GB2183283A - A safety catch - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety catch for a vehicle bonnet comprising a catch member (1) pivotabably attached to the bonnet at (A) and having hooks (2, 3) on opposite sides thereof at different distances from the pivot (A) whereby if the catch member is misaligned or becomes misaligned with an aperture in a plate (4) attached to the vehicle body one or other of the hooks (2, 3) will engage with the aperture to prevent the bonnet opening fully when the primary catch is released or fails to operate correctly. Rotation of the catch member (1) by means of a manual release mechanism is required to allow both hooks (2, 3) to pass through the aperture. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A safety catch This invention reFatesto asafety catch for a vehicle linnet A vehicle bonnet is usuaily secured in a closed position b.yva.primary catchsuch asaspring and striker catch.ln addition, a safety catch is usually provided to ensurethatthe bonnet does not fly open if the primary catch fails or if the primary catch iinadvertently released.A known safety catch comprises a simple hook-shaped memberwhich passesthrough an aperture inthevehicle bodyandwhich is released by manually rotating the memberto disengage the hook from the aperture, such an arrangement has the disadvantage that it may not reliably prevent the bonnet from flying open when the primary catch is released if the hookwhich is attached to the bonnet is not accurately aligned with the aperture in the vehicle body. Misalignmentmayoccurbecauseofmanufac- turing tolerances in the fixing ofthe parts of the safety catch to the vehicle body or because of misalignment ofthe bonnet with respect to the vehicle body.

According to this invention there is provided a safety catch for a vehicle bonnetcomprising a catch member for mounting on the bonnet so asto be pivotable about an axis and a plate memberforming part ofthe vehicle body or for attaching thereto having an aperture for receiving the catch member, the catch member having first and second detents projecting from opposite sides thereof at different distances from the pivot axis, the arrangement being such that the first and second detents can only pass through the aperture when the catch memberisin different angular positions aboutthe pivot axis.

Preferred features of this invention will be apparent from the following description and from the subsidiary claims of the Specification.

This invention will now be described, merely byway of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in.which: Figures 1 to4 show successive positions of a preferred embodiment of a safety catch according to this invention as it is released to allow the bonnetto be opened.

Figure 1 shows a safety catch comprising a catch member 1. having two hooks 2 and 3 locatedwithin an aperture in a plate 4. The catch member 1 is pivotably atached to a bonnet (not shown) about an axis A. A spring (not shown) is provided to urge the catch member to rotate in an anti-clockwisedlrection as shown on the Figures aboutthe axis 64. Figure 1 shows the catch member 1 in the position when tih.e bonnet is ful.l.y closed and the primary catch,Çnot shown is engaged. In this positi orri the honks 2 and 3 of the catch member are postioned:'bel;owthe plate 4.

Figure 2 shows the position of the catch member 1 when the primary catch is rd-eased. Release of the primary,catccausezthebonnetto rise under the action of a spring in the primary catch to a position in which the hook2 is just below an edge 5 of the aperture inthe plate. However,should the primary catch fail to operate correctly, eg due to incorrect adjustment or damage. The hook 2 ofthe catch member 1 engages with the edge 5 ofthe aperture in the plate 4to preventthe bonnet from opening fully.

the catch member 1 thus acts as a safety catch. It should be noted that if the hook 2 does not engage with the edge 5 ofthe aperture in this situation eg due to incorrect alignment or movement during bonnet lift, the hook 3 on the opposite side ofthe catch member 1 will engage with the other side 6 ofthe aperture. This double hook arrangmentthus provides a safety catch which is reliable even if the parts thereof are not accurately aligned or move out of alignment.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate howthe saftey catch is released. First, the catch member 1 is rotated about its axis A, by means of a manual release mechanism (not shown) againsttheaction of the spring, to disengage the hook 2 from the edge 5 of the aperture on the plate 4. As the edgeS ofthe aperture is inclined, this involves a slight lowering ofthe bonnet andthe catch member 1. When the catch member 1 has been rotated to the position shown in Figure 3, it can be moved vertically to altowthe hook2to pass through the aperture. As the hook2 passes through the aperture a cam surface 7 ofthe catch member 1 engages with the edge 5 of the aperture.The cam surface 7 is held in engagement with the edge 5 ofthe aperture bythespring.Asthebonnetandthecatch member 1- are raised, the catch member 1 rotates in an anti-clockwise direction underthe action of the spring and underthe control ofthe engagement of the cam surface 7 with the edge 5 of the aperture, until it reachesthe position shown in Figure4. In this position, the catch member 1 can be movedvetically so that the hook 3 passes through the aperture.

twill be seen that the catch member 1 is designed so thatthe hooks 2 and 3 can only pass th rough the aperture in the plate 4when the catch member 1 is in different angular positions, ie the catch member 1 has to rotate from the position shown in Figure 3 in which the hook 2 can pass through the aperture to the position shown in Figure4to allow the hook3to pass through the aperture. This means that it is impossible for the safety catch to be released, despite any misalignment of its parts, unlessthe manual release mechanism is operated.The manual release mechan ism may be asimple lever attached to the catch member 1 which is accessible from outsidethvehicle once the primary catch has been released or it may be a more complicated lever and cable mechanism.

Itwill be appreciated that when the bonnet is closed the catch member 1 passes through the aperture buy a reverse sequence of movements although it is not necessary to operate the manual release mechanism since the spring will ensurethatthe catch member 1 rotates from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 2 afters the hook 2 has passed throughtheaperture.

A further feature of this invention isthat the catch member 1 is of a shape that can be formed by a simple pressing operation.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:

1. A safety catch for a vehicle bonnet comprising a catch memberformounting on the bonnet so asto be pivotable about an axis and a plate member forming part ofthe vehicle body orfor attaching thereto having an aperture for receiving the catch member, the catch member having first and second detents projecting from opposite sidesthereof at different distances fromthe pivot axis, the arrangement being such that the first and second detents can only pass through the aperture when the catch member is in different angular positions aboutthe pivot axis.

2. A safety catch as claimed in claim 1 in which the first and second detents are substantially hookshaped.

3. A safety catch as claimed in claim 1 or2 in which the catch member is biased to turn in one direction aboutthe pivot axis.

4. The safety catch as claimed in claim 3 in which the catch member has a cam surface for engaging an edge ofthe aperture asthe catch member is passed therethrough to control the change in angular position of the member between the positions ion at which the first and second detents can pass through the aperture.

5. A safety catch as claimed in any preceding claim in which the catch member is of a shape which can be formed in a pressing operation.

6. A safety catchfora vehicle bonnet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.