Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~074385
This invention relates to drawers.
According to the invention, there is provided a drawer
construction comprising front and side walls formed from hollow
extruded panels; each panel having at least one box-like section
with open ends; the panels being interconnected by corner
components each of which comprises a cornerpost having locating
members projecting therefrom at right angles to one another and
engaged in the open ends of the respective box-like sections,
and projecting detents carried on the locating members for
engagement with apertures in the panels when the locating
members are pushed home; the detents on each loacting member
which engages the front panel being located on the side toward
the inside of the drawer so that such detents are not visible
when the drawer is viewed from the front.
Preferably the back and side panels of the drawer are
formed from identical hollow extruded plastic panels each
provided with a longitudinal recess in the face thereof which
will be innermost in use in order to accommodate a drawer
bottom, each panel consisting of upPer and lower hollow
portions interconnected by a single longitudinal web which
defines a longitudinal groove or channel in the face of
the panel opposite to that in which said longitudinal
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recess is formed, the channels so formed in the panels forming
the sides of the drower being adapted to locate on runners forming
part of a cabinet or the like in which the drawer is supported
in use, and the front of the drawer having a longitudinal recess
in the face thereof which will be innermost in use for co-operation
with said recesses in the other wall panels.
Preferably the side wall panels are connected to the rear
wall panel at right angles by upper and lower corner pieces
comprising posts having projecting locating members ~ngaging
in the open ends of the respective upper and lower hollow
portions of the panels and retained by means of detents engaging
apertures formed in the wall panels.
The hollow portions of the wall panels may be divided
internally by longitudinally extending webs. The upper and lower
hollow portions of the side and back panels are preferably of
identical construction save for the provision of said longitudinal
recess in the innermost face of the lower portion.
Preferably al~o, the corner posts are arranged such that
the portions thereof which remain exposed following connection
of the panels are of slightly different lengths when viewed in
plan such that the panels overlap one another. This presents a
neat appearance to the interior of the assembled drawer and
eliminate~ unsightly gaps through which the interior of the
corner pi~ces could be seen.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by
way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer construction;
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Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a connecting piece
used between the side and rear panels of the drawer construction
shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a front corner of
the drawer construction shown in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cornor piece used between
the front and side panels of the drawer construction shown in
Fig. 1.
Referring to the drawings, the drower assembly comprise~ a
drawer bottom 5 opposed side panels 6 and 7~ o back panel 8 and
a front panel 9. The side panels 6 and 7 and the back panel 8
are constructed from identical extruded sections of synthetic
plastics material while the front panel 9 is constructed from an
extruded section of synthetic plastics material which is of sub-
stantially lesser height than the sections forming the ~ide and
back panels. Each panel incorporate~ a longitudinal recoss 10
near to the lower edge of the face of the panel which is inner-
most in use, these recesses 10 serving to receive the edges of
the bottom 5.
The extruded sections forming the side panels 6 and 7 and
back pansl 8 consist of upper and lower hollow portions of
rectangular section interconnected by a longitudinal web 11
which defines an opening or channel 12. The channels 12 in the
two side panels 6 and 7 are adapted in use to locata over runners
in a cabinet or other article of furniture in which the drawer
is mounted so as to permit sliding movement of the drawer
between open and closed positions.
The side panels 6 and 7 and back panel 8 are interconnected
by corner pieces 13 one of which is shown in greater detail in
Fig. 2. Each corner piece 13 con5ists of a post 14 having
locating me~bers 15 projecting from two odjacent sides thereof at
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right angles and dim-nsioned so as to form a relatively tight fit
in one of the upper or lower hollow portions of a side or back
panel. Two such corner pieces are utilised at each of the rear
corners of the drawer construction and when engaged in the
adjacent side and rear panels they connect these together at
right angles to one another. In order to prevent accidental
separation of the parts, the corner pieces are provided with
projecting detent members 16 mounted centrally of each locating
member 15. Each detent member 16 is chamfered in order that the
corner pieces 13 may be readily pushed into the open end of the
associated panel, the detent member 16 springing outwards into
locking engagement with an associated opening 17 when the corner
piece has been pushed fully home.
The extruded section forming the front panel 9 is hollow and
has a cross-section substantially identical to the lower hollow
portions of the side and back panels. The front panel 9 i8
connected to the side panels 6 ond 7 by means of corner pieces
19 shown in detail in Fig~. 3 and 4. Each of these corner pieces
consist~ of a post 20 having a pair of locating me~ber~ 22 (similar
to the locating members 15 on the corner pieces 13) projecting
from one side thereof and dimensioned for engagement in the upper
and lower hollow portions of the side panels 6 and 7. A further
locating member 25 projects from the post 20 at right angles to
the locating members 22, the locating member 25 being di~en~ioned
for engagement in the hollow portion of the front panel 9 and
being positioned such that the longitudinal recess 10 in the
front panel 9 will co-operate with the longitudinal recesses 10
in the side and rear panels 6, 7 and 8 to support the bottom 5.
Detent members 23 similar to those provided on the corner pieces
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13 are provided on the outer faces of each of the locating mombers
22 and on the inner faco of the locating member 25 and these
engage with apertures 24 in the respective side and front panels
to secure the parts against accidental separation. By providing
the detent members 23 and the complementary apertures 24 on the
inner faces of the respective components they are hidden from
view when the drawer is in use and thereby contribute to a neat
appearance. The upper end 26 of the post 20 is rounded for a
similar purpose.
The channels 12 in the side wall panels 5 and 6 extend into
the corner post 19 but terminate short of the front face of the
post. This contributes to thet neat appearance of the front of the
assembled drawer and also acts as a stop ensuring that when the
drawer is fully closed it nests in a predetermined position in
the surrounding cabinet. This construction also obscures the
drawer runner when viewed from the front of the cabinet.
The post 14 of each corner piece 13 and the post 20 of each
corner piece 19 are of rectangular rather than square section
in plan view, the distance a (Figs. 2 and 4) slightly exceeding
the distance b. As a result the adjacent edges of the back and
side panels and of the front and s W e panels overlap one another
slightly on the insides of the corners thereby forming a more
satisfactory join and eliminating cracks or slots through which
the interior of the corner pieces might otherwise be visible from
within the drawer. By suitable marking of the corner pieces correct
assembly of the components may be ensured.
Thus in manufacture of the drawer, the side and back panels
may be cut to suitable lengths from a single extrudad section,
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the holes 17 and 24 being punched in the side, back and front
panels adjacent their respective ends after they have been cut
to length. The walls may then be ossembled around the bottom 5
and retained in place by means of the corner pieces 13 and 19.
No other components are required to assemble the drawer.
The open-fronted drawer construction thus formed permits
inspection of the contents of the drawer and allows access to
the drawer even when the drawer is closed. Drawers of this
construction are particularly suitable for the storage of clothing,
for example in bedroom furniture, stationery in office furniture
and similar applications.
Various modifications may be made without departing from the
invention. For example Glternative forms of corner pieces could
be utilised and the side, back and front panels may have various
arrangements of internal reinforcement if required.
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