US2303275A - Filing drawer with locking follower - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 24, 1942. D. B. HULL 4 2,303,275

FILING DRAWER WITH LOCKING FOLLOWER Filed May 8, 1942 gwowwto'b Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE FILING DRAWER WITH LOCKING FOLLOWER David B. Hull, Bethesda, Md.

Application May 8, 1942, Serial No. 442,240

9 Claims.

This invention relates to'filing drawers employing a removable locking follower for holding a bundle of cards uprightly in compact position in the drawer.

The general object of the invention is to provide a follower which reacts against the bottom of the drawer and longitudinal flanges on the sides of the drawer, through the intermediary of an inclined plane on the follower and a locking bar which wedgingly engages the inclined plane, on the one hand, and the side flanges of drawer on the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a follower of the type described, in which the locking bar is carried unitarily by the follower.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a follower of the type described, in which the locking bar has the form of a roller, the intermediate portion of which rolls against the surface of the inclined plane while the end portions roll against the longitudinal side flanges of the drawer, when the locking bar is moved towards locking position.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the locking bar is freely carried by the follower in unitary relationship, both members being normally restrained from removal from the drawer, each by the presence of the other, but each being freed from the restraining influence of the other by the tilting of the follower about the axis of the locking bar when the latter is in release position whereby both members may then be removed from the drawer. In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification and through out the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filing drawer with a follower embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the drawer and follower;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through thedrawer and follower, the tilted position of the follower being indicated in broken lines.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the reference character I represents in general a filing drawer, the sides 2 and 3 of which are provided with the longitudinal grooves 4, the upper sides 5 of said grooves constituting longitudinal flanges against which the locking bar 6 of the follower reacts.

The follower l, as best shown in Figures 1 and 3,

rests transversely in the drawer, slidable longitudinally within the drawer-and-having a broad base!) which reacts against the bottom of the drawer. The follower is formed with a vertical transverse face 9 which is designed to engage the bundle of cards It) and normally to hold them in upright position, as shown in Figure l.

The follower is provided with a face II forming an inclined plane making a small angle with the plane of the side flanges 5. The locking bar 6 has the form-of a roller, being preferably of substantially uniform cross-section from end to end, and of such diameter as to wedgingly engage the side flanges 5 and the inclined plane I Iwhen pushed in the direction of convergence of the angle between said inclined plane and side flanges.

The follower 'l is preferably formed with a transverse channel l2 which receives the locking bar 6 when the latter is in released position. The rearward portion l3 of the follower extends upwardly with respect to the channel l2 so that the distance between the portion l3 and the plane of the side flanges of the drawer is less than the diameter of the locking bar 6,-which pre vents the escape of the locking bar so that the latter is carried unitarily by the follower.

In operation, while the locking bar is in its released position shown in broken lines in Figure 3, the follower is pushed againstfthe bundle of cards Ill, as shown in Figure 1, and then the fingers are pressed against the locking bar 6, raising it from the channel l2 and causing it to roll upon the inclined plane H until it begins to wedge between said inclined lane and the side flanges 5. Beyond this point its movement may be both a; rolling and sliding movement, oreither, as it is forced into locking position. To release the follower the locking bar 6 is pushed backward to loosen its wedging grip, whereupon the follower may be slidably moved away from the cards to any desired position. During this release movement the locking bar may normally rest in the channel l2. It will be readily understood that the space within which the locking bar playsis insufficient in width to permit the locking bar to be canted sufficiently to free it from its engagement with the drawer beneath the side flanges 5, and that it cannot escape through the space between the upper end of the portion 13 and the plane of the side flanges, so that normally the locking bar and the follower mutually. react to prevent the rem-oval of either the locking bar or follower from the drawer. When it is desired to remove the locking bar from engage it by the fingernails and there is no structure which might inadvertently catch. and break the fingernails.

This device is particularly adapted to be manufactured from wood, plastic or other materials; than metal, although it may be manufactured,

of metal, if desired.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction and the arrangement of parts as shown and described are by way of illustration and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a filing drawer having interior longitudinal opposite side flanges parallel to the bottom of said drawer, a transverse follower longitudinally slidable on the bottom of said drawer, and

having a face below the plane which embraces said flanges upwardly and forwardly inclined at a small angle to said plane, a transverse locking bar carried by said follower having its ends beneath said side flanges, and wedgingly engaging between said side flanges and said inclined face at an intermediate region of the latter, said bar being of substantially uniform cross-section in the respective parts which engage said flanges and said inclined faces and means adjacent the rearward end of said inclined face to retain said locking bar on said follower.

2. In a filing drawer having interior longitudinal opposite side flanges parallel to the bottom of said drawer, a broad based transverse follower longitudinally slidable on the bottom of said drawer and having a face below the plane whichembraces said flanges upwardly and forwardly inclined at a small angle to said plane, a transverse locking bar carried by said follower, having the form of a roller with its ends beneath said side flanges and wedgingly engaging between said side flanges and said inclined face at an intermediate region of the latter, and means adjacent the lower end of said inclined face to retain said locking bar on said follower.

3. In a filing drawer having interior longitudinal opposite side flanges parallel to the bottom of said drawer, a broad based transverse follower longitudinally slidable on the bottom of said drawer and having a face below the plane which embraces said flanges upwardly and forwardly inclined at a small angle to said plane, a transverse locking bar carried by said follower having its ends beneath said side flanges, and wedgingly engaging between said side flanges and said inclined face at an intermediate region of the latter, said follower being formed with a transverse trough adjacent the lower end of said inclined face forming a seat for said locking bar when in released position, and means rearwardly of said trough to retain said locking bar on said follower.

4. In a filing drawer having interior longitudinal opposite side flanges parallel to the bottom of said drawer, a broad based transverse follower longitudinally slidable on the bottom of said drawer and having a face below the plane which embraces said flanges upwardly and forwardly inclined at a small angle to said plane, a transverselocking bar carried by said follower having its ends beneath said side flanges and wedgingly engaging between said side flanges and said inclined face at an intermediate region of the latter, said follower having a portion adjacent the lower end-of said inclined face extending upwardly toward the plane of said side flanges to a sufficientheight to retain said locking bar beneath saidsideflanges and unitarily with respect to said follower.

5. Filing drawer as claimed in claim 4, including a trough between said inclined face and said upwardly extending portion serving as a seat for said locking bar when the latter is in released" position.

6. Filing drawer as claimed in claim 4, saidlocking bar having the form of a roller, saidfollower being formed with a trough between said inclined face and said upwardly extending portion serving as a seat for said roller when the compact upright position, said follower having a face above its base and rearwardly of its vertical face, upwardly and forwardly inclined, a locking bar in the form of a roller carried by said follower having its end portions adapted to engage the side flanges of thedrawer and its intermediate portion engageable with said inclined face for wedgingly fixing said follower relative to said drawer, said follower having an upwardly directed flange adjacent the lower end of said inclined face to retain said locking bar on said-fol lower.

8. Follower as claimed in claim '7, being formed with a trough between the lower end of said inclined face and said upwardly extending flange serving as a seat, for said locking bar when the latter is in its released position.

9. In a filing drawer having interior longitudinal opposite side flanges parallel to the bottom of said drawer, a broad based transverse follower longitudinally slidable on the bottom of said drawer and having a face below the plane which embraces said flanges upwardly and forwardly inclined at a small angle to said plane, a transverse locking roller carried by said follower having its ends beneath said side flanges and wedgingly engaging between said side flanges and said inclined face at an intermediate region of the. latter, said follower having a portion adjacent the lower end of said inclined face normally extending toward the plane of said side flanges to a suflicient height to retain said locking roller beneath said side flanges and unitarily with respect to said follower, the latter being tiltable about the axis of said roller'to lower said upwardly extending portion sufficiently to permit said locking roller to be removed.

DAVID B. HULL.

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