GB842175A - Improvements in and relating to deck lid mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

842,175. Latch fastenings. ROETHEL, J. H. July 31, 1957 [March 11, 1957], No. 24312/57. Class 44. A deck lid latch mechanism comprises a mounting plate 15 adapted to be secured to the deck lid, a pivot shaft 18 angularly movable about its axis and extending at right angles to the mounting plate, a latch bolt 14 mounted on the shaft, a ratchet plate 21 mounted on the shaft adjacent one face of the mounting plate, detent means 29 pivotally mounted adjacent said one face of the mounting plate and having a portion 31 adapted to engage with and retain the ratchet plate in a position corresponding to the latched position of the bolt, spring means 31 serving both to load the detent means towards the position in which it engages with the ratchet plate and to load the ratchet plate towards a position corresponding to the unlatched position of the bolt and manually operable means 38 for disengaging the detent means from the ratchet plate. The latch bolt is a finger attached to the pivot shaft 18 at one end and having a modified figure eight contour. Positioned between the latch bolt and the plate 15 is a roller 27 and both the roller and the latch bolt are adapted to engage a keeper 12. When the lid is moved in a closing direction the free end 52 of the latch bolt engages an angularly inclined face 56 formed in a pocket in the keeper; the engagement swings the latch bolt in a clockwise direction and as the latch bolt swings, the roller 27 engages a guide surface 53 of the keeper thereby correcting any misalignment of the latch bolt with the keeper. The latch bolt swings until the portion 31 of the detent engages a toothed portion 28 of the ratchet plate 21 to hold the latch bolt in its latching position. The manually operable means for releasing the detent from the ratchet plate comprises a rod 38 which engages the end of the detent and the other end of which is connected to a bell crank lever 42 swingable by a key operated mechanism 43.