Improvements in Devices for Simultaneously Locking or Fastening Two or More Drawers, Files, or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Simultaneously Locking or Fastening
Two or More Drawers, Files, or the like.
We, JOHANNES LAWSON of 25 Corrine Road, Tufnell Park, in the County
of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, and THE ARMY AND NAVY CO-OPERATIVE
SOCIETY, LIMITED, of 105 Victoria Street, City of Westminster, Manufacturers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
This invention relates to locks or fastenings for drawers files or the like and has
for its object to provide improved means whereby an entire series or nest of
drawers files or the like can be locked or fastened by one operation.
According to our invention we provide in the casing a strip or bar the
longitudinal axis of which is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the
drawers. Said strip is of such dimensions and is so arranged with reference to
the casing that in one position of the same it offers no impediment to the motion of
the drawers in or out, but when it is rotated about a longitudinal axis by any
suitable means the edge thereof engages with a recess or undercut portion in the
side of each drawer when the said drawers are pushed home in the casing and
We preferably
thereby prevents any one of the same from being pulled out.
provide for turning the locking strip from one position to the other by means of a
suitable lock operated by a key.
A strip or bar arranged in the manner above indicated is capable of locking or
fastening either a vertical or a horizontal row or series of drawers according as the
said strip is placed vertically or horizontally in the casing; in the first case the
locking strip engages with one side of each drawer and in the second case with
the top or bottom of each drawer.
When the drawers are arranged in the form of a nest which consists of both
vertical and horizontal rows of drawers, we provide two or more locking strips in
the casing. For example in the case of a nest of twelve drawers arranged in rows
of four horizontally and three vertically we provide either four vertical locking
strips or three horizontal strips. Said strips are connected by links so that they
are simultaneously rotated on their axes by the operation of one key which thereby
locks all the drawers.
We sometimes arrange that one strip shall, when turned, lock or fasten two
adjacent rows or series of drawers, we can then reduce the number of strips required
for locking a given number of drawers.
The locking or fastening strips are of any convenient shape and may consist for
example of a simple rod pivoted at its ends and, furnished with projections at
intervals for engaging with the drawers. Or the strips may consist of bars hinged
to the casing in such a manner as to be turned into and out of the plane of the
casing board when the lock is operated.
The locking or fastening strips are preferably made of brass or other suitable
metal.
We may so arrange that only certain of the drawers in a nest are locked by
operating the lock if desired, and we may make other alterations in detail without
departing from the nature of our invention.
Dated this 16th day of January 1894.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Simultaneously Locking or Fastening
Two or More Drawers, Files, or the like.
We, JOHANNES LAWSON, of 25 Corrine Road, Tufnell Park, in the County
of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, and THE ARMY AND NAVY CO-OPERATIVE
SOCIETY, LIMITED, of 105 Victoria Street, City of Westminster, Manufacturers,
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:—
This invention relates to locks or fastenings for drawers, files, or the like and has
for its object to provide improved means whereby an entire series or nest of
drawers or the like can be locked or fastened by one operation.
According to our invention we provide in the casing a locking strip which is
preferably perpendicular to the direction of motion of the drawers. The chief
feature of this invention is that the said strip is hinged or pivoted about a
longitudinal axis and can be turned so as to lock all the drawers in a row at one
time and at another time to offer no impediment to the withdrawal of said drawers.
Said strip is operated by a suitable lock and key. If it is required to lock more
than one row of drawers in one operation, two or more strips are provided one for
each row of drawers and said strips are connected by links so that when one of
them is operated the others are operated simultaneously.
In order that our invention may be more easily understood we will indicate by
way of example how it may be carried into practice.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view shewing how our invention is applied to a nest of
four drawers by way of example.
Figure 2 is a portion of a plan view of the device shewn in Figure 1.
In the drawing the casing and drawers are shewn in dot-and-dash lines and the
drawers are omitted in Figure 1 in order to avoid confusion.
A is the casing, B the drawers, C is one locking strip or bar which is hinged to
the casing by hinges C¹. Said bar is attached to the bolt D of a lock E by a
link D' so that when the bolt is projected by means of the key E' the locking
strip C is caused to turn on its hinge so as to engage in a notch B₁ provided in the
side of the drawer as shewn in Figure 2. Or a projection may be provided on the
drawers with which the locking strip can engage. The locking strip C extends
upward and is of such a length as to be capable of locking an entire vertical row
of drawers.
Obviously we may easily arrange that some of the drawers in such a row shall
be incapable of being locked by the turning of the locking strip if desired. This
may be done for example by making the rear portion of the drawer too small so
that the strip cannot engage therewith in any position of the same, or other means
may be adopted.
When the bolt of the lock is retracted the locking strip is drawn back into a
recess in the casing so as to present a plane surface to the drawer which can now be
opened. This position of the strip is shewn in Figure 1.
When it is desired to simultaneously lock two or more vertical rows of drawers
by one operation a separate locking strip is provided for each row. Referring now
to the drawing two vertical rows are shewn for example. The action of the locking
strip C for the right hand drawers has been described above and the locking strip F
for the left hand drawers is similar in its action. Said strip F is hinged to the
casing at F and is joined by a link G to one end of a lever G¹ pivoted at G' in a
suitable recess in the casing the other end of said lever is linked to the locking
strip C by the link G. When the locking strip C is turned by the operation of

page_text: the lock E the strip F is turned in a similar fashion through the medium of the
links G, G and lever G¹. By connecting the locking strip F to a third locking
strip in a similar manner to that above described it is evident that a third vertical
row of drawers may be simultaneously locked if desired.
A locking strip arranged in the manner above described may be placed in a
horizontal position instead of vertically so as to lock a horizontal row of drawers..
Also two or more such horizontal strips may be connected together by links so as
to operate simultaneously as above described for the vertical strips.
We sometimes arrange that one locking strip shall when turned lock two
adjacent rows of drawers, we can thus reduce the number of strips required for
locking a given number of rows of drawers. The locking strips are of any
convenient shape and may consist for example of a simple rod pivoted at its ends
and furnished with projections at intervals for engaging with the drawers or with
projections thereon. Said strips and the appurtenances thereof may be made of
brass or other suitable metal. The lock by which the strip or strips are operated
is of any suitable design..
Our improved method of fastening drawers is obviously applicable to files or any
other kind of sliding receptacle of a similar nature.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what.
we claim is :-
1. The improved device for simultaneously fastening or locking a row of drawers
or the like comprising a locking or fastening strip located in the casing of the
drawers and connected with a lock so that when said lock is operated the said strip
is turned on a longitudinal axis and engages with the drawers.
2. The device for locking two or more rows of drawers or the like which consists
of two or more locking strips connected by links in such a manner that when one
of the said strips is turned, the remaining strip or strips is or are operated,
substantially as described.
3. The improved devices for locking drawers or the like constructed and
operating substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings..
Dated this 28th day of February 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.