US1681850A - Latch for electric-switch boxes - Google Patents

Description

1,681,850 B. E. GETCHELL LATCH FOR ELECTRIC SWITCH BOXES Filed June 14, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR t c'lzell,

Benjam Aug. 21, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 2l, 1928.

B. E. GETCHELL LATCH FOR ELECTRIC SWITCH BOXES Filed June 14, 1926 Ben Patented Aug". 2l, 1928.

UNITED L STATES PATENT oFFlcE.'

BENJAMIN E. GETCHELL, F PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB T0 THE THUM- BULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

LATCH FOR ELECTRIC-SWITCH BOXES.

Application led .Tune 14, 1928. Serial No. 115,811.

My invention relates to a construction involvln'g the latch mechanism primarily inl tended for switch boxes of large size.

One object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and practical construction which wlll securely latch the box when it is closed and which can be readily released for the purpose yof opening the box.

Another object is to provide a substantial .and dependable latch which will securely hold the cover closed against all internal pressure such, for instance, as the blowing of the fuses or a short circuit in the box,

which latter frequently causes such an explosion as to force the door violently open and thus endangers nearby persons as well as property.

Another object is to provide a substantial latch construction whichmay be depended upon to securely hold the cover closedA even though the cover be loosely tted to the box.

Another object is to provide a latch normally controlled by a spring but so proportioned and designed that it will etlectually operate even though the spring becomes displaced or broken.

Another object is to re-inforce the comparatively ythin metal of the cover so that itmay be positively and securely latched.

In carrying out the invention in its preferred orm, `I provide a box having a hinged cover and a special handle and latch'constructlon which is adapted to alrtomatically latch the box when the cover is closed and in which the latch can be 'readily released in the act of grasping the handle for opening the box. f

Fig. 1 is a front view of an electric switch A box embodying the preferred form of the improvements of my invention, one form of switch mechanism being indicated in dotted lines, the switch being in the closed circuit position.

Fi 2 is a side view of the same showing t e switch in the open circuit position, a part of the cover being broken away to show the latch mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view and partial section showing-the latch mechanism.

The box 5 and cover 6 may be made of any suitable material such as sheet steel and preferably having the cover hinged at 7 -"-7 at one side.

The switch mechanism is ordinarily mounted on a base 8 suitably secured inthe box. In the particular form shown, the switch has a stationary switch contact jaw 9 and a hinged member 10. It may also have a suitable protective fuse 11. The switch may be operated by means .of a crank suitably pivoted in the box and connected to the hinged switch member 10 and provided with an external operating handle or lever 13. The details of the switch mechanism, however, are unimportant to the present invention.

The latch member 14 is pivoted at 15 -to one side of the box beside a wall thereof. The outer end 16 of the latch is preferably angled to facilitate its cooperation with the cover. The inner end 17 is considerably heavier than the outer end of the lever so that the tendency of gravity is to raise the outer end. This preponderance of weight may be conveniently provided by lsimply making the latch out'of sheet met-al having a larger area in real-'of the pivot 15 than in front of it. Such a latch, therefore, is comparatively thin and occupies but little space within the switch box. IV also preferably provide a tension spring 18 which is secured to the wall of the box andthe outer arm of the latch member 14 so that it tends to pull the latch member outwardly against a stop on the side wall of the box. The weight of the inner end 17, however, is suiiicient to ordinarily keep the latch in its operative position even though the spring 18 should become broken or inoperative. A

The cover of the box is provided with an opening 19 through which the end 16 of the latch member 14 is adapted to pro]ect.

The cover is provided with a handle 2O i which may be secured to the cover of the box,

is grasped in a natural manner and the thumb used to press down upon the end 16 of the latch member so as to-release it at the same time that the cover is openedby simply pulling on the grip portion of the handle. The cover may be closed by snnply pressing 1t into the position shown in,F1g. 2 duringwhich operation the outer end ofthe latch-Will lproject throughA the opening 19 and snap into place by gravity assisted by the spring 18. The outer end of the latch member may be provided'withan opening 24 to accommodate a padlock or other locking or sealing means.

The covers of large switch boxes are sometimes diicult to open on account of the cover binding on the edge of the box. The handle construction I have shown serves to reinforce the cover and also enables the operator to grasp the handle in the most effective manner, using the strongest part of his hand and fingers, and to apply the openingforce at the most eicient point.

I claim 1. A latch construction for an electric switch box, said box having a cover hinged to said box and said cover having a latch opening, a handle member secured. to said cover adjacent said opening and having a latch en` gaging extension, a latch member pivoted in said box, said latch having a shoulder for engaging with said handle extension when the cover is closed, and a counterweight extension and a spring for normally moving said latch.

2. A latchfconstruction for an electric switch box including a hinged cover with a handle gri at one edge and a latch opening adjacent tlli pivoted in said box and provided with a hooked end adapted to interlock with one edge of said opening when the cover is closed, and a spring for closing said latch. 5

3. A latching mechanism for an electric switch box having a cover hinged thereto and having a latch opening, said mechanism comprising a handle member secured adjacent said opening and having an extension reinforcing said opening, a latch member pivoted ereto, a counterweighted latch in said box and' having a shoulder cofactin with said extension When said cover 1s close and both spring means and gravitational `grip and a counterweighted portion forcausing latching movement of said latch and spring means for normally operating said latch. f

5. A latch construction for an electric switch box, said box having a flanged cover` hinged to one edge of the box and said cover having a latch opening at the edge op osite the hinged edge, a handle having space ends secured to the cover adjacent one of its flanges, one of said ends being secured adjacent said latch opening and having a gripping portion extending substantially parallel with the edge of the cover and adapted to be gras ed by the lingers of one hand, a latch pivote to an inner side Wall of the boxand movable in a plane substantially parallel thereto and having a hooked end projecting through said opening when the cover is closed and having a thumb piece adapted to be engaged and retracted by depressing the thumb While the handle is grasped by the fingers of the saine hand and means for automatically moving the latch to hold the cover when the hooked endof the latchprojects through the opening in the cover.

BENJAMIN E. GETCHELL. j

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