File drawer lock

Claim 2

A lock mechanism for a plurality of associated drawers, including selective restraining means operable to hold other os said drawers in pre-selected alignment upon movement of one of said drawers out of alignment, guide means operable throughout the path of movement of each of said drawers, follower means cooperating with said guide means, connecting means between said follower means and said selective restraining means, said connecting means including a gravity biased locking bar connecting said follower means and said selective restraining means and being mounted for reciprocal movement between a locking position and an unlocking position, a weight incorporated in said connecting means adapted to adequately bias said connecting means toward one of said positions, and lever means operably mounted between said drawers and said weighted connecting means, said lever means providing a selected mechanical advantage proportional to the weight provided for said connecting means to enable convenient movement of said drawers.

Claim 3

A lock mechanism for a plurality of associated drawers, including a latch lever having a latch end and a lift end associated with each drawer, a latch catch mounted for latching cooperation with each of said latch levers, a projecting cam and a projecting rib mounted to form a continuous guide along each drawer, a following roller element rotatably mounted near the latch end of each of said latch levers for guidable engagement with a corresponding said projecting cam and projecting rib, and a gravity biased locking bar inter-connecting the lift ends of said latch levers associated with each drawer, said locking bar being mounted for reciprocal movement between a locking position and an unlocking position, said loCking bar being raised to locking position upon movement of a drawer out of said preselected alignment whereby said projecting cam and rib engage said corresponding following roller element and depress the latch end of said latch levers, said locking bar being lowered to unlocking position by virute of its gravitational bias upon disengagement of said following roller element from said projecting rib and cam when said drawer is moved back into said preselected alignment.

Claim 4

A lock mechanism for a plurality of associated drawers, including a latch lever having a latch end and a lift end associated with each drawer, a latch catch mounted for latching cooperation with each of said latch levers, a projecting cam and a projecting rib mounted to form a continuous guide along each drawer, a following roller element rotatably mounted near the latch end of each of said latch levers for guidable engagement with a corresponding said projecting cam and projecting rib, and a gravity biased locking bar inter-connecting the lift ends of said latch levers associated with each drawer, said locking bar being mounted for reciprocal movement between a locking position and an unlocking position, said loCking bar being raised to locking position upon movement of a drawer out of said preselected alignment whereby said projecting cam and rib engage said corresponding following roller element and depress the latch end of said latch levers, said locking bar being lowered to unlocking position by virute of its gravitational bias upon disengagement of said following roller element from said projecting rib and cam when said drawer is moved back into said preselected alignment.

Claim 5

A lock mechanism for a plurality of associated drawers as set forth in claim 2, including a projecting lug mounted on said locking bar adjacent one of said drawers, and an abutting flange mounted on said drawer to butt against said projecting lug when said locking bar is in locking position.

Claim 6

A lock mechanism for a plurality of associated drawers as set forth in claim 3, including a security key lock mounted for association with said locking bar, and lever means operably connected between said key lock and said locking bar for moving said locking bar and associated latch lever into locking position with respect to all of said associated drawers.

Claim 7

A lock mechanism for a plurality of associated drawers as set forth in claim 3, wherein said locking bar, latch levers, latch catches and projecting cams and ribs are operably mounted along one side of said associated drawers, and mirror images of said locking bar, latch levers, latch catches and projecting cams and ribs are operably mounted along the opposite side of said associated drawers.