GB583128A - Improvements in or relating to gate or door latches - Google Patents

Abstract

583,128. Latches. LAURENCE, G. May 9, 1944, Nos. 8767 and 10447. [Class 44] In a gate or door latch of the kind in which a latch engages a pivoted keeper, the lower edge of the keeper is provided with a number of teeth or shoulders engagable by the latch, so that the gate &c. is fastened even if not fully closed owing to warping or other cause, Figs. 1, 2 show a latch pivoted at 3 in a shallow casing 4 with peripheral flange 5 with screwholes 6 for affixing to the gate &c. The handle 2 is weighted so that the nose 1 is biassed upwards, the movements of the latch being limited by the slot in the end 9 of the casing through which the latch projects into engagement with a pivoted gravity-biassed keeper 24. The keeper is pivoted at 13 in a fixed bracket 14 secured to the post 17. As shown, the bracket is an open-bottomed structure the cover of which limits upward movement of the keeper, downward movement being limited by oppositelydisposed lugs 22, 23 at the top edge of the keeper which rest on inturned flanges at the lower edges of the bracket side members. These side members are extended and provided with screw-holes 16, 19 for affixing to the post, one extension 15 being attached to one side, and the other extension 18 to the front, of the post. When the gate is fully closed the latch nose 1 is held between the inner free end of the keeper and the front of the post. This inner end also has rectangular notches or shoulders 25, 26 by which the gate latch is held when the gate is not quite fully closed, so that opening movement is prevented, and rattle is not appreciable. The lower edge of the keeper has notches 28, 29 preferably shaped so that the projections or teeth 27 are of ratchet form. The notches receive the latch when the gate is only partly closed to prevent both opening and closing movement and prevent rattle. According to the Provisional Specifications the. bracket may be a strip of metal bent to V-form. In this case the lugs rest on the top edges of the brackets side members to limit downward movement, and a projection on the keeper near its pivot limits upward movement. Also, the latch may be fixed on a pivot pin the ends of which have suitable grips for operation from either side of the gate, or the latch may be operated by handleoperated cam means. The keeper may be pivoted and counterbalanced to be biassed upwards, with the latch receiving notches on its upper edges.