US1631844A - Merchandise cabinet - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1927.

R. C. WALSH MERCHANDISE CABINET Filed July 13. 1925 mm. QW

n mw mm mw Bmw Patented .lime 7, 1927.

@UNITED/STATES .PATENT Norties.

ROBERT C. 'VWALSIL OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MERCHANDISE CABINET.

Application led July 13, 1925, Serial No. 43,104, and in Canada Septemberifl, 1924.

This invention relates to improvements in `store fixtures, and more particularly to that type of cabinets ordinarily placed behind store counters for the storage and display ,drawers and the like, each provided with a.

1 locking means controlled from a cash drawer ,or till in such a way that by suitable ma- -nipulation'of the cash drawer or till all the vclosure members or receptacles of the de.

.vice may be simultaneously locked but are, in their ordinary use, unlocked regardless of whether the cash .drawer is open or closed. The present vinvention relates more particularly tio improvements in construction of the cabinet or fixtures themselves, aiming toward ease of manipulation in the moving, storage ory assembly of the fixtures,

and 'relates also to improvements in the mechanism for Alocking the various closure members or containers of the structure with 'a' view to providingv mechanism of simplified construction and capable ofoperationv with. a small expenditure of power, i `Generally speaking, ythe invention embodies acabinet or the like comprising sepa- -vrable bottom, top, Vend and back sections *constructed to have a certain interlocking relation, whereby they `may be assembled into operative' form without thel use of tools Y or fasteningmean's, such as nails orv screws. Theseflat sections which are `easily, handled and stored may bev taken apart with the same facilitywith which-they' may beassembled. The cabinet maybe constructed `1in a number of separate sections adaptedY to be v.placed end to end, or may b e a large cabinet divided by removable vertical partitions into as many sections asdesired. The

locking means for each section is mounted.

as farpas possible upon one of the members of theisection,A usually the back, with the result' thaty the cabinet may be taken apart with ,the minimum 'of disorganizationof the locking means@ The locking means .is in itv Figure 3.

one embodiment of the invention, but to which embodiment the invention is not confined, as numerous modications of construction and arrangement may be made within the scope of the invention Fig. l is a front elevationof a pair of adjoining cabinet sectionsfconstructed according'tothis invention, one of said sections being open and the other partly broken away to show the construction thereof and ,the arrangement of the locking device.

F ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2, Figure 1. y i

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cash drawer or till.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A and B .designate two units or sections of a cabinet constructed according to this invention, each unit of which comprises 'essentially a bottom 11, a top 12, ends 13,

and a back 14. The units may be divided by one orr more. vertical partitions 15 into as many sections asdesired and may also be divided horizontally as desired by parti- The upper and tionsl andshelves 17. lower parts of the cabinets are provided with doors or other closure means 18, preferably of the sliding type hinged closure means may be employed. rf he space between the partitions `16 maybe provided with drawers .19 or other suitable receptacles, and in one of the units, for eX- ample4 in the section A, a location 2O is provided for a cash draweror till 21-sliown in v Y It will be understood that the cabinet may consist of'as many units as desired and thatthese may bek constructed and divided asdesired, `or asnecessary according to the Vnature of the merchandise kepttherein.v A

Each unit of the cabinet is a self-con* readily dismembered into a number of flat sections easily handled,packed, stored or transported, and which sections may be easily and 'quickly assembled, preferably The bottom 11 of each section comprises a base 22 to which sti'ingers 23 are attached extending from front to back near the ends,

`'and ifi Idesired in pairs at intermediate points, as at 24. The VYstringer pairs 24 are floc'ated wherever it is desired to have a vertical partition' 15 and the stringers `of these shown, but

pairs are separated a `distance,substantially equal to the thickness of the parti-tion.V vThe front and back ends of all stringers in a unit are connected by franges-25 and- 2 6 respectively, which are preferably also connected Vto the base 2l, thus forming. la permanent rigid box-like structure. Floors 27 are provided extending from one lStringer toi-thenext.. There Stringer pairs 24; are provided, the floors 'do' not span ythe spaces between :the stringere"but leavev these open for the insertion ofA the vertical' partitions `Y15. When `a unit is tobefthe endunit of-a row or battery of cabinets,` itisfprovidedat the louter-end with a. skirt board 28 spaced from Vthe lend stringer a distance substantially requal rto the thickness oit' the end 13. lVherev twowunits are erected endtok end, the "adj acent end stringers thereof will be spaced apart to. receive between vthem the'end members 13.

' The end meinberland vertical divisions 15 (if any) drop into the spaces between the i C stringere-or stringers and skirt board V28,. so

i that they are held at their. llower ends in properly spaced relation.y These ,ends and divisions vare 'flat members of `appropriate 'i shape, usually panelledv frames, and rare preferably in a single piece extending from `topjto bottom and frontto'back of the cabif net. The top comprises a board or the like,

designated 29, having recesses or channels 3() therein to receive-the upper ends of the end members and vertical divisions, lt'hefsaid channels being formed either/byl vgrooving Vvthe top' or byV attaching lloattensvorjthe like 1 thereto. The topv isvalso provided neart'he back edge lwith a channel 3l to receive the upper end of ftheback '14 and, when sliding doors are used, the top is further provided nearthefront edge with a groove 32 to receive'sliding doors. 'The back of each cabinet 'unit'is' formed of as many boards yor panelledframes as necessary, each preferably extending fromthe V-bottomtojthe top.

5 At' the lower end each yback sectionL .rests upon the'back :trameQ and at thefupper endy each sect-ion 'is received the :channel 3l ofthetop. Where vertical`division`s l5 are used, it is'preferable to locate the joints -33 between adjacent-back members immedi-v -ately in rear of `such division, as shown in i' The groove 32 isideeper thanisnecessary merely to--accommodatethe top edges ofthe doors sliding lin it, so that whenlthe ydoors are in place there will exist an emptyfportion of thegroove abovethe top edges yof the doors. VTowardthesides of eachcabinet GO* unit, ,the upper-partY of the groove I32 fil-led v by blocks 314, preferably tapered )or ybevelled at their adjacent'vends `1 These blocks y'hold the doors, ywhen in closed position, against 'being lifted out' of or oif''their lbottom guides 35`and thus removed.'V VS7-hen, however, the doors are'unlocked andpartly "ttor cleaning, reglazing or the' like. Vlength of the full. depth portion of the groove 'must obviously Abe slightly greater *offt-he cabinet.

' `and swinging lthe Jlower ,ends into yreg open, they register with the full depth central portion 'of the Vgroove 32"'and may be lifted suiliciently to disengagey them from their `bottom Guides. When thus lifted, the

lowerends'ofl5 the doorsV may be drawn forrwardly `and the doors lowered out of the top groove and thus separated from the cabinet than the width of' using-le door.` construction is not confined to the upper sliding doors but is yused for Vall sliding doors -lVhen the parts of eaehinnithave assembled "in the lrelation described, 'they are secured'together by suitable` fastening means,

designated 36, such asjhooks mbotlts. These toi fastening means are `preferaibsly arranged connect {thelto,p,` bottom and'ends. together and alsoto connect the baokto the ends `:et the bottom vand at vintermediate .pointsnif desired. The yslidingdo'ors may now be. t `in placeby thrusting them upfinto the ull depth central" portions Lof .the top grooves 32 each cabinet section, .said lockngmeans being arranged -to be operated iby predetermi-ned movement of the cash drawer. Briefly described,. this 'locking meansemhodas a series of upper and 'flower Nrocking levers 37l and 38 respectively, :pivoted `to the back members of Vthe cabinetl land connected by links :89. Leversy or other means, designated las =awholeby 'the numeral 40, are@ rovided in Loperativeconnection Vwith the i evers 37 or 38 and links V39 orflookingienggagemnt 'with the various closure members of the cabinet; For .more complete understanding of the construction, arrangement and optimi-A tion of this mechanism` i reference had to :my'pnior vapplica/tion aforementiuxmd.

iin thatspplication, provision was'made :for

Vthe establishment of operative connection haf f 'tween .the flocking means of adjoining Icabi .net units, so that the lockingmeans offa number of lunits might be controlled fnoln a,

single cash drawer. This memes` comprised a .shaft4 in `,each unit anda. gear-connectedfto v one. ofthe (links .of the lockingmechanism. 'E llie 'shafts ofadioining rmitsfwere dispfmed 1in valignment and y.cinipiled together.'

`According tov 'the present invention, "ehemethod of coupling the 'locking 'meansof adjoining cabinet 'units Vtogether is 'great/ly improved, y simplified i and` ,eheapened t Ther isterlvelimination of thev shafts and gear connecvtions to the links 39 andthe substitution of a simple rocking lever. 43 extending from one unit to the next, or from section to section of a unit, asv shown, the arms of this lever being connected by links 44 to the rocking le- V`vers of the adjacent units or sections of units. This arrangement is much easier and cheaper to manufact-Lire and install and requires much less power for its operation.

vAlso, the units may be very? easily separated for movement from one location to another,

merely by withdrawing the pivot pins connecting the links 44 tot-he levers 37. A fui'- Vther advantage resulting from this method light links 46 with the levers 37 for movement into andV out of locking position with respect to the door catches.

. The locking actuating mechanism former- ,Y lylocated on the bottom of the cash drawer is now transferred to the side and includes a lever 47 pivoted intermediate its ends to a is connected in any suitable way to the locking mechanism, for example, to one of the 1 links l39 by means of a link 48. The `front end of the lever carries a roller 49 to engage in a cam groove 50 on the side of the cash drawer. As in my previous application, the

cash drawer carries .a manually yreleasable pivoted latch 51 engageable with either of two catches 52 and 58 located in the cabinet one behind the other., In ordinary use, the i cash dra-wer is pushed in until the latch slips past the front catch 52. During such move- ,ceptible of many variations and it will theref fore be understood that neither the foregoing nor the following descriptions of operation are to be regarded as in any way limitative. The number of cabinet units necessary to constitute a department or 4designed to beunder the charge of al clerk are set up and the locking devices thereof connected together so as to be operated from a single cash drawer in one of the units. The person having charge of the cabinet may therefore be held responsible for the contents thereof and will at Vthe same time be yprotected by reason of the ability to lock all parts ofthe cabinet, providing` the doors, etc. are closed, by simply moving the cash drawer to its rearmost position; and locking they same. rlhe move- Yment ofthe cash drawer to such position opcrates in the manner already described to move the lever 47 and thereby actuate the locking mechanism of the section including the lever 37. The movement of the lever 37 is comniunicated through the links 44 and the lever 43 to the lever 37 of an adjoining section and through the levers 'of this section vto the next 'unit in line and so on, so that the locking devices 40 and 45. of all cabi- 'net units in the train will be operated simultaneously to engage or disengage catches on the various closure members of thelcabinet, as more fully described in my former application already identified. lf it is desired to disconnect the locking means of any unit of the series, this may be readily effected by withdrawing the pivot pins connecting the lever or levers 87 of that unit to the links 39 and 46; but it will be noted that such .Q manipulation of the device will not interfere with the transmission of operating force through this unit to other units. The doors when locked cannot be removed by lifting them off their bottom guides by reason of the holding effect of the top, which is connected through the en'ds to the bottom and at the same time they are held by the locking means against movement to a position permitting removal.V The locking means of each cabinet unit is mounted almost entirely on the back thereof and may be removed with the back by the simple expedient of withdrawing tlie pivot pins which connect the :locking means of adjoining back members,

and also the pins connecting with the door locking levers on the ends of intermediate divisions 15. rlhe various members of each unit may be quickly and easily separated without the use of tools and, when so separated, may be easily handled or may be packed in small compass for shipment or storage and, when desired, may be easily and quickly assembled.

Having thusl described my invention, what I claim is l. In a knock-down cabinet, a base comprising a 4bottom board, members secured to the bottom board transversely thereof including a. member at each end of the base spaced a short distance inwardly from the end thereof and a pair of members intermediate said end members, the members of said pair being spaced a short distance apart, top boards resting upon said transverse members and each connecting an end member with the adjacent intermediate member, back and front skirtings resting upon 'the bottom board and secured thereto and to the ends of the transverse members; upi 11E-il right members disposed outside `the lend `transverse'inembers and between the members' ottlieftransverse pair; .a top having -f transverse groovesv at `the ends'and'4 ata 'point intermediate' the ends Yfor the,j reception of. the upright members and-longtftudinal grooves ttf-'front and'back/; a 'back resting' `upon thev base and extending vinto the longitudinall groove ofthe top, andfasn tening means releasably connectingthe members i together.

2. In a cabinet-,a sliding door support including a door guiding rib,` a sliding door resting on'sad supportfa member overlying *the v.door presenting a channely in Awhich the upper edge* of the door. is received, said-'channel being' at its ends of suoli depth that the door Vis :held against upward movement such as Will disengage it from "the bottom guide and said groove being; deep-y ened intermediate'its ends -orjy a distance equal to the Width of th'eldoor to an'extent permitting the door When partly open 'to be Si In ai cabinet',l end and back members and a plurality of closure `means including;

i a till in combination yWithaV common loeking lmeans for all of -said members excepting the till, a leverl pivoted intermediateitsfends to an end of the cabinet adj acen'tthe till, a lroller Y *onl the endofsaid'levei' co-op'eratiiggr with a cam track provided-therefor on the fendinf` the till, "a" link conne'etingfth'e opposite end of saidlever Iwith the closure locking'm'ans.

' fand la' plurality'l of alip'jfiie'ldlocking means for lthe till, ythe rearmos'tliof Vsaidjr'i'ieans being located vfor engagementfbyjthe till only 'after the samelias been movedsuftlciently 5to cause foscilla'tion'of the leverby the eamtifaclilfor 'operation of vthe closure locking means.

'l "14. InV a .'cabinetincludirig a plurality of sections anda plurality off closure means in each section,V a locking means in each sec @tio-n common to allfi'tlie closure lmembers thereof comprising upper and lower transverse levers fpivoted'intermediatetheirendg i upright links connecting'V yc orrelspi'niding' Y ends of the levers", closure member looking i i boltsop'ei'atively connected to'said linksfin each pair of adjoining Vsections Ia trals'- verse lever extendingA from oney section into I the next and pivoted intermediate its ends,

ends of said'flever and theuppermosti of the transverse sectionlevers whereby movement of the `looking meansy in each section 'is ltransmittedto the nextf section, and actuaiof one ofthe sections. u 5. Ina cabinet including y laterally sliding'closure "members in one part'and rear- Wardly sliding closure members iny anothering ineafns connectedl'to theloc'king -systemv` j andlinkspivotally connected betwwn part5'a common'lo'cking 'means for the: clo- 2f v. V"

jsure members of vSaidcabiiitcomprising upm n per kand lower 'transverseflevers ypivot'ed finivhen'in lockingjposition and upon closing In "witness lwhereot I have hereunto set BQBERT(1 WALSH# fottlie"closureinembers7 and means for op-`AAPV Y erating theV locking" system to dispose EheV "bolts in flocking position.I f

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