US2533396A

US2533396A - Keeper

Info

Publication number: US2533396A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank B Payne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-06-28
Filing date: 1946-06-28
Publication date: 1950-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1967-12-12

Description

F. B. PAYNE Dec. 12, 1950 KEEPER Filed June 28, 1946 lln /26 M W d Patented Dec. l2, i950 UNITED STES Arent ortica 3 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to locks and latches, and has more particular reference to lock structures oi the sort adapted to be opened, in emergency, without key, from one side of a locked closure member with which the lock structure is associated.

The structure of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in locking doors, windows, or other closure members opening from bathrooms and other closets or compartments, in which the closure member is provided for locking the same for the purpose oi assuring privacy, or for other' purposes. Particularly where snap, or other self-locking, mechanisms are employed, there is danger of becoming locked within the compartment, in the absence of key means for releasing the lock structure; and the present invention has for an important object the provision of a locking structure having simn ple, easily operated means for releasing a locked closure member from Within a compartment served thereby, in the event that the normal releasing key becomes lost or otherwise unavailable.

Another important object of the invention is to provide lock releasing means of the character mentioned, the operation of which, to release the locked closure member for opening movement, will not damage in any way the lock structure or the structure of the closure member and its cooperating frame.

Another important object 'is tc provide a releasable lock structure, embodying conventional lock bolt means and a keeper' for receiving the bolt when in locked position, the keeper being releasably mounted in the structure of the clostire means in fashion permitting the same to be released readily from mounted locking position, in response to manipulation of releasing means accessible on one side of the closure structure only.

Another important object is to provide a releasable lock structure, including a keeper member normally mounted in position to lockingly enga-ge a cooperating bolt mechanism or any preferred structure, and adapted to operate for the locking and unlocking of the closure member in conventional fashion, the keeper member being detachable from operating position, so that the closure member may be opened while the bolt mechanism remains lockingly engaged with the keeper member; a further object being to normally anchor the keeper member in operating positionv by releasable. screw threaded means manually operable from the inner side of i.;

2 the closure structure, with which the lock mechanism and releasable keeper plate are operatively associated.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following detion of the closure structure shown in Fig. 1, in-

cluding releasable keeper .means embodying the present invention.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show a Wall structure II forming a part of a closet,

cabinet, compartment, or room, the wall strueture having an opening I'2 defined by a frame I3. A movable closure member or door I4 is hinged, as at I5, for swinging movement at one edge of the opening I2, whereby the door i4 may .be closed in the frame I3, or swung to the open position shown, in order to permit ingress or egress to and from the compartment enclosed by the walls II. as a stationary closure member, in cooperation with the movable closure member Ill. A latch or bolt mechanism I6, of any suitable, preferred or conventional form, may be provided, such structure including bolt means Il adapted to be projected and retracted, as by manually operable means, which conveniently may take the of a lock actuating key, whereby to lockingly and releasingly engage the bolt il with cooperating keeper means I8, when the door is in closed position. Obviously, the bolt mechanism may be mounted on either of the closure members I3 and I4, the keeper I3 being mounted on the other.

It will be apparent, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to doors, but may be applied to closure structures for windows and other openings. It will be obvious, also, that the invention is not necessarily limited in application to hinged closure members, and may be adapted to arrangements in which the lock structure I6 is mounted in the frame i3, While the Y. keeper means I8 is mounted on the movable cle- The `frame i3, thus, functions sure member of the combination. As shown, however, the lock structure I6 is applied to the swinging edge of the door I4, in position to lockingly engage the keeper I6 which is mounted on the door frame I3.

The invention contemplates mounting means I9 for securing the keeper I8 normally in operative position on one of the closure members, such as the frame I3, for locking and unlocking cooperation with the ibolt of the locking mechanism I6, the mounting means being operable from one side of the closure structure only, to release the keeper I8 from mounted position, in order that the movable closure member may move to uncover` the opening I2, while the bolt Il remains lockingly engaged with the keeper I8. Where the keeper` is normally carried by the :frame I3, it will, when released, move in engagement with the bolt I'I with the member I4, thereby permitting the same to open. Where, however,

the keeper I8 is mounted on the movable closure member, release thereof will allow the closure member to open, leaving the keeper on the stationary closure member I3 in position locked with the bolt I1.

To this end, as shown in the drawings, the keeper I8 may comprise a plate 20 formed with an opening 2| for lockingly receiving the bolt I'I, in order to lock the closure member I4 in closed position in the frame I3. The plate 23 is snugly tted into a seat 22 formed in the closure member on which it is mounted, the plate in the illustrated embodiment being fitted in the seat 22 formed in the frame I3. The plate 26 has a preferably integral extension 23, which projects upon and overlies the side of the frame element facing outwardly of the closure structure, the closure member on which the keeper plate is mounted being preferably formed with a seat 22 for receiving said extension 23, so that all of the exposed surfaces of the plate and its extension may be flush with the surfaces of the closure member on which mounted. The extension 23 carries an anchoring portion 24 which normally extends freely in an opening 25 formed through the closure member on which the keeper is mounted, said anchoring portion preferably comprising an internally screw threaded sleeve member extending in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the keeper plate 26.

In order to hold the keeper I8 in closure locking position, a threaded stem 26 is provided having a threaded end adapted for engagement with the threaded sleeve 24, said stern extending thence through the closure member and having its remote end projecting at the surface of the closure member remote from the plate projection 23. Said projecting end of the stem is provided with manually operable means, such as the knob 21, whereby the stem 23 may be readily unthreaded and, thus, disconnected from the sleeve 24.

It will be seen that the knob 2 is readily accessible only from one side of the closure structure. As a consequence, when the movable closure member I4 is in locked position in the stationary closure member I3, it may be released for opening movement, in the absence of key means for operating the lock structure I6, only by manipulation of the knob 2l from one side of the closure structure only. By operating the knob 21 to disconnect the stem 26 from the sleeve 24, however, the keeper I8 may be released from the closure member on which mounted. Upon such release of the keeper, the movable closure member may be opened by drawing the keeper from its seat, the keeper remaining in locked engagement with the bolt. No damage, however, is done either to the closure structure or to the lock mechanism, and the keeper plate thereafter may e immediately remounted in operative position by replacing it on the carrying member of the closure structure and re-threading the stem 26 into place. When in holding position, the stem 26 serves to clamp the keeper I8 in operative position, the extension 23 being clampingly held upon one face of the closure member by action of the stem 26, the knob or head 21 of which clampingly engages the opposite face of the closure member I3.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the for. construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A keeper comprising a plate having striker and mounting portions extending substantially at right angles, the one with respect to the other, said striker portion having a latch engaging shoulder' formed therein, and said mounting portion having a threaded opening, a threaded anchor stem adapted to engage in said opening in spaced apart, substantially parallel relation with respect to said striker portion, whereby said keeper may be mounted upon a door frame with the said keeper portion lying in the inwardly facing door-jamb surface of the door frame, adjacent and on one side of the door stopping seat of said frame and with the mounting portion extending in the adjacent frame face, on one side thereof, in position to receive the anchor stem in said opening and to support the same in position extending thence through the door frame to the opposite side thereof, and means forming a head on said stem in position to seat on the frame face at said opposite side of the frame to secure the keeper' in mounted position on the door-j amb.

2. A keeper as set forth in claim l, wherein said opening for receiving the anchor stem is formed in a boss on the mounting portion of the plate and extending therefrom in spaced relation with respect to said striker portion.

3. A keeper comprising a plate having striker and mounting portions extending substantially at right angles, the one with respect to the other, said striker portion having a latch engaging shoulder formed therein, means forming a fingerlike boss on said mounting portion in position disposed inwardly of and substantially parallel with respect to said striker portion. whereby sad` keeper may be mounted on a door frame with the said keeper portion lying in the inwardly c facing door-jamb surface of the door frame, ad-

jacent and on one side of the door stopping seat of said frame, with the said mounting portion extending in the adjacent frame face, on one side thereof, and with the boss extending in an opening in the frame behind said frame face, said boss being formed with screw threads, a correspondingly threaded anchor stem, formed for threaded engagement with the screw threads of said boss whereby to secure the stem in the boss in position extending thence through the 5 door frame to the opposite side thereof, and means forming a head on said stem in position to seat on the frame face at said opposite side of the frame to secure the keeper in mounted position on the door-jamb.

FRANK B. PAYNE.

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

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