Filing drawer or the like

Dec. 6, 1938.

2,139,283

W. F. REGENHARDT

FILING DRAWER OR THE LIKE

Filed June 19, 1935

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ATTORNEY

Patented Dec. 6, 1938

2,139,283

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,139,283 FILING DRAWER OR THE LIKE Walter F. Regenhardt, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 19, 1935, Serial No. 27,283

Claims.

The present invention relates to filing drawers or the like and more particularly to filing drawers employing a follower file-back.

One of the objects of the present invention is 5 to provide for the quick release of the follower filing-back so that it can be slid horizontally within the drawer and to insure a binding relation between the back and the drawer wall accomplished by the manipulation of the file-back 10 itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of abutments on the drawer to be engaged by members on the file-back to limit the movement of these members and thereby limiting 15 the rearward movement of the file-back and which members are released from their binding relation with the abutments by merely pulling forwardly on the upper part of the file-back.

A further object of the present invention is to 20 pivotally attach a plurality of camming members on the file-back which members are adapted to cam themselves into binding relation with abutments in the file drawer when force is exerted rearwardly at the upper part of the file-back and 25 which are arranged to release this binding relation by merely pulling forwardly on the upper part of the file-back.

Further objections and advantages will be apparent from the following disclosure, reference 30 being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown:

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on 35 line I—I of Fig. 3 and also shows part of one of the guides broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the follower file-back in a different position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3—3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, and for the purpose of illustrating the application of the present invention in connection with a filing drawer for file 45 cabinets, there is shown a drawer 20. The opposite sides 21 and 22 and the bottom 23 of the drawer are preferably formed of sheet metal. A front 25 is suitably attached to the sides and bottom walls and is provided with a pull 26. 50 From the point 27 and rearwardly thereof the upper edges of the sides 21 and 22 are bent inwardly to form abutments 28 and then downwardly as at 29 to provide open bottom horizontal extending guides at the upper ends of the side 55 walls.

(Cl. 129—31)

The follower file-back 31 is also preferably formed of sheet metal and the lower part 32 is bent back on itself to form the slot 33 and is attached at 34 to the main body of the back 31 by spot welding or by rivets 36. For the purpose 5 of providing a facile manner of releasably holding the follower file-back in position, I provide members on the file-back which are arranged to impinge with the abutments 28 and the bottom wall 23 of the drawer 20. The bottom wall func- 10 tions as an abutment for the members. These members include a U-shaped camming member 37 having legs 38 and 39 and a connecting yoke 40. The yoke 40 is arranged to slide on the bottom 23 of drawer 20 and the legs 38 and 39 slide along 15 the side walls 21 and 22 of the drawer 20. The entire upper edges of legs 38 and 39 are inclined rearwardly to form camming surfaces 42. The file-back 31 is carried between the legs 38 and 39 and is pivotally connected to these legs by a roller 20 43 and a pin or shaft 44. The shaft 44 extends through the roller 43 and the opposite ends thereof are journaled in the legs 38 and 39. The roller 43 is disposed within the slot 33. Camming members 46 and 47 are arranged along the inner op- 25 posite sides 21 and 22 of the drawer 20 and extend into the guides formed by the downwardly extending portions 29 of the sides 21 and 22. The lower edges of the cam members 46 and 47 are inclined to form camming surfaces 48 which cor- 30 respond in an angular inclination with the camming surfaces 42 of the U-shaped camming members 37. A roller 50 is disposed in the upper part of slot 33 and receives a pin 51 which in turn has its opposite ends journaled to the cam members 35 46 and 47.

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows the follower fileback in its file holding position. When the upper part of the file-back 31 is moved forwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, the camming members 46 and 40 47 will be moved forwardly because of the interconnection of said file-back and members 46 and 47 through the roller 50 and pin 51. The camming members 46 and 47 will then slide downwardly on the camming surfaces 42 to release 45 the binding relation between the camming members 46, 47, yoke member 40 and the abutments 28 and 23; it being understood that bottom wall 23 of the drawer 20 forms an abutment for the camming member 37. When this binding rela- 50 tionship is released, the file-back 31 and the camming members 37, 46 and 47 can be slid horizontally on the bottom wall 23. When it is desired to fasten the file-back in position, it is necessary only to rotate the upper part of the file-back in 55

2,139,283 a rearwardly direction. This will cause the camming surfaces 48 to slide upwardly on camming ' surfaces 42 whereby the camming members 46 and. 4 7 will engage the top abutments 28 and then 5 by exerting a little more force in the same direction, the camming member 37 will be impinged tightly against the bottom wall 23 of the drawer.

If no front is provided, the file-back 31 and camming members 37, 46 and 47 can be inserted 10 from the front as an assembly, or, this assembly can be Inserted from the rear. However in the present embodiment wherein a front is provided for the cover and the rear is folded in as at 53, the assembly is inserted into the drawer from 15 the top, and to accomplish this, the guides 29 stop at 27 so that the assembly can be inserted forward of this point.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that it is necessary only to rotate the file-back itself in a 20 forward direction in order to release the same for sliding movement in the drawer and in order to hold the file-back in a desired position, it is necessary to rotate the file-back itself in a rearwardly direction.