Patent Publication Number: US-6655762-B2

Title: Drawer with interchangeable lock assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a drawer mounted within a furniture piece and, more particularly, to a drawer configured to mount a variety of interchangeable locking assemblies for use in maintaining the drawer in a locked position. 
     It is often advantageous to mount drawers on existing furniture to provide the user with additional storage space and security. Preferably, the installation and addition of drawers can be formed in a straightforward method that is not too costly or time consuming during the installation. The drawers should be sturdy and include a locking assembly such that the user can confidently place valuable items within the drawer with the knowledge that they are safe. 
     Additionally, the ability to change locking assemblies is advantageous for a user. Many drawers are equipped with a permanent locking mechanism integrally mounted within the drawer structure. The ability to use different locks in different situations is not an option for these types of drawers as changing the lock assemblies requires that the entire drawer be replaced. The ability for the drawer to accommodate varying types of locking assemblies is advantageous as particular users may prefer different types of locking assemblies when using the drawer in different situations. 
     Many drawers cannot be unlocked without completely disassembling the drawer assembly when the key or combination is missing. This may lead to problems in the event the user either forgets the combination or key, or when it is necessary for a second party to get into the drawer when the user is not available. For example, if the user becomes sick and needs medicine kept inside the drawer, the second party cannot access the medicine without either destroying or disassembling the drawer. 
     Institutional facilities, such as prisons, often use this type of drawer and locking assembly for their inmates. Special requirements are necessary for institutional use, such as the drawers should not be able to be removed from the furniture piece or any of the individual parts removed from the drawer assembly because inmates may use these to facilitate escape or to injure others. It is further important that the drawers provide secure storage for the inmates to prevent others from accessing the private and valuable items they have stored therein. It is further advantageous that the locks can be removed without destroying the entire drawer or disassembling the entire drawer in the event that prison officials need to access the interior of the drawer looking for contraband or miscellaneous other items. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a drawer having an interchangeable locking assembly which provides secure storage of items. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a drawer having multiple locks that are interchangeable depending upon the needs of the user. Adapter plates are removably mounted to the drawer and include at least a first adapter plate adapted to receive a first lock type, and a second adapter plate adapted to receive a second lock type. In one embodiment, the adapter plate includes an aperture for receiving a locking bar and a lock. In another embodiment, the adapter plate includes an integrated lock. 
     A locking bar may be adapted to be positioned adjacent to adapter plate when the drawer is in the closed position. The locking bar comprises a first end for mating with a first adapter plate and a second end for mating with a second adapter plate. The locking bar is movably aligned such that the corresponding end can be aligned with the adapter plate mounted to the drawer. In one embodiment in which the adapter plate includes an integrated lock, the locking bar comprises a contact edge having a wedge extending outward therefrom. The integrated lock includes a plunger movable between a locked position in which the plunger is in an extended orientation and an open position in which the plunger is in a retracted orientation. The plunger includes a groove that abuts against the wedge in the locked position to prevent the drawer from being opened when the plunger is the locked orientation. 
     The invention further includes the method of locking a drawer comprising providing at least two adapter plates with a first adapter plate having a first lock type and a second adapter plate having a second lock type. One of the adapter plates is selected and installed on the drawer. Sometime thereafter, the adapter plate is removed and a second adapter plate is installed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the drawer assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the drawer assembly mounted to a furniture piece; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the drawer assembly of one embodiment of the drawer assembly; 
     FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an adapter plate for receiving a hasp lock; 
     FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an adapter plate having an integrated lock; 
     FIG. 4C is a side view of the integrated lock of FIG. 4B mounted to the front wall of the drawer assembly and positioned adjacent to the locking bar; and 
     FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the locking bar and integrated lock mounted to the storage area. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of one embodiment of the front wall  22  of the drawer having a cut-out section  24 . 
     FIG. 7 illustrates one of the pair of adapter plates  30  interchangeably positioned behind the cut-out section  24  of the front wall  22  of the drawer. The edges of the cut-out section are at least partially exposed when either the first adapter plate or the second adapter plate is mounted on the drawer. The portion of the edges that are not exposed are covered by the handle  31 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a drawer assembly with an interchangeable lock. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the drawer assembly, generally illustrated as  10 , includes storage area  20  formed by exterior walls. A front wall  22  includes a cut-out section  24  in which an adapter plate  30  is removably mounted. A locking bar  40  having first and second ends  48 ,  46  (FIG. 2) is selectively positioned to mate with different locks. The first end  48  may be positioned forward and includes a tongue  41  that extends through the adapter plate  30  to receive a hasp lock (not illustrated). The second end  46  includes a contact edge  45  for mating with an integrated lock  32  (FIG. 4B) mounted within an alternate adapter plate  30 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates one application of the drawer assembly  10  being mounted to a furniture piece  100 . Drawer assembly  10  is movably positioned between an open position in which the user has access to the interior of the storage area  20  and a closed position as illustrated in FIG. 2 in which the interior is not accessible and the drawer assembly  10  may be locked to prevent access. A mounting platform  102  forms the top wall of the storage area  20  and may include apertures  104  to receive fasteners for attaching the drawer assembly  10  to the furniture piece  100 . Alternatively, drawer assembly  10  may be welded, bonded, or otherwise attached to the furniture piece  100  in a variety of manners well understood and appreciated in the art. The term furniture piece  100  is understood herein to mean household and institutional furniture including beds, desks, chairs, and other like pieces to which the drawer assembly  10  may be mounted. 
     Storage area  20  as illustrated in FIG. 1 is formed by front  22 , back  25 , side  21 , and bottom  28  walls and may have a variety of shapes and sizes depending upon the size of the furniture piece  100  and the needs of the user. The walls abut together forming a continuous shell that prevents items from escaping from the interior and generally preventing dirt or other debris from entering the interior. Front wall  22  includes a cut-out section  24  for mounting the adapter plate  30  and may have a variety of sizes and dimensions. In one embodiment, cut-out section  24  is an aperture positioned within one of the walls of the drawer assembly  10 . As illustrated in FIG. 1, cut-out section  24  is positioned at an upper, central area of the front wall  22 . Apertures  26  may further be positioned about the edges of the cut-out section  24  for receiving fasteners  60  when the adapter plate  30  is attached to the front wall  22 . As illustrated in FIG. 3, arms  23  may extend outward from the side walls  21  for mounting on guide rails  103  (FIG. 1) positioned on the furniture piece  100  for sliding the drawer assembly  10  between open and closed positions. A cut-away section  27  conforms to the dimensions of the locking bar  40  to allow the back wall  25  to slide past the locking bar  40  when moving between open and closed positions. 
     A variety of adapter plates  30  may be positioned within the cut-out section  24 . Two embodiments are illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B and may include a handle  31  extending outward for grasping by the user, and apertures  33  to receive fasteners  60  for mounting to the front wall  22 . In one embodiment, adapter plate  30  is mounted on an inside surface of the front wall  22  as illustrated in FIG.  1 . Apertures  33  align with apertures  26  on the front wall  22  to receive fasteners  60  for removably mounting the adapter plate  30 . In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, fasteners  60  are mounted with a head section  62  extending outward and a tail end that receives a nut (not illustrated) positioned on the inner edge. Head section  62  is adapted to receive a tool for removing the fastener  60 . When an integrated lock  32  is mounted to the front wall  22 , fasteners  60  can be removed when the drawer assembly  10  is in the closed and locked position in the event that the user loses the key or combination, or refuses to open the lock. In one embodiment, fastener  60  is a Blind Threaded Captive Fastener constructed by AVK Industrial Products. 
     FIG. 4A illustrates an adapter plate  30  for use in receiving a hasp lock (not illustrated). An opening  35  is sized to receive a tongue portion  41  of the locking bar  40  as illustrated in FIG. 1. A lock may then be mounted to the tongue portion  41  to lock the drawer assembly  10  in the closed position. FIG. 4B illustrates an integrated lock  32  mounted therein. Integrated lock  32  may be operated via a tumbler for inputting a combination, a key hole for receiving a key, or other. Integrated lock  32  includes a plunger  38  for mounting against the locking bar  40  as illustrated in FIG.  4 C. Plunger  38  is statically positioned in an upright position when locked and abuts against contact edge  45  to prevent the drawer assembly  10  from being opened. When the user opens the integrated lock  32 , plunger  38  retracts below the lock end  46 . In one embodiment, integrated lock  36  is selected from one of the following: Serial No. 1654, Serial No. 1630, Serial No. 1631, Serial No. 1655, Serial No. 1670, and Serial No. 1671, each manufactured by the Master Lock Company of Milwaukee, Wis. Plunger  38  further includes a groove  39  for mounting against the locking bar end  46 . 
     Locking bar  40  is mounted to the furniture piece  100  and works in conjunction with the adapter plate  30  to lock the drawer assembly  10  in the closed position. As illustrated in FIG. 5, locking bar  40  includes apertures  42  that align with furniture piece apertures  104  to mount to the mounting plate  102 . A stop  44  connected to the locking bar  40  extends into the interior of the storage area  20  and contacts the back wall  25  to limit the drawer assembly  10  range of motion in the open position. Stop  44  further prevents the drawer from being removed from the furniture piece, which may be required for institutional use. A first hasp end  48  includes a tongue  41  sized to extend through the adapter plate opening  35 . Tongue  41  includes an aperture  49  through which a lock is attached to lock the drawer assembly  10  in the closed position. A second integrated lock end  46  is positioned opposite the hasp end  48 . Lock end  46  includes a contact edge  45  that extends downward and contacts the plunger  38  of the integrated lock  32 . Contact edge  45  may be shaped in a variety of angles. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4C, a wedge  43  extends from the edge  45  and conforms to the dimensions of the plunger groove  39 . When the drawer assembly  10  is attempted to be pulled to the open position when locked, wedge  43  seats within the groove  39  preventing the user from vibrating or otherwise moving the plunger  39  beyond the angled edge  45 . The embodiments illustrated indicate wedge  43  having an angled edge that mates within groove  39 , however one skilled in the art will understand that wedge  43  may have a variety of embodiments allowing it to contact and catch within groove  39 . In one embodiment, wedge  43  has a blunt front that is sized to contact and catch within groove  39  when the drawer is pulled open. Groove  39  may also have a variety of orientations that correspond to the wedge  43  such as an angled format as illustrated in FIG. 4C, square shape, oval, etc. In one embodiment, groove  39  is about 0.02 inches deep. 
     In use, the guides  102  are mounted on the furniture piece  100  and the locking bar  40  is mounted with the desired end facing outward to be adjacent to the corresponding adapter plate  30 . In one embodiment, the hasp adapter plate  30  is mounted within the cut-out section  24 . The locking bar  40  is mounted such that the first end extends outward a distance for the tongue portion  41  to fit within the aperture  35  when the drawer is in the closed position. The user may then apply a lock to the tongue portion aperture  49  to lock the drawer assembly  10  in the closed position. 
     Converting the drawer assembly  10  includes adjusting the locking bar  40  such that the second end having the contact edge  45  faces the front wall  22 . The adapter plate  30  is exchanged with one having an integrated lock  32 . The drawer assembly  10  may be locked by positioning it in the closed position such that the plunger  38  is behind the contact edge  45  and wedge  43 . The drawer assembly  10  is opened by opening the integrated lock  32  either by combination or key such that the plunger  38  retracts below the contact edge  45  allowing the drawer assembly  10  to be slid open. The drawer assembly  10  may also be used with no adapter plate  30 . The opening in the front wall  22  where the adapter plate  30  is normally mounted remains open providing a surface for the user to grasp when opening and closing the drawer. 
     In the embodiments illustrated, the adapter plate  30  is mounted within an upper central portion of the front wall  22  and the locking bar  40  is positioned to make contact with the adapter plate  30 . However, the adapter plate  30  may be positioned at other locations within the drawer assembly  10  such as on the bottom wall  28  and the side walls  21 . Within these embodiments, the locking bar  40  would be positioned to correspond to the adapter plate  30 . 
     The present invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and essential characteristics of the invention. One skilled in the art that a variety of different locking mechanisms may be used in either embodiment for locking the drawer assembly  10  in the closed position. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.