US2654116A - Hood latch - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 6, 1953 A. CLAUD-MANTLE 6 HOOD L'ATCH Filed Jan. 14, 1949 .6 sheets-sheet 2 @l EA.

n ATTOR N 1Y3 1953 A. CLAUD-MANTLE 2,654,116

HOOD LATCH 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 14. 1949 ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1953 A. CLAUD-MANTLE 2,554,115

HOOD LATCH 4 Filed Jari. 14, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTOR N E S Oct. 6, 1953 A. CLAUD-MANTLE 2,654,116

HOOD LATCH Filed Jan. 14, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 6, 1953 A. CLAUD-MANTLE 2,654,116

HOOD LATCH Filed Jan. 14, 1949 .6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORN EYS Patented Oct. 6, 1953 HOOD LATCH Arthur Gland-Mantle, Trumbull, Conn., assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application January 14, 1949, Serial No. 70,827

21 Claims.

This invention relates to hood latches, and more particularly to latches for so-called dualtip hood lids, namely, lids that extend across the engine enclosure and can be released and raised at either side.

Latches for dual-tip lids, comprising in their structure a hinge member and a catch, are at present in use, but they are open to a number of practical objections. One of these is that commonly the hinging of the lid carries the hinging structure laterally beyond the engine well. This requires cutting through the splash panels, and also, owing to the limited space in which the hinge is enclosed, restricts unduly the are through which the lid can swing in opening. Another objection is that there is commonly considerable looseness in connection with the pintle or pivot member of the hinge, especially after a certain amount of wear has taken place, which results in rattles and objectionable noise.

One of the objects of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned objections.

Another object is to provide a hood latch of the type indicated, in which the lid is more effectively and satisfactorily mounted for swinging movement, and in which the lid has an ample opening movement without contact or interference with adjacent members.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the lid, when latched, is effectively held and clamped in a manner to overcome looseness, detrimental wear and noise, the lid as a whole being held against fluttering on rough roads.

Another object is to provide a hood latch oi the type mentioned in which the lid, in its opening and. closing action, swings with reference to moving points rather than a single fixed point, such moving points preferably being at all times within the lateral limits of the engine enclosure or well.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the hood portion of an automobile equipped with a hood latch embodying my improvements, the hood lid being closed;

Fig. 2 is a broken view, partly in side elevation and partly in section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2A is a fragmentary inside perspective view of the hood and its latching mechanism, the lid being lifted;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of certain parts looking from the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views in the nature of transverse sections illustrating the action of the latching and hinging mechanism, the first of these showing the hood latched, the second showing the lid swung upwardly to a certain extent by lift from the opposite side, and the third showing the full lift of the lid;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a section on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a section on line ll-ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a view generally similar to Fig. 5, showing the first step in releasing the lid;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing the lid raised to a certain extent;

Fig. 14 is a detail plan view of the upper link; and

Fig. 15 is a detail plan view of the lower link.

In the drawings, the invention is illustrated in connection with an automotive vehicle having an engine compartment or well defined at the sides by downwardly and inwardly sloping walls presenting or associated with splash panels, the hood lid being relatively shallow, and coming down to the level of mud guards that extend laterally from the upper parts of the splash panels. This, however, is only an illustrative construction. In this form there are two latching and hinging devices associated with each side of the hood, one being near the rear end and the other near the front end, and these devices, located at the same side of the car, have their latching mechanism operable by and from a swinging handle carried by the lid in a position intermediate its ends. The handle operates a longitudinally disposed resilient torsion rod adapted to turn on its axis, and having swinging crank-like extremities that are adapted to latch and unlatch the lid in the manner hereinafter described. The swinging handle member turns the torsion rod by interposed mechanism which in this particular case is of the kind illustrated in Moore Patent 2,000,245 of May 7, 1935.

Each of the four hinging and latching devices previously mentioned comprises a hinging structure having a part fixed in position in the engine well, and in this case placed against the sloping side wall, the hinging device comprising in its structure a member in the nature of a swinging bolt member adapted to swing laterally and to have a certain amount of vertical movement. This member has an upper bail-like part or loop adapted to project upwardly into an apertured keeper bracket carried by the lid, and the latching effect is produced by the crank-like end of the torsion rod, the torsion rod being journaled in the keeper portion and the crank-like extremity or detent being adapted to enter the bail-like portion of the bolt member and to secure it to the keeper member in the manner hereinafter described. Through the hinging' connections between the bolt member and the bracket or base of the hinge structure, hereinafter described,

there is provided a novel hinging movement of one side portion of the lid when the lid is" re'-" leased and lifted from the opposite side. I In the drawings, the lid is indicate'd'at' 23; the sloping well side walls or splash panels" at 22 and the mud guards at 23. The swinging latch handle at each side of the lid is indicated at 24, the associated longitudinal torsion rod at 25, and the crank-like extremities of the moat 28. The four latching and hinging devices associated with the torsion rods are indicated at 21-, and these are all alike, or substantially so, and therefore to alarge extent a description of one'will suifice. The two forward device's-21 are both associated with a forward transverse ca-rrier strip and bracket structure; indicated at 28. A-similar but longer carrier strip and bracket structure 23 is used in connection with-the rear devices 21.

The devices 21 each comprise a bracket attached to the wall portion 2-2. The bracket is indicated at 30, the movable bolt member, previously mentioned. at 3|, and the bail-shaped member at the upper end ofthe bolt member at 32. The keeper, previously mentioned, is in this form provided in connection with the cross member or carrier strip 23 or 23-, andis formed in part by a bracket 33, made of sheet metal, having a vertical leg 34' welded to the carrier strip at one point, and a horizontal leg 35 weldedto the strip at anotherpoint. In additionto the bracket 33, the keeper comprises in its-construction a bent sheet metal member 36 in which the end portion of the torsion rod is journaled, the member 36 having an apertured base 31 through which the ball or pilot member 32' extends, said base 3! being secured against theupper face of the bracket leg 35. The bracket leg 35 is joined to the carrier strip 28 or 29,-as the case may be, adjacent the side margin of the lid, and in adjacency to this side margin the lid carries a resilient pad or button 33 adapted to rest' upon the sloping'side wall of the well, as shown in Fig. 5, for example. The pad or button may be conveniently secured to the lid as by being fastened to a flange portion of the lid extending generally parallel to the sloping wall of the well.

The member 36, previously mentioned, is at tached to the bracket leg or web 35 by means such as bolts 39. The base of this member is provided with an aperture 40, somewhat smaller than the aperture 4| provided in the part 35. The member 36 is corrugated in order to give it greater strength, and it is bent upwardly from the base portion and then laterally to provide an upper overhanging portion 42', which, in the latched position of the lid, overlies the upper end of the bail or pilot member 32. The arrangement is such that the generally U-shaped member 38 is disposed horizontally to rest on its side in the space provided by the bracket 33, with the extremities or terminals of the member 35 directed toward the side margin of the lid. The upper part 42 of member 36 has at its free extremity a bent or rolled-up part 43 which provides a journal for the torsion rod. When the lid is in the latched position, the extremity or detent 26 of the torsion rod has the position shown in Fig. 5, there being a downwardly extending arm portion and an inwardly extending arm portion, the inwardly extending armportion being directed away from the side of the lid and being adapted to engage within the top portion otfthe bail or pilot 32, in'order' to'h'oldthe movable bolt member 3| within the'keeper structure. The upper wall of the bail 32 is preferably bent sets to have a shallow V shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 9. The reason for this will be made apparent hereinafter. In section the bail has the shape shown'in Fig. 8, that is to say, the side walls of the bail are curved slightly in an upward and inward direction so as to facilitate the'entranceorthe bail into the keeper aperture. For the same purpose one or both edges of these sidewalls may be somewhat curved. As appears from Fig. 9, for example, the bail part of the bolt mern'ber" is considerably narrower than the body. The body presents parallel side plates, the bolt member being in the form of a U bent up from sheet metal, an'dhav'in'g the open part of the U at the bottom. The side plates have square shoulders 'where they join the bail part, and the body of the bolt member can take up against the keeper structure, with theupper dges of the body against the lower surface of thekeepe'r structure.

The bracket 30 is a sheet" metal member bent upgenerally in the form or a U so as to present parallel side plates and a lower base or connect irig portion. The ba's'e'is provided with perforations for fastening members such as bolts 44-b'y means of which the bracket is attached to the sloping side of the engine well, there being in this case two of these bolts. The side edges of the side plates or cheeks of the bracket in this particular form are substantially parallel to each other, but are" slightly inclined with respect to a line perpendicular to the base portion and, as will be apparent from Fig. 5 for example, the side edge which has the lower location is longer than the upper one, and the free extremity of theside plate has the sloping edges 45 and 46 disposed'at an obtuse angle to each other. These edges present a peak or'apex on'the-side plate and it is in this region that there is connected to'the plate a link 41 pivoted at one end to the plate, and'pivoted at the other end to the bolt member 3|: Below this link, a'second link 43 is disposed having one end pivoted to the bracket side plate, and the other end'pivoted to the bolt member. The point of pivotin link 48 to the side plate is adjacent the junction of the edge 45 withthe side'edge'ot the plate.

The links 41 and 48 are generally U-shaped members bent up to the required form. The link 48 has its extremities disposed within the bracket and'pivoted toth'e-side plates of the bracket by means suchasriveted pivot members 49. The other end of the link is the closed end, and this is somewhat narrowed so as to pass between the side walls of the boltmember, and, adjacent the connecting part of the U, the link is perforated to'rec'eive a pivot pin 50 by means of which it is-pivote'd t'o'the bolt member adjacent the lower end of the bolt member.

The upper link 41 is bent up to present parallel side plates joined together by an integral lower web portion 5t. This web portion is adjacent the left-hand end of the link as seen in Fig. 5, and at the right-hand endof this web portion, as seen in this view, a lug or tab 52 is formed which serves for the attachment of the upper end of a helical spring 53. The upper end of this spring is connected to the link approxi-v mately at the middle of the link, and the lower end is connected to the base portion of the bracket 30, the connection being made in this instance adjacent the lowermost angle of the bracket. Both links are pivoted to the bracket 30 at the inner sides of the bracket side plates.

The link 4? has its left-hand extremities (Fig. 5) pivoted to the bracket side plates by means such as riveted pins 54, and at the opposite end the link is pivoted to the side plates of the bolt member by riveted pins 55. The link straddles the bolt member in that portion of the link which is left open for the purpose. The link, moreover, has its bolt-straddling portion directed downwardly at an obtuse angle to the remaining portion. The pivot members 55 project somewhat from the sides of the link and are adapted to move in clearance notches 56 provided in the upper side edge of the bracket plates.

In the form shown, the bolt member 31 is reduced in Width toward the lower end so as to present a pointed formation, and the right-hand side edge (Fig. 5) has portions meeting each other at an obtuse angle. Where these edge portions meet, stops are presented adapted to make contact with the base portion of the lower bracket under certain conditions, as shown in Fig. 12. The spring 53 normally holds the bolt member against the base portion of the lower bracket. The pivot pin 59 has its ends extended beyond the outer faces of the bolt member, as shown at Ell and these ends are adapted to come up against the lower edges of the upper link for the purpose of limiting the lifting movement of the hood lid, the fully raised position of which is shown in Fig. 7. The spring 53, acting through the connections previously described, not only depresses the bolt member but, when the parts are in the position of Fig. 5, tends to hold the contact member 38 against the wall of the well or enclosure.

As the crank extremities of the torsion rod normally depend in a position such as shown in Fig. 12, when the torsion rod is in the released position, the hood may be closed down by a downwardly tilting motion which will bring the parts substantially to the position shown in Fig. 12, the upper keeper structure moving down over the head or bail of the bolt member. At this time the bolt member is held in its lowermost position in the bracket 3!] by the spring 53, and the lid will be supported by the contact button 38, and there will be a certain amount of clearance between the upper edge of the bolt member body and the upper keeper structure. Then, by actuation of the torsion rod, the lid'can be latched at the side in question. In doing this, the extremity of the crank of the torsion rod is swung up against the upper inner surface of the bail or pilot, and as the tip of the crank presses camwise against the sloping surface of the latter, there is a springing and downward twisting movement of the upper part of the resilient keeper element 35, while at the same time there is a lifting and swinging of the bolt member until its upper shoulder contacts the upper keeper structure at the left side of the bolt head (Fig. 5), the spring 53 being tensioned to an additional extent. Not only is the keeper member 36 sprung or tensioned to a certain extent, but likewise upper bracket 33, which is likewise of springy material. The torsion rod is effectively held in the latched position by means such as described in Patent No. 2,000,245, or like means, the crank tip or detent being held against the apex of the bail top. This is the latching position of Fig. 5.

Assuming now that the right side of the lid (Fig. 5) is latched down, and the lid is to be lifted from the opposite side, the mechanism, acting as a hinge and with the bolt member latched to the keeper, moves to the position shown in Fig. 6 and then to the position shown in Fig. 7 The first movement which occurs is a slight upward lift of the contact buttons 38 (of which there may be two in association with each of the devices 21), and this takes place because of the fact that, with the parts in the position of Fig. 5, the first movement of the bolt member is primarily a rising movement. However, as the bolt rises, the control thereof by the links is such that its upper part simultaneously swings somewhat to the right and its lower part to the left until the position of Fig. 6 is reached. Here, as will be seen, the contact button remains close to the side margin of the well, and on movement to the position of Fig. 7 the button remains in substantially the same location, although more tilted, as the bolt member continues its swing in a clockwise direction and reaches the upper limit of its movement. The effect, therefore, is that the lid, in swinging up while the bolt member is swinging simultaneously with respect to different pivots within the area of the bolt member, moves as if it were hinged substantially at the side margin of the lid.

It is noted that in the form shown, in the position of Fig. 5, a plane passing through the pivots 49 and 54 is very slightly inclined to the vertical, and a plane passing through pivots 5i) and 55 is somewhat more inclined to the vertical, and it will be noted that the pivots 55 and 50 are closer together than are the pivots 5t and 43. Variations may be made in these and other respects, however, in order to meet different conditions.

Assuming that the lid is latched at the right hand side, as shown in Fig. 5, a release of the torsion red at that side will release the lid, and the lid may then be lifted at that side, as shown in Fig. 13. Upon release of the torsion rod the spring 53 moves the bolt member downwardly to the position shown, in which it is held against the lower bracket.

It will be seen that the hinging of the bolt member is such that the lid in opening will not contact or interfere with any of the surrounding members, and can readily be raised to a sufiiciently open position. If desired, the degree of opening may be greater than that shown in Fig. '7. It will be seen from the foregoing description that, in the latched position, the lid is very effectively clamped in place, and the devices previously described, arranged at opposite sides of the hood, interact with each other in an effective manner to prevent the fluttering of the hood on rough roads.

In installing the device it is not necessary to place the hinge structure laterally beyond the sides of the engine well, as has been required in some prior structures, in which it has been necessary to cut through the splash panels. The looseness and noise attendant upon the use of a fixed pintle or fulcrum pin is done away with. In the present device the prime purpose of the coil spring 53, or its equivalent, is to hold the bolt members normally in a position in which the lid will close without trouble, and to exert a certain amount of pressure on the elastic contact but tons, and also'to take up any'iost motionwhich may be present in the bearings 07' the links; It

is apparent that when the lid is in the closedand latched condition (Fig. the'spririg 53 isunder greater tension than when the'detent at that side is in the released position.

The contact buttons are quite useful in positioning the lid with respect to the e'nginewell in assembly, holding the lid in proper position for the purpose. In latching the lid thespring action of the torsion rod and the spring of the sheet steel parts of the upper bracket structure act against the pull of the spring 53. The hold-down action a slight angle to the keeper face so as to permit ample winding or energizing of the torsion rod. On lifting of the lid from the opposite'side the bolt moves upwardly in Such a manner that its upper edge or shoulder becomes substantially parallel to the opposing keeper face, as shown, for example, in Fig. 6.

In the illustrated construction, the lid rather than the lower part of the hood carries the torsion rod, and it also carries the springy bracketlike upper keeper structure having a lower leg or panel through which the bolt head is adapted to project upwardly. The bolt is movable upwardly in the engine enclosure within the lateral wails of the latter, and not only has a lifting movement but a tilting movement in a vertical plane transverse to the hood, whereby, on lifting, the upper part of the bolt is moved laterally-outwardly with reference to the hood, and the lower part of the bolt laterally inwardly. This is achieved'by the linkage connecting the bolt through the intermediary of the lower bracket to the lower fixed part of the hood, the linkage normally'being in a position in which the lid will close down prop erly on the bolt, and-the linkage in the opening of the lid from the opposite side serving to arrest the lid at the proper point.

The illustrated construction is by way of example only, and various modifications and changes in the details may be made without departure from the principles of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device such as described, abracket applicable to the inner face of a splash panel and having upstanding side plates or cheeks, a bolt member received in the upper portion of said bracket between said cheeks, said bolt member comprising side plates joined together at the upper part by a bail-like partadapted to act as a. bolt head and of less width than the body'of the bolt member, and upper and lower links connecting the body of the bolt member t'o'the bracket, said links when the bolt member is in its low-' ered position with respect to'the bracket being approximately horizontally disposed, each of said links being pivoted to the bracket at a point between the bracket cheeks, the upper link straddling the body of the bracket and the lower link extending into the body'of the bracket.

2. In a device such as described, the combination, with a keeper and detent structure adopted 8 tube carried' by a lid adjacent a side margin of the'lid, the keeper portionoi said structure havin'g-a' downwardly facing opening and the detent portion of said structure comprising a. torsion 1 rod having 9. depending swingable latching extremity of a bolt mechanism adapted for mounting on a fixed part of an engine enclosure, said mechanism comprising a bracket having a base for application-to a wall of the engine enclosure within the lateral limits of the closed position of the lid, and a bolt member mounted upon said bracket so as to have a compound lifting and turning movement with reference to the bracket in which movement the" bolt member remains within thelat'eral limits of the closed lid position, the-mounting for the bolt uponthe bracket comprising a linkage interconnecting the bracket and the bolt member, said bolt member having a body connected to said linkage and a part projecting rfrom-said body to stand in said keeper aper-' ture and engage said latching extremity.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2 in which the bracketis hollow and the bolt member is disposed partially within the bracket.

42 A structure as defined in claim 2 comprising ing a base which'is inclined'with respect to the body of the bracket member and applicable to a sloping side of an engine well within the lateral limits of the closed lid position, a' bolt member which in the latch position of the lid has a substantially upright position and stands inthe keeper aperture and engages at its upper end said detent means, and mounting means for the bolt memberfor mounting the same on thebracket having pivotal connection with the body of the bolt member and having pivotal connection with the bracket inwardly of the first pivotal connection with respect to the side margin of the hood lid,

6:111 a hood latch for a dual-tip hood lid, keeper and detent means adapted for mounting atthe' underportion of a hood lid adjacent a side margin of the lid, the keeper portion of said means having a downwardly facing aperture and the detent portion of said means being constituted by a torsion rod'above said aperture having a depending swin'gable latching extremity, a bracket for application to a wal1 of an engine well in a location below the marginal portion of the lid, said bracket being'open at the top and provided with sidecheeks or walls, a-bolt member'for cooperation with said keeper and detent means having a projecting part t'o'stand in said aperture and engage said latching extremity, said member being partially received between the cheeks of said bracket, movable connecting means connected respectively to the bolt member and the bracket to permit upward and tilting movement of the bolt member relatively to the bracket, and a spring within the bracket urging the bolt member ina downward direction with respect to the bracket.

'7. In a latch mechanism for a dual-tip hood lid, the combination of a keeper adapted to be carried by a lid adjacent a side margin of the lid comprising a member substantially in the form of a U resting on its side with its terminals disposed toward the side of the lid and having a lower keeper aperture in the lower side thereof spaced downwardly from the lid and adapted to receive a bolt portion, a detent member journaled in the upper part or side of said U-shaped member adjacent the terminal of said upper part or side of said member comprising a torsion rod having a depending latching extremity, and a bolt member movably connected at one end to a part adapted to be fastened to an engine enclosure and having an upper portion adapted to enter the keeper aperture and to be engaged by the crank-like extremity of said torsion rod to latch the lid, said bolt member being swingable in a vertical plane transversely of the hood and having a body from which said keeper-entering portion projects upwardly at an intermediate location in the lateral dimension of said body,

said body having spaced-apart side walls, and said projecting portion having side walls integral with said first side walls, and the side walls of said body having upper edge portions which in the latched position of the lid are at an acute angle to the opposing portion of the keeper.

8. In a latch mechanism for a dual-tip hood lid, the combination of a keeper adapted to be carried by a lid adjacent a side margin of the lid and having a lower keeper aperture, a detent member journaled in the upper part of said keeper comprising a torsion rod having a dep-ending latching extremity, a bolt member having an upper part adapted to enter the keeper aperture and to be engaged by the extremity of said torsion rod to latch the lid, said bolt member having a body disposed transversely of the lid from the upper edge of which said upper part projects, a bracket having a base applicable to the lower fixed part of an engine enclosure and a hollow body extending upwardly from said base, said bolt body being partially received in said hollow bracket body, and a link structure connecting said bracket body with said bolt body so that the latter can have a compound lifting movement in which it pivots on two axes located within the area of the bolt body.

9. In a latch mechanism for a dual-tip hood lid, the combination of a keeper adapted to be carried by a lid adjacent a side margin of the lid comprising a member substantially in the form of a U resting on its side with its terminals disposed toward the side of the lid and having a keeper aperture in the lower side thereof, a detent member journalled in the upper part or side of said member adjacent the terminal of the upper part or side comprising a torsion rod having a depending latching extremity, a bracket having a base applicable to the side wall of the engine enclosure within the lateral limits of the closed lid, a bolt member having an upper portion adapted to enter said keeper aperture and to be engaged by said depending latching extremity and having a lower portion from which said upper portion projects, and a linkage structure connecting the lower portion of said bolt member with. said bracket and having pivots on said lower bolt portion with respect to which said bolt portion swings as said bolt portion is moved relatively to said bracket member.

10. In a latch mechanism for a dual-tip hood lid, the combination of a keeper adapted to be carried by a lid adjacent a side margin of the lid and having a downwardly facing aperture, a torsion rod extending substantially horizontally and journalled above said aperture and having a swingable depending latching extremity adjacent said aperture, and a bolt member movably connected at one end to a part adapted to be fastened to an engine enclosure and having an upper portion adapted to enter the keeper aperture and to be engaged by said latching extremity to latch the lid, said bolt member being swingable in a vertical plane transversely of the hood and having a body from which said keeper-entering portion projects upwardly at an intermediate location in the lateral dimension of said body, said body having spaced apart side walls, and said projecting portion having side walls integral with said first side walls, and the-side walls of said body having upper edge portions which in the latched position of the lid are at an acute angle to the opposing portion of the keeper.

11. In a latch mechanism for a dual-tip hood lid, the combination of a keeper adapted to be carried by a lid adjacent a side margin of the lid and having a keeper aperture, a detent member journalled above the keeper aperture comprising a torsion rod having a, depending latching part, a bolt member having an upwardly elongated body with a substantially straight upper edge extending transversely of the lid and having a upwardly projecting part intermediate of the ends of said upper edge adapted to stand in said keeper aperture and to be engaged by said latching part, a bracket having an upwardly and outwardly inclined base applicable to the lower fixed part of an engine enclosure below the marginal portion of the lid and having a body or main part sloping upwardlyand inwardly with respect to the hood,

and a link structure connecting said bracket body with said bolt body so that the latter can have a compound lifting movement in which it pivots on two axes located within the area of the bolt body.

12. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 11 in which the link structure comprises upper and lower links which, in the closed position of the latch, extend from the bolt body in a direction toward the longitudinal median line of the hood. 13. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 11 in which a retractile spring connects the linkage with the bracket so as to hold the bolt member normally in a lowered position.

14. In a' device such as described, the combination of a keeper and detent structure adapted to be carried by a lid adjacent a side margin of the lid and having a downwardly facing keeper aperture and a depending swinging latching part above said aperture, a bracket having an upwardly and outwardly sloping base adaptedto be applied to a fixed part beneath the marginal portion of the lid and having a main part or body extending from said base in an upward and inward direction relatively to the hood, an upwardly elongated bolt member having an upward projection adapted to enter the keeper aperture and engage said latching part and having a body which in the latched position extends transversely of the hood below the keeper aperture, said body extending downwardly below the upper edge of the bracket body, and laterally extending links pivoted to the bolt body and extending toward the longitudinal median line of the hood and having inner ends pivoted to the bracket body, said links supporting the bolt body so that in its upward movement it turns relatively to two pivots within the area of the bolt body.

gage said latching part, said bolt body beingelongated and reduced in-width in adownward direction andhaving a lower-end adapted to be positioned in proximity to the base of said bracket, and a linkage connecting said bolt body with the body of the bracket in such a'manner that the bolt body in littingswings relatively to two pivots located within the area of the bolt body.

16. A latch mechanism as-deiined in claim 15 in which the linkage comprises-upperand lower links pivoted to the bolt body and-'extendingfrom said body in a direction toward the longitudinal median line of thehoodand having their inner ends pivoted to the body of the-bracket.

17. A latch mechanism as defined in 'claim'16 in which the body of the bracket is provided by cheeks between which the bolt body and the links are disposed.

18. In a device such as describedgthe combination of a keeper and detent structure adapted to be carried by a lid adjacent a side margin of the lid and having a downwardlyiacing keeper aperture and a swinging detent part above'the aperture, a bracket having'anupwardly and outwardly inclined base adapted to'be applied to the splash panel of anengine well andihaving cheeks extending from the base and inclinediin wardly and upwardly with relatiomtothe engine well so as to provide a recess or socket into which an upstanding-bolt member can bereceived, an upstanding bolt member havinga relatively wide body partially received in said bracket and having a narrow upward projection from said body :adapted to engage the keeper aperture and said detent part, and links-pivoted to the bolt body in upper :and lower'locations and extending from said body in a direction :toward the longitudinal median line oi the hood ;and having inner ends pivoted .to the bracket .whereby said bolt'body can hit with respect :to-the bracket while pivoting on two axes within the bolt body area.

19. A latch mechanism as defined in:claim*18 in which the links'as well as the bolt member are received within the recessbetween the bracket cheeks.

20. In a device such as described, a bracket applicable to the'inner face oi. a splash panel -and liaving upstanding side plates or cheeks, a bolt member having a body received in the upper portion of said bracket between said cheeks and having an upwardly projecting bolt head of restricted lateral dimension, said bolt member presenting a'body extending downwardly from said bolt head, and upper and lower links each or which-is pivoted at one end to the bolt body and is extendedsubstantially laterally from the bolt 'body-and has anotherend pivoted to a portion of the-bracket.

21. In a device such as described, keeper and detent means-adapted for application to the under side of a dual-tip hood lid adjacent the side margin of the'lid, said keeper and detent means having a downwardly facing keeper aperture and above the aperture :a swinging detent part, a bracket'having a base and a body in such relationship'to each other that the base can be applied to an outwardly and upwardly inclined splash panel of an engine enclosure so as to dispose the body of the bracket in a position in which it is inclined or sloped upwardly and inwardly with respect to the hood, said bracket being formed with'an interior recess open at the upper part of the bracket, an upstanding bolt member partially received in said recess and having an upper bolt head portion to engage said aperture and said swinging detent part, and a duplex link connecting means between the body of said bolt member and said'bracket extending from the bolt member to its connection with the bracket in a generally inward direction with respect-to the hood structure.

ARTHUR ClaAUD M'ANTLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date ..1,147,801 Johnson July 27, 1915 1,813,145 Cavicchioli etal. July 7, 1931 2,091,673 De Orlow Aug. 31, 1937 2,112,878 Booth Apr. 5, 1938 2,137,751 Davis Nov. 22, 1938 72,197,648 Mercheimer Apr. 16, 1940 2,246,792 Dall, June 24, 1941 2,296,424 Claud-Mantle Sept. 22, 1942 2,311 965 Reynolds Feb. 23, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS ,Nurnber Country Date 428,367 Great Britain May 13, 1935

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