A tool chest includes a lidded base defining a storage compartment therein and a pegboard-type tool pallet adapted to carry tools on an obverse side thereof and shiftable between a first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with the obverse side up, and a second position upstanding from the rear end of the base with the obverse side forward and supported against the open lid for uncovering and providing access to the storage compartment. In one embodiment the pallet is pivotally connected to the base with a link arm and has handles for lifting the pallet between its first and second position. In a second embodiment the pallet is pivotally connected to the lid so that when the lid is opened it pulls the pallet up to its second position. The front end of the pallet has pins or rollers supported on guide rails for guiding movement between the first and second positions.
|
1. In a tool chest including a bottom wall and peripheral wall structure having a forward end and a rearward end and upstanding from said bottom wall for cooperation therewith to define an open-top storage compartment therein, and a cover coupled to the peripheral wall structure adjacent to the rearward end thereof for movement between a closed position to close the storage compartment and an upstanding open position exposing the storage compartment, the improvement comprising: a tool pallet having an obverse side for supporting tools thereon and a reverse side and disposed in the tool chest and shiftable between first and second positions relative thereto, coupling means permanently connecting said pallet to said tool chest and accommodating movement of said pallet between said first and second positions, said pallet in its first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with said obverse side facing away from the bottom wall, said pallet in its second position being inclined with respect to the bottom wall with the cover in its open position and with said obverse side facing toward the forward end of the wall structure and with said reverse side facing the cover so as to uncover the storage compartment and permit access thereto, and support means on the tool chest for supporting said pallet in each of its first and second positions, said support means including a pair of elongated guide rails disposed on opposite sides of the peripheral wall structure, and means on said pallet engageable with said guide rail.
2. In a tool chest including a bottom wall and peripheral wall structure having a forward end and a rearward end and upstanding from aid bottom wall for cooperation therewith to define an open-top storage compartment therein, and a cover coupled to the peripheral wall structure adjacent to the rearward end thereof for movement between a closed position to close the storage compartment and an upstanding open position exposing the storage compartment, the improvement comprising: a tool pallet having an obverse side for supporting tools thereon and a reverse side and disposed in the tool chest and shiftable between first and second positions relative thereto, said pallet in its first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with said obverse side facing away from the bottom wall, said pallet in its second position being inclined with respect to the bottom wall with the cover in its open position and with said obverse side facing toward the forward end of the wall structure and with said reverse side facing the cover so as to uncover the storage compartment and permit access thereto, means coupling said pallet to the cover and responsive to movement of the cover between its closed and open positions for effecting movement of said pallet between its first and second positions, and guide means on the peripheral wall structure cooperating with said coupling means for supporting said pallet in each of its first and second positions and for guiding movement
of said pallet between its first and second positions. 3. The tool chest of
4. The tool chest of
5. The tool chest of
6. The tool chest of
engagement with said guide rails.7. A tool chest comprising: a bottom wall and peripheral wall structure having a forward end and a rearward end and upstanding from said bottom wall to define an open-top storage compartment, a cover coupled to the wall structure adjacent to the rearward end thereof for cooperation therewith to define an enclosure and movable between a closed position and an upstanding open position relative to the storage compartment, a tool pallet disposed in said enclosure and having front and rear ends and an obverse side for supporting tools thereon and a reverse side, coupling structure permanently connecting said pallet to said enclosure and accommodating movement of said pallet between first and second positions, said pallet in its first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with said obverse side facing away from the bottom wall, said pallet in its second position being inclined with respect to the bottom wall with the cover in its open position and with said obverse side facing toward the forward end of the wall structure and with said reverse side facing the cover so as to uncover the storage compartment and permit access thereto, and support structure on the enclosure for supporting said pallet in each of its first and second positions, said support structure including a pair of elongated guide rails disposed on opposite sides of the wall structure and guide structure on the pallet engageable with the rails, said coupling structure including a pair of side flanges on said pallet depending therefrom along opposite sides thereof, a pair of ears on said cover protecting from opposite sides thereof, and pivot joints connecting said ears respectively to said side flanges.8. A tool chest comprising: a bottom wall and peripheral wall structure having a forward end and a rearward end and upstanding from said bottom wall to define an open-top storage compartment, a cover coupled to the wall structure adjacent to the rearward end thereof for cooperation therewith to define an enclosure and movable between a closed position and an upstanding open position relative to the storage compartment, a tool pallet disposed in said enclosure and having front and rear ends and an obverse side for supporting tools thereon and a reverse side, coupling structure permanently connecting said pallet to said enclosure and accommodating movement of said pallet between first and second positions, said pallet in its first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with said obverse side facing away from the bottom wall, said pallet in its second position being inclined with respect to the bottom wall with the cover in its open position and with said obverse side facing toward the forward end of the wall structure and with said reverse side facing the cover so as to uncover the storage compartment and permit access thereto, and support structure on the enclosure for supporting said pallet in each of its first and second positions, said support structure including a pair of guide rails respectively disposed along opposite sides of the wall structure, said pallet including rollers rotatable carried thereby and respectively disposed for rolling engagement with said guide rails.9. The tool chest of claim 8, wherein said coupling structure includes structure connecting said pallet to said wall structure.10. The tool chest of claim 9, wherein said pallet includes handle means for facilitating manual movement thereof between the first and second positions thereon.11. In a tool chest including a bottom wall and peripheral wall structure having a forward end and a rearward end and upstanding from said bottom wall for cooperation to define an open-top storage compartment therein, and a cover coupled to the peripheral wall structure adjacent to the rearward end thereof for movement between a closed position to close the storage compartment and an upstanding open position exposing the storage compartment, the improvement comprising: a tool pallet having an obverse side for supporting tools thereon and a reverse side and disposed in the tool chest and shiftable between first and second positions relative thereto, said pallet in its first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with said obverse side facing away from the bottom wall, said pallet in its second position being inclined with respect to the bottom wall with the cover in its open position and with said obverse side facing toward the forward end of the wall structure and with said reverse side facing the cover so as to uncover the storage compartment and permit access thereto, means coupling said pallet to the cover and responsive to movement of the cover between its closed and open positions for effecting movement of said pallet between its first and second positions, and guide means on the peripheral wall structure cooperating with said coupling means for supporting said pallet in each of its first and second positions and for guiding movement of said pallet between its first and second positions, said coupling means including a pair of side flanges on said pallet depending therefrom along opposite sides thereof, a pair of ears on the cover protecting from opposite sides thereof, and means pivotally connecting said ears respectively to said side flanges.12. In a tool chest including a bottom wall and peripheral wall structure having a forward end and a rearward end and upstanding from said bottom wall for cooperation to define an open-top storage compartment therein, and a cover coupled to the peripheral wall structure adjacent to the rearward end thereof for movement between a closed position to close the storage compartment and an upstanding open position exposing the storage compartment, the improvement comprising: a tool pallet having an obverse side for supporting tools thereon and a reverse side and disposed in the tool chest and shiftable between first and second positions relative thereto, said pallet in its first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with said obverse side facing away from the bottom wall, said pallet in its second position being inclined with respect to the bottom wall with the cover in its open position and with said obverse side facing toward the forward end of the wall structure and with said reverse side facing the cover so as to uncover the storage compartment and permit access thereto, means coupling said pallet to the cover and responsive to movement of the cover between its closed and open positions for effecting movement of said pallet between its first and second positions, and guide means on the peripheral wall structure cooperating with said coupling means for supporting said pallet in each of its first and second positions and for guiding movement of said pallet between its first and second positions, said guide means including a pair of guide rails respectively disposed along opposite sides of the peripheral wall structure, said pallet including rollers rotatable carried thereby and respectively disposed for rolling engagement with said guide rails.13. The tool chest of claim 12, wherein said means coupling includes structure connecting said pallet to said wall structure.14. The tool chest of claim 13, wherein said pallet includes handle means for facilitating manual movement thereof between the first and second positions thereon. |
|||||||||||||||||
cover side walls 83 and 84 ears 90 and the base side walls 74, as at 96a and 97a, and pivotally connected to each other by pivot pin 98. A sleeve 99 locks the cover 80 in its open position and is stopped against a pin 99a (FIGS. 15-17).
The tool chest 70 includes a tool pallet 100 in the nature of a flat, rectangular panel having an obverse side 101 and being provided with a plurality of holes 110a therethrough (FIG. 18), preferably arranged in a grid or matrix configuration in the nature of a pegboard. The pallet 100 is provided at its front end with a depending front flange 102. Fixedly secured to the underside of the pallet 100 just rearwardly of the front flange 102 at the opposite sides thereof are two laterally outwardly projecting guide pins or rollers 104, respectively receivable in sliding or rolling engagement in the guide channels 77. The pallet 100 is provided at its rear end with a depending rear flange 105 and is provided along its opposite side edges with depending side flanges 106. The cover ears 90 are respectively pivotally connected by pivot pins 107 to the pallet side flanges 106 toward the rear ends thereof.
In use, it will be appreciated that the cover 80 is movable between fully open and closed positions in the same manner as was described above in connection with the cover 30. Because of the pivotal connection between the cover ears 90 and the pallet 100, movement of the cover 80 between its open and closed positions will result in a corresponding movement of the pallet 100, this movement being guided by the engagement of the guide pins or rollers 104 in the guide channels 77. More specifically, when the cover 80 is closed, the pallet 100 is disposed substantially horizontally just above the base front wall 76, overlying and substantially covering the storage compartment 79. As the cover 80 is opened, the rear end of the pallet 100 is lifted and the front end thereof slides upwardly and rearwardly along the guide channels 77, as illustrated in FIGS. 14-16. When the cover 80 is latched in its fully open position, illustrated in FIGS. 17-19, the pallet 100 is disposed in its upstanding display position, adjacent to the rear end of the tool chest 70, with the tools thereon displayed forwardly for easy viewing and access. The latching of the cover 80 in its open position by the linkage assemblies 95 prevents the pallet 100 from sliding back down toward its stowed position. It can be seen that when the pallet 100 is thus disposed in its display position, the storage compartment 79 is uncovered, accommodating easy access thereto. It will be appreciated that, when the cover 80 is unlatched and closed, the pallet 100 responds by returning to its stowed position.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved tool chest with a built-in tool pallet which is easily movable between a stowed position covering a storage compartment and an upright display position permitting easy access to the storage compartment.
Happ, Kenneth C., Slivon, George R., Gasperi, Nancy C. Rittmann, Alfaro, Erick E., Bauer, Roman L., Burns, Alex F., Chan, Jason Chak Chung, Kadlecek, Alois, Niles, George A.
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| 8162190, | Aug 29 2008 | WERNER CO | Ergonomic lift mechanism for a truck box |
| 8215728, | May 13 2008 | WATERLOO INDUSTRIES, INC | Storage enclosure |
| 9936825, | Feb 06 2017 | Streater, LLC; Streater LLC | Convertible multilevel shelving unit and display fixture |
| D643234, | Feb 05 2009 | WATERLOO INDUSTRIES, INC | Tool chest |
| D645282, | Dec 29 2008 | WATERLOO INDUSTRIES, INC | Tool chest |
| D668474, | Jul 29 2011 | Seville Classics Inc. | Storage chest |
| D779200, | May 19 2015 | Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.; STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC | Storage container |
| D788491, | Aug 06 2015 | Seville Classics, Inc.; Seville Classics, Inc | Wall cabinet |
| D804874, | Aug 06 2015 | Seville Classics, Inc | Wall cabinet |
| D909798, | Nov 15 2017 | NewAge Products Inc. | Cabinet |
| D909799, | Nov 15 2017 | NewAge Products Inc. | Cabinet |
| ER1764, | |||
| ER2744, | |||
| ER415, | |||
| ER8298, |
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| 1488456, | |||
| 1497379, | |||
| 1761331, | |||
| 1984345, | |||
| 2152378, | |||
| 2264419, | |||
| 2272303, | |||
| 2570636, | |||
| 2596043, | |||
| 2657793, | |||
| 2675290, | |||
| 2778704, | |||
| 2823971, | |||
| 3012658, | |||
| 3062606, | |||
| 3995926, | Jan 15 1976 | Flat-opening box | |
| 407009, | |||
| 4150861, | May 21 1976 | ESTEREL INTERNATIONAL | Article of furniture for campers |
| 4266835, | Sep 04 1979 | Compact position lock tool box | |
| 4285556, | Feb 25 1980 | Tool chest | |
| 4285557, | Sep 14 1979 | PALADINO, ANGELO | Storage tray for packaged articles |
| 4288134, | Aug 21 1980 | Knaack Manufacturing Company | Storage cabinet |
| 4378828, | Apr 06 1981 | EXXON PRODUCTION RESEARCH COMPANY, A CORP OF DEL | Combined collapsible workbench and removable tool carrier |
| 4723821, | Oct 27 1986 | Chest Mate, Inc. | Drawing display board attachment for tool boxes |
| 4775201, | Nov 14 1986 | Whirlpool Corporation | Removable tilt-down bin for refrigerator |
| 4783131, | Apr 16 1985 | ALFRED GRASS GES M B H | Fitting for a cupboard with overhead opening door |
| 490884, | |||
| DE2703367, | |||
| EP474968, | |||
| GB469845, |
| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Oct 09 1996 | Snap-on Technologies, Inc. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
| Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
| Oct 25 2001 | ASPN: Payor Number Assigned. |
| Date | Maintenance Schedule |
| Nov 09 2002 | 4 years fee payment window open |
| May 09 2003 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Nov 09 2003 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
| Nov 09 2005 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
| Nov 09 2006 | 8 years fee payment window open |
| May 09 2007 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Nov 09 2007 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
| Nov 09 2009 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
| Nov 09 2010 | 12 years fee payment window open |
| May 09 2011 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Nov 09 2011 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
| Nov 09 2013 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |