US3637245A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safety medicine cabinet
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-02-04
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Granted: 1972-01-25
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Expires: 1990-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A cabinet which is extremely difficult for a child to open comprising a substantially rectangular box having a downwardly opening hinged front, or a sliding door front, the longest dimension of said box being substantially transverse and designed to be greater than the normal arm length of a five year old child, the front being latched in place by first and second gravity latches, the first latch being moved to the nonlatching position through the use of a first pivotal bar with operation of the first pivotal bar being through an opening in the left side of the cabinet, the second latch being moved to the nonlatching position through the use of a second pivotal bar being with operation of the second pivotal bar being through an opening in the right side of the cabinet, each of the first and second latches being interiorly spaced from their respective sides a distance to prevent actuation by a child, both the first and second latches must be in the nonlatched position to permit opening of the cabinet.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter R Levack
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:43
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05B; E05B65/00; E05B65/0014; A; A47; A47B; A47B67/00; A47B67/02; A47B2067/025; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S292/00; Y10S292/46; Y10S292/65; Y10T; Y10T292/00; Y10T292/08; Y10T292/0801; Y10T292/0848; Y10T292/0849; Y10T292/086; Y10T292/1043; Y10T292/1063; Y10T292/1064; Y10T292/107
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A medicine cabinet comprising: a substantially rectangular unit composed of at least a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, and a front, said front including a right and left slidingly movable door; a first gravity latch being capable of cooperating with said left door to prevent movement thereof, a second gravity latch being capable of cooperating with said right door to prevent movement thereof, each of said latches being movable by gravity to a latched position thereby preventing door movement; a first actuating bar for moving said first latch to an unlatched position, a second actuating bar for moving said second latch to an unlatched position, said first actuating bar being operable from adjacent said right side, said second actuating bar being operable from adjacent said left side, both of said latches must be moved simultaneously to their respective unlatched position to effect movement of said doors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A medicine cabinet comprising: a substantially rectangular unit composed of at least a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, and a front, said front including a right and left slidingly movable door; a first gravity latch being capable of cooperating with said left door to prevent movement thereof, a second gravity latch being capable of cooperating with said right door to prevent movement thereof, each of said latches being movable by gravity to a latched position thereby preventing door movement; a first actuating bar for moving said first latch to an unlatched position, a second actuating bar for moving said second latch to an unlatched position, said first actuating bar being operable from adjacent said right side, said second actuating bar being operable from adjacent said left side, both of said latches must be moved simultaneously to their respective unlatched position to effect movement of said doors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: first means connected to said first latch being capable of preventing movement of said left door, second means connected to said second latch being capable of preventing movement of said right door.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein: said first means includes a portion of said first actuating bar, said second means includes a protuberance attached to said second latch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: the transverse distance between said left side and said right side being substantially 36 inches whereby such length is normally greater than the spread arm distance of a 5-year old child.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: said first actuating bar having a first handle facilitating movement by a human finger, said second actuating bar having a second handle facilitating movement by a human finger, said first handle being spaced inwardly of said right side and operable through a first opening in said right side, said second handle being spaced inwardly of said left side and operable through a second opening in said left side.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein: said spacing of said first handle from said right side and said spacing of said second handle from said left side being approximately 2 inches, whereby the length of an adult human finger is sufficient for actuation of said first and second bars but normally the finger length of a 5-year old child is not sufficient to cause actuation of said first and second bars.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
108 words
A cabinet latching mechanism comprising: a first gravity latch being capable of cooperating with a first door to prevent movement thereof; a second gravity latch being capable of cooperating with a second door to prevent movement thereof, both said first and second latches being movable by gravity to a latched position thereby preventing door movement; a first actuating bar for moving said first latch to an unlatched position, a second actuating bar for moving said second latch to an unlatched position, both said first and second latches must be moved simultaneously to their respective unlatched position to effect movement of either said first door or said second door.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
108 words
A cabinet latching mechanism comprising: a first gravity latch being capable of cooperating with a first door to prevent movement thereof; a second gravity latch being capable of cooperating with a second door to prevent movement thereof, both said first and second latches being movable by gravity to a latched position thereby preventing door movement; a first actuating bar for moving said first latch to an unlatched position, a second actuating bar for moving said second latch to an unlatched position, both said first and second latches must be moved simultaneously to their respective unlatched position to effect movement of either said first door or said second door.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The mechanism as defined within claim 7 wherein: said latching mechanism being located entirely within a cabinet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-24 | 1975-07-26 | 1976-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-24 | 1979-07-26 | 1980-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-24 | 1983-07-26 | 1984-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |