IES960027A2

IES960027A2 - Door latch for cooker door

Info

Publication number: IES960027A2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Michael Stack; James Corcoran
Original assignee: Waterford Foundry Inventions L
Priority date: 1996-01-15
Filing date: 1996-01-15
Publication date: 1996-10-02
Also published as: GB9613616D0; GB2309045A; GB2309045B; IES69661B2

Abstract

A door (2, 3, 4, 5) for a cooker (1) or stove has a pivotally mounted latch member (22) extending laterally through an orifice in the door from an outer face to an inner face of the door contiguous to the cooker body (6). The outer end of the latch member (22) has a handle (21) for use by a user. The inner end of the latch (22) has a hooked end (25) for engagement with a keeper (1) mounted on the cooker body (6). A compression spring (26) mounted on the inner face of the door urges the latch member (22) into engagement with the keeper (1). An adjustable keeper plate (3) mounted on the inner face of the door can be adjusted vertically so that the latch can be set at the optimum latching position for slam closing. <Fig.1>

Description

DOOR LATCH FOR COOKER DOOR The present invention relates to a door latch, in particular to a spring loaded door latch which can be used on one or more doors of a cooker or stove, especially a cooker or stove of cast iron construction.

It is considered desirable in modern cast iron stoves and cookers for doors which give access to the ovens or controls to have a slam-shut capability, i.e. where the user slams the door and the latch is operated automatically to lock the door in position. To open the door, the user must release the latch to allow access to the oven or control panel.

Numerous attempts have been made to provide latches which give a slam-shut capability. However, they have suffered from various disadvantages, such as weakness in the design, having a feature which may snag a users clothing or fingers or have a less than positive action.

The present invention provides a door for a cooker or stove having a pivotally mounted latch member extending laterally through an orifice in the door from an outer face to an inner face of the door contiguous to the cooker body, the outer end of the latch having a handle for use by a user, the inner end of the latch having a hooked end for engagement with a keeper mounted on the cooker body, and a biasing means mounted on the inner face of the door for urging the latch into engagement with the keeper.

Advantageously, the door latch includes an adjustable keeper plate mounted on the inner face of the door.

Preferably, the biasing means include Iff /s7o? WTOftf INSPECTION i.FNi ’En SECTION 28 AND RULE 23 JNL No / OF 8980027 spring acting on the latch to urge it into engagement with the keeper.

The compression spring is contained within a housing 5 provided on the inner face of the door and bounded by the keeper plate.

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, an embodiment of a spring loaded door latch according to the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical cooker having four doors, each of which is provided with a spring loaded door latch in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view from the rear of one of the doors as shown in Figure 1 illustrating the main features of the mechanism; Figure 3 is a cross sectional side view showing the door latch in engagement with its keeper; Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of the door showing a mounting for the latch; Figure 5 is a rear view showing an inner mounting in the door panel; and Figure 6 is a further cross-sectional side view showing the latch in engagement with an alternative keeper.

Referring to the drawings, the cooker 1 is provided with four doors 2, 3, 4 and 5. The doors 3 and 5 provide access to the main roasting oven and warming oven respectively and doors 2 and 4 provide access to the control panels, fireboxes or burners which operate the cooker, none of which are shown. Referring to Figure 2, the door latch mechanism is engaged with a keeper 10 which is seated in the main cooker body 6. The latch mechanism 20 comprises a handle 21 and a latch member 22 which is pivotally mounted in bearing elements 23 provided on the door body by a pivot pin 24. The hook end 25 is engageable with the keeper 10 and is urged into engagement with the keeper 10 by means of a compression spring 26 which is seated in a housing 27 provided on the inside of the door frame. A pin 28 protrudes from the bottom of the latch member 22 and engages with the spring 28 to ensure that it does not disengage from the latch member 22 during the pivotal movement of the latch member 22 during opening and closing movements. A sliding keeper plate 30 is screwed to the door by means of screws 31 which engage in elongate slots 32 to enable the keeper plate to be adjusted vertically so that the latch can be set at the optimum latching position for slam closing. The keeper 10 can also be adjusted to be set at the optimum latching position and can be screwed into or out of the cooker body or can be adjusted vertically by a hammer blow. The spring 26 acts in a positive manner against the latch 25 but cannot come into contact with the user as it is housed in the inside surface of the door. Insulation 40 around the rim of the door protects the mechanism from the effects of heat, thus the spring 26 is sealed and shielded from both heat and possible snagging of any clothing or skin. The spring 26 can be adjusted vertically by placing shims under it to adjust the pressure. The spring pressure is selected so as not to overstress the spring 26. The maximum load of the spring 26 as shown in the embodiment is 5.7kg.

The compression spring 26 biases the latching member 25 into the closing position so that the door on which it is mounted can be slam-shut and the latch member automatically engages with the keeper 10. To open the door, the user lifts the handle 20 vertically upwards to pivot the latch member 22 on the pin 24 to allow the hook end 25 of latch member 22 to be disengaged from the keeper 10.

This opening movement is a very simple movement for the user and can be accomplished even if the user is holding something in his/her hands. The closing action is even simpler in that the user just has to close the door 26 with an inward pushing action which compresses the spring below the latch 25 and the force of the spring 26 causes engagement with the keeper 10 and the latch 25.

As shown in Figure 6, an alternative keeper 70 can be used to give the same effect.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

MACLACHLAN & DONALDSON, Applicants' Agents, Merrion Square, DUBLIN 2.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A door for a cooker or stove having a pivotally mounted latch member extending laterally through an orifice in the door from an outer face to an inner face of the door contiguous to the cooker body, the outer end of the latch member having a handle for use by a user, the inner end of the latch member having a hooked end for engagement with a keeper mounted on the cooker body, and a biasing means mounted on the inner face of the door for urging the latch member into engagement with the keeper.

2. A door for a cooker or stove as claimed in Claim 1, in which the door latch includes an adjustable keeper plate mounted on the inner face of the door; optionally, in which the biasing means includes a compression spring acting on the latch to urge it into engagement with the keeper; optionally, in which the compression spring is contained within a housing provided on the inner face of the door and bounded by the keeper plate; optionally, in which the latch member is provided with a lever type handle and is pivotally mounted in bearing elements by a pivot pin which acts as a fulcrum; and optionally, in which the bearing elements are integrally formed on the door body.

3. A door for a cooker or stove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which insulation is provided around the inner rim of the door to protect the latch from the effects of heat produced by the cooker; and optionally, in which the keeper comprises an elongate element having a screw threaded shank at one end and a conical head at the other end and a lock nut for locking the threaded shank in position when engaged with the cooker body.

4. A cooker or stove having one or more doors as claimed in any one of the preceding claims or a spring loaded door latch for a cooker door comprising a lever latch, with a handle at one end and a hooked latching end at the other end, a spring acting on the hooked end and a keeper having a screw threaded shank and a conical head for engagement by the hooked end.

5. A cooker or stove, or a door for a cooker or stove, or a spring loaded door latch, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.