Abstract:
A cabinet including a receptacle having a floor, a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the floor, each bolster including a lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis, and a first and a second sidewall, each extending from the lower panel toward the floor, the first sidewall defining an acute angle with the lower panel and defining a first aperture disposed vertically above a corresponding first aperture of the lower panel. A leg is rotatably received within the first aperture so that rotation of the leg results in the leg moving axially with respect to the lower panel.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/812,892, filed Apr. 17, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to cabinets. More particularly, the present invention relates to adjustable bolsters for supporting a safety cabinet. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Safety cabinets are known in the art for storing containers of flammable, explosive, toxic, etc., materials in a manner that lessens the likelihood of harm from those materials. Safety cabinets can both insulate the stored materials from environmental conditions, such as excessive temperatures, moisture and fire, and prevent the escape of the materials from the cabinet due to leakage and spills from the containers To retain hazardous liquids within the cabinets, it is known to slant shelving toward the cabinet&#39;s rear wall, so that spilled liquids flow toward the rear wall rather than off the front edge of the shelf, and to provide a sump area in the bottom of the cabinet. For these features to function in their intended fashion, a safety cabinet must typically be disposed in a level disposition regardless of the support surface on which it sits. As such, it is desirable to be able to adjust the disposition of the cabinet with regard to the support surface. 
         [0004]    The present invention recognizes and addresses considerations of prior art constructions and methods. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    One embodiment of a cabinet in accordance with the present disclosure includes a receptacle having a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from the floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein the floor includes a front edge, a rear edge and a pair of side edges defining a perimeter of an underside surface of the floor, wherein the front edge and the rear edge are parallel to each other and the side edges are parallel to each other. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the underside surface of the floor, each bolster including a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, the lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis, and a first and a second sidewall, each sidewall extending from the lower panel toward the floor in a direction parallel to the front edge and the rear edge so that an inner surface of each first and second sidewall defines an acute angle with a topside surface of the lower panel. One of the first and second sidewalls defines at least a first aperture disposed vertically above the first aperture of the lower panel, and a leg is rotatably received within the first aperture of the lower panel so that rotation of the leg with respect to the lower panel results in the leg moving axially with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel. 
         [0006]    Another embodiment of a cabinet in accordance with the present disclosure includes a receptacle having a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from the floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein the floor includes a front edge, a rear edge and a pair of side edges defining a perimeter of an underside surface of the floor. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the underside surface of the floor, each bolster including a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, the lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis, and a first and a second sidewall, each sidewall extending from the lower panel toward the floor, an inner surface of the first sidewall defining an acute angle with a topside surface of the lower panel and defining a first aperture disposed vertically above the first aperture of the lower panel. A leg is rotatably received within the first aperture of the lower panel so that rotation of the leg with respect to the lower panel results in the leg moving axially with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel. 
         [0007]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a safety cabinet having bolsters according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are bottom perspective views of a bolster of the safety cabinet shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the bolster shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the bolster shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the bolster shown in Figure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a bolster for a safety cabinet, in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of the bolster shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the bolster shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the bolster shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a partial front view of the safety cabinet shown in  FIG. 1 , showing a height adjustment being performed on one of its bolsters; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a bolster for a safety cabinet, in accordance with the present disclosure; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the safety cabinet shown in  FIG. 1 , including bolsters as shown in  FIG. 11 , in the process of being lifted by a forklift. 
           [0021]    Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention according to the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation, not limitation, of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0023]    Referring now to the Figures, as shown in  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a safety cabinet  10  in accordance with the present disclosure includes a receptacle  12  having a front wall  11 , a rear wall  14  that opposes front wall  11 , opposing sidewalls  16  and  18  that are perpendicular to both front wall  11  and rear wall  14 , a top wall  22  and a floor  20 . Front wall  11  defines an opening (not shown) that permits access to the interior of receptacle  12 . A pair of doors  24  and  26  is pivotably attached to receptacle  12  for selectively accessing and securing the interior of the receptacle. A handle  28  is provided for operating a latch mechanism (not shown) that secures doors  24  and  26  in the closed position. Each of sidewalls  16  and  18  defines a recess  23  in which a carrying handle  21  is pivotably mounted. Cabinet  10  also includes a plurality of bolsters  30  affixed to a bottom surface of the cabinet&#39;s floor  20 . As shown, each bolster  30  is preferably disposed at a corresponding corner of floor  20 , as discussed in greater detail below. 
         [0024]    Referring additionally to  FIGS. 2A through 5 , each of the cabinet&#39;s bolsters  30  includes a lower panel  32 , a pair of opposed sidewalls  34  extending upwardly therefrom, and a pair of upper flanges  44  depending inwardly from the top edges of the opposed sidewalls. As shown, lower panel  32  of each bolster  30  preferably includes a pair of threaded apertures  36  that is provided by a pair of nuts  38  that is welded adjacent corresponding apertures defined by lower panel  32 . Each threaded aperture  36  is configured to receive an adjustable leg  50 . Each leg  50  includes a head portion  56 , a foot  54  and a stem portion  52  extending therebetween that is correspondingly threaded to a respective threaded bore  36 . As shown, head portion  56  is preferably hexagonally shaped in cross-section to facilitate rotation by a wrench  70  with a standard deep socket  72  ( FIG. 10 ), and foot  54  is rotatable with respect to threaded stem  52  so that the foot, when frictionally engaging a building floor or other surface, does not rotate while leg  50  is being rotated to adjust the axial position of leg  50  with respect to the remainder of the bolster. Note, although two threaded bores  36  are shown in each bolster  30 , alternate embodiments may include only one. 
         [0025]    As shown, each sidewall  34  extends upwardly from lower panel  32  such that it forms an acute angle  43  with respect to lower panel  32 . Preferably, angle  43  is between 60° and 70°, and in one exemplary embodiment is 63°. Further, each sidewall  34  defines an access aperture  42  that is disposed vertically above a corresponding threaded aperture  36  of lower panel  32 . As such, each access aperture  42  is configured to allow the corresponding leg  50  to be adjusted from directly above. In alternate embodiments that include only one threaded bore  36 , only the sidewall adjacent the threaded bore needs to define an access aperture  42 . Moreover, only the sidewall that is adjacent the bore in which leg  50  is received needs to form an acute angle with lower panel  32 , i.e., the other sidewall can be perpendicular to lower panel  32 . 
         [0026]    Upper flanges  44  are parallel to lower panel  32 , and each bolster is preferably affixed to floor  20  of the receptacle by welding upper flanges  44  to its bottom surface. As best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 10 , each bolster  30  is affixed to floor  20  such that one of its sidewalls  34  extends horizontally outward beyond one of the front, rear and opposed side edges that define a perimeter of the bottom surface of floor  20 . As such, as shown in  FIG. 10 , to adjust the height of each bolster&#39;s leg  50 , such as when leveling safety cabinet  10 , head portion  56  of each leg  50  can be engaged by a tool that is passed through access aperture  42  of the corresponding sidewall  34 . In the instant case, hexagonally-shaped head portion  56  of leg  50  is engaged by a standard deep socket  72  and ratcheting wrench  70 . Preferably, rotation of each leg  50  in the clockwise (CW) direction, when viewed from above, causes foot  52  to move outwardly away from lower panel  32 , thereby raising the corresponding corner of the safety cabinet. Conversely, rotation in the counter-clockwise (CCW) direction lowers the corresponding corner of the cabinet. 
         [0027]    Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 12 , lower panel  32  and sidewalls  34  of each bolster  30  are configured such that each bolster  30  provides an entry window  40  that is configured to slidably receive a prong  82  of a forklift  80 . Preferably, bolsters  30  are disposed on floor  20  of receptacle  12  so that entry windows  40  are accessible from the sides of cabinet  10  when moving the cabinet with a forklift  80 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 through 9 , an alternate embodiment of a bolster  30   a  in accordance with the present disclosure is shown. Bolster  30   a  is similar in many aspects to the embodiment previously discussed with regard to  FIGS. 2 through 5 . Those elements that are similar between the two embodiments are given the same reference numerals and a discussion thereof is not repeated here. In addition to lower panel  32  and sidewalls  34 , bolster  30   a  includes an outer wall  60  that extends upwardly from a side edge of lower panel  32  and is perpendicular to both sidewalls  34 . When affixed to the floor of a cabinet, bolster  30   a  is positioned such that outer wall  60  is disposed toward one of the edges of the floor. As such, bolster  30   a  does not define an entry window  40  ( FIG. 3 ) through which the prong of a forklift can be received. This bolster configuration can be desirable in that outer wall  60  helps prevent inadvertent damage to adjustable leg  50   a  of bolster  30   a,  e.g. from a forklift prong. As well, threaded apertures  36   a  of bolster  30   a  are formed by tapped holes rather than nuts welded to lower panel  32 , and adjustable leg  50   a  includes a slotted head portion  58  for receiving a bladed tool, such as a standard blade screw driver, rather than a hexagonally-shaped head. Note, in alternate embodiments, the head portion of the adjustable leg may be both hexagonally-shaped and slotted so that it may be driven by either a standard socket or a flat-bladed tool. As well, in alternate embodiments, the head portion of each adjustable leg can be configured to receive hex keys, crosshead screwdrivers, square head drivers, etc. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 11 , an alternate embodiment of a bolster  30   b  in accordance with the present disclosure is shown. Bolster  30   b  differs only from the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 through 9  in the configuration of its outer wall  60   b . Rather than having an outer wall that prevents slidably receiving the prong of a forklift, bolster  30   b  includes an outer wall  60   b  that only partially restricts access to entry window  40  defined by bolster  30   b.  More specifically, outer wall  60   b  is configured to prevent contact between the prong of the forklift and adjustable leg  50   a , yet allow the prong be slidably received within access window  40 . As shown, outer wall  60   b  extends along only a portion of the corresponding side edge of lower panel  32 , and extends upwardly for only a portion of the height of the adjacent sidewall  34 . Preferably, the dimensions of sidewall  60   b  are selected so that inadvertent contact with adjustable leg  50   a  is prevented, yet entry window  40  remains as large as possible. As well, outer wall  60   b  is slanted inwardly, thereby forming an acute angle with lower panel  32 . As such, when contacted by the prong of a forklift, outer wall  60   b  deflects the distal end of the prong upwardly away from adjustable leg  50   a  into entry window  40 . 
         [0030]    While one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are described above, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. It is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.