,

and an opening in said drawer front whereby access may be had to said actuating bar.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein means is provided for supporting an index card on said bracket inside said opening in said drawer front.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,934,397 11/1933 Bales 312-320 X 1,963,954 6/1934 Clark 312-320 2,335,391 11/1943 Cushing 312-320 X 2,732,240 1/1956 Hutzelman 292- 3,107,958 10/1963 Robbins 312-320 3,120,984 2/1964 Stohlberg 312-320 FOREIGN PATENTS 568,243 12/1958 Canada.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, FRANK B. SHERRY,

Examiners.

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION, A FILE DRAWER AND A LATCH MECHANISM, A DRAWER HAVING A FRONT DEFINED BY A FRONT PANEL AND AN INNER CLOSING PLATE DISPOSED IN GENERAL PARALLEL RELATION AND DEFINING A SPACE THEREBETWEEN, AN OPENING IN SAID FRONT PANEL, AN ACTUATOR BAR EXTENDING LATERALLY OF SAID DRAWER AND HAVING AN AXIAL DISPOSED LATERALLY OF SAID DRAWER, SAID ACTUATOR BAR BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FRONT PANEL AND SAID INNER CLOSING PLATE ABOVE SAID OPENING TO ROTATE ABOUT SAID AXIS, A LATCHING MEMBER SUPPORTED ON SAID DRAWER FOR SECURING SAID DRAWER TO A CABINET, SAID ACTUATOR BAR HAVING AN EXTENSION RECEIVED IN AN OPENING IN SAID LATCHING MEMBER CONNECTING SAID ACTUATOR BAR TO SAID LATCHING MEMBER TO MOVE SAID LATCHING MEMBER UP WHEN SAID ACTUATOR BAR IS ROTATED IN ONE DIRECTION AND TO MOVE SAID LATCHING MEMBER DOWN WHEN SAID ACTUATOR BAR IS MOVED IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, SAID ACTUATOR BAR BEING ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE FINGERS OF AN OPERATOR INSERTED IN SAID OPENING TO ROTATE SAID ACTUATOR BAR ABOUT SAID AXIS WHEREBY SAID LATCH MAY BE MOVED TO RELEASE SAID DRAWER.