US3228740A

US3228740A - Modular drawer handle

Info

Publication number: US3228740A
Application number: US339447A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kermit A Lundell
Original assignee: Weber Knapp Co
Current assignee: Weber Knapp Co
Priority date: 1964-01-22
Filing date: 1964-01-22
Publication date: 1966-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-11

Description

Jan. 11, 1966 A. LUNDELL 3,228,740

MODULAR DRAWER HANDLE Filed Jan. 22, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR KERN/T A. L UNDELL ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1966 K. A. LUNDELL MODULAR DRAWER HANDLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1964 INVENTOR KERN/7' A. LU/VDELL BY 61 1, M ATTORNEY 1966 K. A. LUNDELL 3,228,740

MODULAR DRAWER HANDLE Filed Jan. 22, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l L ll i Mia W /7 1 gilt I INVENTOR kkM/T ALUNDELL 6.84 W, *Qa

ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1966 K. A. LUNDELL 3,228,740

MODULAR DRAWER HANDLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 22, 1964 INVENTOR KERN/7 A. LUNDELL BY 62 M, M 'm A ORNEY United States Patent 3,228,740 MODULAR DRAWER HANDLE Kermit A. Lnndell, Jamestown, N.Y., assignor to Weber- Knapp Company, Jamestown, N.Y. Filed Jan. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 339,447 7 Claims. (Cl. 312-320) This invention relates to improvements in combination handle and latch assemblies for drawers and the like, and more particularly to such devices as are adapted to perform the multiple functions of carrying handles and drawer pull handles and drawer levering devices and drawer holding latch mechanisms.

The device of the present invention is specifically designed to facilitate manually carrying a heavy drawer or the like and then inserting it in horizontally moving attitude into a cabinet, rack or the like, to a point short of its intended home position; and then through manipulation of a lever portion of the mechanism to pry the drawer into its final seated and locked position within the cabinet against any accidental disengagement therefrom. Then when it is desired to remove the drawer from the supporting rack or cabinet, the device is manually actuated first to release the holding latch mechanism and then to lever the drawer out of its frictionally held position, and finally to function in the manner of a drawer pull and carrying handle device.

For example, functionally integrated groups of electronic equipment are often set up in banks of housings of drawer-like form, thereby providing for individual installation and/ or replacements of the modules which, when pressed home into their prescribed positions within the supported rack or cabinet, become electrically interconnected through plug-jacks or the like to form a complete electrical system. In such installations fully positive electrical interconnections are of course prerequisite. The interconnection devices usually employed for such purposes are in many cases large in number and are of the tight slidefit contact types; and therefore considerable force must be applied during certain phases of movements of a module drawer in order to force it into its final and electrically connected position, and to release it therefrom. Also, such installations often require the provision of compression gaskets or the like in order to atmospherically seal the drawer in closed position; and the presence of such gaskets still further increases the loads to be overcome in driving the drawer into home position.

The present invention has for one of its objects to provide an improved device that is usable .as a handle for carrying a module or drawer from place to place and then leading it to slide into a rack or cabinet; and also as a lever for forcing the drawer to then move into its final position, and then furthermore operating to automatically lock the module in its firmly seated and electrically connected position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handlelatch assembly as aforesaid that includes a lever member operable to force the drawer to move against frictional constraints or the like both into and out of its home position, thereby facilitating the making and releasing of its electrical connections, as explained hereinabove.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a handle-latch assembly as aforesaid wherein a hinged lever is provided to have latching engagement with the handle proper following full closing of the drawer, such that no shocks, vibrations or other forces, short of complete damage to the mechanism, will be effective to permit unintended release of the lever and movement of the drawer.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device as aforesaid improved means for locking the drawer ice in its rack or cabinet, said means including a lever and multiple latch devices that require sequential multiple manual manipulations in two different directions to effect release of the latches from the lever and consequent release of the drawer preparatory to use of the lever to force the drawer to move.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

PEG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric view showing a portion of a rack or cabinet and a drawer locked in closed position therein by means of a pair of mechanisms of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1, and showing the general relationship between the drawer handle-latch devices and the cabinet-mounted keepers;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally as suggested by the line 33 of FIG. 2, and showing the relation of the handle and its lever and latch mechanisms before the drawer reaches its initial and temporary stop station when approaching its final home position in the cabinet;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but shows the keeper acting as the initial or temporary stop to further closing movement of the drawer;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the lever being raised to cause the pin thereon to enter the keeper slot;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the lever pin exerting pull and forcing the drawer to move in towards further closed position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the parts at a still closer position of the drawer head to the cabinet, and initial contact of the strike portion of the lever with one of the latch devices carried by the handle;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to the upper portion of FIG. 7 but shows the strike portion of the lever about to be engaged by the second latch device of the mechanism;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIGS. 7-8 but shows how the latches lock upon the strike portion of the lever when the drawer is fully closed;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to the upper portion of FIG. 9 but illustrates the first step in manual release of the lever when the drawer is to be withdrawn from the cabinet;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing how both lever latches are manually disengaged from the strike portion of the lever;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of the components of the mechanism as they appear in FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 corresponds to FIG. 12 but shows the parts when completely released as in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of cooperative parts of the lower end of the lever and the drawer keeper when the lever is being manipulated to start to pry the drawer away from the frictional restraints of the electrical connection devices;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 but showing the final cam action of the lever on the keeper to disengage the drawer and force it to move out into fully released position;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of that portion of the structure encircled in FIG. 2;

FIG. 17 is a frontal view of an upper portion of the handle and lever and latches; being taken as suggested by the line 1717 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 18 is a rear view of a portion of the lever, being taken as suggested by the line 13-18 of FIG. 6.

As shown in the drawing herewith, the invention may be embodied in conjunction with a drawer or module or the like as indicated generally at (FIG. 1) which is adapted to be housed within a rack or cabinet having a front view frame structure as indicated at 12; it being understood of course that the rack 12 will be provided with support rails or the like running horizontally from front to rear upon which the drawer 10 may slide or roll. As shown in FIG. 2, the drawer includes the usual front or head plate 14 and side walls 14a; and the rack 12 includes partition or side walls as indicated at 16-46. Perime-terally of the drawer opening the front face of the rack is recessed to accommodate a compression gasket 16a formed of foam rubber or the like, whereby when the drawer is home in fully closed position it is atmospherically sealed in the cabinet.

As shown in FIG. 2 a drawer keeper 17 is fastened to the inside of each side wall 16 of the cabinet, as by means of screws 18 (FIGS. 3 etc.) and the drawer head plate 14 is suitably slotted to receive the outer extending ends 19 of the keepers in free-sliding relation therethrough. At their outer ends the members 19-19 are reduced at their opposite sides to provide slightly inclined frontal land portions 2121 at opposite sides of a centrally disposed reduced width end portion 22 which is formed with an upwardly facing notch 23, thereby terminating in an upwardly directed hook portion 24. A combination handle and lever and latch mechanism, as indicated generally at 26, is mounted on the drawer front plate in conjunction with each of the keepers 19; being therefore shown herein as being two in number; but it is to be understood that only one mechanism, or any other desired number thereof, may be employed in conjunction with a drawer, according to the weight and dimensional characteristics thereof.

As shown herein, each mechanism 26 of the invention includes a fixed handle portion 27 having

legs

28, 28a fastened to the drawer head plate 14 as by means of screws 31 (FIGS. 1215). The top leg portions 28 each pivotally mounts a primary latch member 32 between a bifurcated upper extension portion 33 thereof, by means of a pivot pin 34. The lower leg portion 28a of each handle is formed with an extension 36 upon which is pivotally connected the bifurcated lower end of a lever 37 by means of a pin 38; the end of the lever being bifurcated to provide parallel ears 39-39 straddling the

keeper portions

22, 24 and the handle portion 36 and receiving the ends of the pivot pin 38.

Further details of the operative parts of the latching structure and the lever 37 will be set forth herebelow, but for the moment it will be understood that the drawer may be transported to or from the cabinet by merely grasping the combined handle and lever mechanisms as shown in FIG. 1 and letting the drawer hang therefrom. However, when the drawer has been lifted and slid into the cabinet (supported on a suitable suspension device, not shown) the latch 32 is then manipulated to release the lever 37, allowing it to drop into the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The ears 3939 include rounded cam surface portions 42 having rather extensive movements in circular paths about the pin 38 when the lever 37 moves between the positions of FIGS. 3 and 9. An actuator dog in the form of a pin 41 is carried by and bridges the ears 3939; being located remote from the pivot pin 38. Thus, the dog 41 moves in an are about pivot pin 38 when the lever is moved.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 3-6; as seen in FIG. 3 when the drawer is initially inserted and moved inwardly of the cabinet with the lever 37 now dropped to its lowermost position; the dog 41 is thereby disposed above and clears the end 24 of the keeper 17. Further inward movement of the drawer (FIG. 4) will now cause the cam areas 42 to contact the inclined surfaces 21, and due to the attitude of the lever 37, this serves to stop further inward movement of the drawer. Again referring to FIG. 4, note that the dog 41 is now disposed directly above the slot 23. The electrical connection devices at the rear of the drawer are now in immediate proximity and alignment with their counterparts at the rear of the cabinet and it is only necessary to now bring them into slide-fitting relationship.

To this end the lever or levers 37, as the case may be, are manually rotated about their pins 38, and this movement causes dog 41 to swing downwardly into the keeper slot 23 (FIG. 5), and then to bear against the forward wall of the slotted portion. As the lever 37 continues its upward swinging movement (FIG. 6), the pin 41 reacts against the keeper to move the drawer inwardly of the cabinet to further closed position. This movement is best indicated by comparing the different positions of the drawer head 14 with the cabinet front as shown in FIGS. 36. Final movement of the lever 37, as progressively shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, brings the drawer head 14 into gasket compressing and tight engagement with the walls of the cabinet. As will be readily appreciated, the cam action developed by the lever device will create tremendous forces assuring proper interfitting of the electrical connecting parts of the drawer unit and the cabinet, and closure of the sealing device. As noted above, many installations to which this invention is applicable require gasket-like protection against moisture etc. and, consequently, it is not only necessary that the electrical parts be properly united, but that the gasket seals also be perfected. This requires the application of tremendous leverage forces. When the drawer is finally pried into its home position the lever 37 is engaged by the latch 32 located at the upper end of the handle 27 as will be explained hereinafter, and thenceforth cannot swing downwardly to release the drawer except under such circumstances and manipulation thereof as is hereinafter detailed.

It is to be noted that the handle assembly comprising the

parts

27, 37 not only serves the conventional purpose of a drawer pull, but also prevents any unintended drawer movement or displacement whatsoever. As seen best in FIGS. 12 and 13, the lever holding latch structure is of compound nature, and will now be described in detail. The upper extension 33 of the handle leg 28 is vertically slotted, as shown in FIG. 16, and the walls 33 receive therebetween one end of the latch bar 32, pivotally held therein by pin 34. This bar 32, forwardly of the ends of the walls 33, is clevis shaped to provide arms 4646 between which the body 47 of a secondary latch or trigger 48 is located. A pin 49 pivotally mounts the trigger 48 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, and includes a forwardly directed latching lug 51, a rear stop shoulder 52 (FIG. 13) and a thumb pad 53. The trigger latch 48 is yieldingly held in the relationship to primary latch bar 32 shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 12, by means of a springurged pin 54, carried by the bar 32. Withdrawal of the lug 51 from the position of FIG. 12 to that of FIG. 13 requires depressing the thumb tab 53 against the force of the spring pin 54. A compression spring working against the rear end of the latch bar 32 exerts pressure yieldingly holding the latch bar in the position shown in FIG. 12.

As shown in FIGS. 12, 13, and 17, the forward or free ends 46 of the primary latch bar terminate in depending hooks 56, being spaced apart by the body portion 47 of the trigger 48 therebetween. A latch release tab 57 is located to extend laterally from one of the arm portions 46 directly beneath the trigger release tab 53 (see FIG. 17). The upper end portion of the lever 37 includes an inwardly extending part 59, across the vertical face of which is provided a groove 61. Above this groove the part 59 is formed with an inclined strike surface 62. The extreme end 63 of the lever arm 37 is for-med with a vertical inwardly extending rib 64. Behind the strike surface 62 the lever is formed with an upwardly opening groove 66.

As previously explained, assuming that the drawer has been projected into the cabinet 12 to an extent such that the drawer supporting suspensions have been engaged and the drawer is now movable inwardly toward its closed position, the lever 37 will now be disengaged from its parallel latched relation with the handle proper 27, by releasing first the trigger and then the primary latch 32 from the upper end of the lever. Hence the lever is disengaged at its upper end from the handle and is permitted to swing downwardly into the position as shown in FIG. 3, wherein t e cam area 42 contacts the under surface of leg 28a of the handle. The handle 27 may now be used for moving the drawer further inwardly, such as from the position of FIG. 3 to that of FIG. 4 whereat inward movement of the drawer is momentarily stopped by contact of the lever cam area 42 against the edge 21 of the keeper bar 17. The parts are so arranged that at this point the electrical or other connectors, contacts, pins, plugs, etc., forming parts of the drawer contained unit, are now disposed in immediate proximity with their engageable counterparts carried by or formed in the rear wall of the cabinet. Typically, there may be several hundred such connection devices in conjunction with a drawer unit, and therefore any headlong or rapid forcing of the drawer into fully closed position could readily damage or otherwise prevent proper interrelation of the connection parts. Thus, from the stop point of FIG. 4, the remaining travel of the drawer into fully closed position must be slow and deliberate in order to assure correct homing of the module in the cabinet.

Following contact of the cam area 42 with the surface 21 of the cabinet mounted keeper 17 the lever 37 is raised, and in the course of being raised it first assumes a position such as shown in FIG. 5. It will be noted that the stop position in FIG. 4 shows the pin 41 as being disposed directly above the slot 23 in the keeper. As the lever is moved as to the position of FIG. 5, the pin 41 swings downwardly and forwardly into the slot 23 and engages the forward wail thereof. Referring now to FIG. 6, then as the lever 37 is pivotally moved further upwardly and into closer association with the handle 27, the pin 41 operates to force the drawer to move further inwardly of the cabinet. The progress of the drawer relative to the cabinet is depicted in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 9 whereupon pin 41 has now reached its forwardmost position and final lever movement to bring the drawer front 14 into full closing relation with the cabinet front. At this point, all electrical connections or the like between unit and the cabinet will have been completed, and the gasket device tightly compressed therebetween.

Attention is now directed to the operations of the latch parts during movement of the lever, as described hereinabove, and for this purpose reference is made to FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, and to the detailed sectional showings of FIGS. 12 and 13. The strike portion 62 of the lever 37 (FIG. 7) first makes contact with the hooks 56, and the incline of the strike surface causes latch bar 32 to swing upwardly about its pivot pin 34; and, as still further movement of the lever takes place, the inner edge of the strike contacts and depresses lug 51 of the trigger 48 (FIG. 8). Thus space is provided between the hooks 56 and lug 51 to receive the entire strike therebetween. When the strike enters this area, spring 55 urges the bar 32 to pivot in clockwise direction, causing the hooks 56 to enter the groove 66. Thus, the primary latch engages the lever to hold it in the position shown in FIGS. 9, 12. Since the trigger 43 is caried by latch bar 32, lug 51 also swings into position beneath the strike into the groove 61 in response to the force of spring-pin 54. Thus the strike of the lever 37 is jointly gripped at opposite edges by the hooks 56 and the lug 51. Note that as shown in FIGS. 7, 12, when the latch par-ts are released the step end portion 52 of the secondary latch 43% abuts the top surface of the main latch 32, thereby holding the lug portion 51 of the secondary latch in proper alignment with the groove 61 of the lever for automatic engagement of the latch parts 6 when the lever is pushed home. As shown for ex ample in FIG. 9 the latch parts are shaped to provide sufficient clearances between the parts, so that when the lever is pushed home the latch parts fall easily in locking position.

As best seen in FIGS. 9, 12, it is to be noted that the vertical rib 64 on the lever 37 fits between the hooks 5656 of the latch bar 32. This interfitting of these parts prevents any inadvertent lateral thrusts on the lever from unlatching it from the handle. Also, the arrangement of the hooks 5656 prevents separation of the lever from the primary latch by any direct outward pulls thereon, and any upward or downward relative movements of the latch are prevented by the engagement between the lug 51 of the trigger 48 with the grooved portion 61 of the lever. Thus it will be understood that short of breaking of the parts of the latch and lever and handle assembly, the drawer may not be released from the cabinet keeper without first manually releasing the latch 32 and swinging the lever 37 from the position of FIG. 9 to that of FIG. 4. The present invention thus takes into consideration the need, not only for assuring securement of the drawer in closed position, but also for preventing inadvertent release and withdrawal thereof.

In order to manipulate the latch 32 to release the lever 37 the following procedure is necessary, attention being directed to FIGS. 10 and 11. The tab 53 carried by the trigger 48 is first pressed downwardly to rotate the trigger and withdraw the lug 51 from the groove 61. This so disengages the strike 62 as to enable the operator to exert a thumb and finger squeeze pressure between the upper tab 53 and the lower tab 57, and then to swing the latch bar upwardly and away from the lever as shown for example in FIGS. 11, 13. The trigger and latch control members, being spring-urged, will return to their normal relative positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 12, when the manual pressures are released. When the latch 32 is released as above described the gaskets (or other sealing devices) will be released to exert an opening pressure on the drawer. The drawer movement as a result of this pressure will cause the lever 37 to swing forwardly into the position suggested in FIG. 14. The frictionally interfitted connection parts of the unit and cabinet are still sufficiently engaged as to prevent any more than an initial movement of the drawer wherein the cam areas 42 of the lever engage the lower portions of the inclined edges 21 of the keeper 17 (FIG. 14). To fully release the electrical and/ or other connectors, and to enable withdrawal of the drawer, the lever is now manually swung downwardly, whereupon the cam areas 42 ride upwardly on the keeper edges 21, and by so doing force the drawer outwardly of the cabinet to such extent as to fully separate all connections between the drawer unit and the cabinet; The handle proper 27 is now utilized to pull the drawer further outwardly on its suspension mechanism. Prior to lifting the drawer away from its suspension, the lever 37 is preferably swung back up into latched connection with the handle member 27, whereupon a mechanicaly reinforced double handle device is available for gripping and carrying the drawer in vertically hanging attitude therefrom, as explained hereinabove.

It will of course be understood that whereas only one specific form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail herein, various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A combination carrying handle and latching mechanism for a drawer adapted to be inserted in a storage device of the rack or cabinet type, said storage device having a keeper extending forwardly therefrom and including a forward facing abutment and a hook portion forwardly spaced therefrom, said mechanism comprising,

a fixed handle for permanent attachment to the front of said drawer,

a lever shaped generally to complement the front profile shape of said handle and pivotally connected at one end thereof to one end of said handle,

said lever terminating in a cam portion extending endsurfaces disposed in three dimensionally transverse plane relationships,

a main latch carried by said handle and spring-biased to simultaneously engage said first and second nose wise beyond the position of the pivotal connection portions of said lever when the latter is manually of said lever to said handle, and having a dog porpivoted into its closed position, thereby locking tion extending laterally from said cam portion, the said lever to said handle and said drawer in said parts being so dimensioned and arranged that when storage device,

said lever is pivoted to its open position said cam and a second latch carried by said first latch and portion moves into alignment with said keeper abutl0 spring-biased to engage said third nose portion of ment and the pivotal interconnection of said lever said lever when the latter is in closed position, and handle whereby to act as a stop againstfull inthereby locking said main latch against accidental sertion .of said drawer into said storage device with disengagement from said lever,

said dog portion disposed in registry with said hook whereby said lever may be disengaged. from said hanportion of said keeper whereby manual pivoting of dle by manual release consecutively of said second said lever will thereupon simultaneously shift said and first latches and then pivoted to its open posicam portion out of interfering relation with said tion whereupon said cam portion reacts against said keeper abutment while driving said dog portion into keeper abutment portion to pry said drawer from said keeper hook portion and reacting thereagainst its fully inserted position and to free it for withto pry said drawer firmly into fully inserted position drawal from said storage device.

in said storage device,

3. A combination carrying handle and latching mechanism for a drawer adapted to be inserted in a storage device of the rack or cabinet type, said storage device having a keeper extending forwardly therefrom and ineluding a forward facing abutment and a hook portion forwardly spaced therefrom, said mechanism comprising,

said lever being formed at its other end with first, second and third nose portions providing hook land surfaces disposed in three dimensionally transverse plane relationships,

a main latch carried by said handle and spring-biased to engage said first and second nose portions of said lever when the latter is manually pivoted into its closed" position, thereby locking said lever to said a fixed handle for permanent attachment to the front of said drawer, v a lever shaped generally to complement the front prohandle and said drawer in said storage device, file shape of said handle and pivotally connected at a second latch carried by said first latch and springone end thereof to one end of said handle,

biased to engage said third nose portion of said lever said lever having a dog portion extending laterally when the latter is in closed position, thereby locktherefrom, the parts being so dimensioned and aring said mainlatch against accidental disengagement ranged that when said lever is pivoted to its closed from said lever, 3 position said dog portion is driven into said keeper and finger tab means extending from said main and hook portion and reacts thereagainst to pry said second latches for manual release thereof whereby dr wer firmly into fully inserted position in said said lever may be disengaged from said handle by storage device, initial release of said second latch and then release a d l ver ing formed at its other end with first, secof said main latch whereupon said lever may be 011d and third H056 Portions Providing 1100K 18nd 811T- pivoted to its open position causing said cam porfaces disposed in three dimensionally transverse tion to react against said keeper abutment portion to plan e atlonshlps, pry said drawer out of its fully inserted position and a ma at h carried by said handle and spring-biased to free it for withdrawal from said storage device. *sl ltaneously engage said first and second nose 2. A combination carrying handle and latching mechportions of said lever when the latter is manually anism for a drawer adapted to be inserted in a storage 'P Y Into Position, thereby locking device of the rack or cabinet type, said mechanism com- S211d level i d ndl and Said drawer in said prising, storage device,

a keeper extending forwardly from said storage device a Second t h Carried by said first latch and spring-- and including a forward facing abutment and a hook biased to engage salfl Phlfd nose P P 0f Sald portion f dl Spaced the f o lever when the latter is 111 closed position, thereby a fixed handle for permanent attachment to the front locklng 531d P latch agalnst accldental g of said d ment from sald lever,

a lever pivotally connected at one end thereof to one and finger tab means eXtelldlIlg m ald main and end of i handle, second latches for manual release thereof whereby said lever terminating in a cam portion extending end- Sald lelfer may i gf ff Sald handle and Wise adjacent the position of the pivotal connection then Its open PP t0 e d of said lever to said handle, and having a dog pordrawer 9 f t l from Sald Storage l tion extending laterally from Said cam portion 4. A combination carrying handle and latching mechthe parts being so dimensioned and arranged that when for a drawer adapteid to be inseited in a a said lever is pivoted wits position Said cam device of the rack or cabinet type, said storage device portion moves into alignment with said keeper abuthaving a keeper extendmg forwardly therefrom and ment and the pivotal interconnection of said lever eluding a forward facing abutment and a hook Portion and handle whereby to act as a stop against full insertion of said drawer into said storage device with forwardly spaced therefrom, said mechanism comprising,

a fixed handle for permanent attachment to the front of said drawer, sald.dog portion dlsposed m reglstry Wlth sald hook a lever shaped generally to complement the front proportlon of Sand i file shape of said handle and pivotally connected at whereby manual pivoting of said, lever w1ll thereupon one end thfleof to one end of Said handle simultaneously shift said cam portion out of inter- Said lever terminating i a cam portion extending endfering relation with said keeper abutment While driv- Wise beyond the Position of the pivotal connection 8 Said dog Portion into Said p hook Portion of said lever to said handle, and having a dog porand reacting it thereagainst t0 P y Said drawer tion extending laterally from said cam portion, the 3 into fully inserted Position in Said Storage device, parts being so dimensioned and arranged that when said lever being formed at its other end with first, secsaid lever is pivoted to its open position said cam ond and third nose portions providing hook land portion moves into alignment with said keeper abutment and. the pivotal interconnection of said lever and handle whereby to act as a stop against full insertion of said drawer into said storage device with said dog portion disposed in registry with said hook portion of said keeper whereby manual pivoting of said lever will thereupon simultaneously shift said cam portion out of interfering relation with said keeper abutment while driving said dog portion into said keeper hook portion and reacting thereagainst to pry said drawer firmly into fully inserted position in said storage device,

said lever being formed at its other end with hook means,

a first latch means carried by said handle and springbiased to engage said hook means of said lever when the latter is manually pivoted into its closed position, thereby locking said lever to said handle and said drawer in said storage device,

and a second latch carried by said first latch means and spring-biased to engage said lever when the latter is in closed position, thereby locking said first latch against accidental disengagement from said lever whereby said lever may be disengaged from said handle by release of said latches and pivoted to its open position whereupon said cam portion reacts against said keeper abutment portion to pry said drawer from its fully inserted position and to free it for withdrawal from said storage device.

5. A combination handle and latching mechanism for a drawer adapted to be inserted in a storage device of the rack or cabinet type, said storage device having a keeper extending forwardly therefrom and including an abutment portion and a hook portion, said mechanism comprising,

a fixed handle for permanent attachment to the front of said drawer,

a lever shaped generally to complement the front profile shape of said handle and pivotally connected at one end thereof to one end of said handle for alternate pivoting movements between closed or handleparallel and laterally extending or open positions,

said lever having an eccentric dog portion extending therefrom and the parts being so dimensioned and arranged that when said lever is pivoted from its open position to its closed position said dog portion will enter said keeper hook portion and react thereagainst to pry said drawer firmly into fully inserted position in said storage device,

said lever being formed at its free end with a latch nose portion providing first, second and third keeper surfaces disposed in three transverse plane relationships,

a main latch carried by said handle and spring-biased to simultaneously engage said first and second keeper surfaces of said lever when the latter is manually pivoted into its closed position, thereby locking said lever to said handle and said drawer in said storage device,

and a second latch carried by said first latch and springbiased to engage said third keeper surface of said lever when the latter is in closed position, thereby locking said main latch against accidental disengagement from said lever, said latches being manually releaseable whereby said lever may be disengaged from said handle and then pivoted to its open position to free said drawer for withdrawal from said storage device.

6. A latching mechanism for a drawer adapted to be inserted in a storage device of the rack or cabinet type, said storage device having a keeper extending forwardly therefrom and including a forward facing abutment and a hook portion forwardly spaced therefrom, said mechanism comprising,

a lever pivotally connected at one end thereof to said drawer,

said lever having a dog portion extending laterally therefrom, the parts being so dimensioned and arranged that when said lever is pivoted to its closed 10 position said dog portion is driven into said keeper hook portion and reacts thereagainst to pry said drawer firmly into fully inserted position in said storage device,

a main latch pivotally carried by said drawer and springbiased to simultaneously engage said first and second nose portions of said lever when the latter is manually pivoted into its closed position, thereby locking said lever to said drawer in said storage device,

a second latch carried by said first latch and springbiased to engage said third nose portion of said lever when the latter is in closed position, thereby locking said main latch against accidental disengagement from said lever,

and finger tab means extending from said main and second latches for manual release thereof whereby said lever may be disengaged from said drawer and then pivoted to its open position to free said drawer for withdrawal from said storage device.

7. A latching mechanism for a drawer adapted to be inserted in a storage device of the rack or cabinet type, said storage device having a keeper extending forwardly therefrom and including a forward facing abutment and a hook portion forwardly spaced therefrom, said mechanism comprising,

a lever pivotally connected at one end thereof to said drawer,

said lever terminating in a cam portion extending endwise beyond the position of the pivotal connection of said lever to said drawer, and having a dog portion extending laterally from said cam portion, the parts being so dimensioned and arranged that when said lever is pivoted to its open position said cam portion moves into alignment with said keeper abutment and the pivotal interconnection of said lever and drawer whereby to act as a stop against full insertion of said drawer into said storage device with said dog portion disposed in registry with said hook portion of said keeper whereby manual pivoting of said lever will thereupon simultaneously shift said cam portion out of interfering relation with said keeper abutment while driving said dog portion into said keeper hook portion and reacting thereagainst to pry said drawer firmly into fully inserted position in said storage device,

said lever being formed at its other end with hook means,

a first latch means carried by said drawer and springbiased to engage said hook means of said lever when the latter is manually pivoted into its closed position, thereby locking said lever to said drawer and said drawer in said storage device,

and a second latch carried by said first latch means and spring-biased to engage said lever when the latter is in closed position, thereby locking said first latch against accidental disengagement from said lever whereby said lever may be disengaged from said drawer by release of said latches and pivoted to its open position whereupon said cam portion reacts against said keeper abutment portion to pry said drawer from its fully inserted position and to free it for withdrawal from said storage device.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,544,314 3/1951 Hebbel 20050 3,140,905 7/ 1964 Trotter et al 312-320 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner..

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

F, DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A COMBINATION CARRYING HANDLE AND LATCHING MECHANISM FOR A DRAWER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN A STORAGE DEVICE OF THE RACK OR CABINET TYPE, SAID STORAGE DEVICE HAVING A KEEPER EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM AND INCLUDING A FORWARD FACING ABUTMENT AND A HOOK PORTION FORWARDLY SPACED THEREFROM, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING, A FIXED HANDLE FOR PERMANENT ATTACHMENT TO THE FRONT OF SAID DRAWER, A LEVER SHAPED GENERALLY TO COMPLEMENT THE FRONT PROFILE SHAPE OF SAID HANDLE AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO ONE END OF SAID HANDLE, SAID LEVER TERMINATING IN A CAM PORTION EXTENDING ENDWISE BEYOND THE POSITION OF THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION OF SAID LEVER TO SAID HANDLE, AND HAVING A DOG PORTION EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID CAM PORTION, THE PARTS BEING SO DIMENSIONED AND ARRANGED THAT WHEN SAID LEVER IS PIVOTED TO ITS "OPEN" POSITION SAID CAM PORTION MOVES INTO ALIGNMENT WITH SAID KEEPER ABUTMENT AND THE PIVOTAL INTERCONNECTION OF SAID LEVER AND HANDLE WHEREBY TO ACT AS A STOP AGAINST FULL INSERTION OF SAID DRAWER INTO SAID STORAGE DEVICE WITH SAID DOG PORTION DISPOSED IN REGISTRY WITH SAID HOOK PORTION OF SAID KEEPER WHEREBY MANUAL PIVOTING OF SAID LEVER WILL THEREUPON SIMULTANEOUSLY SHIFT SAID CAM PORTION OUT OF INTERFERING RELATION WITH SAID KEEPER ABUTMENT WHILE DRIVING SAID DOG PORTION INTO SAID KEEPER HOOK PORTION AND REACTING THEREAGAINST TO PRY SAID DRAWER FIRMLY INTO FULLY INSERTED POSITION IN SAID STORAGE DEVICE, SAID LEVER BEING FORMED AT ITS OTHER END WITH FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD NOSE PORTIONS PROVIDING HOOK LAND SURFACES DISPOSED IN THREE DIMENSIONALLY TRANSVERSE PLANE RELATIONSHIPS, A MAIN LATCH CARRIED BY SAID HANDLE AND SPRING-BIASED TO ENGAGE SAID FIRST AND SECOND NOSE PORTIONS OF SAID LEVER WHEN THE LATTER IS MANUALLY PIVOTED INTO ITS "CLOSED" POSITION, THEREBY LOCKING SAID LEVER TO SAID HANDLE AND SAID DRAWER IN SAID STORAGE DEVICE, A SECOND LATCH CARRIED BY SAID FIRSTE LATCH AND SPRINGBIASED TO ENGAGE SAID THIRD NOSE PORTION OF SAID LEVER WHEN THE LATTER IS IN "CLOSED" POSITION, THEREBY LOCKING SAID MAIN LATCH AGAINST ACCIDENTAL DISENGAGEMENT FROM SAID LEVER AND FINGER TAB MEANS EXTENDING FROM SAID MAIN AND SECOND LATCHES FOR MANUAL RELEASE THEREOF WHEREBY SAID LEVER MAY BE DISENGAGED FROM SAID HANDLE BY INITIAL RELEASE OF SAID SECOND LATCH AND THEN RELEASE OF SAID MAIN LATCH WHEREUPON SAID LEVER MAY BE PIVOTED TO ITS "OPEN" POSITION CAUSING SAID CAM PORTION TO REACT AGAINST SAID KEEPER ABUTMENT PORTION TO PRY SAID DRAWER OUT OF ITS FULLY INSERTED POSITION AND TO FREE IT FOR WITHDRAWAL FROM SAID STORAGE DEVICE.