US2709635A - Storage cabinet - Google Patents

Description

m 355 n. CARANI STORAGE CABINET Filed April 7, 1954 F'\ G. INVENTOR. ATnuo D. CARAW BY (gal United Stt This invention relates to a storage cabinet and has for its object to provide a cabinet for the storage of garbage or refuse cans.

An object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of storage cabinet wherein may be supported a pair of conventional garbage cans whereby the cans will be fully enclosed and adequately protected against insects, animals or the like.

The invention further has for its object a novel form of storage cabinet that is provided with closure doors upon its opposite ends, and wherein is disposed a shiftable platform upon which garbage cans or the like are supported, and with means operable from the outside of the cabinet and by the foot of the operator whereby the platform may be shiftable outwardly at either end to fully expose its supported garbage can, with the operating means being automatically retrievable in a manner that causes the platform to be retracted into the cabinet to permit the automatic closure of the closure doors.

The invention further contemplates a novel actuating mechanism for the control of the horizontal shiftable platform that is antifrictionally supported within the cabinet to be alternately projected beyond either end, and with the platform being so supported as to avoid any tilting or disarrangement of the platform when projected, due to the weight of a supported can thereon.

The invention further contemplates a novel form of cabinet that is ornamental in appearance and will effectively protect the garbage cans and their contents, regardless of whether or not the can is equipped with a cover, and with the cabinet provided with ventilating means for permitting a free circulation of air therethrough, and with the cabinet likewise adapted to support a suitable deodorant device therein.

Novel features of construction and operation will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view thereof, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 and,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a cabinet as a Whole formed of any desirable material and preferably rectangular in shape. The cabinet includes a bottom 6, front and rear walls 7 and 8 and a closure top 9. The opposite ends of the cabinet are formed open and normally closed by hinged closure doors 10 that are spring actuated to the closed position in any desirable manner. Legs 11 may be employed to support the cabinet in elevated position above the ground. It is contemplated that the cabinet shall be formed of metal, concrete or any other desirable material having sufficient rigidity and which will be relatively unaffected by the weather.

Disposed within the cabinet and in spaced relation to the bottom 6 is an elongated platform 12 likewise formed of metal or other material calculated to support a pair of garbage cans in spaced relation, and which will be relatively unaffected by moisture or foreign elements. The platform 12 is slightly narrower in width. than the width of the cabinet and has a length that extends for the major length of the cabinet to terminate adjacent each of the closure doors 10. The platform is provided with a pair of outwardly opening channel members 13 that parallel the longitudinal marginal edges of the platform for their full length. Each of the channels 13 engage over a plurality of antifriction rollers 14 journalled upon stub shafts 15 carried by the vertical webs of angle irons 16 and with the angle irons being rigidly connected and coextensive with the bottom 6. The antifric'tion rollers 14, here indicated as being six in number upon each side of the platform, serve to support the platform and its supported garbage can against tilting when the platform is projected outwardly in a manner to be presently described.

Disposedinwardly of the cabinet, intermediate its ends, is a relatively large grooved pulley 17. The pulley 17 lies adjacent the inner side of the front wall 7 and is journalled for rotation in a bearing 18 carried by the wall. A shaft 19, journalled in the bearing 1:8, is keyed or otherwise connected to the pulley 17 and projects outwardly beyond the bearing 18. Rigidly connected with the shaft 19 is a cross-arm 2-0. The arm 20 is connected with the shaft 19 intermediate its ends. Pivotally connected with the opposing ends of the arm 20, as at 21, are links 22;, the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected, as at 23, to treadle arms 24. The treadle arms 24 intermediate their length are pivotally connected, as at 25, to fixed brackets 26, carried upon the front wall 7. The arms 24 at their free end carry treadle plates 27. Springs 28 are connected at one end to pins 29 upon the forward wall 7, and at their opposite ends are connected to the cross-arm 2t! inwardly of the pivotal points 21. It is contemplated that the springs 28 shall be identically tensioned, whereby the arm 20 in a position at rest will be substantially horizontally disposed. Wrapped about the pulley 17 is a cable 30 the opposite ends of which extend in opposite directions for connection with pins 31 that are fixed adjacent the opposite ends of the platform 12. The front and rear walls 7 and 8 may be provided with ventilating and air circulating openings 32, covered by insect screening 33. Any suitable deodorizer may be supported beneath the top of the cabinet 9, as indicated at 34.

In the use of the device, any conventional type of gar bage or refuse can is supported adjacent the opposite ends of the platform 12, as indicated clearly in Figures 3 and 4. With the parts at rest, the platform 12 is wholly dis posed Within the cabinet and the spring actuated doors are in the closed position effectively protecting the cans and their contents against insects and animals. Now, when it is desired to place garbage or the like into either of the cans, the operator steps upon either one of the treadle plates 27, rocking the arm 24 upwardly together with its link 22 and shifting the cross-arm 2 6 in a vertical are to rock the shaft 19. Rocking of the shaft 1) imparts rotation to the pulley i7, winding upon one end of the cable 3% and feeding at the opposite end. Such action shifts the platform and its supported cans over the rollers 14 to project beyond the end of the cabinet a distance to fully expose the particular garbage can. Movement of the platform in its outward direction engages and swings its particular door outwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. After the garbage has been placed within the can, the operator removes his foot from the treadle plate and permits the spring 28 to pull the cross-arm 2%) downwardly which action, through the medium of the shaft 19, rotates the pulley 17 in the opposite direction to draw the platform inwardly to its original position and permitting the spring actuated door to fully close the end of the cabinet, thus permitting the complete operation of the device without requiring the attendant to handle any part thereof. The operation is identical at either end of the cabinet and in each instance the device is fully automatic to fully retract the platform and its supported cans for a completely housed arrangement.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel form of device has been provided for the sanitary storage of multiple garbage or refuse cans. Under the most favorable conditions, garbage cans are unsightly and are a hazard to helath in general, due primarily to the breeding of flies and other insects and the frequent upsetting and scattering of the contents by animals. The device presents an ornamental appearance, is well ventilated to avoid the generation of excessive heat within the cabinet, is simple to operate, is strong, durable and most effective as a protective medium for the storage of garbage cans. The parts are few and simple and of such nature as to require little or no attention and will always assume their fully retracted position upon release of the treadle bars 24.

it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall wtihin the spirit of the invention as determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A housing for a plurality of receptacles that is open at its ends and closed by spring loaded closure doors, a platform disposed within the housing and which supports a receptacle adjacent each end, the platform being shiftable in opposite directions to be projected alternately beyond the ends of the housing for fully exposing a receptacle, common control means for shifting the platform in either direction and manually actuated means adjacent each end of the housing that has connection with the common control means.

2. A housing for a plurality of receptacles that is open at its ends and closed by spring loaded closure doors, a receptacle supporting platform horizontally disposed within the housing and which is shiftable in opposite directions to extend alternately through the open ends of the housing to expose a supported receptacle, a pulley rotatably supported within the housing, flexible means engaged with the pulley and with the opposite ends of the platform, a cross arm disposed outwardly of the housing to rotate the pulley in opposite directions for shifting and alternately extending the opposite ends of the platforms to expose a receptacle, cranks disposed outwardly of the housing adjacent opposite ends and with the cranks being connected with the opposite ends of the cross arm whereby the cross arm may be rocked in opposite directions to control the direction of shifting of the platform, spring means for returning and yieldably retaining the platform and its supported receptacles in a normally fully housed position, the housing provided with air circulating openings.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the platform is antifrictionally supported and wherein the shifting movement of the platform causes the closure doors to move to an open position, the cranks being provided 5 with treadles at their free ends for engagement by a foot of an operator.

4. A. storage cabinet for a plurality of garbage cans that comprises a housing having top and bottom walls and side walls, the cabinet being open at its opposite ends and closed by hinged spring loaded doors, a platform disposed within the cabinet and extending for the major length thereof, the platform being in parallel spaced relation to the bottom of the cabinet, anti-friction rollers carried by the bottom adjacent each side, means carried by the platform that engages the rollers whereby the platform is horizontally shiftable and guided and supported by the rollers, a pulley rotatably supported within the cabinet and having a shaft that is journalled in a side wall to project outwardly therebeyond, a cable wound about the pulley and having its free ends connected to the opposite ends of the platform, a cross-arm rigidly connected intermediate its ends to the projecting shaft for rocking in a vertical plane to rotate the pulley, a pair of foot bars pivotally supported upon the wall, links pivotally connecting the inner ends of each foot bar with an adjacent free end of the cross-head, retractile spring connected with the wall of the cabinet and with the cross-head to urge the cross-head and its associated pulley to a neutral position upon the removal of pressure upon a foot bar, the platform being shiftable upon rotation of the pulley in either direction to project the platform outwardly beyond the end of the cabinet to fully expose a garbage can supported thereon, the walls of the cabinet being ventilated.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the cabinet is rectangular in shape and wherein the platform is elongated and rectangular in shape for the detachable support of a garbage can adjacent each end, the rollers being rotatable upon horizontal stub-shafts carried by angle irons rigidly mounted upon the bottom of the cabinet, the platform provided with rigid channel members at each side for its full length that engage over the rollers, the rollers being plural in number at each side to support the platform against tilting throughout its movement.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the pulley is grooved and of a relatively large diameter, the cable being wound about the pulley and its ends extended in opposite directions for connection adjacent the opposite ends of the platform, the rotation of the pulley and the resulting shifting of the platform outwardly to fully expose its adjacent garbage can and the shifting of the closure doors being against spring tension, the platform and its supported cans and the closure doors being antomatically returned to a neutral and fully housed position upon a release of the foot bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent 60 UNlTED STATES PATENTS

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