US1497947A - Door latch - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1924. 1,497,947

P. A. SCHWAB DOOR LATCH Filed July 5, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

INVENTOQR BY /K% ATTORNEY June 17, 1924. 1,497,947

P. A. SCHWAB DOOR LATCH Filed July 5, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z i 2 I as 1 7 A TTOHWEY June 17, 1924. 1,497,947

P. A. SCHWAB DOOR LATCH Filed July 5, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNEY Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES PETER A. SCHWAB,

noon.

Application filed July 3,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER A. SoHwAB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New 6 York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention involves certain improve- 10 ments over the construction shown and broadly claimed in my prior United States Patent 1,250,522 issued December 18, 1917, and includes certain features disclosed and In said prior United States patent I have disclosed a new form of latch in which the latch member is mounted to swing and at its free end presents a cam surface which mayride over a roller retainer in closing the door, and an undercut face engaging with the roller, when the door is in closed position at a point beyond the axis of the latter, and in such a Way that it efi'ectively resists any attempt to open the door without first manually operating the latch. The strain tending to force the door open, only causes the undercut face of the latch to more firmly grip the roller and prevent the opening of the door.

Among the objects of my present invention are ,to permit the more easy closing of the door without manual operation of the latch, to render the parts more rigid, strong,

and positive in their operation, to permit of -verse grooved channel or recess within the operation of the latch by either a rota: table or swinging handle, to simplify and improve the construction of the latch member and the attachment of the operating member thereto, to simplify and improve the roller retaining, supporting, and adjust: ing means, and to provide an improved means for automatically moving the latch into operative position when the door is closed. My improved construction, which may assume various different forms, also embodies all of the various advantages set forth in my prior patents above referred to.

In the accompanying drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a face view of the latch removed from the door and certain parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is top plan or edge view of the construction shown in Figure 1, and in op- PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LATCH.

1919. Serial No. 808,558.

Figure 8. claimed in my Canadian Patent 187,505' 15 filed July 8, 1918 and issued November 19,

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 99 of Figure 8. i

Figure 10 is a face view of the retainer shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 7, but showing a further modified form.

Figure 12 is an inside face view of the (ciloor part of the retainer, detached from the cor.

Figure 13 is an edge view of the parts shown in Figure 12, and

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the retainer shown in Figure 11.

In the specific form illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, a portion of a door 10 and a door casing or automobile body are illustrated somewhat diagrammatically. The materials and details of construction of such door and casing are unimportant so far as the present invention is concerned. The door casing is provided with a transwhich is set a latch retainer shown particularly in Figures'4, 5, and 6. This includes a metal plate 12 preferably countersunk into the wood or body of the casing 11 and secured in any suitable manner, as for instance, by a pair of screws 13. Secured to this base plate 12 is a second plate 14 having its edges turned up to form lugs 15 and constitutin a roller carrier. The lu constitute ournals or supportsfor a. pin upon which-is mounted a hollow roller 16 of such length .that it is held against longitudinal movement by the flanges 15, 15. The roller retainer is so connected to the base plate thatthe roller extends in a verti cal position and may be adjusted horizontally toward and from the surface of the door or casing wall. As shown, the plate 14 110 has a slot through which extends a retaining screw 17 threaded into an openmg mthe base plate. By loosening the screw, the

'roller may be adjusted to bring it to the such an angle that the door latch engages with the outer surface thereof and rides along it approximately to the upper or outer surface of the roller. This plate is shown as having side flanges resting uponthe plate 14 and positioned between the two roller supporting lugs 15 and held in place by a suitable screw. This strike plate .-not

t to the th only guides the latch over the .roller in closing the door but also serves to conceal the ad usting screw 17.

Rigidly secured to the door is a plate 20 formed integral with a' flange or second plate 21, lying parallel with the plane of the door. This last mentioned: plate or flange preferably lies flush with the inner surface of the door while the .plate portion 20 lies exposed along the edge of the door and may be of a width substantially equal ickness of the door. The wood of the door is partially cut away along the inner surface of the plates 20 and 21 to form a chamber or recess to receive the operating parts. The'outer surface of the door, if the latter be built up of wood, may have a sheet metal covering but such has not been illustrated, as it forms no portion of my invention. The plate 20 has a pair of lugs 22 which may be formed integral therewith if the plate 20 be of cast, metal or struck up therefrom if the plate be of wrought metal. If desired. the said lugs might be separate and rigidly secured in any suitable manner. These lugs serve as journals or supports for a vertically extending pivot pin 24 upon which the latch 25 is mounted. The latch member extends substantially horizontally in the general direction of the thickness of thedoor and has its free end it is formed as a V or mounted to. swing through an aperture in the wall 21. The latch itself has an outer or plate 20 adjacent to the flange or side cam surface 26 and an inner or undercut surface 27 intersecting'in a rounded edge. The curvature of the undercut side of the latch may exactly correspond to the curva-.

ture of the. roller 16, although preferably curved on a smaller arc thanthat of the roller so that .when

" the latch is in position on the roller, the

latter will engage with the undercut surface 27 adjacent to the edge of the latter and at a point 28 spaced a considerable distance therefrom, so that an endwise pull- .ing on the latch tends to draw the roller into closed position and. firmly and effectively retains the same. Any tendency of the door to open or any direct pull or pressure on the latter comes substantially in the general direction of the length of the latch and as the edge of the latter has gone behind and beneath the center of the roller, the door will hold the more firmly as pressure is applied I to force it open.

To lighten the weight of the latch and facilitate the boring of an aperture for the pivot pin 24, the pivoted end of the latch may be formed of two spaced lugs 29.

For mechanically and positively withdrawing the latch when it is desired to open the door, I provide a link or bar 32 lying substantially horizontally adjacent to the flange or side wall 21 and having one end pivoted in a recess in the head of the latch as shown-particularly in Figure 3. I have shown'a rotatable handle and also a swing.- ing lever for pulling back on this link or bar to release the latch. Both of these may be employed or either one may be omitted without effecting the operation of the other. I have shown the side wall 21 as provided vwith a bracket plate 33 but having its body portion spaced from but rigidly secured to the plate 21 and one end portion secured to the plate 20. Between the bracket plate 33 and the side wall 21 and journalled for rotation in the two but held against longitudinal movement by both is a collar 34 preferably having a square aperture to receive the shaft or rod 35 projecting horizontally through the door and having any suitableform of knob or handle 36 on its outer end. The collar carries an upwardly extending pawl or arm 37 adjacent to and parallel with the plate 20 and adapted to engage with the lug or extension 39 formed integral with the link or rod 32, and guided between the bracket plate 33 and the plate 21.

Pivoted to the plate 21 adjacent to its.

arm 38 may extend upwardly to a point above the upper edge, of the door so that the door may be conveniently opened from the inside while the handle 36 will ordinarily be used in opening the door from the outside, particularly if the car be a closed one. The latch may be withdrawn by either the knob or the lever independently of the other, and if desired, either may be-omitted without effecting the operation of the other and depending upon the construction of the door to which the device is to be applied. For an open touring car, the outside handle 36 would ordinarily be omitted although it might be placedon the inside instead -of the outside of the door and the lever 38 omitted.

For holding the latch=in operative position, and for preventing rattling of the parts, suitable springs are-preferably employed. I have shown a spiral spring mounted on a stud 31 on the plate 21 and a with its free end engaging a bar 32 or a base portion of the lug 29 on the latter so as to normally shift the bar 32 to the left from the position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 and hold the latch in operative position.

In addition to this spring, I may if desired, provide a second spring 41 having one end also secured to the plate 21 and the other end engaging with the lever 38 so asto normally hlold it against the stop 33 and prevent ratt in V arious changes in the details of construe tion and the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. On sheet 2 I have shown a somewhat modified form, although operating on the same general principle. I have, so far as possible, employed the same refer ence numerals with the prime, although it does not appear to be necessary to'fnlly describe the details of construction of this form. It will be noted that'the base plate 12 is secured in position by four screws 13" instead of only two, and that the striker plate 18"rests upon'one of the two adjusting screws 17 The plate 20 is made of materially less width than the thickness of the door and carries a flange 22, the edges of which are turned in to form the lugs 23 which carry the pivot of the latch. To hold the latch in operative position, I mount the spring 30 directly on the pivot pin 24 between the two lugs 29 and form said lugs 23 with inturned ends 31', to retain the ends pivot pin 24 for the latch 25*.

of the spring; I have shown the operating lever 38 and the lug or lever 37 which is operated by the rotatable handle as spaced apart at one point along their lengths and receiving the link or bar therebetween. The end of the said link or bar has a head 39 with which either of the levers 37 or 38' may engage. I have also shown the lever 38' mounted directly on the collar 34 so that thetwo members 37 and 38 swing about the same center or axis. If it is desired to employ the rotatable handle, these two members 37 and 38 may be formed in-,

tcg'ral or may be rigidly secured together. I have shown the plate 21 as provided with a guide 40 for limiting the movement of the levers .37 and 38 and having one end constituting a stop against which the spring 41' may hold the parts against rattling. I'have shown two, of these springs 41' encircling a pin 42 and each having one end engaging a stop 43 and the other the corresponding operating lever. There are other minor differences, the character of which will undoubtedly be apparent from an inspection of'the drawings.

In Figures 1.1 to 14 inclusive I have shown a modified form operatingon the same general principle but differing in many features of construction. The latch member is mounted to swing in a plane substantially parallel to the edge of the door rather than about a pivot parallel to said edge and the roller retainer is mounted to project at an angle to the edge of the door casing rather than'lying parallel to the latter.

In the specific construction illustrated on Sheet 3, I employ a roller retainer 27 mounted on a pivoted pin projecting out substantially at right angles from a supporting plate 14*. This plate may have a flange 15 at one edge thereofwhich may serve as a stop to limit the closing movement of the door and said flange may have an extension or tongue 15 for holding the outer end of the roller pivot. The plate 14? may be secured directly to the door casing 11 by wood screws 'or in any other suitable manner, or if it'is desired to adjust the same, the plate 14 may have adjustable connections to a base plate as shown in Figure 1. Ordinarily such adjust nent is not necessary as the flange 15 is at a definite predetermined distance from the roller and forms a fixed stop for the door. Secured to the door 10 is a face plate 2O having a flange or side wall 21* on one side and a separate-parallel side flange 22 on the opposite edge. This flange 22 has an extension 23 substantially parallel to the plate 20 and betweenthe two is mounted a The latter is mounted to swingin a substantially vertical plane and normally ezgtends in a direction transverse to the thickness of the door. Above the pivot pin 24 may be a spring 30' The plate 20 has a slot 50 extending inwardly from-the edge thereof bearing flange 21 and said flange has a corresponding slot,

v these slots bein of such length and width as to permit t e entry ofo the roller 27 a through the slot in the general direction of the length of the latch so that as it engages the outer curved cam surface of the latch, it

' will lift the latch against the actionof the spring 30 until the edge of the latch passes over'the roller and the latter is gripped and retained against the undercut surface of the roller, as will be readily understood from the Fprevious description of the form shown in igure 1.

For raising the latch, any suitable operating mechanism may be vemployed. A

simple form is a bell-crank lever 38 mounted on a pivot pin 84 on the side wall 21. The lower substantially horizontal leg of the lever may have a laterally extending apertured flange 52 receiving the upper end of a link 32, the lower end of which is pivoted to the free end of the latch and the upper end of which is provided with a head 39. For normally holding the lever in predetermined position, a spring 41 maybe mounted on a .pin 42* and have one end engaging with the stop on the lever and the other end with the stop on the side wall 21. This last mentioned stop may be so positioned as to co-operate with a second stop 40" and limit the swinging movement of the lever. In case it is desired to operate the latch shown in Sheet 3. by a knob, it will be evident that I may combine with the lever shown a knob operated mechanism somewhat similar to the with the shape -of latch illustrated, such reparts 34 and 37 inclusive of Sheet 1. t

It will be noted that in this form, the latch does not at anytime project beyond the door but merely swings into or out of o erative position in respect to the slot 50 w 'ch receives the retainer rolle In all of the forms illustrated in the accompanying draw'in s, the latch retainer is in the form of a rol er free to rotate as the latch engages therewith. This is important in that it acts to very materially reduce the friction and facilitate the operation of the parts, but so far as the-mechanical construc tion or operation of the latch is concerned, it might co-operate with a retainer in the form of a non rotatable rod or other member presenting a suitable retaining surface.

taining surface would preferably be a curved one. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as' new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In combination, a plate adapted to be secured to one surface of a door and having a plate portion integral therewith adapted to extend along the edge of the door, a latch pivotally secured to said secand mentioned plate, a link slidably mounted upon said first mentioned plate and se cured to said latch, and a rotatable handle and a swinging handle having independent operative engagement with said link for withdrawing sald latch.

2. In combination, a plate adapted to be secured to one side of a door and having a second plate. portion at an angle thereto .and adapted to extend along the edge of a door, said plate portion having an aperture 'therethrough, a latch member pivoted to said plateportion at one side of said aperture and having a portion movable through the latter, a link slidable along-the inner surface of said first mentioned plate and having one end pivotally connected to said latch, and having a pair of lugs or projections thereon,,a rotatable member carried by said first mentioned plate for engaging with one of said lugs to withdrawthe latch, and a swinging member pivotally mounted on said first mentioned plate for engaging with the other lug for independently withdrawing the latch.

.3. In combination, a plate adapted to be secured to a door, a latch pivoted thereto, a' link connected to said latch, a pair of lever, arms for independent-engagement with'said link to withdraw the latter and said latch, a rotatable member for swinging one of said lever arms and a handle connected to said rotatable member, the other of said lever armsv projecting vertically through the" upper edge of the door and serving as a handle,

4. A latch casing, having a face plate, spaced lugs at one edge thereof, a pivot pin supported by said lugs, a latch having spaced In S mounted on said pivot pin adjacent to said first mentioned lugs, and a. coil spring on said pivot pin intermediate of the lugs of the latch and having a portion engaging with the body of the latch and a por tion moved laterally and caught beneath aportion of one of said first mentioned lugs.

' Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New 2d day of July A. 1919.

I TER AuSCHWAB.

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