IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTINGS OF DRAWERS AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES OF FURNITURE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Arthur Biddell, of Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTINGS OF DRAWERS
AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES OF FURNITURE."
Sealed the 8th June 1877, and dated the 3rd April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Arthur Biddell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd April 1877.
"
GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE FITTINGS OF DRAWERS AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES OF
FURNITURE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the fittings of drawers and
other such like articles of furniture.
As at present arranged, drawers are very liable to stick in the guides between
which they work in consequence of getting into a position somewhat oblique to
these guides. Now in order to avoid this inconvenience I provide a roller imme-
diately underneath the drawer and near the front. The ends of the roller are carried
in suitable bearings in the sides of the frame in which the drawers are carried, and
near each side of the drawer a tape or cord is connected to it. One end of the tape
or cord is attached to the under side of the drawer at the front, and the other end is
similarly attached to the drawer at the back, and between the two the tape or cord
is made to lap two or three times around the roller. This arrangement compels the
drawer to move always in a direction parallel to the guides so that it cannot get
across in such manner as to cause it to stick.
If desired, for heavy drawers a handle may be applied at the end of the roller so
that it may be turned, and the drawer in this manner moved in or out along its
guides. For the roller and tapes an axis with pinions upon it taking into racks may
be substituted; or suitable chains and an axis carrying pinions may be used in place
of the above.
The roller or axis with pinions may under some circumstances he fixed above the
drawer instead of beneath; or the same may be carried by the drawer running in

page_text: suitable bearings at the sides of it near the back, and the tapes or cords, racks or
chains, would then be fixed to the frame which carries the drawer instead of to the
drawer, as first above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Arthur Biddell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
October 1877.
GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE FITTINGS OF DRAWERS AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES OF
FURNITURE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the fittings of drawers and
other such like articles of furniture.
As at present arranged, drawers are very liable to stick in the guides between
which they work in consequence of getting into a position somewhat oblique to
these guides. Now in order to avoid this inconvenience I provide a roller imme-
diately underneath the drawer and near the front. The ends of the roller are carried
in suitable bearings in the sides of the frame in which the drawers are carried, and
near each side of the drawer a tape or cord is connected to it. One end of the tape
or cord is attached to the under side of the drawer at the front, and the other end is
similarly attached to the drawer at the back, and between the two the tape or cord
is made to lap two or three times around the roller. This arrangement compels the
drawer to move always in a direction parallel to the guides, so that it cannot get
across in such manner as to cause it to stick.
If desired, for heavy drawers a handle may be applied at the end of the roller so
that it may be turned, and the drawer in this manner moved in or out along its
guides. For the roller and tapes an axis with pinions upon it taking into racks inay
be substituted; or suitable chains and an axis carrying pinions may be used in place
of the above.
The roller or axis with pinions may under some circumstances be fixed above the
drawer instead of beneath; or the same may be carried by the drawer running in
suitable bearings at the sides of it near the back, and the tapes or cords, racks or
chains, would then be fixed to the frame which carries the drawer instead of to the
drawer, as first above described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe more
fully the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a vertical cross section through a chest of four
drawers A, B, C, and D, to a scale of full size, shewing four distinct methods of
carrying out my Invention. These methods can be further modified in detail if
found necessary, but the plans here described for carrying out my improvements are
those I prefer as the simplest and most practical means under varying conditions and
circumstances.
A, Figure 1, represents a drawer in cross section; and A, Figure 2, a plan of the
same, in which is fixed at the upper back part of it a roller a, preferred to be made
of wood, but it may be of metal or other suitable material; this roller is free to
rotate in holes or bearings borod through the sides of the drawer at b, b, Figures 1
and 2. Round this roller near each end a cord is wrapped two or more turns. One
end of each cord is carried to the front of the chest above the drawer and passed
through holes c, c, Figures 1 and 2, and a knot tied at the ends so as to prevent the
cords being pulled out in one direction. The other end of each cord is passed
through holes at the back of the casing or boarding forming the back of the chest,

page_text: and pulled tight and made fast by being fixed to cleats c, d, Figures 1 and 2.
Now, on the drawer being moved in or out, the cords unwind and rewind by rolling
friction (there being no rubbing or wearing friction) upon the roller, and thus keep
the drawer perfectly square and parallel, as one end cannot move without the other
end, even although the drawer is pulled or pushed from either end, or side only of
the front, because the motion at one end is immediately and simultaneously com-
municated by the cords through the roller to the other end, and thus it is impossible
for the drawer to get across, or jam, or stick fast.
B, Sheet 1, Figures 1 and 3, represents a section of a drawer, the motion of which
is governed in the same way as that just described, viz. :-By a roller and cords, but
in this case the roller is fixed to the chest or casing and the cords to the drawer,
whereas in the drawer A the roller is fixed to the drawer, and the cords to the chest
or casing. e, e, Figures 1 and 3, is the roller fixed below the drawer B near the
front of the chest and turning in two holes made in the bearing pieces f, f, Figure 3.
One end of each cord is carried through holes at the back of the drawer at g, g,
Figures 1 and 3, and secured by a knot. The cords are wrapped two or more times
round the roller, and the other ends carried round a screw 8 firmly fixed into the
bottom edge of front of drawer, and made fast to cleats h, h, Figure 3, attached to
the under side of the bottom of the drawer.
A simple modification of the arrangements of roller and cords in drawer B might
be made by fixing the roller to the chest or casing above the drawer and attaching
the cords to the upper edges of the drawer instead of to the bottom of it, as in B,
Figures 1 and 3; but this would not be so convenient an arrangement, as the cords
would be exposed across the drawer when it was pulled out, and would obviously be
in the way in getting articles in and out of the drawer.
Although in the above-described methods of carrying out my improvements I
have shown and described the use of cords, as I prefer them, yet tapes or bands of
any suitable material could be used, but I find cords answer perfectly well.
C, Figure 1, Sheet 1, and Figure 4, Sheet 2, represents a drawer in which the
object of my Invention is carried out by means of toothed pinions and racks of
metal, wood, or other suitable material, instead of by rollers and cords, or bands, as
before described. I is a spindle carrying two pinions j,j; this spindle runs in
bearings consisting of two holes bored in the sides of the drawer. Above the
drawer, and projecting slightly into it are two racks k, k, Figures 1 and 4, screwed
firmly to the partition of the chest which is formed between the two drawers B
and C, Figure 1; , Figures 1 and 4, is a slight spring of wood fixed to the bottom
of the drawer C with a thick end forming a catch which prevents the drawer coming
quite out, and the pinions getting out of gear, by stopping against the front rail of
the chest at m, Figure 1. This spring when pressed upwards allows the drawer to
be removed entirely when desirable. It will be seen that this gearing has the same
effect as the rollers and cords previously described, in always keeping the drawer
square and parallel on its guides, and preventing it getting obliquely across when
moved in or out, no matter at what part of the front of the drawer the hand may
be applied to move it.
D, Figure 1, Sheet 1, and Figure 5, Sheet 2, represent a drawer in which similar.
gearing to that of drawer C is applied, but in this instance the spindle n, Figures 1
and 5, carrying the two pinions q, q, is fixed to the chest just below the front of the
drawer instead of in the drawer as in C; this spindle runs in bearings consisting of
holes bored through the ends of the chest or casing, and is shown with each end pro-
jecting, which are formed into squares, so that in the case of a very heavy and large
drawer, a small hand crank or winch can be readily applied, if desired, to turn the
spindle, and thus move the drawer in and out by the notion of the pinion on the
racks o, o, Figures 1 and 5, instead of pulling and pushing the drawer out and in, as
is the usual way. The racks o, o, are fixed firmly to the bottom of the drawer D,
and thus move in and out with it. To the bottom of this drawer also is fixed a
spring stop piece p, exactly like that described for drawer C.
Figure 6, Sheet 2, represents one pinion and one end of the spindle n of drawer D

page_text: enlarged, showing how the weight of the drawer may be "eased" of its lower
guides and partly carried by rolling upon the bosses of the pinions q, which would
thus act as friction rollers, if desirable, in the case of a heavy drawer. It is obvious
that the spindle n and its pinion q, q, could be fixed just above the drawer instead
of below, and the racks fixed to the upper part of the sides of the drawer (teeth
upwards) when the effect produced by my improvements would be equally well
obtained in keeping the drawer square and parallel on its guides, but I prefer placing
the gearing below the drawer.
It will readily be perceived that in the place of the gearing consisting of toothed
racks and pinions, pitch chains and chain pinions could be applied, but I do not find 1
them so convenient of application as rigid racks, such as described for drawers C
and D.
Havnig thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim the improvements substantially
as herein-before described in the fittings of the drawers of articles of furniture to 1
compel the drawers to move always in a direction parallel to their guides.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Arthur Biddell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.