US2125515A - Latch construction - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 2, 1938. F W, MCCORMICK 2,125,515

LATOH` CONSTRUCTION Filed May 18, 1936 i4 'ja l @i -l 72) 17a 6673 :s

1o 7 ewig- TgdA/J. MCCOTmL Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNirE emes UTENT FERTE Application May 18,

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a latching mechanismr and more particularly to a latch which is capable of being used on either right hand or left hand doors. Also, the construction permits attachment of my invention to either the offset type or the ush type of doors or the like.

One of the main features of my invention resides in the specific construction of the individual parts plus their arrangement whereby the several parts coact together to produce the necessary and desirable functions of a durable and long-lived latch. That is, although there are only six parts in the latch proper, nevertheless it performs its latching functions eiiiciently.

Another very important feature lies in the construction of the latch bolt per se, this latch bolt or plate having a return bent portion thereon whereby its camming nose is curved to the proper degree during its manufacture. Also, this novel A latch bolt is desirable inasmuch as the larger sized slot required therefor is easier to stamp through the housing.

Another feature lies in the individual construction of the camming lever, this having a square 25.A opening therein to receive a sleeve, the outward pressure of this sleeve aiding in holding these two members tightly together. Also, the sleeve carries integrally formed spacing means thereon.

Another feature lies in the lateral extension of 3Q-s the latch bolt. The edge of this extension rides -against the underside of the cover plate and thus any strains against the outer end of the latch, acting in the nature of a lever of the rlrst class, are taken care of by contact between the rear of 3,5* the latch bolt and the bottom of the housing or between the extension and the cover plate. Thus the operating mechanism of the latch is not called upon to transmit any excessive forces.

Another advantage in my construction is that 40. the bottom member and thev cover of the housing have inwardly extending bosses. The lrst mentioned boss incidentally serves as a stop against excessive inward movement of the latch bolt whereby excessive compression of the spring 45,l means is prevented. Also, this boss serves as a bearing against which the camming lever engages, thus preventing frictional engagement between the camming lever and the latch bolt. The other boss is struck inwardly from the cover, rides 50 against the spacing member on the square sleeve and aids in maintaining this sleeve and the camming lever against axial movement.

Other advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

55 In the drawing:

1936, Serial No. 80,382

Fig. l is a sectional view through a door and a latch construction embodying my invention attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along the plane of line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my latch construction, the cover plate being removed.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the several parts of my latch in disassembled relationship.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one type of my strike or keeper.

Fig. '7 is a perspective View of a Second form of my strike or keeper.

Similar numerals refer throughout the several views.

As clearly shown in Fig. 5, the housing has a bottom member I@ and side walls I I bent at right angles thereto, these side walls being continued in flanges I2 having screw holes I3 whereby screws i6, see Fig. 1, may be passed therethrough into the door I5 to maintain the housing in position.

The bottom member Ii) has an opening I6 therethrough which is inwardly flanged therearound at I1. The bottom member I has end walls I8 and I9, the former carrying a pin 20 headed therein at 2l A coiled spring 22 encircles the rigid pin 2i). The other end wall IS is slotted at 23, this slot receiving the latch bolt therethrough.

The upper edges of the end walls I 8 and I9 have raised portions at their central portions and lower portions 25 adjacent thereto. It will be noted that the portions 26 are in a plane only slightly below the plane of the underside of the flanges I2 for a purpose to be described.

The latch bolt is formed of a body portion 2l of flat construction from which an abutment or lateral extension 28, having an opening 29, is integrally formed. A slot 3U is formed through the body 2l and extends upwardly into the extension 28. The latch bolt proper is formed by continuing the body portion 2l, narrowed as shown at 3l, and then return bending the same as shown at 32, this forming a rounded nose 33. See Figs. 3 and 5. The return bent portion 32 terminates in a concave shape as shown at 34. 'Ihe blank of metal from which the narrow tongue of metal 3I is struck has two small holes pierced therethrough and about one-half of each of these holes remains in the finished latch bolt as indicated at Thus, the formation of extensions or burrs is eliminated at these points.

to similar parts From the description above described it will be seen that the latch proper is adapted to ben insorted outwardly through the slot 23 whereupon the :body portion 2l is slidably positioned against the bottom member lll, the opening 3U extending around the ange Il. The pin 2i) extends through the hole 29 and serves to guide the inner part of the latch bolt. The curved end offthe opening 3B, indicated by the reference numeral 36, limits the inwardgmoveme'nt of the latch bolt and thus prevents excessive compression of the spring 22. The abutment or extension .28 extends upwardly and terminates in a plane only slightly below the plane of the surfaces 25. Y'

A cover member All has an opening 4l around which an'inwardly extended flange or boss 42 extends. The ends of the Acover ware cut away at 43 to receive the raised portions 25 previously referred to. The thickness of the cover plate is greater than the height of the raised portions 25 and theV distance between the surfaces of portions 2,6 and the underside of anges l2 less than the thickness of the said cover plate. Thus, when the cover member 40 is placed in its closed position the outer surface thereof is slightly raised above theMplane-ofthe underside of the flanges l2 and thus the insertion of the screws [4, see Fig. l., causes the cover plate to be forced to a, tightly closed position. When in this position to the underside of the cover, see Fig. 3, and thus any: pressure on the latch Vpropenwhich tends to turn the latch bolt about any intermediate axis, is taken fcare of by Contact between this extension 28 and the cover or else between the bottom of the housing and the latch bolt body. Such a condition might arise from pulling upon the handle member without withdrawing the latch bolt. l'

As shown in Fig'. 5, numeral i6 indicates a circular body having arms 41. The body 46 has a square opening 58 through which the sleeve 49 passes. This sleeve member 49 is bent to shape as shown whereby it is somewhat resilient and tends to enlarge from its formed shape. The sleeve 49 carries short extensions 5B near its juncture and these extensions 50 serve to limit the insertion of the sleeve 139 into the camming lever construction. The sleeve 49 is forcibly driven into the square hole of the camming lever construction, this camming member being comprised of the body member 46 and the arms 41.

The camming lever construction is inserted alongside of the body 2l of the latch bolt with the short end of the square sleeve 9 extending into the opening i6 of the bottom member lill. The body 46 bears against the top edge of the flange Il and the rear curved portion of the body llt extends into the part of the openings 3i) which is in the extension 28. This interlocking is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. This construction securely holds th-e parts together whenever the latch bolt is in its extended position. 'I'he cover member All, when placed in its operative position, has the flange 42 riding against one end of the integrally formed stops50 and thus axial movement of the sleeve is prevented.

As shown in Fig. 2 the door I5 is offset with respeet to the frame 60. In this case a strike or keeper member 6I, having a tongue 62 and slots see Fig. 2. The tongue 62 is bulged outwardly at t5 thus restricting the contact area between the tongue 62 and the curved edge 33 of the latch bolt. Y l

The door I5 has an opening 66 extending therethrough and the squared shank 61 of a handle Bil extends therethrough and slidably but non-revcl'ubly extends into the inner squared portion cf the sleeve 4Q. VAn escutcheon plate 69 is held upon thedoork l5 by the screwsfl, see Fig. l, and receives the shouldered cylindrical portion H of the handle 68. A locking washer 12 riveted upon a smaller cylindrical portion 13 ofthe handle an'd thus the handle member is a complete assembled unit.:V (See Fig. 1.) Turning of the handle member in either direction causes contact-of one or the other of the camming arms 4l against the member 23, see Fig. 4, and causes retraction of the latch bolt against the action of the spring 22. As shown in Fig. 3, my latch mechanism may be applied to a door'I'I of ush construction. In this case the strikeV or keeper member 18 has an obtuse mefifnber 19 bulged at'80, and having slots 8l through' which screws82 pass to hold the same against the casing 83. See Figs. 3 and 7. The door may be swung to closed position, as shown in Fig. 3, contacting against the strike member prior to which the latch bolt has cammer against the tongue '59 until it snapped Vto locked position therebehind. 2 f

From the above description it will be realized that I have invented a latch which is simple and economical to manufacture but yet one whichis sturdy in character arrd positive in action. It is adaptable for either right or left hand doors simply by changing the same and is also capable of use on either the flush type or oiset typeof doors. Due to the sliding handle constructionltting in the sleeve 39, it will be understood that my construction is applicable todoorsof diierent `thicknesses. This is very desirableas -nocutting of the door or adjusting of the latch construction is necessary.

The invention is defined in theappended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within theirscope.

I claim: n

1. A combined sleeve and cam member comprising a flat metal plate having enlarged Vcentral part with cam arms extending therefrom,

said enlarged part having an opening of irregular shape therethrough, a sleeve having a cross sectional shape similar to but slightly larger than the size of said opening, said sleeve being slightly yieldable radially and located in said opening, and means for preventing the movement of said sleeve in onedirection.

2. A combined sleeve and cam member comprising a flat metal plate havingan enlarged central part with cam arms extending therefrom, said enlarged part having a square opening therethrough, and a sleeve having a squarefcross sectional shape, said sleeve being Iformed of sheet metal and having integral outwardly extending ears engaging said plate to prevent movement thereof in one direction.

` FRED W. MQCORMIGK.

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