Tool chest with sliding retractable step
AssigneeSnap-on Tools Corporation
InventorsDavid A. Huebschen, George R. Slivon, Larry D. Pacetti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool cabinet has rollers depending from a bottom wall for rolling engagement with an underlying floor. A retractable step has depending legs and spring-loaded casters which support the step so that it can freely roll except when weight is placed on the step driving the legs into engagement with the floor. The step has a vertical slot in which is received a depending arm of an angle bracket which is fixed to a roller slide assembly mounted on the underside of the cabinet so that the step can be horizontally rolled between a stowed position beneath the cabinet and an extended position extending from beneath the cabinet and can move between raised and lowered positions when extended.
Claims17
A retractable step assembly comprising:
- a step, retraction means adapted to be connected to an associated overlying support surface for reciprocating generally horizontal movement between extended and retracted positions, and coupling means extending laterally from said step for coupling said step to said retraction means for movement with said retraction means between said extended and retracted positions, said coupling means including a vertical opening in said step and a bracket connected to said retraction means having a depending flange received in said opening for preventing horizontal movement of said step relative to said retraction means while accommodating vertical movement of said step relative to said retraction means between raised and lowered positions.
A retractable step assembly comprising:
- a step, retraction means adapted to be connected to an associated overlying support surface for reciprocating generally horizontal movement between extended and retracted positions, and coupling means extending laterally from said step for coupling said step to said retraction means for movement with said retraction means between said extended and retracted positions, said coupling means including a vertical opening in said step and a bracket connected to said retraction means having a depending flange received in said opening for preventing horizontal movement of said step relative to said retraction means while accommodating vertical movement of said step relative to said retraction means between raised and lowered positions, first support means depending from said step for rolling engagement with an associated underlying support surface to support said step on the support surface and facilitate rolling movement of said step along the support surface when said step is disposed in the raised position of said step, and second support means depending from said step for frictional engagement with the associated underlying support surface to inhibit movement along the support surface when said step is disposed in the lowered position of said step.
In a cabinet having support structure for supporting the cabinet a predetermined distance above a floor, the improvement comprising:
- a retractable step, retraction means connected to the cabinet for reciprocating generally horizontal movement between extended and retracted positions, and coupling means extending laterally from said step for coupling said step to said retraction means for movement with said retraction means between a stowed position disposed underneath the cabinet when said retraction means is in its retracted position and a use position extending from underneath the cabinet when said retraction means is in its extended position, said coupling means including a vertical opening in said step and a bracket connected to said retraction means having a depending flange received in said opening for preventing horizontal movement of said step relative to said retraction means while accommodating vertical movement of said step relative to said retraction means between a raised position freely movable along the floor and a lowered position frictionally engageable with the floor for inhibiting movement along the floor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.