US3179455A - Panel cover quick-acting latch - Google Patents

Description

April 20, 1965 A. R. BLAIR 3,179,455

PANEL COVER QUICK-ACTING LATCH Filed Sept. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ARTHUR H. BLAIR I I 59 49 56 58 82.. k/gJ-MAW ATTORN Y5 April 0, 1965 A. R. BLAIR 3,179,455

PANEL COVER QUICK-ACTING LATCH Filed Sept. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 52 36 6/ FIG. 4 38 l 5 54 2 11 IM/\ /ZI\ W INVENTOR. V/ A ARTHUR R. BLAIR United States Patent Ofilice 3,179,455 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,179,455 hANEL CUVER QUICK-ACTING LATCH Arthur R. Blair, 103 N. Wycolf, Bremerton, Wash. Filed Sept. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 311,924 6 flaims. ((Il. 292-65) (Granted under Titie 35, US. Code (1952), sec.'266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention pertains to a means for removing and replacing access covers on watertight control panels and relates specially to a quick-acting latching mechanism which eifectuates a rapid removal or replacement of such access covers.

The prior method of removing access covers of such equipment as watertight control panels which house electrical apparatus requires the complete removal of a plurality of cap screws which hold the access cover onto the given control panel. Gaining access to the housed apparatus for such purposes as troubleshooting is a tedious time-consuming procedure. The problem is aggravated where there is any time criticality involved. The reverse process of replacing such access covers is equally burdensome.

The present invention provides a positive-acting latching means which is mounted on such an access cover. A control panel to which such a cover is to be fitted is provided with perpendicular screws attached thereto whereby the latches on the cover engage said screws and exert a pulling force on same. The instant latch utilizes a cam mechanism to provide such a pulling force. The resultant of the pulling force is a compressing or sealing motion between the cover and panel. The desired degree of sealing is adjustable by means of the screws mounted on the panel. Once adjusted however no further screwing motion is necessary but merely movement of a lever to the opened or locked position of the latch is sufilcient.

An object of the present invention is to provide a quickacting latch means for sealing a cover to an opening in a mating panel.

A further object is to provide a latch means which is easily removable when desired but not subject to loosening by vibration or the like.

A still further object is to provide a latch for sealing an access cover to a panel in a watertight relationship by a single rapid and easy motion.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a portion of a control panel and a watertight access cover mounted thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the quick-acting latching mechanism in the open position;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the quick-acting latching mechanism in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the latching mechanism in the access-cover-open position;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the latching mechanism in the access-cover-closed position; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the lifting arm 38.

The control panel 11 of FIG. 1 is representative of the watertight control panels with which the present invention is concerned. The panel access cover 12, adapted to close the access hole 13 of the control panel 12, is held in closing position over access hole 13 by the cooperative action of the plural latching mechanisms 14 (which are mounted around the periphery of the access cover 12) acting in concert with mated socket head screws 16, each of which is individual to one of the latching mechanisms 14 and each of which is appropriately screwed into a mating threaded bore hole 17 in the control panel 11.

Looking now to FIGS. 3 and 4, when the access cover 12 is to be replaced into watertight covering position over the access hole 13, the individual latching mechanism 14 which is fixedly mounted to the panel access cover 12 will act to lift the socket head screw 16 (with which it is associated) upwardly to a position as shown in FIG. 4. This relative lifting action on socket head screw 16 brings the access cover 12 down into closing position over the access hole 13. Between the access cover 12 and that portion of the outer panel surface 13 with which it makes contact when in access-hole-closing position there will be a suitable gasket 19 of rubber or some other appropriate material, to effectuate the required watertight sealing. Generally the gasket 19 is mounted on the control panel surface 13 and mates with knife edges formed on the access cover 12.

All 'of the latching mechanisms 14 which are mounted on the access cover 12 and the cooperating structure on the control panel 11 are the same for each latching mechanism. Accordingly, further discussion of the invention will be in terms of a given individual latching mechanism 14 and its associated structure.

The latching mechanism 14 comprises a number of cooperating individual elements. 1 The base 22 of this latching mechanism 14 is mounted to the access cover 12by spot welding or by riveting or in some like appropriate manner. Here inthe drawing it is shown secured to access cover 12 by a pair of rivets 23 and 24 which pass through bore holes as and 27 ofthe base 22. Base 22 is formed with a pair of laterally-opposed upwardlyextending twinlugs 28 and 29, respectively, each of which is provided with an internally-located slot 31, as shown, and each of which has laterally-extending edge portions 32, 33, and 34 shaped as shown. Mounted between lugs 28 arid29 for sliding movement along the respective slots 31 (of-lugs 28 and 29) is a spindle 36 which is provided at each longitudinal end with ahead 37. These respective heads 37, of a size larger than the adjacent slots 31 of lugs 28 and 29, contain the possible .movement of the spindle 3-5 to sliding motion within the 810131.

Carried by spindle'fi for free pivotal rotation thereabout is a lifting arm 38. Lifting arm 38,.in turn, has a pair of vertically-extending lug- portions 39 and 41 which carry a spindle 42 which is freely rotatable in the supporting lug-portions 39 and 11. Mounted for otherwise-free pivotal movement about the spindle 12 is a cam-bearing operator-actuable lever arm i-3 which is formed at its head-end with a cam portion 14. Lifting arm 38 is normally biased downwardly toward the horizontallyextending portion of base 22 by the action of a flat spring as which at its tail-end 51 is secured to the horizontally-extending portion of base 22 and at its head-end 52 resiliently presses against lifting arm 38 to bias it downwardly. In the drawing the tail-end of this fiat spring 45 extends under alip 53 formed in base 22 and, through the hole 27 formed therein, is secured to base 22 and to the access cover 12 by the same rivet 24 whichalso acts to secure base 22 to the access cover 12. Thus, flat spring 46 is firmly anchored to bring its resilient biasing action to bear against lifting arm 38. This spring biasing action results in a counter-clockwlse-directed moment upon the lifting arm 38.

Lifting arm 33 is cut away to form a channel 49, best seen in the plan view of this lifting arm element set out in FIG. of the drawing. This channel 49 has an enlarged circular portion 56 at its right-hand end (as oriented in the various figures of the drawing) which is adapted to allow the head 57 of the socket-head screw 16 to pass freely therethrough when the latching mechanism 14 is in the release position for permitting the access cover 12 to be removed from the control panel 11. The socket-head screw 16 will likewise pass through this enlarged circular portion 56 of channel 49 when the access cover 12 is replaced in covering position over its access hole 13 and before the access cover 12 is tightened into place. FIG. 3 shows the socket-head screw 16, which has been screwed into the complementarily threaded hole 17 in the control panel 11, after its head 57 has been passed through the enlarged portion 56 of channel 49 and before the latching mechanism 14 has been actuated to bring the access cover into seated closed position over its access hole 13.

A comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 will portray the latching action (of latching mechanism 14) which eifectuates the securing of the watertight access cover 12 to the control panel 11 to close off the given access hole 13. FIG. 3 shows the latching mechanism 14 in the release position and FIG. 4 shows it in the lock position (i.e., the position it has when the access cover 12 in its secured and tightened down position over the control panel access hole 13). To shift the latching mechanism 14 from its release to its lock position, cam-bearing lever arm 43 is turned clockwise about its supporting spindle 42. As lever arm 43 rotates clockwise about spindle 42, its cam portion 44 which rides on the base 22 will shift its point of contact from point A (see FIG. 3) at the beginning of the .locking pivotal movement of lever arm 43 to point B (seePIG. 4) at the termination of the locking pivotal movement of the lever arm 43. During this clockwise pivotal movement of lever arm 43 the spindle 42 will be carried rightwardly and upwardly as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The cam-induced rightward-and-upward movement of spindle 42 progressively carries lifting arm 38 to a new position as seen in FIG. 4. This progressive movement of lifting arm 38 is characterized by a continual raising of the left-hand end of lifting arm 38 and a rightwardly directed movement of the entire lifting arm 38 as permitted by the sliding of spindle 36 rightwardly along the lug slots 31. Compare the FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 showings which designate the relative positions. of lifting arm 38 at the beginning and end, respectively, of this progressive movement thereof. As lifting arm 33 proceeds ri-ghtwardly as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shank 58 of fixed socket-head screw 16 relatively passes from the enlarged circular portion 56 of channel 49 into the narrowed-down portion 59 of channel 49. With the crosswise dimension of channel portion 59 smaller than the same dimension of screw head 57, as soon as screw shank 58 enters the narrow portion 59 of lifting arm channel 49, continued upward movement of lifting arm 38 causes the lifting arm 38 to carry with it the head 57 of the screw 16 and therefore causes this further upward movement of lifting arm 33 to lift the entire screw 16. Since this screw 16 is firmly anchored by its threaded bottom portion to control panel 11, this induced relative movement of the base 22 (of latching mechanism 14) and socket-head screw 16 results in bringing the access cover 12 (to which the latching mechanism base 2-2 is fixedly attached) into closing position over the control panel access hole 13. The described operator-initiated movement of lifting arm 33 readily overcomes theopposing biasing thrust exerted upon lifting arm 38 by flat spring 46.

In summary, after the access cover 12 is in place, lever arm 43 is brought from its release position as seen in FIG. 3 to its closed position as seen in FIG. 4. In the manner described above, this results in relative lifting of the screw 16 to tighten access cover 12 against the cover gasket 19 which is mounted to the face of control panel 11 so as to be located under the outer edges of access cover 12 when it is in closing position over the access hole 13. Lever arm 43 is held in closed position by the overcenter cam action described and by the detent action exerted upon portion 61 of lever arm 43 by the abutting edge portions 34 of respective base lugs 23 and 29. It will be noted that in the closed position, edges 62 of lever arm 43 mate with the edge portions 32 of base lugs 28 and 29, and edges 63 of lever arm 43 similarly mate with the respeetive complementarily-shaped edges 33 of the base lugs 28 and 29. The detent action upon portion 61 of lever arm 43 by the respective edge portions 34 of base lugs 28 and 29 prevents opening of the access cover 12 due to shock and/ or vibration loads. Tension on the gasket 19 (by the secured access cover 12) can be adjusted by rotating the socket head screw 16 using an Allen wrench inserted through the opening 66 provided in lever arm 43. Lever arm 43 is provided with an appendage tab 67 which permits easy grasping and manipulation of the lever arm by the operator.

The present latching mechanism 14 allows (by easy shifting of lever arm 43 from its closed to open position) rapid removal of the access cover 12 in a matter of seconds. Replacement of the access cover 12 is equally facile and rapid.

It will be noted that access cover 12 is formed with a set of hand holds 68 to permit the operator to grasp the access cover 12 for removal from or replacement over the access hole 13.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teaching. It is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the embodiment set forth herein which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for detachably securing first and second I laterally-extending plate members comprising;

bolt means projecting outwardly from said first plate member and provided with a shank portion and an enlarged head portion;

said second plate member being formed with an opening adapted in size to closely receive said bolt head whereby said members can be loosely engaged;

spaced flange members carried by said second plate member and provided each with complimentary laterally-extending slots;

latching means;

said latching means comprising; 1

an elongated laterally-extending latch plate provided at one end of its ends with pin means slidably engaged in said spaced slots for providing a laterally-slidable pivotal axis for said latching means;

an actuating lever pivotally attached at the other end of said latch plate;

said lever having a flange extending between said other end of said latch plate and said second plate;

said flange having a cam-like surface engaging said second plate and shaped for lifting and simultaneously laterally moving said latch plate as said actuating lever is pivotally rotated about its axis;

said latch plate further being provided with a keyhole slot having its enlarged portion remote from said other end of said latch plate;

said enlarged portion of said key-hole slot being adapted to receive said bolt head whereby said latch can be fitted onto said bolt;

said key-hole slot further having its smaller portion adapted to closely receive said bolt shank;

whereby said lifting and lateral movement of said latch plate moves said smaller key-hole portion into engagement with said bolt head for exerting a lifting force on said head and drawing said first and second plate members into secure engagement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including:

a flat spring secured at one end to said second plate member and having its other end contacting said 5 latch plate whereby said spring biases said latch plate towards its open position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lever is provided at its end opposite its pivot point with other flange means for mating with said spaced flange members when said latch is in its closed position to prevent lateral movement of said latch means with respect to said first and second plates. 1

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first plate member is a control panel having an access opening and said second plate member is a detachable cover for covering said access opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bolt means is threadably and adjustably engaged to said first plate member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said actuating lever is provided with a hole to provide access to said adjustable bolt.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,710,214 6/55 Summers 292-113 2,860,904 11/58 Barry et al 292256 FOREIGN PATENTS 657,284 9/51 Great Britain.

92,588 6/38 Sweden.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner. THOMAS J. HICKEY, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING FIRST AND SECOND LATERALLY-EXTENDING PLATE MEMBERS COMPRISING; BOLT MEANS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST PLATE MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH A SHANK PORTION AND AN ENLARGED HEAD PORTION; SAID SECOND PLATE MEMBER BEING FORMED WITH AN OPENING ADAPTED IN SIZE TO CLOSELY RECEIVE SAID BOLT HEAD WHEREBY SAID MEMBERS CAN BE LOOSELY ENGAGED; SPACED FLANGE MEMBERS CARRIED BY SAID SECOND PLATE MEMBER AND PROVIDED EACH WITH COMPLIMENTARY LATERALLY-EXTENDING SLOTS; LATCHING MEANS; SAID LATCHING MEANS COMPRISING; AN ELONGATED LATERALLY-EXTENDING LATCH PLATE PROVIDED AT ONE END OF ITS ENDS WITH PIN MEANS SLIDABLY ENGAGED IN SAID SPACED SLOTS FOR PROVIDING A LATERALLY-SLIDABLE PIVOTAL AXIS FOR SAID LATCHING MEANS; AN ACTUATING LEVER PIVOTALLY ATTACHED AT THE OTHER END OF SAID LATCH PLATE; SAID LEVER HAVINGA FLANGE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID OTHER END OF SAID LATCH PLATE AND SAID SECOND PLATE; SAID FLANGE HAVING A CAM-LIKE SURFACE ENGAGING SAID SECOND PLATE AND SHAPED FOR LIFTING AND SIMULTANEOUSLY LATERALLY MOVING SAID LATCH PLATE AS SAID ACTUATING LEVER IS PIVOTALLY ROTATED ABOUT ITS AXIS; SAID LATCH PLATE FURTHER BEING PROVIDED WITH A KEYHOLE SLOT HAVING ITS ENLARGED PORTION REMOTE FROM SAID OTHER END OF SAID LATCH PLATE SAID ENLARGED PORTION OF SAID KEY-HOLE SLOT BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID BOLT HEAD WHEREBY SAID LATCH CAN BE FITTED ONTO SAID BOLT; SAID KEY-HOLE SLOT FURTHER HAVING ITS SMALLER PORTION ADAPTED TO CLOSELY RECEIVE SAID BOLT SHANK; WHEREBY SAID LIFTING AND LATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCHING PLATE MOVES SAID SMALLER KEY-HOLE PORTION INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOLT HEAD FOR EXERTING A LIFTING FORCE ON SAID HEAD AND DRAWING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATE MEMBERS INTO SECURED ENGAGEMENT.

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