GB2243069A

GB2243069A - Switchgear cabinet having an extensible printer

Info

Publication number: GB2243069A
Application number: GB9107016A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jurgen Zachrai
Original assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1990-04-06
Filing date: 1991-04-04
Publication date: 1991-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-04
Also published as: GB2243069B; FR2660534A1; GB9107016D0; FR2660534B1; DE4108379C2; DE4108379A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a switchgear cabinet, having a supporting frame formed from horizontal and vertical frame portions, a printer (60 - not shown) which is mounted on a carrier plate (11), and extensible paper storage and paper deposit trays (20, 20'), the paper storage tray (20') being offset relative to the front end of the printer and the paper deposit tray (20) being offset relative to the rear end of the printer when the printer is in its operational position. Access to the printer (60) and the trays (20, 20') is improved and guidance of the paper is substantially easier, in that the carrier plate (11), the paper storage tray (20') and the paper deposit tray (20) are connected to form a printer extension member (10), which is extensible by means of extensible telescopic rails (42) of at least two-piece telescopic extension members (40), in that the fixed telescopic rails (41) are connected to the vertical frame portions (51 to 54) of the supporting frame, in that two vertical lateral plates (30) are secured to the underside of the carrier plate at two oppositely situated lateral edges, and the paper storage tray (20') and the paper deposit tray (20) are mounted between said lateral plates (30) so as to lie one above the other and be offset by the prescribed amount relative to the printer (6) mounted on the carrier plate (11), in that the carrier plate has a circumferential edge, and in that each edge surface is provided with at least two mounting recesses, into which associated mounting bolts (43) are insertable, such bolts being fitted on the extensible telescopic rails (42) of the telescopic extension members (40). <IMAGE>

Description

A SWITCHGEAR CABINET HAVING A SUPPORTING FRAME AND AN EXTENSIBLE PRINTER The invention relates to a switchgear cabinet, having a supporting frame formed from horizontal and vertical frame portions, for a printer which is mounted on a carrier plate, and extensible paper storage and paper deposit trays, the paper storage tray being offset relative to the front end of the printer and the paper deposit tray being offset relative to the rear end of the printer, when the printer is in its operational position.

A switchgear cabinet having an extensible printer support of this type is known from DE 37 05 801 Al. In such case, the carrier plate is securely connected to the top wall of the switchgear cabinet and protrudes beyond the front end of the switchgear cabinet. The carrier plate is provided with apertures, through which the web of paper is guided from the paper storage tray to the printer and from the printer to the paper deposit tray. In such case, the printer is situated in the front region of the carrier plate, so that the web of paper can be guided upwardly from the paper storage tray, which has been extended from the switchgear cabinet, in front of the switchgear cabinet to the printer. The paper deposit tray remains retracted in the switchgear cabinet and accommodates the web of paper coming from the printer internally of the switchgear cabinet.The paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are guided so as to be extensible in fixed guide rails, which are connected to the supporting frame of the switchgear cabinet.

In this embodiment for the printer, the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray, the printer cannot be accommodated in the switchgear cabinet for protection during non-use. In addition, access to the paper deposit tray is only possible via the aperture in the carrier plate. This is very difficult, even when the paper deposit tray is extended. Another disadvantage is that the printer can only be used at right angles to the front end of the switchgear cabinet, and, when the switchgear cabinet is installed in a corner of a room, such an arrangement reduces the operator's comfort considerably.

With a switchgear cabinet of the initially mentioned type, an object of the invention is to provide the printer with the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray in such a manner that use thereof may be facilitated and adapted to the room conditions, and, in particular, access to the paper deposit tray is improved and facilitated, as is the manner in which the web of paper is changed.

According to the invention there is provided a switchgear cabinet, having a supporting frame formed from horizontal and vertical frame portions, for receiving a printer which is mounted on a carrier plate, and extensible paper storage and paper deposit trays, the paper storage tray being offset relative to the front end of the printer and the paper deposit tray being offset relative to the rear end of the printer when the printer is in its operational position, characterised in that the carrier plate of a printer extension member is secured or is securable, and the carrier plate, the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are connected to form a printer extension member, which is extensible by means of extensible telescopic rails of at least two-piece telescopic extension members,the fixed telescopic rails being connected to the vertical frame portions of the supporting frame, and two vertical lateral plates being secured to the underside of the carrier plate at two oppositely situated lateral edges, and the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are mounted between said lateral plates so as to lie one above the other and be offset by the prescribed amount relative to the printer mounted on the carrier plate, the carrier plate having a circumferential edge, each edge surface being provided with at least two mounting recesses, into which associated mounting bolts are insertable, such bolts being fitted on the extensible telescopic rails of the telescopic extension members.

Since the carrier plate forms a unit with the printer, which is mounted thereon, with the paper storage tray and with the paper deposit tray, such unit being manually extensible from the switchgear cabinet and being reinsertable into the switchgear cabinet, the printer is easier to use, even when changing the web of paper. When the printer extension member is in its extended position, the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are easily accessible, and such access may be further improved, because the printer extension member can be connected to the telescopic extension members in three different operational positions, so that the printer may be used at right angles to, and parallel with, the front end of the switchgear cabinet and may be adapted to the room conditions.In the non-use position, the printer extension member is slid into the switchgear cabinet together with the printer, and the printer is stored for its protection.

The desired position of the printer extension member is easily determinable, in that each mounting recess has a threaded bore associated therewith in the carrier plate for insertion of a locking screw, which secures the mounting bolt in the associated mounting recess, so that it cannot be removed therefrom.

The assembly of the printer extension member is simplified, in that the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are identical in form and are provided with fixing edges at two oppositely situated ends, while the other ends are provided with terminal edges, in that the lateral plates are each provided with two pairs of threaded bolts per tray, such pairs being disposed at a prescribed spacing from one another, and in that the fixing edges of the trays are each provided with three fixing bores, which are each provided at the same spacing from one another.

According to one embodiment, since the lateral plates complete the trays at these ends, the terminal edges of the trays are higher than the fixing edges, and the ends of the terminal edges are inclined or rounded.

According to another embodiment, the connection between the carrier plate and the lateral plates is such that the lateral plates at the upper ends facing the carrier plate are provided with outwardly chamfered fixing edges, having fixing bores formed therein, and the carrier plate is provided with correspondingly distributed threaded bolts, or accommodates fixing screws.

According to a further embodiment, in order to facilitate the guidance of the paper, even in the region of the carrier plate, the carrier plate comprises a recess for the printer and, towards the rear end of the printer extension member, a paper guiding slot provided with paper guiding rollers.

The invention is explained more fully by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the component parts for the assembly of the printer extension member; Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the connection between the printer extension member and the telescopic extension members, which are mounted in the switchgear cabinet; and Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the guidance of the paper in the printer extension member.

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the component parts for the printer extension member, and such component parts assume the assembly position. The supporting element is a carrier plate 11 which is provided with a recess 12 for insertion of the printer.

This carrier plate 11 has a circumferential edge 13, two mounting recesses 14 being provided in each edge surface and being in the form of an elongate hole with an insert aperture. In the region of each mounting recess 14, the carrier plate 11 has a threaded bore 15 for accommodating a locking screw 35, which serves to secure a mounting bolt in the mounting recess 14, as also shown.

A paper guiding slot 16 is provided in the carrier plate 11 and extends towards the rear end of the printer extension member, and paper guiding rollers 18 are mounted in a raised portion. On the underside of the carrier plate 11, two threaded bolts 17 and 19 are provided at at least two oppositely situated ends, preferably at the ends which extend at right angles to the front end, and said bolts are insertable into fixing bores 34 in fixing edges 32 of lateral plates 30. The lateral plates 30 are secured to the underside of the carrier plate 11 by means of washers and nuts, which are screw-connectable onto these threaded bolts 17 and 19. The lower, horizontal surfaces of the lateral plates 30 are provided with inwardly chamfered supporting edges 31. The lateral plates 30 are identical in form and are connected to the carrier plate 11 when rotated through 1800.Each lateral plate 30 is provided with two pairs of fixing bolts 27 and 28 respectively, which are each fitted on the inner surfaces of the lateral plates 30, which face one another at a prescribed spacing from one another. A paper storage tray 20' and a paper deposit tray 20 are mounted between the lateral plates 30. The two trays are identical in form and are provided, at two oppositely situated ends, with fixing edges 21 and 22, which are each provided with three fixing bores 23 and 24. The fixing bores 23 and 24 are disposed at the same prescribed spacing from one another, so that the paper storage tray 20' can be connected to the lateral plates 30 so as to be offset relative to the front end of the printer extension member, and the paper deposit tray 20 can be connected to the lateral plates 30 so as to be offset relative to the rear end of the printer extension member.The screw-connections are completed by washers and nuts, which are screwed onto threaded bolts 27 and 28, which are inserted into the fixing bores 23 and 24. The lateral plates 30 are reinforced at their vertical ends by means of chamfered reinforcing edges 33.

Fig. 2 illustrates the assembled printer extension member 10 in front of a partially illustrated supporting frame 50, which is provided with vertical frame portions 51, 52, 53 and 54. A first two-piece telescopic extension member 40, which is provided with a fixed telescopic rail 41, is mounted on the frame portions 51 and 53, and a second two-piece telescopic extension member 40, which is provided with a fixed telescopic rail 41, is mounted on the frame portions 52 and 54. Extensible telescopic rails 42 of these telescopic extension members 40 are each provided with two mounting bolts 43, which are disposed at a spacing from one another, and such spacing corresponds to the spacing between the two mounting recesses 14 in the edge surfaces of the edge 13 of the carrier plate.In consequence, the printer extension member 10 is selectively mountable in the mounting bolts 43 of the telescopic rails 42 with the front end orientated to the left, forwardly or to the right. The mounting bolts 43 are inserted into the elongate holes in the mounting recesses 14 via the insert slots, the printer extension member 10 being horizontally displaced. The locking screws 35 are screwed in position in the threaded bores 15 adjacent the occupied mounting recesses 14, with the result that the mounting bolts 43 are non-displaceably retained in the elongate holes in the mounting recesses 14. The printer extension member 10 may be extended as a unit with the paper storage tray 20' and the paper deposit tray 20. In the extended position, the two trays are freely accessible from the front and rear ends of the printer extension member 10, so that the guidance of the paper is substantially facilitated, and there is no difficulty in changing the paper, as is apparent in Fig. 3.

A supply of paper 61 in the paper storage tray 20' is guided upwardly in front of the paper deposit tray 20 via the paper path 62, and the paper 63 is guided in the underside of a printer 60. The web of paper is guided through the paper guiding slot 16 onto the upper surface of the carrier plate 11, and the paper 64 is guided into the printer 60. The paper 66, coming from the printer 60, is guided over the paper guiding rollers 18 and passes through the paper guiding slot 16 into the paper deposit tray 20, as can be seen from the paper 66 and the deposited paper 67.

Claims

1. A switchgear cabinet, having a supporting frame formed from horizontal and vertical frame portions, for receiving a printer which is mounted on a carrier plate, and extensible paper storage and paper deposit trays, the paper storage tray being offset relative to the front end of the printer and the paper deposit tray being offset relative to the rear end of the printer when the printer is in its operational position, characterised in that the carrier plate of a printer extension member is secured or is securable, and the carrier plate, the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are connected to form a printer extension member, which is extensible by means of extensible telescopic rails of at least two-piece telescopic extension members,the fixed telescopic rails being connected to the vertical frame portions of the supporting frame, and two vertical lateral plates being secured to the underside of the carrier plate at two oppositely situated lateral edges, and the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are mounted between said lateral plates so as to lie one above the other and be offset by the prescribed amount relative to the printer mounted on the carrier plate, the carrier plate having a circumferential edge, each edge surface being provided with at least two mounting recesses, into which associated mounting bolts are insertable, such bolts being fitted on the extensible telescopic rails of the telescopic extension members.

2. A switchgear cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein each mounting recess has a threaded bore associated therewith in the carrier plate for insertion of a locking screw, which secures the mounting bolt in the associated mounting recess so that it cannot be removed therefrom.

3. A switchgear cabinet as claimed in one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the paper storage tray and the paper deposit tray are identical in form and are provided with fixing edge sat two oppositely situated ends, while the other ends are provided with terminal edges,the lateral plates are each provided with two pairs of threaded boltsper tray, such pairs being disposed at a prescribed spacing from one another, and the fixing edges of the trays are each provided with three fixing bores, which are each provided at the same spacing from one another.

4. A switchgear cabinet as claimed in claim 3, wherein the terminal edges of the trays are higher than the fixing edges, and the corners of the terminal edges are inclined or rounded.

5. A switchgear cabinet as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lateral plate sat the upper ends facing the carrier plateare provided with outwardly chamfered fixing edge shaving fixing bores formed therein, and the carrier plate is provided with correspondingly distributed threaded bolts or accommodates fixing screws.

6. A switchgear cabinet as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the carrier plate comprises a recess for the printer and, towards the rear end of the printer extension member, a paper guiding slot provided with paper guiding rollers.