Extendible runner

Claim 2

A telescopic runner unit, comprising a first runner means, said first runner means having a vertical body portion, said vertical body portion having a lateral base flange projecting horizontally from the lower longitudinal edge thereof, said vertical boDy portion being provided with means for securing said vertical body portion to vertical furniture means, said lateral base flange being formed over part of its length taken from one end thereof with elongated slot means, and second runner means comprising a substantially channel-shaped body portion arranged on one side of said vertical body portion to run on said lateral base flange and provided at one end with locking lug means adapted to engage and run in said slot means.

Claim 3

A runner unit according to claim 1, wherein said locking lug means has a first part parallel to said vertical body portion and an integral second part lying at right angles to said vertical body portion to prevent said lug means from being removed from said slot means.

Claim 4

A runner unit according to claim 2, wherein said second runner member is provided with spring clip means intermediate its length adapted to be engaged with shelf means slidably engaged in said channel-shaped body portion.

Claim 5

A runner unit according to claim 3, wherein stop means is provided on the upper flange means of said channel-shaped body portion adjacent the rearward end thereof and positioned for engagement with said shelf means.

Claim 6

In a support structure for an article, such as a shelf or drawer, said support structure including a pair of substantially parallel and elongated telescopic runner units which are extendable and contractable in a first horizontal direction, said pair of runner units being disposed on opposite sides of said article for supporting same for movement in a horizontal direction, said pair of runner units being positioned between and respectively mounted on a pair of opposed and substantially parallel vertical support surfaces, said runner units being mirror images of one another, comprising the improvement wherein each runner unit includes: a first substantially horizontally elongated runner member, said first runner member including a substantially vertical support portion adapted to be positioned adjacent one of said vertical support surfaces and a horizontal support flange fixedly secured to and projecting inwardly from said support portion along the lower longitudinal edge thereof, said horizontal flange having an elongated slot formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof, and means associated with said first runner member for permitting same to be fixedly secured to one of said vertical support surfaces; said elongated slot having the opposite ends thereof defined by a pair of opposed stop portions, one of said stop portions being disposed adjacent one end of said first runner member and said other stop portion being disclosed approximately midway between the ends of said first runner member; a second substantially horizontally elongated runner member slidably supported on said first runner member and movable longitudinally thereof in said first horizontal direction, said second runner member having a substantially channel-shaped body portion which opens in a second substantially horizontal direction which is substantially perpendicular to said first direction, said channel-shaped body portion having a substantially vertically extending base portion disposed directly adjacent one side of the vertical support portion of said first runner member, said channel-shaped body portion also including upper and lower substantially horizontal flanges projecting inwardly from said vertical base portion adjacent the upper and lower longitudinally extending edges thereof, said lower flange being slidably supported on the horizontal flange of said first runner member; said second runner member including lug means fixedly secured thereto and projecting vertically downwardly therefrom into the elongated slot formed in said first runner member, whereby said second runner member is slidably movable relative to said first runner member between a first position wherein the second runner member is disposed substantially totally within the first runner member and the lug means is engAged with said one stop portion and a second position wherein the second runner member is at least partially withdrawn from said first runner member and said lug means is disposed in engagement with said other stop portion; and said article having a side portion thereof slidably supported within said channel-shaped body portion, said cooperating stop means coacting between said second runner member and said article for permitting said article to be linearly slidably displaced relative to said second runner member through a predetermined distance in a direction parallel to said first direction.

Claim 7

In a support structure for an article, such as a shelf or drawer, said support structure including a pair of substantially parallel and elongated telescopic runner units which are extendable and contractable in a first horizontal direction, said pair of runner units being disposed on opposite sides of said article for supporting same for movement in a horizontal direction, said pair of runner units being positioned between and respectively mounted on a pair of opposed and substantially parallel vertical support surfaces, said runner units being mirror images of one another, comprising the improvement wherein each runner unit includes: a first substantially horizontally elongated runner member, said first runner member including a substantially vertical support portion adapted to be positioned adjacent one of said vertical support surfaces and a horizontal support flange fixedly secured to and projecting inwardly from said support portion along the lower longitudinal edge thereof, said horizontal flange having an elongated slot formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof, and means associated with said first runner member for permitting same to be fixedly secured to one of said vertical support surfaces; said elongated slot having the opposite ends thereof defined by a pair of opposed stop portions, one of said stop portions being disposed adjacent one end of said first runner member and said other stop portion being disclosed approximately midway between the ends of said first runner member; a second substantially horizontally elongated runner member slidably supported on said first runner member and movable longitudinally thereof in said first horizontal direction, said second runner member having a substantially channel-shaped body portion which opens in a second substantially horizontal direction which is substantially perpendicular to said first direction, said channel-shaped body portion having a substantially vertically extending base portion disposed directly adjacent one side of the vertical support portion of said first runner member, said channel-shaped body portion also including upper and lower substantially horizontal flanges projecting inwardly from said vertical base portion adjacent the upper and lower longitudinally extending edges thereof, said lower flange being slidably supported on the horizontal flange of said first runner member; said second runner member including lug means fixedly secured thereto and projecting vertically downwardly therefrom into the elongated slot formed in said first runner member, whereby said second runner member is slidably movable relative to said first runner member between a first position wherein the second runner member is disposed substantially totally within the first runner member and the lug means is engAged with said one stop portion and a second position wherein the second runner member is at least partially withdrawn from said first runner member and said lug means is disposed in engagement with said other stop portion; and said article having a side portion thereof slidably supported within said channel-shaped body portion, said cooperating stop means coacting between said second runner member and said article for permitting said article to be linearly slidably displaced relative to said second runner member through a predetermined distance in a direction parallel to said first direction.

Claim 8

A support structure according to claim 5, wherein said stop means includes first and second stop members fixedly secured to said second runner member and a third stop member fixedly secured to said article, said first and second stop member being spaced said predetermined distance apart with said first stop member being disposed adjacent the rearward end of said second runner member and said second stop member being disposed intermediate the ends of said second runner member, and said third stop member being fixedly secured to said article adjacent the rearward end thereof and being positioned between said first and second stop members.

Claim 9

A support structure according to claim 6, wherein one of said second and third stop members comprises a resilient platelike spring disposed for engagement with the other of said second and third stop members, said spring being resiliently deflectible so as to enable said third stop member to move past said second stop member to enable said article to be completely separated from said second runner member.

Claim 10

A support structure according to claim 5, wherein said lug means includes a portion on the free end thereof extending transversely of said slot and projecting beneath said horizontal flange for positively preventing said lug means from being withdrawn from said slot.