US3768064A

US3768064A - Safety back for cabinets

Info

Publication number: US3768064A
Application number: US00201072A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Pabich
Original assignee: Acme Lane Co Inc
Current assignee: Acme Lane Co Inc
Priority date: 1971-11-22
Filing date: 1971-11-22
Publication date: 1973-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-23

Abstract

A safety back for an appliance cabinet (such as a TV cabinet) cannot be opened without following a procedure involving several steps in predetermined sequence and, in some cases, without having a special tool. The object is to provide a cabinet back which cannot be removed by small children or incompetent persons who might be injured by electrical shock if they put their hands inside the cabinet.

Description

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,768,064 Pabich Oct. 23, 1973 [54] SAFETY BACK FOR CABINETS 3,123,389 3/1964 Biesecker 287/2092 C X 3,147,056 9/1964 Mendelson... 339/l26 R X [76] lnvmtorc/O Acme Lane 3,159,446 12/1964 Protzmann.... 174 67 x Inc-1 4904 Fullerton -1 3,568,263 3 1971 Meehan 24/221 x Chicago, Ill.

[ Filed! 1971 Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell [21] i NOJ 201,072 Attorneylrwin C. Alter et al.

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 110,829, Jan. 29, ABSTRACT 1971' A safety back for an appliance cabinet (such as a TV [52] U S 339/36 312 TV cabinet) cannot be opened without following a proce- [511 i i i 13/44 dure involving several steps in predetermined se- [58] Fie'ld 339/126 quence and, in some cases, without having a special 24/221 174/67 tool. The object is to provide a cabinet back which cannot be removed by small children or incompetent [56] References Cited persons who might be injured by electrical shock if U E ES PATENTS they put their hands inside the cabinet. 2,938,188 5/1960 Lazzery 339/59 R 13 Claims, 33 Drawing Figures 0 0 O O O O O O O O O R? R? O O o O 00 O O O O O O O O o o o o 63 o o o o O O O o O dSZ o o o O O SAFETY BACK FOR CABINETS This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. ll0,829, filed Jan. 29, l97l,-and entitled: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACH- ING CABINET BACKS.

This invention relates to fasteners and methods of attaching backs to appliances and, more particularly, to TV cabinets.

Reference is made to US. Pat. No. 3,429,013, issued to me and Richard W. Treiber on Feb. 25, I969, entitled WING HEADED FASTENER AND METHOD FOR APPLYING. This and subsequent related patents and applications show pneumatic tools for attaching wing headed fasteners to the back of an appliance, such as a television cabinet, for example. A particular advantage of these fasteners is that the cabinet back panel serves as its own template for precisely locating the fasteners and simultaneously the back panel is attached to the cabinet with no added labor required. These tools and fasteners save time and work, increase production, cut costs and add profits. The resulting cabinet back panel is easy and convenient to assemble, disassemble, and reassemble.

After the wing headed fasteners are attached to the cabinet, the cabinet back may be removed quickly and easily by twisting or turning each fastener so that it may pass through a keyhole slot in the cabinet back panel. Then, the back panel is lifted away from the cabinet. When the back panel is replaced on the cabinet, the keyhole slots are fitted over the fasteners, pressed down, and the fasteners are turned to recapture the panel. This removal and replacement procedure is quick and easy, as compared with the previous methods of attaching the back panels.

Children or incompetent persons may turn the fasteners, without realizing the significance of their actions. If the back panel comes loose, they may place their hands inside the cabinet and experience an electrical shock, be burned, or the like. In any country, the problem of accidental back panel removal is a serious hazzard; however, some countries have laws which require cabinet back panels that cannot be removed unless a special tool is used.

The parent application discloses an appliance back which uses two types of fasteners. One type is a wing headed fastenerwith a generally T-shaped cross section. The other fastener is a slip device having a somewhat top hat configuration. A number of the slip device fasteners are attached, with the top hat crown down, so that notches along one side of the back may be slipped under the hat brims of the fasteners. The wing headed T fasteners are attached to the back along the other three edges of the cabinet back. Thus, to replace the back on the cabinet, it is necessary'to slip one edge under the brims of the slip fasteners. This brings the back, into its properly aligned position; then, the back is pushed down over the wing headed T- shaped fasteners, which slip through keyhole slots in the back. The T-shaped fasteners are rotated, and the back is locked in its captured position.

For back panel installation or removal, this arrangement requires two steps a sliding action and a fastener turn action. Nevertheless, it has been found that children can still manage to get their hands inside the back by turning fasteners along the vertical edges and then prying until a gap appears between the back panel and cabinet or until the back panel slips out from under the top hat" brims.

Yet another consideration involves the firmness of the contact between the back panel and the cabinet. If the back panel is loose enough to rattle, the fasteners are virtually useless. For example, if the back panel is attached to a cabinet having a loudspeaker therein, the panel will vibrate when the loudspeaker reproduces low notes. The result is an offensive rattle sound of mechanical vibration of the back panel, which distorts and overpowers the music.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus for attaching back panels to appliance cabinets, such as televi- 'sion receiver or phonograph cabinets, for example. Here an object is to use the cabinet back panel as its own template for custom locating the fasteners which removably attach that particular back panel to the cabinet. In particular, an object is to provide a way of-fitting the back panel over the fasteners on the back of the cabinet, in one step, and then, as a second step, slipping the back into an aligned position, where it may be locked in place.

In greater detail, an object of the invention is to provide a cabinet back panel which is first slipped and then locked in position. Here an object is to lock the back in position without adding anything to the assembly process, which was not previously a required part thereof. Further, an object is to provide an optional back panel locking arrangement which cannot easily be removed without 'using a special tool.

In keeping with an aspect of the invention, these and other objects are accomplished by providing fasteners along four edges of the back, which slip into a locked position when the back is slid. Thereafter, an attachment of the conventional power cord electrical interlock socket prevents slippage of the cabinet back; hence, the cabinet back cannot be removed merely by turning the fasteners. Optionally, the screws used to attach the power cord socket to the cabinet may be constructed to require a special screwdriver or other tool. The fastener has a resilience which presses the back panel against the cabinet and keeps it from rattling.

The nature of preferred embodiments of the invention forv accomplishing these and other objects maybe understood best from a study of the following description and the attached drawin which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a wing headed fastener;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the wing headed fastener, looking down along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a strip of the fasteners of the FIG. 2 type;

FIG. 4 shows a keyhole slot in the back of a cabinet for receiving one of the wing headed fasteners of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view ofa slip fastener device having a top hat configuration, sometimes used in conjunction with the wing headed fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the top hat slip fastener device of FIG. 5, showing the bottom of the fastener of FIG. 5 looking up from the plane of line 66 of FIG.

FIG. 7 shows how the slip fastener device of FIGS. 5 and 6 is positioned in notch or slip capture slot in the cabinet back panel;

FIG. 8 shows the manner in which the cabinet back panel may be slipped under or removed from a capture position with respect to the top hat slip fastener device of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 9 shows a tool for attaching the wing headed fasteners of FIGS. 1-3 in the key slot of FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 shows a similar, but different tool for attaching the top hat slip fastener device of FIGS. 5 and 6 in the slot of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, partly cross-sectional view of the working end of the tool of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 12-15 show the process of attaching and removing the cabinet back with the tools of FIGS. 9 and 10;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view which shows the inventive cabinet using a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view which shows a power cord interlock which requires a special tool for removal;

FIG. 18 is a side elevation view which shows a twist lock fastener;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary plan view of one side of a cabinet back panel using the fastener of FIG. 18;

FIGS. 20-23 are stop motion views showing how the preferred back panel of FIG. 19 is attached, removed, and replaced;

FIG. 24 is a side elevation view showing the top hat fastener used in a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 25 is a fragmentary plan view of a second embodiment of the cabinet back panel incorporating the invention and using the fastener of FIG. 24;

FIGS. 26-28 are stop motion views which show how the cabinet back panel of FIG. 25 is attached, removed and replaced;

FIGS. 29, 30 are side elevation views showing alternative embodiments of the fastener of FIG. 24 for resiliently holding the cabinet back in place;

FIG. 31 shows, in perspective, a strip of fasteners for use with the second embodiment of FIG. 25;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of one fastener of FIG. 31, shown in an inverted position with respect to the showing of FIG. 31; and

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment for use on metal cabinets.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a wing headed fastener 10 having a generally T-shape cross section (the T-shape is clearly visible in FIG. 1). The wing head or cross arms of the T" capture the cabinet back panel and the vertical stem of the T passes through a keyhole slot in the panel.

In some embodiments, a plurality of these wing headed fasteners 10 may be joined into strips (FIG. 3) by a small web of material 11 extending between each adjacent fastener. Preferably, this strip of fasteners is molded from a suitable plastic which is mechanically strong and yet easily severed at the web 11. Thus, the strip of fasteners may be inserted into a first magazine 12 (FIG. 9) ofa pneumatic driving tool 13. A plurality of attaching devices, such as nails, are placed into a second magazine 14, also in tool 13. A horizontal spring pressure is applied to the fasteners and attaching devices or nails to press them in the direction of arrow A, toward the front of the tool 13.

The fastener 10 is attached to the cabinet when the trigger of the tool 13 is operated, while the fastener is properly positioned in a keyhole slot 16 in a panel, such as the back 17 of a television cabinet 18. The cabinet back is cross-hatched in FIGS. 4, 7, and 8 for easy identification. A nail, in magazine 14, is driven through a hole (FIG. 2) in fastener 10. The web 11 is severed 5 as the fastener is attached. When the tool 13 is removed from the back of the cabinet (FIG. 4), one wing headed fastener has been rotatably nailed to a base member (such as the back of the cabinet). At the time of nailing, the position of the wing headed fastener automatically captures the back.

To remove the back from the cabinet, these wing headed fasteners 10 are rotated by 90, as indicated at 19 (FIG. 13). When so rotated, the head of fastener 10 can pass through the keyhole slot 16. Thus, the cabinet back panel 17 may be lifted away from the cabinet 18. When the back panel 17 is returned to the cabinet 18, the wing headed fasteners 10 are again rotated by 90 to recapture the back, as shown in FIG. 4.

The wing headed fastener described thus far is shown and described in the above-mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,429,0l3 and subsequent related continuation patent applications.

This T-shaped, wing headed fastener functions very well and it is a great step forward as compared with previous methods used for attaching the cabinet back panel. However, this use of wing headed fasteners also leaves some unresolved situational problems which open avenues for further improvements. Thus, for example, after the cabinet back is removed, a workman may touch and move the fasteners with his forearms, elbows, etc. and rotate the fasteners to off-normal positions. When the cabinet back panel is thereafter replaced, it is necessary to realign the wing-headed fasteners 10 before they will fit through the keyhole slots 16. This realignment sometimes leads to trial and error, fumbling, and other frustrating and time consuming efforts.

Therefore, in keeping with the teachings of the parent application, these and other problems are solved by the use of two different types of fasteners. One type of fastener is a slip device attached along one edge of the back of cabinet 18 to slidingly secure the back panel 17 into a properly aligned position. The wing headed fasteners are attached along the other three edges on the cabinet back. The difference between these two methods is that, with the slip fasteners, the back is perfectly aligned at the time when the wing headed fasteners are turned to fit through the keyhole slots, as the back 17 is replaced on the cabinet 18. Therefore, a minimum amount of fumbling is required when the back is returned to the cabinet.

In greater detail, the slip fastener device 20 (FIGS. 5, 6) may take any suitable form and be made of any suitable material, preferably a material attracted to a magnet. The fastener 20 is here shown as having an enlarged head 21 at the top of a tubular stem 22. A passageway 23, concentrically positioned in the center of the stem 22, has an enlarged recess 24 for receiving the head of an attaching device, such as a nail 25.

Since this preferred slip fastener device has an appearance somewhat reminiscent of a top hat, it is sometimes called a top hat fastener. Of course, other configurations of the slip fastener device (FIGS. 29-32) may serve also equally well as long as they enable the cabinet back to be slipped under a head of the fasteners.

The stem or hat crown 22 formsa length about equal to the thickness of the back panel. The enlarged-head or hat brim 21 passes over the outside surface of the cabinet back panel 17, when it is in place on the back of the cabinet 18. Thus, the back panelmay be secured to the cabinet by slipping a notch or slip capture slot 26, formed along the edge of the back 17, under the enlarged head or brim 21.

It now should be obvious that if the cabinet back panel 17 is slipped in direction C (FIG. 8) the material around slot 26 slides out from under the head 21 to release the back. When the back 17 is slidin direction B, head 21 captures the panel 17. The upper part d of the notch or slip capture slot 26 is wide enough to easily guide the back 17 into a desired capture position. The lower part e of the slip capture slot 26 fits loosely around the stem 22 of the fastener 20. FIG. 7 shows the fastener and back in the capture position.

FIG. 9 shows a tool 13 used to attach the wing headed fasteners 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The construction of this tool will be fully understood from a reference'to the above-cited US. Pat. No. 3,429,013, and later applications, and from the foregoing description.

FIGS. and 1 1 show a tool 30used to attach the slip fastener devices of FIGS. 5 and 6 to the back of the cabinet 18. In greater detail, the tool 30' includes a pneumatic tool head 31 having an air driven hammer therein, controlled by a trigger 32. A safety device 33 detects when the tool 30 is properly pressed against the back of a cabinet, with the fastener in position in slot 26. This safety device enables the trigger 32 to be effective only when everything is so positioned.

A pair of support means or feet 34', 35 are attached to opposite ends of a bridge-like structure 36, which includes a magazine for supporting a plurality of nails and feeding them to a nailing position under the hammer (not shown) in head 31.

Formed in the foot 35, at the front of the tool, is a circular opening 37 having a diameterfwhich is slightly larger than the diameter of the head 21 on fastener 20. Thus, the head 21 loosely fits into the opening 37. A permanent magnet 38 (FIG. 11) is recessed into the opening 37 to hold a fastener 20, prior to its attachment to the cabinet. A hole 39, in magnet 38, has a diameter h, which is large enough to allow the passage of a nail and a hammer (not shown) in tool 30.

The nail and hammer travel, in series, downwardly, in the direction J, through a nail chute 41 aligned with the hole 39 in the magnet 38. A pair of guide plates 42, 43' position and stabilize the nail chute 41. The nail chute 41' and guides 42, 43 are attached to the tool by means of

bolts

45, 46. A lock nut 47 on bolt 46 helps position and stabilize the foot plate 35.

In operation, the head'2l of the slip fastener 20 is positioned in hole 37 and held against the magnet 38 by its magnetic force. In this position, the center hole 23 is aligned with hole 39 in the magnet 38. Then, tool 30 (FIG. 12) is held with the stem 22 of fastener 20 positioned in the constricted area e (FIG. 8) of slot 26, on the back panel 17 of cabinet 18.'If the stem 22 is properly located in the slot, the safety device 33 is pushed upwardly by the material of the back panel 17. This upward motion enables the tool 30 to operate.

Next, the trigger 32 is pulled andth'e hammer is actuated inside tool head 31. Responsive thereto, the nail 25, driven out of magazine 36, travels downwardly in 6. direction J (FIG. 11), and through the hole 39, in magnet 38. The head of nail 25 has a diameter i which is small enough to pass through the hole 39 and sink down into recess 24 of the slip fastener device 20.

When the tool 30 is'removed, the slip fastener device 20 has been nailed in position, as shown at 50 in FIG. 12'. Then, the process is repeated, as often as required, to place a row of slip fastener devices entirely across one edge of the back of the cabinet.

Next, the wing headed fasteners 10 of FIGS. 1, 2 are attached around the remaining edges of the cabinet 18. Assuming the usual case of a rectangular back, these wing headed fasteners 10 will preferably be positioned around the side and bottom edges of the back (FIG. 13), while the slip fastener devices are along the top edge. When these fasteners are attached as disclosed in the prior art, they are in a transverse position (with respect to the keyhole slot), thereby capturing the back panel on the cabinet. This is the fastener position seen in FIG. 4.

To remove the back panel (FIG. 15), each wing headed fastener is turned or rotated by until it is aligned with the keyhole slot 16 (FIG. 4) in panel 17. Then the panel 17 can be swung in the direction of arrow K (FIG. 15) to clear the wing headed fasteners 10. Once it is free of the fasteners 10, the back 17 may be slipped, in the direction of arrow L, out from under the slip fasteners 20.

To replace the back, the wing fasteners 10 are rotated until they appear to be aligned with the keyhole slot 16. Then, the proper edge of the panel 17 is slipped up (in the direction M) under the fasteners 20. This assures proper alignment of all fasteners and holes in the panel 17. As the panel is swung in the direction of arrow N, it is easy to slightly turn the wing headed fasteners 10 to assure a final and proper alignment of the fastener and the keyhole slot.

Finally, after the back is properly positioned, as seen in FIG. 14, the fasteners 10 are again turned by 90 to recapture the back 17 in a closed position.

The structure described this far is found in the parent application. The inventive feature added in this copending application is shown in the remaining figures, which illustrate how a safety back panel may be constructed to prevent removal by small children and incompetent persons. The common feature is that the invention requires two steps to install a cabinet back panel and, also, requires a reversal of these two steps to remove it. The attachment of a locking means, preferably is in the form of an electrical interlock power cord socket, to the back of the cabinet and also provides a mechanical interlock which prevents the first of the two steps which are necessary for back panel removal.

The locking means or power cord may have a special form so that it cannot be removed without the use of a special tool. Thus, the back cannot be removed without the same special tool. This interlock feature may be cost free, insofar as the invention is concerned, since the power cord interlock is already required for underwriter approval.

Briefly, FIG. 16 shows the back panel 60 secured on a television cabinet 61, for example, by means of a plu rality of quarter turn fasteners 62 distributed around the periphery of the back. Also secured on the back is an end of a power cord 63 which both captures the back and provides an electrical interlock. Before the back panel can be removed, the power cord 63 must first be removed.

The end 63 of the power cord is seen in FIG. 17. It generally comprises a wire 65 having a molded socket 66 integrally formed on the end thereof. Surrounding the socket is a flange 67, molded approximately midway down the length of the socket. Two screws 68, 69 extend through the flange and bolt the power cord to the TV chassis. For those countries where a special tool is required to remove the cabinet back, a special shape socket is formed in the head of these screws. For example, the screw head 70 is here shown as having a star shaped socket. Thus, it is necessary to have a screwdriver with a star shaped bit before the back can be removed. Of course, any other convenient, but special, bit shapes may also be provided.

As an alternative form of mechanical interlock, special screws 71 may be driven through the back 60 and into the cabinet 61. These screws may also have a special socket, to require a special tool where that feature is required by local safety laws. However, the embodiment of FIG. 17 is preferred over the embodiment incorporating screws 71, since these screws require added labor and, therefore, expense; whereas, the embodiment of FIG. 17 adds nothing not previously required.

The invention of FIGS. 16-32 is unlike the foregoing description of FIG. in that the motions depicted by the arrows K-N (FIG. 15) are reversed; that is, the sliding step L, M. is the last step when the back is replaced instead of the first step as originally described above.

As shown in FIG. 15, the two steps required for removing the back panel of the embodiments of FIGS. 16-32 are first to slide the back (direction M) out from under the fasteners of FIGS. 16-32 and then, as a second step, to lift the back away (direction K) from the closed position. If the power cord plug 63 is attached to the TV cabinet, it prevents the initial sliding step in direction M. Of course, the mechanical interlock removal could also occur responsive to an initial sliding in direction L. However, the initial upward direction M is preferred for the first step motion, since gravity acts downwardly in direction L. Hence, the gravity, acting in direction L, tends to hold the back in a locked position.

The details of how this mechanical interlock is accomplished will become more apparent from a study of FIGS. 18-32.

FIG. 18 shows the quarter turn fastener 10 which is pivotally attached to the cabinet back by means of a nail 75, driven by the air gun of FIG. 13. However, the key slot 76 (FIG. 19) in the back panel 60 is changed, as compared to FIG. 4, to provide a preferably asymmetrical locking cove 77.

The conventional gun of FIG. 9 is usually contructed with at least two guide pins 85, 86 (FIG. 19) which fit into the

wings

78, 79 of the key slot 76. When so positioned, the nail 75 is usually driven through the center 80 of the'key slot so that the fastener 10 is centered in the slot.

According to the invention, this conventional gun is modified by relocating the guide pins on the tool of FIG. 9 so that, when they are placed in the key slot, as at 85, 86, the nail 75 is driven at the center 87 of the cove 77, and not at the center 80 of the key slot. The

wings

88, 88 of the fastener 10 are long enough to capture the back panel 60, despite the asymmetrical positioning caused by the cove 77.

The back panel cannot be removed if a small child (or other person) should play with the fastener and rotate it. As shown at 90, the

fastener wings

88, 88 do not align with the

keyhole wings

78, 79. Instead, the

fastener wings

88, 88 continue to capture the back panel at the

shoulders

91, 92, the shoulders being located between the

keyhole wings

78, 79 and the cove 77.

To remove the back panel, the fastener 10 is rotated from the normal capture position (FIG. 20) to the re lease position (FIG. 21). Then, the power cord plug or socket 63 is removed from the back. Next, the back panel 60 is slid upwardly in direction M (FIG. 22). Thereafter, the back panel is lifted off the cabinet. To replace the cabinet back panel 60, the fasteners 10 are aligned with the keyhole slot, and the back panel is held in place so that the fasteners pass through the keyhole (FIG. 22). Then, the back panel 60 is slid downwardly, in direction L (FIG. 23) to capture the fastener 10 in the cove 77. Thereafter, the fastener 10 is rotated to the normal capture position (FIG. 20). The electrical cord plug or socket 63 is bolted in place and the back cannot thereafter be slid in direction M to a release position.

A second embodiment uses the top-hat fastener 20 (FIG. 24) which is secured in position by a nail 95. The back panel 60a, adapted to cooperate with the top-hat fastener 20, has a plurality of keyhole shaped slots formed therein. The slot comprises a large opening 96 which is shaped to pass the widest part of the hat brim 21. This large opening has a pair of oppositely disposed

coves

97, 98 which have a width sufficient to receive the stem 22 of the fastener, but not to pass the brim 21. When a guide pin 99, on the tool of FIG. 13, is placed in cove 97 and stem 22 is placed in cove 98, the nail attaches the fastener in a back-capturing position (FIG. 26). Since the electrical plug or socket 63 is bolted in position, the back 60a cannot be slid and, therefore, be removed.

After the electrical plug or socket 63 is removed from the cabinet, the back panel 60a is slid in direction M, and the top of fastener comes into opening 96 (FIG. 27). Thereafter, the back panel 60a may be removed from the cabinet 61. To replace the back panel, the large openings 96 are placed over the fasteners 20, and the back panel 60a is slid in the direction L. The stem 22 slips into the cove 98. Then, the electrical plug or socket 63 is again bolted into position to preclude further sliding so that the back panel is again locked in position.

Means are provided to keep the back panel from rattling. In greater detail, the preferred embodiment (FIG. 18) has

resilient wings

88, 88 which flex when they are attached to apply pressure in directions P and R for firmly holding the back panel in position despite any vibrations which may occur.

In another embodiment of the top hat (FIG. 30), the top or hat brim is a Bellville spring washer 102 having an undulating surface with a pair of valleys or low points 104 adjacent upswept edges 103. The top is attached to the cabinet 61 by a nail 105 having a head 106 and a collar 107. When the gun of FIG. 13 operates, the collar 107 is driven through a central hole in the top 102, thereby capturing the top between head 106 and collar 107. The upswept edges 103 guide the back panel 60a as it slides into position, and the valleys l04'apply pressures P and'R against the back panel to keep it from'wrattling.

For the magazine type of tool (i.e. similar to FIG. 9), there-is a strip of fasteners l10-joined by web sections 109',- as seen in FIG. 31. Preferably, each fastener has anrundulating lowersurface comprising a plurality of thickened radial ridges 112-114. When a nail 95 is driven through this fastener, its center is deformed downwardly so that the outer ends of'the radial arms 112-114 press downwardly against the back panel. Thus, the resilience of the fastener top prevents rattling.

FIG. 33 shows yet another safety back fastener which is particularly useful with ametal'cabinet. There the back 120 andthe metal cabinet 121 have

keyhole slots

122, 123 formed. therein. The keyhole slot 122' is slightly smallerthan' the keyhole slot'1232 Thefastener has apair of

wings

124, 125 with-dimensions which easily pass through the-:keyhole slot'l23, but not through the slot122. Thus, theonly way for the wings 124, 125'to pass throughyslot l22.is for them to flex slightly in directions-S and'T. Once'these wings have cleared the keyhole slot'l22, they spring back to their original dimensions so that they cannot be removed. A stem or connecting

member'126attachesthe wings

124, 125 to a head 12.7.

Preferably, the back panel 120 is recessed at'13'0 to receive the head 127, whereby his not possible to grip the outside periphery of the head. Hence, there is no easy way fora small child playing near the set to easily turn the fastener.

To provide means for rotatingthe fastener of FIG. 33, a screwdriver slot 131is formed in the head. This slot could. also be star shaped, or any other suitable shape, so that the'fastener cannot'be turnedwithout a special tool. Thus, to release the back, a screwdriver or other'tool maybeused to align the fastener wings 124, 125'with the slot 123'by positioning a screwdriver slot parallel to the slot 122.

If it were desirable to make the, removal of the back very difficult, there could be a plurality of fasteners with the screwdriverslots 131'oriented in different directions with respect to the

fastener wings

124, 125. Then, each back could. have its own combination wherein the screwdriver slots would have to be placed in a unique variety of horizontal, verticaland diagonal positions to align the

wings

124, 125 and slot 123 for removal of the back 120. Ofcourse, the diameter of top.

125'would have to be large enough so'that the alignment between

wings

124, 125 and slot 123 is not immediately apparent from avisual inspection;

In addition, a formation of coves, similar to cove 77, in slots12'2, l23ienables the. back panel 120 to slip into a locked position. This would make it still more difficult to remove the back by prying the back panel 120 away from the cabinet 121 far-enough to give a slight feel" when the wings 12.4, 125 drop into the slot 123.

Various modifications and other embodiments will readily occur to those who are skilled in the art. For example, the shape of either or both of'the fasteners 10 and may be; modified without appreciably changing its function. Moreover, the'foregoing description has referred to a magnetic attraction between the magnet 38-and'the slip fastener 20, which implies a-use of steel or other metal fasteners. However, certain plastic materials havemagnetic properties and combinations of materials may also be'used, such. aszan iron or steel head 21 on a .plastic-tube22.

Hence, theappended claims are.,-to be construed to cover all equivalent structures reasonably falling within 5 the scope andspirit of the invention;

1 claim:

1. A fastener system for a cabinet backpanel comprising means for resiliently pressing/said back panel against saidcabinet to preclude ambient rattling of said panel against said cabinet responsive to ambient vibrations, said back panel havingmeans for precluding release of said panel from said cabinet unless said panel is first slipped to a release position, and mechanical interlock means forpreventing slippageof saidpanel relativeto said cabinet.

2.. The system of claim 1 and means for selectively capturing or releasing said panel on.- said cabinet, said capturemeans being inoperativeto release saidpanel unless saidpanel has been previously slipped to said releasev position.

3. Thesystem of claim 2.1wherein said mechanical interlockincludes a. socket on apower cord.

4. Aasystemfor.removably but lockingly attaching a panelto. a base. member,

said system comprising;

a plurality of key hole slots disposed on said panel,

one edge of'saidslots-having a cove notch capture.

slot formed therein,

fasteners fittingthrough said cove in at least some of saidnkey holeslotsand attachedto said basemember, said fasteners shaped to release. said panel .when said panel is moved with respect to said base. member so as to removesaid fasteners fromsaid cove, and.

mechanical interlock means to prevent: the movement of said panel with respect to said base member,

52 The system of claim 4 wherein said key hole slots and said fasteners have matingshapeswhich are substantially. similar,

said key holeslots having a large central opening and oppositely disposed wing openings, and.

said cove beingformed.assymmetrically in said, central opening.

6. The system ofclaim 4.wherein said fastener has a generally top hat shape,

the crown of said.top hat shape beingattached to the base member, the brim'of said top hat shapev disposed away from the base member a distance approximately equal to the thickness of saidv panel,,

said slot comprising a largecentralopening which enables the brim of said, top hat" shape to pass therethrough, and

saidcove beinga communicatingarea.which receives said crown.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said, top hat shape comprises a first part formedalong an edge of saidbrim to guidesaid panelinto acapture position, and

a second part formed on said brim to press'said panel into a, captured position.

8. Thesystem of claim7' wherein said. brim is a Bellville Spring.

9'. The system of-claim 4- wherein said. fastener comprises an integral wingheaded fastener havingone part which rotatably' fits within said keyhole. slot anda secnd part which rotates between either a release position aligned with said keyhole or a capture position extending over the panel,

said second part being misaligned when said fastener is in said release position and when said cove receives said one part. a 10. The system of claim 9 wherein said panel is a cabinet back panel and said base member is a television cabinet.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said mechanical interlock comprises a power cord for a television set. 12. The system of claim 4 wherein said fastener is an integral member having a head, opposed resilient wings press said panel against said base member.

Claims

1. A fastener system for a cabinet back panel comprising means for resiliently pressing said back panel against said cabinet to preclude ambient rattling of said panel against said cabinet responsive to ambient vibrations, said back panel having means for precluding release of said panel from said cabinet unless said panel is first slipped to a release position, and mechanical interlock means for preventing slippage of said panel relative to said cabinet.

2. The system of claim 1 and means for selectively capturing or releasing said panel on said cabinet, said capture means being inoperative to release said panel unless said panel has been previously slipped to said release position.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said mechanical interlock includes a socket on a power cord.

4. A system for removably but lockingly attaching a panel to a base member, said system comprising: a plurality of key hole slots disposed on said panel, one edge of said slots having a cove notch capture slot formed therein, fasteners fitting through said cove in at least some of said key hole slots and attached to said base member, said fasteners shaped to release said panel when said panel is moved with respect to said base member so as to remove said fasteners from said cove, and mechanical interlock means to prevent the movement of said panel with respect to said base member,

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said key hole slots and said fasteners have mating shapes which are substantially similar, said key hole slots having a large central opening and oppositely disposed wing openings, and said cove being formed assymmetrically in said central opening.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said fastener has a generally ''''top hat'''' shape, the crown of said ''''top hat'''' shape being attached to the base member, the brim of said ''''top hat'''' shape disposed away from the base member a distance approximately equal to the thickness of said panel, said slot comprising a large central opening which enables the brim of said ''''top hat'''' shape to pass therethrough, and said cove being a communicating area which receives said crown.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said ''''top hat'''' shape comprises a first part formed along an edge of said brim to guide said panel into a capture position, and a second part formed on said brim to press said panel into a captured position.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said brim is a Bellville Spring.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein said fastener comprises an integral wing headed fastener having one part which rotatably fits within said keyhole slot and a second part which rotates between either a release position aligned with said keyhole or a capture position extending over the panel, said second part being misaligned when said fastener is in said release position and when said cove receives said one part.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said panel is a cabinet back panel and said base member is a television cabinet.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said mechanical interlock comprises a power cord for a television set.

12. The system of claim 4 wherein said fastener is an integral member having a head, opposed resilient wings and interconnecting body member, said head having dimensions which can only be turned by a tool, said keyhole slot having dimensions which allow said fastener wings to pass through but not to escape therefrom, and said base member having a mating keyhole slot which allows said fastener wings to both pass therethrough and to escape therefrom.

13. The system of claim 4 wherein said fasteners are made from a resilient material which is deformed to press said panel against said base member.