Improvements in or relating to Cabinets and to Sliding Drawers or Trays therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cabinets and to Sliding Drawers or
Trays therefor.
I, EDWARD MOSELY, of 36, Robertson Street, Hastings, in the County of Sussex,
Dental Student, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to cabinets or cases having sliding drawers or trays, such
as those used for containing microscopic slides, coins, shells, mounted botanical,
entomological, or analogous specimens, medicine chests, stationery, jewellers, and
sample cases, and those employed by dentists, oculists and others for holding
instruments, lenses, or other articles.
In the above named class of cabinets, a number of trays or drawers are used for
holding a comparatively large number of small articles, and it is often required to
have a number of the same exposed to view at one time to make a selection there-
from. In the cabinets made on the ordinary plan, this frequently necessitates the
pulling out and the shutting in of the drawers or trays separately in looking for a
desired article, while the contents of a lower drawer, if left open, are hidden when an
upper drawer is pulled out; thus limiting the number of articles exposed to view at
one time.
By my invention, I so connect the various drawers or trays that by pulling out
any of them below the uppermost one, all above are automatically pulled out a
sufficient distance (at least) to expose the front portion of such drawer or drawers;
while by pulling out the bottom one, all above are opened in various degrees, so that
they slope backward from the bottom in a regular order. If any classification of the
contained articles has been made, the exposure of the front portion of a tray only, is
sufficient to indicate the nature of its contents, and the same may be adapted to be
pulled out independently by special means afterwards.
The method adopted is to form one or more projections at the back of each drawer
or tray except the top one. By adapting the projection or projections to come in
contact with a predetermined portion of the drawer above it, the same is moved when
the lower drawer is pulled out, but there should be left a certain clearance space or
travel, (usually the same for each drawer) in order that, when opened, the fronts of
all of them are upon the same angular line.
The front face of the cabinet may be left entirely open, or be enclosed by a suitable
door, according to circumstances. In either case, the front face may be vertical or
inclined to a desired angle, for a greater travel of a lower drawer than that immediately
above it, the uppermost having the least of all.
It is to be understood that I may use flexible, or other, connections between the
several drawers, instead of the projections and the part with which it engages as
aforesaid.
י יקב
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
443, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cabinets and to Sliding Drawers or
Trays therefor.
I, EDWARD MOSELY, of 36, Robertson, Street, Hastings, in the County of Sussex;
Dental Student, do hereby declare the nature of this invention.and.in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement —
My invention:relates to cabinets or cases having sliding drawers, trays, pockets
or such like receptacles for containing microscopic slides, coins, shells, mounted
botanical, entomological or analogous specimens, medicinechests, stationery, jewel and
sample cases, and those employed by dentists, oculists and others for holding
instruments, lenses, or other articles. In many of the above named class of cabinets
a number of shallow trays or drawers are used to hold a comparatively large number
of small artciles, and it is often required to have a number of the said articles exposed
to view at one time, to make a selection there form. In cabinets, as usually made, this
frequently necessitates the pulling out and shutting up of each drawer separately in
looking for a desired article, while the contents of a lower drawer if left open-is
hidden when an upper drawer is pulled out; thus limiting the number of articles
exposed. to view at one time.
.
By my invention, I so connect the various drawers or trays that by pulling out any
of them below the upper one, all above are automatically pulled out a sufficient
distance (at least) to expose the front portion of such upper drawer or drawers.; while
by pulling out the bottom one, all above are opened in various degrees so that they
slope backward from the bottom in a regular order. If any class arrangement has
been made of the contents, the exposure of the front of a tray will indicate the nature
of the articles.therein, and the particular tray required may be, afterwards pulled out
to a greater extent, or quite independently of the others,in certain cases.
The method adopted is to form one or more projections at the back of each drawer
or receptacle, except the top one. By arranging that the projection or projections will
come in contact with a predetermined portion of the drawer above it, the same is
moved when the next lower one is pulled out, but there should be, left a certain
clearance space or travel, in order to display the contents when opened, or facilitate
the removal thereof. The clearance,space is usually the same for each drawer, and
this brings the fronts.thereof (when opened) upon the same angular line, if the
receptacles are of uniform depth.
The front face of the cabinet may be left entirely open, or be enlcosed by a suitable
door as preferred: In either case the front face. may be vertical or inclined to a
desired angle and the latter admits of a greater travel of a lower drawer than that
immediately above it; the upper one having the least of all.
The projections before mentioned may be formed of the material of which the
drawers are made, or be separate metal pieces attached to the same. If metal
projections are.used they may be secured to, or forma part of a small rod running
through the drawer lengthwise and so placed as not to interfere with the contents
thereof. By making the!front end of the rod into a small handle, and, forming the
back end as a crank arm, the latter may be turned down out of the way of the drawer
above it, and so allow of the drawer to which it is attached to be pulled out.or pushed
in to its fullest extent, independently of any other. A spring may be used to return
the rod to the normal position (when released) for the arm'to engage with the drawer
above it.
The arrangements described above are suitable for cabinets or stands for microscopic
slides, coins, shells, or specimens of various kinds. They may also be used for holding
stationery, homoeopathic or other medicine bottles, or tools, but it is sometimes more
convenient to make a vertical arrangement of the drawers or receptacles especially
when the articles are long rather than flat.

page_text: For stationery cases, trays, would be made to slide vertically in grooves.cr against
each other, but adapted for the trays to engage with each other, as before stated.
These trays may be made of sheet metal and, being removable admit of being easily
cleared. The same arrangement, may be used for small medicine bottles, jewellers
pins, drills 'for use in dentistry and the arts, small screw taps, and other tools of like
nature. By making stands for these purposes of a circular form, instead.of flat, the
removal and replacement of a particular tool or article is greatly facilitated. The
individual trays or receptacles would slide in and out, and engage with each other
exactly as before; and they may be locked in the extended position by causing a part
of the projection like a stud to rest within a short horizontal groove.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 a vertical section on the
line ab, of a vertical sliding cabinet.or stand, suitable for holding small articles
such as drills, taps, pins, .small, vials, or similar articles. In the section Fig. 2 the
several drawers are shown pulled outwards to their fullest extent, and locked in
position. This is done by pulling the central knob c which is secured to the upper
drawer d, until the flange.d!.comes in contact with the under side of the next drawer e,
and by continuing the outer movement, the bottom flanges of each drawer successively
come in contact with the under side of the drawer enclosing the same, until each
drawer is pulled out to its utmost extent. By slightly twisting the knob c, when pulled
out, cach drawer may be locked in position. This may be done as indicated by the
sectional plan Fig. 3, or by the sectional elevation in Fig. 4. In Fig. 3 two vertical
grooves are shown on the inside of the drawer e, in which projecting lugs on d can
slide freely. At the upper extremity, each groove i is widened horizontally so as to
form a ledge i¹ on which each lug may rest when the flange d¹ is pulled to the top and
twisted with its lugs into position. By twisting the knob c in the reverse direction
and pushing downward, all the drawers are closed as indicated by the dotted lines, and
may have an enclosing case (also shown by dotted lines) or made high enough to
cover all the drawers when fully extended. In Fig. 4, a small metallic pin j, having a
projection thereon is screwed into each drawer e and f, and by a similar movement to
that described for Fig. 3, the side of the clearing hole in each flange e¹ and f¹ rest
upon, or released from, the projection on the pin j. This pin is also shown
detached.
It will be apparent that this cabinet or stand may be fixed against a wall, with
square or oblong drawers instead of circular, and pulled out horizontally instead of
vertically, so that when closed it will economise space.
Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of a cabinet suited for holding microscopic
slides, coins, eye glasses, jewellers ware and other like articles, and it may be used as
a show-case for the same. In Fig. 5 the drawers are shown to be closed, but in
Fig. 6 they are all drawn out in their relative positions. Fig. 7 is a vertical section
through the cabinet and the several drawers, and Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the
same. In these figures the side frames of the drawers have a recess or race cut in them
marked i and a stop i¹ is formed of a small screw which is made to pass through a
longitudinal slot (shown in Fig. 8) in the side frame, and secured in the drawer below.
Consequently when the bottom drawer is pulled out by its handle c (for example), the
screw stop ¹ moves with it in the slot and race aforesaid until the head comes in
contact with the front end of the race at i, and the outward movement being
continued, the drawer is also moved outward, and so on for the drawers g.f.e, and d
in succession to the distance indicated by the dotted lines. This arrangement placed
vertically would serve as a stationery case.
Fig. 9 is an elevation, with the front removed, of a desk cabinet showing a metallic
striking plate i and angle stop i¹ attached to drawer in position. Fig. 10 is a
transverse vertical section of the same, with the drawers pulled out in the manner
before described. In Fig. 11 is shown a drawer provided with a handle k connected
to a cranked angle stop i¹, by twisting which the stop is raised clear of the striking
plate i, so that each drawer so provided may be pulled out or replaced separately
without effecting the others. Figs. 12 and 13 are details of drawers having striking
plates and stops near the sides instead of the centres thereof.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The herein described improvements in cabinets having sliding drawers or trays
whereby the pulling out of a lower drawer automatically pulls out all others above in
a predetermined gradation, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination of a striking plate, moveable stop and actuating handle with
a sliding drawer, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
3. The several forms and arrangements herein described and illustrated by the
figures, for the purpose specified.
Dated this 1st day of January 1890.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.