GB740728A - Improvements in or relating to a hood latch mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

740,728. Latch fastenings; hinges. BASSICK CO. Aug. 18, 1953 [Aug. 27, 1952], No. 22760/53. Classes 44 and 65 (2). Mechanism for latching a swinging lid, e.g. of an engine hood, to a fixed part includes a keeper 31 on the fixed part, a mounting-plate 27 fixed to the side of the lid, a spindle 54 mounted for turning movement in the mounting plate, and a swinging detent arm 30 operatively connected to the spindle for rotation about an axis between the ends of the detent arm and adapted to engage and disengage the keeper, the .detent arm comprising relatively slidable partsconsisting of a stem 58 and a frame 57 mounting the stem and an interposed spring 67, the spring being held under compression in the latched position of the lid. The stem 58 has a hook end 63 for engaging the keeper 31. The spindle 54 is carried by a lever 42, which is fixed to a spindle 28 so as to move with it when the spindle is rotated by an operating handle 29, the spindle 28 being journalled in the mounting plate 27. When the hook is disengaged from the keeper the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 8 in which the lever 42 is engaging a stop 48 on the mounting plate and the frame 57 has its upper end engaging a stop 68 on the mounting plate and its intermediate part.resting on a stop 51 on the lever 42. Rotating the handle 29 anticlockwise causes the lever 42 to rotate, the initial movement of this lever allowing the hook to engage under the keeper 31. Further movement of the lever compresses the spring 67 as the spindle 54 of the frame 57 is moved away from the keeper until the pivot-pin 54 passes the plane through the axis of the spindle 28 after which the spring is progressively released until the lever 42 engages a stop 47. The lever 42, frame 57 and the stem 58 thus form a toggle which positively locks the hook in the keeper. Reverse movement of the handle 29 disengages the hook from the keeper. Free movement of the lever 42 is restrained by a blade-spring 49 cut from the mounting plate. The mounting plate 27 is L-shaped, the lower limb being apertured to pass over the keeper 31 and its forward. end having a lip 39 which engages a V-shaped recess 35a in the plate 33 on which the keeper 31 is mounted so that the mounting plate 27 is positively located with respect to the plate 33. The plate 33 is part of a hinge so that when two fasteners are used one on each side of a vehicle bonnet, the bonnet can pivot on one side when the other side is unlatched. In a modification the keeper may be mounted on a fixed plate.