US2956827A

US2956827A - Lock construction

Info

Publication number: US2956827A
Application number: US668238A
Authority: US
Inventors: John B Humphries
Original assignee: EXCELSIOR HARDWARE Co
Current assignee: EXCELSIOR HARDWARE Co
Priority date: 1957-06-26
Filing date: 1957-06-26
Publication date: 1960-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1977-10-18

Description

Oct. 182 1,960 .n .1. B. HuMPHRu-:ss 2,956,827`

-LOCK CONSTRUCTION Y Filed June 26. 195? 3 sheets-sheet@ BY am fj m A ORNEYS Oct. 18, 1960 Filed June 26. 1957 .1. B/HuMPHmEs ,y l2,956,827

Lcx coNs'rRucT'roN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Oct. 18, 1960 J. B. HUMPHRIES 2,956,827

LOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed June 26. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Unite Stat-,e Page LOCK CONSTRUCTION John B. Humphries, Stamford, Conn., assignor to The Excelsior Hardware Company, Stamford, Conn.

Filed June 26, 1957, Ser. No. 668,238

7 Claims. (Cl. 292--99) This invention relates to a luggage latch construction or the like. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a latch suitably accommodated on a substantially fiat surface of a suitcase or the like and having its releasing mechanism disposed substantially flush with the surface of the suitcase on which it is mounted.

An object of this invention is to provide a latch construction which will be pleasing in appearance and simple in construction. Another object of this invention-is to provide a latch construction of the above character in Which the various parts are free from complexity and may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled. Another object of this invention is to provide a latch construction of the above character in which the assembly may be mounted in operating position on a suitcase with great ease, thus reducing the manufacturing costs. Another object of this invention is to provide a latch construction of the above character in which the releasing mechanism is pleasing in appearance because of its simplicity and the fact that it may be mounted fiush with the exposed or front surface of the suitcase. Another object of this invention is to provide a latch construction of the above character which will greatly facilitate the opening and closing of the suitcase. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the front corner section of a suitcase with my latch construction mounted therein,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the latch construction taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figures 2 and 7,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figures 2 and 7 showing the latch construction in the closed or locked position,

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 7 showing the latch construction in the open or release position,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the latch mechanism taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a Vertical sectional View taken along thev line 7-7 of Figure 3 with the parts in the closed or locking position,

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 7 with the parts in the open or release position, and

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the four sets of assemblies comprising the lock construction to be described and depicting their interrelation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Generally speaking, the latch construction comprises ice a base plate generally indicated at 10 (Figures 1, 2 and 9) having pivotally mounted therein a release lever generally indicated at 12 (Figures l, 2, 3 and 9), the face plate being mounted in the usual position on the front side of a suitcase generally indicated at 14 (Figure 1). As will be understood from a consideration of Figures 1, 2 and 9, a casing plate generally indicated at 16 is mounted on the rear or the side wall of the suitcase preferably in a suitable recess formed therefor (not shown), and this casing plate houses the latching mechanism adapted to co-act with a hook 18 (Figure 1) extending from the bottom edge of the usual hinged top 20 of the suitcase. Thus there is an opening 22 in the top of casing plate 16 (Figures l and 9) and immediatelyrtherebeneath there is a sliding U-sliaped bar generally indicated at 24 (Figures 7, 8 and 9), a sliding latch bar generally indicated at 26 and a latch member generally indicated at 28 pivotally supported thereon. Latch member 28 is urged upwardly by a spring 30, and latch member 28 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction (Figures 7, 8 and 9) by a spring 32.

As best seen in Figures 3 and 7, when the case is closed the hook 18 presses bar 24 to its lower-most position, and this pivots latch member 28 to an interfitting or latching position therewith to lock the case in the closed position. As can be seen in Figures 4 and 7, a lug 34 exurge bar 24 and latch bar 26 upwardly; this pivots latchl member 28 in a clockwise direction (Figures 7 and 8) to the release position as shown in Figure 8.

As can be seen in Figures l, 2 and 3, face plate 10 includes a flange 36 resting against the front of the case and inwardly extending walls 38, 40 (Figure 3), 42 and 44 (Figure 2). There is a rear closure plate 46 intertting with these walls (Figure 2) and suitably secured to face plate 10 by any suitable means. As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, release lever 12 has a pair of

pins

48 and 50 extending from the opposite sides thereof and fitting into suitable holes formed in walls 42 and 44 (Figure 2). The left portion 12a of release lever 12, as seen in Figure 3, is cut out to allow sufiicient pivoting thereof to move lug 34 away from extension 26a thereby releasing the latch (Figure 5). As best seen in Figures 4, 5 and 9, there are a pair of

slots

52 and 54 formed in closure plate 46, and a spring 56 is fitted therebetween with one end 56a (Figure 5) resting on the inner side of the plate and the other end 56b fitting in a slot 34a (Figure 9) in lug 34. Accordingly, when release lever 12 is pressed to the release position indicated in Figure 5, spring 56 holds it in such position until the next closing of the case.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 9, casing platev 16 comprises a rear section 58,

end walls

60 and 62, a bottom wall 61, a top wall 64 and an upwardly extending section 58a. Casing plate 16 also has a top flange portion 66 and generally indicated at 72 preferably force fitted within,

walls

60, 61 and 62 of casing plate 16 to hold the various parts in the assembled relation shown in Figures 7 and 8. More particularly, as seen in Figures 7 and 8, a lug '74 extends from the rear section 58 of casing plate 16 adjacent bar 2d` to hold thebar inrvertically sliding position. Referring still to Figures 7 and 9, apair'of lugs,:7,6 extend from latch bar 26v into longitudinal` slots178= in intermediate cover. plate; 70. A. lug, 80 extends from latch member 28 into a-` diagonal slot S2 in cover plate "70,- and this latch member. is pivotally mounted in latch bar 26 by way of a circular portion 28a ttingwithin a hole 26h in the respective parts. Al lug 84 extends from rear. section 58 to support the spring 30 having a bottom section 30a resting onbottom wall 61 anda free end 3019 urging bar 24V in an upward direction. Spring 32 is suitably secured' to

wall

6,2, and its free end 32a (Figures 7 and 8) preferably rests in a concavity 2811 formed in the lower endof latch member 28;

Conveniently, the latch construction may be manufactured and assembled into two units by the latch manufacturer and shipped in such fashion to the` luggage manufacturer where the two units can be inally assembled on the suitcase. Thus the two assembled units` as made by the latch manufacturer will include as one such.

assembled at point of manufacture will, of course, include faceplate 10, release lever` 12 and associated partsA as seen in Figure` 9 but fully assembled as shown in Figures` 2 and 3. Upon receipt of these parts, thel luggage manufacturer rst lits the cover plate and associated parts.

in a suitably formed cavity 86 (FiguresZ and 3) in the rear or inside surface of the case opposite an opening 88 extending through the case. Next the front piece including the face plate 10 and the release lever 12 is inserted in the opening 88 so that flange 36 rests Hush against the front of the case. In such position of-4 the parts, a. pair of lugs 90 extend from closure plate 46 (Figures 4, 7 and 9) through slots 92 in cover p-latey 70 and slots 94 in casing plate 16; ends 90a are then bent down upon the rear surface of the casing plate to. complete the assembly. By this simple operation the latching mechanism for the case is quickly installed in a permanent position without the use of screws or any other fastening elements thus effecting considerable economy in labor and materials.

Further still, it will` be appreciated that casing plate.

when the cover 20 of the suitcase is pushed into'the-closed' position. This is accomplished by adjusting the position of the hook 18 with any suitable mechanism (not shown). Thus, the hook is located so that it will interlock with latch member 28 when the top 20 is in the closed position. Immediately beneath the keyhole 96 in release lever 12, there may be provided conventional locking mechanism mounted in the face plate 18. Such locking mechanism may be designed to lock release lever 12V upon the turning of a key against movement to the release position shown in Figure 5. Conventional locking mechanism may be utilized for this purpose and is, therefore, not shown for it forms no part of the present invention.

Not only is the latch mechanism here described simple in construction and easily assembled by the luggage manufacturer, but it may also be conveniently operated by the user. To close the suitcase it is merely necessary to push the top 20 down to the closed position. This allows hook i8 (Figures 7 and 8) to engage leg 24a of bar 24 moving the bar to the position shown in Figure 7. Such` movement also moves latch bar 26 to pivot latch member 28 as lug 80 follows along in slot 82. The result is an interfitting of the

extremities

18a and 28a of hook 18 and latch member 28, respectively, as can be seen in Figure 7. To release the cover 20 it is merely necessary to press release lever 12 over the keyhole 96 to the position shown in Figure 5. This moves lug 34 out of the path of extension 26a (Figures 5 and 7) permitting spring 30 to urge the parts upwardly from the position of Figure 7 to the position of Figure 8; Spring 30 may be sufficiently strong to move the parts upwardly violently thereby producing-,a desirable pop-up effect. Preferably there may be two of these latches at opposite ends of the case. Thus, merely by exerting slight pressure on the two release bars so located, the cover 20 pops up substantially to the position shown in Figure l where it may be easily grasped for complete opening.

lt will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, `it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingy drawings shall be interpreted as.A illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood` that the following claims are intended. to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statementsl ofthe scopeV of the invention, which, as a matter of language, `might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

l. In luggage. latch construction the combination comprising a casing member adapted to be mounted substantially entirely within the thin wall of a luggage unit, an outer ange of said casing adapted to overlle an outer surface of said luggage wall in substantially flush relation thereto, a first longitudinally slidable member withinsaid casing, a first lever, arm pivotally mounted on said slidable member, and movable thereby between latching and unlatching positions, a first spring member engaged with said first lever arm and adapted to urge said slidable member longitudinally and to pivot said lever arm to an unlatched position, a releasable catch engageable with a portionof said slidable member to prevent longitudinal motion thereof whereby said first lever arm is retained immovably locked in a latching position, a manually operable externally accessible flush mounted second lever arm pivotally supported on an axis` within said casing normal to but-not intersecting the axis of said first lever arm, means joining said second pivotal lever arm` with saidreleasable catch, and further spring means normally holding said second lever arm in a plane substantially parallel to and flush with said. outer casing flange.

2. The combination of claim l including a second longitudinally slidable member having a pair of laterally extending arms encompassing said first longitudinally slidable member, and spring loading means normally urging said second slidable member in the same direction that said first spring member urges said first slidable member and said first lever arm, whereby the longitudinal motion of said first slidable member is limited by and confined within said laterally extending` arms of said second slidable member.

3. In a latch construction for a luggage` unit having a hinged lid with a projecting hook member depending therefrom, the combination of a casing adapted to be mounted in the top side of said luggage unit facing said hook member, a first longitudinally slidable member within said casing, a lirst lever arm pivotally mounted on said slidable member `and movable thereby between latching and unlatching position, resilient means within said casing urging said slidable member longitudinally and pivoting said first pivotal lever arm to its unlatched position, a manually operable externally accessible second lever arm pivotally flush-mounted in said casing and having a norm-ally closed position and a pivotally depressed open position and catch means interconnecting said second lever arm with said Iiirst slidable member and opertive when said second lever arm is in said closed position for holding said iirst pivotal lever arm in said latched position.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 including releasable locking means in said casing normally retaining said second pivotal lever arm in said normally closed position.

5. The combination deiined in claim 3 including resilient means in said casing normally retaining said second pivotal lever arm in said normally closed position.

6. The combination defined in claim 3 including cam means adapted to guide said iirst pivotal lever arm between said latching and unlatching positions upon longitudinal movement of said iirst slidable member.

7. Ina latch construction adapted to co-act with catch means on the lid of a luggage unit, the combination of an interior unit including a casing and latching mechanism adapted for mounting in the Wall of said luggage unit, said latching mechanism including a longitudinally sliding member and a latching lever pivotally mounted thereon for releasable engagement with said catch means, an exterior unit including la pivotal member adapted to be mounted on the exterior of said luggage wall opposite the interior unit, means forming an aperture in said latching mechanism adjacent said sliding member, a lug extending from said pivotal member adapted to project into said aperture and to inter-lit with said sliding member to hold said latching lever in engagement with said catch means, and means Iinterconnecting said exterior and nterior units to form a unitary latching structure on said luggage unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,864,956 Stone v June 28, 1932 2,030,456 Ledin Feb. 11, 1936 2,399,302 Thiele Apr. 20, 1946 2,594,940 Levine Apr. 29, 1952