US2427386A

US2427386A - Door latch

Info

Publication number: US2427386A
Application number: US538815A
Authority: US
Inventors: Claud-Mantle Arthur
Original assignee: Bassick Co
Current assignee: Bassick Co
Priority date: 1944-06-05
Filing date: 1944-06-05
Publication date: 1947-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1964-09-16

Description

' Sept. 16, 1947. A. cLAuD-MANTLE noon LATQH Filed June 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1111111111filial/111111111111111',n

' Sept. 16, 1,947| A. cLAub-MANTLE DOOR LATCH Filedl June v5, 1944 K 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented sept. 16,1941

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR LATCH Arthur Claud-Mantle, Trumbull, Conn., assignor to The Basslck Company, Bridgeport, Conn., 'a corporation of Connecticut Application June 5, 1944, Serial No. 538,815

3 Claims.

suited for use on the doors of sedans and other passenger CRIS.

latch structure of the kind in which manipulation of the latch from the outer side of the door is eiected through a swinging operating handle or lever switch which, when the door is closed, is received within the lines of the door so that it does not have a projecting position, and is therefore safer and more sightly.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a door latch of the kind just mentioned, in

which the swinging lever or handle has an im' proved mounting and has simple and effective connections to the latch bolt whereby the latter can be retracted by an outward pull on the lever or handle.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and nally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

j Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of an automobile door equipped with a door latch embodying my improvements, the latchbolt beingV in the protracted position which it assumes when the door is in the closed position, the casing of the door and the strike plate being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a, section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, certainl parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is a section on line SIL-3^ of Fig- 3;

Fig. 4 is. a vertical section looking from the rear of the escutcheon or cup plate in which the operating handle is received;

Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and l are details of the transverse spindle that retracts the latch; and

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view of the operating handle.

In the drawings, there is shown a portion of an automobile door to which the door latch is applied, the frame of the door and the strike plate being omitted. In the form selected for i1- lustration the door latch proper is oi' the type in which a sliding latch bolt is normally projected by a suitable spring, and the latch structure in general may be of the type shown in my application, Serial No. 536,235, filed May 19, 1944. The

section,l on

Another object is to furnish an improved door subject matter of the present invention is particularly concerned with the provisions for operating the latch bolt from the outer side of the door by means of a horizontally swinging handle in the form of a lever which, when the door is in the closed position, is within the lines of the door, or substantially so, in order that it may not project from the door to catch on external objects. y'Ihe operating handle is mounted upon 10 \an escutcheon or plate generally of cup shape,

, bolt.

' face plate I3 of the latch case.

across which a portion of the handle extends in such a manner that it can be readily grasped and manipulated by the hand of a person desirous of opening the door. y This escutcheon plate\has provisions whereby the handle is pivoted to it, the pivot means being well concealed and protected, and from the pivoted end of the handle \connecti0ns go to a transverse spindle arranged\between said escutcheon and the case or frame of the bolt mechanism or latch proper, o that th\bolt is properly actuated for retracxon.

In the drawings, the door is shown at A, the

latch case or frame at B, the latch bolt at C, the

Referring now to the "details, the door A is constructed of metal and has a metal plate I0 at the inner side of the doorQa metal plate II at the outer side," and a transverse plate I2 at the Afree edge of the door suitably connected to the The bolt C is illustrated as an ordinary sliding bolt having a head I4 connected'to a shank I5, th`e shank I5 being under the control of a bolt-projecting spring I6. The provisions for controlling the latch bolt from the inner side of the door form no part of the present invention, and theyare therefore not illustrated.

The cup-shaped escutcheon D isof approximately rectangular shape and is received within an opening Il cut within the .plate II, the escutcheon plate having a rim portion I8 which extends over the edges of this opening .in the manner indicated in Fig. 2, and the rim portion of the plate preferably being chamfered, as shown. This plate is providedwith a depressed portion I9, said depressed portion being relatively shallow but of a size suiiicient to permit a persons hand to be introduced for grasping 3 the handle E. Preferably the marginal portion of the plate is wider at the 1left-hand side (Figs. 1 and 2), which is the side toward the free edge of the door, for it is at this side of the plate that the handle E is pivoted, the pivoting provisions including an upright spindle 20 behind the marginal portion of the plate, the handle having an end portion 2| in embracing relation to the spindle 20. The pivoted portion of the handle, when the door is in the closed position, lies within' a cut-out portion or keri 22 which is provided partly in the cup portion of the escutcheon plate and partly in the rim portion, as shown in Fig. 2. At its other end, that is to say its free end, the handle has a portion received within a depressed part 23 in the rim portion of the escutcheon, the depressed portion being in communication with the cup portion, as appears from Fig. 2. It is also preferred to provide the handle E with a curved prong 24 disposed near cup portion in the manner shown in Fig. 2, said` f prong enabling the operator to obtain a better grip upon the handle.

The escutcheon plate D may be fastened to the door plate Il in any suitable manner, as by means of threaded attaching shanks 25 projecting inwardly from the escutcheon plate and engaged by nuts 26.

Adjacent its pivoted end the handle preferably lies substantially flush with the escutcheon plate when the door is in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 3. The surface of the plate at the outer side of the d oor may have a slight bow or camber therein, both transversely, as shown in Fig. 2, and longitudinally, as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2, and the handle is preferably bowed to some degree in a lengthwise direction so as to conform to the lengthwise bowing of the plate.

The spindle 20 above mentioned is mounted in suitable bearings provided upon the escutcheon plate, and in Fig. 3 are shown a lower bearing 21 andan upper bearing 29, these being formed in portion 30 engaging bearing 28. In the adjacent part of the handle the latter is provided with an inwardly projecting horizontal web 3l having an opening in which part 29 is engaged, and similarly an upper horizontal web 32 of the handle has an opening in which the part 30 is engaged. Be-

tween the parts 29 andA 30 the spindle 20 is cut away or reduced in cross section to provide a portion 33 around which is disposed a spring 34 in the form of a helix of spring wire.` This spring has an extremity 35 projecting therefrom, which is engaged with a part of the handle indicated at 36, and at its opposite end the spring has an extremity 31 which is engaged with the rear portion of the escutcheon plate. The tendency of this spring,as will be apparent, is to maintain the handle in an inwardly swung position in which it is seated in the cup-shaped plate at the free extremity of the handle in the position previously described.

After the spring 34 has been placed in position around the reduced portion of the spindle 2li, it will also act to prevent vertical displacement of the spindle 20 by reason of the fact that the spring is eccentric to the spindle, as shown in Fig. 5.

Above the bearing 28 previously mentioned, the rear part of the escutcheon plate is provided with a bearing 38 in which is received the forward end portion 39 of the transverse spindle F. The rear end portion of this spindle F is squared, as shown. at 40, and projects into a rollback or hub 4|, of any preferred kind, which is journaled in the latch case B in the manner shown in Fig. 3, and adapted upon turning to retract the latch bolt. Intermediate of its ends the spindle F is provided with an enlarged cylindrical portion 42 having a bearing in a plate 43. This plate 43 is attached to and carried by the escutcheon D at the rear portion of the latter, and preferably the plate 43 is inthe form of a bracket secured to the escutcheon D by means such as rivets 44, the body of the plate 43 having a round opening so that it can act as a bearing for the spindle F.

For transmitting motion from the handle E to the spindle F, a connection is provided in the nature of interengaging gear members, and lthe structure is preferably as shown in the drawings,

the upper web 32 of .the handle being provided with upwardly projecting bevel gear teeth 45 which are engaged with similar teeth 46 provided upon the spindle F in a region between the bearing plateor bracket 43 and the bearing portion 39. arrangement the outward swinging of the handle E from its seat in the escutcheon plate will cause the spindle F to be rotated in a direction to retract the latch bolt.

It will be understood that the handle is swung outwardly from its recess against the action of the spring 34,- and that upon the handle being released by the hand of the operator the handle will be restored to its initial position, the latch bolt being in the projecting position as usual.

It Will be seen that by the present invention an operating handle is provided which, in the position corresponding to the closing position of the bolt, does not project from the door, but on the other hand lies substantially within the lines of the door. 'Ihis provides a much safer structure for use on automobiles. On the other hand, however, there is ample availability of the handle in the closed or inner position for grasping and manipulating. In other words, there is permitted a firm grasp of the handle by the hand closed around the same and accommodated in the clearance recess or cup in the escutcheon. In the closed position of the door the handle bridges this recess from one end of it to the opposite end, the arrangement being such that the handle can be readily grasped with a good firm grip and strongly pulled. The connections from the handle .to the bolt are very simple and inexpensive, ahd yet operate very effectively and satisfactorily. The device as a whole can be produced at relatively low cost. Moreover, the use of a handle and escutcheon plate such as herein described permits the latch to have a streamlined character and attractive appearance.

It, will be understood from the foregoing description that the invention provides among other things a portable unitadapted to be used with door latches, said unit comprising a, cupped escutcheon adapted for application to the outer metal plate of a door in such a manner that the cup of the plate extends within the lines of the door, said plate having an operating handle pivoted thereto at one side of the cup and adapted to extend across and bridge the cup, said handle having an operative gear connection with a transverse spindle carried by the plate at the rear portion thereof and rotating in a bracket carried by the plate, said spindle being adapted to co- It win be understood that by this operate with a suitable latch-retracting hub or rollback. It will be seen from the foregoing that the rotary operating spindle carried by ahe plate at the rear portion thereof is a part of the unit applied to the outer face of the door. To assemble this unit with reference to the latch structure, it is merely necessary to enter the free end of the spindle in the rollback of the latch, and

ications and changes in the details are withinv the principles of the invention and the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a door latch structure, a unit for operating a door latch from one side of the door comprising a cupped escutcheon plate applicable to one side of the door and having a shallow cup portion extending within the lines of the door, said plate having a rim for application to the door surface, a handle pivoted behind the rim at one side of the cup portion to swing horizontally, and adapted in one position to bridge the cup portion of the plate intermediate of the height of the plate and in another position to be swung outwardly from the plate, a horizontal transverse latch-operating spindle mounted from the plate at the rear portion ofthe latter, and means of connection including intergeared portions between the pivoted end portion of said handle and said spindle whereby the spindle is turned as the handle is pulled outwardly from the escutcheon plate.

2. In an automobile kdoor latch, the .combination with a metal door having outer l,and inner plates and a latch structure having a. sliding latch bolt mounted upon the inner plate, of an escutcheon plate mounted on the outer plate and having'l a cup-like portion extended within the lines of the door adjacent the free edge of the door, a handle pivoted to said escutcheon plate Vat the rear of the latter and at that side of said cup-like portionwhich is disposed toward the free edge of the door, said vhandle adapted to lie across said cup-like portion in bridging relation thereto so as lto be substantially flush with said escutcheon plate and to swing outwardly from the escutcheon plate, a spring normally holding said handle in its innermost position, and a rotary spindle having geared engagement with said handle operable by said handle for retracting the latch bolt.

3. In an automobile door latch. the combination with a metal door having outer and-inner plates and a latch structure having a sliding latch bolt mounted upon the inner plate, of an escutcheon plate mounted on the outer plate and having a cup-like portion extended within the lines of the door adjacent the free edge of the door. a handle pivoted to lie across said cup-like portion in bridging relation thereto and to swing outwardly from the escutcheon plate, said handle being pivoted to the escutcheon plate at one side of said cuplike portion, and a rotary spindle operable by said handle for retracting the latch bolt, the pivoted end portion of the handle being provided with bevel gear teeth and the latch-actuating spindle being horizontally and transversely disposed and provided with bevel gear teeth meshing with the first-mentioned gear teeth.

ARTHUR CLAUD-MAN'I'LE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Dall Nov. 12, 1940