Undermount drawer slide position adjustment apparatus and method of use
An undermount drawer slide mounting clip releasably attaches a drawer to a drawer rail assembly mounted in a cabinet carcass. The apparatus is capable of effecting positional adjustments of the drawer in three directions without removing the drawer from the cabinet carcass. The apparatus is comprised of a body slidingly engaged with a bonnet. A trigger pivotally connected between the body and the bonnet. A spring loaded catch slidable within the bonnet and acted on by the trigger to releasably attach the apparatus to a drawer rail assembly. A threaded spindle rotates within the base and adjusts the horizontal position of the drawer. A ramp adjustably connected to the base adjusts the vertical position of the drawer by rotation of a threaded barrel. A plunger extends from a housing connected to the body to adjacent the drawer rail assembly and adjusts the depth of the drawer.
1. A drawer slide clip mounting apparatus comprising:
a base;
a bonnet slidingly engaged with the base;
a trigger pivotally connected to the bonnet;
a ramp adjustably engaged with the base;
a threaded shaft, seated in the base and engaged with the bonnet;
a threaded cylinder, having a spiral groove, seated in the base by a pair of coaxial spindles, the spiral groove engaged with the ramp;
a plunger, adjustably mounted to the base;
wherein a horizontal adjustment occurs when the threaded shaft is rotated, a vertical adjustment occurs when the threaded cylinder is rotated, and a depth adjustment occurs when the plunger is moved;
a set of ratchet teeth on the threaded shaft;
a pawl means for frictionally engaging the set of ratchet teeth;
wherein the pawl means further comprises a set of pawl teeth; and,
wherein the set of pawl teeth further comprises one of a group of:
(a) a first pawl tooth and a second pawl tooth of differing sizes; and,
(b) the first pawl tooth and the second pawl tooth having differing angles of attack.
2. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the threaded cylinder further comprises a first friction enhancing surface.
3. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 2 wherein the ramp further comprises a second friction enhancing surface engaged with the first friction enhancing surface.
4. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first friction enhancing surface and the second friction enhancing surface are each one of a group of a textured coating and an integral surface texture.
5. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pawl means further comprising:
an arcuate pawl arm, integrally formed with the bonnet; and,
an arcuate cover arm, opposite the arcuate pawl arm.
6. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 5 wherein the arcuate pawl arm further comprises:
a pawl tooth engaged with the set of ratchet teeth.
7. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim of claim 1 wherein the pawl means further functions to provide an indexing engagement with the set of ratchet teeth.
8. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pawl means further comprises a first pawl arm and a second pawl arm.
9. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first pawl arm and the second pawl arm are integrally formed with the bonnet.
10. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first pawl arm is operatively disposed opposite the second pawl arm.
11. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first pawl arm and the second pawl arm are positioned generally traverse to a central axis of the threaded shaft.
12. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a housing connected to the base;
a lever, pivotally connected to the housing; and,
a cap engaged with the lever.
13. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plunger extends from the housing at a first distance when the lever is in a first position and at a second distance when the lever is in a second position.
14. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 12 wherein the lever is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position.
15. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the threaded shaft is rotationally supported by the base.
16. The drawer slide clip mounting apparatus of claim 15 wherein the threaded shaft further comprises a friction enhanced surface.