US3367731A - Cabinet front and doors - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1968 W. H. KAFFERLIN CABINET FRONT AND DOORS Filed March 14, 1966 INVENTOR WILL/AM H. KAFFEKL/N CM M United States Patent )fitice 3,367,731 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,731 CABINET FRONT AND DOORS William H. Kaiferlin, Spring Creek, Pa., assignor to Corry Jamestown Corporation, Corry, Pa., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 533,976 2 Claims. (Cl. 312-304) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention herein involves a sliding door type of cabinet wherein the bottom track is made of an integral piece of sheet metal bent in the form shown to provide an inclined bottom on which the bottoms of the doors slide. The sheet metal track also has a real wall that may be fixed to a bottom of a cabinet.

This invention relates to cabinets and, more particularly, to the type of cabinets frequently used in oflices for storage of papers, documents, and other articles.

The cabinet disclosed herein incorporates an improved support for doors whereby the lower part of the doors will be held in firm engagement with each other and with the front part of the lower track, thereby preventing the doors from moving relative to each other and relative to the cabinet.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cabinet, which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cabinet and door support in combination with doors.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the cabinet according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

Now with more particular reference to the drawings, the cabinet according to the invention is indicated generally at 10. It has a top 11 and a base 12. It may have suitable back and ends in accordance with common practice. The cabinet is likewise equipped with sliding doors 13 and 14, which are supported in the lower track 18 at the front of the base 12. The cabinet is also provided with an upper track 19 as indicated. The upper track 19 defines a downwardly facing channel 20, which receives the upper ends of the doors. The upper track is formed by the front portion of the top bent downwardly as indicated, then upwardly to define the front leg 21 of the channel. The rear leg of the channel is formed by the vertical leg 22 that is spaced rearward from the front leg 21 and defines the space for the upper ends of the doors.

The lower track may be formed from a piece of sheet metal having the forwardly extending leg 23, then bent upwardly to form the vertically disposed forwardly facing leg 16, then bent downwardly to form the vertical leg 24, then bent upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of approximately thirty degrees forming the bottom 17 of the lower track, then bent downwardly at 25 to form an attaching portion for attaching to the leg 26 of the base. The cabinet may be provided with a false floor at 30.

The doors may be inserted by lifting them so that the upper edge thereof moves upward into the channel 20, then the lower edge of the door may be pushed inward over edge 18 and the door may then be lowered bringing the lower edge of the door into the space between the vertical leg 24 and the bottom 17. It will be noted that one of the doors will slide behind the other and the bottom portion of the doors will be urged together as they slide forward and down along the bottom 17. The doors will be urged forward and downward by the force of gravity, thus holding them snugly together when one door is in open position.

The doors are shown in FIG. 2 with one door being opened and therefore resting behind the other door. When closed, both doors are positioned beside each other in the same plane and provide a flush appearance, as shown in FIG. 1. The function of the inclined plane is to allow the rear door to slide down to a flush position with the front door when closed. Further, it has been demonstrated that four doors are as effective as two.

The doors are held forward by gravity at the bottom track. There is a guide provided in the top track at each end to guide the door into a closed position that holds both doors against leg 21 and prevents top wobble. When four doors are used, this becomes a significant feature for satisfactory performance, since all doors are held in the same plane.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A cabinet having a top and an open front,

a sliding door for closing at least a part of said open front,

a lower track and an upper track for said door,

said upper track being attached to said cabinet and comprising a downwardly open channel,

said lower track having a forwardly and downwardly inclined surface defining the bottom of said lower track, said lower track having a generally vertically extending front leg defining a rearwardly facing surface,

said door having its upper edge received in said channel and its lower edge supported on said bottom of said lower track,

said door being adapted to slide forward and downward on said bottom, whereby said door is urged into engagement with said front leg,

said lower track is formed from a sheet-like member extending upward thereby forming a. front member,

bent downward forming said vertically extending leg,

then extending upward'and rearward defining said bottom,

then extending downward defining an attaching portion for attaching said lower track to said cabinet and a floor in said cabinet forming a top surface flush with the upper part of said attaching bottom.

2. The cabinet recited in claim 1 wherein guide means is provided in said upper track whereby the tops of said doors are held in a single plane when 10 said doors are in closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gates 312-438 X Kollsman 49-130 Lappin et a1 312-138 X Kollsman 49130 Sawdek et a1 49130 JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

Images