US2126141A

US2126141A - Hood latch

Info

Publication number: US2126141A
Application number: US109860A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter S Saunders
Original assignee: American Forging and Socket Co
Current assignee: American Forging and Socket Co
Priority date: 1936-11-09
Filing date: 1936-11-09
Publication date: 1938-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-09

Description

Aug. 9," 1938. w. s. SAUNDERS HOOD LATCH 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9

I FIG.|

INVENTOR 3% RR n T M? R E m w Aug. 9, 1938. w. s. SAUNDERS HOOD LATCH Filed NOY. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3.

WALTER S. SAUNDER S an a4 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 9, 1938 PATENT OFFICE HOOD v LATCH Walter S. Saunders, Pontiac, Mich., assignor to American Forging & Socket Company, Pontiac,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 9, 1936, Serial No. 109,860 3 Claims. -(01192-223) clude the provision of such latching means for hoods of the lid type, that is, hinged upon a fixed horizontal axis, as well as the incorporation therewith of means for centering the hood, and for holding the same against rattling.

A further object is to provide such a remotecontrolled latch construction of the character indicated formed entirely of sheet metal in a very simple and economical manner, yet adapted to very securely hold the hood or other latched part.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustraing preferred embodiments of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout 'the several views.

In thedrawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the front and hood portions of an automobile having hood latching means incorporating the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the hood and appurtenant portions of the automobile, partly broken away, showing the latch released.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, on a larger scale, showing the latch in closed position and partly broken away.

Figure 4 is a view showing the latch mechanism in plan, the hood lid being broken away.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken substantially.

side walls II', and a top or lid section l2 hinged at its rear edge, as at IS, in such manner that it may be lifted from the front. The engine compartment is shown-separated from the passenger compartment It by a dash panel i5.' The meeting edges of the lid' section and hood walls are framed and reenforced by flange elements IL-IB, respectively, each of such frame flanges carrying one portion of my improved latch. The body or keeper 2!] is attached to the fixed flange l8, and the rid bolt element 22 to the lid flange l'l.

Both the body and boltelements are formed of sheet metal, drawn to generally U-contour. Each is flanged for securance to the frame member by which it is carried. The keeper body is fastened to the under-side of flange l8, and provided with an opening created by its U-shape, adapted to accommodate the downwardly projecting bolt element 22, which extends thereinto when the lid is closed. The bolt element 22 is rigidly carried by the lid, being securedto the bottom of flange IT in position to register with the opening in the keeper body. Both the opening and bolt are tapered in such manner that the bolt and so the lid are centered by the keeper during closing of the lid.

Viewed from the side, the bolt member 22 will be seen to be shaped to provide an inclined nose 23, which forms an overhanging latching shoulder 24 engageable by the swingable latching dog 25 carried by the keeper 20. The dog has a nose portion 26 swingable to overhang the latching. shoulder 24, and is normally urged toward such latched position by a torsion spring. 26 wrapped about the pivot pin 29 upon which the dog is swingably mounted.

The dog is releasable by means of a pull rod 30 articulated thereto and extending through the dash into the passenger compartment, where it may be connected to a foot pedal as 33 operable to retract the dog and so free the lid. The coil spring 35, mounted in the frame member I8, acts directly upon the lid when closed, urging the same toward opened position with enough force, when the dog is released, to move the lid upward a short distance, freeing the bolt member from the dog, whereafter the lid may be raised by hand, from outside. The spring thus resists closing of the lid and cushions the closing thereof, and in addition tends to hold the lid and the body of the hood apart and under stress, even when the lid is closed and latched, so preventing rattling.

1 While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. Remotely controllable latching means for releasably securing a lid or the like to the support, comprising latch keeper and bolt portions, one carried by the lid section and the other by the support, each of said portions having a substantially U-shaped sheet metal section, said sections interfitting when the lid is closed, the bolt which the U-shaped section of the bolt portions fits into the U-shaped section of the keeper portion, the latch member also being of substantially U-shape and facing in a direction opposite to the bolt portion, said latch member being pivoted upon the keeper portion and retractible by engagement of the bolt portion thereagainst.

3. Latching means as defined in claim 1 in which said keeper and bolt portions projecting substantially in the same direction and the bolt portion slides into the keeper portion when the lid is closed, said shoulder portion extending transversely from the tapered interfitting portions, and the latch member is movably supported by the keeper portion and engageable and disengageable with respect to said shoulder portion.

.WAL'I'ER S. SAUNDERS.