US2104223A - Utility cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 4, 1938.

H. FEINBERG UTILITY CBINET Filed April 7, i936 INVENTOR.

Hee/wmv Fem/safe@ Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to `utility cabinets and hasior its objects the provisionof a small cabinet having a transparent panel and supply of writing paper arranged to be drawn `over said panel with a source of light positioned within the cabinet behind said panel and writing paper for illuminating lthe same from the side opposite the surface supporting the paper, also such cabinet having partitions therein forming compartments for smokers articlesA and a pen or pencil. Other objects and advantages will appear in the drawing and description, Y i

In the figures, Fig. 1 represents perspective view of my utility cabinet. c Y

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cabinet.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along rthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2. y l

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of thecabinet with parts shown in section for clarity of certain construction.

In brief, my utility cabinet is of relatively small size about 5 inches wide, 6 inches in length at the base and about 4 inches in height, al though these dimensions may be modifiedv several inches one way or the other, and relatively. The cabinet is accordingly suitable for positioning on a desk at the side of a bed, and where night calls are frequent, as with physicians, the panel on one side of the cabinet can readily be illuminated and a note registered on the paper covering the panel, without disturbing any of the other occupants of the room, since the light within the cabinet is substantially restricted to passing through the paper over the illuminated panel, there being no reflection from its surface, as where the light shines on the writing surface from an outside source. Also the slight glow from the panel and paper is found to be just suliicientto enable a person to observe the other portions of the cabinet in which other articles are contained.

In detail my cabinet may be made of sheet metal, wood, or bakelite, with a base I, inclined sides 2, 3 and similarly inclined ends 4, 5 extending convergently upwardly from the edge of the base to a vertically directed rectangular opening 6 at the top of the cabinet. An oblong receptacle 1, with straight substantially parallel sides is adapted to slide through opening 6 to the bottom of the cabinet, said receptacle 'I being slidably supported in vertical position by downwardly turned edges 8 of the sides and ends of the cabinet.

The opposite end walls of the cabinet are formed with vertical openings therein at 9, I0

for receiving relatively small receptacles II, I2 therein, with the bases of these receptacles supported on the base I and supported at their upper ends by downwardly turned edges I3, I4 and I5, I6 .of the end walls around the openings 19, 5 I0 respectively. One or both of these receptacles I I, I2 may be provided with a central cross member at their upper ends to facilitate lifting the receptacles `out of the cabinet. Y

A cover I8 hinged along one edge at IS to the upper edge of wall 3 is adapted to cover the opening 6 and'upper end of receptacle 1.

The receptacle 1 is substantially the size of an ordinary cigarette package, andreceptacles I I, I2 may be used respectively to receive matches and cigarette ashes.

The inclined side 2 of the cabinet is provided with rectangular horizontally elevated opening therein extending substantially the lengthiof the cabinet and which opening is filled withvan elongated strip of translucent glass 2| or other material, such as ground glass, or frosted glass. Supported on the base I between the glass and side of receptacle 'I is a small electric light bulb 22 suitably connected by conventional wiring 23 (Fig. 4) to a small switch 24 adjacent the base atv one end of the cabinet with power wires 25 leading from the switch to the source of power or to a suitable plug for plugging into a power current. The wiring being conventional and well understood to anyone skilled in the art is designated in Fig. 4 only, and in diagrammatic form, it being understood that wires 23 are within the cabinet.

Within the cabinet and the above glass is a horizontally extending roll of paper 26 of substantially the length of the glass 2|, the roll being between wall 2 and the side of the receptacle Brackets 2'I are adapted to rotatably support the ends of shaft 28 therein, the paper being wound on said shaft, and one end ofthe roll of paper is adapted to be drawn through an elongated slot 29 extending horizontally above the glass panel 2| and over the glass as `at 30, then through slot 3| to within the cabinet belowY the lower edge of the glass, and outward again at 32 at the end of the strip. Asmall leaf spring 33 may be provided adjacent slot 32 to keep the free end of the strip of paper at the slot 32 accessible for successively pulling the paper from the roll over the glass panel as the paper is successively torn off at slot 32, they upper edge of the slot forminga cutting edge. The lower edge of slot 32 may be cut away centrally as at 34 to facilitate inser- 55 tion of the fingers Vfor grasping the free edge of the paper.

At one end of the panel 1 the side 2 is provided with a Vertical circular opening 35 for insertion of a pencil 36 into a vertical tube 31 that is tted into said opening.

It will be seen that the brackets 21 are formed with horizontal and downwardly directed slots 38 therein, that open outwardly at their upper ends adjacent the side of receptacle 1, so it is necessary to remove the receptacle 'l to insert a roll of paper, and after replacing the receptacle the roll cannot be dislodged from its support in the brackets.

The provision of a relatively broad base gives a stable support for writing on Ithe inclined panel 2| that is tted in side 2, whereby notes can readily be written on the paper at the side of the cabinet by one reclining in bed, and the top of the cabinet is free for access to the contents of the cabinet.

While I am fully aware of the existence of illuminated panels for tracing and the like, I am not aware of a small utility cabinetv in which there is a supply of paper'always accessible for replenishing over an illuminated panel in an inclined side of a cabinet, and with a source of light in the relation as described in the foregoing description and I am not aware of any device heretofore made adapted to serve the purpose of my cabinet.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A utility cabinet of box-like form, one of the lateral side walls of said cabinet being slanted and having an opening therein tt-ed with a substantially similarly slanted glassV panel, a supply of writing paper within the cabinet adjacent said panel, an electric bulb in an electric circuit behind said panel and Yadjacent thereto,` means formed in the wall tted with said panel for passing paper from said supply over the outer side of Said panel and means for securing said paper against the outer side of the panel for writing thereon, a switch in said electric circuit for turning said bulb on and off, the top of said cabinet having an opening therein for obtaining access to said paper and light bulb, and a removable closure.

2. In a device of the character described, a box-like body having a relatively broad supporting base, a lateral side wall a substantial portion of which isY ofV light transmitting material, said lateral side wall slantingly extending upwardly from one of the side edges of the base in a direction to project over the base, a roll of writing paper positioned over said base and behind said lateral side wall, said wall being formed with an opening for withdrawing paper from the roll to a position over and against the outer surface of the light transmitting portion of said lateral wall, a light bulb positioned adjacent the inner surface of the lateral wall and over said base illuminating the light transmitting portion of the wall and the paper thereover, the inclination of said lateral wall including the light transmitting portion being such as to substantially support the writing hand of a person when writing on paper that is positioned on the outer surface of said portion and the width of the base in the direction of the inclination of said side wall being substantially that of the upwardly extending dimension of the lateral side wall whereby the base will support the side wall and weight of the writers hand thereon without tipping over, and means enclosing the light bulb against substantial escape of light rays therefrom except through said light transmitting portion of the lateral side Wall.

f HERMAN FEINBERG.

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