US2255919A - Door fastener - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 16, 1941. w. M, DWYER DOOR FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm, Wilda 112MB) a y W Sept. 16, 1941.

w. M. DWYER DOOR FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1940 5 Sheets- Sheet; 2

Sept. 16, 1941 w. M. DWYER DOOR FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Invniar William Mflwyefl Patented Sept. 16, 1941 UNETED STATES ,5 PATENT OFFICE 2,255,919 noon FASTENER William M. Dwyer, Chicago, 111., assignor to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill-., a corporation of Delaware Application February 14, 1940, Serial No. 318,905

10 Claims. 901. 70-145) M body being broken away. Figure 4 is a vertical This invention relates to door fasteners for refrigerator automobile trucks having hinged doors, and more particularly to fasteners which are operative to hold the doors closed when the same are slammed shut.

One object of the invention is to provide a door fastener for hinged doors of refrigerator trucks, comprising manually operated means for positively camming the door either open or closed, wherein said means is also effective to automatically fasten the door when the same is slammed shut.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door fastener for hinged doors of truck bodies which is effective to securely fasten the door in closed position when the same is slammed shut, and which may be released from the interior of the body of the truck, so that the door may be opened by the attendant in the event of his being confined in the truck by accidental slamming shut of the door.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a door fastener for hinged doors comprising a lever actuated, rotary operating member having eccentric cam means adapted to engage with slotted keeper means for forcing the door tightly closed and prying the same open, wherein the keeper means is yieldingly movable and operates as a spring latch to permit engagement therewith of the cam means to automatically latch the door when the same is forc ibly slammed shut.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door fastener of simple and rugged design, comprising a lever operated rotary mem- 1 ber having eccentric keeper engaging cam means thereon adapted to cooperate with the slot keeper.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a broken side elevational View of 'a portion of the wall of the body of a refrigerator automobile truck, the wall being provided with an opening which is closed by a single door, said view illustrating my improved fastener in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, on an enlarged scale, of a fragment of the door and side wall of the truck body, illustrating the improved fastener more in detail. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 33 of Figure 2, showing the improved fastener in elevation, the inner side of the wall of the truck sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 4-4 of Figure 2, the door being shown broken to more readily accommodate the figure to the sheet of the drawing. Figure 5 is an elevational view, looking from right to left in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 66 of Figure 2. Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line l'| of Figure 2. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 88 of Figure 3, illustrating a portion of the fastener shown in said figure. Figure 9 is a view, similar to Figure 6, but showing the parts in different position.

In said drawings, I0 indicates the side wall of a chamber, such as the body of a refrigerator automobile truck. The wall Iil has the usual door opening ll closed by a single door [2. The door 12 is of the swinging type and is supported by a pair of hinges I3l3 secured to the wall It) at one side of the door opening.

My improved door fastener comprises broadly a keeper housing A; a rockable or pivoted keeper B; a spring C yieldingly opposing rocking of the keeper B; akey controlled lock D; a lever supporting housing E; an actuating lever F for rocking the keeper from the interior of the automobile refrigerator body; an actuating rod G connected to the lever for swinging the keeper B; a supporting bracket H on the outer side of the door; a keeper engaging crank member K journaled in said bracket; and an actuating handle lever L fixed to said crank member.

The housing A includes a base plate 14 by which the housing is secured to the wall Ill of the truck body. Upstanding from the base plate I4 are spaced, parallel, longitudinal walls I5 and I6 forming the side walls of the housing, and spaced, inclined, transverse walls ll-I'| forming the top and bottom or end walls of said housing. The front of the housing is partly closed by inclined wall sections I8l8 at the top and bottom thereof. The wall sections I8| 8 are continuous with the end walls l'll|. The front of the housing A is thus provided with a central opening l9 to permit entrance of the keeper engaging portion of the crank member K, as hereinafter pointed out. The side wall l6, which is the wall adjacent the door opening H, is cut away, as most clearly shown in Figures 4 and '7, to provide an opening 20 to accommodate the keeper engaging portion of the crank member K for movement into and out of the hous- 5 ing. The back of the housing is open, as indicated at 2!, the base plate i l being cut out for this purpose.

As shown most clearly in Figure 6, the lower front wall section It of the housing is thickened,

and said thickened portion presents a substantially fiat abutment face 22. there is provided an inwardly projecting centering boss 23 adapted to engage within the end of the spring C to center the latter. The side walls l5' and E6 of the housing A are provided On said face 22 with transversely aligned, outwardly projecting, 1

inwardly opening pockets 2:: and 25 adjacent to opposite ends of a pivot pin 26. The opening at the back of the housing A isenIarg'ed at the lower end portion of said housing to provide clearance to admit entrance of the pin 26 and placing of the same in the seats 24 and 25.

The keeper B is in the form of a rocker comprising spaced, platelike sections 27 and 28 connected'by transverse webs 29 and 38 defining an outwardly opening card slot 3i therebetween. Theinner endsof the walls 29 and 39 are-conneoted by a rounded portion 32 "which closes theaslot at its inner end. The wall 28 is shorter than the wall 38, as clearly shown in Figuresfi and 9, and is thickened at the mouth of the slot,

' the base of said housing, providing seats for design, being in the form of a bolt having a projecting locking pin portion 4| adapted to engage through the perforation 39 of the keeper B to lock said keeper against rocking movement. As is well known in key operated locking means of this type, the lock is spring pressed, and when unlocked projects outwardly beyond the sleeve 39. Tojoperate the same to lock the rocking keeper B, it is pressed inwardly to engage the pin 4! in the opening 39 of the keeper, the plunger and the pin being held in the locking position by the usual well-known means comprising a spring pressed detent engaging in a locking socket or recess in the projection on the wall l5 of the housing A. When unlocked by the usual key inserted in the member D, the spring action of thus providing an inclined cam face-33 at an angle to the-slot, for a purpose hereinafter pointed out. The keeper B is further'provided with atail' portion 3i formed by continuations of thespaced platelike sections and thetrans- 'The tail portion 64 has 'a'seat verse wall 3!]. 35 opposite to the abutment face 22 of the housing, and this "seat hasa spring centering boss 35 projecting therefrom, On the inner side, that is, the side opposite to that'provided with the .boss, the tail portion 34 is recessed or, socketed,

as indicated at'Bl, to providea seat'for the outer end of the actuating rod'G. The platelike section 28 closes the corresponding side'of" the slot 35 and the plate 21 is slotted in registration, with the slot 3i, toraccomrnodate the keeper engaging portion of the crank member K for in 'andfout V movement. At'the inner side of the keeper B,

the edges of the platelike sections are"v recessed, as indicated, to provide pivot seats 38'33 adapted toe'ngage'over the pin 25 to support the keeper B forrocking' movement. The keepenwhi'ch 'is pivotally supported on the pin 26" within the 7 housing A, normally bears against the innerside Q as clearly of the top wall 53 of the housing, shown in Figure 6.

The spring 01s of helical form and interposed 7 between theab-utmentjz of the wall '58 at the lowerend portion of the housing A andthe tail 3 of the rocker B. This spring is heldin cen- "teredpositionfby the bosses 23 and as of t e housing A and rocker B respectively, the expansive action of the spring normally holding the rocker B in the position shown in Figures 1,' 2, 3, 4, and 6 with the face of theenlarged portion ofthe wall 29 which carries the cam face 33 abutting the wall E5 of the' housing, with the cam fac exposedibeyond the end edge of said wall, The-platelike section 2% is perforated, as

. indicatedattil, to receive'the locking projection of, the, keyoperated look D, as hereinafter described; The perforation is located betweenthe opposed sidewalls of the slottl of said keeper B. 3 The key controlled locking member D ismountledinafsocket provided bye. cylindrical, tubular projection on the wall 15 of the housingiA. This k'eycontrglled locking member is of well-known the lock retracts the pin 4! while the lock is being projected to its outer position, thus unlocking the rocking keeper B.

Thehousing A may be secured to the wall It] by'any suitable means, and, as shown, is held thereto by screws extending through the base-' like plate portion M of said housing into the wall it,

The supporting bracket H comprises a plateally extending crank arm 46 at the outer end thereof provided with a keeper engaging lug 47. The lug t! is preferably of the oross sectional outline shown in Figure 6, the same being in the form .ofja cylindrical pin having one 'side flattened, as sliownfto provide a straight face 63 thereon; The shaft 45 has a cylindrical portionifiltfadja'cent the crank aria 1 46 journaled in thejopening of the bearing element 43, a cylindri calportion 58 at the other end, and an inter mediate'portion 5!- of angular cross section. The,

portion5 l' is ofv smaller diameter than the section 49 and rotatably fits the bearing opening of the bearing element 44, which opening is also 1 of smaller diameter than the opening of the b earingielement 43. The cylindrical portiontil of the shaft isprovided with, an annular groove 5-2 between its ends. A pin 53 extending through 7 suitable openings of the bearing element 3d and engaged in said groove 52 holds the shaft against accidental removal in endwise direction;

The operating handle lever L has an enlarged head portion 54 at its inner endprovided with an opening 55 of angular crosssection which snugly fits theangular portion 51 of the shaft :25. ;.;The handle lever L is thus securely fastened to the shaftdE to rotate the latter as said handle.

lever is swung toward and away from the door.

The housing E ccmprisesaaxplatelike base portion 55, spaced side walls t'i-fil and spaced end walls. 5, 8+58 outstanding from said base plate, andian 'inciined outer wall 58. The housing is open at the. inner sidefasindicated at 6i], and

'also'jhas an opening ti'in the outer wall 59 and 'the bottom end wall 58 thereof'to accommodate ltl'ielever' E for swinging movement. The hous mg :Eis secured to the inner side'offthe wall it of the truck body adjacent the opening [I in horizontal alignment with the bottom end portion of the housing A which is at the outer side of said wall. Any suitable means, such as screws, extending through the base plate 56 of the housing E and into the wall i0, serve to secure said housing in position.

The operating lever F is pivoted between its ends on a pivot bolt 62 fixed in the side walls 51-51 of the housing E and extending through a pivot opening in said lever. The lever comprises a short arm 63 and a long arm '64 extending at an angle to each other in opposite directions from the pivot point of said lever. The long arm 64 extends through the opening 6| of the housing and forms the handle member of the lever. The short arm 63 is forked at its outer end, as indicated at 65, the arms of the fork being provided with aligned pin receiving openings.

The rod G is in the form of a cylindrical bar headed at one end, as indicated at 66, said headed end being perforated to provide an eye portion. The rod G is pivotally connected to the short arm 63 of the lever F at said headed end 66 by a pivot pin 67 extending through the openings of the forked portion 65 and the eye-shaped headed end 66 of said rod, which headed end is accommodated between the arms of the fork.

The rod G extends freely though a bore or opening 68 provided in the wall ID, as clearly illustrated in Figure 9, said opening serving as a guide for the rod and is so placed as to hold the rod properly aligned with the tail portion 34 of the keeper B and allow the seating of the end of the rod in the socket 31 of said keeper. The bore 68 is of ample size to provide the required clearance for angling of the rod as it is operated to swing the keeper B on its pivot.

The operation of my improved door fastener in opening the door, assuming the door to be in the locked position shown in Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, is as follows: The key controlled lock D is first unlocked in the usual manner, thus withdrawing the pin 4| from looking engagement with the keeper B. The withdrawal of the pin 4| also frees the keeper engaging cam lug 41' of the crank member K so that the latter may be rotated to pry the door open. In this connection it is pointed out that the pin 4| protrudes into the cam slot of the keeper B, as clearly indicated in Figures 6 and 8, in the path of swinging movement of the cam lug 41, thereby locking the crank member K against rotation.

After the cam lug 41 has been cleared for operation by withdrawal of the pin 4|, the attendant swings the handle lever L away from the door and upwardly, thereby rotating the keeper engaging crank member K. The keeper engaging cam lug is thus swung against the inclined rear wall of the cam slot of the keeper B, thereby camming the door partly open. The door may then be manually swung fully open in the usual manner.

The door may be closed by either moving the same to partly closed position and then forcing it tightly closed by operation of the keeper engaging crank member, or by slamming the same shut, thereby automatically locking the door by the latching action of the keeper.

Di closing the door by actuation of the crank member, the operation-is as follows: The attendant first swings the door to partly closed position to bring the keeper engaging crank member K into cooperative relation with the keeper B.

While theldoor is being swung to this position, the operating handle lever L may be in the pendant position shown in Figures 1' to 5 in-v clusive. However, it is preferable that the same be raised to a position at right angles to the plane of the door so. that the keeper engaging 1ug41 of the crank member K is rotated to a position of alignment with respect to the entrance of the slot 3| of the keeper B so that it will enter this slot as the door is pushed to partly closed position. In the event that the lever has been left in pendant position while the door is being swung to partly closed position, the lever must then be raised to horizontal position to align the keeper engaging lug 41 of the crank member K with the slot of the keeper so that the cam lug may cooperate with the slot :of the keeper. The actuating handle lever L is then swung downwardly and toward the door, thus rotating the crank member K in a reverse direction to that hereinbefore described, causing the cam lug 47 to enter the cam slot 3| of the keeper B and swing against the inclined outer wall of said slot to cam the door inwardly to tightly closed position. In thus camming the door shut, the flat portion 43 of the cam lug will be brought into flat face contact with the inner surface of the front wall of the slot 3| of the keeper, thereby locking the crank member against accidental rotation. After the door has been thus tightly closed, the key actuated lock D is pressed inwardly by the attendant, thus engaging the locking pin 4| of said lock with the keeper B to lock the same' against rocking movement, and further projecting said pin into the path of swinging movement of the lug 41, thereby also locking the crank member K against rotation.

In closing the door by slamming the same shut, the operation is as follows: As the door is swung shunt by the attendant, the cam lug 41 forcibly strikes against the keeper B, engaging the inclined cam face 33 thereof, thus, through the camming action between said lug and cam face, swinging the keeper on its pivot against the resistance of the spring 0, as the lug rides along said cam face 33, as shown in Figure 9, until it clears the front wall of the keeper slot 3|, whereupon the keeper swings back to its original position through the action of the spring C, in the manner of a swinging latch, over the lug 4'! to lock the door closed. The parts having thus reached the latched position shown in Figure 4, the attendant depresses the key controlled lock D to project the pin 4| thereof through the keeper B and into the path of movement of the lug 41 of the crank member K to positively lock said keeper against rocking and the keeper engaging crank member against rotation.

In the event that it becomes necessary to open the door from the inside of the truck body, due to the attendant becoming trapped by the door accidentally swinging shut and latching in the manner hereinbefore described, the door may be readily opened by actuating the lever F. As the lever F is swung upwardly and away from the wall of the truck body, the plunger G is projected outwardly against the tail of the keeper B, thereby swinging the latter on its pivot and withdrawing it from operative latching engagement with the lug 4'! of the keeper engaging crank member K, whereupon the door may be pushed fully open.

As will be understood this interior operating means is only for emergency use when the door accidentaliy'slains shut and becomes latched, as it cannot be operated so long as the keeper B is locked in fixed position by the key controlled lock D.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same'is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a fastener for a hinged door of a container,-the combination with a keeper engaging crank member mounted on the door; of a keeper mounted on the container adjacent the door,

said keeper having a guide slot provided with opposed walls, said crank member being engageable within the slot of the keeper and having camming engagement with the walls thereof to force the door either partly open or tightly closed,

said keeper being spring resisted to permit yielding of said keeper when engaged by said crank member upon said door being slammed shut.

{2. In a fastener fora hingeddoor of a container, the combination with a rotary crank member mounted on the door, said crank member having an eccentric cam lug thereon; of a spring actuated latch member mounted on the container in the path of movement of said cam lug during swinging movement of said door to closed position, said latch member having a slot having side walls within which said cam lug is engageable, said cam lug having cammi'ng engagement with the walls of said slot to force the door closed when said crank member is rotated in one direction and to force the door open when said'crank member is rotated in a reverse direction. V i i 3.,In a fastener for a hinged door of a container, the combination with a rotary member having an eccentric cam lug thereon; of means for latching said door in closed position comprising a pivoted keeper adapted to swing into latching engagement with said eccentric cam lug tohold the door in closed position; and manually-controlled means, actuated from within the ,,container for swinging said keeper out of en gagement withthe cam lug to permit said door to be swung open, said cam lug forcibly camming said door shut 'oropen by engagement with said keeper by rotation of said member in reverse directions.

4. In a fastener for a hinged door of a container, the combination with a keeper engaging crank member mounted: on the door; of 'a yieldingly mounted slotted keeper with which said crank member is engageable to pry the door open or force the same tightly closed, whensaid crank member isrotated in reverse directions, said into, the path, of movement of said crank member.

to, lock the latter against rotation indoor opening direction.

5, In a fastener for a hinged door of a'jcontainer, the combination with a rotary operating member mountedon the door, said member having an eccentric keeper engaging cam thereon; of-a keeper swingingly mounted on'said container,

' said keeper having a slot provided with opposed walls between which said cam is engageable; a cam face on said keeper with which said cam has engagement when the door is being slammed shut; and spring means yieldingly resisting swinging movement of said keeper.

6; In a fastener for a hinged door of a con tainer, the combination with a rotary operating member mounted on the door, said rotary member having a cam lug eccentric to its axis of rotation; of a keeperion'said container having an outwardly opening, inclined cam slot provided with side Walls between which said cam lug is engageable; a cam face on said keeper at the entrance to said slot and in the path of movement of said cam lug when the door is being slammed shut; a pivot on which saidkeeper is swingingly supported; swinging movement of said cam lug.

7. In a fastener for a hinged door of a container, the combination with a keeper; of pivot means on which said keeper is rockingly supported, said keeper having head and tail portions at opposite sides of said pivot; a spring pressing on said tail portion to yieldingly hold said head 1301',

tion outwardly away from the container, said head portion being slotted to provide spaced Walls; a crank arm rotatably mounted on the door; and a crank pin on the outer end ofsaid arm engageable between the walls of said slot of the keeper, said keeper being in the path of movement of said crank pin when the door is slammed shut to be engaged by said pin and swung to register the slot of the keeper with the crank pin.

8. In a fastener fora hinged door of a container, the combination with a housing fixed to the container adjacent said door; of a pivoted keeper within said housing, said keeper having a slotted head to provide a guideway having spaced side walls; spring means reacting between said housing and keeper for yieldingly pressing said head away from the container; an operating crank member rotatabiy mounted on the door, said crank member having a cam lug thereon engageable between the side walls of said guideway of the keeper; and cam'means on said keeper in the path of movement of said cam lug andhaving camrning engagement with the latter when rotatably mounted 'on the doonsaid crank memher including an eccentric keeper engaging lug;

of a keeper having acarn siot within which said lug is engageable; a housingfixed to the container adjacent said door; means pivotally supporting said keeper in the housing in the path of movement of said keeper engaging lug; spring means within the housing resisting pivotal movement or the keeper; and a key-controlled lock on said housing having a locking pin portion adapted to engage with said keeper to lock the same against rocking movement, said pin extending into the slot of the keeper to block rotary movement of zaid keeper engaging lug in door opening 'direc ion. i

10. In a fastener for a hinged door mounted pin thereon;

of a housing fixed to the outer side of the conand a spring yieldingly opposing tainer; a combined latch and keeper pivoted for swinnging movement in said housing, said combined latch and keeper having a slotted head portion and tail portion, said head and tail being on opposite sides of the pivot of said keeper, said slot of the head receiving the pin of said crank member to hold the door closed; a spring interposed between the tail of said keeper and a wall of said housing to press said tail inwardly toward said wall of the container to force said slotted head outwardly away from said wall, a push rod extending through the wall of the container and engaging the inner side of the tail of said keeper; and a handle lever pivoted on the inner side of said wall and having a pivotal connection with said rod.

WILLIAM M. DWYER.

Images