US2163752A - Closure lock - Google Patents

Description

A. E. FOHN f CLOSURE LOCK- June 27, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Invefifnof fhdolf B1 0) 5% Filed May 9, 1935 June 27, 1939. A. E. FOHN 2,163,752

' CLOSURE LOCK I Filed May 9, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 $96 A 7&95 E56 I Imuenflaor: W 13. mm

nfkiztorneus Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Steel Products Company,

ration of Illinois Aurora, 111., a corpo- Application May 9, 1935, Serial No. 20,559

17 Claims.

My invention relates to closure locks of a type applicable to the doors of metal lockers, but not restricted to such use in any way. It includes among its objects and advantages increased rigidity and simplicity and a reduction in the number and weight of the moving parts involved.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a locker;

Figure 2 is an inside view of the free edge of the locker door;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section 'on line 4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the cam bar;

Figure '7 is an enlarged detail of the lock and associated parts;

Figure 8 is a section on line 88 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a perspective of the keeper; and

Figure 11 is a section on line ll-H of Figure 10.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, the stationary housing of the locker includes a front frame comprising risers ill] and rails l2. The door [4 is supported by hinges l6 and provided with ventilating louvers at I8. The free edge of the door is bent back at a right angle at and then again turned in through an angle of about 135 as clearly shown at 22 in Figure 4. Horizontal shelves 24 may also be turned in at the top and bottom of the door.

I have illustrated a plurality of keepers designated as a whole by the referencecharacter 26. Each keeper comprises a bracket made up of a base plate 28 riveted to one of the risers Iii, a reach 30 extending back into the locker parallel to the path of the adjacent door edge, an abutment 32 lying in the path of the edge defined by the junction of parts '26 and 22 of the door, and ears 34 at the top and bottom of the abutment 32, extending back to support a pintle 36.

Each keeper also comprises a movable latch bolt pivoted on the pintle 36. The latch bolt comprises the reach 38 and the hook'4il at the front end of the reach. The lower end of the hook 46 is cut ofi on a bevel as at 42 to form a cam surface for releasing the latch bolt. Ears 44 are bent in and apertured to receive the pin- 'tle 36, and the reach 38 is extended past the ears and bent around into a shield 46 for housing and protecting the spring 48. One end 59 of the spring 48 (see Figure 4) presses in. a counterclockwise direction against the bracket, and the other end 52 presses in a clockwise direction against the-edge of the shield 46. Thus the spring tends to hold the latch-bolt in the position ofFi'gures4 and 10.

The cam bar 54 is a mere strip of sheet metal nested in the angle between the body of th'e -door l4 and the flange 26 with its rear edge guided in the re-entrant angle between the flange 20 and the hook flange 22. Adjacent and just below each keeper 26 a lug 56 is bent out of the edge of the cam bar 54 to a position where the corner of the lug will ride up under the cam surface 42 as clearly indicated in Figure 5, and rotate the latch bolt in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 4, far enough to release the door.

A connecting bracket is riveted to the cam bar 54 and comprises the attachment plate 58, the connecting plate 60 lying parallel to the body of the door l4 and the abutment lug 62 bent over from the attachment plate 58. The connecting plate 68 is apertured at 64 to receive a bolt '66 extending through the body 14 to connect the plate 66 with the handle 68. I have illustrated a spacer sleeve 1!! encircling the bolt and passing through the aperture 64 and a slot 12 in the door. The nut 14 may be screwed home against the sleeve 10 so that the parts will not loosen, without causing any binding of the plate 60 against the door body M.

The lower end of the handle 68 is turned down parallel to the door Mas indicated at 16 in Figure 3 and slides inside a handle keeper 18. This keeper comprises a deep U-shaped bight 80, the sides of which flare out into a shallow U-shape at 82. One of the flared sides terminates in a short end portion 84 lying parallel to the door body i4, and the other terminates in a longer portion 86. The handle keeper may be assembled in the position of Figure 9 by passing the longer portion 86 through its slot 88 and part of the adjacent flaring portion 82 until the portion 84 can pass through the opposite slot 96. Then the keeper is easily moved to the position of Figure 9 and bolted in place by the bolt 92. In the position of Figure 9 the shallow U defined by the portions 82 receives and guides the lower handle portion 16, and the deep portion 86 has both its walls apertured as at 94 to receive the hasp of a padlock, 95. A simple lug 96 projecting outwardly from the heel of the handle renders the padlock operative to prevent lifting of the handle and associated cam bar.

The lock, indicated at 98, may be any preferred type, as the structure illustrated will cooperate equally well with spring locks, flat key locks, combination looks, or the more recently popular locks which can be opened by operating a combination known only to the individual user of the locker, or by a master key inserted centrally through the combination mechanism. The abutment lug 62 underlies the bolt I86 of the lock when the lock is operated to prevent opening the locker.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the bar 54 is .not a latch bar, inasmuch as it performs a-camming function only; that the latch brackets provide a simple rigid structure suitably positioned to carry cushioning means as indicated at I02 in Figure 4, if desired; that the latch bolts operate substantially in direct tension and move throughv a small are only; and that the camming bar need be operated only in opening the door and may fall back into its lower position cushioned by the cushion I04, indicated by Figure 3, after opening the door, and the bar may be fully locked while the door is still in open position as would be the case with the more recent use of combination spring locks. Padlocks may also be snapped in place before the door is again returned to its closed position. The only retaining members that have to move when the door is closed are the latch bolts, the hooks ii] of which are cammed out around the hook flange 22, and in opening the door the outward and upward force exerted on the handle 58 need only lift the camming bar 54% far enough to release the latch bolts, at which point the immediate and prompt release of the door makes it unnecessary for the user to exert any additional force.

The cam bar may be assembled in place by laying it against the face of the door body i l and moving it by a combined movement of sliding and clockwise rotation as viewed in Figure 4 into itsassembled position. I prefer to position the lock 98 where the body of the lock will get in the way of the lug 62 and prevent removal of the cam bar without previous removal of the lock itself. No registering slots are necessary in the door and the vertically slidable bar, and the only slots there are are those for the handle 68 and for the insertion of the handle keeper. The simple shape of the cam bar 54, and the fact that the forces necessary to resist unauthorized opening of the door are not transferred through the cam bar makes it possible to make this bar much lighter than would otherwise provide a suitable margin of safety, which contributes materially to the ease and quietness of operation of the cornpieted device.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying knowledge current at the time of application, rea ly adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

. I claim: 7

1. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a relatively fixed wall structure, having an opening; and a pivoted door structure for closing and exposing said opening: a door handle mounted for limited vertical sliding movement near the free edge of said door structure; a release bar housed in the free edge of said door structure and connected to said handle for ver tical movement in unison therewith; latch means including spaced movable latch elements on said Wall structure, for automatically holding said door closed; and cam lugs on said release bar each positioned to engage one of said movable latch elements, for releasing said latch means.

2. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a relatively fixed wall structure, having an opening; and a pivoted door structure for closing and exposing said opening: a door handle mounted for limited vertical sliding movement near the free edge of said door structure; a release bar housed in the free edge of said door structure and connected to said handle for vertical movement in unison therewith; said free edge being turned in at right angles and again in the same direction through an angle of more than-9O degrees, said release bar being of simple rectangular cross section and insertable laterally into housed position.

3. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a relatively fixed wall structure, having an opening; and a pivoted door structure for closing and exposing said opening: a door handle mounted for limited vertical sliding movement near the free edge of said door structure; a release bar housed in the free edge of said door structure and connected to said handle for vertical movement in unison therewith; said free edge being turned in at right angles and again in the same direction through an angle of more than 90 degrees, said release bar being of simple rectangular cross section and insertable laterally into housed position; and locking means assembled on the door near its free edge and obstructing removal of said release bar.

4. In a lock mechanism for a receptacle of the type comprising a relatively fixed structure; and a relatively movable structure connected to said fixed structure to move through a predetermined path with respect to said fixed structure, and into an open position permitting access to the interior of said structure, and a closed position preventing such access: interlocking holding means for holding said movable structure in the closed position, including spaced movable latch bolts on one structure, means on the other structure to deflect said latch bolts during movement to closed position, and means on said last mentioned structure to engage said latch bolts and prevent opening; an externally accessible handle carried by said movable structure and mounted for relative movement with respect to the structure carrying it; and cam means carried by the same structure as said deflecting means and operable by movement of said handle, for releasing all said latch bolts.

5. In a lock mechanism for a receptacle of the type comprising a relatively fixed structure; and a relatively movable structure connected to said fixed structure to move through a predetermined path with respect to said fixed structure, and into an open position permitting access to the interior of said structure, and a closed position preventing such access: interlocking holding means for holding said movable structure in the closed position, including a movable latch bolt on one structure, means on the other structure to deflect said latch bolt during movement to closed position, and means on said last mentioned structure to engage said latch bolt and prevent opening; an externally accessible handle carried by one of said structures and mounted for limited relative movement with respect to the structure carrying it, and cam means carried by the same structure as said deflecting means and operable by the stated movement of said handle, for releasing said latch bolt.

6. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type having a door, movable into open and closed positions, and a body opening receiving said door when closed: a rigid body portion extending past the crack between said door and opening; an inturne-d flange on the door edge adjacent said rigid body portion; a latch bolt pivoted on said rigid body portion about an axis parallel to said door edge; said bolt and flange being shaped to hook into each other; movable means carried by said door and accessible from outside for unhooking said bolt; and externally accessible lock means for rendering said movable means inoperative.

7. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type having a door movable into open and closed positions, and a body opening receiving said door when closed: a rigid body portion extending past the crack between said door and opening; an inturned flange on the door edge adjacent said rigid body portion; a latch bolt pivoted on said rigid body portion and shielded from access by said body portion and said flange; said bolt and flange being shaped to hook into each other; movable means carried by said door and accessible from outside for unhooking said bolt; and externally accessiblelock means for rendering said movable means inoperative.

8. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a body structure and a pivoted door structure movable to and from a position closing an opening: a hook-shaped re-enforcing flange along the free edge of said door structure; hookshaped pivoted latch bolts positioned to hook over the edge of said re-enforcing flange to hold said door closed; and resilient means urging each latch bolt independently into locking engagement.

9. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a body structure and a pivoted door structure movable to and from a position closing an opening: a camming flange on the movable edge of said door structure; a latch bolt pivoted on said body structure and adapted to be deflected by said flange; resilient means biasing said bolt to return from deflected position and lock said door by retaining said flange; a slidable release bar having a camming portion to engage and release said latch bolt;- and externally accessible means for actuating said release bar.

10. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a body structure and a door structure movable to and from a position closing an opening: a camming and re-enforcing flange on the movable edge of said door structure; latch bolts pivoted on said body structure and adapted to be deflected'by said flange; resilient means biasing said bolts to return from deflected position and lock said door by retaining said flange; and a slidable release bar having a camming portion for each latch bolt; said camming portions being positioned to engage and release all said latch bolts simultaneously.

11. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a door frame and a door associated with said frame and movable into closed and open positions: a door edge having a re -enforcing flange rigid with the door and including a portion projecting at an angle to theline of movement of said edge in coming to closed position; latch bolts movable on'said frame and positioned to be I deflected by said projecting portion as the door is closed; resilient means for automatically returning said bolts into locking position after deflection by said bolt-engaging portions, whereby said latch bolts form a direct connection between said frame and said door structure; and an externally accessible transmission carried by said door for deflecting said blades to release said door.

12. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a door frame and a door associated with said frame and movable into closed and open positions: a. door edge having bolt-engaging portions rigid with the door and projecting at an angle to the line of movement of said edge in coming to closed position; and a plurality of latch bolts movable on said frame and positioned to be deflected by said bolt-engaging portions as the door is closed; resilient means for automatically returning said bolts into locking position after deflection by said bolt-engaging portions, whereby said latch bolts form a direct connection between said frame and said door structure, and an externally accessible transmission carried by said door for deflecting said blades to release said door.

13. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a door frame and a door associated with said frame and movable into closed and open positions: a door edge having bolt-engaging portions rigid with the door and projecting at an angle to the line of movement of said edge in coming to closed position; latch bolts movable on said frame and positioned to be deflected by said bolt engaging portions as the door is closed; resilient means for automatically returning said bolts into locking position after deflection by said bolt-engaging portions, whereby said latch bolts form a direct connection between said frame and said door structure; a release member housed inside said door and movable to engage said latch bolts and move them out of locking position; the portion of said door adjacent each latch bolt being imperforate to prevent access to or location of said bolt; an externally accessible movable handle; a connection between said release member and handle; said door being apertured to permit said connection; said connection obstructing the door aperture to prevent access to the interior through said aperture. 7

14. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a body structure, and a pivoted door structure movable to and from a position closing an opening: a hook-shaped re-enforcing flange along the free edge of said door; latch bolt means 15. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the typeincluding a body structure and a pivoted door structure movable to and from a position closing an opening: a re-enforcing flange along the free edge of said door; a slidable removable control bar adjacent and parallel to said flange; and a lock housing fastened to the inside of said door, said lock housing being slightly spaced from said flange and obstructing removal of said control bar.

16. In a lock mechanism for lockers of the type including a body structure, and a pivoted door structure movable to and from a position closing and opening: a hook-shaped reinforcing flange along the free edge of said door; latch means for holding said door closed; and a slidable release bar telescoped in said flange and guided by its telescoping engagement, and adapted to release said latch means.

17. In a closure lock mechanism for lockers of the type having a body and a movable door: a reinforcing flange along one edge of said door; movable latch bolts carried by said body and adapted for direct interlocking engagement with said flange; resilient means urging each latch bolt independently into locking engagement; and a release bar slidable parallel to the door edge and having cam portions for .deflecting said bolts to release the door.

ADOLF E. FOHN.

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