Closing mechanism for a cabinet cover

• US 4,429,933 A
• Filed: 01/09/1981
• Issued: 02/07/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Teletype Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Teletype Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sokolowski, Eugene K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US06/223,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 312/319, 312/325, 312/326, 312/329, 312/DIG. 33, 312/24, 312/27, 220/335, 292/338, 292/263, 217/60 E
• US Class Current: 16/333
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/32 consisting of two or more pivoted rods

Abstract

A closing mechanism 30 for a cabinet cover 14 is described including a pair of elongated flat links 32, 34 joined for sliding pivotal engagement. The remaining end of a first link 34 is pivotally secured to the enclosure cover 14 and the remaining end of the second link 32 is pivotally secured to the cabinet base 12. The links, when in their aligned position, are selectively locked in position by a cooperating notch 44 and tab 56. An articulated biasing means 59 in the form of two articulated coil springs 60, 62 serves to bias the links 32, 34 toward their axially aligned positions thus urging the cover 14 to its open position. The coil springs 60, 62 are hooked together with the remaining end of the second coil spring 62 hooked to a lip 20 on the cabinet base 12 adjacent the cover hinge 16. The remaining end of the first coil spring 60 is hooked to the link 32.

Claims

1. A closing mechanism (30) for a cabinet (10) having a base (12) and a cover (14) hinged to the base (12) wherein first and second elongated links (32, 34) are pivotally joined together at their first ends with a second end of the first link (32) being pivotally connected to the base (12) of the cabinet (10) and a second end of the second link (34) is connected to the cabinet cover (14) comprising:

an articulated biasing means (59) coupled to one of said links (32) and to said cabinet (10) and having a relaxed condition when the cover (14) is open and an active biasing condition as the cover (14) closes to urge the cover (14) to its open condition during closure, and

said articulated biasing means (59) includes a first (60) and a second (62) elongated coil spring, a first end of said first coil spring (60) being pivotally connected to a first end of said second coil spring (62), a second end of said first coil spring (60) being connected to one of said first and second links (32) and a second end of said second coil spring (62) being connected to the base (12) of said cabinet (10), whereby said coil springs (60,

     62) are relaxed and articulated at their common connection when said cover is open allowing said coil springs (60,

     62) to move to a position which will not interfere with said cover (14) or said links (32,

     34).

2. The closing mechanism (30) of claim 1 wherein said linkage (34, 32) includes a first elongated member (34) and a second elongated member (32) with a first end of said first elongated member (34) pivotally connected to a first end of said second elongated member (32), a second end of said first elongated member (34) being pivotally connected to said cover (14) and a second end of said second elongated member (32) being pivotally connected to the base (12) of said cabinet (10).

3. The closing mechanism of claim 2 wherein said second end of said coil spring (62) is connected to said cabinet (10) at a location adjacent to the hinge (16) connection of said cover (14) and said base (12).

4. The closing mechanism (30) of claim 3 which further includes means (44, 56) for rigidly engaging said first and second links (34, 32) adjacent said common pivot (52) so as to limit relative movement therebetween.