US2202088A - Filing cabinet - Google Patents

Description

May 28- 1940- J. R. CLARK FILING CABINET Filed oet. 24, 193s 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l In n ff M W 3 L x d May 28, 1940' J. R. CLARK i 2,202,088

FILING CABINET Filed Oct. 24, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Jg 2.3) 2,1

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FILING CABINET Filed oct. 24. 19:56 5 sheets-sheet 5 l e@ a5 my l @deze/Z521 Jmes CMf/c LMMMffM;

May 28 1940 J. R. CLARK 2,202,088

FILING CABINET v v 4 Filed USt. 24, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 tif l@ MAZ/kami@ Ma? 28 1940- J. R. CLARK 2,202,088

FILING CABINET Filed Oct. 24, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 f2 7i 70. i2 I9 7J 72 di? @W4-Z! y )Aww MMV/@@MA @d i I 75 iff.. f?

Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES- I ATENT OFFICE azoaos mme. CABINET Appucauon octobenzc, 193s, snm No. 101,312 'I claims. (cI. Ica-,16)

My invention relates to ling cabinets and especially filing cabinets having drawersadapted to receive transversely disposed file folders and guides therefor. Many of the features of my invention are concerned with the so-called expanding type of filing cabinet drawer where, without increasing the depth of the cabinet, the effective depth of the drawer, when opened, may be increased to permit a generous V open- 1I) ing or swinging apart of the le guides and holders to facilitate the inspection of the Vdesired folder and its contents. Heretofore such expanding has been secured by pivoting the drawer front at its lower end to swing outwardly.

Among the objects of my invention are: The

provision of an expanding drawer of more economical, sturdier and more positive construction, smoother and quieter in operation; a power multiplying leverage mechanism for facilitating the ready expansion of the drawer with less effort;

an improved latch and improved general lock fory an expanding drawer; an improved automatically operating front compressorand actuating -mechanism therefor; an expanding drawer fitting a standard cabinet made for a plain or nonexpanding drawer; an improved mounting for the case strip of the extensible drawer suspension; and an improved mounting for the cabinetcarried latch member of the drawer latch.

The foregoing, together with further objects,4

advantages and features of my invention are set forth in the following description of a specific embodiment thereof and illustrated in the accgmpanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the upper portion of a iilingcabinet embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the upper portion of the filing cabinet of Fig. 1, taken in a plane within the right wall of the cabinet, but without the right wall of the drawer, and showing the upper drawer in closed position and the lower drawer in open and expanded position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to the upper portion of Fig. 2, but along the longitudinal center line of the drawer;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the drawer in extended and expanded position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through a drawer, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking forwardly;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical longitudinal section of the drawer front and front compressor, taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 'I is a plan cross-section of the rear right corner of the cabinet and the associated drawer. showing an optional detent catch for resiliently holding back the body of the drawer until the drawer has been expanded by a forward extension of the extensible front portion of the drawer, 5 the section being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section through the drawer and adjacent portion of the cabinet,- taken on the irregular line 5 8 of Fig. 3 and showing the rear compressor in rear elevation; 10

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the lower front corner of the drawer, on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a bottom view, on reduced scale, of the forward portion of the drawer; l5

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section of the drawer, taken on the line II-ll lof Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a perspective View looking from the interior toward the inside of the left wall of the 20 cabinet, showing the case strip for the drawer suspension and the cabinet-carried latch member;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section through the case strip and cabinet-car- 25 ried latch member, taken on the line I3|3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan section through the drawer, in closed position, and associated forward left-hand corner of the cabinet, show- 30 ing the latch mechanism and front compressor and taken on the line I I-Il of Figs. 3 and 5;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan section of the rear right corner of the cabinet, taken on the line I5-I5 of Fig. 2, immediately below the top 35 of the cabinet;

Fig. 16 is agfragmentary vertical transverse section through the right-hand drawer suspension, taken on the line IG-IG of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of a modified form 40 of pivotal mounting for the rear compressor.

The filing cabinet indicated generally at 2li embodying my invention, comprises side walls 2 i a rear wall 22 and a top 23. Each side wall at its forward edge is turned around the forward edge 45 of a channel-shaped front upright 24 while the rearward edge is turned rearwardly to embrace the edge of the back 22 and is supported by an L-shaped rear upright 25. Horizontal front cross rails 26 of hollow rectangular cross-section are 50 secured between the front uprghts 24 tol define the upper and lower margins of the drawer openings. Case strips 21 (Fig. 12), of channel crosssection, for the drawer suspension are mounted above the cross rails 28 and secured at their re 55 spective endsto the front and rear uprights 24 and 25. At its rear end, each case strip is secured to the associated rear upright 25 by an outwardly offset tongue 29 struck out from the web of the channel and entering a slot 29 in the adjacent wall of the upright 25. The tongue 28 is engaged in the slot 29 by a rearward movement of .the case strip. The forward end of thecase strip is supported in the adjacent front upright 24 by downwardly directed and outwardly offset tongues 90 which enter slots 3| in the inner face of the web of the upright 24. After the tongue 29 has been engaged -by rearward movement of the case strip, the tongues 30 are engaged by lateral and downward movement. 'I'hen the case strip is locked in vposition by a cap screw 32.

Referring to the transverse section of Fig. 8, the intermediate or floating drawer suspension channel 33 carrying the rollers 34 works in the case strip 21 and slidingly receives the outwardly directed supporting flange 35 secured along the bottom edge of the drawer designated generally as 36.

Still referring to the vertical transverse section of Fig. 8, the drawer comprises a bottom 31 having the usual depressed channel 38 along its middle for the reception of the protruding locking tabs of the file guides and drawer sides 39, the upper edges of which are formed into offset channels 40. The drawer also includes a rear wall 4I as indicated in Fig. 3. 'I'hese bottom, side and end walls 31, 39 and 4| constitute the body or main portion of the drawer. The drawer front 42 also carries a bottom wall 31', sides 39' and upper channels 40' for the sides. These side and bottom walls are generally similar to th'e associated side and bottom walls of the main portion of the drawer and are adapted to telescope therewith and extend rearwardly from the drawer front, preferably about 40% of the normal length of the drawer, to provide a long telescoping bearing and consequent sturdiness of alignment between the extensible and main portions of the drawer. The mating side channel portions 49 and 40"' preferably constitute the principal weight-sustaining telescoping bearing for the extensible front portion of the drawer. This telescoping relation is best illustrated in the transverse vertical section of Fig. 5.

The supporting flange 35 for the drawer suspension is secured only to the rearward portion of the drawer; it need have no counterpart in the forward or extensible portion. The upturned marginal edge 43 of the drawer bottom 31, which is secured as by spot welding to the bottom portion of the drawer side 39, is preferably outwardly offset at its upper edge to provide a slot 44 in which the lower edge of the extensible drawer'side 39' reciprocates. This is shown in Fig. 5. The bottom 31 of the extensible or front portion of the drawer comprises a pair of laterally spaced members, one on each side of the channel 38, and these work in closed ways 45 defined by the lower surface of the drawer bottom 31, longitudinally disposed inner spacing strips 46, secured as by spot welding, to the undersides of the drawer bottom 31, the horizontal anges of the Z-shaped drawer supporting anges 35 previously mentioned, which horizontal flanges act as outer spacers, and bottom plates 41, secured as by spot welding, to the spacers 46 and the Z-shaped iiange members 35. 'I'he ways 45 eectively keep the forward portion of the drawer in alignment,

if desired, but preferably it is free, thereby aftording some flexibility to oset any manufacturing variations. Each side wall 39' is fixed at its forward edge to the drawer front 42 by securing it,

as by spot welding, to the rearwardly directed v vertical flange 5I of the laterally protruding hollow portion 52 at the lateral edge of the front wall 49 of the drawer front. This is illustrated best in Fig. 14 and in general follows the construction shown in the applicant Clarks previous Patent No. 1,963,954 of June 26, 1934, except, of course, that there the drawer was non-telescoping and did not have overlapping sides.

A drawer handle 53 conveniently centrally located is provided on the drawer front.

The forward movement of the main body of the drawer is limited by the extensible suspension for the drawer in the usual manner, by stops on the floating or intermediate suspension channel 33, and need not here be described. Forward extension of the drawer front and the sides and bottom fixed thereto, relative to the rear or main portion of the drawer, is limited by stops 54 struck down from the bottom portions 31', as shown in Figs. 9 and l0, which engage against the vrearward edges of the bottom plates 41 defining the ways 45. Inward telescoping of the front and rear portions of the drawer is limited bythe forward edges of the drawer sides 39 and bottom 31 abutting the drawer front, a relationship shown, for example, in Fig. 3. Inward movement of the drawer body withim the cabinet is limited by a rubber bumper 4 I which may be carried by either the back wall of the cabinet or the back wall 4Iof the drawer body.

When the drawer is closed and the handle 53 is pulled outwardly, either the extensible front portion of the drawer pulls out rst and then catches the rear or body portion of the drawer and pulls it along, or the two portions move forwardly together until the main portion reaches the limit of its travel and then the front portion pulls away from it, or the two portions move together and then the extensible front portion moves outwardlyf, away from the body portion, before the body portion has been pulled out to its full limit. Especially if the drawer contains a number of files, the weight of which is borne on the bottom of the main portion of the drawer, and the drawer handle is pulled forwardly quickly, the pull required to overcome the friction between the two telescoping portions of the drawer is less than the pull required to overcome the inertia of the illes; in such case the front portion of the drawer will rst be extended. On the other hand, if the handle is pulled out slowly, the friction between the two telescoping portions will draw the main portion of the drawer along until the main portion is stopped and the front portion extended relatively thereto.

If desired, in order to insure that the front portion o f the drawer will be moved to extended position relative to the body portion initiall upon pulling out the drawer handle, a suitable f iction detent may be provided. One is illustrated in Fig. 7, which is a plan section of the rear right corner of the cabinet and associated corner of the y aaoaoss drawer. Here a spring nger 55 carried by the cabinet engages a slot in a drawer-carried detent member 56. The arrangement is such that the pull required to release the nger 55 and freev the drawer is greater than that required to overcome the friction between the telescopingportions of the drawer, so that the rearward or body 'portion of the drawer is held back until after the front portion is extended.

When the drawer, with the front portion extended, is closed by pushingfon the drawer front or on the handle, the body portion of the drawer is returned to its inmost position and the extensible front portion telescoped to bring the drawer front into closed position with the cabinet. In closing, whether the telescoping takes place rst or the rearward movement of the main body portiontakes place rst, is relatively immaterial and depends chiefly upon whether the push is a sudden one or a steady one.

The rear compressor 51 for the illes is normally set at a rearwardly inclined angle, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly along the main portion of the drawer to adapt itself to the total thicknesses of the files. The rear compressor 51 will later be described in more detail.

When the drawer is first opened for inspection orremoval of les, it is most convenient that all of the les 58 and guides 59 be rearwardly inclined for more ready inspection of the guide and file tabs in the process of finding the le to be inspected or removed. For the purpose of insuring that when the drawer is pulled out for initial inspection, the files and guides will all be tilted back in this convenient position, I provide a front compressor 60 pivoted by a pintle 6| a at its lower edge to the forward end of the main drawer bottom 31, rather than to the drawer front or extensible front portion of the drawer. The piano-hinge pivotal mounting of the lower end of the front compressor 60 and the front end of the drawer bottom 31, is shown in plan in Fig. 14 and in elevation at Fig. 5.

The front compressor 60 is swung about its pintle 6| by an actuating mechanism so arranged that when the front and main portions of the body are in fully telescoped relation, as in Fig. -3, the compressor is swung rearwardly into substantial parallelism with the rear compressor 51. This is the position which the front compressor 60 will assume when the drawer is fully closed, as in Fig. 3. When the front portion of the drawer is expanded or extended, as in Fig. 4, the front compressor 60 is. swung forwardly to a similar but forward inclined position. The actuating mechanism for accomplishing this swinging of the front compressor 60, in response to the telescoping and expansion of the front portion of the drawer relative to the main portion, includes a pair of sledrunner shaped arms 6| of channel shaped crosssection pivotally mounted upon the pintle Sla, one at each lateral edge of the front compressor (Fig. 5) and interconnected at their upper ends by a connecting rod 62 which extends within the wedge-shaped space formed by a V-shaped channel 63 secured to the front side of the front compressor 60 and extending forwardly therefrom. The rod 62 working in the channel 63 constitutes a lost motion connection between the arms 6| and the front compressor, but the arms and the compressor are urged arcuately apart by a pair of springs 64 in the respective channel arms 6|. Each spring 64 comprises several turns about the pintle 6| a, one leg extending within the channel of the arm 6| and the other leg extending within the lateral marginal bead of the compressor 60, as best illustrated in Fig.,6. Ihe lost motion referred to', available against the resilience of the springs 64, permits the compressor 60, despite a rigid positioning of the arms 6|, to swing forwardly to adapt the compressor to increased or 'uneven thicknesses of the files or guides near their upper edges. In other words, the front compressor 60 does not necessarily have to assume a position in parallelism with the rear compressor 51, if the nature ofthe illes precludes it.

' 'I'he channel arms 6| are swung forwardly and backwardly by sliding connection with the drawer front, which is conveniently accomplished by slots 65 in lugs 66 struck rearwardly from the rear wall 50 of the drawerfront and into horizontal position.- one of the arms 6|, passing slidably through each of the slots 65. The curvature given the upper end of the arm 6| is that required in view of the relative forward movement of the pintle 6 la. By this connection between the drawer front and the arms 6|, the arms are pulled forwardly to swing the front compressor 60 to its forward position when the front portionv of the drawer is extended, and the arms are moved rearwardly to swing the compressor rearwardly back to the position of Fig. 3, when the two portions of the drawer. are fully telescoped.

Rubber bumpers 61 are provided on the rear face of the drawer front for quiet operation of the compressor when it is swung to its forward position. Where a locking rod 68 extends longitudinally oi the drawer for the purpose of holding the guides in place by passing through holes in the projecting tab portions of the guide which ride in the channel 38, the guide locking rod is preferably made to telescope. In the drawings I have illustrated the locking rod as comprising an inner or slide rod 68a telescoping with a tubular rod portion 68h. The foward end of the rod 68a protrudes through the drawer front where it carries a knurled screw 68e threaded in the drawer front for removably holding the rod in place. The portion 68a of the rod moves with the drawer front; the tubular portion 68h stays with the main body of the drawer and is held against longitudinal displacement relative thereto by a spring clip 69 fixed to the bottom web of the channel 38 and having an upwardly turned end bearing against the rod portion 68a and embracing the end of the tubular portion 68h. When the entire rod is to be removed, the screw 68o is loosened and the portion 68a pulled out through the drawer front, together with the tubular portion 68h whose release is effected by depressing the clip 69.

The drawer latch here illustrated is generally similar t that disclosed in the previously mentioned Clark Patent No. 1,963,954, and comprises a latch bolt 10 working within the hollow drawer front 42 actuated by an external thumb piece 1| mounted conveniently near the handle 53 and against the iniluence of a latch spring 12.. The outer end of the latch bolt .10 is rearwardly oiset and enters the hollow protruding lateral portion 52 of the drawer front formed as previously mentioned, by the return bending of the lateral edge of the front wall 49 of the drawer front. Here it engages a cabinet-carried latch hook 13 which, as the drawer front is pushed into closed position, protrudes through a slot 14 in the rear face of the hollow portion 52.

The cabinet-carried latch hook 13 however,

closure of the Clark patent, is mounted directly upon the upright 24 by means of an upturned bracket portion 15 integral with the latch hook 13. A lug 16 struck from the latch hook 13 is offset outwardly from the plane of the bracket portion 15 and enters a slot 11 in the inner web face of the channel upright 24. The hook 13 is further locked in place by the screw 18. The forward end of the top ange of the associated case strip 21 is cut away, as indicated at 19, to provide clearance whereby the mounting of the latch hook 13 is directly upon the upright 24 and quite independent of the case strip 21. This makes for a more accurate positioning of the latch hook 13, despite any manufacturing inaccuracies in the case strip. It also -permits the outer end of the case strip, upon removal of its locking screw 32, to be lifted upwardly to disengage the lugs 38 from the slots 3| and thereby the removal of the case strip for repair or replacement, all without disturbing the latch hook 13 or the accuracy of its position. Any violent jerks upon the handle 53 without releasing the latch, are transferred directly to the upright 24 which directly distributes the pull over the entire cabinet; there is no tendency, by jerking of the still latched drawer, to loosen the secure anchoring of the case strip.

When a filing cabinet is provided with a general lock, merely engaging the general lock, which is usually arranged at the rear of the cabinet, with the rearward end of the drawer would not suffice because it would not prevent the extension of the telescoping parts. To provide for this I have shown in Figs. 2 and 15, a locking extension strip 88 disposed along the side of the drawer and anchored at its forward end, by means of a strap 8| cut from, and outwardly offset from, the right side wall 39, (Figs. 2 and 1l) which strip 8| is engaged by a pair of opposed spaced ears struck from the strip 88, and with the rearward end of the strip 88 working in a channel-shaped way 82 secured along the right drawer side 39 (Figs. 2 and '1.)l The rearward end of the strip 88 is slotted to peninsulate a downwardly extending and slightly offset catch 83. When the drawer is closed, as in the instance of the upper drawer of Fig. 2, this catch83 engages behind the end of a rearwardly extending spring nger 84. One of these spring fingers 84 is secured to the vertically reciprocal general lock bar 85 adjacent each drawer position. If the drawer is closed while the lock bar 85 is down, as in the instance of Fig. 2, the catch 83 rides along the inner surface of the somewhat obliquely disposed spring finger 84, pushing the latter outwardly until the catch 813 has passed the end of the finger, when the finger snaps inwardly to abut the forward edge of the catch 83. Here the catch 83 is locked against forward movement until the lock bar 85, carrying the spring fingers 84, is elevated. Through the strip 88 and its connection with the extensible drawer side 39', the drawer front and the entire drawer is locked against withdrawal from the cabinet.

The vertically reciprocable lock bar 85 is positioned and guided by lugs 86 (Fig. 7) struck out from the outer faces of the webs of the adjacent case strips 21. The general lock bar 85 is raised and lowered by means of a bracket 81 at its upper end, which has a bearing portion 88 embracing the offset crank portion 89 of the general lock shaft 98. The rearward end of the shaft 88 is journaled in a bracket 9| and at its forward end is connected with a key control cylinder o 2, .I V 2,2701088 lock 92 presented in the front face of the top 23. When the cylinder lock 92 is turned by its key in one direction, it turns the shaft 98 through 180 degrees to lift the lock bar 85 and unlock the drawers; when turned in the opposite direction, it lowers the lock bar 85 to lock the drawers when closed.

The back compressor51 comprises a plate 92 reinforced by rearwardly turned flanges at its margins and supported by brackets 93 (Figs. 3 and 8). The transverse (in reference to the drawer as a whole) legs 94, are secured to the rearward side of the plate 92 by screws 95 and positioning lugs 96 struck rearwardly from the plate 92. The brackets 93 extend laterally beyond theplate 92 and into the channels 48 formed in the upper edges of the drawer sides 39, where the brackets 93 carry forwardly extending tapered legs 91. Each bracket leg 91 is pivoted at 98l to a compressor slide 99 of channel cross-section and reciprocably mounted in the channel 48. The front end of each bracket leg 91 is engaged between the web of the slide 99 and an outwardly offset lip |88. The lip |88 carries an inwardly pressed detent orv catch portion |8| above which the forward end of the leg 91 of the bracket 93 normally rests. The leg 91 in side elevation (Fig. 3) is of taper shape so that the upper edge rides along the underside of the top flange of the channel shaped slide 99. By this means the rear compressor 51 is normally maintained in the rearwardly tipped angular position of Fig. 3 even though it be adjusted backward or forward to accommodate the quantity of les.

If it is-desired to tilt the rear compressor 51 to vertical position, as for instance when the drawer is full and the compressor 51 is back to the rear wall 4| and stillmore space is required, the compressor is forcibly rotated counter-clockwise (Fig. 3) to overcome the latching effect of the detents |8| by springing the lips |88 inwardly toward each other to permit the down springing of the legs 91 to their lower or alternate positions where the detent |8| will snap beyond the upper edges of the forward ends of the legs 91 and hold the compressor 51 in vertical position.

Referring to Fig. 8, which shows a rear elevation of the compressor, the rear. compressor 51 `is locked in adjusted position longitudinally of the drawer by a pair of locking levers |82, one on each side of the compressor. Each locking lever |82 is pivoted upon the screw 95 and extends outwardly beyond the lateral edge of the plate 92 and immediately behind the L-shaped bracket 93 and engages one of the teeth |83 formed in the flange which depends from' the inner'edge of the top flange of the channel 48 at the upper edge of the drawer side 39. The inner ends of the levers |82 pass slidably through slots |04 in the release member |85. The release member |85 is of channel-shaped crosssection, with the channel facing the rear side of the plate 92 and the channel sides offset into parallelism with the plate 92 and guided for vertical reciprocation thereagainst by guide lugs |86 struck from the plate 9 2.

The release member |85 carries a finger hole |81 whereby the operator may conveniently lift the release member |85 as guided by the lugs |88, and against the tension of a return spring |88 to swing upwardly to the dotted-line position of Fig. 8. The inner ends of the levers |82 pass through the slots |84 in the Iside flanges of the channel-shaped release member |85. In this way the levers |02 are disengaged from the teeth |03 to permit the longitudinal movement of the back compressor to the desired position.

'I'he levers |02 and legs 94 of the L-shaped brackets 93 are preferably further positioned against improper displacement from the compressor by passing them through slots 09 in the rearwardly directed lateral anges of the plate 92. /c

Forward movement of the rear compressor 51 is limited by a stop I|0 struck in from the web of the channel 40 near the forward end thereof which is abutted by the forward end of the adjacent slide 99 when the compressor is moved to its forwardmost positiom/ In Fig. 17 I have shown a modified form of pivotal supporting bracket for the back compressor. This substitutes a positive lock for the bracket instead of a friction detent. In Fig. 17 the bracket 93 is pivoted to the slide 99', but the free end of the arm portion of the bracket 93' is conformed to present a tapered free end. A locking plate |08 slidably mounted by the return flanges of the channel-like slide 99', carries an offset ange |09, whose respective upper and lower edges may engage the upper and lower edges |06 and |01 of the free end of the bracket 93' for locking the bracket in either of its alternate angular positions. To change to the alternate position, the locking plate |08 is frictionally slid away from the pivot 98, as by manually engaging the oiset flange 0, as far as the stop will permit. 'I'his clears the flange |09 from the path of the end of the bracket.

While I have described and illustrated these specific embodiments of my invention, I contemplate that many changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a ling drawer to be slidably received in a cabinet and having a file receiving and supporting body portion and a drawer front having a telescoping sliding support on the body portion for forward extension relative to the body portion from a vertical rearward position to a vertical forward position, a drawer suspension for slidably mounting the drawer in the cabinet, a front compressor pivoted adjacent its bottom edge to the drawer body portion, and means connecting the front compressor with the drawer front and Aoperating to swing the upper edge of the compressor forwardly. relative to its pivot as the drawer front is extended to its forward position relative to the drawer body.

2. A drawer for slidable reception in a filing cabinet, comprising a bottom for supporting illes and a front mounted on the drawer for extension relative to the bottom from a rearward vertical position to a forward vertical position, a front compressor for the les pivoted adjacent its lower edge to the forward edge of the bottom, and mechanism operated by the extension ofthe drawer front for swinging the front compressor about its pivot from a rearwardly inclined position to a forwardly inclined position.

3. A filing cabinet drawer of sheet metal comprising a body having a bottom wall, a rear end wall and a pair of side walls with channels formed in the side walls along their upper edges,

and a drawer front yhaving rearwardly extending side walls with channels embracing and in telescoping cooperation with the channels of the drawer body for slidably mounting the drawer front on the body for extension forwardly from the body, the rst mentioned channels opening inwardly for receiving and slidably mounting compressor-carrying slide members.

4. The combination with a filing drawer for slidable reception in a cabinet and having a file receiving body portion with a bottom on which the files rest and having a drawer front, means for slidably mounting the drawer front on the body portion for movement between an extended forward vertical position and a rearward vertical position, a front compressor pivotally mounted on the drawer body, and compressor swinging means connected with the drawer 'front and operating to swing the compressor to a forwardly inclined position when the drawer front is in its forward extended position and to swing the compressor to a rearwardly inclined position when the drawer front is in its rearward position, said swinging means including resilient means yielding to resistance of the les to rearward swinging of the compressor.

5. The combination of a ling drawer for slidable reception in a cabinet, a bottom for the drawer for supporting'les received within the drawer, a front for the drawer, means for slidably mounting the front on the drawer for extension therefrom in vertical position, a front compressor for lthe files pivotally mounted at its lower edge to the forward edge of the bottom, an arm pivoted on the bottom and having a curved portion at its end, a slotted member carried by the front through which the curved portion of the arm extends, a lost motion connection between the arm and the compressor, and spring 'means urging the compressor away from the arm to take up the lost motion of said connection, the drawer front. in-moving to its extended position relative vto the bottom, swinging the upper edge of the compressor forwardlytoa forwardly inclined position.

6. The combination of a ling cabinet, a drawer therefor having a body and an extensible front, a drawer suspension for slidably mounting the drawer body in the cabinet. means for mounting the front on the body for sliding extension therefrom in vertical position, a pull handle on the drawer front, and cooperating latch means on the drawer body and on the cabinet tending to hold the body against outward withdrawal but yielding to permit withdrawal under pull on the handle sufficient to extend the front from the body.

7. A filing cabinet drawer comprising a body, means for slidably supporting the body in a cabinet, a front for the drawer, and means for slidably mounting the front onthe body for extension in vertical position from an inward vertical position to an outer extended, position relative to the body, the body having a bottomfor supporting engagement with the lower edges of illes received in the drawer, the drawer body carrying forward stop means for the base of the files for maintaining without forward` increase the file supporting area of the drawer bottom when the front is extended.l

. JAMES R. CLARK.

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