US 4,226,490 AGranted

Stabilizing arrangement for movably mounted drawer or rack

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsThomas E. Jenkins, Thomas M. Hahn, Donald S. Cushing

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Abstract

An arrangement for stabilizing the in and out movement of a dishwasher dishrack which produces a precise guidance of the rack during its movement, including a stabilizer axle mounted to the rack and extending normally to the direction of movement. Friction rollers are fixed at either end of the stabilizer axle, spring-biased into engagement with an interior surface of the dishwasher cabinet, the constrained simultaneous rotation of each wheel serving to precisely control the movement and attitude of the rack during in and out movement. The spring-bias also preloads the rack mounting components to provide a vertical stabilizing effect. The stabilizer axle is mounted to specially configured rear corner brackets, housing spring-biased plungers which rotatably mount the axle, while producing the upward biasing thereof.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A motion stabilizing arrangement for a member mounted for guided relative translational movement with respect to a supporting structure along a fixed line of movement and in a fixed orientation with respect to said supporting structure, said arrangement including:

a stabilizer axle;
means rotatably mounting said stabilizer axle on said member, with said stabilizer axle extending in a direction normal to the line of movement of said member;
a pair of equal diameter friction rollers each connected to said stabilizer axle to rotate together therewith at spaced points along said stabilizer axle;
fixed guide surface means, including a surface portion disposed opposite each of said friction rollers on one side of said member and extending parallel to the line of movement of said member and the axis of said stabilizer axle;
means mounting said stabilizer axle for relative translational movement with respect to said member towards and away from said surface portions;
bias means acting on said stabilizer axle urging said friction rollers away from said member and into engagement with said fixed guide surface;
support means supporting the other side of said member during said translational movement and absorbing the reaction force created by said bias means;
whereby said friction rollers in engagement with said guide surface constrain said movement of said member along said line of direction in a fixed orientation with respect to said supporting structure and said support means is preloaded by said bias means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.