Rotary filing cabinet with wardrobe

Abstract

A rotary filing cabinet with a wardrobe has a cabinet housing with at least a front opening. A rotor is mounted for rotational movement within the housing about a vertical axis. A vertical dividing panel of the rotor has at one side a plurality of filing shelves and at an opposite side a plurality of compartments forming the wardrobe. By rotating the rotor, either the filing shelves or the wardrobe can be positioned at the front opening of the cabinet housing

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] A rotary filing cabinet is known, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,157 incorporated herein by reference, which is operable from either of two sides. In the filing cabinet, a rotor is provided in a cabinet having a plurality of shelves. These shelves are located on opposite sides of a central divider panel. The rotor is movable to expose the shelves to either of two open sides of the housing. The rotor has two opposing closed flat sides and can be rotated into a position that closes the open sides of the cabinet housing.

[0002] In office, educational, and other environments, file cabinets may occupy a substantial portion of space. Additionally, substantial portions of space may be occupied by a closet utilized as a wardrobe allowing those present in the office to have a convenient place to store their coats, umbrellas, and other personal items such as running shoes, handbags, bags containing meals, purses, athletic bags, etc.

[0003] Substantial space can be occupied in the office by both the wardrobe closet and the file cabinets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the invention to minimize the cost and space required in an office or similar environment for a wardrobe.

[0005] According to the present invention, a rotary filing cabinet is provided having shelving at one side of a divider panel and compartments at an opposite side of the divider panel functioning as a wardrobe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a front view of the rotary filing cabinet with the wardrobe facing the front side;

[0007] FIG. 2 is a front view of the rotary filing cabinet but with the rotor turned 90° such that one of the closed flat sides is exposed at a front opening of a housing of the cabinet;

[0008] FIG. 3 is a front view of the filing cabinet of FIG. 1, but with the rotor rotated such that the filing shelves face the front opening;

[0009] FIG. 4 is a top view of the rotary filing cabinet with wardrobe of FIG. 1;

[0010] FIG. 5 is a front view of vertical panels together with one of the shelves and a hook used in the wardrobe portion of the rotary filing cabinet;

[0011] FIG. 6 is a side view of one of the vertical panels of FIG. 5;

[0012] FIG. 7A is a top view of one of the shelves received in louvers of the vertical panels of FIG. 5;

[0013] FIG. 7B is an end view of the shelf of FIG. 7A;

[0014] FIG. 8A is a front view of a hook used in the wardrobe; and

[0015] FIG. 8B is an end view of the hook of FIG. 8A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and/or method, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur now or in the future to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates at 10 the rotary filing cabinet with wardrobe having a rotor 11 turned to face a front opening 12 of a housing 9 of the filing cabinet. A foot pedal 13 and a lock 14 are provided in the filing cabinet. The lock 14 prevents rotation of the rotor 11, even if the foot pedal 13 is activated. If the lock 14 is unlocked, then the rotor 11 can be rotated when the operator places a foot on the pedal 13 depressing it downwardly to unlock the rotor for rotation.

[0018] The mechanical structure of the rotary filing cabinet, and its rotational system with shelves only, is described in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,157 incorporated herein by reference.

[0019] In FIG. 1 showing the wardrobe facing the front, a central vertical dividing panel 15 is provided together with a series of shelves 16A through 16D. A continuous shelf 17 is also provided at the lower end of the vertical panel 15. Another shelf 18 is provided beneath shelf 17.

[0020] The aforementioned shelves 16A-D and 17 form the wardrobe portion of the filing cabinet. A left compartment 18 is formed of the central vertical dividing panel 15, a central divider panel 19 forming a back of the compartment, and an additional vertical panel 20 at the left side.

[0021] Additional compartments 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D and 21E are provided to the right side of the vertical dividing panel 15 in the wardrobe.

[0022] The left hand compartment 18 has at least one hook assembly 22 on which clothing items such as a coat 23 may be hung. Also shown in compartment 18 is an umbrella 24.

[0023] On the right side of the divider 15 in the wardrobe, another vertical panel 24 is provided. The shelves 16A-D are thus supported between the vertical panels 15 and 24.

[0024] The compartments 21A, 21B and 21C may hold odd sized books or files 6, 7 and 8, for example. Compartments 21D and 21E may hold personal items such as purses, camera cases, briefcases, shoes or the like indicated by reference numerals 25 and 26.

[0025] Below shelf 17 hanging files 5, for example, may be provided.

[0026] Beneath a shelf 18, a security compartment 27 may be provided having a closed security drawer 28 with its own lock 29 and a handle 30.

[0027] With reference to FIG. 2, the rotor of the cabinet has been rotated 900 so that the closed flat side 4 (see FIG. 4) faces the front opening 12.

[0028] In FIG. 3, the shelving on the opposite side of the central divider panel 19 (see FIG. 4) can be seen. Thus, shelves 31A-G are shown. These shelves form respective compartments within which files 32 may be stored.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows as a top view, the overall layout from the top of the rotary filing cabinet with wardrobe. The central divider panel 19 segregates the shelves in the back from the wardrobe at the front. Also shown are closed flat sides 4 and 5.

[0030] FIG. 5 shows the left vertical panel 20, right vertical panel 24, and central vertical panel 15 of the wardrobe. One of the shelves 16A, for example, is shown. Louvers 33 are also shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows the front view of the louvers 33 on panel 20.

[0031] The central vertical panel 5 is formed from first and second back-to-back louvered vertical panels with the first panel nested with the second panel.

[0032] FIG. 7A illustrates shelf 16A, for example, in a top view having mounting tabs 16AA-16AD which are received in respective louvers of the vertical panels.

[0033] FIG. 7B shows an end view of the shelf 16A.

[0034] FIGS. 8A,B show front and end views respectively of the clothing hook assembly 22 of FIG. 1. The hook assembly locks to the same louvers 33 utilized for retaining the shelves. Hook assembly 22 has hook portions 36A, B, C, and retaining portions 37A, B for engaging in the louvers.

[0035] With the system disclosed, space in an office can be conserved, the personal items stored in the wardrobe can be concealed from view, and overall expense is reduced, since the wardrobe is provided with the use of a closet.

[0036] By a simple spin of the rotor, the wardrobe is exposed at the front opening to expose a series of personal storage compartments from one or more employees or guests in the office, educational, or other environment.

[0037] The disclosed system provides personal storage and security as well as a file and supply storage. For example in a classroom, a teacher can store personal belongings, lesson plans, student files, worksheets, and teacher manuals.

[0038] In an existing rotary file, installation of the wardrobe is simple by addition of the central vertical panel 15. For example, two flanges 15B, 15C are provided at the top of the vertical panel 15 which are attached to the rotor 11 by screws 38, 39. Two tabs 15A shown by the dashed line reference number are also provided at the bottom of the vertical panel 15 which are inserted into slots 17A in the continuous shelf 17 as shown in FIG. 1. Simply by mounting the continuous shelf 17, the half-shelves 16A-D and coat hook assembly 22 into the louvers and the wardrobe is functional. Alternatively, instead of continuous shelf 17 with a filing compartment 5 and security drawer 27, these structures can be dispensed with and the central divider panel 15 can be extended all the way to the bottom of the rotor with corresponding slots being provided at the bottom of the rotor to receive the tabs 15A of the vertical panel 15.

[0039] While a preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described, and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention both now or in the future are desired to be protected.

Claims

1. A rotary filing cabinet with a wardrobe, comprising:

a cabinet housing having at least a front opening;

a rotor mounted for rotational movement within the housing about a vertical axis; and

a vertical panel of the rotor having at one side a plurality of filing shelves and at an opposite side a plurality of compartments forming a wardrobe.

2. The rotary filing cabinet of claim 1 wherein the cabinet housing has both the front opening and a rear opening.

3. The rotary filing cabinet of claim 1 wherein the vertical panel is centrally located on the rotor.

4. The rotary filing cabinet of claim 1 wherein the rotor also has opposing closed flat sides selectively rotatable for positioning at the front opening to close off the front opening.

5. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the wardrobe is formed on the rotor with a vertical wardrobe dividing panel having at one side a relatively large compartment for receiving cloths and at an opposite side a plurality of shelves forming relatively smaller compartments for personal items.

6. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 5 wherein a hook is provided in the relatively large compartment for the clothes, said hook engaging with a vertical panel lying across from the vertical wardrobe dividing panel.

7. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein a filing shelf is provided beneath the wardrobe.

8. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein a filing cabinet and a security compartment having a locked door is provided beneath the wardrobe.

9. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the wardrobe is formed from a louvered vertical panel at a left side, a louvered central dividing vertical panel, and a right side louvered vertical panel, and wherein shelves in the wardrobe have corresponding tabs received in the louvers for mounting the shelves.

10. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the cabinet housing has a foot pedal at a bottom which, when depressed, permits rotation of the rotor, and a lock also being provided to prevent rotation of the rotor even when the foot pedal is depressed.

11. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the wardrobe has at least two vertical panels with louvers therein and a plurality of shelves are provided having cut-out tabs to be received in two respective louvers in each vertical panel.

12. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein a hook assembly is provided in the wardrobe, said hook assembly having two tabs and at least one hook portion, the two tabs being engaged in two respective louvers of a vertical panel at one side of the wardrobe.

13. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the wardrobe has an intermediate vertical dividing panel, a left vertical panel, a right vertical panel, a plurality of shelves extending from the intermediate panel to one of the left and right vertical panels, and a continuous shelf running from a left side to a right side of the wardrobe beneath the intermediate panel, and wherein a compartment below the continuous shelf comprising a filing compartment.

14. The rotary filing cabinet according to claim 1 wherein the filing shelves at the one side are formed of two vertical louvered panels opposite each other with shelves running therebetween, the shelves having tabs received in the louvers, and wherein the wardrobe has at least left and right opposite vertical panels with louvers.

15. The rotary filing cabinet with the wardrobe, comprising:

a cabinet housing having at least front and back openings;

a rotor mounted for rotational movement within the housing about a vertical axis; and

a central vertical panel of the rotor having at one side a plurality of filing shelves and at an opposing side at least one compartment forming a wardrobe for clothes.

16. A method for filing documents and storing cloths in an office environment, comprising the steps of:

providing a rotary filing cabinet having a cabinet housing with at least a front opening, a rotor mounted for rotational movement within the housing about a vertical axis, and a vertical panel of the rotor having at one side a plurality of filing shelves and at an opposite at least one wardrobe compartment;

rotating the rotor to position the filing shelves at the front opening, and then filing documents in the filing shelves; and

rotating the rotor a half rotation to position the wardrobe compartment at the front opening, and placing at least one personal item in the wardrobe compartment.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein said at least one personal item comprises an item of clothing placed in the wardrobe.

18. The method according to claim 16 including the step of providing a plurality of compartments within the wardrobe, placing at least one item of clothing in one of the compartments, and placing at least one personal item in another of the compartments.

19. The method according to claim 16 including the step of providing closed flat sides opposite one another on the rotor perpendicular to the vertical panel of the rotor, and rotating one of the close flat sides to the front opening of the cabinet housing to close off the rotary filing cabinet.

20. The method according to claim 16 including the step of providing the wardrobe of the rotary filing cabinet by mounting an intermediate vertical louvered dividing panel to form wardrobe compartments on both sides of the dividing panel.

21. The method according to claim 20 including the step of providing a shelf between the vertical intermediate vertical dividing panel and one of two vertical side panels with louvers.

22. The method according to claim 20 including the step of providing flange mounting at a top of the vertical intermediate louvered dividing panel and a tab and slot mounting at a bottom of the intermediate panel.