Table Mounted Storage Cabinets

Abstract

A storage cabinet provided adjacent a side edge of a worktable mounted to the table with a first end of the storage cabinet near a front edge of the worktable and the cabinet extending away from the front edge to a rear edge of the table. The cabinet includes a first end storage compartment provided in the cabinet near the first end accessible through a first end access opening which is either at an end of the cabinet or at an inward lateral side of the cabinet open across the edge of the table towards the work surface of the table. The cabinet also includes a central storage compartment spaced from the first end by the first end storage compartment. The central cabinet compartment is accessible through a central access opening which opens either vertically upwardly or outwardly laterally away from the table.

I claim: 
     
         1 . In combination, a worktable and a storage cabinet,
 the worktable having a work surface with a front edge for access by a user, a rear edge opposite the front edge and a side edge joining the front edge and the rear edge,   the storage cabinet mounted to the table extending along the side edge with a first end of the storage cabinet proximate the front edge and the storage cabinet extending away from the first edge to the rear edge of the table,   a first end storage compartment provided in the storage cabinet proximate the first end accessible through a first end storage compartment access opening selected from one or more of one or more of an end access opening in the first end and an inward lateral access opening which opens across the side edge toward the work surface,   a central storage compartment provided in the storage cabinet spaced from the first end by the first end storage compartment, the central storage compartment accessible through a central storage compartment access opening selected from one or more of an upper opening vertically upwardly from the central storage compartment and an outward lateral opening which opens away from the side edge away from the work surface.   
     
     
         2 . In combination, a first worktable, a second worktable and a storage cabinet,
 each worktable having a work surface with a front edge for access by a user, a rear edge opposite the front edge, and a side edge joining the front edge and the rear edge,   the tables secured together with their rear edges in opposition, their front edges spaced and their side edges lying a common same straight line,   the storage cabinet having a first end and a second end,   the storage cabinet mounted to the tables extending along the side edges with the first end of the storage cabinet proximate the front edge of a first table and the second end of the storage cabinet proximate the front edge of the second table,   a first end storage compartment provided in the storage cabinet proximate the first end accessible through a first end storage compartment access opening selected from one or more of one or more of a first end access opening in the first end and a first inward lateral access opening which opens across the side edge toward the work surface of the first table,   a second end storage compartment provided in the storage cabinet proximate the second end accessible through a second end storage compartment access opening selected from one or more of one or more of a second end access opening in the second end and a second inward lateral access opening which opens across the side edge toward the work surface of the second table,   a central storage compartment provided in the storage cabinet in between the first end storage compartment and the second end storage compartment,   the central storage compartment accessible through a central storage compartment access opening selected from one or more of an upper opening vertically upwardly from the central storage compartment and an outward lateral opening which opens away from the side edge away from the work surface.   
     
     
         3 . A combination as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the storage cabinet comprises a hollow elongate box-like structure having an interior defined between the first end and the second end by a top panel, a bottom panel, a rear panel and a front panel,
 the top panel and bottom panel each being horizontal, 
 the rear panel and the front panel being vertical, 
 the rear panel spanning between the top panel and the bottom panel along a rear of the top panel and the bottom panel spacing the top panel and the bottom panel, and 
 the front panel spanning between the top panel and the bottom panel along a front of the top panel and the bottom panel spacing the top panel and the bottom panel. 
 
     
     
         4 . A combination as claimed in  claim 3  wherein:
 each of the top panel, the bottom panel, the rear panel and the front panel extend between the first end and the second end to form a hollow box-like structure, 
 the first end storage compartment, the second end storage compartment and the central storage compartment provided within the hollow box-like structure with the central storage compartment intermediate the first end storage compartment and the second end storage compartment. 
 
     
     
         5 . A combination as claimed in  claim 4  including a first end panel and a second end panel each being vertical,
 the first end panel spanning between the top panel and the bottom panel along a first end of the top panel and a first end of the bottom panel, and the first end panel spanning between the front panel and the rear panel along a first end of the front panel and a first end of the rear panel, 
 the second end panel spanning between the top panel and the bottom panel along a second end of the top panel and a second end of the bottom panel, and the second end panel spanning between the front panel and the rear panel along a second end of the front panel and a second end of the rear panel. 
 
     
     
         6 . A combination as claimed in  claim 4  wherein at the first end of the storage cabinet a first end of the top panel, a first end of the bottom panel, a first end of the front panel and a first end of the top panel are disposed in a common plane defining the first end access opening therebetween in the first end which comprises the first end storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         7 . A combination as claimed in  claim 6  wherein at the second end of the storage cabinet a second end of the top panel, a second end of the bottom panel, a second end of the front panel and a second end of the top panel are disposed in a common plane defining the second end access opening therebetween in the second end which comprises the second end storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         8 . A combination as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the upper opening extends vertically upwardly from the central storage compartment through the top panel to provide the central storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         9 . A combination as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the upper opening extends vertically upwardly from the central storage compartment through the top panel to provide the central storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         10 . A combination as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the outward lateral opening extends horizontally from the central storage compartment through the front panel to provide the central storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         11 . A combination as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the outward lateral opening extends horizontally from the central storage compartment through the front panel to provide the central storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         12 . A combination as claimed in  claim 4  including a first outermost vertical divider panel provided within the hollow box-like structure separating the first end storage compartment from the central storage compartment and a second outermost vertical divider panel provided within the hollow box-like structure separating the first end storage compartment from the central storage compartment. 
     
     
         13 . A combination as claimed in  claim 5  including a first outermost vertical divider panel provided within the hollow box-like structure separating the first end storage compartment from the central storage compartment and a second outermost vertical divider panel provided within the hollow box-like structure separating the first end storage compartment from the central storage compartment 
     
     
         14 . A combination as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the first inward lateral access opening extends horizontally from the first end storage compartment through the rear panel to provide the first end storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         15 . A combination as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the second inward lateral access opening extends horizontally from the second end storage compartment through the rear panel to provide the second end storage compartment access opening. 
     
     
         16 . A combination as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the work surface of each worktable is disposed in a horizontal plane at a common height,
 the storage cabinet mounted to the tables extending along the side edges with an upper surface of the bottom panel at the common height and accessible via the first inward lateral access opening to provide an extension of the work surface of the first worktable. 
 
     
     
         17 . A combination as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the work surface of each worktable is disposed in a horizontal plane at a common height,
 the storage cabinet mounted to the first worktable extending along the side edges with an upper surface of the bottom panel at the common height and accessible via the first inward lateral access opening to provide an extension of the work surface of the first work table, and with the upper surface of the bottom panel accessible via the second inward lateral access opening to provide an extension of the work surface of the second worktable. 
 
     
     
         18 . A combination as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the work surface of each worktable is disposed in a horizontal plane at a common height,
 the storage cabinet mounted to the tables extending along the side edges with an upper surface of the top panel at the common height to provide an extension of the work surfaces. 
 
     
     
         19 . A combination as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the work surface of each worktable is disposed in a horizontal plane at a common height,
 the storage cabinet mounted to the tables extending along the side edges with an upper surface of the top panel at the common height to provide an extension of the work surfaces.