Rotary filing cabinet

Claim 2

A file apparatus comprising: a cabinet, said cabinet being rectilinear; rectangular support platform shelf means mounted in said cabinet whereby to be rotatable about a vertical axis, said cabinet having two sides opposite each other which are open and said rotary support shelf means being rotatable to positions whereby to provide access thereto through either of said open sides of the cabinet, said shelf means having flat sides and being of such size relative to the cabinet that the flat sides are positionable to be flush with and to close said open sides, and said shelf means having two opposite open sides providing access thereto, which are positionable to be flush with the open sides of the cabinet.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said platform shelf support means is in the form of a single, rotatable unit having a height which is substantially the height of the cabinet, said platform shelf support means providing a plurality of spaced shelves.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2, said cabinet being elongated and having a plurality of support plaform shelf means in it, there being a space provided between adjacent support platform shelf means, the corners of a support platform shelf means moving into said space when a platform shelf means is rotated.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 1, including manually actuatable latch means operable to engage with said platform shelf support means to restrain movement thereof to predetermined positions.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 4, including a latch member engageable with the platform shelf support means, said latch member embodying resiliency whereby to resiliently apply stopping resistance to the platform shelf support means whereby to stop movement of said means and restrain it to a predetermined stopping position.

Claim 7

A file apparatus comprising: a cabinet, said cabinet being rectilinear, support platform shelf means mounted in said cabinet whereby to be rotatable about a vertical axis, said cabinet having two sides opposite each other which are open, and said rotary support shelf means being rotatable to positions whereby to provide access thereto through either of said open sides of the cabinet, support means for rotatably supporting the support platform shelf means, the support means forming circular support track means to rotatably support the platform shelf means on the track, the track means having such diameter that the platform shelf means has parts positioned relatively close to sides, of the cabinet, said cabinet having a top and means providing rotatable engagement between the top and the platform shelf means whereby the cabinet is stabilized by way of the platform shelf means supported on the circular support track.

Claim 8

A file apparatus comprising: a cabinet, said cabinet being rectilinear, support platform shelf means mounted in said cabinet whereby to be rotatable about a vertical axis, said cabinet having two sides opposite each other which are open, and said rotary support shelf means being rotatable to positions whereby to provide access thereto through either of said open sides of the cabinet, support means for rotatably supporting the support platform shelf means, the support means forming circular support track means to rotatably support the platform shelf means on the track, the track means having such diameter that the platform shelf means has parts positioned relatively close to sides, of the cabinet, said cabinet having a top and means providing rotatable engagement between the top and the platform shelf means whereby the cabinet is stabilized by way of the platform shelf means supported on the circular support track.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the support track comprises means forming a circular ball race with balls therein.

Claim 10

A file apparatus comprising a cabinet having a rotor including support platform shelf means, latch means for the rotor comprising a foot operated member and a latch member, said latch member being resiliently mounted mechanism comprising spring means positioned to be actuatable by movement of the latch member in one direction to compress the spring means and by movement of the latch member in the opposite direction, to compress the spring means.

Claim 11

A file apparatus comprising a cabinet having a rotor including support platform shelf means, latch means for the rotor comprising a foot operated member and a latch member, said latch member being resiliently mounted mechanism comprising spring means positioned to be actuatable by movement of the latch member in one direction to compress the spring means and by movement of the latch member in the opposite direction, to compress the spring means.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 8, including a first member engageable by the latch member on movement in one direction and said member being attached to one end of the spring means, a second member engageable by the latch member when movable in the opposite direction and engageable with the opposite end of the spring means and means providing for limited movement of said first and second members whereby when either end of the spring is being compressed, the other end is restrained.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said members attached to the spring means comprise overlying plates holding means for the plates allowing limited movements of the plates, and means for allowing limited movement of the latch member.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the spring means is carried on the foot operated member.

Claim 15

A file apparatus comprising: a cabinet having a rotor including support platform shelf means, latch means for the rotor comprising a foot operated member and a latch member, said latch member being engageable with the rotor, resiliently mounted mechanism comprising spring means positioned to be actuatable by movement of the latch member in one direction to compress the spring means and by movement of the latch member in the opposite direction, to compress the spring means, a first member engageable by the latch member on movement in one direction, and said member being attached to one end of the spring means, a second member engageable by the latch member when moveable in the opposite direction and engageable with the opposite end of the spring means, and means providing for limited movement of said first and second members whereby when either end of the spring is being compressed, the other end is restrained, said members attached to the spring means comprising overlying plates, holding means for the plates allowing limited movements of the plates, means for allowing limited movement of the latch member, and a third overlying plate carrying the latch member, all of said plates being arcuate whereby the latch member can move angularly to engage either of the first and second members whereby to compress the spring at one end while the other end is restrained.

Claim 16

A file apparatus comprising: a cabinet having a rotor including support platform shelf means, latch means for the rotor comprising a foot operated member and a latch member, said latch member being engageable with the rotor, resiliently mounted mechanism comprising spring means positioned to be actuatable by movement of the latch member in one direction to compress the spring means and by movement of the latch member in the opposite direction, to compress the spring means, a first member engageable by the latch member on movement in one direction, and said member being attached to one end of the spring means, a second member engageable by the latch member when moveable in the opposite direction and engageable with the opposite end of the spring means, and means providing for limited movement of said first and second members whereby when either end of the spring is being compressed, the other end is restrained, said members attached to the spring means comprising overlying plates, holding means for the plates allowing limited movements of the plates, means for allowing limited movement of the latch member, and a third overlying plate carrying the latch member, all of said plates being arcuate whereby the latch member can move angularly to engage either of the first and second members whereby to compress the spring at one end while the other end is restrained.