Safety lock system for vertically stacked storage elements

Abstract

A safety lock system for vertically stacked slideably retained storage elements, such as file drawers. The system comprises one or more locking bars vertically slideably retained in alignment in a vertical support guide channel. Two or more cam elements are pivotally secured on a respective fixed pivot axis to the support guide channel adjacent an opposed end of each of the locking bars. Each of the cam elements have a cam portion retained in planar alignment with the locking bars and an activating arm portion for rotating the cam portion about the fixed pivot axis. A displaceable space is provided below each cam element portion defined between one of the locking bar opposed ends and the cam portion. An engaging member is secured to one or more of the storage elements. The engaging member engages and displaces the activating arm portion of an associated cam element by predetermined displacement of a storage element having the engaging member to cause rotation of the associated cam portion to slidingly displace the locking bars thereabove through the displaceable space in immovable contact with their associated cam elements and arrest sliding displacement of the locking bars therebelow to maintain them in immovable contact with their associated cam elements to thereby immobilize all other cam elements against rotational displacement and thereby prevent slideable displacement of all other of the storage elements having an engaging member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.