BOLSTER FOR A SAFETY CABINET
A cabinet including a receptacle having a floor, a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the floor, each bolster including a lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis, and a first and a second sidewall, each extending from the lower panel toward the floor, the first sidewall defining an acute angle with the lower panel and defining a first aperture disposed vertically above a corresponding first aperture of the lower panel. A leg is rotatably received within the first aperture so that rotation of the leg results in the leg moving axially with respect to the lower panel.
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This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/812,892, filed Apr. 17, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to cabinets. More particularly, the present invention relates to adjustable bolsters for supporting a safety cabinet.
BACKGROUNDSafety cabinets are known in the art for storing containers of flammable, explosive, toxic, etc., materials in a manner that lessens the likelihood of harm from those materials. Safety cabinets can both insulate the stored materials from environmental conditions, such as excessive temperatures, moisture and fire, and prevent the escape of the materials from the cabinet due to leakage and spills from the containers To retain hazardous liquids within the cabinets, it is known to slant shelving toward the cabinet's rear wall, so that spilled liquids flow toward the rear wall rather than off the front edge of the shelf, and to provide a sump area in the bottom of the cabinet. For these features to function in their intended fashion, a safety cabinet must typically be disposed in a level disposition regardless of the support surface on which it sits. As such, it is desirable to be able to adjust the disposition of the cabinet with regard to the support surface.
The present invention recognizes and addresses considerations of prior art constructions and methods.
SUMMARYOne embodiment of a cabinet in accordance with the present disclosure includes a receptacle having a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from the floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein the floor includes a front edge, a rear edge and a pair of side edges defining a perimeter of an underside surface of the floor, wherein the front edge and the rear edge are parallel to each other and the side edges are parallel to each other. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the underside surface of the floor, each bolster including a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, the lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis, and a first and a second sidewall, each sidewall extending from the lower panel toward the floor in a direction parallel to the front edge and the rear edge so that an inner surface of each first and second sidewall defines an acute angle with a topside surface of the lower panel. One of the first and second sidewalls defines at least a first aperture disposed vertically above the first aperture of the lower panel, and a leg is rotatably received within the first aperture of the lower panel so that rotation of the leg with respect to the lower panel results in the leg moving axially with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel.
Another embodiment of a cabinet in accordance with the present disclosure includes a receptacle having a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from the floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein the floor includes a front edge, a rear edge and a pair of side edges defining a perimeter of an underside surface of the floor. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the underside surface of the floor, each bolster including a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, the lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis, and a first and a second sidewall, each sidewall extending from the lower panel toward the floor, an inner surface of the first sidewall defining an acute angle with a topside surface of the lower panel and defining a first aperture disposed vertically above the first aperture of the lower panel. A leg is rotatably received within the first aperture of the lower panel so that rotation of the leg with respect to the lower panel results in the leg moving axially with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention according to the disclosure.
Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation, not limitation, of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Referring now to the Figures, as shown in
Referring additionally to
As shown, each sidewall 34 extends upwardly from lower panel 32 such that it forms an acute angle 43 with respect to lower panel 32. Preferably, angle 43 is between 60° and 70°, and in one exemplary embodiment is 63°. Further, each sidewall 34 defines an access aperture 42 that is disposed vertically above a corresponding threaded aperture 36 of lower panel 32. As such, each access aperture 42 is configured to allow the corresponding leg 50 to be adjusted from directly above. In alternate embodiments that include only one threaded bore 36, only the sidewall adjacent the threaded bore needs to define an access aperture 42. Moreover, only the sidewall that is adjacent the bore in which leg 50 is received needs to form an acute angle with lower panel 32, i.e., the other sidewall can be perpendicular to lower panel 32.
Upper flanges 44 are parallel to lower panel 32, and each bolster is preferably affixed to floor 20 of the receptacle by welding upper flanges 44 to its bottom surface. As best seen in
Additionally, as shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
While one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are described above, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. It is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A cabinet, comprising:
- a receptacle having a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from the floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein the floor includes a front edge, a rear edge and a pair of side edges defining a perimeter of an underside surface of the floor, wherein the front edge and the rear edge are parallel to each other, and wherein the side edges are parallel to each other;
- a plurality of bolsters attached to the underside surface of the floor, each bolster comprising:
- a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, the lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis;
- a first and a second sidewall, each sidewall extending from the lower panel toward the floor so that an inner surface of each first and second sidewall defines an acute angle with a topside surface of the lower panel, one of the first and second sidewalls defining at least a first aperture disposed vertically above the first aperture of the lower panel; and
- a leg that is rotatably received within the first aperture of the lower panel so that rotation of the leg with respect to the lower panel results in the leg moving axially with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel.
2. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the first aperture of the lower panel further comprises a threaded bore and the leg further comprises a correspondingly threaded stem.
3. The cabinet of claim 2, wherein the leg further comprises a foot, the foot being rotatable with respect to the threaded stem of the leg.
4. The cabinet of claim 2, wherein the leg further comprises a head portion, the head portion having a polygonal cross-section taken perpendicular to a longitudinal center axis of the leg.
5. The cabinet of claim 2, wherein the leg further comprises a head portion defining a recess in its top surface so that the leg is rotatable by a tool having a projection that is correspondingly-shaped to the recess.
6. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel passes through the first aperture defined by the one of the first and second sidewalls.
7. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the first aperture of the one of the first and second sidewalls is defined by the first sidewall, and wherein the first sidewall extends horizontally outwardly beyond the perimeter of the underside surface of the floor.
8. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the leg further comprises a first end disposed within the bolster and a second end extending outwardly from the lower panel of the bolster, and rotation of the leg is a clockwise direction, viewed from above through the first aperture of the one of the first and second sidewalls, moves the second portion of the leg outwardly from the lower panel.
9. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the first wall of the cabinet defines at least one opening so that an interior of the receptacle is accessible through the opening.
10. The cabinet of claim 9, further comprising a door that is pivotably connected to the receptacle so that the door is selectively positionable over the at least one opening.
11. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein each sidewall extends from the lower panel toward the floor in a direction parallel to the front edge and the rear edge of the perimeter of the floor.
12. A cabinet, comprising:
- a receptacle having a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from the floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein the floor includes a front edge, a rear edge and a pair of side edges defining a perimeter of an underside surface of the floor;
- a plurality of bolsters attached to the underside surface of the floor, each bolster comprising:
- a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, the lower panel defining at least a first aperture having a longitudinal center axis;
- a first and a second sidewall, each sidewall extending from the lower panel toward the floor, the first sidewall defining an acute angle with a topside surface of the lower panel and defining a first aperture disposed vertically above the first aperture of the lower panel; and
- a leg that is rotatably received within the first aperture of the lower panel so that rotation of the leg with respect to the lower panel results in the leg moving axially with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel.
13. The cabinet of claim 12, wherein the first aperture of the lower panel further comprises a threaded bore and the leg further comprises a correspondingly threaded stem.
14. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein the leg further comprises a foot, the foot being rotatable with respect to the threaded stem of the leg.
15. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein the leg further comprises a head portion, the head portion having a polygonal cross-section taken perpendicular to a longitudinal center axis of the leg.
16. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein the leg further comprises a head portion defining a recess in its top surface so that the leg is rotatable by a tool having a projection that is correspondingly-shaped to the recess.
17. The cabinet of claim 12, wherein the longitudinal center axis of the first aperture of the lower panel passes through the first aperture defined by the one of the first and second sidewalls.
18. The cabinet of claim 12, wherein the first sidewall extends horizontally outwardly beyond the perimeter of the underside surface of the floor.
19. The cabinet of claim 12, wherein the leg further comprises a first end disposed within the bolster and a second end extending outwardly from the lower panel of the bolster, and rotation of the leg is a clockwise direction, viewed from above through the first aperture of the first sidewall, moves the second end of the leg outwardly from the lower panel.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 16, 2014
Publication Date: Oct 23, 2014
Applicant: Apex Brands, Inc. (Sparks, MD)
Inventors: Tobias M. Bridges (Holly Springs, NC), Richard R. Bottles (Apex, NC), Cody E. Milburn (Brookland, AR)
Application Number: 14/254,089