US2066080A

US2066080A - Lock structure

Info

Publication number: US2066080A
Application number: US743928A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emory S Stroberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-09-13
Filing date: 1934-09-13
Publication date: 1936-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 1953-12-29

Description

Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Application September 13,

3 Claims.

Generically this invention relates to looks, but it more especially is directed to automobile door locks.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the provision of antifriction means for preventing wear of and damage to the retractile latch bolt of automobile door locks heretofore prevalent by reason of the slidable engagement of said bolts with their keepers.

10 An important object of this invention is the provision of an automobile door lock embodying an improved spring controlled retractile bolt structure including antifriction means carried by the bolt for substantially eliminating wear and damage to the portion of the bolt heretofore adapted to engage and travel over the contacting surface of the strike plate or keeper during the movement of the door in closing direction.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a bolt structure for automobile door locks of the type wherein, the bolt is formed with a bevel face adapted to engage a keeper and eifect retraction of the bolt when the door is moved in closing direction, the end of the bolt adapted to engage in said keeper when the door is closed to maintain the same in such position, and antifriction means adapted to coact with said keeper or strike plate to prevent frictional contact of said bevel surface with the keeper, thereby substantially eliminating wear of said bevel face at the end of the bolt, and without interfering with the locking engagement of the free end of the bolt with its keeper.

With these and other objects in View, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of portions of an automobile door and body showing the mounting of the lock and keeper, respectively.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bolt with parts in disassembled relation.

Fig. 3 is a, fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the bolt, illustrating the roller bearing operatively positioned.

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 2 with the parts assembled and illustrating a slightly modified form of roller bearing structure.

Some of the disadvantages of the types of automobile door lock structures heretofore in use 1934, Serial No. 743,928

are; that the use of grease or oil on the bevel face of the latch and on the strike plate has been necessary with consequent damage to clothing of the occupants of the car in entering and leaving the car; frictional engagement of the bolt with the keeper or strike plate causing rapid wear of the bolt and necessitating slamming of the door to make it shut properly, often causing damage to the door or body of the car and breakage of the door glass; and the jarring open of the door when traveling over rough roads, due to worn out parts, etc.; whereas the employment of my improved antifriction bolt structure eliminates the necessity for the use of oil or grease, slamming of the door thereby reducing the chances of door glass breakage, eliminating wear on the bevel face and the end of the bolt thus saving the expense of rebuilding the end of the bolt or replacing the worn bolt with an entire new lock as has been prevalent, eliminating the untimely opening of the door when the car is traveling over an uneven road surface or when rounding curves by reason of faulty catching of the bolt due to worn and damaged parts with possible injury to the occupants, and insuring easy and positive action of the bolt with respect to its keeper, and reduces maintenance and replacement costs to a minimum, and which results were achieved by providing a bolt having a roller or ball bearing mounted in the bevel face thereof, so positioned with respect to the bevel surface area, in connection with different types and sizes of looks, as to practically eliminate frictional contact of the bolt with the strike plate or keeper and without interfering with the catching or looking engagement of the free end of the bolt with its keeper, and which structure forms the subject matter of this invention.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention there is shown an automobile body I and body 2, of conventional design, a lock 3 adapted to be mounted in door 2 comprising operating handle, key control mechanism, and spring bolt operating means of conventional design, and since they form no part of the present invention they are not shown.

The lock 3 comprises a bolt 5 movable through edge 4 of door 2 and is formed at its free end with a bevel face 6, and adjacent thereto on its upper surface with a countersunk portion 1. A drilled bore 8 is formed in said countersunk portion I and extends downwardly to a point spaced from the bottom surface a distance equal to the depth of said countersunk portion. Said bore 8 is offset with respect to said bevel face 6 but intersects the same forming the transverse slot like opening 9.

A roller bearing 9 preferably formed at each end with pivots I adapted to seat in sockets I I formed in the bottom of said bore and in the under surface of cap plate I2, respectively, said roller is mounted in bore 8 and cap plate I2 is seated in countersunk portion 1, welded or otherwise suitably secured therein. Said cap plate when so positioned constitutes continuations of the upper side and bevel surface of said bolt 5, and secures said roller bearing 9 in operative position as will be clear without further description. When roller 9 is thus operatively mounted one edge is adapted to protrude through opening 9 beyond the bevel surface 6 of said bolt and when thus mounted in said bore is adapted to have just enough clearance tolerance therein to permit the easy turning or revolving of same,

as and for a purpose hereinafter more fully appearing.

The'body I is formed in its edge I3 with an opening I4, and a keeper I 5 formed with an opening I6 adapted to register with opening I4 and an inclined bolt contact face portion I1 is secured to said body or door jam by screws or in any suitable manner.

' While one form of keeper has been described, it is tobe understood that the keeper or latch bolt retaining means may be varied in accordance with the particular requirements without departing from the spirit or scope ofv this invention.

The form illustrated in Fig. 4 is similar to the form heretofore described except that a plurality of roller bearings are distributed over the face 6 instead'of a single roller bearing 9, and which in some forms of bolt and keeper structures may be found expedient.

From the above it will be evident that when the door 2 nearly reaches closed position roller bearing 9 engages contact face I! which is so angularly positioned with respect to bevel face 6 as to cause said face to travel over surface I1 during the retractive movement. of bolt 5 without frictional engagement therewith, and when said bolt reaches aligned position with respect to opening I4-it is projected therein, the side of the bolt opposite to said bevel face engages the keeper or wall of opening I4 to maintain the door in closed position.

It'is apparent that I have designed an improved lock structure for automobile doors and the like comprising a unique antifriction latch bolt, simple in construction, manufacturable at a minimum of cost, and, eflicient for the purposes intended, and applicable to and easily'installable in locks already in use without material alteration to existing structures,

Although in practice I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and referred to in the description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efilcient and practical; yet realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my invention will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims:

1. In a door lock for automobiles, a sliding bolt carried by the lock with its normally projecting tip having a beveled face, the upper surface of said tip adjacent the beveled face being countersunk, a bore formed in said countersunk portion and forming a slot in said bevel'face, a roller bearing mounted in said bore and slot, and a cap plate seating in the countersunk portion adapted to secure the roller in operative position and forming continuations of said surface and bevel face of the bolt.

2. In a door look, a retractile slidable bolt, the free end of said bolt in said bore and projecting partially through the opening, and a cap plate seating in the countersunk portion adapted to secure the bearing and constitute continuations of the upper surface and vented and positive interlocking of said bolt with said keeper by engagement of said straight side therewith is effected.

3. A look for automobile doors comprising av EMORY S. STROBERG.