Improvements in or relating to Drawers, Cabinet Files, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 21st Oct.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Drawers, Cabinet Files, and the like.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHAFER, Managing Director of The Shannon Limited,
of 14 to 16, Ropemaker Street, County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
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This invention relates to drawers, cabinet files and the like particularly those
provided with hinged fronts adapted to be opened so as to facilitate access to the
drawer, and in which the drawers are superimposed one upon the other.
In files of this class as heretofore constructed it has been found that on open-
ing the front of a drawer the edge adjacent to the hinge projects so as to prevent
the next drawer beneath it from being opened. This invention has for its object
to enable the front of a drawer to be held in such a position that while allowing
of free access to its contents the drawer beneath can be pulled out without having
to close the front of the drawer already open.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is an elevation of one end of a drawer constructed according to this
invention with the front in its closed position :
Figure 2 is a similar view with the front in an intermediate or partially open
position:
Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 1:
Figure 4 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of Figures 1 and 2.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The front A of the drawer is attached to the bottom B by means of the hinge C.
An arm D is rigidly fastened to the bottom B by screws D' or otherwise. This
arm D may be of any shape but is preferably quadrantal and formed of metal,
its free end being bent so as to form a projection D and guide D³, as shown in
Figure 4. A grip or thumb piece I is also preferably provided. A corresponding
quadrantal arm E is rigidly fixed to the front A of the drawer in such a position
as to pass through the guide D. This second arm is provided with one or more
teeth or catches E', E, E, which are normally adapted to engage with the pro-
jection D on the arm D. When it is desired to open the front A the arm D is
first sprung to one side by pushing the thumb piece D so as to release the catch E¹
from the projection D³, On releasing the arm D the catch E can be made to
engage with the projection D2 so as to hold the front at an angle of about 45°
as shown in Figure 2. If desired the front A can be still further lowered so as to
be approximately on a level with the bottom B. It can be held in this position
by causing the catch E³ to engage with the projection D³. The front may be
closed by operating the arm D in a similar manner.
If necessary a slot or recess B' is made in the bottom B for the reception of the
free end of the arm E when the front is closed, as at Figure 1.
If desired the arm E may be straight instead of quadrantal; in this case one
of the arms D or E is hinged instead of both being rigidly fixed as above described.
Again, a central longitudinal slot may be formed in the arm E engaging with

page_text: a pin at the free end of the arm D. In this case the catches E, E³, E³, might
take the form of small slots communicating with the central one.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
juvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The method or process of obtaining access to one or more of a series of
superimposed drawers or the like, consisting in so hanging or pivotting the fronts
that each one when opened is normally held in a position such that free access
may be had to the contents of its drawer, while the drawer beneath may be pulled
out without necessitating the closing of the front of that which is already open.
2. In a cabinet or the like the combination with two or more superimposed
drawers or receptacles of a corresponding number of hinged fronts each provided
with means for holding it at a suitable angle as described whereby access to all
the receptacles can be obtained simultaneously, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a drawer or the like having a hinged front of the
device described for retaining the front of the drawer in a partially open position
for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with a drawer or the like having a hinged front of a pair
of arms such as D E engaging with each other substantially as and for the purpose
described.
5. In a drawer or the like the combination with an arm fixed to the bottom
of the drawer and provided with a projection such as D of a second arm fixed
to the front of the drawer and having one or more catches such as E E E³ adapted
to engage with the projection on the other arm substantially as and for the purpose
described.
6. The complete device for retaining the hinged front of a drawer or the like
in a partially open position substantially as described or illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.