US3768882A

US3768882A - Detachable collar for surface-mounted wall cabinet

Info

Publication number: US3768882A
Application number: US00202178A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Ohlhauser; A Piller
Original assignee: Celotex Corp
Current assignee: MIAMI CAREY Corp A CORP; MIAMI-CAREY Corp 305 GARVER ROAD MONROE OH 45050 A DE CORP
Priority date: 1971-11-26
Filing date: 1971-11-26
Publication date: 1973-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-30
Also published as: CA972025A

Abstract

The application discloses an improved collar assembly, by the use of which a recessed type rectangular cabinet may be adapted to surface mounted installation. The collar consists of two or more collar pieces formed from a semi-rigid collar strip of special configuration, and is characterized by the fact that each collar piece is of rectangular form at its ends, and the corners are preformed intermediate the ends, and are seamless. The collar may consist of four segments, each having a preformed seamless corner, or two of which have two preformed seamless corners each, the remaining two pieces being straight; or it may consist of two segments, each having two preformed seamless corners, each piece constituting one half of the complete collar. The collar pieces are attached to the cabinet in various ways, preferably by a snap-in construction.

Description

[111 3,768,882 Oct. 30, 1973 DETACIIABLE COLLAR FOR SURFACE-MOUNTED WALL CABINET [75] Inventors: Ernest F. Ohlhauser; Alvin J. Piller,

both of Cincinnati, Ohio [73] Assignee: The Celotex Corporation, Tampa,

Flav

[22] Filed: Nov. 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 202,178

[52] US. Cl. 312/242, 312/140 [51] A47b 67/02 [58] Field of Search 312/140, 111, 242, 312/257; 52/521, 528

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,417 1/1935 Skoogh 312/140 2,612,283 9/1952 Cole 312/242 UX 2,709,634 5/1955 Blashfield 312/242 X 1 2,785,035 3/1957 Hammer 312/257 3,203,149 8/1965 Soddy 52/588 X 3,438,164 4/1969 Duepree 52/282- 3,650,080 3/1972 Leale 52/288 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,509,860 8/1969 Germany 52/282 Primary ExaminerPaul Gilliam Attorney-James W. Grace [57] ABSTRACT The application discloses an improved collar assem bly, by the use of which a recessed type rectangular cabinet may be adapted to surface mounted installation. The collar consists of two or more collar pieces formed from a semi-rigid collar strip of special configuration, and is characterized by the fact that each collar piece is of rectangular form at its ends, and the corners are preformed intermediate the ends, and are seamless. The collar may consist of four segments, each having a preformed seamless corner, or two of which have two preformed seamless corners each, the remainingtwo pieces being straight; or it may consist of two segments, each having two preformed seamless corners, each piece constituting one half of the complete collar. The collar pieces are attached to the cabinet in various ways, preferably by a snap-in construction.

6 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 30, 1973 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR/S Patented 0a; 30, 1973 3,768,882

7 Sheets-Sheet 2 (h fzja lNVENTOR/S ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 30, 1973 3,768,882

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVENTOR/S ATTORN EYS DETACHABLE COLLAR FOR SURFACE-MOUNTED WALL CABINET CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This invention presents a substantial improvement over the collar assembly consisting of miter-cut seg ments of a similar collar strip that was disclosed in the copending application of C. J. Denker and E. F. Ohlhauser, Ser. No. 176,501 filed Aug. 31, 1971. Because of the closely related character of this invention to the above named application, and to avoid repetition, it is intended that the disclosure of said application be included herein by reference, particularly as to the background of the invention, the cabinet construction, the configuration of the collar strip, the interlocking devices for the cabinet and collar segments, the characteristics of suitable materials, and the advantages of the novel collar assembly.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved collar assembly consists of segments of the special interlocking collar strip which are of rectangular conformation at the ends instead of being mitercut at 45 inwardly from the outer face of the strip. Also, when assembled with the cabinet body the collar segments provide a preformed, rectangular, seamless corner for each corner of the surface mounted cabinet. This is achieved either by providing each segment with a preformed seamless corner at one end or by a pair of segments which have the preformed seamless corners at both ends. The seamless corner is produced by relieving the material of the interlocking element or fin at the point where the seamless corner is to be provided, then bending the outer face of the strip inwardly at 90 to form a rectangular, slightly rounded, seamless corner. In one embodiment, the rectangular seamless corner is formed intermediate the ends of the collar segment, with two straight legs at 90 to the formed corner. Because the preformed seamless corner is integral with the outer face of the collar segment and there are no unsecured miter-cut seams at the corners, the strength and rigidity of the surface mounted cabinet employing this improved collar assembly is substantially improved. The absence of visible seams at the corners also improves the finished appearance.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of this invention is to provide a detachable collar assembly that can readily be installed on any rectangular, recessed-type cabinet having a rearwardly-turned front face frame flange and a suitable interlocking device, such as a recessed rib, on the cabinet body, positioned to engage and interlock with a downwardly-extending interlocking device of the collar strip, such as a fin or leg, to adapt the cabinet to surface-mounted installation and provide an attractive finished appearance.

A further object is to provide a collar assembly consisting of two or more segments of a preformed strip having a special configuration and precise dimensions, of a suitable thin, hard, strong, semi-rigid sheet material, the segments being rectangular and of appropriate lengths so that when snapped in" about the cabinet body they become interlocked therewith and provide a securely attached outer wall or encasement when the cabinet is surface-mounted.

A special object of the invention is to produce a collar segment having square ends and one or more preformed, rectangular, seamless corners so that when these segments are assembled with the surfacemounted cabinet there are no unsecured, miter-cut joints at its corners.

A further object is to provide a collar segment having increased strength and rigidity by making the corner rectangular and integrally formed from the sheet material of the outerface of the strip which is bent inwardly at to form the corner. When assembled with the cabinet, the seams are then spaced apart from the formed corners and are preferably aligned with the corners of the inner cabinet body.

In one embodiment of the invention the special object is achieved by providing the surface-mounted cabinet with seamless side walls, four seamless corners, and with two seams located on the top and two seams on the bottom adjacent the corners of the cabinet, so that they cannot be seen, or are inconspicuous when the cabinet is surface mounted on a wall.

Another special object is to provide a modified form of collar segment having the formed rectangular, seamless corner intermediate the ends of the segment, with two straight legs extending at 90 to the corner, the legs being square cut at the ends. This type of collar segment when assembled with a surface-mounted cabinet provides four rectangular seamless corners, with a seam on each side intermediate the corners.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an assembled cabinet, seen from the rear, with parts of the detachable collar broken away to show the construction.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded front view of a complete openface cabinet with the detachable collar assembly, showing all the component parts of the structure in relation to each other.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are, respectively, plan and side elevational views of a collar segment having preformed seamless corners at each end, as used for the side walls of the cabinet in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows a side elevational view of the strip used to form the collar segment of FIG. 5, with metal of the fin and back leg relieved at each end, before bending at 90 to form the corner.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the collar segment, square cut 90 at each end, as used for the top and bottom of the cabinet in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 shows a modification of the collar segment, with one end having a formed rectangular seamless corner and the other end square cut at 90 to the outer face of the strip, so that each side of the surfacemounted cabinet has a single seam adjacent the corner.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the typical detail of the relieved corners of the collar segments in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 and FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 illustrates a modification in which each collar segment has two extended straight legs and the fin and back leg are relieved by a 90 notch with its apex along the line of the formed corner. The corner is then formed by bending the strip to close the notch. The legs of the formed corner segment are square cut 90 at the ends.

FIG. 11 shows the typical detail of the collar segment of FIG. 10, beforebending.

FIG. 12 shows a collar segment similar to FIG. 10, with two extended straight legs at 90 to the formed corner, but with all of the metal of the fins relieved in the corner area.

FIG. 13 shows the typical detail of the corner segment in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 shows a collar assembly similar to that of FIG. 3, with the side wall segments having formed seamless corners at each end and the top and bottom segments having square cut ends, except that the formed corners of the side wall segments have had the fins relieved by a 90 notch before bending the strip to form the corner.

FIG. 15 shows the typical detail of the formed corner of the segment of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention deals with an improved detachable collar assembly for a rectangular cabinet of the wallrecessed type and therefore is concerned with the cabinet itself only in respect to the adaptability of the collar segments to fit and interlock securely with the cabinet body so as to provide an attractive and structurally sound encasement for the cabinet when it is surface mounted. The improved collar assembly may be adapted to any type of rectangular cabinet without limitation as to the materials used for constructing the cabinet box or the method of fabrication, providing two requisites are met:

a. the cabinet has a front face frame with a rearwardly-turned flange to engage the front edge of the collar segment, and

b. the cabinet body has on each of its sides at least one interlocking element, such as a recessed rib, positioned to engage and interlock with a mating interlocking element of the collar strip to secure the collar firmly in place as a spaced-apart outer wall for the cabinet.

The cabinet body may be of sheet metal (as thin sheet steel or aluminum), or of a preformed hard, strong, semi-rigid plastic having suitable characteristics as to durability and heat resistance. The cabinet may be fabricated in various ways, including welding, riveting, with sheet metal screws, crimped reinforcements, or special adhesives suitable for the particular material selected.

Various materials and fabrication methods may be used to produce the special strip from which the segment for the collar assembly are formed, including rollformed sheet steel or aluminum, extruded brass or aluminum, die cast metal alloys, or a preformed hard, strong durable, heat-resistant, semi-rigid plastic of suitable characteristics. Generally, the collar assembly and the cabinet body will be of the same material but in some cases it is preferable to use a different material for the collar, as for example, as extruded aluminum collar assembly encasing a cabinet body of preformed plastic, to provide greater strength and heat resistance.

The basic open-faced cabinet disclosed herein is identical with that shown in the above named copending application. Thus, the cabinet includes the top 10, bottom 1], sides 12, front frame 13 (face trim) and back frame 14. These frame elements are produced from an integral preformed strip of semi-rigid sheet material which may be metal or plastic and is of precise dimensions and special configuration. Miter cut segments of this strip, miter cut inward at 45 to the outer face to suitable lengths, are joined at the corners and permanently and rigidly secured by flat rectangular

miter reinforcement pieces

15 and 15a to form an assembled cabinet box suitable for recessed installation on a wall. It will be understood that to adapt the assem' bled cabinet to any specific end use, a front panel, hinged door, mirror, sliding doors, shelf brackets, mailboxes or back panel may be installed as required. The strip from which the cabinet frame is made has a special configuration with a generally flat, wide central portion 16 to form the body of the box. It has along one edge an outwardly turned flange 13 at to the flat central portion and this flange has a rearwardly turned narrow flange l8 and constitutes a face frame (trim) for the cabinet interior. The strip also has an inwardly turned 90 flange 14 along the other edge of the strip to constitute the back frame member for the cabinet box. The front frame flange and the back frame flange each have spaced

ribs

20 and 21 extending longitudinally to provide narrow channels or slots for insertion and permanent crimped or other detention of the rectangular

miter reinforcement pieces

15 and 15a at each front and back mitered corner of the cabinet. Since the same preformed strip is used for all the body members of the cabinet, the only variable is the length of the miter cut segments so that cabinets of any desired dimensions can be produced. The cabinet thus far described is identical to that disclosed in said copending application; and as in said application, there are disclosed the recessed ribs 24, 24a suitably positioned on the cabinet body strip for engagement by interlocking fins or legs of the collar pieces. As will be described hereinafter, the collar pieces are provided with interlocking fins or legs to engage with the recessed ribs 24 and 24a, but it should be understood that this particular interlocking structure is shown by way of example only.

It is evident that to obtain the most secure interlocking of the collar segments with the cabinet body, the interlocking elements of both the collar and the cabinet should extend longitudinally along substantially the entire length of each cabinet wall (top, bottom and sides). This is especially the case for the interlocking elements along the rear edges of the cabinet body which thus are held tightly against the wall surface by the tension of the screws or toggle bolts with which the cabinet is attached to the wall structure, rendering the collar virtually impossible to remove after the cabinet has been surface-mounted. Longitudinal continuous interlocking elements are the most effective and therefore the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated by the recessed ribs of the extruded aluminum body strip and the special tins of the extruded aluminum collar strip which will be described hereinafter.

However, it is obvious that the collar segments could be attached to the cabinet body by other interlocking devices which do not extend longitudinally or which are not continuous for the length of each cabinet wall. The recessed rib could be interrupted or discontinuous along its length as could the mating fin or leg of the collar segment. The interlocking element of the collar segment could be a number of downwardly extending rods or strips suitably positioned along its rear with hook edges adapted to engage slots cut in an outwardly extending flange at the rear of the cabinet body. Another workable interlocking device would be a series of downwardly extending legs of rod-like shape along the .Iabprin bs d insta at tmf1119292299- rear of the collar segment, each provided with a hook slot at its end adapted to'engage a slot pierced at a suitable location in the cabinet body adjacent its rear frame edge. While such interlocking devices are less effective and not preferred construction, they are adaptable to certain types of recessed cabinets and are considered to be within the scope of this invention.

A collar assembly of the novel construction disclosed herein could of course be attached to a recessed type cabinet by bolts or sheet metal screws through holes in the walls of the cabinet body', However, a surfacemounted cabinet thus assembled would not be secure against pilferage because the collar segments could easily be removed. If it is desired to provide a recessed type cabinet with a collar assembly to be attached by screws but which is securely held and virtually impossible to remove after the cabinet is mounted on the wall, this may be done by providing the rear edge of the cabinet body with outwardly extending flanges having screw holes at suitable locations to mate with holes in the rear leg of the collar segment. Such an interlocking arrangement is workable but of course requires additional fabrication operations and material in making the cabinet and collar assembly as well as additional In the structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive, there are provided four collar elements. The top and bottom collar elements are indicated at 22 and the side collar elements are indicated at 23. It will be noted that the segments 23 are provided with rounded rectangular seamless corners 23a and thus provide portions 23b which extend along the top and bottom respectively of the cabinet. The collar segments 22 are straight'so that when the collar pieces are assembled about the cabinet,

there are two seams on the top and two seams on the bottom. The seams are, respectively, adjacent the ends of the top and bottom and are preferably aligned with the outer dimensions of the inner box. The sides therefore are seamless as are all four corners of the collar. Since the top and bottom of the structure are not normally viewed by persons looking at the cabinet as mounted on a wall, the appearance of the cabinet is greatly improved. The top of the cabinet will normally be above the line of sight of the viewer and the bottom of the cabinet could only be viewed by stooping over and looking up.

In FIG. 2 one method of securing the collar segments to the cabinet body is disclosed. The collar segment 22 is provided with the depressed lip 25 which is adapted to extend under the flange 18 on the front frame of the cabinet. The collar segment may have a depending interlocking fin 26 having a rounded end 27 which is adapted to interlock with the recessed rib 24 in an interference fit. A back leg 28 may have a similar rounded element 29 adapted to snap into the recessed rib 24a in an interference fit.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, there is disclosed the construction of the collar segments to provide the formed rectangular seamless corners at the ends. It will be observed that the metal of the interlocking fin 26 and the back leg 28 of the strip is relieved at each end as at 30 and 31. The extent of the relief is such as to leave the length of the fin 26 and the length of the back leg 28,0f substantially the same length as the recessed ribs 24 and 24a of the cabinet body with which the collar segment is to be assembled. The relieved end portion of the strip is bent inwardly along its m idlin e at to its outer face to form the corner as clearly shown in FIG. 5. It will be evident that the formed seamless corner which is integral with the outer face of the collar segment substantially increases the strength of the collar assembly and the surface-mounted cabinet with which it is used because it has no unsecured miter-cut seams at the corners. The removal of the metal to relieve the ends'of the strip and enable forming the corners does not reduce the effectiveness of the interlocking elements because the recessed ribs do not extend beyond the corners of the inner cabinet body and are fully interlocked with the fins of the collar segments along substantially their entire length.

As seen in FIG. 7, the collar segments 22 for the top and bottom of the collar have square cut ends. Thus, the segments 22 may be termed filler segments to be used in collar assemblies in combination with collar segments having formed corners, or to provide a collar of extended length.

While the collar assemblyshown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is preferred using a pair of collar segments having formed seamless corners at both ends for the side walls and a pair of square cut collar segments for the top and bottom, it is not necessary that the collar segments have formed corners at both ends. Thus, one end may be formed to a rectangular seamless corner and the other end square cut as shown in FIG. 8. With such a construction there are four identical collar segments, each of which has one square cut end and one rectangular seamless corner adjacent the other end. When the collar segments are assembled, as seen in FIG. 8, there will be a seam on each of the four sides, i.e. top, bottom, and both sides of the collar, adjacent one end substantially in alignment with the edges of the inner cabinet member. The segments in FIG. 8 are indicated at 32 and they have the rounded rectangular corners 32a with the right angled extensions 32b and the other ends are square cut as at 320. Since the fins may be the same as in the previously described embodiment, they have again been identified by the same reference numeral 26, and similarly the back leg has been designated 28 since it may be the same. While the form described in FIGS. 8 and 9 has important advantages over a miter-cut'segment, the visible seams on the side walls of the surface-mounted cabinet may be considered less desirable than seams on the top and bottom... The embodiment disclosed in FIG. 10 provides a collar having four rounded rectangular seamless corners with a seam 33b on each of the four sides intermediate the ends. In the particular embodiment shown, where the cabinet is square in configuration all four collar segments will be identical and the seams may be at the center of each of the sides. Thus, this embodiment really differs in only a minor way from the embodiment described in connection with FIG. 8. The collar segments are indicated generally at 33 and they have the rounded corners 33a. Since the fins and back legs may be the same as in other embodiments, they have again been identified, respectively, by the

numerals

26 and 28. It will be noted that in FIG. 10 the fins have a mitered configuration; and FIG. 11 discloses how this is accomplished. From FIG. 11 it will be clear that 90 notches 34 are cut in the fins 26 and back legs 28 at the point where the corner 33a is to be provided. When the corner is formed by the 90 bend, the notches 34 close as clearly shown in FIG. 10.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is similar to that of F IGS. l and l 1, except that instead of the fins and back legs being provided with a 90 notch, they are entirely relieved in the area-where the corner is to gular seamless corner is somewhat more difficult to form by bending than is a corner formed from a collar strip which has had all of the metal relieved in the corner area as in FIGS. 12 and 13.

FIGS. 14 and 15 disclose in effect a combination of the structure of FIG. 3 and of FIG. 10. The collar segments in FIGS. 14 comprise the top and bottom segments 37 which have straight cut ends as in FIG. 3 and the side segments 38 provide the rectangular seamless corners 38a at each end. However, instead of the corner portion being entirely relieved, the rectangular notch structure of FIG. 11 is used so as to provide the closed notch configuration clearly seen in FIG. 14. This structure has the same strength advantage as the structure of FIG. 10 but again is somewhat more difflcult to produce.

It will also be clear that the structure of FIG. 3 or that of FIG. 14 may be employed without the so-called

filler pieces

37 or 22 by simply making the legs 23b of FIG. 3 long enough to meet at the center of the cabinet or the legs 38b of FIG. 14 may be made long enough to meet at the center of the cabinet. In such case, the collar would comprise only two elements. A two-element collar is somewhat more difficult to install by snapping into place, but such a construction, while not preferred, is within the scope of the present invention.

Likewise, the collar structures shown in FIGS. 10 and 12 could readily be converted from four-piece to twopiece by merely extending the straight legs of the collar elements from the formed corner so that each of the legs encases the entire length of the adjacent wall (top, bottom or side) of the inner cabinet body. This would eliminate the four seams 33b, and substitute for them, the two seams 33c. Thus, each two-piece collar element would have two formed, rectangular seamless corners and one of the legs would be square cut at its end. This two-piece collar assembly when assembled and inter locked with the cabinet and surface mounted would provide four seamless corners and only two seams, one on the top and the other on the bottom, adjacent diagonally opposite corners.

Reference is again made to the copending application, Ser. No. 176,501 for a discussion of the various materials and combinations of materials which are suitable for use in this invention. While the materials used for the collar segments is not a part of the present invention, a suitable material is an aluminum alloy ALCOA Type 6063-T5 in a thickness of about 1/16 inch.

As was pointed out above, the cabinet of FIG. 1 to which the collar pieces are attached is a complete wall cabinet, open face and without fittings, which may be adapted to a variety of uses. Such uses may be as a display cabinet, a bathroom cabinet, or as a housing for multiple mailbox compartments such as are used in apartment buildings. The cabinet may be adapted to a specific use by the provision of front panels, hinged doors, mirrors, sliding doors, shelf brackets, shelves, mailbox compartments, or back panels. The advantage of the specific construction shown in connection with mailbox compartment banks for apartments is that when the collar segments are assembled with the box and the whole is mounted on the surface of a wall with screws or toggle bolts in the usual manner, the collar segments are extremely difficult to remove, whereby the cabinet is rendered virtually pilferproof.

It will be clear that numerous modifications may be made in details without departing from the spirit of the invention. No limitation not specifically set forth in the claims is intended and none should be implied.

We claim:

l. A collar segment for a rectangular cabinet adapted for either recessed mounting into a wall or for surface mounting on a wall, said cabinet having a front face frame with an angular rearwardly-turned flange and having top, bottom and side walls, each provided with at least one interlocking element to adapt said cabinet for surface mounted installation with a finished appearance without vertical, exposed seams when surface mounted; said cabinet comprising four preformed strips having meeting narrow grooves along their front and rear faces and L-shaped rectangular flat strips frictionally engaged in said narrow grooves to form a rectangular cabinet; said collar segment being a straight strip of preformed thin, semi-rigid, hard, strong sheet material of special configuration,

a. said strip having a substantially flat, wide central body portion of width substantially equal to the depth of the cabinet from front to back,

b. said strip having along its front edge means to engage the rearwardly-turned flange of the front face frame of said cabinet, and

c. said strip having at least one downwardlyextending interlocking element adapted to engage and interlock with a mating interlocking element on said cabinet to hold said collar segment securely in place as a spaced-apart outer wall for said cabinet, said collar segment having square ends, at to the outer face of said strip, and being of appropriate length to provide a spaced-apart encasement for one of the walls of said cabinet when assembled and interlocked therewith, and having at least one of said ends having the downwardly-extending interlocking element relieved and the strip bent inwardly 90 to its outer face to form a rectangular, seamless corner.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said relief is a 90 notch with its apex along the line of the corner and the strip is bent inwardly at 90 to its outer face to close the notch and form a rectangular, seamless corner.

3. The structure of claim I, wherein said relief extends completely beyond the corners of the inner cabinet body when the collar segment is assembled therewith.

4. The structure of claim 1, the ends of the strip being square cut at 90 to its outer face, one end having the downwardly extending interlocking element relieved and the strip bent inwardly 90 to its outer face to form a rectangular seamless corner, said strip also having the downwardly extending interlocking element relieved intermediate the ends of said strip and the strip bent inwardly 90 to its outer face to form a second rectangular seamless corner, whereby two such segments to gether form a rectangle.

5. A collar segment for a rectangular cabinet adapted for either recessed mounting into a wall or for surface mounting on a wall, said cabinet having a front face frame with an angular, rearwardly-turned flange and having top, bottom and side walls, each provided with at least one interlocking element to adapt said cabinet for surface mounted installation with a finished appearance without vertical, exposed seams when surface mounted; said cabinet comprising four preformed strips having meeting narrow grooves along their front and rear faces and L-shaped rectangular flat strips frictionally engaged in said narrow grooves to form arectangular cabinet; said collar segment being a formed strip having at least one rectangular, seamless corner intermediate its ends, with at least two straight'legs at 90 to said corner, the ends of the legs being square cut,

a. said strip being of preformed thin, semi-rigid hard,

strong sheet material of special configuration,

b. said strip having a substantially flat, wide central body portion of width substantially equal to the depth of the cabinet from front to back,

0. said strip having along its front edge means to engage the rcarwardly-turned flange of the front face frame of said cabinet, and i said strip having at least one downwardlyextending interlocking element adapted to engage and interlock with a mating interlocking element on said cabinet, to hold said collar segment securely in place as a spaced-apart outer wall for said cabinet, the material of said interlocking element on said segment being relieved at the formed corner and the strip bent inwardly at to its outer face to form said rectangular seamless corner, and the legs of said collar segment being of appropriate lengths to provide an encasement for a substantial portion of each cabinet wall adjacent said corner, when assembled and interlocked therewith.

6. A collar assembly for a rectangular cabinet, consisting of four rectangular collar segments according to claim 5, said segments having legs of appropriate lengths to completely encase said cabinet when each side intermediate said corners.

i i l k

Claims

1. A collar segment for a rectangular cabinet adapted for either recessed mounting into a wall or for surface mounting on a wall, said cabinet having a front face frame with an angular rearwardly-turned flange and having top, bottom and side walls, each provided with at least one interlocking element to adapt said cabinet for surface mounted installation with a finished appearance without vertical, exposed seams when surface mounted; said cabinet comprising four preformed strips having meeting narrow grooves along their front and rear faces and L-shaped rectangular flat strips frictionally engaged in said narrow grooves to form a rectangular cabinet; said collar segment being a straight strip of preformed thin, semi-rigid, hard, strong sheet material of special configuration, a. said strip having a substantially flat, wide central body portion of width substantially equal to the depth of the cabinet from front to back, b. said strip having along its front edge means to engage the rearwardly-turned flange of the front face frame of said cabinet, and c. said strip having at least one downwardly-extending interlocking element adapted to engage and interlock with a mating interlocking element on said cabinet to hold said collar segment securely in place as a spaced-apart outer wall for said cabinet, said collar segment having square ends, at 90* to the outer face of said strip, and being of appropriate length to provide a spaced-apart encasement for one of the walls of said cabiNet when assembled and interlocked therewith, and having at least one of said ends having the downwardly-extending interlocking element relieved and the strip bent inwardly 90* to its outer face to form a rectangular, seamless corner.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said relief is a 90* notch with its apex along the line of the corner and the strip is bent inwardly at 90* to its outer face to close the notch and form a rectangular, seamless corner.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said relief extends completely beyond the corners of the inner cabinet body when the collar segment is assembled therewith.

4. The structure of claim 1, the ends of the strip being square cut at 90* to its outer face, one end having the downwardly extending interlocking element relieved and the strip bent inwardly 90* to its outer face to form a rectangular seamless corner, said strip also having the downwardly extending interlocking element relieved intermediate the ends of said strip and the strip bent inwardly 90* to its outer face to form a second rectangular seamless corner, whereby two such segments together form a rectangle.

5. A collar segment for a rectangular cabinet adapted for either recessed mounting into a wall or for surface mounting on a wall, said cabinet having a front face frame with an angular, rearwardly-turned flange and having top, bottom and side walls, each provided with at least one interlocking element to adapt said cabinet for surface mounted installation with a finished appearance without vertical, exposed seams when surface mounted; said cabinet comprising four preformed strips having meeting narrow grooves along their front and rear faces and L-shaped rectangular flat strips frictionally engaged in said narrow grooves to form a rectangular cabinet; said collar segment being a formed strip having at least one rectangular, seamless corner intermediate its ends, with at least two straight legs at 90* to said corner, the ends of the legs being square cut, a. said strip being of preformed thin, semi-rigid hard, strong sheet material of special configuration, b. said strip having a substantially flat, wide central body portion of width substantially equal to the depth of the cabinet from front to back, c. said strip having along its front edge means to engage the rearwardly-turned flange of the front face frame of said cabinet, and d. said strip having at least one downwardly-extending interlocking element adapted to engage and interlock with a mating interlocking element on said cabinet, to hold said collar segment securely in place as a spaced-apart outer wall for said cabinet, the material of said interlocking element on said segment being relieved at the formed corner and the strip bent inwardly at 90* to its outer face to form said rectangular seamless corner, and the legs of said collar segment being of appropriate lengths to provide an encasement for a substantial portion of each cabinet wall adjacent said corner, when assembled and interlocked therewith.

6. A collar assembly for a rectangular cabinet, consisting of four rectangular collar segments according to claim 5, said segments having legs of appropriate lengths to completely encase said cabinet when snapped into place thereabout and interlocked with said cabinet body, to provide said cabinet with an outer wall having four seamless corners and having a seam on each side intermediate said corners.