Hanging File Frame With Resilient Corner Members

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to assembleable hanging or suspension file folder support frames and, more particularly, to such frames having corner members or fittings for interconnecting the file support rails and other elements of such frames into a rigid structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art the slot. Such installation is accomplished

Hanging or suspension type file folder systems, in constrast to systems in which file folders merely rest upon the bottom of a file drawer, have been in use for a number of years. These systems employ some type of support frame having a pair of mutually spaced, parallel and elevated side rails from which pocket-type suspension file folders are hung by file folder cross members adapted for resting upon, and sliding along, the rails.

To be of practical value, the support frames must permit shipment and storage in compact, knock-down form and must be capable of easy and rapid assembly into a rigid structure for use. To fit a file drawer without diminishing the space therewithin and so that they may be removed therefrom if desired, the frames must also be capable of easy disassembly.

Various types of suspension file frames have been disclosed, including those of Irvine et al, Woodhouse, Carter, Jonas, Posner, Conley et al, Patterson et al, Peebles, West et al and Filipowski (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,860,119; 3,356,228; 3,734,300 and 3,651,950; 2,278,403; 2,336,802; 2,810,388; 2,852,028; 3,208,456; 3,266,496 and 3,853,277 respectively). There are also various foreign disclosures, including those of Harwood-Jones (British Pat. No. 791,837), Posner (British Pat. No. 737,226), Markum (British Pat. No. 968,265), Posner (Canadian Pat. No. 518,582), Robert (French Pat. No. 1,136,114) and Lampel (French Pat. No. 1,167,660).

In spite of the number and variety of disclosures pertaining to hanging file folder support structures, none provide entirely satisfactory solutions to problems relating to ease and economy of construction and assembly, and to strength and rigidity of the structure connecting joints. All such problems must be resolved to achieve a truly satisfactory and commercially successful structure. The number and variety of disclosures in this field indicate that constant improvements in design and construction of the suspension file support frames are continually needed and sought.

A hanging file support frame in accordance with the invention comprises a pair of elongate support rails adapted for suspending file folders therefrom and means for maintaining the support rails in mutually spaced, parallel relationship and in an elevated condition, to enable hanging of the file folders therefrom, such means including a pair of transverse interconnecting members, a plurality of supporting legs and four corner fittings for joining the interconnecting members, support rails and legs into a rigid file supporting frame. The corner fittings, constructed of a strong resilient material, are formed with recesses for receiving end portions of the interconnecting members and legs and with an opening for receiving end portions of the support rails.

More specifically, the transverse interconnecting members and legs are formed of elongate rods having radial end projections for releasably retaining the members and legs in corresponding corner fitting recesses. The side rails are of rectangular cross section and may be provided with a plurality of spaced, transverse notches or break lines at an end region to provide for convenient length reduction of the rails. An elongate slot having a cross section slightly smaller than that of the support rails is formed in each corner fitting for receiving an end portion of a support rail. The axis of the slot is at a right angle to the axes of the recesses for the interconnecting members and legs. An opening formed in a side wall of the rail receiving slot provides for snapping a rail end portion sideways into the slot, the resiliency of the fitting permitting slot wall portions to yield to enable such side insertion and thereafter releasably retaining the rail end portion in the slot.

In a first variation fitting, the rail receiving slot is formed without wall openings, a rail end portion being axially inserted into the slot and being releasably held therein by the resiliency of the material. In a second variation fitting, an opening formed in a top portion of the slot permits a rail end portion to be snapped downwardly into the slot. In a third variation fitting, similar to the second, a thin extension of one of the slot side walls is bendable downwardly over the top of a downwardly installed rail end portion, a projecting portion of the extension engaging a receiving portion of the fitting to releasably lock the rail end portion into the slot. A fourth variation fitting is generally cubical in shape and has a side slot opening for sideways insertion of a rail end portion into the rail receiving slot. Each support leg associated with the fourth variation is formed from an elongate bar and has a vertical portion received by a corner fitting, a bent-over horizontal lower supporting portion and an upwardly directed portion having an aperture for receiving therethrough one of the transverse interconnecting members.

A fifth variation frame employs a pair of U-shaped legs and corner fittings having splined, interference-fit interconnecting member and leg receiving recesses. A slot found at right angles to the rail receiving opening enhances the cantilever beam action, or springiness, of upper portions of the fitting. A beveled lower inner portion of the fitting, adjacent to the rail receiving opening facilitates side insertion of the rail into the opening.

The corner fittings of the preferred embodiment and variations thereof are easily and economically formed from a strong plastic such as nylon or Delrin and provide for quick and easy assembly of the structure parts into a rigid, yet easily disassembled, suspension file support frame. An additional advantage of such corner fittings is that sharp corners of the supporting structure are substantially eliminated to prevent injury to the user.

A better understanding of the present invention may be had from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembled hanging file support frame in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, showing a corner fitting of the file support frame;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view along line 3--3 of FIG. 2, showing a typical installation of a file support rail into a corner fitting;

FIG. 4 is a view along line 4--4 of FIG. 2, showing a rear portion of a corner fitting;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first variation of the corner fitting;

FIG. 6 is a right-hand elevation in partial section of the fitting of FIG. 5, showing typical installation of a file support rail into the first variation corner fitting;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, showing a second variation of the corner fitting;

FIG. 8 is a view along line 8--8 of FIG. 7, showing typical installation of a file support rail into a second variation corner fitting;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, showing a third variation of the corner fitting;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of the fitting of FIG. 9, showing typical installation of a file support rail into the third variation corner fitting;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view, showing a fourth variation of the corner fitting and a variation of the support legs used therewith; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view along line 12--12 of FIG. 11, showing typical installation of a file support rail into a fourth variation corner fitting.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing a fifth variation of the corner fitting and a variation of the support legs used therewith;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged elevational view of the corner fitting shown in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the line 15--15 in FIG. 14.

As seen in FIG. 1, a hanging or suspension file folder support frame 20 comprises a pair of file support rails 22, a pair of transverse interconnecting members 24 and four support legs 26. A resilient or elastomeric corner member or fitting 28, provided at each upper corner of the frame 20, joins the rails 22, the transverse interconnecting members 24 and the legs 26, as more particularly described below, into a rigid, rectangular parallelepiped structure in which the rails 22 are disposed in mutually spaced parallel relationship. The members 24 space the rails an appropriate distance apart so that a conventional suspension file 30, which may be of "standard" or legal size, may be supported from upper rail surfaces 32 and the legs 26 support the rails at an elevation enabling free hanging of the files 30 from the rails.

To provide for adapting the frame 20 to file drawers, desk drawers, etc. of different length, the rails 22 are provided, at least at one end portion, with a plurality of spaced notches or grooves 34 along the height of the rail for easy breaking therealong to shorten the rails in an incremental fashion.

The rails 22 are generally rectangular in cross section and are preferably constructed of an inexpensive, rigid metal, such as that commonly referred to as "grey metal." The transverse members 24 and the legs 26 may be constructed of a cylindrical rod of material similar to that used for the rails 22 or, alternatively, may be constructed of comparatively strong rigid plastic or other material.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the corner fitting 28 comprises a small, three-dimensional structure molded from a strong, resilient or elastomeric plastic such as nylon or Delrin (an acetal resin available from E. I. Dupont de Nemours & Co.). To receive an outer end of the transverse member 24, the fitting 28 is formed with an inwardly projecting boss or portion 40 having a cylindrical recess 42 therein. For receiving the upper end of the leg 26 a depending boss or portion 44 is formed having therein a cylindrical recess 46. Axes of the recesses 42 and 46 are at right angles and lie in a common plane (FIGS. 3 and 4).

End portions of the transverse interconnecting member 24 and the leg 26 have a plurality of protrusions or annular teeth 48 radially projecting therefrom, which, when such ends are forced into their respective fitting recesses 42 or 46, releasably retain the member and leg within the fitting, yet still allow them to be pulled loose therefrom for subsequent disassembly.

Formed along a portion of the fitting 28 opposite to the boss 40 and perpendicular to the axes of the recesses 42 and 46 is an elongate slot or opening 50 which comprises an inner vertical wall portion 52 having an outwardly and upwardly curved lower portion 54 and an outwardly and downwardly curved upper portion 56, and which is therefore formed having a side opening 57. The cross section of the slot 50 is formed similar to, but slightly smaller than, the cross section of the end portion of the rail 22, and has the major cross sectional axis vertically disposed. An exposed edge 58 of the upper portion 56 is chamfered or rounded so that, as depicted in FIG. 3, slot. Such installation is accomplished rail 22 may be forced or snapped sideways through the side opening 57 into the accomplished by first placing a lower surface 62 of the rail 22 into contact with a lower inner mating surface 64 of the lower portion 54 (such initial position of the rail 22 being indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 3), and by then twisting upper portions of the rail inwardly toward the fitting 28 so that the upper rail surface 32 slides through the side opening 57 and past beveled edge 58, causing the portion 56 to momentarily deflect upwardly, thereby snapping the rail 22 into the slot 50. Once installed in this manner, the resiliency of the fitting 28 releasably secures or locks the rail 22 within the slot 50, with an upper, inner fitting surface 66 bearing against the upper rail surface 32 and the lower inner fitting surface 64 bearing against the lower rail surface 62, and with part of the portions 56 and 58 projecting partially around an outside rail surface. However, the rail 22 may be removed from the fitting 28 by reversing the above described installing procedure. By this means, the suspension file support rails 22 are firmly, yet removably, retained in an appropriate file supporting configuration by the four corner fittings 28 (and members 24 and legs 26), without the need for additional clamping, screwing, locking, etc.

In a first variation, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the frame 20a employs four corner fittings 28a which are entirely similar to the above-described fittings 28 except that support rail supporting slots 50a therein are completely closed around the sides, rather than having side openings 57, as do the slots 50 of the fittings 28, the slots 50a being instead adapted for axially receiving an end portion of a support rail 22a. For easy axial installation of the rail 22a into the fitting slot 50a, rail end corners 70 are beveled or rounded. Resiliency of the fitting 28a permits the slot 50a to expand slightly to accommodate the rail 22a, and thereafter releasably retains the rail therewithin. As above described, a boss 40, having a cylindrical recess 42 is provided in the fitting 28a for receiving an end of the transverse interconnecting member 24; a vertical boss 44, having a cylindrical recess 46, is provided for receiving an upper end of the leg 26. Assembly of the file support frame 20a is thereby accomplished in the manner shown in FIG. 1 for the frame 20.

A second variation frame 20b, according to FIGS. 7 and 8, includes corner fittings 28b, which are similar to the fittings 28 and 28a described above, except that a top portion of the upper portion 56 has been cut away, forming a narrow opening 72, to provide vertical entry of the rail end portion to the slot 50b. Exposed edges 74 and 76, adjacent the opening 72, are sloped or beveled inwardly to allow the lower edge 62 of the rail 22 to be easily installed through the opening 72 and into the slot 50b for assembly of the rail into the fitting, an outer, vertical slot wall portion 78 being caused to flex outwardly during the assembly. Inwardly projecting, opposing lower corners 80 and 82, respectively, of the surfaces 74 and 76 project over the upper edge 32 of the rail 22 when the rail is fully received into the slot 50b, and thereby releasably retain the rail in the slot. The rail 22 may be removed from the slot 50b by pulling it upwardly through the opening 72. The transverse connecting member 24 and the legs 26 are received within the fitting 28 in, respectively, bosses 40 and 44, in the above-described manner.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a third variation frame 20c in which corner fittings 28c have a rail receiving slot 50c which is closable (FIG. 9) by an elongate flexible extension 90 of an outer wall portion 92. The extension 90 has an inwardly directed flange 94 formed with a downwardly directed lip 96 having an inwardly directed hook portion 98. Opposite the wall portion 92, a short inner wall portion 100, having an arcuate outer (in respect to the slot 50c) surface 102, is formed. Below the surface 102 is a groove or notch 104, constructed to receive the hook portion 98 of the extension 90.

For receiving the rail 22 into the slot 50c, (FIG. 10) the extension 90 is maintained in an open, unbent condition, an opening 110 thereby being defined, between the extension 90 (and wall portion 92) and the inner wall portion 100, into the slot 50c. When the rail 22 is inserted downwardly through the opening 110 into the slot 50c, so that the lower surface 62 of the rail 22 rests upon a bottom surface 64c of the slot, the extension 90 is bent inwardly and then downwardly over the upper surface 32 of the rail until the hook portion 98 engages the groove 104 of the wall portion 100, thereby releasably locking the rail into the slot, the resiliency of the fitting material providing for clamping the rail against movement (FIG. 9). To release the rail 22 from the fitting 28c, the hook portion 98 is disengaged from the groove 104, the extension 90 being thereby allowed to resume its initial configuration. The rail 22 is then withdrawn through the opening 110.

A fourth variation frame 20d (FIGS. 11 and 12) includes four corner fittings 28d, which are entirely similar to the above-described fittings 28 (FIGS. 2-4) except that the fittings 28d are constructed in a generally cubical shape. The transverse member 24 is received into a cylindrical recess 42 and an elongate, open slot 50d is formed for receiving the rails 22.

A variation of the above-described leg 26 is also depicted in FIGS. 11 and 12, a leg 26d being shown which is bent from an elongate flat bar to have a vertical attaching portion 112, a lower horizontal support 114 (adjacent the bottom of the vertical portion) and an upwardly inclined end portion 116. An upper end of the vertical leg portion 112 is received in a vertically disposed recess 46d formed in the bottom of the fitting 28d. An aperture 118, at the upper end of the leg portion 116, receives the transverse connecting member 24 upon installation thereof to provide rigidity to the frame. The leg 26d, formed in the general shape of a V with a truncated apex, may be constructed of the same material as the rails 22 or of any other suitable, strong rigid material.

FIGS. 13-15 illustrate a fifth variation frame 20e, having four corner fittings 28e which are similar to the above-described corner fittings 28 and 28d, except for differences described below. As seen in FIG. 13, the frame 20e employs a U-shaped suport leg 26e formed so that one vertical end portion thereof is received in a recess 46e of one fitting 28e and the other vertical end portion of the leg is similarly received in a recess of 46e of an opposing fitting 26e. The transverse interconnecting member 24 is received in apertures 42e formed in inwardly directed bosses 40e of the fittings 28e (see also FIG. 14).

Instead, however, of the recesses 42e and 46e being formed with smooth walls, as above-described for the recesses 42-42d and 46-46d, such recesses of the corner fittings 28e are formed as a circumferential bore with a plurality of inwardly directed elements as departures from the circular outline of the bore. These elements are shown in FIG. 15 as axial projections or splines 124 which project inwardly toward the axis of the recess (as shown in FIG. 15 for the recess 42e). The inner diameter of the recesses 42e and 46e, as defined by inwardly projecting ends of the splines 124, is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the leg 26e and the interconnecting member 24 to provide an interference fit. On installation of the leg 26e and the member 24 into their respective recesses 46e and 42e, the splines 124 deform to securely, yet releasably, retain the leg and the interconnecting member in the fitting 28e.

An opening 50e, formed for receiving a rail 22 through a side entry 57e thereof, is formed similarly to the opening 50 above described for the corner fitting 28, except that an inner surface 126 of the lower opening portion 54e is inwardly beveled adjacent the opening 50e to provide easy installation of the rail 22. An inwardly directed groove or slot 128 is formed at the top of the rear wall 52e, adjacent to its intersection with a surface 66e and at right angles to the opening 50e. Because of the groove 128, increased cantilever or overhanging beam action--that is, increased springiness--is provided to the upper portion 66e, thereby facilitating installation of the rail 22 into the opening 50 e and helping retain it therein. As was the case with the fitting 28, a surface 58e at the end of an upper portion 56e is beveled, a lower portion thereof projecting downwardly to retain the rail in position.

The corner fitting 28e, like the above-described fittings 28-28d, may be formed of a plastic such as nylon or Delrin. Any of the described fittings 28-28e may, however, be constructed of other materials having resilient properties, such materials including metals such as aluminum which may be in stamped, cast, machined, or extruded form.

Although there have been described above specific arrangements of the hanging file support frame and of corner fittings therefor in accordance with the invention for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be used to advantage, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, any and all modifications, variations or equivalent arrangements which may occur to those skilled in the art should be considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.