Simplified universal drawer guiding system
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to mounting and guiding arrangements for drawers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional type of roller drawer guide includes two pairs of tracks, one mounted on the drawer, and the other mounted within the drawer cabinet or casing. A first pair of rollers, mounted just within the cabinet and secured to it engages the tracks which are secured to the drawer, and supports the drawer at the front. A second pair of rollers mounted on the left and right sides of the drawer at the rear of the drawer engages the tracks which are secured to the cabinet, and supports the rear of the drawer, with downward force being applied from the roller to the track when the drawer is closed, and upward force being applied from the roller to the track when the drawer is more than half-way extended. This type of prior system is adequate for the purpose, but is somewhat more expensive than would be desirable, in view of the need to use two pairs of tracks, one mounted on the drawer, and one mounted on the cabinet, so that four tracks are required, two on each side of the drawer. 
     With the type of drawer including two pairs of tracks, as discussed above, the space between the outer side of the drawer and the adjacent portions of the cabinet which support the second rails, is normally about one-half inch. One patent which is intended to permit a drawer to be mounted closer to the adjacent cabinet wall, is disclosed in C. W. Koch U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,071, granted Nov. 26, 1940. In order to mount the drawer with its sides closer to the adjacent cabinet walls, the structure shown in the Koch patent utilizes tracks mounted on the cabinet wall above the drawer, with cantilevered rollers supported by brackets extending from the rear of the drawer to locate each roller above and to the rear of the drawer to engage the associated track. In addition, a separate roller is mounted just inside the cabinet under the lower sides of the drawer. While the device shown in the Koch patent was intended to save space, in actuality, it requires that a relatively shallow drawer be employed, and drawer space is also lost at the rear of the drawer because of the rearward extent of the cantilevered bracket for supporting the rollers which are secured to the drawer. In addition, the drawer arrangements shown in the Koch patent are not compatible with standard drawer and cabinet designs, which include one-half inch spacing between the sides of the drawers and the adjacent walls of the cabinet. Thus, any utilization of the Koch invention would require the full redesign of a cabinet and associated drawers rather than merely substituting one type of drawer hardware for another. 
     Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive drawer roller mounting and supporting system, and one which is compatible with existing cabinet and drawer configurations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a drawer mounting and guiding system includes only two metal tracks, one located on each side of the drawer and secured to the cabinet in the space between the side of the drawer and the cabinet wall. Rollers are secured to the rear of the drawer using a universal bracket design which will fit on both the left and the right-hand rear corners of the drawer, and either at the top or the bottom of the drawer. Two more rollers are mounted on the cabinet adjacent the front face of the cabinet and under the edges of the drawer. These last mentioned rollers are normally of relatively small vertical extent so that extra height is not required between adjacent drawers. 
     In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the brackets for holding rollers which are secured to the cabinet may also be universal, in that they may be mounted either on the left or right-hand side of the drawer, preferably affixed to the track. 
     In accordance with another feature of the invention, the universal brackets for securing the rollers to the rear ends of the drawer may be substantially triangular in shape with flanges to extend over a corner of the drawer, whereby they may be mounted on either the left or right-hand side of the drawer, and either at the bottom or the top rear corners of the drawer. 
     If desired, the tracks may be mounted near the upper edge of the drawer or down near its lower edge. In addition, to provide additional support for longer drawers, an extended roller wheel mounting bracket may be provided so that the drawer may still be firmly supported when pulled forward so that it extends for most of its length out of the cabinet. 
     Advantages of the present invention include the following: 
     1. Only one pair of tracks is required instead of the usual two pairs of tracks which are conventionally employed in roller mounted drawer arrangements. 
     2. The new hardware is consistent with conventional drawer and cabinet configurations in which approximately one-half inch of space is provided between the side of the drawer, and the adjacent walls of the cabinet. 
     3. The universal mounting brackets for the rollers on the drawer and also for the fixed rollers underlying the front edges of the drawers, make for low cost tooling and ease in manufacture. 
     4. The system of the present invention is applicable to very narrow height drawers, the type used in dental offices and the like, where there is not enough vertical space to accommodate two tracks. 
     5. The disadvantages of the Koch patented device, involving the track which overlies the edges of the drawer and as discussed above, are overcome and avoided. 
     6. The unsightly metal tracks which are mounted on the sides of drawers in conventional drawer roller mounting arrangements are eliminated. 
     7. The rollers which are mounted on the cabinet to underlie the front edges of the drawer may be either relatively small diameter rollers of a conventional type having a diameter in the order of 5/8 inch or less, or may be of other configurations having a reduced vertical extent, such as the roller configuration of U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,773, granted Dec. 2, 1980. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of two embodiments illustrating the principles of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a track, and a roller assembly secured thereto, in accordance with the preferred form of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 shows a universal roller mounting bracket secured to the rear lower corner of a drawer; 
     FIG. 4 shows an alternative arrangement with a special bracket for locating the roller which is mounted on the drawer to the rear of the end of the drawer; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along lines V--V of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along lines VI--VI of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the triangular bracket employed for mounting wheels at the rear corners of the drawer; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the bracket of FIG. 7; and 
     FIGS. 9 through 11 are conventional mechanical views from three different orientations of the bracket for holding the stationary roller at the mouth of the cabinet, on either side thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a pair of drawers 12 and 14 which are mounted in a manner illustrating the principles of the present invention. Incidentally, it is useful to note FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6 which all relate to the arrangements shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the rear of the cabinet is indicated by the wooden member 16, and the cabinet face frame is indicated at 18, 20, and 22 at the right in FIG. 1. The drawer 12 is mounted, supported, and guided by a pair of rollers including roller 24 secured to the rear upper corner of the drawer 12 and which ride within a pair of tracks including the track 26, and the pair of small diameter rollers including roller 28 which are mounted from the cabinet frame, immediately below the front edge of the drawer 12. A second roller is mounted on the upper rear corner of the drawer 12 in a location comparable to that of the roller 24 but on the other side of the drawer, and a second track similar to track 26 is mounted on the other side of the drawer 12. Similarly, with the roller 28 being mounted on the front left side of the drawer 12 to underly its left-hand edge, a second roller is located on the right-hand side of the drawer to support and guide the right hand edge of the drawer 12. 
     The roller 32 is mounted on the lower rear corner of the drawer 14, as contrasted with the roller 24 which was mounted on the upper rear corner of drawer 12. The roller 32 is confined within and engages the track 34 which is mounted on one side of the drawer 14 between the drawer and the adjacent supporting frame of the cabinet. As in the case of drawer 12, the drawer 14 is provided with a small roller 36 which is mounted under the front edge of the left-hand side of the drawer. 
     The arrangements for mounting the roller 36 are shown to advantage in FIGS. 2 and 5. More specifically, a braket 38 fits snugly over the lower flange 40 of the rail 34, and is secured thereto by a suitable fastener 42 or by mechanically indenting both the bracket 38 and the rail 40 so that they remain in the interlocked position shown in FIG. 2. 
     The rails 26 and 34 shown in FIG. 1, may be held in position in any desired manner. Thus, for example, the rear of the track 26 may be provided with a fitting 44 which is secured to the rear frame member 16 of the cabinet. Alternatively, screws such as the screw 46 as shown in FIG. 2 may be employed to secure the rails to the cabinet frame. 
     The roller 24 is mounted on the triangular bracket 50, and the roller 32 is mounted on an identical bracket which is designated by the reference numeral 50&#39;. In FIG. 3, the roller 52 which is mounted on the right rear corner of the drawer 14 is mounted on a bracket designated 50&#34;. The triangular brackets used for the support of the rollers 24, 32 and 52, are all identical and their configuration which permits this universal usage, is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. More specifically, the bracket 50 includes a plate area 54 having a boss 56 to which the wheel may be secured and a pair of flanges 58 and 60 which are oriented at right angles to one another. Each of the flanges 58 and 60 are provided with openings for securing to the edges of the rear corners of the drawer. The plate 50 is provided with circular openings 62 and 64 for receiving screws, and adjacent rectangular openings 66 and 68 which permit the use of staplers to direct staples through the openings 62, 66, or through the openings 64, 68, when it is desired to secure the bracket 50 to the drawer by means of staples. 
     It may be readily seen that with the two flanges 58 and 60, and the interconnecting plate 50 to which the roller may be secured, the bracket 50 is &#34;universal&#34; in that it may be secured to either the left or right rear corner of a drawer, and to either the upper or lower corner on each side. 
     FIG. 4 shows an alternative arrangement for mounting a roller 72 on a bracket 74 which is secured to a drawer 76 by two screws 78 so that the roller 72 is mounted well behind the rear 80 of the drawer 76. This arrangement shown in FIG. 4 provides increased strength and support to the drawer when the drawer is already quite long, and where there is adequate space within the cabinet for the additional bracket 74, and where it is desired that the drawer be firmly mounted even when fully extended from the cabinet. 
     Incidentally, the drawer 14 of FIGS. 1 and 5 is provided with a bottom 84, while the drawer 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 is provided with a bottom 86. The rail 26 is shown in FIG. 6 enclosing the roller 24, which is secured to the left rear corner of the sidewall 88 of the drawer 12 by the bracket 50. Incidentally, the orientation of the flanges 58 and 60 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, are apparent in FIG. 6 of the drawings. 
     FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings show the bracket 38 of FIG. 2 in somewhat greater detail. More specifically, the plate 38 has a main surface 92 having an aperture 94 in which the small diameter rollers are mounted. Bent from the main face plate 92 are various additional members including the upper tab 96 which fits over and engages the lower member of the rail 34 as a result of the detent 42. Sidewalls including the wall 98 and a corresponding wall on the other side, are bent outwardly to provide the arms 100 and 102 which underly the lower surface of the rail 34 and provide positive engagement with the other side thereof in opposition to the tab 96. 
     It is noted that the bracket 38 may be secured as indicated in FIG. 2 to one end of a rail 34 for use at the left hand side of the drawer. Similarly, it may be secured to the front end of a second rail on the right-hand side of the drawer to support the front right edge of the drawer. Thus, the bracket 38 is universal, in that it may be assembled for use either at the front left or at the front right hand side of the drawer. 
     Incidentally, for completeness, it is noted that the rollers 24, 32, etc. which are to be employed at the rear corners of the drawer are preferably in the order of one inch or slightly less in diameter; while the small diameter rollers 28, 36, etc. which are to be used at the front of the drawers underlying the sides of the drawers, are preferably in the order of 5/8 inch in diameter, and are about one-fourth or three-eighths inch wide. 
     Concerning certain collateral aspects of the constructions disclosed herein, a few points are worthy of note. First, concerning drawer stops, to prevent the drawer from inadvertently coming out of the cabinet, stops such as those indicated by the recesses shown on the upper right-hand surfaces of the tracks 26 and 34 of FIG. 1, may be employed. These &#34;out-stops&#34;, as they are called, may be either positive out-stops or frictional outstops, where the drawers may be pulled past the out-stop. With regard to another matter, the rollers which are fixed to the cabinet, such as rollers 28 or 36 should be of reduced vertical extent. In this regard, if conventional rollers are employed, the diameter is preferably about 5/8 inch or less. However, other types of roller supports with relatively small vertical extent may also be used, and one such arrangement using a mushroom shaped roller, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,773, granted Dec. 2, 1980. 
     In conclusion, it is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description and the accompanying drawings relate to illustrative embodiments of the invention. Various departures from the precise arrangements shown may be realized. Thus, by way of example and not of limitation, instead of using brackets for the rear corners of the drawers which are precisely triangular, these universal roller supports may be formed with a curved internal surface of their main plate, or this main plate could be rectangular in shape. It is also noted that the drawers could be of lesser height than those shown, with the present invention being applicable to drawers having heights which are in the order of 13/4 inches, for example. In addition, the bracket 38 could be formed in other symmetrical configurations wherein there is engagement both for the upper and lower surface of one edge of the rail, but not precisely in the form shown in FIGS. 9 through 11. In addition, low friction side play control elements, which may be made of molded plastic, may be employed to prevent the drawer sides from contacting the metal tracks. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to that precisely as shown and described hereinabove.