US1238876A - Refrigerator-latch. - Google Patents

Description

H. BLYE.

REFRIGERATOR LATCH. APPLICATION FILED nmvxlflsn.

Patented Sept. 4, .1917.

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i HAROLD BLYE, F GRAND RAPEDS, MICHIGAN.

REFBIGERTOB-LATCH.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 191'?.

Application filed May 17, 1917. Serial No.169,329.

To all whom z't may concern:

-Be it known that I, HAROLD BLYE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Latches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a latch for doors, and one which in practice is especially adapted to be used with refrigerator doors. It is desirable that arefrigeratorV door be provided with latch construction by means of which the door, when closed, is held tightly, and one in which the opening of the door may be attained with the least amount of trouble and eort. One of the objects and purposes of my invention is the attainment of this desired end. Another object and purpose of the invention is the construction of the latch in such manner that on moving the door toward its closed position the latch will act automatically to draw the door into tightly closed position. Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent as understanding of the invention is had from the disclosure made thereof in the accompanying drawing in whichg.l

Figure 1 is a. front elevation showin the latch and the keeper therefor applic respectively, to a door and door casing.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the latch eigaged with the keeper, thel door being c ose Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section to taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1

with the latch occupying its closed position, and

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the latch handle in another position from that shown in Fig. 3 when the door is open.

the latch is applied to the door 1 thereof while the keeper is applied to the casing 2. In construction the latch comprlses a substantially cylindrical hollow housing 3 integral with which is an outwardly extendin plate 4 through which screws/5 or other suitable attaching devices may be passed to attach the same to the door. Two spaced apart ears 6 project from the outer end of the housing between whicha handle 7 is pivotally mounted on the pivot pin upon 8. A coil spring 9 under compression is located within the housing and disposed between two plates 10 and 11 the former of which bears against the door while the latter is pressed outwardly by spring 9, being retained from displacement from the housing by the annular inturned shoulder 12 adjacent the outer end thereof. A roller or ball 13 is located within a recess 14 made in the end and' inner side of the handle, plate 11,

bearing thereagainst. In one osition of the handle, as shown in Fig. 3, t e pressure of the spring exerts a turning moment on the handle tending to force the lower end thereof toward the door. In the other portion of the handle, as shown in Fig. 4, the line of force of the spring transmitted by the ball is substantially across the axis of the pin 8 or it lmay be moved slightly beyond whereby the lower end of the handle is held in outer position.

An arm 15 is cast integral with the upper end of the handle extending over the door and inwardly toward the casing and terminating in a laterally turned end 16. Said end 16 is adapted tovengage with a keeper which is attached to the casing, it comprising an outwardly extending member 17 integral with which is formed a laterally extending plate 18 which is secured, by screws 90 19 or other suitable connections, to the casing as shown. rlhe upper part of the part 17 is extended outwardly as indicated at 20 and is then bent back partly upon itself forming an overhanging retaining lip 21. Below the part 20 is a projection 22 having curved outline at its outer side whereby a substantially curved slot 23 is made in the keeper through which the laterally projecting end 16 of the arm 15 may move.

ln the closed position of the door the force of the spring exerted on the handle causes the end 16 to engage tightly against the overhanging lip 21 of the keeper. lf it is desired to open the door all that is necessary is to grasp the depending portion of the handle member and exert a pull thereon, whereupon the handle as a whole is turned about the pivot 8 and the end 16 of arm 15 disengaged from the keeper and moves through the curved slot 23. The pull exerted on the handle and transmitted to the door has a tendency to open the door as the part 16 disengages from the lip 21 but if the door should stick, said part 16 strikes against the opposite side of the keeper and bears against the outward projection 22 forcing the door open.v At the same time the ball or roller 14 moves across the plate 11 to substantially the position shown in Fig. 4 the spring thereupon holding the handle in the other position to which it has been moved.

On closing the door, the handle occupying the position shown in Fig. 4, the end 16 strikes against the projection 22 and causes an inward movement of the depending portion of the handle until such time as the line of force of the spring has passed by the axis of the pivot 8, after which the spring completes the inward movement of the depending portion of the handle and forces end 16 of arm 15 into engagement with the overhanging lip 21 of the keeper. It will be noted that the only action required in opening the door is to grasp the depending portion of the handle and exert Va pull thereon; While in closing the door nothing is required but that the door be swung with a slight degree of force toward its closed position, the latch acting automatically `to engage with the keeper and hold the door securely in closed position. The latch also is particularly effective against any opening of the door from rthe inside as may occur when ice or the like falls against it, the inclination of the retaining lip 21 of the keeper with respect to the end 16 which engages ltherewith being such that force applied on the inside of the door against the part 16 causes it to engage more strongly with the part 21. All of these features in connection with especially simple and economical structure of the latch mechanism make the latch one of particular merit when used in connection with refrigerators.

I claim'z- 1. In a device of the character described, a housing, a handle pivotally mounted on the housing, an arm on the handle, said arm being provided with a laterally projecting end adapted to engage a keeper, a spring within the housing, a plate between the spring and handle normallly forced toward the lever by the spring, and a roller seated in a recess on the inner side of the lever and interposed between the lever and plate, said roller being' so positioned with respect other.

to the handle that itv moves across the plate on outward movement of the handle, the line of force of the spring passing across the pivotal axis of the handle, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the characterv described, a pivotally mounted handle, anarm projecting from one end of the handle, said arm having a laterally extending keeper engaging end and spruig means associated with the handlefor holding it in either of two extreme positions between which it is adapted to move, the line of force of the spring crossing the pivotal axis of the handle as the handle moves from one position to the 3. In a device of the character described, a housing, spaced ears projecting from the housing, a handle pivotally mounted between said ears, an arm on the handle at the upper end thereof extending laterally and inwardly and terminatingin a lateral keeper engaging end, and mechanism within the housing associated 4with the handle for holding it in either of two extreme positions between which it is operable.

4. In a device of the character described, a pivotally mounted handle, an arm on the handle at one end thereof and adjacent the pivot, said arm terminating in a laterally projecting end adapted to engage with a keeper, mechanism associated with the 'handle for holding it in either of two extreme positions between which it is operable, and a keeper having a slot into which said keeper engaging end of the arm is adapted to enter to engage against the keeper and automatically throw the handle from one position to the other, simultaneously moving the keeper engaging portion of the handle into engagement with the keeper.

5. Incombination with a door, a housing secured to the door and projecting therefrom, a handle pivotally mounted over the housing said handle at its upper end and its inner side being provided with a recess, a roller seated in the recess, a plate within the housing a spring within the housing forcing the plate against the roller, a door casing, a keeper secured thereto, an arm having a keeper engaging portion on the handle, said .keeper engaging portion engaging with the keeper when the door is in closed position but disengaging therefrom on outward pivotal movement of the lower end handle, substantially as described. A

6. In combination, a door casing, a keepery having a slot therein extending inwardly from the outer edge of the keeper and curving upwardly and forwardly back of an overhanging lip on the keeper, a door, va latch comprising a housing attached to the door, a handle pivotally mounted on the housing, means within the housing assomamey@ l one position to the other whereby said kee er; engaging partl enters into the Vslot of the keeper and. engages against said lip, sub- 10 stantially as described.

Y In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

i HAROLD BME.

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