US3602564A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Filing cabinet
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-07-21
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Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1990-07-21
Abstract
Abstract A filing cabinet containing a plurality of independently operable sliding compartments, each having its own door, in which all of the unopened doors in the cabinet are locked and prevented from opening in response to the opening of any one of the doors of the cabinet. The cabinet contains a pair of vertically slidable locking bars, which span the various compartments. Each locking bar has a plurality of notches through which move various fall supports supporting each of the doors in its open horizontal position. Each of the fall supports has a first camming surface on it which momentarily cams the locking bars upwardly when a door is moved to its open position. At the same time that a door is moved into open position, a combined friction catch-interlock moves to a position underlying its respective fall support and within its respective notch, the effect being to prevent the locking bars from being moved upwardly. When any of the remaining doors is to be opened, the cams contact the locking bars and, being unable to move them upwardly, in effect prevent the door from opening; i.e., the cams cannot pass the locking bars. Upon closure of the opened door, each friction catch-interlock is cammed from its underlying position beneath a fall support, thereby again permitting the locking bars to be moved in an upward vertical position through the space formerly occupied by the friction catch-interlocks. The invention also encompasses a single locking unit by which all of the doors can be maintained in a locked position. The door containing the locking unit can be at any level to accommodate easy access. The locking unit includes a lock arm, which is received within a notch in each locking bar such that when the lock is closed, the locking arm maintains the locking bars in their downward cam locking position. When the lock is opened, the lock arm is moved to a second position such that the locking bars can be vertically raised.
Inventors
- 👤 Otto D Lewin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:55
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05B; E05B65/00; E05B65/46; E05B65/462; E05B65/463
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments, apparatus for maintaining the remaining compartments of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said compartments is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, means for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically to an upper position when any one of said compartments is opened, and means for locking said slidable locking bar when it has reached its lower position after being momentarily cammed upwardly by any one of said compartments being opened thereby preventing opening of a second Compartment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments, apparatus for maintaining the remaining compartments of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said compartments is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, means for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically to an upper position when any one of said compartments is opened, and means for locking said slidable locking bar when it has reached its lower position after being momentarily cammed upwardly by any one of said compartments being opened thereby preventing opening of a second Compartment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The filing cabinet as set out in claim 1, and further including a locking mechanism for maintaining said slidable locking bar immovable when said locking mechanism is in a locked position, and permitting movement of said slidable locking bar when said locking mechanism is in an unlocked position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments, apparatus for maintaining the remaining compartments of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said compartments is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, means for vertically raising said locking bar to an upper position when any one of said compartments is opened, means cooperating with each of said compartments permitting opening of a compartment when said slidable locking bar is in its vertically raised position, and means for locking said slidable locking bar in a lower position when any one of said compartments is opened thereby preventing opening of a further compartment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments, apparatus for maintaining the remaining compartments of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said compartments is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, means for vertically raising said locking bar to an upper position when any one of said compartments is opened, means cooperating with each of said compartments permitting opening of a compartment when said slidable locking bar is in its vertically raised position, and means for locking said slidable locking bar in a lower position when any one of said compartments is opened thereby preventing opening of a further compartment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
150 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of sliding compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors, each of said fall supports being provided with a camming surface for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, and means for preventing vertical movement of said locking bar after any one of said compartment doors is opened thereby preventing passage of any further fall support camming surface past said locking bar to maintain the remaining compartment doors closed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
150 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of sliding compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors, each of said fall supports being provided with a camming surface for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, and means for preventing vertical movement of said locking bar after any one of said compartment doors is opened thereby preventing passage of any further fall support camming surface past said locking bar to maintain the remaining compartment doors closed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The filing cabinet as set out in claim 4, and further including a locking mechanism for maintaining said slidable locking bar immovable when said locking mechanism is in a locked position and permitting movement of said slidable locking bar when said locking mechanism is in an unlocked position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments and including a plurality of notches therein, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors and each adapted to pass within one of said notches, each of said fall supports being provided with a camming surface for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, and means for preventing vertical movement of said locking bar after any one of said compartment doors is opened thereby preventing passage of any further fall support camming surface through said notches to maintain the remaining compartment doors closed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments and including a plurality of notches therein, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors and each adapted to pass within one of said notches, each of said fall supports being provided with a camming surface for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, and means for preventing vertical movement of said locking bar after any one of said compartment doors is opened thereby preventing passage of any further fall support camming surface through said notches to maintain the remaining compartment doors closed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors, means for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means one each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, and means for preventing vertical movement of said locking bar after any one of said compartment doors is opened to maintain the remaining compartment doors closed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors, means for momentarily camming said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means one each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, and means for preventing vertical movement of said locking bar after any one of said compartment doors is opened to maintain the remaining compartment doors closed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
292 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments and including a plurality of notches therein, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors and each adapted to pass within one of said notches, means for momentarily raising said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, a combined friction catch-interlock positioned adjacent each of said fall supports, means for maintaining said friction catch-interlock in a disengaged position when any one of said doors is moved from an open to a closed position and permitting each of said friction catch-interlock to move to a locking position underlying any one of said fall supports when any one of said doors is moved from a closed to an open position, the height of said notches being only sufficient to receive a fall support and a friction catch-interlock when underlying one of said fall supports, whereby when any one of said friction catch-interlock underlays one of said fall supports as the result of the opening of its respective door the slidable locking bar is prevented from movement thereby preventing the first camming surface on any of said closed doors'' fall supports from camming said locking bar upwardly, the effect being that said then immovable locking bar acts to prevent the passage of any camming surface to maintain the respective door in a closed locked position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
292 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments and including a plurality of notches therein, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors and each adapted to pass within one of said notches, means for momentarily raising said locking bar vertically upward when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, a combined friction catch-interlock positioned adjacent each of said fall supports, means for maintaining said friction catch-interlock in a disengaged position when any one of said doors is moved from an open to a closed position and permitting each of said friction catch-interlock to move to a locking position underlying any one of said fall supports when any one of said doors is moved from a closed to an open position, the height of said notches being only sufficient to receive a fall support and a friction catch-interlock when underlying one of said fall supports, whereby when any one of said friction catch-interlock underlays one of said fall supports as the result of the opening of its respective door the slidable locking bar is prevented from movement thereby preventing the first camming surface on any of said closed doors'' fall supports from camming said locking bar upwardly, the effect being that said then immovable locking bar acts to prevent the passage of any camming surface to maintain the respective door in a closed locked position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
316 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments including a plurality of notches therein, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors and each adapted to pass within one of said notches, each of said fall supports being provided with a first camming surface for momentarily camming said locking bar to an upper position when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, a combined friction catch-interlock positioned adjacent each of said fall supports, said fall supports each being provided with a second camming surface for camming and maintaining said friction catch-interlock in a disengaged position when any one of said doors is moved from an open to a closed position and permitting each of said friction catch-interlock to move to a locking position underlying any one of said fall supports when any one of said doors is moved from a closed to an open position, the height of said notches being only sufficient to receive a fall support and a friction catch-interlock when underlying one of said fall supports, whereby when any one of said friction catch-interlock underlays one of said fall supports as the result of the opening of its respective door the slidable locking bar is prevented from movement thereby preventing the first camming surface on any of said closed doors'' fall supports from camming said locking bar upwardly, the effect being that said then immovable locking bar acts to prevent the passage of any camming surface to maintain the respective door in a closed locked position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
316 words
In a filing cabinet containing a set of slidable compartments and including hingedly mounted doors, one for each compartment, apparatus for maintaining the remaining doors of said cabinet in a closed position when a selected one of said doors is opened comprising a slidable locking bar spanning said compartments including a plurality of notches therein, a plurality of fall supports attached one each to each of said doors and each adapted to pass within one of said notches, each of said fall supports being provided with a first camming surface for momentarily camming said locking bar to an upper position when any one of said doors is opened, means on each of said fall supports cooperating with said filing cabinet for maintaining said door in a horizontal open position, a combined friction catch-interlock positioned adjacent each of said fall supports, said fall supports each being provided with a second camming surface for camming and maintaining said friction catch-interlock in a disengaged position when any one of said doors is moved from an open to a closed position and permitting each of said friction catch-interlock to move to a locking position underlying any one of said fall supports when any one of said doors is moved from a closed to an open position, the height of said notches being only sufficient to receive a fall support and a friction catch-interlock when underlying one of said fall supports, whereby when any one of said friction catch-interlock underlays one of said fall supports as the result of the opening of its respective door the slidable locking bar is prevented from movement thereby preventing the first camming surface on any of said closed doors'' fall supports from camming said locking bar upwardly, the effect being that said then immovable locking bar acts to prevent the passage of any camming surface to maintain the respective door in a closed locked position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The filing cabinet as set out in claim 9, and further including a locking mechanism for maintaining said slidable locking bar immovable when said locking mechanism is in a locked position, and permitting movement of said slidable locking bar when said locking mechanism is in an unlockeD position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |