US2638371A - Temporary securing device - Google Patents

Description

y 1953 E. F. KENNEDY 2,638,371

TEMPORARY SECURING DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1949 i Patented May 12, 1953 TEMPORARY SECURING DEVICE Emmett F. Kennedy, Maple Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to Grand Industries, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 3, 1949, Serial No. 131,037

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a fastening device for temporarily securing doors, drawer fronts, and other outwardly movable panels of cabinet structures such as domestic cooking ranges, washers, radios, furniture, and the like against accidental opening or outward movement or displacement during shipment, and particularly to a readily attachable and detachable fastening device for securing the doors and drawers of the vitreous enamelled metal cabinets of domestic gas cooking ranges securely in closed position during shipment thereof. The invention is described hereinafter as applied to doors and drawers of domestic gas range cabinet structures, its application to other cabinet structures and to closure panels other than doors and drawer fronts being apparent from the illustrative example.

Heretofore in the shipment of domestic gas cooking ranges the practice has been to secure the doors and drawers in closed position by the use of adhesive tape. Usually such tape is installed, one strip above the door or drawer handle and one strip immediately therebeneath, the strips extending across the front face of the door and range and for a substantial distance along the side walls of the range. Considerable expense is involved in securing the doors and drawers in this manner due to the cost of the tape and the time required for installation. Furthermore such tape strips cannot be relied upon to remain securely in place, particularly in damp weather,

inasmuch as the adhesive tends to soften and come loose. Also, if the range is shipped with the doors secured in this manner, the recipient is put to considerable trouble to remove not only the tape but the residual adhesive film remaining on the walls of the range and the collected dirt and foreign matter that adheres to the range because of the residual adhesive film. Though such ranges are shipped in very rigid and close fitting crates, no other equally satisfactory manner of fastening the doors and drawers has heretofore been found. If, instead of using tape, bracing is interposed between the doors and the side of the crate, great care must be exercised to prevent direct transmission to the door or drawer of any shocks imparted to the crate. Likewise, the crating materials are apt to damage or mar the external finish of the range by rubbing thereagainst. Furthermore such bracing is very costly because of the material required and labor involved.

It is necessary, however, that such doors and drawers be held securely and substantially without any play or looseness. Since they are relatively heavy, any movement thereof results in severe impact shocks when their movement is arrested suddenly by other parts of the range and such impact shocks are apt to be transferred throughout the range and crack, chip or otherwise damage the vitreous enamelled finish not only of the doors and drawer fronts but also of other parts of the range.

Damage in shipment of gas ranges resulting from slamming and banging of the doors and drawers during shipment is extremely high.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple inexpensive detachable temporary fastening device which may be installed in a very small fraction of the time required for installation of the usual tape strips and which, when installed, securely fastens the doors, drawers, and other panels against outward movement, yet which may be detached and removed easily.

The device comprises essentially an element having a portion adapted to be fastened to a part within a cabinet and having a metal portion arranged, when the element is so fastened, to extend outwardly of the cabinet alongside of an edge of, and outwardly beyond the outer face of, a door or drawer front to be secured, and a relatively stiff washer having aperture means therethrough through which said outwardly extending portion is receivable so as to extend outwardly beyond the outer face of the washer when the washer is pressed firmly against the outer face of the door, drawer or panel to be secured, the outwardly extending portion being deformable at the outer face of the washer and operative while so deformed to lock the washer against withdrawal from the element.

The specific objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the elements comprising the fastening device, showing them in aligned position for assembly with respect to each other;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a domestic gas cooking range with two of the fastening devices installed, one for retaining two oven doors in position and one for retaining two drawers in closed position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the range and of the fastening device and is taken on line 33 of Fig 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a modified form of the device; and,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating another modification of the device.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 3 of the drawings, the device comprises essentially a fastening element, indicated generally at l, which is adapted for connection to a part on the inside of a cabinet structure and a washer 2 adapted for cooperation with the element 1 for engaging the outer face of the panel or panels to be secured in place. A suitable cushioning pad 3 is provided, either separately or affixed to that face of the washer which is to be exposed toward the panel secured by the washer.

The element l preferably comprises a flat strip of steel having suitable means at its inner end for securing it to a part on the inside of a cabinet structure. In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 through 3, this means may comprise a hook portion 4 integral with the'inner endof the e1e-' ment. The outer end of the element l is bifur cated to provide a pair of substantially coplanar flat prongs 5 which preferably'are spaced apart edgewise from each other. The prongs are preferably of such thicknessand of suffioiently soft steel that theyv can readily. be bent flatwise at an abrupt angle to their normal plane, .or otherwise deformed, by handpressure, for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

its outer'face at its central portion the washer: 2 is provided with a pair of small gen-- erally globularbumps 3 which may be spaced from each other and are positioned to be aligned with the'prongs 53, respectively, when the washer is'in position for mounting on. the prongs 5. The washer also aperture suchv as the apertures "1'', arranged preferably one in each bumpyt near the central portion or peak. thereof. Each aperture is shaped to receive a prong fiendwise with slight clearance. The bumps 6 preferahlyare formed by stamping and distorting the metal'of the washer out of its normalplane thus leaving a concavity on the face opposite the bumps for guiding the ends of the prongs into the apertures ii The pad 3 may or may not be perforated; It may be omitted inthose instances in which thesurface of thepanelto be secured is such that slight rubbing of. the washer there againstwouldnot' unduly mar. the surface; for examplein case of unfinished surfaces. The pad preferably iscomposed. of a plurality of laminations oiyery softpaper and, as mentioned, may hesecured to and form part of the washer or made separately therefrom. Insofar. as operation is concerned; evenwith the pad. .insertedhe-tween the washer and panel, the washer can be said toengage the. outer face of. the

I In Figs.- ;'.through 3 the fastening device is shown. installed on a domestic gasrange 8, having front panels 9 and. it. in the form of down-.- wardly swinging ovendoors. and front panels ii and. i2 iirtheform of front. walls of forwardly siidi'ng. drawers. In such range structures there is usually provided betweenhthe-o en compartmentsand-between the drawer. compartments an upright frame member comprising two sheets of metal l3. and l 4, respectively, which extend forwar-oily anclrearwardly oi the range and form the side walls of the adjacent ovens or drawer compartments. suitable insulating, material it isinterposedhetween the sheetsormetal it'and l4. Usually a frcnt cap itin" the f'crmofa strip oi. angular cross-section is secured by suitable screws and the like. to one of thesheets, for examplathesheet iii. in theformillustrated, formsa front wall oi'the resultant framememher. Likewise one of the sheets, such as the sheetv M, has a flange at its forward. edge against the outer fa'ce'of which the free margin of the sheet it is juxtaposed. An intermediate" portion oif thev element i; indicated at H, between the hook; porti'orra and the-outwardly extending portion'is of such length that when thehook portion is hooked unde the free margin of the cap-i t; as illustrated 3; the-portion H" liesagainst the forward face. of the resultant frame member and the prongs extend forwardly therefrom. midway betweenthedoors sand iii. With the intermediate portion 5 i and the prongs fisoiltheidevice in this position and the doors 9 and Hi closed, the washer positioned with the apertures i in alignment with the prongs 2, respectively, and with the padding 3; ii" separate from the washer, between the washer and the doors, is forced onto the prongs 5 andiin iy into-operativ engagement with the out-er: facesof the doors 9 and iii. While the washer is held firmly in this position, the prongs s are cleformedsoas to prevent withdrawal of the prongs from the washer, preferably by bending them flatwise in opposite directions from each other byhand pressure. Due to. the bumps (tithe prongs 5 can he bentback. toward. thewasher so that the bent over. ends thereof imakean angle of" less. than. 96 with the portionof. the prongs lying betweenthe doors i-land it andthe free ends. engage and. beariirznly against the washer outwardlyv from its midportion. There engagement of the hook. portion 4 with its free margin oifthe sheet. it. holds the device secturely in place vertically of. the frame member of the range.v The hoohportion preferably is of a greater length than distance between the face of'theprongs ii. andtheadjacentedgeofthe door iilso that. theh'ook.portions; even though the device should. shift laterally or. the frame memser, could not become. disengaged. from: the sheet. is;

It shouldhe notedinhli lithe thickness of t'he metal of the. de'ricehas been. exaggerated slightly for convenience in illustration. Byvirtue'of the abrr t bend in the: prongs over the: bumps 6; the prongsE are. drawn firmly against the outer face of the washer adjacent the apertures-"iso that norsovcment or the washer forwardly, and rearwarclly of the range is permitted. In the formillustrated, no part of the fastening" device isinterposed between the. inner faceohthe door 9 andthe front face'of: frameimemb'eif of. the range-and conse i'zently the door: scan. swing inwardly slightly farther than the .door' ifi'; However; when forced firmly: toward. bothfcloor's, the washer tilts so as to firmly,- engzage the outer faces oihothi. doors and the prongs retain it"in tilted position-infirm contact with the. outer faces-c! both of. the ciosed doors:

in 'Trg; l, one-o thezfastening devices-is' shown securing .thetwooven' doors 9 it and another one is-shown securing the drawer! fronts" I and 572... Ifv desired, however, a.- single one of the devicescan he: installed at the adjacent corners of. thedeors Q and it anddrawerfronts Hand 52. thus secureJa-ll four inp'lace;

To detach the fasteningdevice, the prongs i are bent back to their original position by hand, the washer removedaand the doors andithe elei'nent i unhooked,

in Fig. 4 thedevice is illustrated for use-with a range. havinga slightly different frame member between the doors and. drawers. As there illustrated," the frame member. comprises two sheets of metal. ii'spaced apart. and. extending forwardly andrearwardly of'the range and forming the walls of theadjacent compartment, suitable insulation i being interposeditherebetween. The front'of theirarne member is provided by, a channel-shaped strip of metal 2%! the sides of which overlapthe outer surfaces of the forward margihs of thesheets iii. In this form of the invention; the fastening device is identical with that shown in Fig; l eieceptthatv the intermediate' portion of" the element which engages the front of the frame of the range, has an extension .E! which extends rearwardly along the side of the range frame member, a hook 22 being provided on the extension to hook between the one of the sheets iii and a side of the channel 25?. The structure of the device is in all other respects the same as that heretofore described requires no further description.

Referring next to Fig. 5, a form of the device suitable for holding cabinet doors or panels which do not have any stops conveniently located at the closing edges of the panels is shown, In this form, the intermediate portion 23 corresponding to the portion ll of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 through. 3, is provided with an inner extension 24 which may extend in any position so as to engage a structural member, such as the frame member 25 of the cabinet inside of the cabinet, the inner extension 24' being provided with any suitable fastening means such, for example, as a hole 25 through which a suitable screw 21 or other fastening means is passed and secured to the post 25 for securing the fastening element in fixed position to a member inside of the cabinet. The other parts of the device are identical with those heretofore described, and secured to the doors 23 in like manner.

Obviously the specific shape of the device may be modified to meet all conditions that are apt to be encountered in various cabinet structures. For example, in Fig. 5, if no frame member 25 were positioned between the doors, the inner extension 21 could be twisted Or bent so that it could be secured to the top wall or bottom wall of the cabinet.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A detachable fastening device for holding in closed position a pair of spaced front panels of a domestic gas range of the type in which the inner faces of adjacent upright margins of the front panels are juxtaposed against the forward face of an upright frame member of the range when the panels are closed, and comprising a metal strip having at one end a fastening portion adapted to be detachably secured to said frame of the range rearwardly from the panels, an intermediate relatively thin portion connected at one end to the fastening portion and adapted to lie between, and in juxtaposition with, one of said inner faces and said forward face when the fastening portion is so secured, a pronged forward portion extending from the other end of the intermediate portion and adapted to lie between the adjacent upright edges of the panels and including prongs adapted to extend forwardly beyond the outer face of the panels when the intermediate portion is so juxtaposed, cushioning means having passage means therein through which the forward portion extends for supporting the cushioning means on said forward portion, said cushioning means being adapted to overlap the front faces of said adjacent upright margins of the panels when so supported, a generally fiat stiff washer engageable in face to face relation with the cushioning means and having aperture means therein through which the prongs are received endwise and in which they are accommodated, said washer being adapted to overlap said adjacent margins when it accommodates the prongs, and said prongs extending forwardly beyond the washer and being bendable by hand back toward the forward face of the washer across edge portions of the aperture means for holding the cushioning means in clamping engagement with said panels.

2. A detachable fastening device according to claim 1 characterized in that the fastening portion is in the form of a U-shaped hook adapted to accommodate snugly flatwise between its arms a thin sheet f metal.

3. A detachable fastening device for holding in closed position a pair of spaced front panels of a domestic gas range of the type in which the inner faces of adjacent upright margins of the front panels are juxtaposed against the forward face of an upright frame member of the range when the panels are closed, and comprising a metal strip having at one end a fastening portion adapted to be detachably secured to said frame of the range rearwardly from the panels, an intermediate relatively thin portion connected at one end to the fastening portion and adapted to lie between, and in juxtaposition with, one of said inner faces and said forward face when the fastening portion is so secured, a pronged forward portion extending from the other end of the intermediate portion and adapted to lie be tween the adjacent upright edges of the panels and including prongs adapted to extend forward- 1y beyond the outer face of the panels when the intermediate portion is so juxtaposed, cushioning means having passage means therein through which the forward portion extends for supporting the cushioning means on said forward portion, said cushioning means being adapted to overlap the front faces of said adjacent upright margins of the panels when so supported, a generally fiat stiff washer engageable in face to face relation with the cushioning means, said washer having relatively small raised portions on its forward face and having aperture means in the crests of said raised portions through which the prongs are received and in which the prongs are accommodated, said washer being adapted to overlap said adjacent margins when it accommodates the prongs, and said prongs extending forwardly beyond the washer and being bendable by hand back toward the forward face of the washer across edge portions of the aperture means for holding the cushioning means in clamping engagement with said panels.

4. A detachable fastening device according to claim 3 characterized in that said aperture means comprise separate apertures respective to the prongs andin that said prongs fit the apertures, respectively, with small operating clearances.

5. A detachable fastening device according to claim 3 characterized in that said raised portions of the washer are in the form of separate relatively small bulges on its forward face, respective to the prongs, and the aperture means comprises apertures respective to the bulges and each fitting one of the prongs with small operating clearance.

6. A detachable fastening device accordin to claim 5 characterized in that the washer has concavities on its rearward face aligned with the bulges, respectively.

EMMETT F. KENNEDY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 884,141 Fay Apr. 7, 1908 2,280,122 I-Iardwich Apr. 21, 1942 2,440,? 98 Hardwich May 4, 1948

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