The present invention relates to an improvement to a wire basket comprising a bottom, sides and front and rear pieces manufactured from a wire lattice, a frame being disposed along the upper edges of the sides, as well as front and rear pieces, the frame projecting, at least along the sides, laterally outwards so as to form slide rails for the wire basket, these slide rails having downwardly angled portions along their outer edges.
The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a wire basket comprising the steps that a rectangular or quadratic frame is produced, that the bottom, sides and front and rear pieces of the wire basket are produced and then united with the frame.
A wire basket of the type mentioned by way of introduction is previously known in the art. This wire basket has a frame of flat profile, there being provided, along opposing sides of the frame, downwardly angled portions which, in the longitudinal direction of the side, terminate a slight distance from the corners of the frame. The downwardly angled portions make possible the simple provision of arrest means preventing overly long withdrawal of the basket and also preventing excessive insertion of the basket into a supporting construction. These arrest means are provided as heels projecting downwards from the underside of the frame, the heels being intended to engage with corresponding heels on the carrier strips which are employed for supporting the basket.
A wire basket of the above-described type may function satisfactorily, but is highly complicated to manufacture, since the wire lattice which constitutes the basket proper, and the frame must be first be joined together, whereafter the downwardly angled portions and the arrest means are then produced.
Nor can a wire basket of this type be reversed while retaining the original functions of the insertion and withdrawal arrest means. Nor can such a basket be optionally employed "lengthways on" or "sideways on" so that it may optionally be used in a narrow and deep cabinet or frame, or a wide and shallow cabinet or frame, respectively.
In addition, a wire basket of the prior art type suffers from limited carrying capacity in extreme widths.
The present invention has for its object to devise the improvements described by way of introduction such that the drawbacks inherent in prior art arrangements of this type are obviated. Thus, the present invention has for its object to devise an improved basket which is simple and economical in manufacture, which offers a simple arrangement as regards insertion arrest and withdrawal arrest means, which is aesthetically attractive and which affords improved carrying capacity, in particular in large widths. The present invention also relates to an improvement which entails that the basket may be freely reversible while retaining the operative functions of the insertion and withdrawal arrest means.
The present invention further has for its object to devise the method described by way of introduction for manufacturing the basket such that the drawbacks inherent in prior art methods are obviated and, in particular, a method will be realised which provides for rational and economical manufacture.
The objects forming the basis of the present invention will be attained in respect of the improved basket if this is characterized in that the downwardly angled portions extend around the comers of the frame, at least partly in along the front and rear pieces.
In respect of the method, the objects of the present invention will be attained if the method is characterized in that a profiled material of angled or L-shaped cross section is cut to the intended lengths and bent to rectangular or quadratic shape, for forming the frame; and that the ends of the profiled material are joined together in a butt joint.
The present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with particular reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which:
Referring to the Drawings, Fig. 1 shows in vertical front elevation a first embodiment of the wire basket according to the invention. The wire basket has a bottom 1, sides 2 and 3, and front and rear pieces 4, all produced from a wire lattice. Along the upper edges of the sides 2 and 3, and the front and rear pieces 4, there extends a frame 5 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is of the same cross section throughout its entire extent. Seen from above, the frame is rectangular or possibly quadratic, with slightly rounded corners.
Throughout its entire extent, the frame has an upper, horizontal shank 6 at whose inner edge (turned to face in towards the centre of the wire basket) are secured the wires in the wire lattice which forms the sides 2 and 3 and the front and rear pieces 4 of the basket. At least along the sides 2 and 3, the frame is provided at its outer edges with downwardly angled portions 7 which act as slide strips when the wire basket, resting on corresponding carrier rails 8, is supported in a cabinet, outer frame or the like.
According to the invention, the downwardly angled portions 7 on the frame 5 extend around the corners of the frame, at least partly in along the front and rear pieces 4. Preferably however, the downwardly angled portions extend throughout the entire length of the frame so that the frame will hereby have the same all-round cross sectional configuration.
According to the invention, the frame is produced in that a profiled material of angled or L-shaped cross section is cut to the desired length, and is bent to the requisite rectangular or quadratic shape with slightly rounded corner portions. In this instance, the length of the profiled material is adapted such that its ends, when the frame has been bent to the correct shape, abut against one another so that they can be joined together in a butt joint. After-treatment of the frame (possibly excepting deburring and surface treatment) is hardly necessary.
Given this design of the frame 5, the wire basket is optionally reversible in use. In the embodiment with the same all-round cross sectional configuration of the frame, one and the same wire basket may, in addition, be employed in both a narrow and deep cabinet and in a wide and shallow cabinet, quite simply in that the wire basket is turned "lengthways on" or "sideways on". Irrespective of the orientation of the wire basket, the insertion and withdrawal arrest means (which will be described in greater detail hereinbelow) will work just as well.
Those carrier rails 8 that are employed for carrying the wire basket in a cabinet or outer frame, are of mirror-reversed design, with a right and left-hand rail. Throughout the greater part of their length, the carrier rails have a longitudinal recess 9 which is of such height that both the horizontal shank 6 of the frame 5 and the angled portions 7 downwardly projecting therefrom may be slidingly accommodated. As a result, the lower edge surface of the downwardly angled portion 7 will serve as a sliding surface against the lower defining surface of the recess.
A slight distance from its front end, the carrier rail 8 is provided with an arm 10 which extends inwardly over the frame and mounts, at its free end, a downwardly directed projection 11. The arm 10 is of such length as to extend throughout the entire width of the frame 5 so that the projection 11 may grasp down interiorly in the frame. In such instance, the projection 11 will, if the wire basket is withdrawn too far, catch in the frame and thereby prevent continued withdrawal of the wire basket.
In order to permit withdrawal and insertion of a wire basket in a pair of carrier rails 8, the carrier rails are provided with a downwardly extending recess 12 in the bottom of the recess 9 and approximately in register with the projecting arm 10. The depth of this recess 12 is adapted such that, if the front and outer end of the wire basket is lifted, the frame will be allowed to pass beneath the downwardly directed projection 11 on the arm 10.
In order to prevent the wire basket from overshooting in such practical applications where the cabinet or outer frame has no rear piece, the recess 9 is provided with an upwardly directed ramp 13, on its lower defining wall at the front end of the carrier rail 8. The end of the ramp 13 facing towards the forward end of the carrier rail 8 has an arrest surface 14 which is transversely directed, preferably approximately at right angles, to the longitudinal direction of the carrier rail 8. On insertion of the wire basket, the angled portion 7 on the front piece 4 of the basket will come into abutment against the arrest surface 14, whereby further insertion of the basket is prevented. It might also be mentioned that a groove 15 is provided between the ramp 13 and the bottom surface (the vertical side surface) of the longitudinal recess 9, the purpose of the groove being to accommodate the downwardly angled portion 7 of the frame on the side portion thereof.
Fig. 2 shows an embodiment in which the downwardly angled portion 7 only extends around the corners of the frame and terminates a short distance in on the front and rear pieces 4 of the wire basket. These parts of the downwardly angled portions 7 on the front piece 4 function as described above as insertion arrest means for cooperation with the arrest surface 14 on the carrier rail 8.
The present invention may be modified further without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended Claims.