Filing cabinet

Application filed July 12. 1926. Serial No. 121,875.

This invention relates to filing, cabinets, more particularly to filing cabinets especially adapted for shelving books and its objects are the provision of a generally improved, 5 simplified and inexpensive construction having maximum capacity and maximum accessibility and more particularly a construction “for shelving a maximum number of books in a minimum amount of space and in io which the book may be conveniently exposed and convenient access to them permitted.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view in perspective of 15 a cabinet embodying the present invention showing the doors of the cabinet open and-one o'f the racks partially extended;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2—2 of Fig. 1;

²⁰ Fig. 3 is a .horizontal section taken on the line 3—3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail verticalsection taken on the line 1.--1 of Fig. 2; .

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section taken ²⁵ on the line 5—5 of Fig. 4;

Fig.¹6 is an enlarged front elevational view of the label holder for the racks;

Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 7—7 of Fig. 6;

pig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8—8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of a modified form of the label holder.

The. particular cabinet shown in the draw³⁵ ings comprises an enclosing · case 5, having a top 6, bottom 7, side walls 8, back wall 9 and an open front 10 provided with a pair of doors 11, hinged at 12 and meeting when closed at a vertical median line centrally of ⁴⁰ the front of the cabinet.

The wall construction of the case 5 may be such as now commonly employed in various vault and safe structures or it-may be of any suitable Or preferred construction. The ⁴⁵ doors 11 may likewise be of the usual vault or safe construction or they may be made up otherwise as desired. The cabinet may be provided with suitable rollers 14 for supporting and facilitating movement of the ^o0 same.

The interior of the cabinet is provided with four racks 16, 17, 18 and 19. Each of these racks is of a depth substantially equal to the depth of the interior of the case 5, so that in use the full depth of the case 5 is 55 utilized. The height of each rack 16, 17, 18 and 19 is substantially the same as the height of the interior of the case 5 but this may be varied as desired, as may be the number of racks employed and their particular ar- eo rangement and relative disposition in the case 5. In the particular embodiment of the invention:shown in the drawings, the racks 16, 17, 18 and 19 are substantially identical in their construction and dimensions so that 65 a detailed description of one will suffice for all. This may be varied, however, particularly to suit different filing conditions and to shelve books- of different sizes. For example, each rack instead of extending substantially ⁷⁰the entire internal vertical dimension of the case 5 may be divided up into two or more separate racks and some of the racks may be made wider than the others to accommodate books of greater width. ⁷⁵

Each of the racks 16, 17, 18 and 19 has a top wall 22, a bottom wall 23, front Avail 24, rear wall 25 and side Avail 26. The other side of each rack is open as indicated at 27. These open sides 27 preferably, altho of 80 course not necessarily, face the same side of the case 5.

Extending transversely thru the inside of the case 5 and above the racks 16,17, 18 and 19 are a pair of blocks or bars 30 and 32. 85 Rigidly hung or suspended from these bars 30 and 32 at their opposite ends are the stationary guide bars 34 one of which extends longitudinally and centrally above each of the racks 16, 17, 18 and 19. For suspending 80 the bars 34 from the blocks 30 and 32 straps 35 may be employed one secured to each of the blocks 30 and 32 at each of the opposite ends of the bars 34 and extending thru and welded, riveted or otherwise suitably secured 85 to the opposite ends of the bars 34.

Hung upon each bar 34 is an extensible guide composing a pair of opposed channels 38 secured together as by means of rivets (Fig. 4). Longitudinal strips .42 secured to ¹⁰⁰

1,750,291 the channels 38 carry rollers 43 which are interposed between the upper surface of the bars 34 and the upper horizontal flanges 45 of the channels 38.

_δ A second bar 50 underlies each of the bars 34 and one of the bars 50 is secured or carried by each of the racks 16, 17, 18 and 19 and is in turn supported and'guided by the carriage and guide which comprises the op10 posed channel members 38. A plate member 52 suitably secured to the forward end of each of the relatively movable bars 50 is in turn suitably secured as by bolts 53 to an angle plate 54. The base 55 of each angle plate 54 15 is welded or otherwise suitably secured at 56 to the rack associated therewith and thereby fastens the forward end of the bar 50 to the rack for movement therewith. Rollers 60 which may be mounted between the channel 20 members 38 similar to the rollers 43 are supported upon the lower horizontal flanges 62 of the channel members 38 (Fig. 4) and the bar 50 bears upon these rollers 60 and rolls or slides longitudinally (with respect to the 25 depth of the racks) over the same.

The upper flanges 45 of the channel members 38 by their cooperation with the rollers 43 mount the carriage upon the bar 34 for free sliding or rolling movement over the 30 bearings 43. The rear or inner ends of the bars 50 are secured to the inner or rear ends of the racks 16, 17, 18 and 19 respectively by means of strap members 65.

Each rack 16, 17, 18 and 19 is provided 35 with a plurality of horizontal shelves 70. These shelves 70 support the books or other material and they are spaced to receive and accommodate the books 78 between them as shown in Fig. 1. The shelves 70 are sup40 ported at their opposite ends by attachment to the front and rear walls 24 and 25 of the respective racks and to permit adjusting the vertical positions of the shelves 70 to accommodate books of different heights, this at45 tachment of the shelves to the end walls 24 and 25 of the racks is preferably adjustable. It comprises a plurality of vertically spaced apertures 72 thru the end Avails 24 and 25 of the racks and bolts or screws 73 Avhich are 50 adapted to be inserted thru these apertures 72 and thru the doAvn turned end flanges 74 of the shelves 70 and engaged in suitable nuts 75. The screAvs or bolts 73 are selectively insertable thru the aperture 72 to change the 55 vertical position of the associated shelf 70.

The front Avail of each rack 16, 17, 18 and 19 is proA'ided Avith a suitable draAver pull 80 suitably attached thereto at a convenient height for pulling the racks into extended ^eo position from the case 5.

In use, the space horizontally betAveen the rollers 60 being fixed, relative longitudinal movement between the rack with its bar 50 and the carriage comprising the opposed ⁶⁵ channel members 38 is limited by engage ment of the straps 65 Avith the rearAvardmost roller 60. If upon grasping the finger piece or pull 80 and draAving the rack out, the carriage moves with it, the rack can be AvithdraAvn beyond the limit of extension of the ₇₀carriage and if the rack moves out first, tlie carriage Avill be extended at the limit of the relative movement betAveen the rack and carriage. The overhead suspension devices thus provide for obtaining a double or plural ex- ₇₅tension for each rack, so that each of the racks 'may be extended a distance greater than the depth of the cabinet. In this manner, full access to each rack may be obtained even with an adjacent rack partially extend- ₈₀ed and without necessitating moving the partially extended rack back fully into the cabinet in order to obtain such access.

Maximum capacity within a limited space is provided and at the same time maximum gs accessibility to the books 78 is permitted. The full depth of the cabinet is utilized and upon extending the rack, all of the books therein are exposed in upright position with all of the title and identification bearing backs thereof go exposed just as they Avould be upon a rack or in the usual single row bookcase.

The dotted lines in Fig. 2 shoAV one of the racks in extended position. The manner of suspending or mounting the racks permits 95 convenient extension and retracting thereof and permits maximum loading of the racks without sagging or warping when in extended position.

The books are shelved in rows thru the in- 100 terior of the case 5 and any desired row may be so drawn or extended from the case 5 that all of the books in any particular row may be conveniently exposed in upright position for selection or removal or the racks may be 105 extended for convenient loading or placing of the books therein. The necessity of access spaces between the rows of books is avoided and a compact arrangement thereby secured.

Each rack may be provided with a label no holder 85 for labeling the contents of the particular rack. For example, where ledgers, dockets, correspondence or other records which are identified numerically or by dates or the like are placed in the rack, the label 115 may be marked to indicate the particular series or group of books in the rack with which it is associated.

The label holder 85 shown in Figs. 6 and 7 comprises a metal frame 86 secured to the 120 front Avail of the rack by suitable fastening means 87. The frame 86 is open at 88 to permit the label to be''viewed therethru. The top of the frame is open at 89 to permit insertion of the label and the side and lower 125 edges are closed to hold the label in place.

The label employed may comprise an outer sheet of celluloid or the like 90 and a marking sheet 92 of carbon or colored wax paper or the like with the carboned or waxed surface 130

1,750,291 of the sheet 92 presented to the celluloid sheet 90 so that by marking the desired legend upon the sheet 90 with a suitable implement, the waxed surface of the sheet 92 will ₅ adhere to the sheet 90 along the lines marked and will show the marking or legend on the sheet 90 just as if written with pencil or ink thereon. An effacing strip 93 lies between the sheets 90 and 92 with an upwardly extending ₁₀ portion 94 which is adapted to be grasped to move the strip 93 between the sheets separating the same and effacing the markings from the sheet 90. This provides a label which can be conveniently changed from time to time ₁₅ and is especially suitable where the books 78 are stored only temporarily in the racks of the cabinet.

The label means of Figs. 8 and 9 is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 6 20 and 7 with the exception that the effacer comprises an arm 93' pivoted at 95 and adapted to be swung between the sheets 90' to separate them and efface the marking or legend when it is desired to change the same.

The lower ends of the racks 16, 17, 18 and 19 are separated and guided in their movement by guides 100 suitably mounted upon the floor or bottom of the case 5.