Snap-in bracket for mounting a drawer guide in a desk or cabinet

A snap-in mounting bracket for use in a desk or cabinet and with a drawer guide having a tongue portion includes a base carrying a pair of opposing retaining flanges resiliently connected to the base and configured to cooperatively receive a drawer guide tongue portion in snap-in engagement allowing lateral adjustment of the drawer guide with respect to the desk or cabinet. At least one support wall and preferably a pair of opposing support walls rigidly connected to the bracket base cooperatively support the engaged drawer guide tongue portion. One of the support walls may be provided with a notch for engaging the drawer guide to prevent lateral movement of the drawer guide. The bracket is supported on the desk or cabinet by fasteners such as fastening screws received through openings formed in the base and into the desk or cabinet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to desk or cabinet drawer guide mounting 
brackets and more particularly to a new and improved mounting bracket used 
in connection with a drawer guide having a tongue portion, the bracket 
having a base with opposing retaining flanges resiliently connected to the 
base to cooperatively receive the drawer guide tongue portion in snap-in 
engagement of the drawer guide. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various types of mounting brackets for desk and cabinet drawers have been 
used in the furniture industry for many years. Generally, such brackets 
are not precisely designed or engineered to achieve stability, long wear 
or efficient operation. Such brackets have adjustable elements, usually 
formed directly in the bracket body, making the bracket difficult to 
adjust, insufficient to achieve drawer stability with respect to the desk 
or cabinet, and quick to deteriorate. 
There is a current need to provide more precisely designed and manufactured 
mounting brackets which operate with greater efficiency and adjustability 
while retaining the costs associated with the design and manufacture of 
such devices within the same range as presently experienced with 
conventional brackets. 
Moreover, while improved brackets of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 
5,257,861 partially address this need, the usefulness of such brackets is 
limited in that they are designed to be attached to the tongue portion of 
the drawer guide before installing the bracket and drawer guide in the 
desk or cabinet. The design of such brackets makes it is necessary to 
slide the leading end of the tongue portion through an end opening of the 
bracket which is defined between top and bottom portions of the bracket, 
and at the same time to slide the tongue portion over a stop upstanding 
from the bracket base and spaced from the bracket end opening. If the 
bracket is installed in the desk or cabinet before attaching the drawer 
guide to the bracket, the confined space within the desk or cabinet makes 
it impractical, if not impossible, to attach the drawer guide tongue 
portion to the installed bracket. 
The present invention addresses this need and provides a bracket which can 
be installed in a desk or cabinet for receiving the drawer guide tongue 
portion in snap-in engagement and which provides for either lateral 
adjustment of the drawer guide or fixed positioning of the drawer guide 
relative to the desk or cabinet. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved snap-in 
mounting bracket to be used on a desk or cabinet and with a drawer guide 
having a tongue portion, that has all, and more, of the advantages of 
prior art brackets and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this purpose, representative embodiments of the present invention 
are illustrated in the drawings. The bracket of the present invention 
makes use of a base having spaced from each other a pair of retaining 
flanges which are configured to cooperatively receive the drawer guide 
tongue portion in snap-in engagement for lateral adjustment of the drawer 
guide with respect to its position within the desk or cabinet and which 
permits only lateral movement of the drawer guide tongue portion relative 
to the bracket. 
Each of the retaining flanges is resiliently connected to the base and each 
has a projection for receiving and engaging the drawer guide tongue 
portion. The retaining flange projections each have a sliding surface and 
an associated engaging surface, and the respective sliding surfaces 
slidingly receive the drawer guide tongue portion to a snap-in engaged 
position of the drawer guide tongue portion between the base and the 
respective engaging surfaces. In order to install the tongue portion of 
the drawer guide, the tongue portion is pressed flat against the 
respective sliding surfaces, which are inclined relative to the base to 
deflect the retaining flanges apart, until the tongue portion clears the 
sliding surfaces and the retaining flanges snap back to their original 
upstanding position. 
The engaging surfaces of each of the retaining flange projections and the 
base define between them an opening which may be smaller than the 
thickness of the drawer guide tongue portion to cooperatively receive and 
engage the tongue portion and frictionally maintain the tongue portion for 
lateral adjustment. 
At least one support wall and preferably a pair of opposing support walls 
rigidly connected to the base and disposed between the retaining flanges 
and the rear of the base cooperatively support the engaged drawer guide 
tongue portion. Additional support for the tongue portion of the drawer 
guide may be provided by at least one support wall and preferably a second 
pair of opposing support walls rigidly connected to the base and disposed 
between the retaining flanges and the front of the base cooperatively 
supporting the engaged drawer guide tongue portion. Lateral movement of 
the engaged drawer guide tongue portion may be limited by a rear wall 
formed at the rear of the base. 
Alternatively, one of the support walls disposed between the retaining 
flanges and the rear of the base may be provided with a notch for 
receiving an end portion of a flange of the drawer guide, in which case, 
when the drawer guide tongue portion is installed in a snap-in engaged 
position between the base and the respective engaging surfaces of the 
retaining flanges, the end portion of the flange of the drawer guide is 
received in the notch, and the drawer guide is locked in position against 
any lateral movememt of the drawer guide tongue portion. 
The bracket is supported on the desk or cabinet by fasteners such as 
fastening screws inserted through openings formed in the base and into the 
desk or cabinet. The bracket may also be provided with one or more slotted 
openings formed in the base for receiving fasteners such as fastening 
screws in order to provide for limited lateral repositioning of the base 
relative to the desk or cabinet upon loosening the fastening screws. 
To provide for lateral adjustment of a drawer carried by the drawer guide 
with respect to the desk or cabinet, appropriate adjustable features of 
the bracket of the present invention limit lateral movement of the 
received tongue portion of the drawer guide, the drawer guide, and the 
carried drawer. The retaining flanges, which are configured as resilient 
snap-in spring flanges, partially retain the snapped-in drawer guide 
tongue portion by frictional force to maintain the tongue portion in a 
fixed relationship with the bracket until a predetermined amount of force 
is exerted to readjust the relationship between the bracket and the tongue 
portion. If lateral adjustment is not desired, a notch may be formed in 
one of the support walls to receive and engage an end portion of a flange 
of the drawer guide to prevent lateral movement of the installed drawer 
guide. 
This outline focuses on the more important features of the invention in 
order that a detailed description which follows may be better understood 
and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better 
appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention 
that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter 
of the claims appended hereto. It is to be understood that the invention 
is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to 
the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description 
and drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and being carried out in various ways. 
It is to be further understood that the phraseology and terminology 
employed herein are for the purpose of description and are not to be 
regarded as limiting. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the 
conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as 
a basis for designing the structures, methods and systems for carrying out 
the several purposes of the present invention. The claims are regarded as 
including such equivalent constructions so long as they do not depart from 
the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
From the foregoing summary, it is apparent that an object of the present 
invention is to provide a new and improved snap-in mounting bracket for a 
desk or cabinet drawer and with a drawer guide having a tongue portion 
which has all of the advantages, and more, of prior art brackets and none 
of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
design of the type described that is more reliable and functional than 
those presently available. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting 
bracket of the type described that enables installation of the bracket in 
a desk or cabinet before attaching the drawer guide to the bracket and 
enables the tongue portion of a drawer guide to be received in snap-in 
engagement by the installed bracket for lateral adjustment. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting 
bracket of the type described that enables repeated preselected lateral 
adjustments to be made to the mounted drawer relative to the desk or 
cabinet and yet operate reliably and efficiently thereafter. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bracket of the 
type described utilizing a rear wall limiting lateral movement of the 
drawer guide tongue portion. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a bracket of 
the type described providing a notch for engaging a flange of the drawer 
guide to prevent lateral movement of the drawer guide. 
These, together with other objects of the present invention, along with the 
various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed 
out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference 
should be made to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of 
reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1, an adjustable 
mounting bracket shown generally as 10 has a base 12 and opposing 
retaining flanges 14 resiliently connected to base 12 and configured to 
cooperatively receive (see arrow 15 in FIG. 2) the drawer guide tongue 
portion shown generally as 16 in FIG. 8 in snap-in engagement. Referring 
to FIG. 7, each retaining flange 14 has a sliding surface 18 and an 
associated engaging surface 20. Drawer guide tongue portion 16 is 
positioned flat against respective sliding surfaces 18 and, with pressure 
exerted on drawer guide tongue portion 16 in the direction of arrow 15 in 
FIG. 2, sliding surfaces 18, which are inclined relative to base 12, 
slidingly receive drawer guide tongue portion 16, deflecting retaining 
flanges 14 apart to enable tongue portion 16 to snap into an engaged 
position of tongue portion 16 between base 12 and engaging surfaces 20. 
Opposing retaining flanges 14 are configured to hold tongue portion 16 in 
position against lateral movement without the exertion of a predetermined 
lateral force on the drawer guide shown generally as 22 in FIG. 8. Each of 
retaining flanges 14 has an upstanding section 24 carried by base 12, each 
of sliding surfaces 18 is inclined downwardly from the top of upstanding 
section 24 towards base 12, each of engaging surfaces 20 is inclined 
downwardly from sliding surface 18 toward upstanding section 24, and each 
of engaging surfaces 20 defines between them and base 12 a drawer guide 
tongue portion opening which is smaller than the thickness of drawer guide 
tongue portion 16. The tongue portion openings cooperatively receive 
drawer guide tongue portion 16 and frictionally maintain tongue portion 16 
therein for lateral adjustment such that a predetermined lateral force is 
required to laterally reposition mounted drawer guide 22. Lateral movement 
of tongue portion 16 may be limited by one or both of a rear wall 38 
upstanding from the rear 28 of base 12 and a front wall 39 upstanding from 
front 32 of base 12. 
At least one support wall 26, or preferably, a pair of opposing support 
walls 26 and 27 are rigidly connected to base 12 and disposed between 
retaining flanges 14 and the rear 28 of base 12 to support snapped-in 
drawer guide tongue portion 16. Further support for snapped-in tongue 
portion 16 can be furnished by another support wall 30, or preferably, a 
second pair of opposing support walls 30 and 31, likewise rigidly 
connected to base 12 and disposed between retaining flanges 14 and the 
front 32 of base 12. The thickness of support walls 26, 27, 30 and 31 may 
be greater than the thickness of upstanding section 24 of retaining 
flanges 14, which must be dimensioned to be elastically deflectable to 
enable the tongue portion to be snapped in. For additional elasticity, the 
height of upstanding sections 24 of retaining flanges 14 may be increased 
by extending upwardly from ledge 15 formed in recess 17 defined in base 
12. 
Alternatively, either of support walls 26, 27 disposed between retaining 
flanges 14 and rear 28 of base 12, and preferably support wall 27 as shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 5, may be provided with a notch 29 for receiving an end 
portion 40 of flange 42 of drawer guide 22, in which case, when drawer 
guide tongue portion 16 is installed in a snap-in engaged position between 
base 12 and respective engaging surfaces 20 of retaining flanges 14, end 
portion 40 of flange 42 is locked in position against lateral movement of 
drawer guide tongue portion 16. Likewise, to accommodate either right hand 
or left hand installation of drawer guide tongue portion 16, a 
corresponding notch 29 may be formed in either of support walls 30, 31 
disposed between retaining flanges 14 and front 32 of base 12, and 
preferably in support wall 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, for the identical 
purpose. 
Bracket base 12 is supported on a furniture article such as a desk or 
cabinet by one or more mechanical fasteners such as nails, braids or 
preferably fastening screws received through one or more openings 36 
formed in bracket base 12 and into the desk or cabinet. The bracket may 
also be provided with one or more slotted openings 35 formed in base 12 
for receiving fasteners such as fastening screws in order to provide for 
limited lateral repositioning of base 12 relative to the desk or cabinet 
upon loosening the fasteners. 
It has been found that the device forming the present invention is 
economical to construct in that it can be provided in a one piece 
construction and that it is not necessary to premount bracket 10 on drawer 
guide tongue portion 16 before installing drawer guide 22 in a desk or 
cabinet. Instead, bracket 10 can be first attached to a desk or cabinet 
and drawer guide tongue portion 16 can then be snapped into bracket 10. 
The bracket of the present invention may be used with a double captive 
drawer guide system which includes a drawer guide having a top flange 
which curves around the top of the roller of a drawer side rail and the 
drawer side rail having a top flange which curves around the top of the 
roller of the drawer guide. The drawer side rail roller cannot be 
disengaged from the drawer guide, and the drawer guide roller cannot be 
disengaged from the drawer side rail by lateral force applied to the 
drawer. Thus, a lateral force applied to the installed drawer laterally 
repositions both drawer guides relative to the bracket mounted on the desk 
or cabinet at the same time. 
If lateral adjustment is not deemed necessary or desireable, a notch 29 may 
be formed in support wall 27 to receive and engage an end portion 17 of 
the top flange of drawer guide 22 to prevent lateral movement of the 
installed drawer guide relative to the bracket mounted on the desk or 
cabinet. 
Obviously, any number of materials may be used to form the bracket and its 
components described herein, and exceptional success has been experienced 
by the use of semirigid plastic material for the bracket, although other 
materials may be utilized. 
With respect to the descriptions set forth above, optimum dimensional 
relationship for the parts of the invention (to include variations in 
size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly 
and use) are deemed readily apparent and obvious to those skilled in the 
art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings 
and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed herein. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Since numerous modifications and change will readily occur to 
those skilled in the art, it is not intended to limit the invention to the 
exact construction and operation shown and described, and all suitable 
modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended 
claims are deemed within the present inventive concept.