US2605123A

US2605123A - Lid fastener

Info

Publication number: US2605123A
Application number: US83201A
Authority: US
Inventors: Claud-Mantle Arthur
Original assignee: Bassick Co
Current assignee: Bassick Co
Priority date: 1949-03-24
Filing date: 1949-03-24
Publication date: 1952-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 1969-07-29

Description

y 29, 1952 A. CLAUD-IMANTLE 2,605,123

LID FASTENER Filed March 24. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN E '5 y 29, 1952 A. CLAUD-MANTLE 2,605,123

LID FASTENER Filed March 24. 1949 3 s t -s t 2 I II I ATTORN EYS Patented July 29, 1952 LID FASTENER Arthur Gland-Mantle, Trumbull, Conn, assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application March 24, 1949, Serial No.. 83,201

9 Claims.

Another object is to provide a device adapted to,

exert an. effective pull upon the lid so that, by the placing of a resilient. gasket or packing member between the lid and the body, an'ai'r-tight and Water-tight connection can be provided between the lid and. the body,

Another object. is toprovide a. fastener in which the toggle member carried by the box body has a substantially flush position with respect to the box wall when the lid is fastened in plaoe,.and may also bev placed in a, substantially flush position after the-lid has been removed from the box.

Another object is; to provide a fastening toggle member attached to.- a dished base plate, in which the toggle is so related to the base plate that there can be no-l eakageof air or liquid through the base plate Another object to provide an improved toggle member for a fastener ofthis general character.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a-pers'pectiveview of a box equipped with a number of fasteners embodying my improvements, the lid being in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is. an elevation on a larger scale, showing one of the'fasteners illustrated in. Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. sectional view taken through a portion of'the lid and. a; portion of the box body, the base plate or the toggle member being shown in elevation; v 1

e is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Fig, 2;.

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig, 4, showing the fastener in a released position;

Fig. 6 is-a view similar to Fig. 5, showingthe fastener in another position;

Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view, showing the box-equipped part of the fastener, with the toggle member drawn back into the base plate, the lid having been removed;

Fig. 8 is a face view of the box-equipped part of the fastener, the parts being in the position of Fig.7;

Figs; 9 and '10 are sections looking in. the di- 2 rection of the arrows 9-9, and Hi'l0. of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is. a perspective view of the catch memher; and

Fig; 12 is a perspective view of a modified form of fastener member.

In the first embodiment shown by way of example, there is a box having a separable lid,.there being in all eight fasteners employed in making the connection between the lid and body, the construction being such that when all of the fasteners are released the lid can belifted off. Each fastener comprises in this form a strap-like. retainer applied to the lid, and a box-equipped fastener part comprising a base plate and a toggle member mounted on the base plate, the toggle member in turn comprising a catch lever cooperating with the member on the lid, and an operating or manipulating lever, In the operative position the catch (carried bythej body is. under the action of a spring element which exerts downward rectilinear pull upon the adjacent part of the lid, so that by interposin'g a resilient gasket or packing member between the lid and the. body, which can be compressed by the action ,of the fastener, an air-tight ahdliquid-tight, connection can be made betweenthellid and the body. In thisform the catch member of .the toggle. has a hook at the upper end adapted to engage a slot in the retainer on theli'd, The baseplate is dished, and in the operative position of the. device the operating lever and a considerable part of thecatch member are disposed in. the sunken part or recess of the base plate, as will hereinafter app'ean In the drawings, the box body is indicated at 20., the lid at 2|, the retainer: applied to the lidat 22, the base plate at 23, the ,catch lever at 26, the operating lever at 25, the hook carried by the upper end of the catchlev'er. at 26,, and thefhookengaging slot at 2T.

The base plate 23 'i's a vertically elongated member having a rim 28' that is armies by suitable fastening members 29' to the wall 30 of the box body, around a cut-out 3]. in. the box wall, which cut-out receives the sunken. or depressedpart 32 of the vbase, plate. The toggle. comprisin the members 24 and.25 is mounted in the sunken part of. the base plate, the operating lever 25 having a pivotal mounting 33 inthe upper part of the base plate recess. The pivotal mounting is provided between what maybe termed the upper end of the lever 25 and a bracket 34, which is set in the upper end portion ofthe plate recess and attached thereto; ina suitable. manner as by welding. In the form; shown" the bracket'ti is made of sheet metal, having a base 35 that is welded to the plate at the bottom of the plate recess. The bracket is provided at the ends with lug portions 36 that extend forwardly, and the pivot mounting 33 may be provided by a pin passing through the lugs 36 and through the adjacent end of the operating lever 25. The operating lever is generally of U shape, the sides of the U being provided by walls 31 parallel to each other, these walls being secured near their upper extremities to the ends of the pivot pin 33, and the bracket 34 being disposed between these ends, and the pivot pin being extended loosely through perforations in the lugs 36.

It has been said that the operating lever 25 is generally of U shape, and in this connection it 7 is noted that the lower or intermediate part of the U is provided by a plate portion 38 integral with the side walls 31, the part 38 being in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the side walls, and the plate portion 38 being preferably curved at the lower edge, as shown at 39, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The side walls or legs of the operating lever may conveniently have a profile such as shown in the drawings, and the plate portion 38 is preferably disposed adjacent the upper or outer edges of the legs. I

As will be seen from'Fig. 4, for example, the upper edge of the plate portion 38, when the arts are in the position of Fig. 4,. is disposed adjacent and below a bracket 40, which is shown as constituted by an angle piece having one part or leg secured as by welding to the plate at the bottom of the plate recess, as indicated at 4|, the other leg or branch of the bracket being horizontal and having its free edge located slightly above the plate portion 38. This bracket or shelf, projecting from the bottom of the plate recess, has cooperation with the catch member of the toggle, as hereinafter pointed out.

The catchmember 24 of the toggle may be conveniently made of sheet metal in the form shown in Fig. 11, having below thehook portion 26 a body 42 which is wider than the hook portion and inthe nature of a plate, said body being provided with inwardly bent side flanges 43, and with an inwardly bentfiange 44 at the lower end. In width the body of the catch member and the associated side flange portions 43 and the flange 44 is only slightly less than the distance between the legs or side walls of the operating lever, so that the catch member can be received within the operating lever, the arrangement being such that the body of the catch member and the operating lever may be placed substantially flush with the outer face of the base plate flange. ,The side flanges 43 of the catch member are provided at the lower part only of the catch member, and these flanges are provided near their upper ends with slots 45, elongated longitudinally of the catch member, and serving to provide a certain amount of lost motion between the operating lever and the catch member, inasmuch as these slots are engaged by a pivot pin 46 that pivots the catch member to thelever. The pivot pin 46 has its ends fastened to the legs of the operating lever intermediate of the ends of the operating lever, at a substantial distance from the pivot pin 33, and portions of the pin 46 near the ends thereof are engaged in the slots. The pivot pin 46 also serves as a mounting for a U-shaped spring-guiding member 41. The intermediate part of the U is uppermost, and near this intermediate part the legs of the U are provided with perforations which engage the pin 46. The lower extremities of the U-shaped guide are indicated at 48, and these are slidingly engaged with correspondingly shaped slots 49 in the flange 4'4. Coil springs 50 are disposed about the respective legs of the spring guide 41, and are in compression between the lower flange 44 of ,the catch member and shouldered parts 5| at the upper ends of the guide legs, and by this arrangement the catch member is urged downwardly by spring pressure, so that normally the pin 46 will be in the upper ends of the slots 45.

The retainer or catch part carried by the lid may be constituted by an angle strap having one leg riveted or otherwise secured to the top of the lid, and the other leg riveted or otherwise secured to the edge of the lid, the last-named leg having the slot 21, previously mentioned, in which the hook 26 engages. The hook 26 may have its uppermost surface disposed along a gradual are, as shown in Fig. 2. The catch 26 engages over the lower edge of the slot 21in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The are along which the upper edge of hook 26 is formed has its center above the hook. This provides a satisfactory and durable means of engagement between the hook and the slotted retainer.

In the operative position of the fastener, the springs 58 are under considerable compression, and the lower extremities of the spring guide extend out of the catch member in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The catch member, under these conditions. is subjectedto a strong downward pull, the result being that a rubber or like gasket or packing member 52 (Fig. 3) is strongly compressed in the space between the lid and the box body, so as to provide an aireproof and liquidproof joint. The base plate is imperforate except for the perforations in the flange or rim through which the fasteners 28 pass, and suitable provisions may be employed in connection with these fasteners which pass through the wall of the box to prevent any leakage around the base plate.

The fastener being in the latched position, release can readily be. effected by placing the finger or thumb under the lower end. of the operating lever so as to engage plate portion 38 and move the lever from the position of Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5 In the position of Fig. 4 the pivot 46 is about midway of the slots 45, but, as soon as the operating lever is swungoutwardly to a certain extent, the catch member is shifted to the position shown in Fig. 5, which frees it for pivotal movement and causes the catch hook to disengage the cooperating retainer. When all of the fasteners have been released, the lid can be lifted off of the box. When the lid has been removed it may be desired to replace the fasteners in posi: tions in which they are substantially flush with the box wall, and in doing this the fastener parts move through the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7. As a first step, the lower end of the catch member is engaged with the shelf-like bracket 40, as shown in Fig. 6.. This is facilitated by theprovision of a rounded surface on the catch member where its lower flange joins the front wall. The next step is to press downward on the operating lever, which fulcrums (from the position of Fig. 6 to the position of Fig. 7) the catch lever causingthe pivot pin 46 to move downwardly in the slots 45 and further compress the springs 50. This action causes a relatively heavy downward thrust on the catch member through the lower flange 44 cgcozgraa- 5;. thereof, the latter being held; in strong engagement with the shelf-like bracket 49. When the pivot pin 46 has passed the dead-center, the=-ac-- straightening of the. toggle to nest in the. openv tion of the springs 50'is then suchas: to thrust purpose of providing a reactanc'e' member orffulmm in the depressed part of thebase plate, against which the spring's50', or theirequivalent's, can be compressedinshifting'from the open position of Fig. 5' to the closed or stored position of- Fig. 7-; In moving from the position of Fig; 6' to the position of'Fig. '7, there-is some downward movement of the pin 46 in the slots 453-1ollbwed by an upward movement.

From what has been said it will be understood how the lid can again be clamped in position. First the toggle is placed in a position similar to that of'Fig. 5, and the hook engaged with the retainer. Then the operating'lever is pressed downward, again causing the pivot pin 46 to move downwardly in the slots 45 and further compress the springs '50. When the pivot pin" 46 has passed the dead center; the action of the springs 50 is then such as to thrust the pivot pin 46 upwardly in the slots 45 and thus at this point the catch member snaps" into the position shown in Fig; 4, where the spring-urged position of the pivot pin 46-, being over center, and the stron engagement between the hook of the catch member and the retainer efiectively prevent dislocation of the catch member. By reason of theforegoing it is understood that thetog'gle' has a double throw. When the toggle is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the lid offers such resistance to the downward pull that the catch member, instead of remaining in contact with the shelf, is held in a higher position, its lower end being spaced upwardly from the shelf to: a substantial degree;

On analysis of the toggle-fastening means herein described, it is" apparent that the operating lever has an end pivoted to the base plate", and a free manipulating end, and is pivoted" intermediate of its ends to-the catch member. The catch member extends from the catch hook at one end to the pivot or fulcrum with or on the operating lever, and from this point" the catch. member is continued in intersecting relation to the operating member" to provide an interior spring mechanism having the described action. It will also be evident that this extended part'of the catch member is also utilized to some extent in providing the lost-motion connection, as by a pin and slot, provided"- betweentheoperating'lever and the catch member. In the operative position of the fastener (Fig; 4-), as Well as inthe particular inoperative position shown in Fig. 7', the lost motion between the lever and catchmemher is, of course, taken up'b'y thespri'ng or springs which press the catch member so that itmay only be displaced against the compression oft'he spring or springs. v Y

It will be noted from Figs; 5' and 61 that, in manipulation, the toggle consisting of twolevers assumes a crossing or X formation, the downwardly extended part of the catch lever being movable to engage the abutment 40, an the era-- tended. part. of the: catch leveribein'gl adapted on or'birurcated?operatinglever;

It is of distinct advantage to be able to. place:

themain. part of' the toggle in: a flush position with respect to the box, when: the. box is. closed or when the box is open- Thetdevice is of relatively simple structure: and is.- inexpensive to manufacture, and is' of: adurable character. An important further advantage arises from the fact that the box or other container; when closed, can be-full y sealed} againsttheentranc'e of: air, vapor, gas-or liquid, so as" to give the most efiective protection to the contents of the container. Moreover, the improved: fastener can be manipulated ina convenient, quick andfacile manner.

Another advantage of the device arises from the fact that apadlock or seal wirecan readily and conveniently be" used with the-fastener to guard against" tampering; In Fig. 4 a padlock. is

shown in dotted: lines, the same: having its: body disposed immediately below the lower: end of the operating-lever portion: 38,. andihaving; its. shackle passed: through a hole 40% in theibrackettorr abutment 40' and. through the aperture. in. the operating: lever. lying: above the part. 38; so. that. the op.- eratingilever is;lockedi to.=said:abutment.. A. seal wire or padlockv can. also be; applied when. the parts are. in. the position. of Fig.. 7; inwhich. position a slot. 40 in the catch: lever allows ample clearance for the. wire or'the. padlock shackle.

In the modifiedv form shown. in Fig; 12,. the mounting plate 23? isnot sunk Withintthe: con.- tamer" wall but. is applied: flatwise: thereto by suitable fastening devices. This: mounting plate is provided; with: bent-up: side walls: 52: between which the. operating. lever" 25 pivoted. at: 53. The: abutment; 54 is in. this case formedas a lip orsflange" integral-with the. plate 23. at thelower end. thereof... The catch member 24 is. generally similar to. the. member: 24. previously described, and; the member 25 is similar to the member 25 previously described. The catch lever folds into a space defined by'the-walls' 52 and the abutment 54;. and; as before, folds:v into the. biiurcated operating lever;

The illustrated construction isby wayof'example. only, and various changes in the organization of parts and. in. the. details may be made without. departurev from. the. principles of the invention: or the scope o'fi the claims.

WhatIlclaimis;

1.. In a. lid. fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachment to. a. box body and which exerts a resilient: downward pull on a box lid, comprising: a. mounting: plate and a toggle: carried. by the mounting. plate; said toggle comprising. an operating lever. pivotedat. the upper end of the mountingrplate-and also comprising a catch lever having: a pivotal and. lost-motion connection: intermediate; of its ends. with the operating lever. andv di'spl'aceable:..against spring pressure withrespect toitsconnection. with the operating lever, said catch. lever: having av lower fulcruming. end,.iand a. bracket mounted at the lower end of. the mounting: plate:- presenting an. abutment engageable: with the lower'fizlcruming end of the catch. lever, said. levers being iolda-ble against said mounting: plate when: not used to. fasten a box. lid. and under these: conditions. the. last-mentioned end. of. said: catch. lever being held against said abutment: by'saidspri'ng pressure- 2; In a lid. fastener, the combination of a mounting: platehaving forwardly directed side walls and. aflangeat the; lower end: thereof providing ari abutment, and a manually operable. over-center toggle carried by said plate comprising a bifurcated operating lever having its leg portions pivoted to the plate between said side walls and also comprising a catch lever located between'said leg portions and having a springpressed pivotal and lost-motion connection with the operating'lever intermediatethe ends, of the operating lever, said catch lever having one of its, ends formed for engagementiwith a retainer and having a fulcruming extension beyond its pivotal connection withthe operating lever, said fulcruming extension being engageable with said abutment and held thereto when the box lid has been removed and the operatinglever is thereafter pushed to the limit of its movement in the direction of the plate.

- 3. In a lid fastener'adapted to exert a resilient downward pull ,on a box lid, a mounting plate, a manually operable over-center toggle carried by said plate comprising an operating leverpivoted to the plate, a rigid catch lever provided with a flange and having a pivotal and lost-motion connection with said operating lever intermediate the ends of said operating lever, and a spring interposed between said flange and said last-mentioned connection and acting 'to'hold said levers in fastening position when a box lid is fastened.

4. In a lid fastener adapted to exert a resilient downward pull on a box lid, a mounting plate, a manually'operable over-center toggle carried by said plate comprising an operating lever pivoted to the plate, a rigid catch lever having one end adapted for fastening a box lid and having a flange located at the other end thereof, said catch lever having longitudinal slots therein intermediate the ends of the catch lever, a pivot pin in said slots and connecting the catch lever to the operating lever intermediate the ends of the latter, and a coil spring compressed between said flange and said pivot pin and adapted to hold said levers in fastening position when a-box lid is fastened.

5. In a device such as described, a resilient fastening member comprising a mounting plate having a sunken portion and a flange substantially surrounding said portion and suitable for attachment to a box body, a bracket fixed within said sunken portion at the lower part of the plate and presenting an abutment, a bifurcated operating lever having its leg portions pivoted to said plate in the sunken portion thereof at the upper part of the plate and swingable into the sunken portion, a rigid catch lever having one of its ends formed for engagement with a box lid and having a flange located at the other end thereof, said catch lever having a lost-motion and pivotal connection with the operating lever intermediate the ends of the catch lever, and a coil spring compressed, between said last-mentioned connection and said flange of the catch lever, the catch lever being straddled by the operating lever and the levers lying'substantially within said sunken portion of the mounting plate when the toggle is straightened, and saidflange of the catch lever being engageable with said abutment and held thereto by the action of said spring when the box lid has been removed and the toggle is straightened thereafter. i

6. In a lid fastener, a mounting plate, a manually operable over-center toggle carried by said plate comprising a bifurcated operating lever having its leg portions pivoted to .the plate, a rigid catch lever having one end adapted for fastening a box lid and havinga flange located at the other end thereof, said; catch-:lever having longitudinal slots therein intermediate the ends of the catch lever, a pivot pin in said slots and connecting the catch lever to the operating lever, and a coil spring compressed between said flange and said pivot pin and adapted to hold said levers in fastening position when a box lid is fastened, said catch lever exerting a resilient downward pull, on the box lid and said catch lever being straddled by said bifurcated operating lever.

'7. In a lid fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachment to a box body and which exerts a resilient downward pull on a box lid, comprising a mounting plate having an abutment at the lower portion thereof and a toggle carried by the upper portion of-said plate, said toggle comprising a bifurcated operating lever having its leg portions pivoted to, the mounting plate, a pivot pin intermediate the ends of the operating lever, a. rigid catch lever having a slotted connection with said pivot pin intermediate the ends of the catch lever and the lastmentioned lever being straddled by the operating lever, said catch lever having one of its ends formed for fastening a box lid and having a flange located at the other end thereof, and a coil spring compressed between said flange of the catch lever and said pivot pin, said catch lever being displaceable against the pressure of said spring in the direction of the box lid, and said flange of the catch lever being engageable with said abutment and held thereto by the pressure of said spring when the lid of the box has been removed and the toggle is thereafter closed.

8. In a lid fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachment to a box body and which exerts a resilient downward pull on a box lid, comprising a mounting platev and a togglecarried by the mounting plate, said toggle comprising a U-shaped operating'lever having its leg portions pivoted to the mounting plate and the lower portion adapted for manual manipulation, a rigid catch lever located between said leg portions of the operating lever and having at the lower part inwardly extending side flanges and an inwardly extending bottom flange, said side flanges having longitudinal slots in the respective upper portions thereof, a pivot pin extending through said slots and connected to the leg portions of the operating lever, and a coil spring compressed between said pivot pin and said bottom flange of thecatch lever, said catch lever having its upper end'formed for fastening a box lid, said catch lever being displaceable against the pressure of said spring in the direction of the box lid, and said catch lever having its side flanges and bottom flange adjacent the leg portions and the lower portion of the operating lever respectively when the toggle is closed. v.

9; In a lid fastener, a fastening assembly suitable for attachment to a box body and which exerts a resilient downward pull on a box lid, comprising a mounting plate and an over-center toggle carried by the mounting plate, said toggle comprising a U-shaped operating lever having its leg portions pivoted to the mounting plate and the lower portion adapted formanual manipulation, a rigid catch lever located between said leg portions of the operating lever and having at the lower part inwardly extending side flanges and an inwardly extending bottom flange, said bottom flange having two slots therein and said side flanges having slots in the respective upper portions thereof, a pivot pin extending through said slots in the side flanges and connected to 2,605,123 9 10 said leg portions of the operating lever, a U- REFERENCES CITED shaped spring-guiding member having its leg The following references are of record in the portions respect1ve1y slidable in said slots in the file of this patent: bottom flange of the catch lever and having the intermediate part of the U uppermost and con- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS nected to said pivot pin, and coil springs dis- Number Name Date posed about the respective leg portions of the 2,457,985 Dyson Jan. 4, 1949 spring-guiding member and in compression be- 2,462,282 Pickford Feb. 22, 1949 tween said bottom flange of the catch lever and i said intermediate part of the spring-guiding 10 FOREIGN PATENTS member and adapted to hold said levers in fasten- Number Country Date ing position when a box lid is fastened, saidcatch 261710 Great Britain 1: 1905 lever having its upper end formed for fastening a box lid and said catch lever being displaceable against the pressure of said springs in the direc- 15 tion of the box lid.

ARTHUR CLAUD-MANTLE.