US2658778A

US2658778A - Deck latch

Info

Publication number: US2658778A
Application number: US178277A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward D Dall
Original assignee: Houdaille Hershey Corp
Current assignee: Houdaille Hershey Corp
Priority date: 1950-08-08
Filing date: 1950-08-08
Publication date: 1953-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1970-11-10

Description

E. D. DALL Nov. 10, 1953 DECK LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1950 urijrili.

fire 272E"? Edward Dal Nov. 10, 1953 E. D. DALL 2,658,778

DECK LATCH Filed Aug. 8, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1 qh J Edward D. Ba II E. D. DALL DECK LATCH Nov. 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 8, 1950 d E W a Z a a I M W x f WI 2 a g MW. r mo m4 mmnllh WWW/M: i w a W /W\ E F y. WWW? 1;; B 4W 2 5 A //.w. H M Q m a Patented Nov. 10, 1953 neon LATCH Edward. D. Hall Detroit, Mich., assignor to Houdaille Hershey Corporation; Detroit,\ Mich. a corporation of Michigan AppIi'cationAugust 8, 1950', S'eriaLNo. 1782277 1 This invention relates to improvements latching mechanismsand' more particularly ro lates to a simplified and improved form of latohing mechanism for use in looking a deck door at a rear deck or lug-gage compartment of an automobile.

A principal object of my invention is to pro videa novel form oi deck latch of a sliding bolt type arranged witha view toward utmost simplicity in construction and convenience in inrear deck will always be locked when the. latch.-

ing lever is in latching engagement with the striker, regardless of. whether the: deck. door is fully closed.

A further: object oi my invention is toprovidea latch.mechanismincluding a latching lever together with dogging means for dogging said lever in a latching position, and. automatically shifting the said latching. lever into a further latched position upon. subsequent relative moviement of the deck door toward the. deck.

A further andzmore; detailed object of my in? ventionis to provide a: novel and efhcient form of. latching. mechanism. wherein. the latching lever. is slid'able and pivotally movable in. a plane gen.-

erally parallel to. the plane of swing of' the door,

and wherein latching. movement thereof. is controlled by a key lever parallel to: the surface oi the door.

These and other objects ofmy invention will appear from time to time as the. following speciflcation proceeds and with reference to the ac companying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a. partial fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through the rear deck and: door of an automobile, showing one form in which the latching mechanism of my invention maybe embodied; v

Figure 2 is arr end view of the latching mech-- anism looking toward the outer end thereof;

Figure 3 is a view in front elevationof the: latching mechanism looking in a plane generally parallel to the plane of door swinging movement and showing the latch mechanism in door closing position;

Figure 4 is a" view in front elevation looking in- 12 Claims (01.. 292-63 l M the same planeas Figure 3- and showing the latch mechanism in a door latching position;

Figure 5- isa front elevational view looking the same plane as Figures 3 and 4+ andshowing the latch mechanism in door opening position; and

Figure 6- is an enlarged fragmentary front view of a portion of the latch mechanism, and showing certain details of the keylever.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, reference character it" l igure I indicates generally arear deck of an automobile having an upright deck pillar H, to which is secured a striker or keeper Iii" as by rivets: l=3'-l-3*. The keeper I2 is herein shown as extending upwardlyf'rom the deckpillar H and as having an-upperi'nwardly extending inclined tion My extending in the plane generally perpendicular to the path of doorclosing movement. The incl-inedportion M has a rectangular aperture l-5- for receiving and guiding a downwardly projecting nose P6 ofa latch plate ii. The aperture [-5- is also engaged by a latching lever it during door latching movement. The latcl v ing lever is is pivotally and siidably mounted on the latchplate H, as willhereina'fter more elear- 1y appear as this specification proceeds.

Thelatch plate ll is herein shown as being mounted-within" and extending through a loci: housing 21 secured to and extending inwardly from a rear plate 22' of a door til. door 23- is hinged at its upper endto the car body (not shown) and moves in a generally vertical recti'on about the axis of its hinges during door opening and closing movement.

The latch plate H may be stamped from a single sheet of steel, and the lower marginsthereof have inwardly extending flangedportions 2.4; and 25; extending therealong and affording a. means to secure the latch plate to the. lock housing it of the door 23 The flanged portion 2a is herein shown as extending downwardly along: and, around the: front end of the nose: is to provide a reinforcement therefor and. guide means guiding said nose into engagement with: the: aperture v thereon.

The key lever 29 is suitably mounted on a rotatable member 30 pivotally mounted in the upright portion 28. A squared operating rod 32 is provided to pivot said membertd and the key lever 29 and extends within a lock casing v3.3 for the locking mechanism. The squared rod 3! may be turned through the locking mechanism by a key The key lever 29 has a depending and angularly outwardly extending end portion 35 which extends through an elongated slot 36 in the plate ll, to the outer side of said latch plate. The slot 36 is herein shown as being formed in the inclined portion of the latch plate I? and as having an arcuate upper margin conforming to the path of travel of the end portion 35. The end portion 35 extends through the slot 36 in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of said latch plate and forms a latching or dogging support for an engaging end 3'! of a lever arm 39 of the dogging lever 21, and serves to hold said dogging lever in a dogging position when the key is removed from the lock and the door is locked, and during door-closing movement. 7

The key lever 29 also has an upper arm at extending therefrom and adapted to be engaged by the free end ll of a torsion spring G2, herein shown as being mounted on two nibs 43-43, shownas being stamped to extend inwardly from the upright portion 28 of the lock plate It. The

- torsion spring 42 biases the key lever 29 in a counterclockwise direction into a dogging position against the right-hand side of the slot 36.

Thedogging lever 21 is shown as being pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 64, which may be riveted or otherwise secured to a lateral extension at of the latch plate H in a well-known manner. The pin 44 may be a headed pin, to retain the dogging lever 21 thereon and topivotally mount said dog-. ging lever on the outer side of the latch plate ii, for movement in a plane generally parallel to the path of door movement. The dogging lever 2i has a dogging arm 4? extending angularly inwardly. and downwardly from the pin M. A headed pin 59 is secured to said dogging arm at its inner end and slidably engages an arcuate slot 50 in the latch plate ll the marginal arcs of which are coaxial with the axis of the pivot j pin 44. The head of the pin 39 is spaced inwardly from the inner side of the. latch plate ill and extends along the outer side of the latching lever I9 while an intermediate portion of said pin slidably engages and upwardly opening slot 5i formed by a bifurcated upper end portion $2 of said latching lever. The pin l?) serves to control pivotal and sliding movement of the latching member l9 during door-closing movement and holds said latching member from movement in an unlatching direction after the door has been latched. The lever arm 47 and pin 49 also take up on the latching lever it after the door is closed,

.upon further movement ofthe door toward a closed position, and upon attempts to open the door when locked. a

' V The dogging lever 21. also has anupper inclined camming' surface 38 on the end of its lever arm 7 39, which is engageable with the underside of the engaging end of the key lever 29, upon opening of the'door', to cam said key lever against the 4 spring 42, into position to engage the engaging end 37, and hold said dogging lever in a dogging position.

The latching lever I9 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 53, secured thereto, as by riveting, and extending outwardly therefrom through a slot 54, herein shown as extending along the latch plate I! in the direction of door-closing movement. On the outer end of the pin 53 is mounted a torsion spring 55, which may be suitably secured at its inner end to a slotted'portion thereof (not shown). The free or outer end of the torsion spring 55 engages a downwardly hooked nib 5?, herein shown as being pressed outwardly from the latch plate H. The torsion spring 55 thus urges the latching lever 19 to move in a counter-clockwisedirection and also urges the pin 53 to move toward the lower end of the slot 54, and maintain a concave arouate strike surface 59 of the latching lever I9 into engagement with an edge of the aperture i5 of'the keeper 12 when the latching mechanism is in a door latching position with respect to said keeper.

The latching lever it terminates at its lower end into a nose til which comes into engagement with the outer or upper edge of the inclined portion IA of the keeper l2 during door closing movement, causing the latching lever to move upwardly along the slot 5d against the spring 55, and at the same time to pivot about the pin 53 in a clockwise direction under control of the pin $8 on the dogging lever 2i, until the nose 69 of said latching lever has cleared the margin of the slot [5. At this time said latching lever will pass through said slot and the arcuate latching or strike suras long as the dogging lever is in the dogging position shown in Figure 3.

It should here be understood that the torsion spring 55 has been compressed by upward movement along the slot 5 3 and urges the strike surface 59 of the latching lever l9 into engagement with the lowermargin of the slot it as long as the dogging lever 27 is in a dogging position. The spring 55 reacting against the pin 49 thus acts as a take-up to maintain said latching lever into engagement with said slot and lock the door regardless of how tightly the door may be closed, as long as the nose at has passed through the slot l5 and the strike surface 59 has come into engagement with the inner or lower edge ofsaid slot. This contact is maintained as door-closing movement is continued and when the door is closed tight as shown by solid lines in Fig. i, the

latching lever l9 will remain in engagement with '1 the lower surface of the aperture until the door is opened by the zey, to release the dogging lever 27 from the key lever 29;

If the door is not tight, the latching lever l9 will move downwardly'and the pin 53 will move toward the lower end of the slot Ed'untilysaid latching lever is in the position shownby solid lines in Fig. l. Thus, loosenes's in the door is continually taken up by the latching lever 59, up

to within a predetermined distance, compressing the rubber door bumper or packing to an'e'xtent determined'by the amount of'take-up provided. This amount of take-up can be varied by increasing or decreasing the length of the slot Also if the door is locked and his attempted to pull it in an opening direction, the reaction between the pin s9 and said lever willfbe in a direction to force the. strike surface: 59- into. tighter en.- gagement with the keeper I4.

In order to. release the latching lever 13 for Opening of'the deck door; the-key314 turned. in a. direction to turn the squared spindle 3i. and key lever 219 in clockwise direction. to; release the engaging end. ill of the lever m 3.9 of the dos ging lever 22 from the key lever 29, as. shown in Figure 5. Upon. release of said. lever, thedogging lever 21 and pin G9 will be free topivot in a counter-clockwise direction, and the pin 5231 will: be free to move to. the lower end of the slot. 59;. The latching lever is is: then free to pivot a clockwise direction against the torsion spring 55 and. allow the door to be opened. Asthed'oor is. opened, engagement of the arcuate strike surface 59 with the lower edge of the aperture l5; of the keeper M will rotate the latching lever min a clockwise direction against the spring 55- asshownin Fig. 5 until the engaging end 60 of said latching lever is free from the keeper. At this time the-spring 55 will pivot the latching lever L9 in a counterclockwise direction to the latching position shown in Fig. 3. This will camthe dogginglever 21 in a clockwise direction.

When the hand isremovedfrom thekey 34' and the. latching lever I9 is. released from the slot [5,.

upward movement of the dogging lever 21 effected by camming movement of the latching lever is in a counterclockwise direction, will bring the inclined. camming surface 38. on the upper end of the arm 39 into. engagement with the under sur-' face of the engaging end 35 of the key lever 29, and: pivot said. key lever agaimt the spring 42 until; the engaging end 35 passes. beyond the adjacent end of said key lever. At this. time said lever will be released andthe spring 42 will: move the engaging end 35 of said lever into supporting engagement with. the end 3! of the arm 39 of the. dogging. lever 21 holding said dogging. lever in a dogging position.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected in this invention without departing from. the scope of the. novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:- i

1. In a deck latch for association; with a keeper and a cooperating deck door, a latching assembly including a latch plate disposed in. a plane generallyparallel to the path of swingof thed'oor, a key lever pivoted thereon and extending in'a plane generally parallel. to. the outer surface of the door, a dogging lever pivoted on saidlatch plate. and releasably. supported by said key: lever in a dogging position, and a latching lever pivotally mountedon said latch plate intermediate its ends for slidable movement in the plane of said plate and. in the directions of door movement and hall-- ing a. strike surface at one of its ends and a latching surface extending therefrom, said dogging lever having sliding engagement with saidlatchinglever on theopposite side of the pivotal axis. of said latching lever from said strike surface and guiding movement of said latching lever into a latching position and: holdingusaid dogginglever in a latching position during door closing movement and. when the door is closed.

2'. In: a, deck latch for association with a deck doorand keeper, a latching assembly including alatchplate extending in a plane generally parallel to the path of swingof the door, a key lever pivotally mounted on one side of said latch plate, and having an. engaging end portion extendin'gto the opposite side of said latch plate for: movement with. respecttheret a latching lever mounted on the same side of said plate as said key lever forpivotal movement. in the plane: of said. plate, about an axis disposed intermediateits. ends; and for slidable movement along" said axis, said. latching lever having an: arcuatestrike surface. extending along one:- side thereof and in one direction from its pivotat axis, for cooperation. with a keeper and having an opposite slotted. end portion, spring means urging said latching: lever into. position to enage a keeper, a dogging lever pivoted on the. opposite: side on said: latch: plate from said latching lever,v a: pin on said dogging lever having. slidabl'e engagement. with said slotted portion of said latching lever and controlling movement. thereon. said. dogging lever having a projecting arm having: alower surface. supportingly em gaged by said engaging end of said key Lei/er and having an opposite camming surface having camming engagement. with said hey lever; and; said strike surface of said latching lever moving along the. keeper upon dooropening movement camming said latching lever to move said arm of. said dogging lever past said engaging end of. said key lever, and spring means operatively connected with. said key lever and moving: said key lever into position for said: enga ing end to. supportingly engage said arm of said: hey lever..

3;. In a. deck. latch for association with akeeper on; a, deck and a cooperating deck door, a latch-- ing assembly including a. latch. plate extending in. a plane generally parallel to the path of the swing OfTthl-ZUDOI, a. latch lever extending along said latch. plate and; pivotally mounted: thereon intermediate its ends for slidahle movement along said latch. plate in the directions of door opening and. closing movements, said latching lever having an engaging nose at one end thereof, and a concave strike surface extending towards its pivotal: axis for slidable engagement with the keeper, a springurging said strike sur face in engagement with the! keeper when the door is closed, a dogging lever pivotall y mountcdon said latch: plate, and having slida'ble engagement with the opposite end of said latching lever from said nose and. controlling the path of movement of said latching lever when moving into a latching position, and holding said latching lever from movement an unlatching direction when said dogging lever is in a dogging position and said latching lever is in a latching position with respect to the keeper, and a key lever rel'easably supporting said dogging lever ina dogging position.

4. In a deck latch for association with a keeper on a deck and a cooperating deck door, a latching assembly including a latch plate extendingin a direction generally parallel to the path of swing of the door, a latching lever, a pivot pin guided in said latch plate for rectilinear movement in the directions of door movement and pivotally mounting said latching lever onmsaid' latch plate for movement about an axis" disposed intermediate its ends, said latching lever having an engaging end projecting from; thepivotal axis thereof toward the keeper and having a concave strike surface extending upwardly from said engaging end for latching engagement with the keeper, a torsion spring operatively connected with said pin and urging said latching lever and arcuate strike surface into engagement with the keeper; a dogging lever pivoted onsaid latch plate and extending along theopposite side thereof from said latching member;

I said latch plate having a slotted portion,a pin cluding a latch plate extending in a direction generally parallelto the swing of the door and having an upper angular extendingportion extending in a direction generally parallel to the outer surface of'the door, a key lever pivotally mounted on said angularly extending portion of said latch plate, a dogging lever pivotally mounted on said portion of said latch plate extending parallel to door swinging movement, said dogging lever being pivotally mounted on said latch plate at a point spaced from said key lever and having a projectingarm having a lower surface sup- Cir portingly engaged "by said key lever and an opposite camming surface, having camming engagement with said key lever and camming said key lever into position to supportingly engage said dogging lever upon' door opening movement, a latching lever extending in the direction of door closing movement, a slidable and pivotal mounting for said latching lever on said latch plate, said latching lever having a 'nose portion engageable with the keeper and an arcuate strike surface extending upwardly therefrom having latching engagement with the keeper upon closing of the door,yand also having an' upper slotted portion having slidable engagement with said dogging lever, and moving said dogging lever into a dogging position upon door opening movement when released from said I 7 key lever, and said camming surface of said dogging lever pivoting said key lever into position to supportingly engage saiddogging lever upon movement of said dogging lever to a dogging position.

6. In a deck latch'for association with a keeper 7 and a cooperating deck door, a latching assembly including a latch plate disposed in' a plane generally parallel to the path of swing of the door and having a slotted guide extending therealong in the direction of door movement, a pivot pin guided for movement along said slot, a latching lever mounted on said pin intermediate its ends, a torsion spring secured to said pinat one of its ends and to said latch plate at its opposite'end and biasing said'pin and'latching lever along said guide in a, direction toward the keeper into position to engage the keeper, a dogging lever pivoted on the opposite side of said latch plate from said latching lever, a pin on said dogging lever extendingthrough said latch plate and havlatching position, said latching lever moving said Z ingsli'dable'engagement with said latchinglever V .and guiding said latching-lever into a projected dog'ging lever toward a dogging position: during door opening movement by slidable engagement of said pin therewith, a key lever pivoted onsaid latch plate and having releasable supporting engagement with said dogging lever, spring means I biasing said key lever into position to engage said' dogging lever, and said dogging lever having a camming face moving saidkey lever into position to supportingly engage said dogging lever upon pivotal movement of said dogging lever, effected by movement of said latching lever in a release direction upon door opening movement. 7; In a deck latch for association with a keeper and a cooperating deck door, a latching assembly including a key lever, a pivoted dogging lever releasably engaged by said key lever and held thereby in a dogging position, a latching lever mounted intermediate its ends for slidable and pivotal movement in the general plane of door closing movement and having a strike surface at one of its ends and a latch surface extending therefrom for latching engagement with the keeper, saiddogging lever having slidable engagement with said latching lever and guiding movement of said latching lever into a projected latching position during door closing movement and maintaining said latching lever in engagement with the keeper when the door is closed.

8. Ina deck latch for association with a keeper and a cooperating deck door, a latching assembly including a latch plate extending in a plane generally parallel to the path of swing of the door, a key lever pivoted thereon and extending in a direction generally parallel tothe outer surface of the door, a'dogging lever pivoted on said latch plate, said key lever having means thereon engageable with said dogging lever for holding said on the opposite side of the pivotal axis thereof from the keeper and guiding slidable movement of said latching lever from a retracted to a projected latching position into engagement'with the keeper, and a torsion spring operatively connect-- ed with said latching lever and biasing said latching lever for pivotal movement into engagement with the keeper and for rectilinear movement in a a direction to take up on the latch upon engageparallel to the path of movement of the door,

a key lever pivoted on said latch plate, a dog-i ging lever pivoted on said latch plate, a latching lever mounted on said latch plate for pivotal movement in the plane of said plate about an axis' disposed intermediate its ends, and for slidable movement "along said plate in the direction" of door-movement, said dogging lever having a portion having slidable engagement with said latching lever and slidably guiding said latching lever intoa retracted 'positioni upon initial engagement with the keeper and into a projected latching position into engagement 7 with the keeper, and said dogging lever having an arm projecting from the pivot thereof and having a lower surface releasably engaged by said key lever and holding said dogging lever in'a dogging posi-,

said dogging lever into position to cam said key lever by engagement of said' camming surface therewith into position to come into supporting engagement with said arm of said dogging lever.

10. In a latch for association with a door and a cooperating keeper, a latching assembly including a latch plate extending generally parallel to the path of swing of the door, a key lever pivotally mounted on said latch plate and extending generally parallel to the outer surface of the door, a dogging lever pivotally mounted on said latch plate, said key lever having an engaging end portion pivotally movable to engage and hold said dogging lever in a dogging position, a latching lever, a pin guided for slidable movement along said latch plate and pivotally mounting said latching lever on said latch plate for pivotal movement about an axis movable in the direction of door closing movement, and said dogging lever having sliding engagement with said latching lever at a point spaced from said pin and guiding said latching lever from a retracted to a projected position upon door closing movement, and positively holding said latching lever from moving in a release direction after the door is closed and until release of said dogging lever by said key lever.

11. In a latch for association with a keeper and a cooperating door, a latching assembly including a latch plate extending in a direction generally parallel to the path of swing of the door, a key lever pivotally mounted on said latch plate and extending generally parallel to the outer surface of the door, a dogging lever pivotally mounted on said latch plate, said key lever being selectively operable by a key to hold said dogging lever in a stationary dogging position, a latching lever, a slot extending along said latch plate in the general direction of door movement, a pivot pin extending from said latching lever and mounted in said slot for slidable movement therealong, a torsion spring connected with said pin at one end and engaging said latch plate at its free end and biasing said pin and latching lever along said slot in a direction toward the keeper, said latching lever having a slotted upper end portion having slidable engagement with said dogging lever and having a depending nose retracting said latching lever upon striking engagement with a keeper upon door closing movement, and also having a recessed strike surface extending from said nose and projected by said spring into latching engagement with the keeper upon further door closing movement, and said latching lever camming said dogging lever to a dogging position by the reaction of said latching lever against the keeper upon the release of said dogging lever to accommodate opening of the door and upon door opening movement.

12. In a latch for association with a keeper and a cooperating door, a latching assembly including a latch plate extending in a direction generally parallel to the path of swing of the door and having a key lever pivotally mounted thereon, a dogging lever pivotally mounted on said latch plate at a point spaced remote from said key lever, said key lever having an engaging end movable into engagement with said dogging lever for selectively holding said dogging lever in a dogging position, a slidable and pivotal mounting for said latching lever on said latch plate, mounting said latching lever on said latch plate for rotational movement and for movement along said latch plate into latching engagement with the keeper, said dogging lever having means thereon having slidable engagement with the opposite end of said latching lever from the keeper and guiding said latching lever for movement into a retracted position upon engagement thereof With the keeper upon initial door closing movement and for movement into a projected latching position into latching engagement with the keeper upon further door closing movement, and spring means connected with said latch plate and latching lever and biasing said latching lever in a keeper engaging direction.

EDWARD D. DALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number