US3093262A

US3093262A - Lunch box latch

Info

Publication number: US3093262A
Application number: US92332A
Authority: US
Inventors: Zebe A Babcock
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-02-28
Filing date: 1961-02-28
Publication date: 1963-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 1980-06-11

Description

June 11, 1963 z. A. BABcocK 3,093,262

LUNCH BOX LATCH Filed Feb. 28, 1961 INVENTOR. I ZEBE A. BAacoC AT TO 2H EYS United States Patent 3,093,262 LUNCH BOX LATCH Zebe A. Babcock, RED. 3, Cass City, Mich. Filed Feb. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 92,332 3 (Ilaims. (Cl. 220--34) This invention relates to a novel tensioned resilient latch for covered containers, such as lunch boxes.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a more reliable and etficient latch of the kind indicated WhlCh is less subject to being accidentally opened, with consequent loss of or damage to the contents of a covered container.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a latch of the character indicated above which is adapted to be used as the sole latching means for a covered container which has two or more spaced latch engaging elements on both its cover and its body.

A further object of the invention is a simple and inexpensive latch of the character indicated above which can be made of a single length of spring wire.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following descriptlon and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

'In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a lunch box having a cover hinged on a box body, both provided with spaced latch engaging elements, and showing a latch of the present invention engaged with said elements and in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIG- URE 1, showing the latch in open position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing details of the latch and latch engaging elements as they appear in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3; and,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral generally designates a lunch box, having a box body 12 having a front wall 14, and a cover 16 having a front wall 18. Fixed on the cover front wall 18 is a pair of longitudinally spaced upturned hooks 2b, which ordinarily are engaged by latch loops (not shown) pivoted on the box body 12.

Pivot brackets

22 and 22 are afiixed to the box body front wall 18, beneath and in vertical alignment with the hooks 20, and are such as ordinary latch loops (not shown) are pivoted on. The brackets 22 comprise vertical channels having webs 26 and side walls 28, the side walls 28 being provided with horizontally aligned pivot holes 30.

In accordance with the present invention, the usual dual latch means, which is ordinarily present in the above described lunch box construction, are replaced with a single latch 32.

The latch 32 is U-shaped and is preferably formed of a single length of heavy gauge spring wire, and comprises a longitudinally and horizontally elongated straight pivot leg 34, an arcuate bight portion 36, on one end of the leg 34, and a straight longitudinally and horizontally elongated resilient detent leg 38. The detent leg 38 extends spacedly along the pivot leg 34, from the bight portion 36, and is spring-tensioned away from the pivot leg, at an acute angle, and both of the legs are longer than the distance between the outer side walls of the brackets 22.

The pivot leg 34 is engaged endwise through the pivot holes 30 of the

brackets

22 and 22, and is journalled therethrough, with the bight portion 36 located outwardly of the bracket 22' and a lateral detent arm 40" located outwardly of the bracket 22. In the released or open position of the latch 32, shown in FIGURE 2, the latch is gravitationally positioned, with the detent leg 38 disengaged from the cover hooks 20, and in a pendent position.

The latch 3-2 is latched and closed by rotating the latch upwardly from the released position, flexing the detent leg 38 downwardly toward the pivot leg 34, so as to tension the leg 38 and engage the same downwardly in the cover hooks 20, and then engaging the detent hook 42 on the free end of the detent arm 40 over the detent leg 38 at the free end 44 thereof, as shown in FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 5.

To release the latch 32, the detent leg 38 is manually depressed, at its free end 44', so as to disengage the same from the hook 42, whereby the detent leg 38 being freed, the detent leg 38 springs upwardly out of the cover hooks 2%, so as to free the box cover 16 to be opened.

It is to be observed that, until the detent hook 42 has been disengaged from the detent leg 38 of the latch 32, by directed manual effort, the latch 32 remains securely closed against accidental opening by contacts of external objects therewith, such as the clothing of the carrier of the lunch box it). Further, the closing tension exerted by the latch 32 on both the box body 12 and the box cover 16, keeps the cover 16 tightly and fully closed, in contrast to the loosely latched condition which frequently obtains where conventional latch means are present and are worn or strained.

Although there have been shown and described herein preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being Within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A container having an open top box body, a cover hinged on said body, said body and said cover having front wall, said cover having longitudinally spaced up turned hooks on its front wall, said body having pivot brackets, on its front wall in vertical alignment with said hooks, an elongated U-shaped latch, said latch being longer than the distance between the outer sides of the brackets and the hooks and comprising a pivot leg extending between and journalled through said brackets, a bight portion on one end of said pivot leg, a resilient detent leg on said bight portion, said detent leg being tensioned away from said pivot leg, said pivot leg having a lateral detent arm thereon terminating in a detent hook, said detent leg being flexed toward said pivot leg and engaged in the cover hooks, with said detent hook engaged over the detent leg.

2. A container having an open top box body, a cover hinged on said body, said body and said cover having front wall, said cover having longitudinally spaced upturned hooks on its front wall, said body having pivot brackets, on its front wall in vertical alignment with said hooks, an elongated U-shaped latch, said latch being longer than the distance between the outer sides of the brackets and the hooks and comprising a pivot leg extending between and journalled through said brackets, a bight portion on one end of said pivot leg, a resilient detent leg on said bight portion, said detent leg being tensioned away from said pivot leg, said pivot leg having a lateral detent arm thereon terminating in a detent hook, said detent leg being flexed toward said pivot leg and engaged in the cover hooks, with said detent hook engaged over the detent leg, said legs being straight, said 3 bight portion being located outwardly of one pivot bracket, said legs having free ends located outwardly of the other pivot bracket.

3. A container having an open top box body, a cover hinged on said body, said body and said cover having front wall, said cover having longitudinally spaced upturned hooks on its front wall, said body having pivot brackets, on its front wall in vertical alignment with said hooks, an elongated U-shaped latch, said latch being longer than the distance between the outer sides of the brackets and the hooks and comprising a pivot leg extending between and journalled through said brackets, a bight portion on one end of said pivot leg, a resilient detent leg on said bight portion, said detent leg being tensioned away from said pivot leg, said pivot leg having a lateral detent arm thereon terminating in a detent hook,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,503,462 Albert Aug. 5, 1924 1,852,729 White Apr. 5, 1932 2,224,161 Rice Dec. 10, 1940 2,858,957 Darrah Nov. 4, 1958

Claims

1. A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN TOP BOX BODY, A COVER HINGED ON SAID BODY, SAID BODY AND SAID COVER HAVING FRONT WALL, SAID COVER HAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED UPTURNED HOOKS ON ITS FRONT WALL, SAID BODY HAVING PIVOT BRACKETS, ON ITS FRONT WALL IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID HOOKS, AN ELONGATED U-SHAPED LATCH, SAID LATCH BEING LONGER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE OUTER SIDES OF THE BRACKETS AND THE HOOKS AND COMPRISING A PIVOT LEG EXTENDING BETWEEN AND JOURNALLED THROUGH SAID BRACKETS, A BIGHT PORTION ON ONE END OF SAID PIVOT LEG, A RESILIENT DETENT LEG ON SAID BIGHT PORTION, SAID DETENT LEG BEING TENSIONED AWAY FROM SAID PIVOT LEG, SAID PIVOT LEG HAVING A LATERAL DETENT ARM THEREON TERMINATING IN A DETENT HOOK, SAID DETENT LEG BEING FLEXED TOWARD SAID PIVOT LEG AND ENGAGED IN THE COVER HOOKS, WITH SAID DETENT HOOK ENGAGED OVER THE DETENT LEG.