US2136662A - Refrigerator latch - Google Patents

Description

Nav. 15, 1938.

Sigi..

L. L.. ANDERSON REFMGERATOR LATCH Filed Oct. 18, 1937 29 l ,la

'ia 1 i@ l0 4a 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV l5, 1938- l l.. ANDERSON 2,136,662

' R'EFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed oct. 18, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES 2.13am nEFniGEnA'roa LATCH Lloyd L. AndersonfGrand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Winters & Crampton Corporation, Grandville, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 18, 1937, Serial No. 169,632

Claims.

This inventionrelates to latches adapted to be used in holding doors in a closed position. The latch of the present invention is of particular utility for use with refrigerators, though not limited to refrigerator use alone.

It is a primary object and purpose of the present invention to produce a very useful, practical and efllcient latch at a low cost of manufacture and with a. utilization of a minimum number of parts in the construction of the latch. A further object of the invention is to provide a latch in which the release thereof is accomplished through a veryshort movement of the holding means which maintains the latch in its operative l5v latched position, thereby decreasing the size of the latch and the size ofithe supporting structure on which the movable latch bolt is mounted, resulting in greater economy of manufacture and simplicity in structure and operation.

The invention may be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 yis a fragmentary lhorizontal section through the free edge portion of a refrigerator door and the adjacent door casing, showing the latch which is mounted on the door in plan view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation and section substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the latch.

Fig. 4 is a similar section with the latch bolt in retracted position, and

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on `the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different views.

1n the construction of the latch, a supporting housing of channel form is provided, having a web I and spaced apart sides 2, the free edge portions of which are turned outwardly at right angles, making anges 2a through which screws or other suitable fastening devices are passed to secure the latch to the door. prises a latching dog or head 3 to the opposite sides of which metal bars 4 are permanently secured adjacent one end and extend inwardly between the sides 2 of the support. Said bars 4 at the end portions thereof farthest away from the head 3 are longitudinally slotted for a distance, as indicated at 5.

A pin 6 extends through the slots B on which, between the bars 4, a member is pivctaliy mount- 55 ed comprising two spaced apart arms l connect- The latch bolt corn-k ed by an integral cross member 8. The pivot pin 6 extends through the arm l at one end and near the opposite end a pin 9 extends through said arms 'l and also through the sides 2 of the support on which it is permanently mounted. The latch bolt, pivot pin .6, the pin 9 and the structure comprised of the parts 1 and 8, in eect provide a toggle, the knuckle of which is at. the pivot pin 6.

Between the head 3 and the pivot pin 6 a relatively heavy coiled compression spring I Iiis located, the inner end thereof passing over the reduced end II of a spring locating member which is mounted on the pin 6, while the opposite end passes over a projection I2 which extends inwardly from the head 3 of the latch bolt. The latch bolt head 3 and the pins 4 attached thereto are thus permitted an inward longitudinal movement with respect to the pin` 6, the extent of which is governed by the length of the slots 5. Such movement is resisted by the coiled spring I0.

The latch bolt in its latched position is disposed against the web I of the support with the axes of the pins 6 and 9 disposed in a plane substantially parallel to said web I, as in Figs. 1 and 3. The head 3 of the bolt is received in a U- shaped guide including a cross connecting portion I3 and spaced apart legs I4. Said legs lie inside the sides 2 of the support and permanently secured by spot `welding or other equivalent connections. The latch bolt therefore may be retracted in two ways. One, by direct inward movement with a compression of the spring I0 and the other, by a pivotal movement of the arms 1 in a counterclockwise direction about the pin 9, thereby breaking the toggle `and moving to the position shown in Fig. 4.

In each of the sides 2 of the supporting member of the latch, slots I5 are cut each including an oiset portion I6 connected with the longer part o'i the slot by an inclined slot portion (see Fig. 3). The offset I6 of the slot is located nearest the pivot 6 and directly in front thereof. A pin I1 passes through said slots and extends between and through the sides 2 of the support and is adapted to traverse the slots from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to a position to the right thereof. At one of the edges of the slots the met- `al which is struck from the sides 2 of the support is pressed outwardly, making ledges I8, one for each slot (see Fig. 1) to minimize the effects of wear on the pin I1 in its movements lengthwise of the slots.

Spaced apart links I9, connected by an integral cross member 20, are connected with the pins 6 and I1, the pins passing through opposite ends of said links. A coiled tension spring 2I of relatively light strength is located around the pin 3 and has one arm 22 thereof bearing against the web I of the support and the other end 23 bearing against the pin I1,thereby tending to move said pin I1 to the left (Figs. 1 and 3) intothe offsets I3 of said slots in the sides 2.

When the latch bolt-is in its operative latching position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the links I3 are disposed at right angles to a line connecting the axes of the pivots 3 and 9. The pin I1 bears against the outer sides of the offset portions I3 of theslots Il, providing a positive stop against breaking of the toggle lever from the position in Fig. 3, to that shown in Fig. 4. But by moving the pin I1 along the shorter offset portions I3 of the slots, the stop against breaking the toggle is-rendered ineffective, and the pin I1 traversing the inclined portion of the slot breaks the toggle toward the position shown in Fig. 4,

. thereby retracting the latching bolt head 3 as is evident.

As shown in Fig. l, the latch having the structure described is mounted on and within a door,

such as a refrigerator door, which door is hingedly mounted at one of its vertical edges on the refrigerator, the latch being mounted adjacent the opposite vertical edge so that the bolt head 3 may project beyond the edge of the door back of the outwardly extending lip 25 on the door which passes over the front side of the adjacent door casing 21 of the refrigerator; and on which a cushioning gasket 23 of rubber is secured which is compressed when the door is closed and the l bolt has engaged with the keeper 23 on the door frame, thereby providing a tight seal against the entrance of warm air and the escape of refrigeration. With the head 3 of the bolt engaged with the keeper and with the parts of the latch in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the door is held securely in closed position and cannot be opened until the pin I1 has been moved to the right in the slots I5. A slight movement only of the pin I1 or until it has moved only sufilcient to break the toggle outwardly and started it toward the position shown in Fig. 4 is required, whereupon the compressed cushioning members 23 exert their force against the outer side of the bolt head 3 to move it still farther from the initial position shown in Fig. 3 tothat shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the bolt is withdrawn from engagement with the keeper, the inner end of the plates 4 yforming a part of the bolt following the path of an arc about the axis of the pivot 9.

The invention in this application is directed primarily to the latch structure which has been described. One means is shown for efi'ectivelyl moving said pin I1` to release the latch and thereby permit the door to be opened. It is, however, to be understood that such releasing means is one` only of a large number of manually operable releasing means which may be used with the latch structure disclosed; and that the invention is not in any sense to be restricted or limited to the particular latch bolt releasing means shown in the drawings and now about to be described.

As one form of bolt releasing means, two plates 23, preferably of the form shown. are pivotally mounted on a pin 30, the axis of which is substantially in alinement with the axes of the pins 3 and I1 when the bolt is in operative latching position (Fig. 3). Said plates are located at the inner sides oi the sides 2 of the support and the pivot pin 33 therefore at its ends is mounted on the said sides 2. Ihe plates in effect are bell crank levers, the pivot being at one end of one of the arms of said levers and the other arms of said levers lying against the pin I1, as in Fig. 3. A pin 3i connects the two plates 29 at the elbows thereof a short distance to one side of the pivot 30. Ayoke 32 is connected with the pin 3| at one end and at its opposite end to a push rod 33 which passes through the front side of the door 24 and into a space to receive it made in a handle 34,' attached to the door, which has a web 35 between its side edges reaching to the door and into which the pin 33 extends. A coiled spring 36 surrounds the pin within said web. A push bar 31 has flanges 38 lat its inner edge, the narrower portion of the pushl bar extending through a slot in the handle 34; The outer end of the pin 33 comes against the inner side of the push bar 31. An inward movement of the push bar, caused by pressing against it 'with the handy of the operator, compresses the spring 31, moves the pin 33 inwardly, turns the plates 29 in a clockwise direction about the pin 30, and thereupon moves the pin I1 to the right vand out of the shorter offset portions I6 of the slots I5, breaking the toggle of the latch structure, whereupon the door will be swung open and the latch bolt take the position shown in Fig. 4. When the latch bolt is released from its keeper and the door is opened, a release of the push bar 31 permits the spring 36 to move it to its outer position and the spring 2| will cause the latch parts to swing back to the initial position shown in Fig. 3. On closing .the door with the parts of the latch in such position, the inner cam side of the head 3 rides over the inclined cam side of the keeper 28, the bolt head 3 with the attached bars 4 moving bodily inward with a compression of the spring I0 until the nose of the head of the' latch bolt .3 passes by the nose of the keeper, whereupon spring I0 projects the latch bolt outwardly to have the head 3 thereof engage in the keeper recess, as in Fig. l.

From the foregoing description the construction and operation of the latch which I have produced is evident and may be clearly understood. The latch structure is made chiefly from sheet metal parts which are readily stamped and formed by dies. 'I'he assembly is simple and easy. 'I'he throw required to releaseI the latch bolt is reduced to a minimum, and the i'lnal retraction of the latch bolt is helped and in many cases providedlsolely Aby the force of compression of the ygasket V2li, which is compressed when the door is -latched `in closed position. The toggle structure of Ithe latch and the abutmentl or stop means employed to prevent the toggle from breaking* so as to release the latch bolt from the keper is simple, yet particularly practial, effective, and economical to build. f

'I'he invention is defined in the appended claims and is not to be limited other than may be necessitated by the terms of such claims.

1. A latch structure comprising, a support having spaced apart connected sides, a latch bolt guide between said sides of the support and 1ocated at one end thereof, a member pivot-ally connected at one end to and lying between the sides of the support, said pivotal connection beingA adjacent the opposite end of the support, a latchv bolt pivotally connected to the inner end of said member and guided in said guide, said bolt and member normally lying in substantial alinement, a second member pivotally connected to 7gy support at the edges of said slots farthest awayl the same pivot which connects the first member and bolt and normally extending at right angles to the bolt and connected first member, the sides of said support having slots therein, a pin extending through the free end portion of said second member and seated at its ends inand adapted to traverse the slots, the material defining said slots furnishing an abutment against which the pin bears when the latch bolt yand first member are in alinement with each other, thereby preventing movement of the latch bolt and connected member, and said slots being formed with angular portions adapted to be traversed by said pin whereby said latch bolt and iirst member may be moved, as specified.

2. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 1, combined with a third member pivotaily mounted on and between the sides of the support and adapted to engage with a side of the pin, the pivot of said third member being in substantial alinement with the pivotal connections of said latch bolt and said secondv member respectively, and means for manually turning said third member against the pin to move said pin in said slots and thereby free the latch bolt and connected member for movement.

3. A latch structure containing the elements in combination defined in. claim 1, combined with a torsion spring surrounding. the pivotal mounting of said rst member, the ends of said spring -bearlng against said pin and against the support respectively; thereby tending to return the latch bolt and said members connected therewith to initial position. f

4. A latch comprising, a support having spaced apart sides connected at one edge by a web, a latch bolt guide carried by and between the sides of the support adjacent one end thereof and spaced from the web whereby the web forms a part of said guide, a latch bolt comprising a bolt head and parallel bars connected one at each side of the latch bolt and extending invwardly therefrom between the sides of the support, the inner end portions off-said bars being longitudinally slotted, a' membercomprising two spaced apart sides connected by a cross bar pivotally mounted at the outer ends of said sides on and between the sides of said support and adjacent the opposite end thereof, said sides eX- tending to and between the bars of the latch bolt, a pin extending through the inner ends of the sides of said member and through the slots in said bars of the latch bolt, a coiled compression spring interposed between said pivot pin and the bolt head, a' second member comprising two spaced ,apart sides connected by a cross bar pivotaily connected to the ends of said pivot pin and normally extending at right angles to said web and to said latch bolt, a pin passing through the opposite ends of the sides of said second member, the sides of said support having slots through which the end portions of said pin pass,

said slots containing two sections substantially parallel to the plane of the web connected by annular sections, the inner end portions of the slots being nearest to the web and locatedM so that when said last mentioned 'pin is at :the inner ends of the slots its axis and the axis of the first pin arev located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said web.

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 4, said sides of the from the web having outwardly extending bearing ledges for said second pin.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination dened in 'claim 4, combined with,

pivotaily mounted manually operable means for engaging against said second pin and moving it in said slots, as and for the purposesspeciiled.

7. A latch structure comprising, a support having spaced apart sides, a latch bolt guide between the sides of the support and located adjacent one end thereof, a member pivotaily connected at one end adjacent the opposite end of the support and lying between the sides thereof, a latch bolt pivotaily connected to the' inner end of said member and guided in said guide, said bolt and member normally lying in substantial alinement, a secondmember pivotaily connected at the pivotal juncture of the first member and bolt and normally extending substantially at right angles thereto, a pin extending through the free end portion of said second member, said sides of said support having slots therein through which the pin extends, and the material denn- ,ing said slots providing an abutment against which the pin bears when the latch bolt and rst member are in alinement with each other, thereby holding the bolt against movement.

8. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim '7, combined with pivotaily mounted manually operable means for .moving said pin in the slots to free the latch for movement.

9. A latch structure comprising, a support having spaced apart sides, a latch bolt guide secured to and between said sides-of the support adjacent one end thereof, a member pivotaily connected at one end to and between the sides of the support adjacent the opposite end of said support, a latch bolt pivotaily connected to the inner end of said member and guided in said guide, a second member pivotaily connected to said latch bolt and rst member at the pivotal connection thereof and adapted to normally extend at right angles to said latch bolt and first member, interengaging means at the opposite end of the second member and the sides of said support for holding all of the members in a position against movement, and manually operable means for releasing said interengaging means whereby the latch bolt may be tilted and re-y tracted in said guide.

10. A latch structure comprising, a support having spaced apart sides, a latch bolt guide carried between and at one end of the sides, a member pivotaily connected at one end adjacent the opposite ends of said sides, a latch bolt pivotaily connected to the inner end of said member and guided in said guide. said latch bolt and member normally being'located in alinement and providing a toggle structure, a second member pivotaily connected at one end to said latch bolt and first member at the pivotal connection thereof, interengaging meanson said second member and the` support for lholding said second member in a position substantially at right angles to the length o1' said, latch bolt and first member when the same are in alinement, and manually operable means for moving said second member to thereby release the latch bolt and permit it to tilt and move lengthwise in said guide, as specified.

Y LLGYD L. ANDERSON.

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