HELP! Filling Cabinate Drawer Blocked How Can I remove?

Lady_K

I have blocked up the bottom filing cabinate drawer, I filled it with cushions while decorating to keep them clean. I closed it again thinking no more then I opened the drawer above it to put something in there but when I tried to close it again the cushions from the lower drawer have expanded and I cannot either close the upper drawer or open the cushion drawer to get the cushions out.

Its an older grey type one with 4 drawers and a lock which isnt locked and only one drawer opens at a time, its always been that way but now its stuck with the drawer above the cushions left sticking out and I can't get into any of them apart from the open one.

I have tried pulling the drawer above without the cushions in (the only drawer able to open now) to full extent and tried wiggling it in various ways to try and get the drawer out but it doesnt happen, is there a way of doing this?

john175bramley

Can't you simply reach behind the drawer that's stuck open and pull the cushions through the gap?

Lady_K

No I cant the drawers are too deep and there isnt enough room for anyones arm to get to the back and then also down the back of the drawer back to even reach the cushions, the drawer will have to come out somehow plus they are big cushions.

cowbutt

It might make matters worse, but how about turning the cabinet upside-down, then opening the next-from-bottom (now next-from-top, of course) drawer? Maybe repeating as necessary until the cushions end up in the top (now bottom) drawer?

Lady_K

I can only open the drawer above the cushions as this cabinate has always only allowed one drawer to be open at a time, it kind of locks the others when one is open so its a matter of trying to get this one thats sticking out open out all together to get the cushions out. I hope I don't have to ruin the cabinate in the process

OxfordJohn

I have a filing cabinet, which sounds very similar to yours, in the office here. To take the draw out of mine I just push the little, vertical, toggle (at the leading end of the metal slides at each side of the draw) a few mm to allow the draw stop to be lifted over it. Getting it back together is a little more difficult as you have to lift the ‘one draw at a time’ interlock pin, on the right hand side of the frame, as you try to push the draw back into position.

OJ

Lady_K

Thankyou, I did have what sounds to be very similar to yours.

I managed to press these two toggle things but only pulled the drawer out as far as necessary to then be able to reach behind and get the cushions out. I didn't want to take the drawer completely out in case it was difficult to put back together again.

Thank goodness it worked

Mutton_Geoff

I think if you tip the filing cabinet onto it's back the locks will unlatch themselves (from memory they work partly with gravity) and you can pull all the drawers up together.