Wall-mounted sliding storage enclosure with fail-safe position fixing mechanism

Abstract

A sliding storage system includes a vertical rod having upper and lower ends. Brackets attach the upper and lower ends of the rod to a wall to fix the rod in a vertical orientation. A storage device in the form of a rigid cabinet slidably is mounted on the rod for free sliding movements between (i) the lower end of the rod for positioning the storage device in a lower position to provide access to a user and allow the user to place an object on or remove an object from the cabinet and (ii) the upper end for positioning the storage device in a storage position generally above the living space of the user. A locking member in the form of a clutch plate cooperates with the cabinet and the vertical rod, the clutch plate being movable between a locking position for locking the cabinet against vertical movements along said rod and a releasing position enabling the cabinet to selectively and freely move vertically upwardly and downwardly along the rod. A spring acting between the cabinet and the clutch plate normally urges the clutch plate to move to the locking position. A manual release is actuatable directly by a user or indirectly by a line extending over a sheave above the rod to move the clutch plate from a locking position to a releasing position when manually actuated by a user to overcome the action of the spring. In this way, manual activation of the manual release allows a user to selectively raise or lower the cabinet to place an object on or remove an object from the cabinet in a lowered position and to store an object in a raised position of the cabinet.

1 . Sliding storage system comprising:
 a generally elongate mounting member having upper and lower ends; attaching means for attaching said upper and lower ends to a generally vertical surface to fix said mounting member in a generally vertical orientation; a storage device having a generally horizontal support member slidably mounted on said vertical member for sliding movements between (i) said lower end for positioning said storage device in a lower position to provide access to a user and allowing the user to place an object on or remove an object from said support member and (ii) said upper end for positioning said storage device in a storage position generally above the living space of the user; locking means cooperating with said mounting member and said support member, said locking means being movable between a locking position for locking said support member against vertical movements along said mounting member and a releasing position enabling said support member to selectively freely move vertically upwardly and downwardly along said mounting member; biasing means for normally urging said locking means to move to said locking position; and manual releasing means for moving said locking means from a locking position to said releasing position when manually actuated by a user to overcome the action of said biasing means, whereby manual activation of said manual releasing means allows a user to selectively raise or lower said support member to place an object on or remove an object from said support member in a lowered position and to store an object in a raised position of said support member.   
     
     
         2 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein storage device is provided with means for promoting smooth and free vertical movements of said support member along said mounting member when said locking means is in said releasing position. 
     
     
         3 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said storage device comprises an enclosure having upper and lower horizontal walls spaced from each other and each having an aperture for passage of said mounting member with clearance, said lower wall comprising said support member and the spacing between said upper and lower walls being spaced to maintain said walls in substantially horizontal planes. 
     
     
         4 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said enclosure is also provided with side or end walls to provide a more rigid structure to insure that said top and bottom walls engaging said mounting member remain in substantially horizontal planes. 
     
     
         5 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 3 , further comprising stiffening means for rendering said enclosure more rigid and insuring that said top and bottom walls engaging said mounting member remain in substantially horizontal planes. 
     
     
         6 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said stiffening means includes at least one post across an open end of said enclosure remote from said mounting member. 
     
     
         7 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said storage device is formed of a rigid material that resists deformation under load to insure that said support member remains in a horizontal plane substantially normal to said vertical mounting member irrespective of the load placed on said support member. 
     
     
         8 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said mounting member comprises a cylindrical rod. 
     
     
         9 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said locking means comprises a clutch plate including an aperture for receiving said mounting member with clearance and movable between a horizontal position normal to said mounting member in a non-engaging position and an offset angular position relative to said mounting member in a mounting member engaging and gripping position, said biasing means comprising a spring for normally urging said clutch plate to said offset angular position to thereby automatically lock said support member to said mounting member when there is no manual intervention. 
     
     
         10 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said spring is a compression spring. 
     
     
         11 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said spring is a leaf spring. 
     
     
         12 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising reinforcing means on said support member in the region of interaction of said support member with said mounting member to resist stresses imparted on said support member during abrupt stops of said support member as a result of the actions of said locking means. 
     
     
         13 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said storage device is formed of a plastic material. 
     
     
         14 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said storage device comprises a substantially enclosed housing including access doors. 
     
     
         15 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of storage devices are provided laterally in tandem to each other and each independently slidably mounted on an associated mounting member. 
     
     
         16 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said manual releasing means comprises a portion of said locking means that is manually accessible for application of a manual force to overcome said biasing means and permit said biasing means to be moved to said releasing position. 
     
     
         17 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising a sheave above said upper end of said mounting member and a line extending over said sheave and having one end of the line coupled to said locking means portion and another end of said line extending below said lower end of said mounting member and accessible to a user, whereby a user may activate said manual releasing means by pulling said other end of the line downwardly to move said locking means portion by way of said sheave to overcome said biasing means and move said locking means to said releasing position. 
     
     
         18 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said attaching means comprises upper and lower brackets each provided with apertures for passage of said mounting member, said upper bracket permitting unrestricted movements of said mounting member only along a vertical direction while said lower bracket only allowing movement of said mounting member downwardly until said lower end of said mounting member attains a lower position substantially coextensive with said lower bracket, whereby said mounting member may be attached to a vertical surface by attaching said brackets to said vertical surface and lowering said mounting member through said apertures first of said upper bracket and subsequently of said lower bracket until further downward movements are prevented by said lower bracket. 
     
     
         19 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said brackets are generally U-shaped and each formed of a pair of upper and lower spaced flat horizontal members in which said apertures are formed and a connecting flat vertical member integrally formed with said horizontal members, aperture means being formed in said connecting flat vertical members for a fastener for securing said brackets to said vertical surface, said lowermost flat horizontal member of said lower bracket being configured to prevent passage of said mounting member there through. 
     
     
         20 . A sliding storage system as defined in  claim 18 , further comprising locking members cooperating with said brackets for locking said mounting member against vertical movements once said mounting member is secured to said brackets and engaged with said support member.