US3500667A

US3500667A - Combination locking and latching device

Info

Publication number: US3500667A
Application number: US750169A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul W Jespersen
Original assignee: Georgia Pacific LLC
Current assignee: Georgia Pacific LLC
Priority date: 1968-08-05
Filing date: 1968-08-05
Publication date: 1970-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 1987-03-17

Description

March 17, 1970 P. w. JESPERSEN COMBINATION LOCKING AND LATCHING DEVICE 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1968 INVENTOR PAUL W JESPERSEN MWM KL.

ATTORNEYS March 17, 1970 P. w. JESPERSEN 3,500,667

COMBINATION LOCKING AND LATCHING DEVICE Filed Aug. 5, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR PNL W. JESPERSEN Q MMMQ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,500,667 COMBINATION LOCKING AND LATCHING DEVICE Paul W. Jespersen, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Georgia- Pacific Corporation, Portland, Oreg., a corporation of Georgia Filed Aug. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 750,169 Int. Cl. E05b 65/44, 65/62; E05c 3/04 US. Cl. 70-84 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device which functions either as a key-operated lock or as a push button-operated latch for releasably securing separable portions of an enclosure together, and having means for selectively preventing the device from functioning other than as a key-operated lock to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of the enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Description of the prior art Locks of various types have long been used for securing separable portions of enclosures, such as cabinets, boxes, or the like, together. For example, many types of key-operated locks have been designed for securing the lid of a money or jewelry box to the main portion of the box.

Similarly, various types of locks have been designed for securing separable portions of a toilet paper or paper towel disenser cabinet together. Generally, such locks are relatively simple, inexpensive devices which are operated with a key, and are almost always installed in dispenser cabinets which are to be placed in public or quasi-public washrooms to prevent unauthorized access to the paper and dispenser mechanism within such a cabinet.

In many quasi-public washrooms, however, such as a washroom used by a relatively small number of employees of a business, there is little danger that those having access to the washroom will attempt to tamper with the interior of the dispenser cabinets placed therein. Accordingly, for such washrooms there is no requirement that the separable portions of a dispenser cabinet be secured together by a lock, but only by a hand-operated latch. The use of a hand-operated latch for securing the separable portions of a dispenser cabinet together permits a custodian to open the cabinet for servicing the dispenser much quicker than if he is required to unlock a lock utilizing a key in order to gain access to the interior of the cabinet.

Desirably, therefore, dispenser cabinets which are designed to be placed in public and quasi-public washrooms should include a locking device if the cabinets are to be placed in a public washroom and a latching deviceif they are to be placed in a quasi-public washroom. Obviously it would be more economical if a single device, which would selectively function either as a locking or latching device, could be installed in all such cabinets, rather than use a separate locking device for the cabinets to be placed in one type of washroom and a separate latching device for the cabinets to be placed in the other.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The device of the invention is ideally suited for use in toilet paper and paper towel dispenser cabinets which are designed to be placed in either public or quasi-public washrooms. The device selectively functions either as a key-operated lock or as a push button-operated latch.

Basically described the combination locking and latching device of the invention comprises: a resilient means, such as a fiat spring, adapted to be connected to the inside of a first portion of an enclosure; a fastening means, such as a hammer having a hook integral therewith, operatively connected to the resilient means and being movable in a first direction with a key from externally of the first enclosure portion; an anchoring means, such as a flange, adapted to be connected to the inside of a second portion of the enclosure, which second portion is separable from the first portion, the anchoring means being engageable by the fastening means for releasably securing the first and second enclosure portions together; a biasing means, such as a spring, operatively connected to the fastening means for urging the fastening means into engagement with the anchoring means; an actuating means, such as a barrel, operatively connected to the resilient means and being depressible in a second direction from externally of the first enclosure portion so that the fastening means may be disengaged from the anchoring means by depressing the actuating means and thus flexing the resilient means to thereby move the fastening means in said second direction until it disengages the anchoring means, or by moving the fastening means in said first direction with the key until it disengages the anchoring means; and means adapted to be connected to the second enclosure portion, such as a slidable bar, for selectively blocking the fastening means from being moved in said second direction to thereby selectively prevent the fastening means from being disengaged from the anchoring means by depressing the actuating means.

As will be appreciated from this brief description, the combination locking and latching device of the invention has relatively few operative elements, all of which may be fabricated relatively inexpensively. Moreover while the structure of the device is rather simple, it is rugged enough to withstand the abusive wear that is invariably received by public washroom fixtures.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination locking and latching device for releasably securing separable portions of an enclosure together.

-It is also an object of the invention to provide a combination locking and latching device that is specifically adapted to be installed in toilet paper and paper towel dispenser cabinets which are to be placed in public and quasi-public washrooms.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which selectively functions either as a key-operated lock or as a push button-operated latch for releasably securing separable portions of an enclosure together.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a combination locking and latching device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which is rugged enough to withstand abusive wear.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given in connection with the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially in section and partially broken away, of the combination locking and latching device of the invention as installed in a toilet paper dispenser cabinet;

FIG. 2 is ,a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing a different relationship between the operative elements of the device; FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of several of the elements of the device of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another of the elements of the device of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the device of the invention is sohwn in FIG. 1, as designated by reference numeral 10. Device 10 includes a resilient means, such as flat spring 12, which is adapted to be connected at one end to the inside of a first portion of an enclosure, such as portion 14 of a toilet paper dispenser cabinet 16, by suitable fastening means, such as rivets 18. The other end of spring 12 has an opening 20 therein which is aligned with an opening 22 in cabinet portion 14. The functions of

openings

20 and 22 are described in detail below.

A housing plate 24 is aflixed to spring 12 by suitable fastening means, such as rivets 26, and extends beneath opening 20 in the spring.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, spring 12 and plate 24 define a. housing 27 therebetween within which is disposed a fastening means, such as hammer 28. Hammer 28 is rotataoly mounted on a pivot pin 30 which is aflixed to houslng plate 24 and extends upwardly into housing 27. Also, the hammer integrally includes a hook 32 which extends Jutwardly from the housing.

Hook 32 is engageable with an anchoring means, such as flange 34, which is adapted to be connected to the in- ;ide of a second portion of an enclosure, such as portion 56 of cabinet. 16.

Cabinet portions

14 and 36 are sepirable, for example, the portions may be pivotally inter- :onnected, so that a custodian may gain access to the inlerior of dispenser 16 for servicing the dispenser. As will )e evident, however, when hook 32 is engaged with

flange S4 portions

14 and 36 will be secured together.

A biasing means, such as torque spring 38, is coniected between housing plate 24 and hammer 28 for roatably urging hook 32 in the direction of engagement vith flange 34. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the forward )ort ion of the edge of book 32 nearest flange 34 slopes iutwardly from the forward end of the hook toward the lange, to define a camming surface 40. When portions l4 and 36 of cabinet 16 are brought together, camming :urface 40 contacts the longitudinal extremity 42 of flange i4 nearest hook 32, causing the hook to rotate away from he flange in opposition to the force exerted on the hook )y spring 38. After the forward portion of the hook has moved behind the flange, spring 38 automatically rotates he hook in the direction of engagement with the flange, 0 thus automatically secure

cabinet portions

14 and 36 ogether.

Also mounted within housing 27 is an actuating means, uch as barrel 44. Barrel 44 comprises two substantially emi-cylindrical sections 43 which are jointed at one end )y a web 45 and at the other end by a circular flange 48. [he barrel is mounted for rotation on pin 30, with the nner surface of web 45 bearing against the top of the pin, .nd extends upwardly from housing 27 through opening :0 in spring 12 and opening 22 in cabinet portion 14. The and is retained in housing 27 by the engagement of lange 48 with spring 12, and is accessible from externally f cabinet 16.

- Hammer 28 and barrel 44 have aligned elongated slots l7 therein for accommodating a key 46 insertable into the '4 slots from externally of cabinet 16 through

openings

22 and 20.

As will be apparent from this description, by depressing barrel 44 from externally of cabinet '16 and thus flexing spring 12 as shown in FIG. 3, hook 32 may be moved transversely of flange 34. When the hook has moved below the lower transverse extremity 50 of the flange, it becomes disengaged from the flange and

cabinet portions

14 and 36 may be separated. Device 10 may thus function as a push button-operated latch.

Alternatively, by rotating barrel 44 and hammer 28 with key 46 against the force of biasing spring 38, hook 32 may be moved longitudinally of flange 34. When edge portion 40 of the hook has moved clear of longitudinal flange extremity 42, the hook becomes disengaged from the flange and

cabinet portions

14 and 36 may be separated. Device 10 may thus also function as a key-operated lock.

One operating feature common to both functional modes of device 10 is that when cabinet 16 is closed, i.e., when

cabinet portions

14 and 36 are brought together,

hook 32 automatically engages flange 34 in the manner flange extremity for accommodating an aligning ear 56 integrally aflixed to housing plate 24. When

cabinet portions

14 and 36 are brought together, ear 56 moves into space 54 to thus insure that hook 32 will be properly aligned with flange 34, longitudinally of the flange, for engagement therewith.

Device 10 also includes means for selectively blocking hook 32 from being moved transversely of flange 34 and thus selectively preventing the hook from being disengaged from the flange by depressing barrel 44. Such means comprises a slidably mounted bar 58 which is adapted to be connected to the inside of cabinet portion 36. Specifically, the bar is connected to a mounting brack-' et 60 that is aflixed to cabinet portion 36. An adjustable fastening means, such as sheet metal screw 62, extends through an elongated slot 64 (FIG, 6) in bracket 60 for releasably securing the bar to the bracket. Bracket 60 is longitudinally aligned with flange 34 so that bar 58 is disposed in substantial longitudinal alignment with the flange.

As will be evident from this description,.bar 58 may be moved to a first position in which the end 68 of the bar nearest longitudinal flange extremity 42 is displaced therefrom a distance greater than the width of the shank portion of hook 32; the shank portion of the hook being that portion of the hook which is longitudinally adjacent longitudinal flange extremity 42 when the hook is engaged with the flange. When the bar is in this first position, hook 32 may be disengaged from flange 34 by depressing barrel 44, as described above, so that device 10 may function as a push button-operated latch.

Bar 58 also may be moved to a second position in which bar end 68 is displaced from longitudinal flange extremity 42 a distance less than the width of the shank portion of hook 32. This is the position of the bar shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. When the bar is in this second position, it will be disposed between the shank portion of the hook and transverse flange extremity 50. However, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the side of the bar nearest flange 34 is reduced in height so that when the bar is in the second position it will not interfere with the movement of hook 32 in the longitudinal direction of flange 34. Also, the bar has a lip 66 integrally aflixed thereto which extends parallel to and adjacent the hook when the bar is in the second position and the hook is engaged with the flange. Thus, when bar 58 is in the second position, lip 66 blocks hook 32 from being moved transversely of flange 34 so that device may function only as a key-operated lock.

For public washrooms in which unauthorized access to the interior of cabinet 16 is to be prevented, bar 58 is moved to the second position so that

cabinet portions

14 and 36 may be separated only when hook 32 is disengaged from flange 34 longitudinally of the flange with key 46. For quasi-public washrooms, however, in which unauthorized access to the interior of the cabinet poses no problem, bar 58 is moved to the first position so that hook 32 may be disengaged from flange 34 transversely of the flange by depressing barrel 44.

Device 10 thus constitutes a combination locking and latching device which is ideally suited to be installed in toilet paper and paper towel dispenser cabinets designed to be placed in either public or quasi-public washrooms, and eliminates the need for installing either a separate locking device or a separate latching device in such a cabinet depending upon the type of washroom in which the cabinet is to be placed.

Although the device of the invention has been described with specific reference to its use in toilet paper and paper towel dispenser cabinets, it is obvious that the device might be used with any type of enclosure where it is desired to provide alternative latching and locking modes of operation.

Further, while the foregoing constitutes a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is recognized that various modifications thereof will ocur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A combination locking and latching device compr1sa resilient means adapted to be connected to the inside of a first portion of an enclosure;

a fastening means operatively connected to said resilient means and being movable in a first direction with a key from externally of said first enclosure portion;

an anchoring means adapted to be connected to the inside of a second portion of said enclosure, which second portion is movable with respect to said first portion, said anchoring means being engageable by said fastening means for releasably securing said first and second enclosure portions together;

a biasing means operatively connected to said fastening means for urging said fastening means into engagement with said anchoring means;

an actuating means operatively connected to said resilient means and being depressible in a second direction from externally of said first enclosure portion, said fastening means being disengaged from said anchoring means either by depressing said actuating means in said second direction or by moving said fastening means in said first direction with said key; and

means connected to said second enclosure portion for selectively blocking said fastening means from being moved in said second direction to thereby selectively prevent said fastening means from being disengaged from said anchoring means by depressing said actuating means.

2. A combination locking and latching device as recited in claim 1, wherein said fastening means comprises a hammer having a hook integral therewith, and wherein said anchoring means comprises a flange engageable by said hook.

3. A combination locking and latching device as recited in claim 2, wherein said selective blocking means comprises a slidably mounted bar disposed in substantial alignment with said flange in said first direction.

4. A combination locking and latching device as recited in claim 1, wherein said resilient means comprises a flat spring attached at one end to the inside of said first enclosure portion.

5. A combination locking and latching device comprising:

a flat spring adapted to be attached at one end to the inside of a first portion of an enclosure and having an opening therein at the other end;

a housing plate affixed to said spring and extending beneath said opening, said plate and said spring defining a housing therebetween;

a hammer rotatably mounted in said housing and being rotatable with a key insertable into said opening from externally of said first enclosure portion, said hammer having a hook integral therewith which hook extends outwardly from said housing;

a flange. adapted to be connected to the inside of a second portion of said enclosure, which second portion is movable with respect to said first portion, said flange being engageable by said hook for releasably securing said first and second enclosure portions together;

a biasing means operatively connected to said hammer for rotatably urging said hook into engagement with said flange;

a barrel rotatably mounted in said housing and being rotatable with said hammer by said key,'said barrel extending through said opening and being accessible from externally of said first enclosure portion so that the hook may be disengaged from the flange by depressing the barrel and thus flexing the spring to thereby move the hook transversely of the flange until the hook clears a transverse extremity of the flange, or by rotating the barrel and hammer with said key to thereby move the hook longitudinally of the flange until the hook clears a longitudinal extremity of the flange; and

means connected to the inside of said second enclosure portion for selectively blocking said hook from being moved transversely of said flange to thereby selectively prevent said book from being disengaged from said flange by depressing said barrel.

6. A combination locking and latching device as recited in claim 5, wherein said selective blocking means comprises a slidably mounted bar connected to the inside of said second enclosure portion and being disposed in substantial longitudinal alignment with said flange, said bar being slidable away from said longitudinal flange extremity to a first position in which one end of the bar is displaced from said longitudinal flange extremity a dis tance greater than the width of the portion of said book which is longitudinally adjacent said longitudinal flange extremity when the hook is engaged with the flange, and being slidable toward said longitudinal flange extremity to a second position in which said bar end is displaced from said longitudinal flange extremity a distance less than the width of said hook portion and a portion of the bar is disposed between said hook and said transverse flange extremity, so that when the bar is in said first position the hook can be disengaged from the flange by depressing the barrel, and when the bar is in said second position the bar blocks the hook from being moved transversely of the flange and the hook cannot be disengaged from the flange by depressing the barrel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 719,691 2/1903 Peterson -137 X 1,073,482 9/1913 Ford 70137 X 2,313,711 3/1943 Jacobi 70145 2,399,812 5/1946 Ledin 7084 2,939,307 6/1960 Trammell 70-181 RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner