Stackable drawer and cover

Claim 2

A drawer and drawer supporting combination for use in hospital environments and the like comprising: a drawer having glide flanges extending outwardly from thetop of each side thereof said drawer including a rear wall having an upper portion projecting upwardly above the level of said cover to restrain rearward movment thereof; a support, for receiving various combinations of drawers such as said drawer, comprising a pair of spaced sides, each having at least one pair of vertically spaced, inwardly projecting guide flanges for embracing said glide flanges of said drawer; said support having a generally open front, when not closed by a front door or the like, whereby said drawer is accessible by reaching into it through said generally open front; a cover for said drawer comprising a panel of sufficient width that it rests on said glide flanges and is itself embraced at either side by said guide flanges; said cover extending generally from said rear wall to the front wall of said drawer; the front wall of said drawer extending above the level of said panel as it rests on said glide flanges to restrain forward movement of said cover; the top one of said spaced guide flanges extending sufficiently far forward and being spaced sufficiently close to the bottom one of said guide flanges that said top guide flange, in cooperation with the front wall and rear wall upper portion of said drawer prevents the removal of said drawer cover when said drawer is in a closed position in said support.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 with said cover including a handle flange projecting upwardly from the front edge of said panel and then projecting outwardly over and beyond the top edge of said front wall to provide a handle for said cover.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 in which said handle flange extends from one side to the other of said cover and said top guide flange inclines upwardly toward the front of said support, causing the front portion of said top guide flange to be raised a greater distance from said lower guide flange to thereby provide room to accomodate the upwardly and outwardly projecting handle flange of said drawer cover.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 in which said drawer includes means for locking said drawer in said support.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 in which said means for locking said drawEr in said support comprises: a lock in said drawer including a retractable pin projecting through the side of said drawer; a stop member projecting inwardly from said side of said drawer support in the path followed by said lock pin as said drawer is moved forwardly and rearwardly between said spaced guide flanges whereby when said lock pin is in its projected position it engages said stop member to prevent removal of said drawer.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 in which said support includes more than one pair of said spaced vertical guide flanges; said stop flange comprising an inwardly projecting flange extending from the front of the bottom guide flange of one pair of spaced guide flanges to the front of the top guide flange of the next lower pair of spaced guide flanges.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5 in which said lock includes a body on the inside of said drawer; a plastic encasement member adhered to the inside of said drawer around said body so as to enclose said body.

Claim 9

A drawer and drawer supporting combination comprising: a drawer having glide flanges extending outwardly from the top of each side thereof; a support for said drawer comprising a pair of spaced sides, each having at least one pair of vertically spaced, inwardly projecting guide flanges for embracing said glide flanges of said drawer; a cover for said drawer comprising a panel of sufficient width that it rests on said glide flanges and is itself embraced at either side by said guide flanges; the front wall of said drawer extending above the level of said panel as it rests on said glide flanges; said cover including a handle flange projecting upwardly from the front edge of said panel and then projecting outwardly over and beyond the top edge of said front wall to provide a handle for said cover; the top one of said spaced guide flanges extending sufficiently far forward and being spaced sufficiently close to the bottom one of said guide flanges that said top guide flange, in cooperation with the front wall of said drawer prevents the removal of said drawer cover when said drawer is in a closed position in said support; said glide flanges including upwardly projecting shoulders for restricting lateral movement of said cover; said drawer including a rear wall, also extending above the level of said panel as it rests on said glide flanges; said shoulders also extending above the level of said panel as it rests on said glide flanges whereby the top portions of said front and rear walls and said shoulders define the walls of a stacking recess deeper than the thickness of said panel; the bottom of said drawer having a width such that it will rest on said glide flanges of a lower drawer and having a length less than the distance between said top portion of said rear wall and said top portion of said front wall by an amount at least equal to the thickness of said upwardly extending flange of said cover such that one of said drawers will stack within said recess of a lower one of said drawers even with said cover in place on said lower drawer.

Claim 10

A drawer and drawer supporting combination comprising: a drawer having glide flanges extending outwardly from the top of each side thereof; a support for said drawer comprising a pair of spaced sides, each having at least one pair of vertically spaced, inwardly projecting guide flanges for embracing said glide flanges of said drawer; a cover for said drawer comprising a panel of sufficient width that it rests on said glide flanges and is itself embraced at either side by said guide flanges; the front wall of said drawer extending above the level of said panel as it rests on said glide flanges; said cover including a handle flange projecting upwardly from the front edge of said panel and then projecting outwardly over and beyond the top edge of said front wall to provide a handle for said cover; the top one of said spaced guide flanges extending sufficiently far forward and being spaced sufficiently close to the bottom one of said guide flanges that said top guide flange, in cooperation with the front wall of said drawer prevents the removal of said drawer cover when said drawer is in a closed position in said support; said glide flanges including upwardly projecting shoulders for restricting lateral movement of said cover; said drawer including a rear wall, also extending above the level of said panel as it rests on said glide flanges; said shoulders also extending above the level of said panel as it rests on said glide flanges whereby the top portions of said front and rear walls and said shoulders define the walls of a stacking recess deeper than the thickness of said panel; the bottom of said drawer having a width such that it will rest on said glide flanges of a lower drawer and having a length less than the distance between said top portion of said rear wall and said top portion of said front wall by an amount at least equal to the thickness of said upwardly extending flange of said cover such that one of said drawers will stack within said recess of a lower one of said drawers even with said cover in place on said lower drawer.