Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to fittings for adjust-
ably connecting front panels -to pull-out furniture components
enabling vertical and horizontal adjustment and positive secure-
ment. The fittings consist of catches which interengage to
provide the adjustment and securement. Adjacent each front corner
of the pull-out furniture component and carried thereby is a
horizontal guideway which carries a catch which is movable in
the guideway by means of a threaded bolt the head of which is
supported in an opening in a respective side wall of the furni-
ture component. A second catch member is carried at each end of
the front panel for engagement behind the movable catches carried
by the furniture component.
In its preferred use the invention relates to means for
securing front panels to pull-out drawer components in adjustable
fashion but from the following description it will be appreciated
that the inventive concept may also be useful in other applications
calling for the securement of a front or facing panel to a com-
ponent which is to be concealed.
Fitting arrangements of this general type are known
20 for example from West German Patent 2,128,512.
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Further development of these types of devices are described
in the German Design Patent NoO 77 05 784. One of these further
developments consists of a connecting system between a pull-
out furniture component and its front panel in which a fitting
component to fasten them together is affixed to the inner side
of the front panel, in which an inwardly-inclined, upward-pointing
catch is attached, said catch acting in conjunction with a
vertically downward-inclined catch. The vertically downward-
inclined catch is movable within a vertical guideway on the
furniture component and is adjusted upward and downward by
means of a screw-bolt running parallel to the guideway to act
in conjunction with the catch inclined upward from the front
panel, thus making it possible to adjust the front panel vis-
a-vis the furniture component. The adjusting screw-bolt is
accessible from below.
The invention has set itself the objective of further
developing and improving these types of devices so that they
are simpler and more cost-effective in design and method of
attachment, as well as being simpler to use and easier to get
at.
For the attainment of this objective a device of the
type within this class is characterized in that near the two
side edges in front of the front wall of the furniture component
there are affixed horizontal guideways for a catch whose open
section faces to the side and to the front, whose contact
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section is located in front of the guideways and whose sliding
block, located between the guideways, is provided with a threaded
opening parallel to the guideways for the engagement of a
screw-bolt, the head of which is supported within the confines
of an opening through a side wall of the furniture component,
as well as a counter-catch fastened in a horizontal position
to the rear side of the front panel, designed to hook in behind
the first-named catch on the furniture component. In the pre-
ferred embodiment, below the horizontal catch located on the
front panel there is fastened to the front panel a retaining
projection whose vertical open section faces forward and down-
ward, opposite which there is a projection which is part of
the furniture component and which extends outward from the
forward wall of the furniture component to act as a counter-
retainer engaged by the overarm projection.
The horizontal guideways for the catch on the furniture
component can be affixed directly onto the outer side of the
forward wall of the furniture component or alternatively they
may be affixed to a forward right-angled extension, parallel
to the front, of strips running parallel to the side walls of
the furniture component, said strips, by way of example, serving
as guide or bracing strips.
The horizontal guideways for the sliding block of the
catch are designed as slide strips with a widened recess opening
toward the forward wall of the furniture component, and the
sliding block has a wider section at its base designed to
engage within these recesses. The most advantageous method is
for the sliding block to be guided by both its widened base
and between the shoulders of the closer-together sections of
the guideways.
In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the
invention the catches fastened to the rear side of the front
panel and the projection below are joined together by means
of a web. It is a useful idea to have a small vertical rib
form-molded to the catch, the projection or the connecting
web, said rib projecting somewhat toward the furniture component
which on its directly opposite surface has been provided with
an indentation or a groove in order to define a zero setting
in the horizontal direction. On one of the same components
an upright-standing tongue is form-molded, whose broadened end
is provided with a horizontal rib projecting somewhat toward
the furniture component, said rib being provided with a hor-
izontal edge located directly opposite on the adjoining surface
in order to define a zero setting in the vertical direction.
The screw-bolt for adjusting the sliding block is very
advantageously guided within the opening through the side wall
forming part of the furniture component, said opening being
lined with a metal sleeve smooth on the inside; this screw-
bolt being designed to work in conjunction with a metal sleeve
provided with internal threading which is inserted into the
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sliding block. The two opposing surfaces of the horizontallycounter-acting catches are advantageously provided with a sur~ace-
roughened texture, by ~ay of example, with horizontally running
corrugations.
Due to the fact that the catches on the furniture comp-
onent and the front panel are arranged in a horizontally-opposing
alignment the invention makes it possible to achieve a very
simple attachment of the front panel. All that is required is
to hold the furniture panel against the pull-out furniture
component, by way of example a front facing against the forward
end of a drawer, and then push the movable catch component,
which is affixed to the furniture component within guideways,
outward to both sides so that the front panel is initially
held fast. In this operation a helpful feature is that the
adjusting screw-bolt in the guide sleeve of the side wall of
the furniture component, which is smooth-walled inside, can
also be moved so that by pulling out the two screw-bolts the
catches on the furniture component will be drawn against the
catches on the front panel in order to hold the front end fast.
By screwing-in the screw-bolt in the sliding blocks of
the catches in the furniture component, these catches can then
be adjusted laterally in conjunction with the front panel so
that the front panel can be properly aligned. To tighten it up
the two side screw-bolts are turned in opposing directions so
that the two catches on the furniture component are pulled
apart. In this operation a special advantage exists in the
fact that by means of this tightening-up the front panel is
bowed slightly inward in its central section so that it is
possible to achieve a close contact of the front panel through~
out its whole length by means of this device. This is an esp-
ecially important feature when the pull-out furniture components
with which we are dealing, by way of example, are kitchen
drawers or drawers in furniture which is used in the field of
medicine, since in these areas there are particularly high
standards of cleanliness and hygiene and all possible dust-
collecting features are to be avoided.
A supporting feature of this simple design for connecting,
adjusting and fastening the fror.t panel to the furniture comp-
onent is the fact that when installing the panel a downward-
acting support can be achieved by means of a retaining pro-
jection whose open side faces downward which is affixed to the
front panel, this projection engaging over a counter-projection
on the furniture component. This feature ensures that the front
panel, loosely placed against the furniture component, will
not fall off during further handling, adjusting and tightening-
up by means of the screw-bolt, therefore making it easier to
align the front panel horizontally and vertically in relation
to other front panels.
Connecting the catch with the projection on the front
panel by means of a web makes it simpler to manufacture this
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fitting, easier to attach it and easier for the two Eitting
components to work -together.
Further advantages of the invention are given in the
special description. The invention is explained in greater
detail below with the aid of embodiment examples as illustrated
in the drawings:
Fig. 1 - Front view of a pull-out furniture component
with the front panel indicated by dotted lines
Fig. 2 - Perspective view of a corner of the device in
one of its embodiments
Fig. 3 - Perspective view of another embodiment
Fig. 4 - Perspective view, with component pulled apart,
of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3
Fig. 5 - Front view and top view of the mounting fitting
for the front panel
Fig. 6 - Side view of the mounting fitting
Fig. 7 - Rear view of the mounting fitting
Fig. 8 - Front view of the pull-out furniture component
Fig. 9 - Front view of the pull-out furniture component
with the mounting fitting inserted
Fig. 10 - Sectional view of the pull-out furniture
component with mounting fitting and attached
front panel - along the line of X - X of Fig. 8
In the embodiment examples of pull-out furniture comp-
onents with adjusting fittings, illustrated and described here,
8.
we are describing, as the preferred case, furniture drawers
which, being manufactured in one piece out of plastic, are
designed in such a way that the front panels, or in this case
also so-called front facings in particular, are invisibly
affixed to the front of the drawer. This method of manufacture
results in the interior of the drawer being completely smooth-
surfaced and smooth-sided without any kind of indentation or
opening in which, for example, dirt could gather and which
would be difficult to clean. To be able to adjust the front
facing vertically and laterally is desirable so that, once the
furniture is installed, usually on a not quite level base,
the fronts of the individual furniture bodies, standing next
to or superimposed on one another, may be so aligned with each
other that a uniform appearance with continuouslyrunning lines
is achieved.
In the front view shown in Fig. 1 a drawer is schemat-
ically illustrated, in which the front panel is indicated by
dotted lines, and also indicated behind this are the components
of the forward end of the drawer in order to show their location.
With regard to Figs. 2 to 4, these are primarily concerned
with the fitting 2~ fastened to the rear side of the facing 1,
as well as the parts 4, 5 and 6 on the drawer 3 which work
together with this fitting 2. The fixed fitting 2 attached to
the front facing 1 consists of an upper catch 7 which is open
toward the centre of the front and works in conjunction with
a catch 8 affixed to the drawer, this catch having its open
section facing to the side and front, said fitting also having
a retaining projection 9 whose open section faces to the front
and bottom and which engages over a counter~retainer 10, joined
to the forward wall of the drawer or attached in front of it.
The catch 8 connected with the drawer sits on a sliding
block 11 which is horizontally movable within a guideway con-
sisting of two horizontal guide rails 12 and 13. The sliding
block 11 has projections 14 and 15, projecting upward and down-
ward on the section located nearest to the drawer and its front
end, which engage within similarly-shaped recesses 16 and 17
on the guide rails 12 and 13 and are slidable within those
recesses. The lateral guidance of the sliding block 11 is
not effected just by means of these projections 14 and 15 but
is also imparted by means of the upper and lower shoulders 18
of the sliding block 11 located above these projections which
work in conjunction with the corresponding counter-surfaces
19 on the guide rails 16 and 17. The catch 8 is located so that
its lower surface 20 extends beyond the outer edges of the
guide rails 21, so that it is freely accessible on both sides,
i.e., on the top and bottom, over its whole cross-section.
Parallel to the guideways 12 and 13, and between them,
a screw-bolt 22 has been affixed which engages with a threaded
hole in the sliding block 11 and is guided in the associated
side wall 23 or in a corresponding projection from the side
10 .
wall of the drawer within a sleeve 24, whereby the head 25
of the screw-bolt is accessible from the side. It can be seen
that, by means of the screw-bolt 22, it is possible to move
the sliding block 11 in the guideways 12 and 13, and thus the
catch 8 on the front of the forward end of the drawer, in a
horizontal direction. To effect this movement, the screw-bolt
guided in the smooth sleeve 24 can either be pulled out or
pressed in and, in the pressed-in position, it can also be
turned by means of a screwdriver applied to the head 25 of the
screw-bolt, screwing it into the threading in the sliding block
ll so that the sliding block and the catch are moved horizontally.
It should be noted that, as shown in Fig. 1, the attach-
ment system described above is applicable to both sides of the
forward end of the drawer with the catch systems 7 and 8 being
designed as mirror images of one another, so that the screw-
bolts 6 (or 22 and 25) act together in adjusting the catch 8
connected to the drawer in the same, or in opposing, directions.
In order to complete the connection of the facing l to
the drawer 3 and to achieve a secure connection, particularly
when placing the facing 1 against the drawer, without risking
the danger of the facing falling off when adjustments are being
made laterally and vertically, there is a lower retaining
projection 9 affixed below the catch 7 on the facing, the said
projection hooking in behind a counter-retainer on the drawer
but not interfering with any movements of adjustment vertically
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or horizontally within the ranges required for such adjustments.
The projection 9 can be provided with a slight incline on its
surface 26 which interacts with the counter-retainer if it is
desired to obtain a special clamping effect in this area.
Fig. 2 illustrates the embodiment example of a drawer
showing the left forward edge in a perspective view, in which
the guide rails 12,13 are attached directly to the forward end
3 of the drawer; these rails may be form-molded onto the drawer.
In Fig. 3 a corresponding illustration shows another
embodiment example in which a drawer with double side walls
is designed in such a way that a ribbed strip 27 is installed
in the area open to the bottom between the side walls located
at a certain distance from one another, as shown in Fig. 4.
Form-molded onto this ribbed strip is a receiving groove 28
for the insertion of commercial-style drawer guides. In place
of a ribbed strip 27 it is also possible to fasten a guide
strip on the side of the drawerO The side strip is provided
with a forward right-angled section 29 which is located in front
of the forward end of the drawer and on which are located the
guide rails 12,13 for the sliding block 11 of the catch 8
associated with the drawerO The interaction and relationships
of the individual parts are otherwise the same as those in the
previously described embodiment example.
The functioning of the device in accordance with the
invention is described below: The fitting components 2 are
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fastened to the drawer facing l near to the two sides. The
catches 5 are pushed into their farthest inner settings by
means of the screw-bolts 6. The front facing is placed against
the drawer at a slant and shoved with its projections 9 over
the counter-retainers 10 and pressed against the drawer, i.e.,
with its upper section swung in against the drawer. After this,
the catches 5 on the drawer are pulled outward on both sides
within their guideways with the aid of the screw-bolts 6 so that
these drawer catches are located in front of the catches 7
of the fittings on the front facing. The front facing is now
connected to the drawerwith no risk of it falling off. In order
to adjust the front facing laterally vis-a-vis the drawer, and
thus in relation to the furniture, the catch components 8 with
their sliding blocks 11 are moved within the guideways 12,13
by means of the screw-bolts 6 and the use of a screwdriver on
the heads 25 of the screw-bolts, which action of the screw-
bolts pulls in the drawer on one side and lets the drawer out
on the other side. If this is successful in achieving the
desired lateral alignment, the two screw-bolts on either side
are given a few turns in opposite directions so that a certain
degree of initial pressure is present by the action of moving
the two catches apart on both sides of the drawer. For best
effect, the contact surfaces of the catches 8 and 7 are somewhat
roughened, they may be provided with a corrugated finishO In
this position a vertical movement of the facing vis-a-vis the
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drawer is still possible. ~s soon as this vertical adjustment
and alignment has met the requirements, in which any previously
set positions have not been adversely affected due to the ad-
hesion of friction between the surfaces of the catches, the
screw-bolts 6 on the two sides of the drawer are tightened by
rotation in opposite directions, thus pushing the catch comp-
onents 8 of the drawer still further apart. This action will
achieve a firm tightening of the front facing 1 against the
contact surfaces on the forward end of the drawer, so that the
front facing 1 in its aligned position is firmly and immovably
connected to the drawer. sy means of the special design of the
connecting components, in particular the catch 5, an additional
advantage is achieved in that the pull of forces creates a slight
though still sufficient bending of the front facing on the one
side and of the forward wall of the drawer on the other side,
these inward bendings being effected in opposite directions
so that the tightest contact of the two parts with each other
is achieved in the centre of the forward end of the drawer.
This effect prevents any possibility of gaps occurring between
the applied front facing and the forward end of the drawer
as a result of bending strains.
In order to make it easier to place the drawer facing
in the desired position a somewhat projecting, small, vertical
rib 31 is form-molded onto the inner side of the fitting on the
front, for best effect on the relatively thinly designed
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connecting web 30 between the upper horizontal catch 7 and the
lower retaining projection 9~ A notch 32 is form-molded in the
outer side of the lower guide strip 13. These two form-molded
elements 31 and 32 are so located, and work together in such
a way, that they define a zero setting of the front facing
vis-a-vis the drawer in the horizontal direction when the facing
is installed. The locking of the rib 31 in the notch 32 can be
clearly felt by moving the facing horizontally with the catch
component 8 pulled far back.
An additional advantageous feature is to have a tongue
33 formed onto the connecting web 30, said tongue standing up
vertically and being provided with a somewhat projecting hor-
izontal rib 34. This arrangement is designed in such a way that
in the vertical zero position of the facing vis-a-vis the drawer
this rib 34 on the tongue 33 engages over the upper edge 35
of the lower guide rail 13 so that when placing the facing
against the drawer a zero position in the vertical direction
is defined as well, thus making it easy to install the facing.
The invention is not restricted to the embodiment examples
illustrated and described above, by way of example the retaining
projections 9 can also be attached at a different position
than directly under the horizontal catch 7 on the front facing 1,
with a corresponding location for the counter-retainers on the
drawer. By way of example, these types of retaining projections
could be provided in a distribution along the whole length
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of the forward end of the drawer. It is also not absolutely
necessary for the retaining projections to be exclusively
located below the two horizontal catches 7 on the facing, in
special cases they could also be fastened above these horizontal
catches on the facing provided there are corresponding counter~
retainers located on the forward end of the drawer~ With part-
icularly deep drawers, by way of example, an arrangement of
retaining projections above and below the horizontal catches
could also be provided, which would result in a design similar
to that of a sliding door, one in which the upper retaining
projections with their counter-retainers would be substantially
longer than the lower retaining projections so that when the
facing is placed on the drawer the projections are first slid
in behind the upper retainers, then the bottom of the facing
is swung in against the drawer and lowered downward so that the
lower retaining projections also engage behind the counter-
retainers, while at the same time the upper retaining projections
do not, however, slide out of their engaged positions but
continue to hold in behind the retainers.
