US2518141A - Latch and lock for locker doors - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, 1950 R. R. HILER LATCH AND LOCK FOR LOCKER DQORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1949 Aug. 8, 1950 R. R. HILER LATCH AND LOCK FOR LOCKER DOORS Filed July 2'7, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1950 R. R. HILER LATCH AND LOCK FOR LOCKER DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 27', 1949 Patented Aug. 8, 1950 LATCH AND LOCK FOR LOCKER DOORS Roy R. Hiler, Sewell, N. J., assignor to Penn Metal Corporation of Penna., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 27, 1949,. Serial No. 107,116

8 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in locking devices, and more particularly to locking devices, especially adapted for clothes lockers and the like.

'The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel locking device for lockers which is constructed to permit the locker door to be locked while in an open position and then when closed to be automatically latched and locked thus preventing the door from being reopened until the lock is unlocked to permit operation of the latch release mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel locking device for lockers having the features and characteristics set forth which is of comparatively simplified and inexpensive construction and is entirely foolproof and effective in operation and use.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of the construction and operation thereof are hereinafter fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a sheet metal locker embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the locker or door, part thereof having been broken away to illustrate certain structural details of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a portion of the locker showing the construction and arrangement of the door keeper mounted thereon;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the locking device with the latch in cocked position ready to engage with the keeper when the locker door is shut;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the latch members in locking engagement with the door keeper;

Fig.6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 showing the latching .members in the raised position to which actuated prior to the latching members assuming the cooked position thereof shown in Fig. 4; I

.Fig. 'l is a view inperspective of the vertical reciprocable actuating member of the locking device showing the details of construction there- Fig.8 is an enlarged detached view in perspective of one of a pair of brackets fixedly associated with the locking device actuating member;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detached view in perspective of one of a pair of latch members that is operatively associated with the lock-actuating member;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary front-ele-' vational view showing a portion of the locker with the door in closed position, a portion of the door being broken away to show certain struc}.

' view taken on line l2-I2, Fig. 10. Referring now more particularly to the draw-" in there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a double tier of lockers each of which is provided with side jambs 2 and 3, respectively. A sheet metal door 4 is mounted on the jamb 3 by means of hinges 5.

The peripheral edges of the door 4 are bent-in ward to provide inwardly extending flangesli,

and the flange 6 along the free vertical side edge of the door terminates at its inner edge-in a laterally extending flange portion 1 which is disposed in spaced parallel relation tov the plane of the door 4 and forms with the latter and the intermediate flange portion 6 a three-sided recessor channel 8 that extends the entire height of the door 4.

Mounted for vertical sliding movement within the door channel 8 is an actuating member 90fchannel cross-sectional shape and having a length just slightly less than the height of the said. d0or channel. The member 9 is slidably re -f tained and guided in the door channel 8 by means of pressed-out lugs 8a in the latter which extend inwardly and engage within suitable vertically elongated slots 9a provided in the actuator memher 9. Sliding movement of the actuating chanvided with rubber cushions H to cushionand render substantially noiseless the engagement of the ends of the actuator member 9 with the top and bottom flanges 6 of the locker door 4.

Sliding movement of the actuator member 9 vertically within the door channel 8 is accomplished manually by means of a handle l2 which is mounted at the outer or front side of the door 4 and is fixedly secured to the actuator member,

9 by means of arms I 3 which form a part of the said handle 12 and extend through suitable openings l4 and I5 provided therefor in the door channel 8 and actuator 9, respectively. The

handle arm openings 14 in the door channel 8 are vertically elongated to provide suflicient clearance for travel of the arms l3 when the acshown inf-lg. 9 of the drawings.

tuator member 9 is raised and lowered. As shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings, the handle I2 is slotted or recessed as indicated at I6 to receive therein the outwardly projecting leg H of an angle member which has its other leg portion I8 fixedly secured to the inner surface of the door 4, for example, in the manner-and relationship shown ins'said Eig. -J2,suitable openings 18,0. being provided in the actuator member 9 to provide suflicient clearance for said leg I8 upon sliding movement of the latter within the door channel 8.

The recess I6 in the handle -I2 hassufficient height to permit vertical slidingv movement-oft the handle I2 relative to the angle leg I! and the position of the latter vertically on the door 4 with respect to the said handle i2 is such that, when the latter is in its lower limit position, sui able openings I9 provided in the handle I2 will bedisposed belowthe anglelee I-Lthuspermitting the passage therethrough of a padlock or like device, for example, iin the manner indicated at II in-Fis. l

.In'lieu of or in additionztosuch a padlock or like devicegthe door maybe provided =with--akeyoperated lock 22 secured interiorly of .the door 4 and having a bolt .23 adapted 1 to engage inwardly of the actuator member il-througlra suitable slot onmgening 24 -therein,':the said-opening .24 being positioned in theimember=9 so that itis disposed torgeceivethe lock bolt-2310:1157 inthe lower: limit position of vertical movement of themember- 9.

Eixedlysecured, for'example, by welding, within the .actuater memberfl adjacent the opposite ends-thereof are-brackets 2.5, thedetailsrof .constructicn of which are :clearly *shown in .Fig. 28 of the'drawings. vAs shown'in'Fig. 7 the brackets 25: are secured tothebase portion: of the channel shaped members and at their upper end these brackets areprovided with. o horizontally extend-- ing }head portion '26 having depending *edge flanges ZI-and 28, With reference to 7 the mQkcts =25 are mounted in the lchannel shaped member 9 with the head portion. 2 S :dispesedad. jacent the outer side wall portion 91) thereof so tbat'said head portion 26 together :with its depending edge flanges .21 and .28 cooperate with the inner surface of said wall portion :9?) to provide a-downwardly opening recess 01' socket the purpose for which-will be set forth hereinafter. I i-addition to the-head -.portion .26 the brackets Zi-are-providedat .their-lowerend with an in-- wardlyextending flange portion :29.

Formed in the-other wall Scof the actuator member .9 .are relativelydarge openings'or cutreceive therethrough, door keepers 32 which are fixedly mountedin association .withthe side jamb 2 ofthe locker. The'keepers.SZareprovided with resilient cushions 33 to cushion the closing .im-. pact of the lock door A.

Mounted within the actuator member 9 forceopcrative engagement witlrthe .door keepers 32 are latch members which aregenerally designated by .reference numerals 35 .and constructed as As shown, the latohmembers/SS .areof generally wedge shape construction having .a downward taper arranged so-that thelower end portion of the latch mom.- bers is afforded limited pivotal or rocking movement in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the locker door 4. The latch members 35 are of generally hollow construction having at the upper end thereof relatively spaced outer and inner wall portions 36 and 31 between which is disposed a generally horizontally extending flange portion 38 that carries aresilient-cushion element 39. The outer wall portion .36 of the .latch member 35 extends the entire height of the latter whereas the inner wall portion 31 is of limited vertical extent having its lower edge portion 31a constructed and arranged to engage a vertical slot 32a in the .door keeper 32 when the door 4 is .closed. The wall portion 31 is spaced substan- ;t ially.froma lowerdnner wall portion 50 so as to provide therebetween an opening for the passage ofthe 'doorkeeper 32. The upper edge of the lower inner wall portion 40 of the latch is provided with an outwardly projecting lug portion 4 l.

As previouslystated the latch members 35 are mounted within the channel shaped actuator member .9 .for limite'd sliding androckins movement relative thereto. In this connection the,

latch members .35 are afiordcd vcrticalslidin movement in the member 9. within the .limits provided bythchead and flangeportions 2B and 29 of the brackets .25.

It is to bcnotcd, h0 WVE1,,th&t the latch elements 35 normally are biaseddownwardly within the member 9 with respect to the brackets 25 by means of coil springs 53 whichare interposed between the'latter and the latch members. 35. In,

thiseonnection it 'lS pointed out that the coil springs 43 have their .upper ends disposed within the sockets formed by the brackethead portion:

26 and its ,depending-flanges'fl and 28 in cooperationwith the channel member side wall ,9b and that'the lower end of thesaid coil springs 43 seat upon the upper surface of the latch member flanges'38.

ln-operation of 'a locking device and assuming that the locker door 4 is inclosed position and lccked'withthe several parts of the lockingdevice'in the-relative positions shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, in order to open the door 4 the look 22 is first unlocked to remove the bolt "23 from engagement within the openingzfl in memher- 9, andi-f the handle I2 is locked by means 01 a padlock or thelike passed through the-openings I9 therein this likewise is unlocked and removed.

The handle I2 may now be manually actuated in an upward direction carrying'with it the channel shaped actuator member 9 until the upper end of the latter engages the underside of the top door flange-6. This upward movement of the actuator member'9, of course, carries with it the brackets 25 and the bottom flange portions 29 of these brackets in turn engage the bottom of the resilient blocks 39 on the latch members 35 thereby carrying the latter upwardly and disposing the several parts of the device in the relative positionshown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. In'this position the latch members 35 have been disengaged from the door keepers '32 and hence the locker door 4 maybe swung outwardly to open position.

At this time the door handle I2 may be released from the grip of the operator with the result that the latter and the channel shaped actuator-member 9 are caused to drop downwardly underthe influence of gravity to their lower limit position. During initial downward movement of the actuator member 9 and the parts carried thereby the springs 43 urge the latch members downwardly and at the same time cause them to rock or pivot in the clockwise direction with respect to the drawingand engage the flange portion 4| thereof over the bottom edge ofthe keeper openings 3| in the door channel 8 in the manner andrelation shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

{After engagement of the latching member flange 4| on the lower edge ofthe keeper open-;

ings 5H as described, downward movement of the actuator member 9 and handle I2, to their-lower position continues independently of the latchmembers 35 until said parts assume the relative'positionsshown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

Since the channel shaped actuator member 9; cgntinues to move downwardly for a short pe riod after engagement of the latch members onth lower edge of the openings 3|,it will be observed that .the springs 43 are; compressed so. that a substantial force is stored in the springs.

43. tending to urge the latch members 35 downwardly.

When the latching members 35 have been set; in the cooked position shown in Fig. '4 and the actuator member 9 has dropped to its lower limit position, the lock 22 may be operated to project the bol t 2 3 through the opening 24 of the member 9., and thereby lock the latter in its lowermost position. Likewise a padlock or the like may be inserted through the handle openings IE] to there-1 by lock the handle against upward actuation.

.With the several parts of the locking device in the relative position described and shown in Fig. 4, asthedoor approaches fully closed position the keepers 32 pass' inwardly through the openings at and 31 in the door channel 8 and actuator member 9. This inward passage of the door keepers. 32 continues until the forward edges thereof engage the innersurfaces of the walls 369i the latch members 35 thereby actuating the latter in the counterclockwise direction to disengage the latch member'flange 4| from the" bottom edge of the door channel openings 3|. As the flange 4] is disengaged from the channel openingsjthe energy stored in the springs lt forces the latch members 35 in the downward direction to engage the lower edge 31a of the latchjwall portion 31 within the slot'32a of the associated keeper 32 in the manner and relation shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Thus thedoor 4 is locked in .closed position and cannot be, opened until the lock 22 and any other lock have been unlocked. v

From the foregoing it will be observed that the present invention provides a novel locking device for lockers which is constructed to permit the locker door to be locked while in an open position and then, when closed, to be automatically latched" and locked thus preventing the door invention has been illustrated and described.

6 herein, it is not intended to limit the invention. to such disclosure, and changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a locking device for doors, an actuator member adapted to be slidably associated with a door and having an opening adapted to register with an opening in the door for a door keeper, a latch member for engaging said keeper when said keeper extends through said openings mounted for limited sliding movement relative to said actuator and for limited rocking movement trans- I versely thereof, means associated with the'actu'-; ator operable upon sliding movement thereof in." one direction to actuate said latch member in. the same direction to unlockedposition, means acting --on said latch member biasing the sameslidably in the opposite direction toward locked position and rockably toward-said keeper opening, and means on the latch member adapted to extend through said openings and being engageable with a wall of said openings in the door under: the bias of said spring to hold the latter in. said unlocked position adjacent said keeper opening upon movement of the actuator in the opposite direction. 1

2. In a locking device for doors, an actuator member adapted to be slidably associated witha door and having an opening adapted to register with an opening in the door for a door keeper,- a latch member for engaging said keeper when said keeper extends through said I openings mounted for limited sliding movement. relative to said" actuator and for limited rocking move.--v ment transversely thereof, means associated with the actuator operable upon sliding movement thereof in one direction to actuate said latch member in the same direction to unlocked posi-.: tion, means acting on said latch member biasing the same slidably in the opposite direction toward locked position and rocliably toward said keeper opening, and means on the latch member adapted to extend through said openings and being engageable with a wall of said openings in the door under the bias of said spring to hold the latter in said unlocked position adjacent said keeper opening upon movement of the actuator in the opposite direction, the latch member in said unlocked position being disposed for engagement by a keeper entering the opening in said actuator upon ciosingthe door to disengage the latch from the door and cause it to be actuated in the opposite direction to locked position by said spring.

3. In a locking device for doors, a vertically shiftable actuator member adapted to be slidably associated with a door and arranged to drop by gravity to locked position whenever released from upper unlocked position, means to raise-said actuatormember, said actuator having an opening therein adapted to register with an opening in the door so as to receive a door keeper, a latch member slidabie relative to said actuator v and having limited rocking movement transversely thereof, means providing a connection between said actuator and latch member operable to actuate the latter upwardly when the actuator is raised, spring means normally biasing said latch member slidably in the downward direction and rockably toward said keeper opening, and means on the latch member adapted to extend through said openings and being engageable witha wall of said openings in the door under. the bias of; said spring when the latch member is. raised toamen-41 hold :the rlatter in an elevated posit-ion adjacent said =keeper :opening when actuator drops 'to locked gposition by gravity upon release of the handle.

4. In a locking device for doors, a vertically shiftable actuator memberadapted to be slidably associated with ,aldoor and arranged to drop by gravity to locked position whenever released'from upper .unlocked position, means to raise said notuatcixmember, said actuator having an opening therein adapted to register with an opening in the door so as to receive .a door keeper, a latch member :slidably relative "to said actuator .and having .ilimited rocking -movement transversely thereof, means providing a connection between said actuator and latch member operable to actuate-*thellatter upwardly when the actuator is raised, spring means normally biasing said latch member slidabiy in" the downward direction and rockably toward said keepercpening, means on the latch member adapted to extend throughsaid openings and being engageable with .a wall of said :openings in the door under the bias :of said spring when the latchmember is raised toLhold the latter in-an elevated ;position adjacent said keeper vopeningwhen the actuatordrops tolocked position by gravity upon release of the handle, thelatoh member in said-elcvated'position being engageable by thekeeper upon closing the door androcked thereby against the bias of said spring torelease the latch member and cause it to be actuated downwardly by said spring into locking engagement with the keeper.

:5. In :a locking device for doors, an actuator member adapted to be slidably associated with a door and-havingan openingadapted to register with an opening in the door for a door keeper, abracket fixedly carried by said actuator member and having spaced projecting stop portions, a latch member for engaging said keeper when extended through said openings slidable relative to said actuator for limited rocking movement transversely thereof and having a flange portion disposed for engagement by one stop portion of the bracket-so that movement of the actuator in one-direction operates to move the latchmember in the same-direction to unlocked position, spring means interposed between the bracket other'stop and latch member flange normally biasing said latch member slidably in the opposite direction toward-locked position'and rockably toward said keeper opening, and a projection on the latch member adapted to extend through said openings and being engageable with a wall of said opening in the door under the bias of said spring when the latch member is actuated in said one direction to hold the latter in said unlocked position adjacent said keeper opening when'the actuator is moved in the opposite direction.

6. In a locking device for doors, an actuator member adapted to be slidably associated with adoor and having an opening adapted to register with an opening in the door for a door keeper, a bracket fixedly carried by said actuator member and having spaced projecting stop portions, a-downwardly tapered latch member for engaging said keeper when extended through said openings slidable relative to said actuator for limited rocking movement transversely thereof and having a flange portion disposed for engagement by one stop portion of the bracket so that movement of the actuator in one direction operates to move the latch member in the same direction to unlocked position, spring means interposed between the :bracket other stop and latch member 'fi-ange 8 normally :bias'mgsaid latchrmember the opposite direction toward locked .position'nnd rockably toward .said-keeperopening, and a ,pro-

jection on the latch member adapted to'extend through said openings and being vengageable with awallof said opening in thedoor underthebias of said spring whenthe latch member isaactusted insaid one direction to hold the latterin said,

unlocked position adjacent said keeper opening when the .actuatoris moved in thebppositedithe door :and :rocked thereby against the .biasol' said spring to release the latch member. and cause it to ,be actuated in the opposite direction to locked positionby. said spring.

7 In a locking device for doors, a vertically shiftable actuator member adapted to beslidably:

associated with a door and arranged tordropby gravity to lower locked position whenever released from .upper unlocked position, means In raise said-actuatormember, said actuator having an opening therein adapted -.to register with tan opening in the doorsoas to receive a door keeper. a bracket fixedly carriedby said actuator member and having projecting stop portions spaced longitudinally of .the actuator, .a downwardly tapered latch member slidably disposed in -sald actuator for limited rocking movement transversely thereof and having, an upper flange portion disposed for engagement by the lower stop portionof the bracket so that raising of-theactuator operates to raise the latch member, spring means interposed between thebracket upper stop and latch membenflange normally biasingjaid latch memberslidablyin the downward direction and rockablyrtoward said keeperopenings, apro-v jection on the latch member adapted to extend through said openingsand being engageablewith awalloi said opening in the door channel under the bias of said spring when the latohmemb'er is raised to hold the latter in an elevatedlposltlon. adjacent said'keeper openings whenth actuator.

drops to locked position by gravit upon release of the handle, thelatchmember'in said elevated posltionbeing engaged by the keeperupon closing the door and rocked against the bias of said spring .to release the latch .member and cause it to beactuated downwardly by said spring .into locking-engagement with the keeper and means to look the actuator .in the lower-locked position thereof irrespective :of thepositioncof saidlatch member. A

8. In .a locking device for doors, .a vertically shiftable actuator member adapted to be slldably associated with a door .andarranged to "dropibyc gravity torlowered locked position whenever .released from upper unlocked position, means Ito. raise said actuator member, said actuator having an-opening therein adapted to register with ran openingin the door so asto receive a door keeper. a downwardly-tapered latch'member slidably disposed in said actuator for limited rocking move ment transversely thereof, connections between the actuator and latch member operable upon' said Lkeeper opening when the actuator drops to REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Kaser Aug. 26, 1930 Baker et al Mar. 10, 1936

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