US2290727A - Dead locking tubular night latch - Google Patents

Description

` F. E. BEST DEAD LOCKING TUBULAR NIGHT LATCH 2 Sheets- Sheet l Filed Aug. 17, 1939 July 21, 17942.

lllflll July 2l, 1942.

F. E. BEST l DEAD LOCKING TUBULAR NIGHT LATCH v'Filed Aug. 17, lss

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Y f2 3 3f @9 "E 5 1 SIM 4 "v/ Patented July 21, 1942 omiso sTATEsFATENT OFFICE DEAD LOCKING TUBULAR NIGHT LATCH Frank Ellison Best, Indianapolis, Ind; Application August 17, 1939, Serial No. 290,592

6 Claims. (Cl. 292-172) My invention relates to improvements in tubular locks and the objects of my invention are to first, provide a lock of the type known as a reversable dead locking night latch having a large bolt'l with a long throw in a small tube with little spindle action, also to provide a short backset and short overall length, the backset being the distance from the face of the lock to the axis of the lock spindle.

Other objects are to provide a smoother acting mechanism and an easily retractable latch of uniform tension `with a strong aligning means to carry and hold securely in locked position the secondary mechanisms carried on the spindle such as knobs, etc.

Still other objects are to provide a neat smooth rugged appearance to the assembled unit free from all unnecessary parts and imsy structures, and to provide a unit of modernistic appearance of great strength and practical utility, and also to provide novel geared bolt retraction means as well as novel deadlocking means.

I accomplish these and other objects by means shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the tubular night latch taken on line I I, Fig. 3, With certain portions shown in relief above the plane of the section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical View with the outer shell shown in section and parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1, parts being broken away.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, '7 and 8 are .transverse sections on lines 4 4, 5 5, 6 6, 1 1 and 3 8 respectively of Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in Section on line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 10 and 11 are fragmentary sections on lines iB l and Il l l, respectively of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a detached perspective showing a dead locking spring.

Fig. 13 is a detached perspective showing a spring retainer.

Fig. 14 is a detached perspective showing a rack guide.

Similar characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

Shell 35 with face plate 3|, held in place by `face plate retainer 32, constitutes the main houssecuring the tubular unit to a door by screws, not shown,

Face plate 3l and face plate retainer 32 are xedly secured together by crimp-ing projection 48 of face plate 3l over indented portion 49 of face plate retainer 32.

Bolt 34 is impelled outward and held out by bolt spring 35 in tubular spring guide 36. Bolt spring 35 is backed up by tubular inner spring guide 3l, the shouldered shank of which extends through base vportion of flat spring 38 and is riveted to spring retainer 39. Spring guides 35 and 3l telescope one within the other.

When gear segment 45 is turned either right or left the teeth ll of said gear segment will engage with teeth 6l and 'i2 of gear racks 4I and racks 4l, which are carried by and united by rack guide 42, will be drawn back retractng spring stop 43, which is riveted to rack guide 42 through hole 44, Figs. 1, 3, 13 and 14.

As spring stop 43 is retracted it retracts bolt 34 through the medium of bolt pin 45 which is positioned back of spring stop 43 and extends transversely through the bolt 34 in holes 45, see Figs. 1 and 5. This retraction compresses springs 35 and 4l.

When the door, housing the latch, is slammed shut .the bolt 34 first engages the keeper and is forced back into the shell 33, compressing the bolt spring 35. The bolt then snaps outwardly into a latched position. The bolt 34, when forced into the shell 30 by action of the keeper, carries bolt pin 45 rigid with bolt 34 away from the spring stop 43, Fig. 1. This facilitates an easy acting bolt as outer spring 4l, spring stop 43, rack 4I, rack guide 42 and gear 4i), together with the spindle means, not shown, but connected with the lock .through spindle hole 6l remain stationary as the door is closed. The gear segment 40 is positioned between two discs 43 that are journaled in the narrower rear end portion of the shell 30. Pins rigidly secure discs 4S and gear segment 4i) together. A rectangular knob shank opening 6I extends through parts 49 and 50. 1

Recess 48 in bolt 34, Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8, provides clearance for projection 65 of spring stop 43 when said bolt 34 is forced back by engagement with a keeper or in any other way.

Pin 54, Figs. 1, 3 and 4, driven into holes 55 and 56 in tail guide 52 and shell 30 respectively, se-

cures the tail cover assembly to the shell 33.

As the bolt 34 is forced back by a keeper it carries the dead locking slide 5l with it by engagement of ledge 63 on bolt 34 and projection 68, Fig. 1, on dead locking slide 5l.

When the bolt 34 is opposite a keeper opening,

not shown, which matches the shape of bolt 34, it snaps into said opening leaving the dead locking slide 5l in a retracted position and pressing against the face of the keeper.

In this position the cam 58 on the dead locking slide 5l has moved back letting the at spring 38 snap against the surface 53 on the bolt 34, Figs. 2 and 10 then when the bolt 34 is forced back by any external means it can only recede until the catch 68 on bolt 34 engages the end 63 of flat spring 38 stopping the bolt 34 from receding further.

Thus, when the bolt 34 is in the keeper and the dead locking slide 51 is held back by the iace of the keeper, the bolt 34 is deadlocked. To release this, the spindle (not shown) operating in spindle hole 6l is turned; turning gear 43 and thereby engaging one or the other of the racks. 4|, retracting said racks and thereby retracting rack guide 42, Fig. 3, which in turn retracts bolt pin 45, by its engagement with spring stop 43, and bolt 34 which is rigidly connected with said bolt pin 45.

As guide cam 62 on rack guide 42, Figs. 2 and ll, is retracted it lifts nat spring 38 out of engagement with bolt 34 and clear of shoulder 68 allowing bolt 34 to be retracted without interference. When the bolt 34 is retracted by turning gear member 478 it carries slide 5l with it and compresses bolt spring 35, outer spring 4l! and slide spring 63. Outer spring 41 always returns the retracting means to an initial position.

Spring guide pin 64, Fig, 1, riveted through flat spring 38 and into spring retainer 39 at '10, supports iiat spring 3 3 and keeps it in proper alignment.

Teeth 6l on racks 4| are longer than the adjoining teeth 12 of said racks so that the rack 4I can be in an extreme forward position and still be in mesh with gear 48. make possible a short overall length,

With the spring 4l holding the racks 4l forward the gear 48 is held definitely positioned by its end teeth 1I in Contact with teeth 81 of both racks 4|. This makes possible instant bolt reaction to any spindle movement, it also helps to make possible a long throw of bolt. 3.4 by avoiding lost motion.

With the racks 4I thus so far removed from the tail cover in the latched position a short.

overall length of the unit is achieved.

Operation This dead locking tubular night latch is quickly and easily installed in holes bored in a door thussaving much time over any installation that requires mortising. 'This night latch may be operated by various forms of turn knobs and primary locks connected with gear member 40.

When a door in which this night latch is installed is open the several parts of the latch will occupy the positions shown in the drawings. When the door is moved into a closed p0- sition the bolt 34 will be moved inwardly by engagement with a keeper and will carry the dead locking slide 51 inwardly with it but the end ofA the flat spring 38 will be held clear of the bolt 34 by the cam 58 until after the shoulder 68 has passed the end of said flat spring 38. It is to be noted that the outer end portion of the flat spring 38 is oiset transversely so that the cam. 58 holds said end portion of said flat spring clear of the shoulder 68 on the bolt 34 except when the dead locking slide 551 is retractedN relative to the bolt 34.

This helps to When the bolt 34 and dead locking slide 51 are pushed inwardly by engagement with a keeper the springs 35 and 63 will be compressed but the spring 41 will not be compressed. This avoids operating against excessive spring pressure and provides a bolt that is easily retracted by the closing of the door and is smooth in operation.

When the bolt 34 snaps outwardly into a keeper, as the door is closed, the dead locking slide 51 will abut against the keeper and will be held in retracted position by the keeper. This will cause the cam 58 to release the flat spring 38 and permit said flat spring 38 to engage with the surface 59. of the bolt. If an attempt is made to force the bolt 34 rearwardly when the flat spring 38 is resting against the surface 59 thereof,. the shoulder 68, Fig. 10, will strike against the end of said flat spring and retractile movement of the bolt will be blocked. This prevents unauthorized retracting of. the bolt by inserting a flat instrument. between a door and' a. door frame and pressing. saidflat instrument against. the inclinedv face of the bolt 34.

Some retractile movement of the. bolt 34. from.

its outermost position to the position in which. the shoulder 68 engages with the end of. flat spring 38 is provided for. This movement is not.

enough to clear the bolt from the keeper. but it.

i segment 48.

It will be noted. that, the. end portion of. the tubular spring guide 36 extendsV well into. the bolt 34. This spring guide is preferably formed. of hardened steel which serves as an armor means embedded within theL bolt and makes. itI

very difficult to saw through the bolt..

The foregoing description and. accompanying drawings thus, disclose a desirable adaptation of my invention but it is. anticipated that many I changes will be resorted to within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described' my invention, what IA claim as new and desire to. secure by Letters. Patent of the United States ofv America is:

l. A device of the class. describedY comprising a bolt, two spaced apart parallel gear rack mem-r bers connected with saidbolt with their teeth directed toward each other, two longer teeth at the ends of the respective gear rack members, spring means urging said bolt and said gear rack members in one direction, and a` pivotally mounted throw member having a segment of gear teeth positioned between said rack members, said longer rack teeth engaging the end teeth of said segment when the bolt is extended and said segment teeth meshing with the other teeth of one of said gear rack members and retracting saidY bolt against the pressurel ofI said spring means when it is angularly moved in l either direction.

1 with opposed gear teeth and having their inner end portions guided in said narrower portion of said housing, the gear teeth at the ends of said gear rack members being longer than the remaining gear teeth to maintain maximum engagement with the segment teeth and provide for a reduction in the overall length of the lock, spring means urging said bolt outwardly, said gear rack members and said bolt being movable inwardly by oscillation of said gear segment in either direction.

3. A device of the class described comprising a housing, a reciprocable bolt in said housing, a reciprocable dead locking slide positioned alongside of said bolt movable by said bolt into a retracted position and adapted to be retained by engagement with a keeper in said retracted position when said bolt moves outwardly, bolt retracting means connected with said bolt, said bolt being freely movable in an inward direction without moving said bolt retracting means, spindle actuated means operating said bolt retracting means, telescopic tube means in the housing connected with the bolt, a spring supported in said telescopic tube means yieldingly urging said bolt into outwardly projected position, another spring supported on said telescopic tube means yieldingly urging said bolt retracting means in the direction of said bolt, and a third spring yieldingly urging said dead locking slide outwardly.

4. A device of the class described comprising a tubular housing, a bolt reciprocable in said housing, bolt retracting means, devices connecting said bolt with said bolt retracting means leaving said bolt freely movable inwardly in said housing Without moving said bolt retracting means, telescopic tube means in the housing connected with the bolt, a compression spring supported in said telescopic tube means urging said bolt into outwardly projected position, and another compression spring supported on said telescopic tube means urging said bolt retracting means in the direction of said bolt.

5. A device of the class described comprising a tubular housing, a bolt reciprocable in said housing, telescopic tube means in said housing connected with said bolt, a compression spring in said telescopic tube means, a rack guide movable in said housing and slidably receiving the inner end portion of said bolt, means limiting outward movement of said bolt relative to said rack guide, a spring stop extending around said telescopic tube means and connected with said rack guide, a compression spring on said telescopic tube means engaging said spring stop, gear rack members connected with said rack guide and extending rearwardly in said housing, and a throw member having a gear segment positioned to engage with said gear rack members to retract said rack bars and said bolt.

6. A device of the class described comprising a housing, a bolt operable in said housing and protruding therefrom when in locking position, a tubular guide member of hard material extending into said bolt, bolt actuating means in said guide member extending into the portion of said bolt that protrudes from said housing when the bolt is in locking position, said tubular guide member constituting armor means for resisting cutting of said bolt and preventing damage to the bolt actuating means Within the guide member.

FRANK ELLISO-N BEST.

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