US2736591A

US2736591A - Door lock

Info

Publication number: US2736591A
Application number: US368966A
Authority: US
Inventors: John H Roethel
Original assignee: ROETHEL ENGINEERING CORP
Current assignee: ROETHEL ENGINEERING Corp
Priority date: 1953-07-20
Filing date: 1953-07-20
Publication date: 1956-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 1973-02-28

Description

' Feb. 28, 1956 J. H. ROETHEL DOOR LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1953 BY M Wrozmsy INVENTOR. OH/V b. PoEH/EL Feb. 28, 1956 J, H. ROETHEL DOOR LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1953 INVENTOR. Jbx/N bf Roan/4 BY M ATTORNEY- 6 W m w a 2 k 5 a J w M w 4 0 w United States Patent DOOR LOCK John H. Roethel, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Roethel Engineering Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 20, 1953, Serial No. 368,966

9 Claims. (Cl. 292-166) This invention relates to a latch control mechanism for swinging doors, particularly the doors of automobile or other vehicle bodies, an object of this invention being to provide an improved door latch mechanism which is characterized by its simplicity and compactness in construction and which is economical to manufacture, comparatively quiet in operation and efiicient in use.

The improved door latch mechanism of the present invention comprises a slidable latch bolt spring urged into latching engagement with a striker or keeper device mounted on a body pillar, latch device release means for disengaging the latch device from the striker or keeper device, said release means including an actuator which is preferably a pivotally mounted lever, and a pivoted member or lever having blocking means which may be positioned in blocking relation to a blocking portion on the release means actuator to render the latter inoperative to effect disengagement of the latch device from the striker or keeper device.

More particularly the door latch mechanism embodied in the present invention comprises a support having a main plate portion and a secondary plate portion mounted thereon in spaced relation. A latch plate is slidably mounted between the secondary plate portion and the main plate portion. An actuator, preferably a pivotally movable lever, is mounted on the main plate portion,

said actuator having a part thereof in opposing relation to a part of said latch plate. The actuator is movable by an outer manually operable means, such as a push button, and when so moved its part will abut the latch plate part and thereby shift the latch plate in unlatching direction. The actuator is provided with a blocking portion thereon. A blocking means is mounted on the support and is shiftable by manually operable means into opposing relation to said actuator blocking portion, said blocking means when shifted into said blocking position rendering the actuator inefiective to shift the latch device in unlatching direction.

Other objects and features of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a front elevational view illustrating the mechanism mounted on the plate portion of a door latch mechanism constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. v

Fig. 2 is a view in part sectional taken substantially through line 2--2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view in part sectional taken substantially through line 3--3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a view taken substantially through line 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the relationship in latched position of the latch 2,736,591 Patented Feb. 28, 1956 2 device of the latch mechanism to a striker or keeper device mounted on a body pillar.

Fig. 5 is a view taken substantially through line 55 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating a door latch mechanism constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the latch mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view in part sectional taken substantially through line 7-7 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially through line 8-8 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings there is illustrated, by way of example, embodiments of the present invention as applied to the door frame structure of an automobile body. The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive comprises a case plate 10 which is provided with screw bosses 10a which are adapted to receive screws for fastening the case plate to the outer side of the jamb portion or free edge wall of'the vehicle door, the case plate 10 having a flange 11 which is adapted to project through an aperture in the free edge wall of the door and to be positioned along the inner panel of the door. The plate portion 10 together with the plate portion 12 of a housing 13 secured to the front face 10b of the plate portion 10 forms a frame for supporting the principal operative members of the latch mechanism. The present latch mechanism is provided with a slidable latch plate 14 guided for slidable movement by spaced shoulder rivets 15 which project through elongated slots 16 in the latch device, the shoulder rivets being securely mounted on the inner side 12a of the housing plate 12. The latch plate 14 is a longitudinally extending member and is provided with a number of projections thereon which will be hereinafter described. One of these projections is at the lower end of the latch plate 14. This projection 17 extends below the lower edge 18 of the housing. 13, the housing being open at its lower end, and is engageable with a striker or keeper device as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

Associated with the latch plate 14 is a latch device release actuator, preferably a substantially vertically extending release lever, generally designated 19, which is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a shoulder rivet or stud 20. The release lever 19 is mounted on the inner face of the case plate 10. When the present latch mechanism is mounted on the free edge wall of the door the release lever 19 will be inside of the door frame structure, the free edge wall of the door being apertured to accommodate the release lever 19 and other members of the latch mechanism mounted on the inner face 100 of the case plate 10. The release lever 19 is provided with two arms, a substantially upwardly extending arm 21 and a substantially downwardly extending arm 22. The downwardly extending arm 22'is provided at an intermediate position thereon with a projection or lug 23. The lug 23 is turned so as to project through an aperture 24 in the case plate 10 toward the housing plate portion 12. The lug 23 underlies a projection 25 on the latch plate 14. By virtue of this construction the release lever 19 and the latch plate 14 are so related that if the release lever 19 is swung about its pivotal axis in a counterclock wise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, the lug 23 will engage the projection 25 on the latch plate 14 and thereby lift the latch device upwardly in unlatching direction.

The upwardly extending arm 21 of the release lever 19 is formed with a flange 21a thereon. This lever arm 21 is adapted to be engaged on the outer side of the flange 21a by an outside manually operable means, such asa push button 26, for imparting the pivotal or swing- 2.? ing movement to the release lever 19 necessary to cause unlatching movement of the latch plate 14.

The latch plate 14 is yicldingly urged toward latching direction and the release lever 19 is similarly urged toward its normal position seen in Fig. l by means of a single coiled spring 27 anchored at its inner end to a kerf 23 formed from lugs lanced out of the surface of the case plate .ltl. This spring 27 has a horizontally extending arm 27a engageable with a projection 29 extending laterally from an edge of the latch plate 14. The spring 27 urges the latch plate downwardly at all times so as to yieldingly maintain the projection 17 thereon in striker or keeper device engaging position. Because of the abutting relationship of the latch device member projection and the lug or projection 23 on the release lever arm 22, the spring 27 will also function to urge the lever arm 22 in a clockwise direction about its pivotal axis 2%. The lever arm. 21 will thus be urged outwardly so as to be maintained in the normal non-operating position shown in Fig. 1. Thus, a single spring 27 is utilized to maintain the latch plate 14 and release lever 19 in their normal positions. It will be understood that even if the spring 27 should break, the latch plate 14 will normally tend to be gravity urged into latching position thereby preventing inadvertent unlatching of the door.

In accordance with the present embodiment means is provided for restraining or blocking the release lever 19 against operation from the outside of the door. The blocking means comprises a lever 30 pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 31 secured to the face 10c of the case plate 10. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the pivot axis of the blocking lever Silis located below the pivot axis of the release lever 19. The lever 36 extends in a substantially horizontal direction. lever 30 is provided with a flange 32 which flange, when the blocking lever 39 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, lies in the path of swinging movement of the lower end or blocking portion 33 of the lever arm 22 and thereby blocks swinging movement of the lever 19 in a counterclockwise direction. Since it is necessary for the release lever 19 to swing in a counterclockwise direction in order that the lever projection or lug 23 abut the latch device projection 25 to raise the latch device, the relationship of the flange 32 to the end 33 of the lever arm 22, as shown in Pig. 1, renders the outer manually operable means, such as the push button 26, inoperative to release the latch mechanism from the outside of the door and the door cannot be opened.

The present latch mechanism incorporates a remote control mechanism so constructed as to permit movement of the latch plate 14 independently of the release lever 19 and regardless of whether the latter is blocked against swinging movement through the medium of the blocking lever 30. This remote control mechanism is preferably manually actuated from the inside'of the door remote from the case plate It by means of an inside door handle (not shown). Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the case plate flange 11 is provided with a bell crank lever 34 having a substantially horizontally ex tending arm 35 and a substantially upwardly extending arm 35, the latter arm 36 being adapted to be connected by any convenient linkage to the inside door handle. The bell crank lever 34 is pivotally mounted on the flange 11 by means of a pivot stud or shoulder rivet 37. The bell crank lever arm 34 is offset at its free end and extends through an aperture 33 in the plate It) so as to underlie a laterally extending projection 39 on the upper end of the latch plate 14. Movement of the bell'crank lever 34 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 will cause the arm 35 thereof toabut the latch plate projection 39 thereby to lift the latch plate 14 upwardly against the resistance of the spring 2'7.

In the present embodiment the blockinglever 30 may be shifted into or out of blocking position either from On one end the the inside or the outside of the door. As best viewed in Fig. 2, the flange 32 of the blocking lever 30 is provided with a square aperture 49 adapted to receive an eccentrically swingable pin member of a conventional key operated cylinder locking mechanism (not shown).

The blocking lever 36 is provided at the end opposite the flanged end with an aperture 41 adapted to pivotally receive the lower end of a conventional control rod which usually terminates at the upper end thereof in a push and pull button accessible at the inside of the glass in a vehicle door. it will be readily apparent that if a downward force is exerted on the apertured end of the blocking lever the end thereof carrying the flange 32 will be swung upwardly into blocking position relative to the end 33 of the release lever arm 22. Conversely, if. an upward force is exerted on the end of the apertured end of the blocking lever, the blocking flange 32 will. be swung downwardly out of blocking position.

The case plate It is provided with a lug i2 turned inwardly from the face plate 100 to provide a stop to limit clockwise swinging movement of the blocking lever 3%. A toggle spring 43 is provided having one end seated in an aperture in the case plate ill and its other end in an aperture in the blocking lever 36. The toggle spring 43 is provided to yieldingly urge and hold the blocking lever toward its upper and lower limits of move ment.

The latch plate 14 is provided with one additional projection thereon which as yet has not been described. As seen in Fig. l, the latch plate 14- is provided at the lower left hand corner thereof with a pin 44 which extends toward and through an aperture 10d in the case plate 16. This pin 44 is utilized to automatically swing the blocking lever 30 from release lever 19 blocking position to non-blocking position in the event that the latch mechanism is released by actuation of the inside handle operated remote control mechanism while the blocking lever is in blocking position or in the event that the blocking lever is placed in blocking position while the vehicle door is in open position and the vehicle door is then swung shut. This feature of construction is commonly referred to as the kick-out means, that is, a means for automatically restoring the blocking lever to nonbloeking position to prevent the vehicle door from being inadvertently locked. As shown in Fig. 2, the pin s4 underlies the blocking "lever 39 when the blocking lever is in blocking position relative to the blocking portion 33 of the release lever arm 22. Upon upward movement of the latch plate 14, the pin 44 will strike the blocking lever 3% to the left of its pivot axis and will swing the flanged end 32 thereof downwardly to a position in which the toggle spring $93 will cross its dead center position and urge the blocking lever to its fully non-blocking position as governed by the stop 42.

it will be noted that the latch plate 14 projection 17 has an inclined leading edge 17a which upon engagement with a striker or keeper device asthe vehicle door is moved from an open to a closed :position acts to'cam the latch plate upwardly. Since the release lever projection 23 lies below the latch plate projection 25 and the bell crank lever arm 35 lies below the latch plate projection 3?, upward movement of the latch plate 14 is independent of and does not result in any movement of the release lever 19 or hell crank 34. This independent movement of the latch plate ld'through the abutting relation of the pin 44 to the blocking lever30 will, as explained above, automatically restore the blocking lever, if in blocking position, to non-blocking position.

Fig. 4 illustrates the cooperative relationship between the latch plate 14 and the keeper or striker device, generallydesignated 45, to hold the door in latchedposition. In general, the keeper or striker 45 comprises a 'C-shapcd structure having upper'and

lower body portions

46 and 47,

respectively. The upper body portion -is formed at its upper edge with two integralupstanding

tooth lik'e projections

48 and 49 which the" latch plateprojection 17 is adapted toengage to hold the door injeither safety or final locking position. When theprojection '17 is in engagement with the keeper tooth 48 the door is in safety latching position and when the projection 17' is in engagement with the tooth 49 the door is; in final latching position. a

The upper surface 50 of the lower body portion 47 forms a ramp engageable by a suitably contoured dovetail or abutment 51 fastened to the-front face 10b of the case plate 10. A yieldable wedging means is carried on:the underside of the upper body portion 46 of thestriker device and engages the upper surface of the dovetail or abutment 51 to firmly hold the door against vibratory movement in a vertical plane. The wedging means in the present instance comprises a'wedge block 52 controlled by a compression spring 53, the wedge block and spring being slidably retained within a recess 54 in the lower surface of the upper body portion 46 by means of a guide rod 55 fastened to the end walls of the recess 54. The spring 53 is mounted under initial compression and constantly urges the wedge outwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 4. During closing movement'of the door, the wedge block 52 is carried inwardly to some extent against the resistance of the spring 53, the wedge block tending to tighten itself against the upper surface of the abutment 51 and hence maintaining the latch plate projection in engagement with the tooth 49 on the striker and also minimizing any possible vibratory movement of the door.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. to 8 inclusive is characterized by a modified construction and method of mounting of the latch plate or bolt, which in this embodiment is generally designated '60. The latch plate or bolt 60 is preferably molded of a plastic material, such as nylon, which is characterized by its low coeificient of friction when sliding on steel and which has low adhesion to ice and therefore-will not readily freeze to the case plate 10. As illustrated, the latch plate or bolt 60 has a cross-sectional.thicknesssubstantially equal to the distance between the case plate surface 10b and the housing plate portion surface 12b. The fit of the latch plate or bolt 60 between the two plate surfaces is such that the latch plate will be freely movable therebetween.

In order to lighten the latch plate or bolt 60 and to save on the quantity of material used therein, the latch plate or bolt 60 is provided with a number of recesses in the side thereof adjacent the case plate'surface 10b. Some of the recesses are utilized for further functions.

The latch plate or bolt 60 is a longitudinally extending member and is provided with a tooth-like projection 61 thereon extending below the lower edge 18 of the housing 13, the housing being open at its lower end, and is engageable with a keeper or striker device such as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the present embodiment the projection or lug 23 on the. release lever arm 22 projects through the aperture 24 of the case plate 10 into a recess portion 62 of the latch plate or bolt and underlies the edge 63:: of a wall section 63 thereof. By virtue of this construction, the

release lever 19 and the latch plate or bolt 60 are so .is yieldingly urged toward latching direction and the release lever 19 is urged toward its normal position seen in Fig. 5 by a cylindrical coil spring 64. The spring 64 is nestled in a centrally located recess 65 in the latch plate or bolt 60. At its upper end the spring '64 abuts against a lug or projection 66 turned outwardly from the surface 10b of the case plate so as to project into the recess 65 of the latch plate or bolt 60. The spring 64 thus urges the latch plate or bolt 60 downwardly at all times, the downward movement being limited by the abutting re lation of a wall portion 67 of the latch plate or bolt 60 with the upper surface of the projection or lug 66. The spring 64 urges the latch plate downwardly at all times so as to yieldingly maintain the projection 61 thereon in striker or keeper device engaging position. Because of the abutting relationship of the latch plate edge 63a and the lug or projection 23 on the release lever arm 22, the spring 64 will also function to urge the lever arm 22 in a clockwise direction about its pivotal axis 20. Thus, as in the previously described embodiment, a single spring 64 is utilized to maintain the latch plate 60 and the release lever 19 in their normal positions.

In the present embodiment the means for restraining or blocking the release lever 19 against operation from the outside of the door is the same as in the previously described embodiment. The remote control mechanism is also similar to that of the previous embodiment with the difference that the arm 35 of the bell crank lever underlies the upper edge 68:: of a recess 68 in the latch plate or bolt 60 rather than a projection on the latch plate. Movement of the bell crank lever 34 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7 will cause the arm 35 to abut the latch plate wall edge 68a thereby to lift the latch plate 14 upwardly against the resistance of the spring 64.

The latch plate or bolt 60 is provided with a projection 69 thereon corresponding in function to the projection or pin 44 on the latch plate 14. However, since the latch plate 60 is molded the projection 69 is preferably cast integrally thereon. The projection 69 is adapted to engage the blocking lever 30 to automatically swing the same from release lever 19 blocking position to nonblocking position in the event that the latch mechanism is released by actuation of the inside handle operated remote control mechanism while the blocking lever is in blocking position or in the event that the blocking lever is placed in blocking position while the vehicle door is in open position and the vehicle door is then swung shut.

It will be noted that the mounting of the latch plate or bolt 60 on the case plate is a relatively simple operation. It is only necessary to position the spring 64 in the recess 65 and then position these parts in proper relation to the lug or projection 66. The housing 13 is then placed over the latch plate or bolt 60 and secured to the case plate 10 in any convenient manner as by the insertion of tabsthereon through slots in the case plate, the tabs then being bent over. The latch plate or bolt 60 is readily slidable on the case plate, the walls of the

various recesses

62, 65 and 68 acting as runners on which the latch plate or bolt is slidable. Thus, with the construction embodied in Figs. 5 to 8 it is not necessary to use shoulder studs to mount the latch plate or bolt. It is believed that the savings in assembly costs will compensate for the additional expense of molding the latch plate or bolt out of a material such as nylon which at present is more expensive than metal.

The foregoing embodiments of the present invention each provide a latch mechanism characterized by its simplicity of construction. The number of parts utilized in each embodiment is believed to represent the absolute minimum which will permit all the desired functions of the latch mechanism to be obtained. Also, it will be noted that the embodiments of the present invention are characterized by the thinness of the cross sectional thickness of the parts adapted to be mounted inside the free edge wall of the door. Present vehicle construction is characterized by thin door pillars. Accordingly, it is necessary to mount the window glass run channel close to the inside of the free edge wall of the door. Not much room is'left for the latch mechanism. The embodiments of the present invention require a minimum of clearance between the inside of the free edge wall of the door and the glass run channel.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and de scribed the preferred embodiments of this invention his to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion adapted to be mounted on the free edge wall of the door, a latch device mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, an actuator mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion and having a blocking portion, said actuator having a part thereof projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator to move the same in one direction to cause its said part to abut said latch. device part and move the latch device into door unlatched position, a member movably mounted on said support and having blocking means thereon, and inner manually operable means for moving said member to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to block said actuator and render the same ineifective to move said latch device to door unlatched position.

2. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion adapted to be mounted on the free edge wall of the door, latch device means mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion and having a blocking portion, one of said means having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other means, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means to move the same in one direction to cause said par to abut and move the latch device means into door unlatched position, a member movably mounted on said support and having blocking means thereon, and inner manually operable means for moving said member to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to block said actuator means and render the same in eiiective to move said latch device means to door unlatched position.

3. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion adapted to be mounted on the free edge wall of the door, latch device means mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion and having a blocking portion, one of said means having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other means, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means to move the same in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device means into door unlatched position, arnember movably mounted on said support and having blocking means thereon, said member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to block said actuator means and render the same ineffective to move said latch device means to door unlatcbed position, said member having a part movable into opposing relation to a second part of said latch device means when said member is disposed in said blocking position, said latch device means being movable into door unlatched position independently of actuation thereof by said actuator means to cause its said second part to engage said member part and thereby shift said blocking means out of blocking position with respect to said blocking portion.

I 4. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a main plate portion and a secondary plate portion in spaced relationship to one face of said main plate portion, latch device means mounted between said plate portions for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position and having a keeper engaging portion projecting beyond one edge of said secondary plate portion, actuator means mounted on said main plate portion and having a blocking portion, one of said means having a part thereon arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other means, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means to move the same in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device means into door unlatched position, a member movably mounted on said main plate portion having blocking means thereon, said member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to block said actuator means and render the same ineffective to move said latch device means to door unlatched position, said member having a part movable into opposing relation to a second part of said latch device means when said member is disposed in said blocking position, and said latch device means being movableinto door unlatched position independently of actuation thereof by said actuator means to cause its said second part to engage said member part and thereby shift said blocking means out of blocking position with respect to said blocking portion.

5. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a main plate portion and a secondary plate portion in spaced relationship to one face of said main plate portion, latch device means mounted between said plate portions for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position and having a keeper engaging portion projecting beyond one edge of said secondary plate portion, actuator means mounted on said main plate portion and having a blocking portion, one of said means having a part thereon arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other means, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means to move the same in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device means into door unlatched position, spring means compressible between a plate portion part and a part of said latch device means and effective to restore said latch device means and actuator means to door latched position and normal inoperative position, respectively, on release of said outer manually operable means, a member movably mounted on said main plate portion having blocking means thereon, said member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to block said actuator means and render the same ineffective to move said latch device means to door unlatched position.

'6. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion adapted to be mounted on the free edge wall of the door, a vertically slidable latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, a lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, said lever means having a blocking 'portion and also having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and :arranged in opposing relation to a part of the latch device, said lever means being swingable to cause said parts to abut and shift the latch device vertically into door .unlatched position, and a swingable member mounted on said support and having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said swingable member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be, engaged by said blocking portion thereby to block said lever and render the same ineffective to move said latch device into door unlatched position.

'7. In a latch mechanism for 'a swinging door, a support having a plate portion adapted to be mounted on the free edge wall of the door, a vertically slidable latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means comprising a substantially vertically extending lever pivotally mounted on said plate portion, a blocking portion on said lever, said lever having a part thereon arranged beneath and in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with an arm of said lever to swing said arm in the direction of the inner edge of the plate portion to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device upwardly into door unlatched position, and a substantially horizontally extending swingable member mounted on said plate portion having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said swingable member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion and render said lever ineffective to move said latch device into door unlatched position.

8. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion adapted to be mounted on the free edge wall of the door, a vertically slidable latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means comprising a substantially vertically extending lever pivotally mounted on said plate portion, a blocking portion on said lever, said lever having a part thereon arranged beneath and in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with an arm of said lever to swing said arm in the direction of the inner edge of the plate portion to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device upwardly into door unlatched position, a substantially horizontally extending swingable member mounted on said plate portion having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said swingable member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion and render said lever ineffective to move said latch device into door unlatched position, and means on said latch device operative upon independent actuation of the latch device for moving said swingable member out of blocking position with respect to said lever.

9. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a main plate portion and a secondary plate portion in spaced relationship to one face of said main plate portion, a vertically shiftable latch device mounted between said plate portions for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position and having a keeper engaging portion projecting below one edge of said secondary plate portion, actuator means mounted on said main plate portion and having a blocking portion, one of said means having a part thereon arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other means, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means to move the same in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device means upwardly into door unlatched position, and a member movably mounted on said support having blocking means thereon, said member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to block said actuator means and render the same ineffective to move said latch device means to door unlatched position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,331,166 Ochsner Feb. 17, 1920 2,270,559 Rolph et al. Jan. 20, 1942 2,646,300 Roethel July 21, 1953