US2068063A

US2068063A - Door latch mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2068063A
Application number: US15280A
Authority: US
Inventors: Miller Dorr
Original assignee: Dura Co
Current assignee: Dura Co
Priority date: 1935-04-08
Filing date: 1935-04-08
Publication date: 1937-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1954-01-19

Description

Jan. 19, 1937. o. MILLER DOOR LATCH MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1935 Jan. 19, 1937. D. MILLER DOOR LATCH, HE'CIIANISM Filed April 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fntented Jan. 19, 1937 2,068,063 noon La'rcn MEUHANISM liliorr Miller, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Dora ilompany, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 8, i935, Serial'No. 15,280

3 illalms. (ill. sea-25a) This invention relates to door latch mechanisms, but more particularly to latches for reirigerator doors and the like, and an object is to produce a new and improved latch mechanism of this character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has relatively few parts, and contains the features of construction and design hereinafter described.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear, and, for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a sectional view of a latch mechanism mounted on the door and body of a reirigerator;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of. the latch shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view elevation of the latch shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of an alternate form of latch mechanism;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional elevation on the line iii-5 of Figure l; and

Figure 6 is a front view in elevation of a porition of a refrigerator showing particularly the pedal means for retracting the latch member.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a refrigerator case or body it having a door ii. Extending inside of the body it is a housing or well it having an open outer end it. Pivotally mounted on a pin it is a latching member it having a iurcated tail portion it disposed within the well it and a latch head ll projecting outside of. the well. Urging the latch member 05 to latching position is a helical coil spring it, which is disposed diagonally within the well and has one end disposed within a notch it in the well, and the opposite end bearing against the latching member in the region of its pivotal mounting. It will be apparent that the tail portions it are adapted to abut against the adjacent side wall of the well for limiting the swinging movement of the latching member in one direction.

Secured by a screw it to the free vertical edge of the door it is a keeper it having a flange t2v against which the head ii of the latching member is adapted to engage for holding the door in closed position, the keeper engaging surface 23 of the latch hea'd being tapered so that the force of the spring I8 urges the surface 23 against the keeper flange 22 for camming the door into intimate engagement with the body portion.

Formed on opposite sides of the keeper are walls 24, and straddling these walls is a yoke portion 25 of an L-shaped handle 26, rivets 21 extending through the outer portion to the yoke 25 and the adjacent walls 2d of the keeper provide a pivotal mounting for the handle. The handle it has a shoulder 28, which abuts against the keeper it as shown in Figure 1, and is normally held in this position by a spring 29, one end of which extends into a socket so formed in the handle 26 and the opposite end of which abuts against the keeper 2!. The spring 28 is mounted on a rivet it, which is spaced inwardly from the rivets or pins 2i, and is secured at its ends in the side walls E l of the keeper.

Formed on the handle 26 adjacent the latch head ii is a curve abutment surface 32. The curved abutment surface and the surface on the end portion of the latch head iii are designed so that upon slight outward movement of the handle it away from the door ii, the latching member it is rocked in a counter clockwise direction (Figure 1) to move the latch surface 23 away from the keeper flange 22, and thereby release the door. Upon closing the door the flange 22 engages the cam surface it of the latch head to swing the same out of the way to allow the door to move inwardly to such position that the surface 22 is engaged by the latch surface 23.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 4, the latchingmember i5 is similarly pivoted in a well it. The latch it is ill-shaped in crosssection, and a spring it is wound about the pivotal mounting and has one end bearing against a wall of the well it and the opposite end hearing against the inside of the latch member. The outer end of the latch member it is turned inwardly, as indicated at it, to engage a curved keeper surface 35. Adjacent the surface 35 is an angular cam surface 35, which engages a latch member when the door is closed to cam it out of the way.

The handle it is pivoted on a pin ti, and an abutment portion 38 on the handle is adapted to engage the outer end of the latching member it and rock it out of engagement with the keeper surface it. A spring it normally holds the handle 26 against the keeper, which serves as an abutment for limiting the swingin movement of the handle in a direction toward the door. It will be readily understood that this latch operates similar to the one above Release of the door may be. accomplished by swinging the handle 26 outwardlyv to move the latch member I5 away from the keeper, and upon slamming the door the cam surface 36 cams the latching member l5 out of the way,

the spring l8 snapping the latching member into engagement with the keeper surface ll.

To enable the latching member I! to be retracted by pedal means so that the door can be released by operation of a person's foot, a yoke 40 surrounds the well l2 and has an oflset portion 4| in which one end of a pin 42 is disposed. The pin 42 slides through a wall of the well I! and bears against the inner end of the latching member l5. It will be apparent that by downward movement of the yoke '40, the pin 42 is forced inwardly by engagement of a cam surface 43 adjacent the offset portion 4|. This operates to rock the latching member I! sufficiently to release the keeper, thereby to allow the door to open.

For actuating the yoke 4| a link 44 extends downwardly and is suitably connected to a pedal 45. The pedal 45 is in a convenient position to be depressed by a person's foot, so that a person whose hands are filled with dishes can open the refrigerator door without setting the dishes down. A suitable spring 46 returns the yoke 40 to itsoriginal position, and the spring l8 returns the latching member iii to its former position, the pin 42 being returned by the action of the latching member into the offset portion 4| of the yoke.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and Letters Patent is:

1. A latch mechanism for securing a swinging door to a body comprising a handle pivotaliy mounted on the door, a keeper on the door having a tapered face and curved'latch engaging surface, a stop for said handle, spring means recessed within said keeper-'tcurge the handle toward said stop, a latching member having a desire to secure by aoeaoos portion recessed within the body and another portion extending outwardly therefrom in position to engage said latching surface, spring means urging said latching member toward and into engagement with said latching sin-face, and abutment means on the handle engageable with an end portion of said latching member for moving the same away therefrom.

2. Latch mechanism for securing a swinging door to a body comprising a pivotally mounted handle provided with a recess adjacent its pivotal mounting, a keeper on the door juxtaposed to said recess, a stop for said handle, a spring recessed within said keeper to urge said handle towards said stop, a latching member having a portion recessed within the body and another portion extending outwardly therefrom to engage said keeper, spring means urging said latching member into engagement with the keeper, and abutment means on said handle engageable with said latching member for moving same from engagement with said keeper.

3. Latch mechanism for securing a swinging door to a body comprising a pivotally mounted handle provided with a recess adjacent its pivotal mounting, a keeper on the door juxtaposed to said recess, a stop for said handle, a spring recessed within said keeper to urge said handle towards said stop, a latching member having a portion recessed within the body and another portion extending outwardly therefrom to engage said keeper, spring means urging said latching member into engagement with the keeper, an inclined surface on one of said keeper and latching members and engageable by the other member to cause said latching member to retract from latching position upon slamming of the door, and abutment means on said handle engageable with said latching member for moving same from engagement with said keeper.

DORR MILLER.