US3232687A

US3232687A - Tray and cabinet arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3232687A
Application number: US313124A
Authority: US
Inventors: James E Mulreed
Original assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
Current assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority date: 1963-10-01
Filing date: 1963-10-01
Publication date: 1966-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-01

Description

Feb. 1, 1966 J. E. MULREED 3,232,687

TRAY AND CABINET ARRANGEMENT Filed Oct. 1, 1963 3 Sheets-Sneet 1 lNVENTOR. .TAMES E1 NULREED Feb. 1, 1966 J. E. MULREED TRAY AND CABINET ARRANGEMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1963 INVENTOR.

JAMES E MULREED Feb. 1, 1966 .1. E. MULREED TRAY AND CABINET ARRANGEMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 1, 1963 VINVENTOR. JAMES E MULREED United s Pm .0

3,232,687 TRAY AND CABINET ARRANGEMENT James E. Mulreed, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Pitney- Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn., a corporation of'D elaware Filed Oct. v1', 1963,,Ser. No. 313,124 2 Claims. (Cl. 312336) This invention relates to an improved structural arrangementfor a tray and its supporting elements; More particularly the invention relates to a novel" interrelated construction for a tray, an extender plate and the mounting means for said plate.

In those arrangements where a tray must be capable of being withdrawn to the extent of offering full access to the entire containing space of the tray' it is necessary to'provide a very substantial support between the cabinet frame and the extended tray. This is particularly important where the tray contents are heavy,- such'as in the case where metal address plates or the like are to be stacked and stored in the tray. This support requirement has heretofore necessitated the provision of relatively heavy, complex and/or expensive apparatus.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved tray and cabinet arrangement which is simple and rugged in construction and reliable and eflicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tray and cabinet arrangement whereby a sheet metal type extender plate is formed so as to be slidably supported on the cabinet frame and so as to slidably support an associated tray.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tray and cabinet arrangement whereby a slidable sheet metal type extender plate is constructed so as to slidably support a tray and so as to permit the latter to be completely withdrawn from said plate.

Other objects will become apparent as the disclosure progresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the general nature of the instant tray and cabinet arrangement.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic type sectional side elevational view of the instant apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective viewillustrating the construction of the immediate supporting means for an extender plate.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively end, perspective and side views of one of the extender plates.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively perspective, side and inner end views of one of the trays.

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the assembly of the tray, extender plate and the plate supporting means looking toward the front of the tray. p

, Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a cabinet generally indicated by reference numeral 12 comprises an outer boxlike housing 13 having two rows of similar tray supporting columns that are secured to and said housing by" any suitable means. The outer or front row includes three uniformly

spaced columns

14', 15 and 16, FIG. 1, while the inner or rearward column row includes three corresponding uniformly spaced columns such as 17, FIG. 2, that are respectively operatively aligned withsaid' three

front columns

14, 15 and 16. The open sides of the U-shaped sectioned

columns

14, 15 and 16 of the outer row face the open sides of the U-shaped columns such as 17 of the inner row. The cabinet housing and the columns are provided with sets of projections or ears 20, FIG. 2; each set of four such projections slidably supporting a related extender plate and tray. In that the various projections are similar a detailed description of a pair thereof will suffice here. Referring to FIG. 3 two sup- I CC porting ears or projections 20trand 20b which are made from plastic material such as nylon or the like are secured to opposite sides of column '14 by any" suitable fastening means. Each ear includes a horizontaluppersurface 22, a dovetail type shoulder 23, arecessed portion 24 and a flat sided abutment or extension 25. For clarity in the drawings the opposed 'ears2tla and 20b have been shown as separate elements however they preferably comprise a single member which extends through" suitable apertures formed in opposite sides of c0lumn'14 and which is secured thereto by anysuitable fastening means all as diagrammatically indicated by the phantom lines 26 of FIG. 3. It will be understoodthat the various ears20 are mounted on the" columns and in the cabinet housing in cooperating coplanar sets of four so as to affordv a slidable support means for the various respectively associated trays marked A through L, FIG. 1. The outer ears for the outer column of' trays such as AC and JL are secured to the inner sides of the cabinet housing or to additional columns such as those at 14-17 that are fastened! to the sides of said housing.-

An extender plate 30, FIG. 2, is slidably mounted on each of said;coop'erating sets of four ears 20, and in that each plate 30' is similar in construction a detailed consideration of one thereof will suflice here. Referring to FIGS. 4, S and 6'there is shown'a plate 30a which is formed from a generally rectangular piece of sheet metal, The horizontal body portion 31 of the plate is formed with stiffening corrugations or

ribs

32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 which impart a substantiallongitudinal, transverse and torsional rigidity to the plate. The front and rearwardends of the plate are respectively formed with depending

abutment flanges

40 and 41 while the longitudinal side edges thereof are formed with

bentoff slide flanges

42 and 43. The outer sectional profiles of the

flanges

42, 43, which are best illustrated in FIG. 4, correspond with the outer profile of' the projections or ears 20,

FIG. 2, whereby the extender plate 30a is capable of slidably engaging and being supported by a set of said ears 20 as illustrated in the assembly drawing ofFIG. 10.

An outer portion of the length of each

longitudinal flange

42 and 43 is cut away as is respectively indicated at and 45, FIG. 5, thereby. defining a pair of lateral abutment shoulders 46 and-47 on opposite sides of the plate front.

A work holder tray is adapted to be slidably mounted on each extender plate 30, and in thatthe various trays A-L, FIG. 1, are similar a detailed description of the one thereof will suffice here.

sheet'metal front; bottomand

rear end walls

50, 51 and 52 respectively and two

side walls

53 and 54. Along the two junctions of the side and bottom walls there are formed angular bent off

shoulders

55 and 56 as is best seen. in FIG. 9. The outer transverse profile of the in:

dented shoulders 55 and-56 correspond to the inner transverse profile of the

flanges

42 and 43 formed on the associated extender plate 3.0a so as to thereby permit said extender plate to receive and slidably support said tray' as illustrated by the sectional assembly view of 'FIG. 10. At the rearward ends of

shoulders

55 and 56 the bottom 51 of the tray is formed with tapered edges 57 and58 respectively, FIG. 7, so as to facilitate the initial sliding 7 Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 the tray E comprises a box-like structure having A sheet metal type handle 60a is aflixed to the front wall of the tray, the lower portion thereof, FIG; 8, extending through a suitable slot formed in the tray from wall 50 so that an intermediate portion 61a of said handle may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent rear surface of said wall 50. The upper portion 62 of the handle extends parallel to but spaced from the adjacent inner surface of wall 50 so as to be capable 'of receiving and supporting an indicator card which is visible through a suitable aperture 63, FIG. 7, formed in the front Wall of the tray.

, In FIG. there is shown a transverse sectional view of the various partsin their assembled condition. The extender plate 36a is slidably mounted on a related coplanar of four dovetail type projections 20. The outer limit of movement of the plate relative to the cabinet is determined by the engagement of the rear depending plate flange 41 with the abutment shoulders 25 of those projections mounted on the related inner columns, such as 17, FIG. 2; while the inner limit of movement thereof is determined by engagement of the front depending plate flange 40 with the abutment shoulders of the projections 20 mounted on the

outer columns

14 and 15. The tray E is slidably mounted on the extender plate a, the depending

tray lugs

60 and 61 extending into the cut away portions 44, respectively of the plate flanges. The inner limit of movement of the tray relative to the extender plate is determined by the engagement of the rear side of the front tray wall with the adjacent outer end of the plate 30a, while the outer limit of movement thereof is determined by engagement of the flat front sides of the two depending tray lugs and 61 with the lateral abutment shoulders 46 and 47 formed on the plate. By the arrangement described above the individual tray-s may each be withdrawn far enough to afford complete access to the contents of each tray while still being rigidly supported by an associated extender late. If it is desired to completely remove the tray from the cabinet the outer end of the withdrawn tray may be lifted so that the lower ends of the depending

tray lugs

60, 61 are respectively located above the associated plate shoulders 46 and 47 thereby leaving the tray free to be slidably removed from the outer end of the extender plate. This lifting of the outer end of the tray relative to the extender plate is made possible by providing a somewhat loose sliding engagement between the tray and plate. When it is desired to remount the removed tray latter is threaded back on the related extender plate as facilated by the tapered edges, 57, 58 of the tray bottom Wall 50, the tapered rear side of the

tray lugs

60, 61 facilitating the subsequent engaging and running of the tray back onto said plate so that the lugs are again disposed in said

cutaway portions

44 and 45 of the plate flanges.

As may be seen from the diagrammatic view of FIG. 2 the various trays 30 may be slidably moved from a normal closed position as shown for tray F to a fully with drawn position as shown for tray D. In this position of tray D the entire contents of the tray are readily accessible. Furthermore from this fully withdrawn position, tray D may either be closed or completely removed from the associated extender plate 30 as above described thereby permitting the tray and contents to be transported as a unit to a remove point whereafter the traymay be readily reassembled in the cabinet. The above described apparatus has been found to afford a very simple rugged type of tray and cabinet arrangement which is relatively inexpensive to construct and maintain. If desired the cabinet housing may be provided with a slidable and/or swingabl'e front cover or door which is capable of remov ablyrcovering the front of the various trays.

Since many changes could be made in the embodimentof the invention as particularly described and shown herein without departing from the scope of the invent-ion, is .intended that this embodiment be considered as exemplary and that the invention not be limited except as warranted by the following claims. l i

What is claimed is:

1. A tray and cabinet arrangement: comprising a frame;

said frame including a plurality of vertical tray supporting columns;

a set of projections respectively secured to said columns;

said projections each having an upper substantially horizontal bearing surface, an undercut portion and an abutment surface formed'ther'eom' a one-piece extender'plate having bent off shoulders formed along the length of the side edges thereof, said shoulders each having an outer surface configuration corresponding to that for said projections and including a substantially horizontal elongated bearing flange which is disposed above the body portion of said plate, the lower surface of said flange engaging the upper bearing surface of the related projection whereby said set of projections may slidably support said extender plate;

said extender plate also having an abutment formed on the inner end thereof for cooperation with the abutment surfaces on said plate-supporting projections so as to limit the outward movement of said plate relative to said frame;

a tray adapted to be mounted on said extender plate, said tray having indented longitudinal shoulders formed along the lower side edges thereof so as to correspond in shape to the configuration of said bent off shoulders formed on said extender plate, said tray shoulders having substantially horizontal bearing surfaces which respectively engage the upper surfaces of said plate flanges whereby said tray is slidably supported by said extender plate; and

abutment means formed on said tray for cooperation with said extender plate for releasably limiting the outward movement of said tray relative to said extender plate.

2. A tray and cabinet arrangement: comprising v a frame;

said frame including a plurality of vertically disposed tray supporting columns;

a plurality of related sets of projections secured to said columns;

each projection having an upper projecting dovetail portion and a lower projecting abutment portion formed thereon;

an extender plate slidably mounted on each related set of said projections, said plate being of one-piece construction and extending between the related columns of said frame;

said extender plate having elongated bent oif flanges formed along the lengths of the sides thereof, the

' respective lower sides of said flanges slidably engaging the upper bearing surfaces of said dovetail portions of the related projections;

saidplate being formed with a first depending abutment that is adapted to engage the lower-projecting portion of at least one of said projections, said plate side flanges also respectively being formed with a pair of horizontally extending shoulder abutments;

- 2. tray slidably mounted on each of said extender plates, said tray having indented dovetail type shoulders formed along the lengths of the lower side edges thereof, said tray shoulders each having a substantially horizontal bearing surface which slidably engages the upper bearing surface of the associated extender plate side flanges; and

a pair of depending lugs secured to each tray and adapted to respectively engage said shoulder abutments and to limit the outward movement of said tray relative to said plate, there being sufiicient vertical play between said tray and extender plate so as to permit the tray to be lifted so that said lugs may be disengaged from said shoulders abutments References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1904 Thorpe 29457 2/1932 Eustis 312-335 6 2,498,807 2/1950 Hagenbach 312-120 2,678,865 5/1954 Perkins 312-337 FOREIGN PATENTS 724,102 2/ 1955 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

Claims

1. A TRAY AND CABINET ARRANGEMENT: COMPRISING A FRAME; SAID FRAME INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL TRAY SUPPORTING COLUMNS; A SET OF PROJECTIONS RESPECTIVELY SECURED TO SAID COLUMNS; SAID PROJECTIONS EACH HAVING AN UPPER SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL BEARING SURFACE, AN UNDERCUT PORTION AND AN ABUTMENT SURFACE FORMED THEREON; A ONE-PIECE EXTENDER PLATE HAVING BENT OFF SHOULDERS FORMED ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE SIDE EDGES THEREOF, SAID SHOULDERS EACH HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE CONFIGURATION CORRESPONDING TO THAT FOR SAID PROJECTIONS AND INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL ELONGATED BEARING FLANGE WHICH IS DISPOSED ABOVE THE BODY PORTION OF SAID PLATE, THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID FLANGE ENGAGING THE UPPER BEARING SURFACE OF THE RELATED PROJECTION WHEREBY SAID SET OF PROJECTIONS MAY SLIDABLY SUPPORT SAID EXTENDER PLATE; SAID EXTENDER PLATE ALSO HAVING AN ABUTMENT FORMED ON THE INNER END THEREOF FOR COOPERATION WITH THE ABUTMENT SURFACES ON SAID PLATE-SUPPORTING WITH PROJECTIONS SO AS TO LIMIT THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PLATE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME; A TRAY ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID EXTENDER PLATE, SAID TRAY HAVING INDENTED LONGITUDINAL SHOULDERS FORMED ALONG THE LOWER SIDE EDGES THEREOF SO AS TO CORRESPOND IN SHAPE TO THE CONFIGURATION OF SAID BENT OFF SHOULDERS FORMED ON SAID EXTENDER PLATE, SAID TRAY SHOULDERS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL BEARING SURFACES WHICH RESPECTIVELY ENGAGE THE UPPER SURFACES OF SAID PLATE FLANGES WHEREBY SAID TRAY IS SLIDABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID EXTENDER PLATE; AND ABUTMENT MEANS FORMED ON SAID TRAY FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID EXTENDER PLATE FOR RELEASABLY LIMITING THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID TRAY RELATIVE TO SAID EXTENDER PLATE.