Drawer locking apparatus of cabinet

A cabinet includes at least one hook on a rear end of a bottom of a drawer. Turning a rod in one direction turns a pushing member which in turn lifts sliding members along poles via a linking bar so that the hook may pass an aperture of the pole and a hole of the sliding member in an unlocked position of the drawer. To the contrary, turning the rod in the other opposite direction turns the pushing member which in turn drops the sliding members so that the hook is blocked from passing the aperture of the pole and the hole of the sliding member in a locked position of the drawer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to drawer locking apparatuses and more particularly to a drawer locking apparatus of a file cabinet or a tool cabinet.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional file or tool cabinet is a substantially rectangular case body with six faces. The case body is formed by a plurality of panels defining a space therebetween. A plurality of drawers are horizontally disposed in the space layer by layer for placing documents or tools therein. In order to prevent the documents or tools from being stolen or prevent the drawers from dropping out due to shock or inclination of the ground, the file or tool cabinet is equipped with a locking device for locking the drawers.

For locking the respective drawers at one time, U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,848 disclose a drawer locking apparatus of a cabinet, including a cabinet body, at least one drawer slidably disposed in the cabinet body, a base seat mounted in the cabinet body, a slide section slidably fitted in the base seat, an engaging section and a dogging device. One end of the engaging section is disposed on the slide section. The other end of the engaging section has a hook plate with a guide slope for hooking rear sideboard of the drawer. The dogging device serves to drive the slide section to slide between a first position and a second position.

While the device enjoys its success in the market, continuing improvements in the exploitation of drawer locking apparatus of cabinet of this type are constantly being sought.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a cabinet comprising a plurality of drawers each including at least one hook on a rear end of a bottom; a rod having one end proximate a center of a rear end of a top of the cabinet and the other end extending out of a front end of the top thereof wherein one end of the rod in a hollow support is bent to form a pushing member; a hollow first pole proximate the center of the rear end of the cabinet and including a plurality of apertures facing the hooks and configured to allow the hooks to pass through; a hollow first sliding member disposed in the first pole and including two side extensions on a top and a plurality of holes facing the apertures of the first pole; a plurality of first guide members in the first sliding member and secured to the center of the rear end of the cabinet; a hollow second pole proximate one side of the cabinet and including a plurality of apertures facing the hooks and configured to allow the hooks to pass through; a hollow second sliding member in the second pole and including a through hole on a top and a plurality of holes facing the apertures of the second pole so that the hook is configured to insert through the aperture of the second pole into the hole of the second sliding member; a plurality of second guide members in the second sliding member and secured to a left portion of the rear end of the cabinet so that the second sliding member is capable of vertically sliding between the second pole and the second guide members; a hollow third pole proximate the other side of the cabinet and including a plurality of apertures facing the hooks and configured to be inserted through by the hooks; a hollow third sliding member in the third pole and including a through hole on a top and a plurality of holes facing the apertures of the third pole so that the hook is configured to insert through the aperture of the third pole into the hole of the third sliding member; a plurality of third guide members in the third sliding member and secured to a right portion of the rear end of the cabinet so that the third sliding member is capable of vertically sliding between the third pole and the third guide members; and a linking bar horizontally disposed on tops of the first pole, the second pole, and the third pole and configured to pass through the support, the linking bar including a through hole with the pushing member passing through, two limit plates at two sides respectively and urging against the second pole and the third pole respectively, two slots proximate the limit plates respectively and aligned with the through hole of the second sliding member and the through hole of the third sliding member respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 13, a cabinet10comprises a plurality of drawers11in which a lowest, large drawer11has two hooks12on a rear end of a bottom and small drawers11have one hook12on a rear end of a bottom.

The drawer locking apparatus comprises the following components as described in detail below.

A rod13has one end proximate a center of a rear end of a top of the cabinet10and the other end extending out of a front end of the top thereof so that the rod13can be turned after inserting a key into the rod13and turning the key (seeFIG. 1). One end of the rod13in a support15is bent to form a pushing member14. The support15has an n-shaped longitudinal section.

A first pole20is elongated and hollow and has an open rear end. The first pole20is proximate the center of the rear end of the cabinet10. The first pole20includes a plurality of equally spaced apertures21facing the hooks12and configured to be inserted by the hooks12.

A first sliding member30is elongated and hollow and is slidably disposed in the first pole20. A plurality of guide members22are provided in the first sliding member30and secured to the center of the rear end of the cabinet10. Thus, the first sliding member30is capable of vertically sliding between the first pole20and the guide members22. The first sliding member30includes two side extensions32on a top and a plurality of holes31facing the apertures21so that a hook12may be inserted through the aperture21into the hole31.

A second pole40is elongated and hollow and is proximate one side of the cabinet10. The second pole40is parallel to the first pole20. The second pole40includes a plurality of equally spaced apertures41facing the hooks12and configured to be inserted through by the hooks12.

A second sliding member50is elongated and hollow and is slidably disposed in the second pole40. A plurality of guide members42are provided in the second sliding member50and secured to a left portion of the rear end of the cabinet10. Thus, the second sliding member50is capable of vertically sliding between the second pole40and the guide members42. The second sliding member50includes a through hole52on a top and a plurality of holes51facing the apertures41so that a hook12may be inserted through the aperture41into the hole51.

A third pole40A is elongated and hollow and is proximate the other side of the cabinet10. The third rod40A is parallel to the first pole20. The third pole40A includes a plurality of equally spaced apertures41A facing the hooks12and configured to be inserted through by the hooks12.

A third sliding member50A is elongated and hollow and is slidably disposed in the third pole40A. A plurality of guide members42A are provided in the third sliding member50A and secured to a right portion of the rear end of the cabinet10. Thus, the third sliding member50A is capable of vertically sliding between the third pole40A and the guide members42A. The third sliding member50A includes a through hole52A on a top and a plurality of holes51A facing the apertures41A so that a hook12may be inserted through the aperture41A into the hole51A.

A linking bar60is horizontally disposed on tops of the first pole20, the second pole40and the third pole40A and passes through the support15. The linking bar60comprises a through hole64with the pushing member14of the rod13passing through; two tabs60A disposed on a bottom at two sides of the through hole64and engaged with bottoms of the side extensions32respectively so that weight of the first sliding member30is supported by the linking bar60; two limit plates65at two sides respectively and urging against the second pole40and the third pole40A respectively; two slots61proximate the limit plates65respectively and aligned with the through hole52of the second sliding member50and the through hole52A of the third sliding member50A respectively; and two threaded fasteners62in which one threaded fastener62passes through one slot61and is driven into the through hole52and the other threaded fastener62passes through the other slot61and is driven into the through hole52A so that the linking bar60, the first sliding member30, the second sliding member50and the third sliding member50A can move upward or downward as a whole.

The second pole40further comprises a top groove43and the third pole40A further comprises a top groove43A. Heights of the second pole40and the third pole40A are the same. Height of the first pole20is less than that of the second pole40. Top of the first pole20is flushed with a bottom of the groove43or43A. In a locked position, bottom of the linking bar60is rested upon the first pole20and the grooves43,43A (seeFIG. 8).

As shown inFIGS. 4 to 7specifically, the drawers11are unlocked as detailed below. The pushing member14has an elevation greater than that of the rod13after turning upward to move the through hole64upward. Also, the linking bar60moves upward. Further, the first sliding member30moves upward because the side extensions32move upward after the tabs60A have moved upward. Also, the third sliding member50A moves upward due to fastening at one side of the linking bar60and the second sliding member50moves upward due to fastening at the other side of the linking bar60. As such, the holes31of the first sliding member30are aligned with the apertures21of the first pole20, the holes51of the second sliding member50are aligned with the apertures41of the second pole40, and the holes51A of the third sliding member50A are aligned with the apertures41A of the third pole40A respectively. As a result, the hooks12of the drawers11are allowed to pass through the holes31,51and51A and the apertures21,41and41A.

As shown inFIGS. 8 to 13specifically, the topmost drawer11is unlocked and the remaining drawers11are lacked as detailed below. The pushing member14has an elevation less than that of the rod13after turning downward to move the through hole64downward. Also, the linking bar60moves downward. Further, the first sliding member30moves downward because the side extensions32move downward after the tabs60A have moved downward. Also, both the third sliding member50A and the second sliding member50move downward. As such, the holes31of the first sliding member30are not aligned with the apertures21of the first pole20, the holes51of the second sliding member50are not aligned with the apertures41of the second pole40, and the holes51A of the third sliding member50A are not aligned with the apertures41A of the third pole40A respectively. As a result, the hooks12of the drawers11except the topmost drawer11are blocked by either the first sliding member30and the second sliding member50or the third sliding member50A and the drawers11except the topmost drawer11are held motionless.

Regarding the topmost drawer11, a pushing of the topmost drawer11moves its hook12to pass through the aperture21and the hole31and the hook12pushes the first sliding member30upward after contacting it. In the pushing operation of the hook12, the linking bar60is held motionless. The first sliding member30immediately falls due to its weight after the hook12passing the hole31. As an end, the hook12is blocked by the first sliding member30and the topmost drawer11is locked.

Referring toFIG. 14, a drawer locking apparatus of a cabinet10in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: The topmost drawer11is the largest drawer11and has a plurality of hooks12on a rear end of a bottom.