Wall cabinet with lighting fixture to illuminate the interior thereof and direct light downwardly therefrom

April 29, 1952 c. s. motter 2,594,792

WALL CABINET WITH LIGHTING FIXTURE TO ILLUMINATE THE INTERIOR

THEREOF AND DIRECT LIGHT DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM

Filed Jan. 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2594792A_D0001.tif" />

April 29, 1952 c. s. motter 2,594,792

WALL CABINET WITH LIGHTING FIXTURE TO ILLUMINATE THE INTERIOR THEREOF AND DIRECT LIGHT DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM

Filed Jan. 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2594792A_D0002.tif" />

<img file="US2594792A_D0003.tif" />

April 29, 1952 c. s. motter 2,594,792

WALL CABINET WITH LIGHTING FIXTURE TO ILLUMINATE THE INTERIOR

THEREOF AND DIRECT LIGHT DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM

Filed Jan. 2, 1948

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US2594792A_D0004.tif" />

Patented Apr. 29, 1952

2,594,792

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,594,792

WALL CABINET WITH LIGHTING FIXTURE TO ILLUMINATE THE INTERIOR THEREOF AND DIRECT LIGHT DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM

Charles S. Matter, Chicago, III., assignor to Morton Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Hl., a corporation of Illinois

Application January 2,1948, Serial No. 243

Claims.

My invention relates to a wall, cabinet for use primarily in kitchens, pantries, or the like and has for its primary object the provision of a wall cabinet in the bottom compartment of which cabinet an electric lighting fixture is mounted, which is so positioned that illumination of the interior of the cabinet is provided and also illumination is provided below the cabinet for use particularly when a cabinet is mounted above a sink, above a stove or over a table in a pantry or the like.

Another and' further object of my invention is the provision of a cabinet in which a lighting fixture can.be positioned in such manner that should it become necessary or advisable to remove the lighting fixture for purposes of repair or the like, the fixture can be easily and quickly removed from the cabinet and taken to a repair shop for whatever repair may be necessary without the removal of the cabinet from the wall or attempting to repair the fixture while mounted in the cabinet.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a wall cabinet having the usual bottom and a false bottom spaced upward from the usual bottom both of said bottoms ^being secured firmly to the back wall along their rear sides, to the end walls at each of their ends and secured together at their front marginal edges below the door opening thereby providing a wall cabinet which is sturdy in. construction and which in effect forms a foundation upon which the balance of. the structure is supported, each of the said bottoms having openings in the center thereof adjacent which the lighting fixture is mounted and which is supported by each of the said walls and forms an integral part of the cabinet: insofar as appearance is concerned.

Another and further object of my invention, is the provision of. a cabinet which, if desired, can be made from, the: same patterns, dies, equipment and the like without' a lighting fixture and sold without a lighting' fixture so that two cabinets, one for use with a lighting fixture and one without a, lighting fixture can be manufactured from the same-dies, equipment and the like, thus materially reducing the cost of manufacture of the cabinet and likewise reducing the stock of cabinets which a distributor may find, necessary to keep on hand to supply his trade.

Another and further object of my invention is the combination of' a wall cabinet and a lighting fixture so mounted that the entire interior of the cabinet is lighted when desired and at the same time a. table-, top,. sink, work table, cooking (Cl., 24.0—40 range or the like is also illuminated for convenience of kitchen and pantry operations conducted. thereon without, interference because- of shadows or. the like, and without the: user de5 pending upon other or independent sources of light which would: not provide adequate' or sufficient light, for proper illumination for either, the interior of the cabinet or for a work surface· below the cabinet..

These and other objects of my invention will be more fully and better understood by reference to' the accompanying: sheets of. drawings, and: in which.: .

Figure. 1. is a. top elevational view of a wall 15 cabinet embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a. front elevational. view of the cabinet showing' a lighting fixture installed therein;

Figure 3: is. an end. elevational· view of. the wall cabinet shown, in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an. enlarged detailed sectional view of the bottom portion, of the cabinet and. lighting fixture;.

Figure 5 is a. view similar to Figure 4 in which thf&gt;'lighting fixture is omitted.;

²⁵ Figure 6 is: a top elevational view of a lighting fixture for use: with the cabinets, illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive;·

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of the fixture illustrated in. Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of the lighting fixture illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

Referring now specifically to the drawings and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a complete wall cabinet is 35 shown comprising a back'section 19, which at its upper edge 11 is fashioned into U-shaped section and has an outwardly extending flange 12 along its lower edge; with· vertical extending stiffening angles 13, 13 provided for. giving, rigidity to the 40 back'wall 10 and providing solid means for securing the cabinet against a kitchen wall, a pantry wall, or the like. A ton member i 4 is provided which, overlies, the U-shaped section. I I of the back wall and has a flange 15 formed thereon at 45 its rear edge which is. spot welded' or otherwise secured to the-free leg of the U-shaped section, while at the front the top member 14,has a downward curved portion 16, with a bracing strip 17 being provided which has a flange !8 thereon 50 which is: spot welded to the. top member 14 and which has' a flange i 9 on its lower, forward edge, which, is also spot, welded, to the. forward marginal edge of the top member 14.

A sliding door runway 20 is provided along the 55 top of the: door opening of the cabinet having

2,884,782 grooves therein within which sliding glass doors 21 and 22 are mounted at their upper edges.

A bottom 23 is provided which has an extention 24 along its rear edge which underlies the flange 12 of the back wall 13 and is preferably spot welded thereto with the forward portion of the bottom 23 being upwardly curved at 25 and then turned upon itself to form a spaced flange 26 with a bracing member 27 being provided which has a flange 28 thereon at its forward edge which is fitted between the body of the curved portion 25 and the flange 26 and the unit spot welded together to secure the bracing member 27 in its proper position along its upper edge, and to provide rigidity to the front of the cabinet at its lower portion with a flange 29 being provided along the lowei· edge of the bracing member 25 and which lies against the inner surface of the bottom 23 and is spot welded thereto to anchor the bracing member 27 at its inner lower side.

The bottom 23 has a rectangular opening 30 centrally located thereof which when a lighting fixture is not used has a cover plate 31 extending thereover. The cover plate 3 ί is held in position to the bottom 23 by a plurality of screws 32, 32 positioned around its marginal edges which overlap the bottom 23. A false bottom member 33 is provided having flanges 34 formed at each of its ends and a flange 35 extending along its real· portion, the flange 35 being spot welded to the rear wall !0 of the cabinet. Along the forward edge of the false bottom 33 which is spaced upward from the bottom 23 flange portions 35 and 36 are formed, the portion 3S extending parallel with the forward edge portion of the brace 27 and is spot welded thereto with the lower door guideway 37 being provided which is fitted into the channel formed by the flange 35 and the inturned end 26 of the bottom 33. The guideway 37 has door receiving channels therein to receive and support the sliding doors 2i and 22 at their lower edges. These doors are placed in offset relation with each other and are of a length approximately one half the length of the cabinet so that they can be moved to open Or closed positions as may be desired during the use of the cabinet.

The false bottom 33 has a rectangular shaped elongated opening formed therein which is opposite the major portions of the opening 30 in the bottom 23 of the cabinet and is formed by striking out a section 38 of the false bottom 33 which is bent longitudinally intermediate its edge portions to form an upper reflector portion 39 placed in such a position that rays of light reflected therefrom pass upward into the interior of the cabinet and a lower reflector portion 43 placed in such a position that rays of light from the light fixture will be reflected generally in a downward and rearward direction through the opening 30 in the bottom 23. The false bottom 33 along the rear edge of the marginal opening has a flange 41 thereon from which a horizontal flange 42 extends, the forward edge of the flange 42 being free for purposes hereinafter described.

The struck out portion 38 at its base has a vertical flange 43 formed thereon upon which a horizontal flange portion 44 is provided, the flange portion 44 and the flange 42 forming a support for a glass section 45 which is used as a closure for the false bottom 33. End members 46 and 47 are provided which have flanges thereon which overlie the top member 14, underlie the bottom member 23, and are fitted against the rear wall 10, these flanges being spot welded to the members with which they are in contact so that a complete closure in cabinet form is provided. The flanges 34, 34 in the false bottom 33 are fitted against the end members 46 and 47 and welded thereto thus forming a rigid bottom construction for the cabinet. These end walls overlie the door runways 20 and 37 and form abutments against which the outer edges of the doors 21 and 22 abut.

Various arrangements of shelving can be provided in the cabinets depending on the purpose for which the cabinet is intended and hooks for cups and the like provided, if it is deemed desirable to do so. This arrangement for receiving means for the articles stored in the cabinet forms no part of the present invention. The shelves may be perforated, if desired, as shown in Figure 1, so that light passing through the glass 45 in the false bottom 33 of the cabinet passes upward throughout the interior of the cabinet so that the entire interior of the cabinet may be illuminated and dark corners and shadows eliminated to as great an extent as possible.

The lighting fixture adapted for use in this cabinet is illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 inclusive and includes an elongated casing which is attached to and supported by the bottom wall 23 and false bottom 33 and which is generally rectangular in cross section and formed of sheet metal having a top wall 48, a rear wall 49 and a second member with a front wall 50 and a bottom wall 51 having an extension 52 thereon which extends slightly beyond the rear of the back wall 4S and also has elongated portions 53 and 54 at each end thereof for attachment to the bottom wall 23.

Ears 55, 55 are provided which are integrally formed along the upper marginal edge of the forward wall 50 and which when the fixture is in position engage over the flange 42, Figure 4, with the rear portion 53 fitted against and overlapping an edge portion of the bottom 23 adjacent the opening 30 with a plurality of screws being provided which pass through the extensions 52, 53, and 54 to secure the lighting fixture in position in the space between the bottom 23 of the cabinet and the false bottom 33. The lighting fixture is a fluorescent type provided with tube receiving brackets 56 and 57 with the tube 58 being mounted therein, which tube extends parallel with and directly under the elongated opening in the bottom 23 and the false bottom 33 respectively. A switch 59 is provided with outlet plugs 60, 60 being also provided for electric cords for the operation of electrical units used in the kitchen and the like, if desired.

In normal operation of the cabinet assembly and use of the cabinet the light fixture is installed in position in the space between the false bottom 33 and the bottom 23 with the lugs 55, 55 engaging over the flange 42 and the plate 52 fitted against the underside of the bottom 23 adjacent the opening 30 with the projecting portions 53 and 54 of the bottom wall 51 being fitted against the bottom 23 adjacent the ends of the opening 30 and screws placed through the openings in the marginal edges of the bottom wall 5i and the lighting fixture thereby firmly fixed in position between the bottom 23 and the false bottom 33. The glass plate 45 is dropped into position so the rays of light passing from the tube 58 pass directly upward through this glass member 45 into the interior of the cabinet thereby illuminating it and other rays of light pass downward through

2,594,702 s

the opening 30 illuminating a sink, table, stove or the like below the cabinet while the rays of light striking against the angular face 39 are directed upward into the interior of the cabinet and other rays striking against the inclined sur- 5 face 40 are directed downward and towards the rear of the cabinet assisting in the illumination of substantially all of the space below the cabinet, thereby providing a practical, workable illuminating means both for the working surface below 10 the cabinet and to the interior of the cabinet.

If for any reason repair of the light unit should be required, it can be removed by reversing the operation herein described and taken out for repair services to an electric shop, if desired with- 15 out the necessity of removing the cabinet from its position on the wall, as well as removing the contents thereof, all of which causes trouble and inconvenience to the user.

While I have described more or less precisely 20 the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient 25 without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.