Improved Device for Locking the Drawers, Boxes, or Trays of Filing Cabinets and other like Constructions.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Device for Locking the Drawers, Boxes, or Trays of Filing
Cabinets and other like Constructions.
I, JOSEPH HILLEBRAND, of 37, Clarendon Square, in the County of London,
Cabinet Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an improved device for locking the
drawers, boxes, or trays of filing cabinets and other like constructions, especially
those which are intended for the reception or storage of papers and documents,
and which are usually arranged in a tier or tiers of two, three, four, or more boxes
cach, or equivalents therefor.
In carrying out my invention, 1 provide within the back of the cabinet or frame
containing the drawers or the like, a bar capable of sliding vertically in bearings
and carrying suitable hooks corresponding in number and position with the drawers
or the like for engaging into eyes or holes formed in or attached to the rear edge
of said drawers or the like, or in other suitable manner. I also provide underneath
the top of the cabinet or frame, another bar capable of sliding horizontally in bear-
ings at right angles to the rear bar before mentioned, said top bar being slightly
less than the internal depth from front to back of the cabinet or frame, allowing
a play of about an inch or other convenient distance.
The reciprocating motion of the top bar is made to communicate a similar
vertical motion to the rear bar by a suitable connection, such as an inclined plane
or a lever, a return spring being employed if found desirable. The rear bar may
lock the drawers or the like either by an upward motion or a downward motion,
the hooks pointing upwardly or downwardly as the case may be. I find it con-
venient, however, to make the hooks point in a downward direction and to keep the
bar normally raised (in unlocked position) by means of a spring or balance weight.
At the upper end of the bar may be fitted a bevelled block and a similar bevelled
block may be fitted to the inner end of the top bar, the two blocks thus carrying
inclined planes capable of sliding truly one against the other, whereby upon the
top bar being pushed inwards, the rear bar may be forced downwards. The
relative positions of the two bevelled blocks would only have to be reversed if
it were desired for the rear bar to lock by an upward motion, or instead of inclined
planes, any known equivalent means for transmitting the desired motion can be
employed.
I prefer to lock the top bar in its inner or locking position by means of a lock
and key, for which purpose it may carry at its extremity nearest the front, a con-
venient sized lock, of the spring latch kind, the key guide if desired being carried
forward in the form of a tube projecting through a hole in the front of the cabinet
or frame. Within the underside of the top of the cabinet or frame is a suitable
slot in which the spring latch engages and locks when the projecting tube or guide
(together with the top bar) is pushed home. The appearance of the latter may be

page_text: improved by adding the usual circular brass plate, and an ornamental name plate
or escutcheon may also be added.
It will be obvious that the rear bar may be arranged to lock the drawers, trays,
or the like, by other forms of devices than the hooks and eyes described, if found
more convenient.
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71 1
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100%
STANLEY, POPPLEWELL & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 61, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Device for Locking the Drawers, Boxes, or Trays of Filing
Cabinets and other like Constructions.
I, JOSEPH HILLEBRAND, of 37, Clarendon Square, in the County of London,
Cabinet Manufacturer, 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:―
The object of my invention is to provide an improved device for locking the
drawers, boxes, or trays of filing cabinets and other like constructions, especially
those which are intended for the reception or storage of papers and documents,
and which are usually arranged in a tier or tiers of two, three, four, or more boxes
each, or equivalents therefor.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the accompanying drawings illustrates my invention, being
a vertical section of a filing cabinet. (broken in centre) fitted with my improved
locking device.
Referring to Sheet 1, I provide within the back A of the cabinet or frame M,
containing the drawers or the like B, a bar C capable of sliding vertically in bear-
ings such as D) and carrying suitable hooks E corresponding in number and
position with the drawers or the like for engaging into eyes or holes F formed in
or attached to the rear edge of said drawers or the like or in other suitable manner.
I also provide underneath the top of the cabinet or frame, or in other suitable
position, another bar G, capable of sliding horizontally in bearings G₁ at right
angles to the rear bar C before mentioned, said bar G being slightly less than the
internal depth from front to back of the cabinet or frame, allowing a play of about
half an inch or less.
The reciprocating motion of the bar G is made to communicate a similar vertical
motion to the rear bar C by a suitable connection, such as an inclined plane as
described hereinafter, or a lever, a return spring being employed if found desirable.
The rear bar C may lock the drawers or the like either by an upward motion or a
downward motion, the hooks pointing upwardly or downwardly as the case may be.
I find it convenient, however, to make the hooks E point in a downward direction
and to keep the bar C normally raised (in unlocked position) by means of a
spring I or balance weight. At the upper end of the bar C may be fixed a
bevelled block J, and a similar bevelled block H may be fitted to the inner end of
the bar G, the two blocks J and H thus carrying inclined planes capable of sliding
truly one against the other. Thus, upon the top bar G being pushed inwards, the
rear bar C is thereby forced downwards. The relative positions of the two bevelled
blocks Hand J would only have to be reversed if it were desired for the rear bar
to lock by an upward motion, or instead of inclined planes, any known equivalent
means for transmitting the desired motion can be employed.
I prefer to lock the bar G in its inner or locking position, as shown on Sheet 1,

page_text: by means of a lock and key, for which purpose it may carry at its extremity nearest
the front, a convenient sized lock K, of the spring latch kind, the key guide Lif
desired being carried forward in the form of a tube projecting through a hole
in the front of the cabinet or frame M. Within the underside of the top of the
cabinet or frame, or in other suitable position, is a suitable slot N in which the
spring latch engages and locks when the projecting tube or guide L (together with
the bar G) is pushed home. The appearance of the latter may be improved by
adding the usual circular brass plate, and an ornamental name plate or escutcheon
may also be added.
On Sheet 2 is shown a modified form of my invention intended for use where two
or more tiers of drawers or trays require to be locked simultaneously, Figure 2
representing in elevation the rear or interior portion of my locking device, (being
a section upon line -x of Figure 3), and Figure 3 a vertical section of upper part
of cabinet showing my modified device in side elevation. .In, Figure 4 I have
shown a front view of the modified locking device illustrating its manner of engage-
ment with the lock proper or spring catch.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, CC are two vertical bars, capable of sliding in
bearings DD and carrying locking hooks E E. Within or upon the back of the
cabinet, I provide a groove T in which may slide a horizontal rod S, connected to
the bars CC by means of links U U, so that the bars CC are raised or lowered
upon the moving of the bar S in one direction or the other. The required motion
is given to the latter by a handle O in the front of the cabinet, mounted securely
upon a transverse iron or metal rod N¹ capable of rotating in bearings at the
front and back of the cabinet and carrying at or near its inner end a crank. or
arm Q with a projecting pin P. The latter enters a slot R' formed in a plate R
attached to the rod S aforesaid. When the handle O is turned, therefore, the
projecting pin P slides in the groove R in a circular path, thus giving motion to
the bar S, which transmits a vertical movement to the bars CC through the
medium of the links UU as already mentioned. This arrangement is shown in
its half-way position in Figures 2 and 3. The rod N¹ may carry a quadrant
piece V (Figure 4) or equivalent device to act as a stop by coming in contact with the
top of the cabinet M, when the handle has been moved through a quarter of
a revolution.
A detailed front view of the lock proper for locking my modified device in
position is also shown in Figure 4. Here the bars CC (Figure 2) are assumed to
be in their lowermost or locking position, the handle O hanging down vertically.
The spring bolt X of the lock Y is so arranged as to enter a recess Z formed within
a small block (or protruberance upon the quadrant piece V) mounted rigidly upon
the rod N', when the handle reaches its locking position. Upon the bolt X being
withdrawn by means of a key, the drawers or trays of the cabinet can be unlocked
by turning the handle round to a horizontal position.
I may use locks, spring or otherwise, of any suitable construction for keeping
my improved device in its locked position. I can arrange for any particular drawer
or tray (or any number of them) to remain unaffected by the locking device, if
so desired, by removing the hook or hooks E where necessary. It will also be
obvious that the rear bar may be arranged to lock the drawers, trays, or the like.
by other forms of devices than the hooks and eyes described, if found more con-
venient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
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1. The improved device for locking the drawers, boxes, or trays of filing cabinets
and other like constructions consisting of a vertical locking bar or bars C
actuated by a horizontally moving bar G through the medium of bevelled blocks H
and J or other suitable connection in combination with a lock K substantially
as described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 2. The modified form of locking device consisting of two or more vertical locking
bars C simultaneously operated. through the medium of links UU, or equivalents,
by a horizontally sliding rod S, actuated by a handle O, bar N¹, and arm Q, in
combination with a lock Y, substantially as described with reference to Figures 2.
3, and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Doted this 11th boy of Tune 1000-
For the Applicant,
STANLEY, POPPLEWELL & Co.,
61 and 62, Chancery Lane. (7 and 8, Southampton Buildings), London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agents.