Supports: cabinet structure – Gang-bar type locking or latching means – Concealed
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-19
2001-05-29
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3624)
Supports: cabinet structure
Gang-bar type locking or latching means
Concealed
C312S218000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238024
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an interlock mechanism of the type typically incorporated in a multiple drawer vertical filing cabinet. More particularly, this invention relates to a linkage member or connecting stub alone and in combination as used in a filing cabinet drawer interlock mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
Vertical drawer filing cabinets may have two or more drawers mounted in a cabinet frame vertically one above the other. When one drawer is opened to its fullest extent, for access to the contents thereof, the center of gravity of the cabinet is offset. A common problem with such multi-drawer filing cabinets is the tendency of the filing cabinet to tip if more than one drawer is opened at the same time, possibly causing injury or damage.
File cabinet manufacturers, have for years, installed various devices known as interlock mechanisms in multi-drawer filing cabinets to prevent this occurrence. Such interlock mechanisms employ linkages, activator cams, levers and various other components, so that when one drawer is opened, the interlock mechanism precludes movement of other drawers to an open position. The result is that when one file cabinet drawer is opened, the remainder of the file cabinet drawers are locked and cannot be opened until the first drawer has been returned to a closed or unlocked position. The make up and assembly of a typical filing cabinet and interlocking mechanism requires that the interlocking mechanism be placed inside the filing cabinet at the time the filing cabinet is manufactured. U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,030, titled Anti-Tip Device and issued to Wolfgang Derle and Ronald G. Schenk on Oct. 4, 1994, incorporated herewith by reference, discloses such a prior art cabinet interlock mechanism. Generally, filing cabinets are dependable products. Unfortunately, due to general wear and tear or use, the cabinet components require service or repair from time to time. A drawback of existing filing cabinet interlock mechanisms is that the installation, assembly, disassembly, replacement and repair of the filing cabinet drawers, interlock mechanisms or other cabinet components must be usually done in a particular sequential order and often requires disassembly of the entire filing cabinet including removal of all drawers to effect a minor part repair. This drawback often results from the design of the interlock mechanism components, for example, the design of the linkage member or connecting stub of the interlock mechanism. Such is the situation in the mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,030, titled Anti-Tip Device. This drawback may require that the filing cabinet be taken apart in order to service the filing cabinet's interlock mechanism, which is a very time consuming and expensive proposition.
There is thus a need for an improved connecting stub, or linkage member, that will permit servicing of any damaged drawer, drawer slides, or interlock mechanism without the need to take apart the filing cabinet in any particular sequential order or require removal of all drawers in order to service the interlock mechanism. There is an additional need for an interlock mechanism that may be readily assembled or repaired in the field without removal of all file cabinet drawers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention is an improvement of the mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,030, the improvement comprising an easily removable and replaceable connecting stub, or linkage member, which is combined with vertical connecting rods, or interconnecting members, that interlink with a series of vertical drawers and activator cams. The improved connecting stub includes a shaped pocket that detachably retains a vertical connecting rod, or interconnecting member. The connecting stub design allows a linkage rod to be “snapped” into the shaped pocket laterally rather than axially. As a result, the vertical connecting rod can be disengaged and replaced in the field. The construction of the connecting stub, which produces a “snap” action, facilitates the installation, assembly, disassembly, replacement or repair of file cabinet drawers, drawers slides or an interlock mechanism in the field without the need to take the entire filing cabinet apart from top to bottom in a sequential order or without removal of all drawers in order to repair the interlock mechanism.
In a preferred embodiment, the connecting stub has at least two adjacent and contiguous sections. A first section is a cam follower surface for interacting with an activator cam mounted on a drawer slide. A second section is a stub pocket, or cutaway annular section or pocket with or without a counterbore opening that will receive the end of a vertical connecting bar, or interconnecting member. The partial pocket is formed or adapted to permit insertion and removal of a vertical connecting bar to and from the partial pocket in a direction lateral or transverse to the normal direction of movement of the stub, i.e. the direction of movement of the connecting stub, or linkage member, when opening or closing the drawer.
In the preferred embodiment, a vertical connecting bar is a cylindrical vertical connecting rod and the connecting stub is a planar cam follower with a stub pocket that comprises a counterbore opening extending slightly axially into the connecting stub and adapted to receive the end of a vertical connecting rod but limited in depth so as to permit removal of the vertical connecting rod laterally from the pocket. The connecting stub further comprises a semi-cylindrical or partially annular pocket that is sized to receive and retain the rod in the partial pocket by elastic tabs, which have an arc segment subtending an angle greater that 180 degrees, that fit over or cover at least partially the vertical connecting rod.
The connecting stub can alternatively be considered to have three adjacent and contiguous sections including a substantially planar cam follower surface, an axial stub pocket and a partial or semi-cylindrical pocket. The substantially planar cam follower surface has an axis of symmetry and an essentially rectangular cross-section with a predetermined length, width and thickness. The stub pocket has a counterbore opening of predetermined depth with an axial center line. The axial center line is substantially parallel to the axis of symmetry of the cam follower surface. The counterbore opening is adapted to receive the end of a vertical connecting rod but limited in depth so as to permit easy removal of the vertical connecting rod from the pocket. The partial pocket has a partial annular section which has an axial center line substantially parallel to the axial center line of the stub pocket. The partial pocket further comprises a top portion, or elastic retention tabs, which subtend an arc segment. The partial pocket receives a vertical connecting rod, or interconnecting member, which is “snapped” and retained in place in substantially coaxial alignment with the axial center line of the stub pocket. The partial pocket permits insertion and removal of the vertical connecting bar to and from the partial pocket in a direction lateral or transverse to the axis of the pocket. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the stub pocket and partial pocket are adapted to receive and retain a vertical connecting rod which has a cross-sectional area configuration that matches the cross-section of the stub pocket and partial pocket.
An object of the present invention is to facilitates the installation, assembly, disassembly, replacement or repair of file cabinet drawers, drawers slides or interlock mechanisms in the field without the need to take the entire filing cabinet apart from top to bottom in a sequential order.
Another object of the present invention is to facilitates the installation, assembly, disassembly, replacement or repair of file cabinet drawers, drawers slides or interlock mechanisms in the field without the need to remove all drawers in order to repair the interlock mechanism.
A further object of the present
Banner & Witcoff , Ltd.
Cuomo Peter M.
Tran Hanh V.
Waterloo Furniture Components Ltd.
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