US2696399A

US2696399A - Latch device

Info

Publication number: US2696399A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward N Jacobi
Original assignee: Briggs and Stratton Corp
Current assignee: Briggs and Stratton Corp
Priority date: 1950-04-03
Filing date: 1950-04-03
Publication date: 1954-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1971-12-07

Description

LATCH DEVICE Dec. 7, 1954 E. N. JAcoBl 2,696,399

LATCH DEVICE Filed April 5, 1950 5 Sl'leeLs-Sheerl 2 ai@ Mum E. N. JACOBI Dec. 7, 1954 LATCH DEVICE 5 Sheeds-Sheet 5 Filed April 3, 1950 Dec. 7, 1954 E, N, JACQBl 2,696,399

LATCH DEVICE Filed April 5, 195o 5 sheets-Sheet 4 l ewwm flu/5rd N. Jdmbz l l gj.,

Dec. 7, 1954 E. N. JAcoBl 2,696,399

LATCH DEVICE Filed April 3, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .latehdevice of this invention,

United States Patent 2,696,399 LATCH DEVICE Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Briggs &

Stratton Corporation, of Delaware Application April 3, 1950, Serial No. 153,559 Claims. (Cl. 292-465) This invention relates to latch devices and refers more partlcularly to latch devices ofthe type especially adapted f or use on glove compartments of automobiles and the Latch devices of this type are .customarily provided with a spring propelled latch bolt, and retraction .0f the bolt is usually accomplished by depression -of a push button actuator into the body of the device. Obviously, there is a connection between the actuator and the bolt for translating .such depression of the actuator into re tracting motion of the bolt.

One of the purposes of ,this invention is to provide a latch device of the character .described with an actuator for effecting retraction of the latch bolt and connected with the bolt by means which not only imparts retracting motion to the bolt but also holds the actuator assembled with the latch device.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide a latch device with exceptionally compact bolt retracting means connected between the bolt and the actuator in such a manner as to enable reduction of the overall ,dimensions of `the device. v

Still another purpose of this invention is to provide bolt retracting means which is so connected with the actuator as to effect retraction of the bolt either by rotation or inward depression of the actuator into the body .of the latch device.

A further purpose device of the character described wherein retraction of the latch bolt may be accomplished .either by a simple nonlocking push button Aor by a key .operated lockV cylinder which allows locking of the latch bolt in its projected position.

It is another purpose of this invention Eto provide a latch device with .a rotatable and slidable actuator, and wherein the bolt will be retracted by means requiring rotation of the actuator to a predetermined position followed by inward depression of the actuator into the body of the latch device, .or by continued rotation of the actuator beyond said .predetermined position thereof.

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 yappended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiments be made as come of the hereindisclosed invention may within the scope of .the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrate several complete examples of the physical embodiment .of the invention constructed in accordance with the best modes .so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view thrllgh the latch.v device of this invention, `taken from the side, and showing the vapplication thereof to the door of a glove CQmPallllTlent';

Figure 2 vis a longitudinal sectional -vfiew similar to Figure l but showing the manner in which the latch bolt is retracted; t

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the having jparts :thereof in elevation and -in their ypositions corresponding yto those of Figure l;

,p Figure-...4 'is a longitudinal sectional view taken through `5 along 'the -planeof the `line 4 4; A f

of this invention is `to provide a latch of the plane of the door.

taken `from the top, and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure the line 5-5' 4 along the plane of Figure 6 is an elevational view looking at the rear end of the latch device;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure l along the plane of the line 7-7' Figure 8 is a cross sectional 2 along the plane of the line 8-8;

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 7 but illustrating the manner in which the latch bolt is retracted in consequence to rotation of the actuator;

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure l along the plane of the line lll- 10;

Figure ll is a perspective view of the latch body looking into the front end thereof and having portions of the side wall 'broken away and shown in section;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the lock cylinder actuator viewing the `same fromthe top and rear;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the latch bolt',

Figure 14 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 7 but illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure l5 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing the device equipped with a simple tubular push button actuator;

Figure 16 is a side elevational shown in Figure 15 with portions of the latch body away and vshown in section;

`Figure 17 is a cross sectional view taken .through Figure 16 along the plane of the line 17-17;

Figure 18 is a cross sectional view through Figure 16 taken .along the plane of the line 18--18; and

Figure 19 is a perspective view of the tubular push button actuator yshown in Figures l5 to 18, viewing the Same from the .top and 4vrear.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the latch device of this invention is shown as mounted upon the door 5, glove compartment, near the free edge of the door, and beneath a striker the compartment at the rear of the door. 'This mounting of the latch device, however, is merely illustrative, as in some cases it vis desirable to have the striker and its keeper mounted on the door and the latch device secured to the instrument panel above the door opening.

The latch device of this invention includes a latch bolt 8 which, when projected to its operative position, is adapted to engage behind a keeper 9 on the striker to hold the compartment'door closed; and has an actuator 10 'by which the latch bolt 8 may be retracted when desired to free the door for opening.

The latch bolt 8 and the actuator 10 are mounted on a latch body 11 which is generally `cylindrical and has a lfront portion projecting forwardly through an aperture in the door so that the body lies partly at each .side l The actuator 10 is preferably a lock'cyliuder Vslidable longitudinally in a bore 12 lin the body opening to the front thereof, and rotatable by a suitable key indicated at 13.

is slidably mounted in a view of the latch device broken body. rocatory motion in its slot, transverse bore 12.

In Figure 1 the lock .cylinder is shown in its locking position but with the tumblers 15 thereof retracted by the key 13 out of diametrically opposite longitudinal tumbler grooves 16 in the lock body to free the cylinder for rotation in the body bore. Inward depression of the lock cylinder, in the Figure l position thereof, is a lrearward extension precluded by the engagement o t 17 .on the inner end o f the Cylinder with an abutment 18 in the body bore.

The latch bolt 8 4is biased t0 its operative projected position seen. in Figure 1 by the usual compression .spring 19 confined in an upright well vbehind the latch bolt; 'boltis adapted to be retracted -to its position shown idF-,igure 2 by inward depression of the lock has been rotated clockwise, as viewed View taken through Figurev 6 which projects downwardly into from the front, out of its locking position through an arc of approximately 90 degrees to an unlocked position shown in Figure 2. In this position of the lock cylinder, the extension 17 has cleared the abutment 18 on the body to allow depression of the cylinder into the body bore.

Such inward depression of the cylinder is translated into bolt retraction motion through a bolt lever generally designated 2t) connected between the latch bolt and the extension 17 on the inner end of the lock cylinder.

The bolt retracting lever 20 preferably comprises a length of wire bent to U shape with its closed end or bight 21 providing an arm which projects into the body bore crosswise thereof and from one side of the bore to lie ahead of the bolt 8. It has a pivot leg 22 passing rearwardly through an elongated hole 23 in the lock body alongside the bore 12 to mount the lever for swinging motion about an axis parallel to the axis of the body bore; and an opposite leg 24 projecting rearwardly in the bore and passing respectively through aligned

openings

25 and 26 in the bolt and the end wall 27 defining the bottom of the body bore.

The lever 2l) is held against forward sliding motion in the direction of its pivot axis by a head 28 on the projecting rear end of its pivot leg engaged over a washer 29; while the closed end or bight 21 of the lever precludes rearward motion of the lever relative to the latch body.

Referring to Figure 7, it will be seen that the bolt spring holds the shoulder 30 at the lower edge of the opening 25 in the bolt engaged with the underside of the leg 24 of the lever, so that when the lever is swung downwardly, or counterclockwise on its pivot leg 22, the leg 24 of the lever propels the bolt downwardly with it and retracts the bolt to its position seen in Figure 8. It will be appreciated, of course, that the bolt spring, acting through the bolt, yieldingly resists retraction of the bolt, and in fact tends to swing the lever in a clockwise direction.

In the operative projected position of the bolt. therefore, the lever 20 is swung upwardly by the bolt in consequence to the spring pressure thereon, and occupies the position seen in Figure 7. This position of the lever is defined by the engagement of a slightly offset rear between the

opposing shoulders

30 and 36 on the bolt and the latch body, respectively, to limit outward projection of the bolt by its spring.

This is a highly advantageous lfeature of the latch device of this invention and a substantial improvement over constructions frequently used in the past in latch devices of this nature wherein the latch bolt was maintained in its slot by shoulders on its sides which engaged abutments on the latch body formed by staking the edges of the bolt slot inwardly. ln this latter construction the hammer blows delivered onto the staked abutments whenever the compartment door was slammed shut frequently resulted in the staked abutments being broken off with consequent destruction of the usefulness of the latch device.

It is one of the features of this invention that the lever 20 is employed not only to translate motion of the actuator 10 in the body bore into inward retracting motion of the bolt 8, but also to hold the actuator against outward displacement from the bore. accomplished through a novel connection between the lever and the extension 17 on the rear of the lock cylinder.

The extension 17 is stamping clinched onto a reduced neck at the inner end of t e cylinder as by lugs 37 and a tang 38 received in cylinder. The extension is curved to substantially semicircular shape, as seen best in Figure 12, and has a hole 39 through the side thereof through locked positionsgand the hole defines a circumferentially ist) extending rim 40 on the extension at all times engaged behind the bight of the lever.

In the unlocked position of the cylinder seen in Figure 2, a cam surface 41 provided by one edge of the hole 39 is brought into cooperative relationship with the bight 21 of the lever. When the cylinder is depressed in the unlocked position thereof, this cam surface rides onto the top of the bight to cam the lever downwardly as seen in Figure 8, in the direction to retract the latch bolt.

The lock cylinder is held against turning during such inward depression thereof by reason of the fact its extension rides between and is guided by diametrically opposite

longitudinal ledges

42 and 43 in the bore 12 at the rear thereof for engagement by the longitudinal edges of the extension. In this connection, it is to be noted that the abutment 18 in the bore is located at the front of the ledge 42; and that some axial guiding of the lock cylinder may be accomplished by the tumblers 15 of the cylinder, when the key 13 is removed, by their engagement in either of dametrically opposite tumbler receiving grooves 16 opening to the bore 12 and displaced 90 degrees from the grooves 16. The grooves 16', of course, allow the key 13 to be removed from or inserted into the lock cylinder in the unlocked position thereof.

At its edge opposite the cam surface 41, the hole 39 is shaped to provide a substantiallv narrow neck 44 to receive the portion of the bight 21 on the lever nearest the pivot leg 22 thereof in the locking position of the lock cylinder. Because of this fact, the rearwardly facing edge of the neck 44 may be made to engage with the front side of the bight to preclude inward depression of the lock cylinder in the locking position thereof.

jWith the construction described, bolt retracting motion may also be imparted to the lever 20 in consequence to rotation of the lock cylinder beyond its unlocked position. This is accomplished by the rearmost end of the cam surface 41 which defines a driver 45 engageable y with the top side of the bight 21 of the lever to swing the same downwardly if rotation of the lock cylinder is continued beyond its unlocked position, as seen in Figure 9.

Attention is directed to the fact that such rotation of the lock cylinder beyond its unlocked position is limited by engagement of the offset rear end portion of the leg 24 of the lever with a shoulder 46 on the latch bolt defined by the side of the opening 25 therein nearest the pivot leg 22 of the lever.

lf desired, the bolt retracting lever may also be used to limit retrograde rotation of the lock cylinder beyond the locking position seen in Figure l. As shown in Figure 14, this can be accomplished by shortening the cir cumferential length of the hole 39 in the cam member 17 to eliminate the reduced neck portion 44 therein, so that the bight of the lever is more or less clamped between the lowermost edge 47 of the hole 39 and the underside of the rim portion on the cam member or 17 when the cylinder reaches 36 on the rear of the body to limit outward projection of the latch bolt, and consequently, the hammer blow of the bolt incidental to slamming the compartment door shut may be borne jointly by the shoulder 36 and the rim portion 40 on the cylinder extension.

As is customary in latch devices of this nature, the lock cylinder is yieldingly biased forwardly in the body bore, in the present case by a compression spring 50. The spring has its inner end seated in a well 51 on the latch body alongside the bore and parallel thereto, the well being in alignment with the tumbler groove 16 re mote from the lever 20. The forward outer end of the spring lies in the groove 16 and encircles the stern of a plunger 52 which has an inwardly bent foot or fiange 53 facing shoulder 54 on the Hence the spring, acting through the foot 53 presses the cylinder forwardly to normally hold the rim 40 on the cylinder extension enlgaged with the rear of the bight 21 of the bolt retracting ever.

Referring to Figure 10 it will be seen that the shoe or flange 53 on the plunger is shaped to cooperate with the sides of the adjacent groove 16 and the side of the lock cylinder rearwardly of the shoulder 54 so as to maintain the forward end of the compression` spring 50 against de;

ection out of its groove 16.

ceases- In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 15 to 19 inclusive, the latch device is of the nonlocking type. It has a push ltutton 55 comprising a tubu, lar member 56, with a cap 57 fixed over its front end to close the same. The push button likewise has afrearward extension 17' at one side thereof provided with an aperture 39' through which the arm 21 of the lever projects to hold the button against forward displacement from the body bore. One edge 41 of the aperture also provides a cam surface overlying the transverse arm 21 of the bolt 'retracting lever to impart bolt retracting motion thereto in consequence to inward depression of the actuator.

In this embodiment, the push button actuator 55 is held against rotation in the body bore by the tendency of the latch bolt spring to swing the bolt retracting lever upwardly, as viewed in Figure 18. This bias on the lever serves to yieldingly hold the upper longitudinal edge of a guide linger 59 against the'underside of the ledge 42 in the rear of the body bore.

Hence, even though the actuator .is depressed into the bore to effect retraction of the latch bolt, the lever, acting upon the cam surface 41 tends to rotate the actuator in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 18 to hold the upper edge of the guide linger engaged with the under 'side of 'the ledge 42.

In this embodiment of the invention the return spring 50' for the actuator has its inner end seated on and surrounding a centering lug 62 adjacent to the mouth of the well 51 in the rear end portion of the latch body. The forward end of the spring 50' encircles a rearwardly extending pilot 63 formed as part of the side wall of the tubular member 56 and bears against a shoulder 64 on the tubular member at the inner end of the pilot. The pilot 63, of course, is defined by spaced longitudinal slits 65 in the rear end portion of the tubular member 56, one of which may be along one edge of the blank from which the tubular member is rolled up.

From the foregoing description taken together with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the operating mechanism of the latch device of this invention is designed to assure desirable compactness of the mechanism as well as to allow retraction of the latch bolt to be accomplished either by rotation or inward depression of the actuator therefor.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a latch device of the character described: a bodyl having a forwardly opening bore and a transverse slot communicating with the bore near the rear thereof and opening through one side of thebody; a spring propelled latch bolt movable back and forth in said slot crosswise of the body bore between an operative projected position toward which it is urged by its spring and an inoperative retracted position; a bolt lever mounted on the body for swinging motion about an axis parallel to that of the body bore; cooperating means on the lever and the body precluding bodily motion of the lever in the direction of its axis; said lever having an arm projecting into the body bore substantially crosswise thereof and a rearwardly extending leg joined to the outer end of said arm and passing through a hole in the latch bolt to provide adriving connection between the lever and the bolt by which the bolt is retracted upon swinging motion of the lever in one direction; an actuator slidable in the body bore; means for precluding forward displacement of the actuator from the body bore comprising a part on the rear end of the actuator engaged behind said arm on the lever; and cooperating cam means on the lever and the actuator for translating inward depression of the actuator into swinging motion of the lever in the direction to retract the latch bolt.

2. The latch device set forth in claim l wherein said arm on the lever projects through a hole extending transversely through a part on the inner end of the actuator to preclude outward displacement of the actuator from the body bore, and further characterized by the provision of a cam surface along one edge of said hole engageable with said arm on the lever during inward depression of the actuator to impart swinging mo "on to the lever in the direction to retract the latch bolt.

3. The latch device set forth in claim 2 wherein said actuator is rotatable as well as slidable in the body bore; and further characterized by the provision of a driving abutment along an edge of said hole engageable with said arm of the lever to impart bolt retracting motion thereto preferably rolled up from sheet metal,v

in consequence of rotation of the actuatorin one directionv from a bolt released position.

4. The latch device set forth in claim 2 leg on the lever projects rearwardly in the body bore through aligned holes in the bolt and the rear of the body to be engageable with an edge of the hole in the body upon bolt releasing motion of the lever to limit such motion of the lever and prevent outward displacement of the bolt from its slot; and further characterized by the provision of a second abutment along the edge of said hole engageable with the lever in the bolt released position thereof to limit retrograde rotation of the actuator in the bolt releasing direction.

5. In a latch device of the character described: a body having a forwardly opening bore and a transverse slot communicating with the bore near the rear thereof and opening through one side of the body; a latch bolt movable in said slot and spring urged outwardly thereof to an operative projected position, but retractable to an inoperative position; a bolt retracting lever mounted on the body for swinging motion on an axis parallel to the body bore and at one side thereof; cooperating means on the lever and the body precluding in the direction of its axis; said lever having an arm extending into the body bore substantially crosswise thereof, and a leg on the outer end of said arm extending rearwardly in the bore toward the latch bolt; a connection between the bolt and said leg of the lever whereby swinging of the lever in one direction effects retraction of the bolt; an actuator slidable axially in the body bore; a motion transmitting connection between the actuator and said arm of the lever whereby rearward axial motion of the actuator is translated into swinging motion ofthe lever in the direction to retract the bolt; spring means in the bore at the side thereof opposite the lever axis and reacting against the actuator to urge the same forwardly out of the bore; and a connection between the actuator and said lever arm precluding forward displacement of the actuator out of the bore.

6. The latch device set forth in claim 5 wherein said spring means comprises a compression spring having its forward end coiled about a pilot on the actuator and its rear end surrounding and located by a centering lug near the rear of the body bore.

7. In a latch device of the character described: a body having a bore and a transverse slot communicating with the inner end of the bore and opening through one side of the body; a latch bolt movable in said slot and spring urged outwardly thereof, but retractable to an inoperative position against the force of its spring; a bolt retracting lever on the body constrained to swinging motion on an axis parallel to and alongside the body bore; a connection between said lever and the bolt by which the bolt is retracted in consequence to swinging motion of the lever in one direction; an actuator rotatable and axially slidable in the body bore; cooperating longitudnially aligned stop means on the actuator and the body for precluding inward depression of lthe actuator in one position of rotation thereof, the actuator being depressible axially into the bore upon rotation thereof in one direction to a second position at which said stop means are disaligned; cooperating guide means on the actuator and the body to guide the actuator for axial motion in said second position of rotation thereof; and a motion transmitting connection between the actuator and the lever established by rotation of the actuator to said second position thereof, and operable to translate inward depression of the actuator into bolt retracting motion of the lever.

8. The latch device set forth in claim 5, further characterized by the fact that said arm of the lever extends through a hole in the rear of the actuator to establish said connection precluding forward displacement of the actuator from the bore; and further characterized by the fact that said motion transmitting connection between said actuator and the arm of the lever comprises a cam surface along one edge of said hole engageable with said arm on the lever during rearward depression of the actuator to impart swinging motion to the lever in the direction to retract the latch bolt.

9. In a latch device of the character described: a body having a bore and a transverse slot communicating with the inner end of the bore and opening through one side of the body; a latch bolt movable in said slot and spring urged outwardly thereof to an operative projected position; a bolt retracting lever carried by the body and conwherein said bodily motion of the lever' strained to swinging motion on an axis parallel to the body bore and at one side thereof, said lever having an arm extending into the body bore substantially crosswise thereof and a leg on the outer end of said arm extending rearwardly in the bore toward the latch bolt; a connection between the latch bolt and said leg of the lever whereby swinging of the lever in one direction effects retraction of the bolt; an actuator rotatable and axially slidable in the body bore; cooperating longitudinal ledges on the actuator and the body, said ledges terminating in opposing abutments which are longitudinally aligned in one position of rotation of the actuator to preclude inward depression thereof and disaligned in a second position of rotation of the actuator to permit inward depression thereof; and means for imparting bolt retracting motion to the lever comprising cooperating cam means on the rear of the actuator and on the lever arm operable upon inward depression of the actuator to swing the lever in said one directionto retract the bolt, the cam surface on the actuator being eccentric thereto and said longitudinal ledges being slidably engaged during such inward depression of the actuator to receive the camming reaction of said cam means and preclude rotation of the actuator in response thereto.

10. In a latch device of the character described: a body having a bore and a transverse slot communicating with the inner end of the bore and opening through one side of the body; a latch bolt movable in said slot and spring move said part in sald one direction to retract the bolt, the cam surface on the actuator being eccentric thereto and said longitudinal ledges being slidably engaged during such inward depression of the actuator to receive the camming reaction of said cam means and preclude rotation of the actuator in response thereto.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 225,707 Livermore Mar- 23, 1880 2,046,630 Jacobi July 7, 1936 2,450,145 Jacobi Sept. 28, 1948 2,573,061 Oct. 30, 1951 Raymond