Base structure for multiple unit storage file

Sept. 19, 1961 _R s. shelly 3,000,684

BASE STRUCTURE FOR MULTIPLE UNIT STORAGE FILE

Filed April 30, 1958

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ATTORNEYS

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Patented Sept. 19, 1961 a corresponding rear frame member 17, the two being connected by side frame members 18, respectively.

The front and rear frame members 16 and 17 are advantageously pieces of ordinary 2 x 4” dimension lumber 5 sawed to the proper width for accommodating any particular multiple unit storage file or cabinet concerned. The side frame members 18 are advantageously each of sheet steel, having a strengthening flange 18α bent from and extending along its top edge.

In this way, the base structure 15 may be easily fabricated on the job to appropriate width from easily procurable lumber and pre-formed side frame members, the latter being easily fastened at their ends to the ends of the front and rear members by nailing or screwing. When 15 it is desired to expand the width of the multiple unit storage file or cabinet by adding more units, it is only necessary to add a supplemental base structure having frame members 16 and 17 cut to appropriate length. It should be realized, that the base frame may be made in various !0 ways, so long as a front frame member is provided for receiving the pre-formed supporting units about to be described.

In order to easily and economically provide a structural tie-in between the multiple unit storage file or cabi!5 net and the base structure, while retaining the expansible advantage explained above and obtaining desirable toeaccommodating space for users, as well as other advantages, such as scuff protection, ready demountability, firm' support at the cap end, etc., there are provided pre10 formed supporting units adapted to fit over and preferably resiliently engage the front frame member in side-by-side relationship and in a tight friction fit.

These pre-formed supporting units are preferably, as here shown at 26, fabricated from sheet steel by suitable 15 forming operations that are well known. They each comprise a base frame attachment portion 20α, FIG. 5, preferably of inverted U-formation arranged as a resilient clip for fitting over and frictionally engaging the frame front member 16, so as to secure the entire unit thereto,’ 0 and a supporting toe portion 20Z> projecting forwardly’ in cantilever fashion from the frame attachment portion 20α, flush with its top. Advantageously, as shown, the rear of the toe portion forms at least part of the front of the frame attachment portion.

As fabricated from sheet metal, each supporting unit 20 comprises a top plate 21, FIG. 5, a downwardly and backwardly inclined scuff plate 22 joined to the forward edge of the top plate by a line of bend 23, a depending scuff apron 24 joined to the lower edge of the scuff plate θ by a line of bend 25, a pair of side plates 26 of triangular formation joined to the lateral edges of the scuff plate by respective lines of bend 27, and a depending clip plate 28 joined to the top plate and depending from the rear edge thereof, the scuff plate providing the hypotenuse of the tri5 angular formation of the toe portion of the unit and the rearward part of the toe plate 21 forming, in effect, an integral rearward extension of the forward part thereof which serves as the top of the clip portion 20a of the unit.

While the entire unit, as so far described, may be cut 0 and bent to shape from a single blank of sheet steel or other suitable material, it is preferred that only the top plate, scuff plate, scuff apron, and side plates be so formed, the cut but unbent blank for same being shown in FIG. 6. The clip plate 28 is then attached, by welding to the top 5 plate 21 a relatively narrow engagement plate 29, from the rear edge of which clip plate 28 is bent, as illustrated.

The engagement plate 29 serves as means for interengagement with mating means at the undersurfaces of the front caps 12 of the storage receptacle units 10 of.

the lowermost horizontal course of same in the multiple unit storage file or cabinet. Considering the type of interengaging means provided by plate 29, the interen3,000,684

BASE STRUCTURE FOR MULTIPLE UNIT STORAGE FILE

Robert S. Shelly, Logan, Utah, assignor to Pack Manufacturing Company, Logan, Utah, a corporation of Utah ⁵Filed Apr. 30,1958, Ser. No. 731,988

Claims. (Cl. 312—253)

This invention relates to base structure useful for supporting storage files or cabinets made up of interlocked, io multiple storage units.

In my copending application Serial No. 582,803, filed May 4, 1956, entitled “Multiple Unit Storage File,” now Patent No. 2,872,265, issued February 3, 1959, I disclose a new type of storage receptacle unit having an elongate 15 body of paperboard material and metal end caps, such unit being adapted to interlock in multiple to form an integrated storage file or cabinet.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a base structure for such a multiple unit storage file 20 or cabinet which can be easily assembled by a purchaser of the storage receptacle units and which will effectively support the interlocked units in cabinet formation above floor level and will, at the same time, provide an accommodating recess for the toes of users standing before the 25 cabinet.

An important feature in the accomplishment of the above object is the provision of pre-formed supporting units adapted to clip onto the front frame member (and also, if desired, to the rear frame member) of a simple 30 base frame of rectangular formation, in side-by-side contiguous relationship, so as to forwardly overhang such front rail and support vertical courses of the multiple unit file or cabinet in a structurally effective and visually pleasing manner. 35

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the particular preferred embodiment illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:40

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a multiple unit storage file or cabinet conforming to the invention;

FIG. 2, a top plan of the base structure of the file or cabinet of FIG. 1, an intermediate portion being broken out for convenience of illustration;45

FIG. 3, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3—3 of FIG. 1 and drawn to a considerably enlarged scale;

FIG. 4, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 4—4 of FIG. 3;50

FIG. 5, a perspective view, looking from the rear, of one of the pre-formed supporting units which are applied to the base frame; and

FIG. 6, a plan view of a prepared blank used for bending into the major component of the supporting unit of 55 FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawing:

The storage file or cabinet of FIG. 1 is made up of both horizontal and vertical courses of stacked and interlocked individual storage receptacle units 10 conforming to the ⁶⁰disclosure of my aforementioned Patent No. 2,872,265. Each of the receptacle units 10 comprises an elongate body 11 fabricated from a non-durable but relatively inexpensive material, preferably paperboard, and end caps _fir12 and 13 provided with formations 14, FIG. 2 adapted ° to interlock with mating formations on companion receptacle units, all as previously disclosed.

Such interlocked storage receptacle units 10 are . supported in their integrated, stacked relationship by a base 70 structure 15, FIG. 1, made up of a frame, FIG. 2, having a front frame member 16 and, in this illustrated instance,

3,000,684 ³ gaging means of each storage receptacle unit 10, here shown, is a mating channel recess 30, FIG. 4. These prevent sidewise shifting of the stacked storage receptacle units relative to the base structure. For a purpose to be explained, it should be noted that the engagement plate. 29 terminates short of the tip of the toe portion of the supporting unit.

In assembling the base structure 15 for use, supporting units 20 are mounted on the front frame member 16 in side-by-side contiguous relationship, as shown in FIG. 2, following construction of the frame. Each of the units 20 is attached to frame member 16 by its U-shaped, frame attachment portion 20α, which, when formed as shown in FIG. 5 with clip plate 28 slightly toed-in inwardly of the U, possesses sufficient resiliency and clip characteristics to closely hug and tightly grasp such frame member.

The storage receptacle units 10 are set on the base frame structure 15 with their recesses 30 in mating engagement with the engagement plates 29 of the respective supporting units 2®. They are preferably set back from the tip of the toe portions 206 of the respective supporting units sufficiently far so that such toe portions form rest members for the doors 12α of the respective storage receptacle units of the lowermost horizontal course of same when open, see FIG. 3.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it should be realized that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims, without departing from the essential contributions to the art made by die teachings hereof.