US3850482A

US3850482A - Method of installing drawer guide, and structure

Info

Publication number: US3850482A
Application number: US00297844A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Gutner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-03-04
Filing date: 1972-10-16
Publication date: 1974-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-26

Abstract

A method of installing the stationary element of a two element slide-facilitating arrangement for a drawer in a furniture piece, the guide being anchored to the furniture front parting rail through the use of a rib-equipped plastic block positioned within the channel shaped guide.

Description

Unite States Patent .1191 111 3,850,482 Gutner Nov. 26, 1974 [5 METHOD OF INSTALLING DRAWER 2,559,322 7/1951 Skamser 312/346 2,698,214 12/1954 Skamser 312/346 GUIDE, AND STRUCTURE 3,215,476 11/1965 Jacobs 308/3.8 Inventor: Kenneth Gutner, 3285 Date, 3,650,577 3/1972 Gutner 312/347 Highland Park, 111. 62249 Filed; 06L 1972 Primary Examiner--Charles J. Myhre 2 A L N 297 4 Assistant Examiner-R. H. Lazarus 1 PP 4 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dawson, Tilton, Fallon &

Related US. Application Data Lungmus [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 121,025, March 4,

1971, Pat. No. 3,702,717.

' [57] ABSTRACT- [52] US. Cl. 308/311, 312/346 [51] lint. Cl. Flnc 21/00 A m ho f ins alling the stationary element of a two [58] Field of Search 308/36, 3.8; 312/342, element slide-facilitating arrangement for a drawer in 312/343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 330, 350, 351; a furniture piece, the guide being anchored to the fur- 211/162 niture front parting rail through the use of a ribequipped plastic block positioned within the channel [56]' References Cited shaped g UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,417,523 3/1947 Simpson 393/33 4 Clams 4 Drawmg figures METHOD OF INSTALLING DRAWER GUIDE, AND STRUCTURE This application is a continuation-in-part of my Application Ser. No. 121,025 filed Mar. 4, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,717.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention like that set forth in the above identified application has to do with a metal drawer guide in place of the long used wooden guide. Here it will be appreciated that for a number of years metal slides have been used on drawers (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,107) but that the stationary or male members have been constructed of wood. This has been the case notwithstanding the fact that wood guides are disadvantageous through the possibility of swelling or splintering, particularly when tightened with the usual wood screws. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, metal guides have not been used. The metal guide, in combination with a metal slide normally produces an irritating sound when metal is rubbed against metal. To a certain extent this can be damped when the drawer associated there with is filled with clothing. However, under these circumstances, there can be a pronounced tendancy of the drawer guide to collapse-it being appreciated that for a metal guide to be attractive in such an environment it must be inexpensive and easy to install. This necessarily leads to a relatively lightweight, i.e., thin gauge, which can tend to collapse or become distorted under heavy loadsparticularly when the drawer is pulled out and a good deal of its weight supported only on the forward end of the drawer guide.

These problems have been overcome according to the invention which provide substantial other advantages as well. According to the invention, a generally rectangular solid plastic block is installed in the forward end of the channel shaped guide. In addition to aiding in the dampening of the sound and providing unique rigidification or stabilization of the guide (particularly under load), the insert block also serves as an advantageous mounting for the securing wood screw which extends through the guide into the front parting rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION The invention is described in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a furniture piece, such as a dresser, showing the guide installed according to teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the guide of FIG. 1 with an insert block shown in the process of being installed in the front end of the guide;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inventive guide assembly where a wood screw is in the pro cess of being inserted through the block and guide into the front parting rail; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the block constructed according to teachings of this invention. Referring now to FIG. 1, the numeral designates generally a portion of a furniture piece such as a dresser and the numeral 11 generally the guide embodying teachings of this invention. The guide is seen to be installed between a front parting rail 12 and a rear parting rail 13. These rails, or equivalent structures, are provided in dressers, desks, etc. for separation of the various drawers, one above the other, and for mounting of the back panelin the case of the rear parting rail 13.

In general, the guide 11 includes a modified panel shape for engagement with a drawer slide (not shown) but which can be seen in my above mentioned patent.

As can be appreciated best from FIGS. 2 and 3, the channel-shaped guide 11 includes a bottom wall 14 and upstanding sidewalls l5 and 16. Each of these upstanding, opposed sidewalls l5 and 16 are in turn equipped with channel-like flanges as at 17 relative to the

sidewalls

15 and 18 relative to the sidewall 16. These channel-like flanges l7 and 18 cooperate with mating portions of the drawer slide (not shown) in achieving proper movement of a drawer (also not shown).

In accordance with the teachings of my above identified application, Ser. No. 121,025, U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,717, I provide the bottom wall 14 with an upset portion 19 which is intended to bitingly engage the rear facing surface of the front parting rail 12, thereby assisting in immobilizing the forward end of the guide 11.

For positively fixing the forward end of the guide 11 to the front parting rail 12, a plastic block generally designated 20 (see FIG. 4) is employed. The block 20 is seen to be generally of a rectangular solid configuration and can be advantageously constructed of a plastic material such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. The block 20 is seen to be equipped on oppo- .site sidewalls with integral

outstanding ribs

21 and 22.

It will be seen that the sidewalls l5 and 16 are equipped with aligned rib-receiving groove as at 23 and 24 (see FIG. 2). r

The bottom wall 14 of the guide 11 is equipped with a through bore as at 25 (still referring to FIG. 2) which ultimately receives the wood screw 26 (see FIG. 3). For this purpose, the block 20 is equipped with a through bore 27.

In the practice of the invention, the block 20 is inserted into the guide I1. Prior to that time, the guide 11 is equipped with the

grooves

23 and 24 and the through bore 25. When the block 20 is installed through the coaction of the

ribs

21 and 22 with the

grooves

23 and 24, the bore 27 in the block 20 is aligned with the bore 25 and the bottom wall 14. Thereafter the guide is positioned in place on the

parting rails

12 and 13, particularly careful attention being paid to the placement of the front end of the guide 11 on the front parting rail 12. In many instances, a gauge mark is provided centrally of the parting rail 12, i.e., midway between the frame part 10a and 10b (see FIG. I). Thereafter, the wood screw 26 is inserted and secured to the front parting rail 12.

The drawer is then inserted over the guide II which automatically positions the rear end of the guide 11. In the instance that the drawer slide is off center or there is some other distortion, it is possible to shift the front end of the guide slightly by virtue of the fact that the

bores

27 and 25 are elongated transversely of the guide, i.e., generally oval.

With the guide properly aligned with the slide of the drawer (not shown) the rear end of the guide can be secured in place. In many instances this is achieved through the employment of a wood screw 28 (see the left hand portion of FIG. 2) which extends forwardly and downwardly into the parting rail 13 at an angle of about 45. This is conveniently installed because the guide 11 is mounted in place prior to the application of the usually provided back panel (also not shown). A]- ternatively, a power tool may be employed to drive a screw vertically into the rear parting rail. in certain instances, however, it has been found to be advantageous to employ a second block as at 120 in FIG. 2 for the purpose of securing the rear portion of the guide 11 to the rear parting rail 13. In such a case, the rear ends of the sidewalls l and 16 are equipped with grooves (not shown) but which are the counterpart of those designated 23 and 24 relative to the front end of the guide 1 1. Also, a through bore (not shown) is provided equivalent to that designated 25 relative to the front end of the guide 11.

Through the use of the block an advantageous method of installation is provided in that the bore 27 in the block 20 provides a receptacle for the support of the wood screw during the threadible engagement of the screw with the parting rail 12. Also, the block stabilizes the guide against deformation at a critical area. It will be appreciated that when a drawer is partially pulled out of a dresser, desk, etc., the principal point subject to deformation from a sideways force on the drawer is the front end of the guide. Further, when the guide is tapped sideways during installation to obtain exact alignment, any undesirable deformation is avoided.

I claim:

1. A method of installing a drawer guide comprising the steps of inserting a rigid block into the forward end of an elongated channel-shaped metal guide, said guide having opposed rib-receiving grooves in the channel sidewalls adjacent said forward end and a screw passing bore in the channel bottom wall aligned with said grooves, said block having a generally rectangular solid configuration with integral vertically extending ribs on two opposite sides for receipt in said grooves, said block also having a vertical bore therethrough adapted to receive a wood screw and aligned with said ribs, positioning said block containing guide over a front parting rail of a furniture piece and centrally of a drawer opening, inserting a wood screw through said bores and securing said screw to said front parting rail, and securing the rear of said guide to a rear parting rail of said furniture piece.

2. A method of installing a drawer guide comprising the steps of inserting a rigid plastic block into the forward end of an elongated channel-shaped metal guide, said guide having opposed rib-receiving grooves in the channel sidewalls adjacent said forward end and a screw passing bore in the channel bottom wall aligned with said grooves, said block having a generally rectangular solid configuration with integral vertically extending ribs on two opposite sides for receipt in said grooves, said block also having a vertical bore therethrough adapted to receive a wood screw and aligned with said ribs, positioning said block containing guide over a front parting rail of a furniture piece and centrally of a drawer opening, inserting a wood screw through said bores and securing said screw to said front parting rail, and securing the rear of said quide to a rear parting rail of said furniture piece, said channel bottom wall being equipped with an upset portion spaced rearwardly of said bottom wall bore and in which said upset portion is bitingly engaged with said front parting rail prior to securing said wood screw.

3. A drawer guide installation comprising a furniture piece equipped with front and rear parting rails providing drawer support, an elongated metal guide extending between and secured to said parting rails, said guide having a general channel shape including a bottom wall and spaced-apart upstanding side walls, said side walls being equipped with opposed integral grooves in vertical alignment with said front parting rail, said bottom wall having a through bore aligned with said opposed grooves, a rigid plastic block positioned in said channel shape also vertically aligned with said front parting rail, said block being generally a rectangular solid having integral ribs projecting from a pair of opposite side walls and received in said grooves, said block having a vertical through bore aligned with said bottom wall through bore, a wood screw installed in said through bores and secured to said front parting rail, and means securing the rear of said guide to said rear parting rail.

4. A drawer guide installation comprising a furniture piece equipped with front and rear parting rails providing drawer support, an elongated metal guide extending between and secured to said parting rails, said guide having a general channel shape including a bottom wall and spaced-apart upstanding side walls, said side walls being equipped with opposed integral grooves in vertical alignment with said front parting rail, said bottom wall having a through bore aligned with said opposed grooves, a rigid plastic block positioned in said channel shape also vertically aligned with said front parting rail, said block being generally a rectangular solid having integral ribs projecting from a pair of opposite side walls and received in said grooves, said block having a vertical through bore aligned with said bottom wall through bore, a wood screw installed in said through bores and secured to said front parting rail, and means securing the rear of said guide to said rear parting rail, said channel bottom wall being equipped with an upset portion spaced rearwardly of said bottom wall bore and in which said upset portion is bitingly engaged with said front parting rail.

Claims

1. A method of installing a drawer guide comprising the steps of inserting a rigid block into the forward end of an elongated channel-shaped metal guide, said guide having opposed ribreceiving grooves in the channel sidewalls adjacent said forward end and a screw passing bore in the channel bottom wall aligned with said grooves, said block having a generally rectangular solid configuration with integral vertically extending ribs on two opposite sides for receipt in said grooves, said block also having a vertical bore therethrough adapted to receive a wood screw and aligned with said ribs, positioning said block containing guide over a front parting rail of a furniture piece and centrally of a drawer opening, inserting a wood screw through said bores and securing said screw to said front parting rail, and securing the rear of said guide to a rear parting rail of said furniture piece.