US2569047A

US2569047A - Vehicle door latch

Info

Publication number: US2569047A
Application number: US14683A
Authority: US
Inventors: Waldemar A Endter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-03-13
Filing date: 1948-03-13
Publication date: 1951-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1968-09-25

Description

Sept. 25, 1951 w, A, ENDTER 2,569,047

VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Filed March 13, 1948 f 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 TmPA/fr Sept. 25, 1951 W A, ENDTER 2,569,047

VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Filed March 13, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MLHZWWJQMYAW INVENTOR,

Sept. 25, 1951 w A, END-[ER 2,569,047

VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Filed Ma Oh 13, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 rmP/vfr Sept. 25, 1951 w. A. ENDTER VEHICLE DOOR LATCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 15, 1948 MIMMAPHI'NDTIP INVENToR.

Patented Sept.. 25, 1951 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE DOOR LATCH.

Waldemar A. Endter, Long Beach, Calif. Application March 13, 194.8, Serial No. 14,683

This invention has to do with improvements in latching mechanisms adaptable particularly to vehicle doors. In certain of its aspects the invention contemplates improvements upon the type of mechanism disclosed in my copending application Serial Number '705,843 iiled October 26, 1946, on Latching Mechanisms for Closures, with respect to the use of a door-carried keeper part releasable from a pillai -carried holding part or bolt, and to the adaptation for control of the keeper part and latched condition of the mechanism, of the type of control disclosed in a second copending application Serial Number 640,860 illed January 12. 1946, on Lock Control Mechamsm.

Generally considered, the present latch assembly comprises a door-carried holding part functioning essentially as a keeper by virtue of its capacity for movement, relatively speaking, into and out of the path or location of a pillar supported holding part or bolt. The assembly has take-up characteristics in that the bolt is spring urged against and in such relation to the keeper as to exert a constant closing or take-up thrust against the door in the latched condition of the parts. The latch parts are engaged by movement of the keeper into overlapping relation with the bolt as a result of swinging movement of the door as it approaches closed position, whereupon the bolt becomes responsive to exert a sustained thrust against the keeper. Release of the latch, from engaged condition is eiected by manual controls, operable at the inside or outside of the door, to permit the keeper to move away from the bolt and out of overlapping rela-A wtion, so that the door is free to open.

As indicated, my primary objects are directed to control of the keeper in a manner permitting its release by actuation of either the inside or outside operators, and, by the use of a second inside control oroperator. e. g., push button type, maintaining the keeper against anti-latching displacement from the bolt when the parts are to assume a locked condition. Particularly contemplated is a control system whereby, in such locked condition, the normal releasing movement of the outside operator becomes ineffective to release the keeper, and the keeper is permitted to assume a locked condition from which it is not releasable, by closing the door while maintaining the outside operator in what otherwise would be a keeper releasing position.

In accordance with my preferred construction,

,I employ a keeper4 which is displaceable to accommodate the bolt in latched condition, and

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-498) then becomes blocked against release by a block- Y ing element controllable by the outside and inside operators. Keeper releasing the outside operator is transmitted to the blocking element by a connection capable of an engaged condition in which such movement of the outside operator is transmitted, and a disengaged condition in which movement of the outside operator is ineffective to produce keeper releasing movement of the blocking element. Such conditioning of the connection is eiected at the inside of the door, as by the aforementioned push button control, and in a manner causing the inside operator to become ineilective to release the blocking element, as by positively blocking releasing movement of the inside operator itself. By virtue of the disengaged condition of said connection and its association with the outside operator, the latter is made eiective, in normally its keeper releasing position, to maintain the disengaged condition of the connection, and thus allow closing the door to in eieet a locked condition of the keeper.

The invention has various additional features and objects, all of which together with the details of a typical and illustrative embodiment will be fully appreciated and understood from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a general view taken in horizontal section through the mating edges of the door and pillar, showing the latch in engaged condition;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view taken in the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 4, showing the control parts at the inside of one ange of the door-contained angular housing;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation viewed from line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the engaged bolt and keeper assemblies; i

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts in changed positions;

Figs. 6, 'I and 8 are views taken in the plane of line 6-5 of Fig. 3, showing the bolt and keeper parts in progressively changed positions;

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary sectional views taken respectively on line 9 9 and lll-Ill oi Fig. 6; and y Fig. 1l is an enlarged view illustrating certain parts of the bolt and keeper assemblies in engaged condition.

Referring rst to Fig. l, th latch mechanism, generally indicated at I5, is particularly adapted for application to an automobile door i6 which closes against the stationary pillar Il and is adapted to be crowded by the later described take-up action of the latch mechanism, against the usual pillar-carried cushion il. The door is shown to carry an appropriate outside handle il within the forward tubular end 2l of which is contained push-hutten type outside operator 2|, the functions of which will later appear.

As best indicated by Figs. 3, 6 and l1, the latch mechanism I5 may be regarded generally as comprising a door-carried keeper assembly 22, and a take-up type holding part or bolt assembly 23 stationarily supported by the pillar i1. Certain of the door mounted parts of the mechanism associated with the keeper and its control connectlons, are carried by an angular case 2l contained within the door I6 between its sheet metal sections 25 and 2l, the

nanges

21 and 26 carrying the hereinafter described parts of the keeper ,control mechanism.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6 to 8 and 11, the bolt assembly 23 comprises a housing 2l secured to the pillar i1 and having' a bottom opening Il, the top surface of the housing being engageable against a door-carried roller 3i or other form of projection, so that in latched position, the bolt assembly has a dove-tail relation with the keeper, al1 as will later appear. The housing 2l contains a bolt 32 projecting downwardly through the opening 3l, the bolt head having a curved keeper engaging face 33, and a safety catch recess 3l. Within the housing the bolt has a circularly curved portion I5 engaging and retained within the correspondingly curved surface It of a cam l1, the latter having an outer curved surface Il, eccentric with relation to surface Il. and engaging a stationary curved abutment 3l. Rotation of the cam in a counterclockwise direction is limited by engagement of its straight surface 40 with the housing 29. The opposite end of the cam terminates at a shoulder Ii engageable against the bolt surface I2, as when the bolt and cam rotate together. The cam is constantly urged in a clockwise direction tending to thrust the bolt outwardly against the keeper, by a spring carried by support M, the free end a of the spring bearing against the laterally projectingend portion I! of the cam. The bolt 32 is constantly urged in a clockwise direction by spring 46 carried by the support 44 and having its free end a bearing against lug Il on member 4I formed integrally with the bolt or as a separate piece welded thereto.

Normally the springs 43 and It tend to malntain the bolt and cam in the positions illustrated in Fig. 6. Then as the bolt is displaced counterclockwise to the position of Fig. 7 engagement of the bolt shoulder l2 with the end 4I of the cam causes the parts to rotate together. Thereafter. the bolt advances ahead of the cam as the bolt enters the keeper, say to the position of Pig. 1l. The position of maximum projection taken by the bolt isrepresented by Figs. 6 and 6, in which the cam has rotated in a clockwise direction to the limit of its travel. Further details concerning this type of cam actuated floating bolt may be had by referring to my copending application Serial No. 783,184 on Floating Bolt Latch Mechanisms.

As most clearly illustrated in Figs. 9 to 1l, the door-carried keeper assembly 22 comprises an open top housing Il which supports the outer end of a shaft Il extending through the end wall l2 of the door to terminate in a fixed supporting plate or deck I3. The keeper Il comprises an elongated piece mounted for vertical oscillation on the shaft Il, the keeper being displaceable downwardly within the housing ll and having an upper surface 6l curved in conformity with the bolt curvature I3, the continul ing keeper surface at Il being substantially straight.

The keeper carries a pin I1 extending inwardly through registering openings Il and lla, see Fig. l0, respectively in the case nange 21 and door face I2 for connection with the control mechanism. as will later appear. Pin l1 carries a rotatable latch element Il which is urged to rotate clockwise relative to the keeper 5l, by a coiled spring Il encircling the pin and bearing at one end against a projection ti on the keeper, and at its opposite end against a lug t2 projecting inwardly from the element 59 within opening il. A second lug |62 projecting from the opposite side of the element for engagement with the underside of the keeper. arrests rotation of the element under the influence of the spring, see Pigs. 6, 'I and 1l. At this point it may be mentioned that in Fig. l1, the keeper ll has been illustrated in phantom by the dotted lines, to more clearly show the setting lever and latch element parts at the inside of the keeper.

Shaft Si carries a rotatable setting lever Il comprising an arm Il about which is placed a correspondingly shaped sheath or shell Il, the opposite side of the lever being formed as a lug 61 for engagement with the latch element Il. The setting lever is constantly urged to rotate clockwise about the shaft Il, by a spring Il encircling the shaft, one end of the spring bearing at 69 against' the lug end of the lever, and the other end of the spring bearing against the housing 60 at 1li.

A control arm or plate 1l is pivotally carried by shaft 5I at the inside of the'case flange 21, see Fig. 9. As particularly shown in Fig. 10, pin 51 is carried by arm 1I so that the pin, keeper M and latch element i9 all are rotatable with arm 1l about'the shaft 5i. The arm is mounted for oscillation between one extreme position of a engagement with a stationary stop 1I, see Fig. 6,

and the position of Fig. 6 in which the upper notched end 14 of the arm engages and is releasably held against return movement, by a blocking element 1l pivotally carried intermediate its I ends by stationary pin 16.

Reference conveniently may be had now to the operation of the bolt and keeper assemblies -as the door is swung from open to fully latched positions. With the door opened the parts asgg sume positions illustrated in Pig. 6, whichshows the keeper I4 to be held below or in offset relation to the bolt l2. As the door closes, the setting lever 64 engages the bolt housing 2l, rotating the lever against the resistance of spring 6l,

I) and bringing the lever lug 61 against the end 1l of the latch element il, thus causing the keeper I to be swung upwardly about shaft Il for engagement with the bolt 32. Just in advance of the condition illustrated in Fig. 7, the keeper nose enters the bolt safety catch recess Il. Then as the door further closes, the bolt is displaced upwardly to override the top of the keeper and then swing downwardly to the latched position of Fig. 1l. Here the bolt is urged by Spring Il 70 in a direction of advancing or clockwise rotation, while spring simultaneously urges the cam 21 to project the bolt outwardly against the keeper. The result is a take-up action tending to crowd the door against the cushion il, progres- 75 slvely with the advancement of the bolt along the keeper to thehome position of Fig. 8. Upon advancement of the door or setting lever just beyond the position of Fig. 7, the blocking ele ment swings into the notched end 14 of arm 1| to hold the latter, together with the keeper, in the normal latched position of Fig. 8. Also as the door advances just beyond the position of Fig. 7, the setting lever lug 61 moves oi the end face 18 of the latch element, with the result that the setting lever then is permitted to rotate independently, and relative to the keeper, as the lug 61 enters the notched end portion 19 of the latch element. Accordingly, in swinging from the position of Fig. '7 to that of Fig. 8, the setting lever -64 develops added tension in the spring 68, which becomes eective, upon release of the keeper, as will later appear, to enable the setting lever to thrust the door open by reason of the spring urged bearing of the arm against the stationary housing 29.

Referring now -to Figs. 2 to 5, the blocking element 15 is urged to swing in the direction oi' arm 1|, by coil spring 80 carried by pin 8| which serves also as a pivotal mounting for a bell crank arm 82. One end of spring 80 bears against the blocking element at |83, and the other end engages lug |84 to resist counterclockwise rotation of the arm 82. Normally, the latter is positioned by engagement with a stationary stop |8|. Arm 82 is actuated by the outside operator 2|, preferably of the push button type including a rod '|86 having an inner head end |81 bearing against arm 82, inward movement of the rod being resisted by coil spring |88.

Downward swinging movement of the end portion 83 of arm 92 is transmittable to the blocking element 15 by way of a connection, generally indicated at 84 in Fig. 4, capable of an engaged position or conditionin which movement of the outside operator is transmitted to the blocking element, and a disengaged condition in which movement of the operator is ineiective to actuate the blocking element. 'I'he connection 84 is shown to comprise an arm 85 which swings on a pin 86, clockwise rotation of the arm being resisted by spring 81 bearing against the armcarried lug 88. 'I'he upper portion of the arm is established by engagement with the stationary stop 89. A bifurcated piece 90 is pivotally connected by pin 9| to the arm`85, and the assembly is swingable downwardly about pin 86 by engagement with the previously described arm end 83 with lug 92 on arm 85.

A member 93 rotatable about pin 94 has an arm portion 95, the end recess 96 in which receives one end 91 of a reciprocally movable link 99, the opposite turned end 99 of which is received, see Fig. 2, within the recessed or bifurcated end |00 of the blocking element 15. The in-struck case lug 13 confines link 98 for movement along the case flange 28. Member 93 is rotatable to move link 98 downwardly and release the element 15 from blocking relation with arm 1|, by way of link 02 connected to the usual inside door handle, not shown, and having a pin and slot connection at |03 with the arm portion |04 of member 93. Clockwise rotation of member 93 from the position of Fig. 4, is resisted by the depending end 81a of coil spring 81, bearing against lug |05 carried by the curved arm extension |06 of member 93.

Assuming the parts to be positioned as in Figs. 2 and4, inward movement of the outside operator rod |96 thrusts the bifurcated piece 90 downwardly against lug |01 on arm 95, causing the latter to pull the link 98 down and swing the blocking element 15 to position releasing arm 1|. The resultant rotation of member 93 occurs independently of the inside operator actuated link |02 by virtue of the pin and slot connection at |08.

A rotatable control lever ||0 carried by pin 94 is pivotally connected at with the vusual inside push button rod '||2, and is rotatable between the positions of Figs.` 4 and 5 by vertical displacement of the push button rod. One primary function of the control lever ||0 is to permit selective conditioning of the connection 84 between its engaged and disengaged positions, and therefore to selectively render the keeper releasable, or non-releasable, in response to actuation of the outside operator. Portion ||3 of the control arm carries a lateral projection or lug ||4 received within the end recess ||5 of the bi,-

furcated piece so that oscillations of arm III reciprocally swing member 90 between the illustrated positions of Figs. 4 and 5.

As the push button rod ||2 is thrust down to the position of Fig. 5, the resulting rotation of arm 0 swings piece 90 to a position oiset with relation to lug |01, such that'vertical reciprocations of the piece by the outside operator are ineffective to transmit motionV to the keeper release. Thus this condition may exist when it isv desired to lock the.door from the inside, and against re lease from the outside, by thrusting down the push buttonv rod I|2. The same push button manipulation may be used to lock the door against release by the inside operator, as by bringing lug 20| in the path of hook 200 on link |02. Member 90 however is restorable to its operative position of Fig. 4, either by elevating the push button rod, or by closing the door with the outside operator in a normal position, permitting the setting lever 64 to swing arm 1|/ under lever 15, with resultant simultaneous swJ ging of the latch with-member 95, causing its/(extension |06 to engage lug ||8 of element 90 and throw it to operative position. Positive establishment of arm ||0 in the two limiting positions shown, is facilitated by an over-center spring ||9 connected to the arm |20 and acting to urge member ||0 fully to either of its limiting positions, as the case may be.

The control lever ||0 is further controllable by an appropriate key actuated mechanism, generally indicated at |2|. which may comprise a key controlled rotor |22 having shoulders |23 and |24 engageable with the end of arm |20 to throw the lever ||0 from either to the other of the illustrated positions. Thus the door may be key locked from the outside to place the parts in the position of Fig. 5 in which, as explained, the outside operator is ineffective to release the keeper.

Now assume the door to be openand that it is desired to fully close the door bringing the latch parts into locked condition, at least with respect to their release by the outside operator. By thrusting down the push button rod ||2, and holding the outside operator 2| at its in position against resistance of spring |98 so that the lug |8 of element 90 is moved out of the path of travel of the extension |08 of member 95, the bolt and keeper parts will fully engage in latched condition while the control parts remain in the condition of Fig. 5. Thereafter, unless the control lever ||0 is thrown by manipulation of the push button rod ||2 or the turning of rotor |22 by key operation from the outside of the door, to

asados? restore the parts to the positions ot Fig. 4. the connection I4 will remain in its disengaged condition oi Fig. 5 in which. as previously indicated, reciprocations of the outside operator rod ill are ineliectlve to disturb the blocked and latched 'condition ot the keeper. Connection Il remains in a disengaged condition because, when in the ll'ig. 5 position, vertical reciprocation o! the part lace. said keeper having an edge surface adapted :in the latching position of said keeper to be dis- 'posed in overlapping engagement with a bolt structure mounted on the edge of the pillar; movable blocking means for automatically maintaining said keeper in latchingl position; a lever mounted for pivotal movement about the same :axis as said keeper and I'engageable by the bolt structure for movement thereby; a catch movably mounted on said keeper and engageable by said lever or moving said keeper 'to latching position; and means engageable by said catch for releasing its lever-'engagement when said keeper reaches latching position.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 including a spring urging the lever ior movement 'against the b'olt structure.

3. In a latching mechanism having a case structure provided with a tace applicable to the edge of a door that is adapted to be swung closed into opposing relation with the edge of a stationary pillar, the combination comprising: an elongated keeper mounted adjacent one end thereof on the outside of said case structure for pivotal movement between.latching and4 releas- 8 ing positions about an axis substantially to said face, said keeper having an edge surface being eoncavely-curved the-latching position ot said keeper be posed in overlapping relation with a bolt strueture mounted on the edge of the pillar; mounted ior pivotal movement sltion; a lever mounted for pivotal movement aboutthesameaxisassaidkeeperandengage able with the bolt structure for movement ,thereby; a catch pivotally molmted on said keeper and engageable by said leveriorA moving said keeper from releasing to latchingjpolition by movement of said lever, and fined abutment means engageable by said catch for moving vthe same out oi' engagement with said lever when said keeper is in latchingposition. WALDEMAR. A. m

aar-nassen crrm The following references are ci record file of this patent:

UNITED STATE PATINTB Number Leiss N07. l2, 19