US2124751A - Door latch - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 193s. c. H. SAXTON 2,124,751

DOOR LATCH Filed Feb. 18, 193'? 5 Sheets--Shee'fl l wim/MAM.

C. H. SAXTON July 26, 1938.

DOOR LATCH Filed Feb. 18, 1957 Z5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Summa/x39 Z ClaudJJaZa/a Jwg. Z

C. H. SAXTON Y DOOR LATCH July 26, 1938.

Filed Feb. 1a. 1937 3 sheets-sheet z Patented `uly 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a latch for doors and while it is designed primarily for use in connection with the doors of automobiles, it is to be understood that it can also be employed in con- 5 nection with other types of doors, if found convenient.

-An object of the invention Iis to provide the latch with a bolt which does not slide as crdinarily but is mounted to slide and swing relative to the latch housing and the keeper so that when the bolt is not fastened against swinging movement, the door can readily be moved into or out of closed position without requiring the use of handles such as commonly employed.

A further object is to provide simple and eilicient means for fastening the bolt against movement relative to its housing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view 9 which appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the` claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred` forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of portions of two doors of an automobile, the same being equipped with latches which constitute the present invention, a portion of one of the doors being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the housing of the latch in one door.

, Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Figure 2. Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the relative positions of the parts when the latch is released and retracted by the opening or closing of the door.

Figure 'l is a section on line 1 1, Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on line 8 8, Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section through a portion of the latch showing the position of the bolt while the door is being closed, the head of the bolt being pressed backwardly by contact with its keeper. y

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a slightly modied form of latch. Figure 1l is a section on line Il I I, Figure 10.

1 Figure l2 is a section on line I2 |2, Figure Figure 13 is an enlarged transverse section through a portion of the door equipped with the modified form of lock, the operating levers of the latch and the shafts from which they are extended being shown.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the head of the latch bolt.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A designates a door of an automobile or the like, the same being of the usual construction with the exception that no handles are mounted on either the inner side or outer side thereof. Formed in the bottom wall of the window opening at opposite sides of the glass B are sockets C each of which is suiiciently large to receive one or more iingers of the user when it is desired to release the latch and open or close the door. Each of these sockets is located above the housing I of the latch which is concealed withinthe door at the usual location.

In the structure illustrated the latch housing comprises a metal plate bent to provide side walls 2 and an end wall or face plate 3, the latter being formed with an opening 4 in which the head of the latch bolt is adapted to work. This end wall or face plate 3 is adapted to.lie flush or substantially flush with that edge of the door remote from the hingesv and be supported close to the keeper '5 of the latch'when the door is closed.

As the housing of the latch is bent substantially into U-shape it can extend partly around the path of the window glass B as shown for example in Figures 7 and 8 so as not to interfere with the raising and lowering of the glass.

Guide ears 6 are struck inwardly from one of the side walls 2 of the latch housing or casing and slidable between them is a latch bolt 1 formed of an elongated strip of metal bent to produce a yoke having parallel arms. This bolt is straddled by a cross strip 8 slidably mounted on a pin 9 projecting from the adjacent side 2 of the casing and interposed between the cross strip 8 and the head 9 of the pin is a coiled spring I0 which constantly thrusts against the cross strip, thereby to press the bolt 1 yieldingly against the adjacent side wall 2 and maintain it between the guide ears 6.

The head of the bolt is of peculiar design and has been illustrated in detail in Figure 14. This head Il has a flat side I2 which merges into a rounded'end surface I3 terminating at the outer end of the opposite fiat side I4 of the head.' This flat side I 4 extends backwardly to a laterally extending enlargement I5. Recesses I3 are provided in the top and bottom of the latch head at the inner end thereof and are adapted to receive the free end of the arms of bolt 1, these arms being `joined to the head by a pivot I1. 'I'he parts are so proportioned and assembled that when in normal positions,.the flat side I2 of the head and the corresponding side of the bolt 1 will rest snugly against the adjacent wall 2 of the latch casing as shown, for example, in Figure v4, these parts being held yieldingly in these p0- sltions by the pressure of spring III against the cross strip 3 which, in turn, thrusts against the bolt 1. 4

A spiral spring I3 is s'ecured to one of the side walls 2 of the casing and has a free end whichv exerts a constant thrust against the inner end of the bolt 1 so that said bolt is held normally in forwardly extended position with the head II projecting through opening 4 and the enlargement I 3 thrusting against the face plate 3 of the casing so as to constitute means for limiting -the movement of the bolt in one direction. These positions of the parts are clearly shown in Figure 5 wherein the head of the bolt is shown in engagement with its keeper, as when the door is closed. I

For the purpose of preventing swinging movement of the bolt 1 and the head I I, there is provided a detent I9 in the form of a short lever pivotally mounted at on the inner side of the face plate 3 and normally supported by a stud 2I so that its end will bear against the adjacent side of the stop or enlargement I5. A lifting rod 22 connects detent I9 to an equalizing lever 23 pivotally mounted on the face plate 3 and provided at its ends with slots 24. Extending into the respective slots are the rounded ends of operating levers 25 and 26 which are pivotally supported on the respective side walls 2 and guided Within straps 21 or the like. 'I'hose ends of the levers remote from slots 2l are engaged by push rods 23 mounted in guides 29 and extending into the respective sockets C where they are equipped with heads or push bars adapted to receive thrust from one or more fingers of the user. If desired these heads can be made of such size as to constitute closures for the sockets so as to keep out foreign substances.

A coiled spring 3| can be connected to the lever 23 for exerting a constant downward pull thereon with the result that the detent I9 is maintained normally in the position shown in Figure 3, thereby preventing lateral swinging motion of bolt 1 and head II. It does not, however, interfere with the back and forth sliding motion of the bolt.

Actuation of the equalizing lever 23 by the depression of either of the rods 23 can be prevented by a pivoted stop 32 located above the lever and adapted to hang downwardly into position thereagainst. By means of a rod 33 extending inwardly from the door and attached at one end to this stop, the stop can be swung into or out of restraining position. In Figure 3 the stophas been shown by full lines in released position and by dotted lines in restraining position.

It will be noted that a door equipped with this latch is not to be provided with handles. To close the door from the outside it is merely necessary to thrust against it. This will cause the rounded surface I3 and head II to come against keeper 5 and the keeper will flick the head backwardly, thrusting through boit I against spring I8. After the bolt head Il has moved with the door to closed position, the spring I3 will promptly project the head II into the keeper as shown in Figure 5 thus fastening the door. The door cannot now be opened by pulling on it because the detent I3 prevents the head from swinging out of engagement with its keeper. It might be stated that when it is desired to close the door from the inside, one or more fingers of the user can be placed within the socket C at the inner side of the door and the door thus pulled shut.- l

To open the door from the outside the user depresses the head or push bar 30 so as to push through rod 23 against lever 23 and cause one end of' the lever to lift against the action of spring 3| and thus raise the equalizing lever 23 to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. This results in lifting detent I3 away from the side of enlargement I3 and if the user will then pull on the door, using the socket as a handle portion, the flat side I4 of head II will be deflected by the fixed keeper 5 so that the joint between head II and bolt 1 will break, as shown in Figure 7, thereby allowing the head II to slip past the keeper. During this breaking action the bolt 1 will of course swing out of normal position against the action of springs I0 and I3 but as soon as the head II has passed its keeper 5, the springs will return the bolt and its head to position flat against the adjacent side 2 of casing I, the parts thus being restored to their normal positions.

To open the door from the inside the same action takes place with the exception that the user depresses the head or button 30 at the inner 'side of the door so that motion will be transmitted through the rod 23 thereof to the lever 26 which will be actuated to raise the equalizing lever 23 and the detent I 9. The user then thrusts against the door and causes it to open at which time the bolt and its head will act as before described.

Should the occupant of the car leave the stop 32 in holding position, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 3, it would then be impossible for the door to be opened from the outside because equalizing lever 23 could not be raised by depressing the head or push bar 3II.

While it is preferred to use a depressible head or push bar for actuating the lock it is to be understood that a lever could be used for this purpose if so desired. 'Ihis modified construction has been shown in Figures 10 to i3 inclusive. It includes a lifting rod 34 extending upwardly from detent I9 and pivotally attached to a cross head 35 the endl of which normally rests on supporting lugs 36. A spring 31 is attached to the lifting rod and to the wall of the casing so as to hold said rod normally pulled downwardly so that the cross head 3l is normally resting on lugs 36 and detent I3 is normally positioned at the side of head extension I5.

Parallel shafts 33 take the place of the operatingylevers 25 and 23, these operating elements or shafts 33 being provided with lifting fingers 39 which extend toward each other and under a pin carried by the rod 3l. Thus when either finger 33 is swung upwardly it will push against the pin 40 and cause the rod 3l to move upwardly against the action of spring 31, thereby lifting the detent away from the head oi' the bolt.

The respective operating elements or shafts 33 are adapted to be actuated by arms or levers 4I extending upwardly therefrom through slots in the bottom wall of the window opening. By swinging either of these arms in one direction its shaft will be rotated so as to cause the nger 39 to thrust upwardly against pin s and release the bolt head for lateral swinging movement. This modified lock will be provided with a stop 32 corresponding with the one heretofore described whereby the latch can be held against operation.

What is claimed is:

l, A latching mechanism for a closure comprising a case plate provided with a face plate, a bolt carried thereby including a tail-piece and a head pivotally connected thereto, spring means for urging the bolt to latching position, said head being adapted to swing in response to opening movement of the closure and having sliding cooperation with said case plate and face plate during such swinging movement, a stop portion on said head engaging said face plate for limiting the movement of the bolt to latching position and slidingly engaging said face plate during swinging movement of the head, means for urging said bolt toward the face plate for rectilinear sliding movement to yieldably restrain swinging movement of the head, and movable abutment means engaging said stop portion for maintaining the tail-piece and the bolt in alignment for rectilinear movement only whereby the closure is maintained in latched condition by preventing swinging movement of the head.

2 A latching mechanism for a closure comprising a case plate provided with a face plate, a bolt carried thereby including a tail-piece and a head pivotally connected thereto, spring means for urging the bolt to latching position, said head being adapted to swing in response to opening movement of the closure and having sliding cooperation with said case plate and face plate during such swinging movement, a stop portion on said head engaging said face plate for limiting the movement oi the bolt to latching position and slidingly engaging said face plate during swinging movement of the head, means for urging said bolt toward the face plate for rectilinear sliding movement to yieldably restrain swinging movement of the head, movable abutment means engaging said stop portion for maintaining the tailpiece and the bolt in alignment for rectilinear movement only whereby the closure is maintained in latched condition by preventing swinging movement of the head, and manual control means for releasing said abutment means including means disposed on each side of the door and connections enabling actuation of one control independent of the other control.

3. A latching mechanism for a closure comprising a case plate provided with a face plate. a bolt carried thereby including a tail-piece and a head pivotally connected thereto and having sliding cooperation with said case plate and face plate during swinging movement, said head being adapted to swing in response to opening movement of the closure, spring means for urging the bolt to latching position, means for urging said bolt toward the case plate for rectilinear sliding movement to yieldably restrain swinging movement of the head, and movable abutment means for maintaining the tail-piece and bolt head in alignment for rectilinear movement only whereby the closure is maintained in latching condition by preventing swinging movement of the head 4. A latching mechanism for a closure comprising a case plate provided with a face plate a bolt carried thereby including a tail-piece and a head pivotally connected thereto, said head being adapted to swing in response to opening movi ment of the closure, a curved surface on said hi ad adapted to slidahly contact said case plate during swinging movement thereof a stop portion on .said head slidingly engaging said face plaie during swinging movement and in cooperation with said curved surface, spring means for urging the boli to latching position. means for urging said boli toward the case plate for rectilinear sliding fiiove ment to yieldably restrain swinging movement or the head, and movable abutment means for main taining the tail-piece and bolt head in alignment for rectilinear movement only whereby the cio sure is maintained in latched condition by pre venting swinging movement of the head 5. A latching mechanism including a casing having a face plate, a sliding and swinging bolt in said casing, means adapted to urge said bolt to a position for sliding movement, means carried by the bolt engaging the face plate to limit outward sliding movement thereof and coactlng with the face plate during swinging movement of the bolt, and releasable means engaging the last named means to restrain swinging movement of the bult to unlatching position.

CLAUD H. SAXTON.

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