Flush-Mount Support Bracket

The present invention relates generally to support structure for hanging pocket-type file folders in cabinet and desk drawers, and more particularly to novel and improved flush-mount brackets for supporting guide rails in cabinet and desk drawers on which the file folders are suspended.

A convenient arrangement for partitioning and storing records and documents in a cabinet and desk drawer utilizes flexible pocket-type hanging file folders. Each folder is typically folded into halves and hung with the opening formed thereby at the top by hooks extending from opposite corners of each half. In desks and custom furniture, the hooks slide on a pair of parallel steel or aluminum rods or guide rails supported between slots or notches normally milled in opposite side and end panels of wooden drawers by the original equipment manufacturer. The spacing between the slots or notches allows the customer to install rails either between the side panels for hanging letter-size folders or between the end panels for wider folders. The added labor involved for milling the slots unfortunately adds to consumers' cost.

Some cabinet and desk drawers are furnished with no guide rail supports, even though the drawers have sufficient depth for complete suspension of the folders. To accommodate hanging folders in these instances, the customers may appropriately notch the drawer panels using less precise tools and methods in order to accommodate the rail ends. Without the proper tools and skills, of course, a poor-fitting rail support results.

In lieu of drawer slots or notches made by the manufacturer or customer, several configurations of rail support brackets suitable for installation on new or existing drawer structures have been commercially available. These brackets typically fit over the side or end panels of the drawer and are secured by screws or by acute edges biting into the panel surface. Consequently, they are difficult to install or reposition without risk of permanently damaging or scratching the drawer surfaces, particularly those of soft wood construction.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved flush-mount bracket for supporting an end of a rail on which file folders can be suspended in a cabinet or desk drawer.

Another object is to provide a support bracket which can be easily installed in a new or existing cabinet or desk drawer at different positions without structural modifications.

Still another object is to provide a novel and improved flush-mount support bracket which eliminates the need for milling a slot in wooden drawer frames to accommodate the ends of a guide rail from which file folders may depend.

A further object is to provide brackets which will support rails in a drawer for hanging file folders, and which can be readily repositioned or removed without permanent damage or marring of the drawer surface.

Briefly, these objects and other aspects of the invention are accomplished with a support bracket which flush mounts on support structure in a cabinet or desk drawer for supporting one end of a rail or rails on which hanging file folders can be accommodated. One embodiment defines a generally U-shaped clamp of a stiff sheet or strip of metal with parallel legs extending perpendicularly from a web section for gripping the opposite interior and exterior surfaces of a drawer panel. The distal end of the interior leg terminates in a flange or shelf projecting outwardly for vertically supporting the rail end. Lateral support is provided by a pair of L-shape members which are received in a slot in the inner leg extending from the shelf to the web section. Like arms of the members project outwardly above the shelf and are spaced apart, in parallel relationship to each other, against opposite sides of the slot to engage the sides of the rail. Proximal ends of the arms are fixed, respectively, on either side of the slot to the surfaces of the interior leg facing the exterior leg. The mutually facing surfaces of the members and exterior leg are smooth and spaced apart to provide a flush and snug fit against the side or end panel of the drawer. The smooth surfaces allow ease of positioning and ensure against scratching the drawer panel. Other embodiments of the invention include several configurations for fixing the support bracket to side or top of the drawer panel, and for supporting the ends of two oppositely extending guide rails on a single drawer divider panel or bar.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of support brackets according to one embodiment of the invention, with installed rails in a partially cut-away file drawer suitable for hanging folders;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a prior art bracket;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of one of the support brackets of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of one of the support bracket of FIG. 3 taken on plane 4--4 thereof;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of still another embodiment of a support bracket according to the invention for fastening to the upper edge of a wooden end or side panel of a drawer;

FIG. 6 is a view in cross section of the support bracket of FIG, 3 taken on plane 6--6 thereof;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of still another embodiment of a support bracket according to the invention for fastening to the interior surface of a drawer side or end panel;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of yet another embodiment of a support bracket according to the invention for supporting the ends of rails on either side of a dividing panel; and

FIG. 9 is a view in cross section of the support bracket of FIG. 8 taken on plane 9--9 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like-referenced characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 one embodiment according to the invention of four flush-mount support brackets 10 installed in opposed pairs on front and back panels 12a and 12b of a wooden cabinet drawer 12, each pair engaging the opposite ends of metal guide rails 14, typically of steel or aluminum. A fascia 12c, with a handle and card holder, is fixed in spaced relation to front panel 12a thereby allowing brackets 10 to be fitted in the space provided. The brackets 10 are suitably spaced along each panel to position rails 14 in parallel for hanging file folders or similar articles therebetween. A typical pocket-type folder 16, shown in broken outline, is suspended from rails 14 by four hooks 16a which extend from the upper corners of the folder halves and slide along rails 14.

Previous designs have produced brackets for hanging folder guide rails which are difficult to install and often damage the drawer panels. For example, FIG. 2 shows a generally U-shaped bracket B which is similar to bracket 10 insofar as it provides vertical and lateral support to the end of rail 14. A smooth surface on one leg presses against the exterior surface of a drawer panel 12b, but an acute edge projects inwardly from the other leg and presses against the opposite interior surface of the panel. The compression force exerted by the projection helps to prevent the bracket from dislodging or shifting, but makes the bracket more difficult to install or remove and increases the risk of permanent damage to the drawer surfaces, especially if the drawers are made of wood.

Bracket 10, on the other hand, has smooth surfaces which grip tightly about the top edges of the front and rear drawer panels, but nevertheless are easy to install and remove without risk of damaging the panels. As better illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, flush-mount support bracket 10 is shown installed on rear drawer panel 12b with a fragment of rail 14 juxtaposed for insertion in the direction of arrow A. Bracket 10 defines a generally U-shaped clamp 18 of stiff sheet or strip metal with parallel legs 18a and 18b, respectively, extending perpendicularly from a upright web section 18c. The distal end of leg 18a terminates in a shelf 18d extending outwardly relative to leg 18b for supporting rail 14 against vertical downward movement.

Rail 14 is confined laterally by a pair of metal L-shaped members 20 having parallel spaced arms 20a extending nearly the full length of leg 18a and projecting outwardly on shelf 18d through a slot 24. Arms 20a abut the respective opposite sides of slot 24 with orthogonal flanges 20b, fixed by spot welds to respective inside surfaces of the leg 18a at either side of slot 24. The mutually facing surfaces of flanges 20b and outer leg 18b are smooth and separated a distance sufficient to provide a flush and snug fit against the interior and exterior surfaces of panel 12b, typically 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" thick. The smooth surfaces allow the brackets to be easily installed and positioned without scratching the surface of the drawer panel.

Although not an essential to this embodiment, but to satisfy customer preferences, a hole 25 near the distal end of outer leg 18b provides for optionally reinforcing the placement of bracket 10 to panel 12b by a relatively minimally invasive screw fastener 26. When brackets 10 are installed between fascia 12c and front panel 12a they may be secured by extending fastener 26 through panel 12a until it is threaded into hole 25.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown another embodiment of a flush-mount support bracket 30 according to the invention suitable for fastening to the interior surface of drawer panel 12b to avoid interference along the top edge. Bracket 30 is defined by a generally rectangular sheet or strip metal plate 31 which is secured by relatively small fasteners 34 screwed into the interior surface of drawer panel 12b through holes 32 located in an upper section 31a. A lower section 31b terminates in a shelf 31c extending generally perpendicular thereto for vertically supporting a rail 14. Lateral containment of rail 14 is provided by L-shaped members 36 with flanges 36a spot-welded to the side of plate 31 facing panel 12b, and parallel spaced arms 36b projecting outwardly through a slot 38 in the manner above-described for members 20 in FIGS. 3 and 4. Lower section 31b on either side of slot 38 are offset outwardly from upper section 31a an amount equal to the thickness of flanges 36a in order that the panel-facing surfaces of upper section 31a and flanges 36a will flush-mount against drawer panel 12b.

FIG. 7, illustrates another embodiment of a rail support bracket 40 suitable for fastening to the upper edge of a drawer panel. Bracket 40 differs from bracket 10 of FIGS. 3 and 4 by the absence of a leg pressing against the external side of the drawer panel. Instead, bracket 40 includes a sheet metal section 41a with a generally perpendicular flange 41b extending over the upper edge of drawer panel 12b. It is secured by a relatively small screw 46 threaded into the top surface of drawer panel 12b through a hole 44 in flange 41b. The lower end of section 41a terminates in a shelf 41c to provide vertical support to rail 14. L-shaped members 42 project through a slot 47 in plate 40a to provide lateral support to rail 14. In other respects shelf 41c and L-shaped members 42 are substantially like shelf 10d and members 20 in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a flush-mount bracket 50 suitable for supporting hanging file folders from a divider bar in a cabinet or desk drawer. This arrangement allows the files to hang across the width of the drawer for its entire length. Bracket 50 is defined by a generally inverted U-shaped clamp 51 having legs 51a extending in parallel from a web section 51b for straddling a divider bar 52 which spans a drawer between its opposite sides. Pairs of parallel rails 14 (only one of each pair being illustrated) extend respectively in opposite directions from divider bar 52 to the front and back panels of the drawer. The rails 14 are supported by two shelves 51c integrally extending in opposite directions from the lower ends of legs 51a, and lateral support by L-shape members 53. In all other respects, shelves 51c and L-shaped members 53 are substantially similar to the corresponding elements in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4.

Some of the many advantages and novel features of the invention should now be readily apparent. For instance, a flush-mount bracket is provided which can be easily installed in a new or existing cabinet or desk drawer to support one end of a guide rail on which file folders are suspended. The bracket eliminates the manufacturer's expense of milling a slot in wooden drawer frames to accommodate the ends of a guide rail, and enables an end user to use existing drawers for hanging file folders where such slots were not previously provided. When desired, the brackets can be repositioned or removed by the end user with relative ease and no permanent damage or marring of the drawer surfaces.

It will be understood, of course, that various changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.