US2570556A

US2570556A - Compartment door latch

Info

Publication number: US2570556A
Application number: US91979A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward N Jacobi
Original assignee: Briggs and Stratton Corp
Current assignee: Briggs and Stratton Corp
Priority date: 1949-05-07
Filing date: 1949-05-07
Publication date: 1951-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1968-10-09

Description

1951 E. N. JACOBI COMPARTMENT DOOR LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 7, 1949 Edwrp N. 72750171 Oct. 1951 E. N. JACOB! 2,570,556

COMPARTMENT DOOR LATCH' Filed May 7, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 55mm Edward N. Jflmbz Patented Oct. 9, 1951 COMPARTMENT DOOR LATCH Edward N. Jacobi, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application May I, 1949, Serial No. 91,979

Claims.

This invention relates to locks and has particular reference to door latch locks designed for use with automobile glove compartments.

The lock of this invention is similar to that shown and described in Patent No. 2,221,095, issued to Edward N. Jacobi on November 12, 1940, in that it is also adapted to be mounted on the instrument panel of an automobile, adjacent to the opening therein through which access is had to the glove compartment behind the panel. Such locks usually take the form of a push button actuated latch mechanism in which the push button comprises the body of a key controlled cylinder lock.

Heretofore it has been customary to die cast most, if not all, of the component parts of the latch mechanism. This method of production is relatively expensive, however, because of the high cost of dies and die casting equipment, and because of the labor and other costs involved in the casting operation itself. While it is well known that the cost of such lock devices might be materially reduced through the extensive use of stamped parts, previous lock structures of a this character have not readily lent themselves to this type of production.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a compartment door latch mechanism in which all of the components, with the exception of the key actuated cylinder lock itself, are formed as relatively inexpensive stampings.

The lock of the aforesaid Patent No. 2,221,095 is also typical of previously known latch devices of this type in that it projects a considerable distance to the rear of the panel, or, in other words, takes up much valuable space behind the panel and thus further aggravates the crowded conditions there existing in late model automobiles. This feature is of course undesirable, and a further disadvantage results from the fact that the latch bolt which projects downwardly through the top wall of the glove compartment operated in a zone located a considerable distance inwardly of the front of the compartment, so that articles in the compartment frequently interfered with proper operation of the bolt.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a glove compartment door lock of the character described which will extend rearwardly into the space behind the instrument panel only a relatively small distance, substantially equal to the length of the cylinder lock body.

Another object of this invention resides in 2 the provision of a compartment door lock mechanism of the character described provided with a push button actuator which will project a uniform distance from the front of the panel upon which the lock mechanism is mounted, regardless of variations in the curvature of the panel contour.

v Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a push button type compartment door lock of the character described in which the push button is guided in its axial sliding motion by the member which it actuates.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of a lock device of the character described in which a single torsion spring serves to preclude rattling of all of the movable members of the lock.

with the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the instrument panel of an automobile taken at the glove compartment therein, and showing in side elevation the lock of this invention mounted on the panel, the mechanism being in its locked position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but with the device in its unlatched position, a portion being cut away to show detail;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the lock' of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lock of this invention in disassembled relation to the portion of the instrument panel upon which it is mounted;

Figure 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the locking lag of the lock of this invention: and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 8-8 in Figure l.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 4 designates generally the lock of this invention. The lock is shown mounted on the rear of a panel 5, such as the instrument panel of an automobile, above the door opening 6 in the panel through which access is had to a glove compartment (not shown) behind the panel. A door I, only the free edge of which is shown, is adapted to close the compartment.

The mechanismof the lock device is carried by a'housing or bracket 8 which is formed as a unitary stamping and the body of which comprises a substantially upright front member 9. The lower extremity I of the front member is rearwardly and downwardly angled, while a rearward extension at the top of the front member comprises an actuator lever mounting leg II which terminates in a downwardly turned locking ledge l2.

An ear l3 extends rearwardly from each side of the front member, the two cars lying in vertical planes substantially parallel to one another and cooperating to carry a pintle 14 on which a latch bolt I5 is pivotally journaled.

A downwardly and forwardly curved hook-like finger l6 extends from the rear of each ear, and is adapted to engage the edge of a lip H, which is bent rearwardly and upwardly at an angle to a ledge l8 on the door frame, to cooperate in securing the lock in place in a manner which will be described presently.

A slot 2| in the lip l1 and ledge l8 provides clearance for the latch bolt l5 to swing forward beyond the rear edge of the lip, and a slot l2l in the rearwardly angled lower extremity ID of the bracket serves a similar purpose.

The latch bolt l5 projects downwardly from the pintle l4 and through the top wall of the glove compartment, and comprises a stamping having a forwardly projecting foot or hook 22 at its lower end. The upper surface of the hook is adapted to hook into the upper end of a slot in a keeper plate 23 secured to the inner surface of the door I, near the top or free edge thereof, the metal of the edge being bent inwardly back upon itself to provide a space into which the toe" of the hook may project. In order to enable the keeper plate to be adjusted toward and from the free edge of the door to a position such that the latch bolt will securely engage it, the plate is held in place by means of screws I23 threaded into the bent-over portion of the door and passing through slots I23 in the plate.

The upper portion 24 of the latch bolt stamping is bent to a substantially U-shape and the legs of the U are provided with aligned holes so that they form in effect a pair of spaced apart bearings 25 whereby the latch bolt is pivotally journaled on the pintle [4 for forward and backward swinging motion between positions at which its lower hook end is engaged with and disengaged from, respectively, the keeper plate 23.

The pintle l4 preferably comprises a rivet carried by the ears l3 with its axis substantially perpendicular to them and parallel to the lower extremity ID of the bracket and spaced a slight distance above it; the outer end of the rivet being flattened to expand it, as at 21, to preclude axial displacement thereof.

Keeper releasing motion is imparted to the latch bolt by an actuator lever 28 operated by a push button 3|. In the present case, the actuator also serves to guide the push button for axial back and forth motion in a manner to be described hereinafter.

The actuator lever is also made as a stamping and has a fiat central body portion 29 from the top of which extends a rearwardly bent hinge lug 32 by means of which the lever is pivoted to the rear end portion of the leg I I of the bracket. For this purpose, the lug 32 passes through a transverse slot I32 in the leg II a slight distance forwardly of the lockin ledge 12 to-have the lug overlie the rear end of the leg I I and thus hingedly connect the actuator lever to the leg with the lever depending from the leg. This connection thus enables the lever to swing freely flatwise back and forth but substantially precludes side to side motion of it.

The fiat body portion 29 of the lever 28 has a hole 30 through which the rear end portion of the push button passes, and the body is stifiened by

vertical flanges

33 and 34, one at each side thereof, bent forwardly from the body portion toward the upright front member 9 of the bracket. The flange 34 at one side of the body portion of the lever extends downwardly a considerable distance and its lower extremity 36 is bent laterally inwardly out of the plane of the flange toward the latch bolt. so that it lies substantially along the center line of the lock and side by side with the medial portion of the latch bolt.

A hook 38 on the lower extremity of the lever is adapted to engage the medial portion of the latch bolt at its front edge, as at 40, so that when the lever swings rearwardly it will swing the latch bolt rearwardly with it and retract the bolt from its keeper engaging position. It will be seen that this arrangement leaves the latch bolt free to swing rearwardly independently of the actuator lever, as when the compartment door is closed and the latch bolt is cammed backward by engagement of the toe of the latch bolt hook 22 with the striker surface of the keeper prior to it's latching engagement therewith.

The slot 12! in the lower extremity l0 of the bracket is wide enough to accommodate both the medial portion of the latch bolt and the lower extremity 36 of the actuator lever, but it fits them quiteclosely so that the edges of the slot serve to guide the bolt and lever in their backward and forward swinging motion, constrainin them to move in parallel planes substantially midway between the ears l3 on the bracket.

While an ordinary cylindrical push button may be used with the latch mechanism of this invention to actuate the same, a cylinder lock mechanism of any well known type is preferably employed as a push button to thus also enable the compartment door to be locked closed. The lock herein shown and described, by way of illustration, is of the type having an outer substantially cylindrical sleeve or casing 42 having a cylinder 43 constrained to rotation therein, and having a pin tumbler mechanism (not shown) requiring rotation of the cylinder through 360 by a suitable key 4 to effect locking or unlocking. In each of the locked and unlocked positions of the cylinder, the key may be withdrawn.

Attention is directed to the fact that the hole 3!] in the body portion of the lever is irregular in shape to accommodate the land 50 on top of the sleeve and to enable the sleeve to be inserted into t e hole by holding it with the land at an angle to its assembled position, axiallv slidingthe sleeve into place, and then rotating the sleeve to bring the lug 5! into the slot 52. A cutout 53 in the land, slightly ahead of the plane of the slot 52. facilitates this assembly.

A hole in the instrument panel, at the door frame thereof, trimmed with a flanged bezel 55 which is inserted into the hole from behind the door frame, permits access to the push button afforded by the front end of the cylinder, which,- it will be noted, projects forwardly through the hole in the panel so as to be more readily accessible at the front thereof. A lug 56 extending forwardly from the body of the bracket at each side of the hole 48 engages the rear of the flange on the bezel and thus holds it in place against the rear of the instrument panel at the door frame. Since the center of gravity of the mechanism lies between the hooks l6 and the lugs 56, it is only necessary, during preliminary assembly of the mechanism to an instrument panel, to engage the hooks IB around the edge of the lip 11, whereupon the mechanism will rock forwardly around the lip until the lugs 56 engage the flange of the beze The lock mechanism is permanently secured to the panel by screws l9 passing through holes in the lip l1 into threaded holes in the rearwardly angled lower extremity ll] of the bracket.

Since the lower extremitv [0 of the bracket does not seat against the ledge l8. the screws l9 merely serve to draw the hooks l6 into firm enagement with the edge of the lip l1 and the lugs 56 into firm en agement with the rear of the panel (through the bezel 55) and consequently the push button 43 will always extend forwardly of the panel a predetermined distance, regardless of the curvature of the panel between the push button and the lip l1.

The front of the land 50 on the cylinder lock s eeve is adapted to abut the rear of the bezel flame to th s define the most forward posit on of the lock. The axial rearward limit of motion of the pu h button is defined by a stop 51 bent laterally inwardly from one of the ears of the bracket. This stop lies behind the actuator lever and is enga ed by it during inward de ression of he push button to thus define the rearmost position to which the lever and push button can move.

he ockin lug 41 is rotatably mounted on the rear of the lock cylinder 43. and a driving lu 59 on the locking lug cooperates with another lug 58 on the cvlinder to provide a lost motion driving connection wherebv rotation of the lock cylinder (viewed from the front of the panel) through 360 in a counterclockwise direction. from an unlocked position free to be depressed. effects rotation of the locking lug throu h 90 counterc ockwi e, from an inoperative position at which the lug is horizontally disposed at one side of the lock. to an operative position in which the lug is vertical and disposed in front of the turned down locking ledge l2 to thus preclude rearward unlatchinc otion of the sleeve. This lock mechanism and its lo'-t motion driving connection are more full described in Patent No. 2,129,967, Rubner. to which reference is made for further details.

Attention is directed to the fact that the corner 60 of the led e I 2 which is first engaged by the lug is bent slightly rearwardly to provide a camming action which facilitates movement of the lug into the locked position.

A single coiled torsion spring 61 biases the latch bolt forwardly toward i s keeper engaging position and at the same time biases the actuator lever and the push button to their forward limits of motion, and serves to preclude rat ling between the various components of the assembly.

The coiled medial portion of the spring surrounds the pintle l4, and since the medial portion of the torsion spring extends from the latch bolt to the inner surface of one of the ears l3, while the U shaped top of the latch bolt extends along the pintle to the inner surface of the other ear, the latch bolt is thus at all times kept centered on the pintle. One end 63 of the torsion spring is hooked around the rear edge of the latch bolt, Just below the pintle, while the other end 64 hooks into a small hole in the flange 34 on the body portion of the actuator lever, substantially in a horizontal line with the axis of the push button.

It will be seen that the spring biases both the actuator lever and the latch bolt forwardly with respect to the pintle thus preventing them from rattling against one another and the pintle. Moreover, a rearwardly bent lug 66 on the body portion of the actuator lever. at the top of the hole 30 therein, presses down on the top of the land by virtue of the forward bias exerted upon the actuator lever by the spring; and since the spring also acts through the lever to press the push button against the flange on the bez l at the rear of the door, rattling of the lever and the button is positively precluded.

It will be noted that assembly of the latch device of this invention is extreme y simple. The assembled sleeve and cylinder, with the locking luz 41 in place thereon, is slipped into the hole 30 in the actua or lever, as described above, and the hinge lug 32 at the top of the actuator lever is slipped through its slot I32 in the bracket by swinging the lever rearwardly and upwardly beyond its normal rearmost position. As the lever is s ung forwardly the front of the lock cylinder is fitted into position in the hole 48 at the front of the bracket, and the stop 51 may then be bent into position to preclude rearward displacement of the lever and push button assernb'y. Next the pintle I4 is s ipped through the holes in th ears l3 and through the spring and latch bolt bearings 25 and its end is staked to hod it in place. after which the ends 63 and 64 of the spring are hooked to the latch bolt and actuator lever, respectively, to complete the assembly.

From the foregoing description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, it w ll be readily apparent that this invention provides a lock for automobile glove compartment doors and the like which lends itself especially well to fabrication from stamplngs and which is particularly simple and easy to assemble and install.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a door look: a bracket for the lock mechanism; a'push button slidably mounted on said bracket for axial back and forth motion and accessible at the front of the bracket; a latch bolt pivotally connected with sa d bracket for swinging motion about an axis crosswise and at one side of the push button axis and having a keeper engaging portion; an actuator lever pivotally connected at one of its ends with said bracket for sw nging motion of the lever about retraction of the latch bolt from its operative keeper engaging position.

2. In a compartment door lock having a movable latch, means for actuating said latch comprising: a bracket having a front member and a leg extending rearwardly therefrom; a lever having one of its ends pivotally connected with said leg of the bracket and its other end free to swing toward and away from the front member of the bracket and by which the latch is moved back and forth for latching and unlatching the lock; and a push button having its front end portion slidably received in a substantially close fitting hole in the front member of the bracket and its rear end portion secured to the medial portion of said lever so that said lever cooperates with the front member of the bracket to guidingly constrain the push button to axial back and forth motion and so that such motion of the push button is translated into swinging motion of the free end of the lever toward and away from the front of the bracket.

3. In a compartment door lock having a movable latc h, means for controlling said latch comprising: a bracket having a substantially upright front member, a leg extending rearwardly from the top of said front member and a downwardly turned ledge at the rear of said leg; a latch actuating lever having one end pivotally secured to said leg of the bracket and extending downwardly therefrom with its lower end free for forward and backward swinging motion toward and from the upright member of the bracket and by which the latch is moved to and from operative position; a lock sleeve having its front end portion slidably but non-rotatably received in a substantially close fitting hole in the front member of the bracket and its rear end portion secured to the medial portion of said lever so that said lever cooperates with said hole in the front member of the bracket to guidingly constrain the sleeve to axial back and forth motion, and so that such motion of the sleeve is translated into swinging motion of the lower end of the lever; a key controlled lock cylinder rotatable within said sleeve; and a radial lug carried by said cylinder at the rear of the sleeve and rotatable with said cylinder to and from a position in front of said ledge on the bracket and at which position the ledge precludes axial motion of the sleeve and thus locks the lever against swinging motion.

4. In a compartment door lock of the character described: a bracket comprising a substantially vertical front member, a leg extending rearwardly from the top of said front member anda pair of substantially parallel ears extending rearwardly from opposite sides of the front member; a pintle carried by said ears and extending across the bracket; a latch bolt having a keeper engaging hook on its lower end and having its upper end pivotally mounted on said pintle so that the hook end of the bolt is free for swinging motion toward and from the plane of said vertical front member of the bracket to engage and disengage a keeper; an actuator lever pivotallv mounted on said leg of the bracket and depending therefrom with its lower end free for swingin motion toward and from the plane of said vertical front member of the bracket, said lever having a hook at its lower end connected with the medial portion of the latch bolt so that swinging motion of the lever in one direction causes the latch bolt to s in with the lever in said direction from an operative keeper engaging position to an inoperative position; a push button having its front end portion slidably received in a substantially close fitting hole in the front member of the bracket and its rear end ortion secured to the medial portion of said actuator lever so that said lever cooperates with the front member of the bracket to guidingly constrain the push button to axial back and forth motion, and so that such motion of the push button is translated into swinging motion of the free end of the lever; and a torsion spring coiled around said pintle and having one of its ends connected with the latch bolt and its other end connected with said actuator lever, said torsion spring biasing both the latch bolt and said lever in the keeper engaging direction.

5. The compartment door lock of claim 4 further characterized by the provision of a stop extending from one of said ears and adapted to be engaged by said actuator lever to define the limit of swinging motion thereof in said direction.

6. Means for mounting a compartment door latch device on the back of an instrument panel of the type having a rearwardly directed ledge defining the top of the door opening in the panel and having a hole spaced a distance above said ledge, said mounting means comprising: a bracket adapted to movably support a door latch mechanism; a front member on the bracket from which a portion of the latch mechanism is adapted to project through said hole in the panel to render the latch mechanism accessible for actuation from the front of the panel; lug means extending forwardly from said front member and adapted to engage the rear surface of the panel; a hook-like finger extending rearwardly from each side of said front member and adapted to engage over the marginal edge portion of said ledge; and securement means engageable with the panel and the bracket at a point on the bracket intermediate said lug means and said hook-like finger for drawing the bracket toward the panel to thereby securely retain said lug means in engagement with the rear surface of the panel and said fingers engaged over the edge of said ledge.

'I. In a compartment door look: a bracket adapted to mount the look; a latch bolt, one end of which is adapted to engage a keeper and the other end of which is pivotally mounted on said bracket in a manner enabling the keeper engaging end to swing back and forth for engagement and disengagement with the keeper; an actuator lever having one of its ends pivotally secured to said bracket so that its other end is free to swing about an axis spaced from and parallel to that about which the latch bolt swings, said other end of the actuator lever having a hook adapted to engage the latch bolt to cause it to swing in the keeper disengaging direction when said lever is swung in said direction; means mounted on said bracket and accessible at the front of the bracket for actuating said lever in the keeper disengaging direction; and a coiled torsion spring having its medial portion fixed with respect to the bracket and its ends secured to the medial portions of the latch bolt and the actuator lever, respectively, to bias both the latch bolt and said lever in the keeper engaging direction.

8. In a push button actuated compartment door lock of the type adapted to be mounted on a panel above a compartment in the panel and adiacent to the door opening in the panel: a push button; a bracket adapted to be mounted at the rear of said panel and having a substantially flat, upright front member provided with a hole in which the push button is slidably mounted; a flanged bezel 'insertable. in a hole in said panel and through which. the push button is accessible, the flange of said bezel beingadapted-to abut the rear portion of the panel surrounding said hole; and a pair of lugs extending forwardly from said front member oi the bracket and engaging the rear of the flange on said bezel to hold the/l0 bezel in place against the panel.

9. In a latch mechanism of the character described; a bracket upon which the 'components of the latch are mounted, said bracket including a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel cars; a pintle carried by said cars; a unitary latch bolt comprising an elongated, substantially flat body portion having its lower end adapted to engage a keeper and a leg parallel to said body portion and spaced therefrom formed by a substantially U-shaped bend in the upper'part of the latch bolt, said leg and the upper art of the body portion of the latch bolt having aligned holes and cooperating to provide a pair of spaced apart bearings whereby the latch bolt is pivotally mounted on said pintle with said leg abutting the inner surface of one of said ears; and a coiled torsion spring surrounding said pintle between the body portion of said latch bolt and said other ear to thereby hold said latch bolt centered on said pintle, said spring having one of its ends connected with the latch bolt and its other end connected with another part of the latch mechanism to thereby bias the latch bolt. toward a keeper engaging position.

10. In a push button actuated compartment door lock of the type adapted to be mounted at the rear of a panel at one side of a compartment in the panel and adjacent to the door openin in the panel: a push button; a bracket having a substantially fiat upright front member provided with a hole in which the push button is slidably mounted, said bracket being adapted to be mounted at the rear of said panel with said push button projecting through a hole in the panel so as to be accessible at the front of the panel; a hook extending from the rear of said bracket behind the center of gravity of the look when the lock is in its normal position and adapted to engage over a ledge fixed with respect to the panel and situated behind the panel, said hook, when so engaged, enabling the lock to rock forward of its own weight, toward the panel; and position defining means on the front member of the bracket adapted to engage the rear of the panel to define the most forward position to which said lock is adapted to rock and thus to cause said push button to project from the front of the panel a predetermined distance.

11. The lock of claim 10 further characterized to by the provision of means on the bracket, adapted to be held spaced from the panel when the lock is in place and positioned intermediate said hook and said means on the front member, for receiving securement means engageable with the 05 panel to secure the lock in said most forward position.

12. In a compartment door lock of the type adapted to be mounted on a door frame and having a pivoted latch bolt, an axially slidabie push button and a pivoted actuator lever connected with said push button and with said latch bolt and adapted to translate axial sliding motion of the push button in one direction into keeper disengaging swins l motion of the latch belt. a

unitary bracket for mounting the lock components comprising: a substantially flat, upright front member having a hole therein in which the push button is adapted to be slidably mounted:

a mounting leg extending rearwardly from the top of said front member and to which the actuator lever is adapted to be pivotally secured; a pair of vertical ears, one at each side of the front member, said ears being adapted to cooperate with one another to carry a pintle on which the latch bolt is pivotally mounted; a hook extending from each of said ears and adapted to hook over a portion of the door frame; lug means extending forwardly from said front member and adapted to engage the rear of the door frame to cooperate-with said lugs in disposing the bracket in its proper position on the door frame; and means engageable with the bracket intermediate said hooks and said lugs, and with the door frame, for securing the bracket in said position on the door frame.

13. In a compartment door lock of the type in which axial motion of a push button is translated into swinging motion of a latch bolt: a bracket having a substantially upright front member and an car at each side of said front member extending rearwardly therefrom; a pintle having its ends secured in said ears; an

elongated latch bolt having a keeper engaging portion at its lower end and having its upper end portion bent to a U-shape with the pintle passing through the legs of the U to journal the latch bolt for swinging motion of its keeper engaging portion toward and from a keeper engaging position, one of the legs of the U being adjacent one of said ears and the other being spaced intermediate the ears; and a coiled torsion spring surrounding the pintle and connected with the latch bolt and another part of the lock to bias the latch bolt toward its keeper engaging position, said spring being disposed between said other leg of the U and the other ear to preclude sideward motion of the latch bolt.

14. In a compartment door lock of the type in which axial motion of a push button is translated into swinging motion of a latch: a bracket adapted to mount the lock and comprising a substantially upright front member and a leg extending rearwardly from the top of said front member; a fiat latch actuating lever; a hinge connection between said leg on the bracket and the top of said actuating lever comprising a luglike projection on one of said parts extending through an aperture in the other and bent to one side to thus pivot the actuating lever for flatwise swinging motion by which the latch is moved back and forth; and a push button having its front end portion slidably received in a substantially close fitting hole in the front member of the bracket and having another portion connected with the medial portion of the actuating lever so that said lever cooperates with the front member of the bracket to guidingly constrain the push button to axial back and forth motion and so that such motion of the push button is translated into swinging motion of the lever.

15. In a compartment door lock: a bracket adapted to be mounted in a fixed position on a panel, at the rear thereof, and having a portion facing the panel provided with a hole which is adapted to align with a hole in the panel; an actuator axially reciprocable in said hole in the bracket and adapted to be accessible through said hole in the panel from the front of the panel; a latch bolt connected with the bracket for swing- 1 1 ing motion on an axis crosswise of the actuator axis toward and from a keeper engaging position; a lever connected with the bracket for Swinging motion on an axis crosswise of the actuator axis; a motion transmitting connection between the lever and the actuator whereby rearward movement of the actuator is translated into swinging motion of the lever in one direction; a motion transmitting connection between the lever and the latch bolt whereby swinging motion of the lever in one direction imparts to the latch bolt swinging motion in the keeper disengaging direction; a spring carried by the bracket and reacting against the bolt and the lever to bias the bolt to its keeper engaging position and to urge the actuator forwardly through the connection between the actuator and the lever; and a 12 shoulder on the back or the actuator adapted to be urged toward engagement with the back of the panel in consequence to the biasing torce of said spring.

EDWARD N. JACOBI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 1