US2513070A - Doorkeeper - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1950 H. wlsslNGER 2,513,070

DOORKEEPER Original Filed Oct. 9, 1947 Patented June 27, 1950 ENT orrlce DOORKEEIER Harry Weissinger, Philadelphia, Pa.'

original application october 9, 1947, serial No.

Divided and this application Septeinber 10, 1948, Serial N0. 48,589

This invention relates to` door latches and more particularly to that variety of latch in which the door is held in a closed position under pressure.

The present application is a division of my parent application for a Door keeper, led October 9, 1947, bearing Serial No.'7'78,'782.

Latches for refrigerators and cooling compartments should retain the refrigerator door closed in order to provide a tightfseal with the door frame. Furthermore, it is highly desirable in van installation of this kind that the latching device be constructed so that a predetermined pressure is applied to the door yautomatically upon closing. Desirable features of such a latch are that it be cheap and rugged in construction, protected from the entrance of dirt or other objects which would tend to interfere with the proper operation of the latch, and that it be provided with means for adjusting the pressure with which the door is held closed.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a latch construction in which the customary bifurcated latch finger element has a camlke portion resiliently controlled by a springloaded lever to cause a toggle or dead center snap action of the latch nger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a .spring-loaded latch having an enclosed case and a rugged torque spring for actuating the latch finger.

A further object is to provide means flor adjusting the pressure exerted by the spring on the door through the latch finger.

Further objects will be "apparent from specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view, partially sectioned of a toggle-cam latch constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the latch finger in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing the latch in open position;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure of Fig. 1 partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig..5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the spacer block; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective of the bifurcated latch member.

The invention comprises essentially a latch assembly having a pivoting bifurcated member adapted to progressively engage rst the inside, then the outside of a door when closing, and to the 4 claims. (ci. 292-78) kretain the door in a closed position under pressure of a torque spring which operates on .the bifurcated member through a, lever mounted in the latch body. A screw cooperating witha worm-wheel enables the spring pressure to be adjusted from zero to more than 50 pounds per square inch.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of my latch construction has a bifurcated latch member 2,0 pivotally mounted in latch case 2| by means of pin 22 and nuts, 23, 23. Latch member '2 has a long pressure finger 24 adapted to contact a strike 25 on door 25 when in the closed position as shown in Fig. 1. A short finger 26 on the latch member 2U, is positioned to be engaged by the inside edge of strike 25 when the door is closed to the position shown in Fig. 2. Further closing of the door pivots member 20 'about pin 22 until the door is fully closed as shown in Fig. 1.

The hub 21 of member 20 abuts and extends the entire distance betweentop 28 and Ibottom 29 of latch` case 2| but is undercut at 30, as shown in Fig. 7, to provide an axial flat or step portion. A small roller 3ly is mounted on flat 30 by means of pin 32 and is adapted to contact lever arm 33 throughout the entire swing yo f arm 20 which, inthe preferred form is about 50.

Lever arm 33 is likewise pivotally mounted in upper case 28 and lower case29 by means of stud 34 and nuts 35, 35 and isprovided with a lhub 36 (Fig. 5) which abuts the hub 3l of wormwheel 3l likewise mounted on stud 34. The hub 36 of lever arm 33, as well as the hub 31 of Wheel 31 form anl annular retaining recess for torque spring 38,' one end of which extends through lever arm 33 at 39 (Fig. 2) f and the other end of which is rigidly lmounted in wheel 3l at 40 (Fig. 3). Rotation of wheel 3l on stud 34 is controlled by meansvof adjusting screw 4| (Fig. 4) which, when turned, serves to increase or decrease the tension of spring 38` on lever arm 33 since spring 38 provides the only connection between the arm and the wheel.

Upper case 28, as well as lower case 29, are formed from a single piece of sheet metal which is of U-shaped configuration as shown in Fig. 5. The front 42 of the latch however, is partially cut away to provide clearance for nger 24 as shown in Fig. 2 and plates 28 and 29 extend forwardly at 43 and 44 (Fig. 3) to provide locking ears having arcuate slots 45 which are in alignment with a hole 46 drilled in hub 21 of latch 20. When the latch is in the closed position, las, shown in Fig. 1, a standard bicycle lock 50 (not shown) 3 may be inserted through slots 45 and hole 46.

The bases of plates 28 and 29 are bent, first at 90 and then at 180 as shown in Fig. 5 to form upper and lower bolting ilanges 5I and 52 for the latch assembly. A butt joint 53 is thereby provided centrally along the inside base of the case and the edges of the joint are riveted to spacer 'block illniby izmeans of rivets '55, 55. Spacer "block 54 is longitudinally drilled vto form a guide for adjusting screw M as shown in Fig. 6 and is cut away at 56 to permit meshingof the adjusting screw 4I with the worm wheelfSzl. Block 54 is also cut away at 51 (Fig. 6) to provide clearance for rotation of arml33.

In operation, strike 25 .on door 25 contacts finger 26 of arm 20 when thedoor is .closed,.thu-S causing the latch 20 to rotate on pin'22. This in turn displaces lever 33 upwardly as seen in Fig. 2, by means of roller 3l and tendstowind rstrike 125:,to urge Vthe door to Ya Lfully closed potsitionunder the predetermined pressure of spring `38. When the door is opened, the reverse oper- .ation takes l,place and is such `that wheniroller 31, :again Apasses dead center, lfinger 26 pushes f theldoor open, butin this case rthe limit offinger travel is reached whenthe lever 33 contacts face 590i hub 21, thus retaining the `arm in the proper ipsitionifor receiving thevdoor when it is closed, ra'srshowndn fFig. 2.

- .The;latch assembly is dirt and dust-tight since :the end E0-of spacer 'block v54 substantially lls l.the gap between hub 2'! of latch member '20 and the .base of the ilatch case, .whereas cover plate-20|, secured under nuts 35, encloses'the opposite end ofthe 'latch case.

:It Nvill -be -apparent that ythe latch Idescribed `aboveris not onlyadapted for refrigerator doors, lfbuljrfmay be Yutilized to ladvantage-on :any instal- ,lation where it isdesired to insure a-close presfsrureltsuch as screendoors, hatches, andthe like. Where there is danger that an individual may :be locked inside the door, for example Ain large cooling rooms Aor refrigerator closets, a .modified formsof lock may be'employed.

*.l-Ieaving -thus .describedmy invention, I claim:

l. A .latch assembly comprisinga case, atbifurcated latch Lfinger pivoted in-said case, la lever `Yalso pivoted in said case, a stud on which said lever is mountedfay hub 'attached 4.to :the lever, .a

` worm wheelmounted on said stud in-axial rela- ,f

Ation to the lever hub, .a torque spring mounted onsaid:hub,one end of said torque spring being securedto the lever'and the other end -being-se- ;cured'to the worm wheel, and anadjusting screw `mounted in the case adapted to mesh with the worm lwheel and effect turning of the'wheel with respect'to I.the lever hub.

2. A spring-loaded latch assembly comprising a U-shaped case having feet formed integrally therewith, a bifurcated latch finger mounted in said case and having a hole drilled therein, a pair of ears on the case having holes adapted to register with the hole in the latch member, a roller on the latch finger, a lever pivoted in the case .and adapted ztoicontact ssai'd roller, alandgga torque springadjustably mounted :fin the case Y'for urging the lever against the roller.

3. A latch assembly comprising a latch case .formed from a unitary sheet metal stamping, having an upper surface and a lower surface, a

`ifront-fedge 'joining said upper and lower surfaces,

a ,ange .extendingat right angles to said upper andlower surfaces and a base formed by a butt yjointofazthe edgesrof the case member, a spacer block within the case and riveted adjacent the butt joint, a bifurcated latch linger rotatably mounted in said upper and lower case members, '.ailever.rotatablymounted in--sai'd upper and lower fcasemembersand adapted to contact said linger, a Worm :wheel :mounted axially with Vrespect 'to said lever, a torque spring connecting saidfworm `Wheel .and .said lever, .and an adjusting screw :supported in .the 'spacer block to .threadedly :en-

gage the wormwheel.

r4. A latch assembly ycomprising a latch case 'formed .from a "unitary :sheet rmetal stamping, having'rannpper surface and a -lower sufraceza sf'ront.: edge joining-said .upper r.and lower surfaces, .a flange extending at right langles Y,to `said .upper sand lower surfaces and a base formed by afbutt :joint ofthe :edges of the -case-member, .a spacer fblock .within the 'case Vand riveted adjacent .the butt joint, a bifurcated latch yringer 'rotatably 'mounted in said upper Iand :lowercase members, aflever rotatably mounted in said upper and .lowercase :members v'and adapted `to contact said .fingerfa worm wheel mounted axially with frespect to said lever, aftorquerspring connecting .said Aworm wheel and 5'said lever, an adjusting screw'supported in the spacerfblock to threadedly .engage ithe -worm wheel, and a `cover for one endof thelcase.

Y HARRY WEISSINGER .REFERENCES CITED h v.'llhe.following references .fare-of .record Vin-'xthe file .of .this patent:

UNITED YSTATES .P A']IEI\T'1`S Number "Name l-Date Y 307,281 Farrar Oct-28,1884 l820,962 AErb '-May 122, 1906 1,507,525 Stewart Sept. -2,=l924 '2,072,094 iBom'mer Mar.f2, 1937 .FOREIGN ePAzrENTs l Number Country Date` 375,434 vFrance July 9,"1'907

Images