US3716262A

US3716262A - Concealed latching mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3716262A
Application number: US00138484A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Wickenberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-04-29
Filing date: 1971-04-29
Publication date: 1973-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-02-13

Abstract

A self-operating concealed latching mechanism for releasably securing separate portions of a container, such as luggage and the like, together, having a concealed latching rod and catches so constructed as to provide an intermediate latched position that facilitates complete closing and locking of the separate portions together and which prevents accidental separation thereof.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Wickenberg 1 Feb. 13, 1973 [54] CONCEALED LATCHING MECHANISM [76] Inventor: Chester H. Wickenberg, 164 Division Street, Elgin, 111. 60120 22 Filed: April 29, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 138,484

, [52] US. Cl ..292/218, 292/DIG. 48

[51] Int. Cl. ..H0lr 3/14 [58] Field of Search ..292/259, 120, 218, DIG. 5, 292/DIG. 48, D10. 50

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Tierney ..292/28 Poeter ..292/D1G. 50

9/1916 Fuller .292/DlG.50 4/1923 Fate ..292/259X Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore An0rneyEdward C. Threedy [5 7] ABSTRACT A self-operating concealed latching mechanism for releasably securing separate portions of a container, such as luggage and the like, together, having a concealed latching rod and catches so constructed as to provide an intermediate latched position that facilitates complete closing and locking of the separate portions together and which prevents accidental separation thereof.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures CONCEALED LATCHING MECHANISM SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A latching mechanism for releasably securing separated edge portions of a container, such as luggage, together, including a concealed biased latching rod which in its restrained assembled state is biased so as to function as a torsion member inherently seeking a relieved position as it is caused to rotatably engage catches disposed in its path and which cooperate therewith to latch the edge portions together.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The most convenient mode of illustrating the invention is depicted in the accompanying drawings showing the preferred embodiment of such invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a piece of luggage in its open condition and which includes the concealed latching mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the closed luggage and showing in a fragmentary broken-away portion a part of the latching mechanism in its operative position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing certain parts of the latching mechanism in intermediate locking position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the parts of the latching mechanism in completely locked position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the latching rod in its unassembled state;

FIGS. 7A, B, C and D schematically show the cooperation and operable motion between the latching mechanism of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 2.

To conveniently illustrate a use of the self-latching mechanism of this invention, there is shown in FIG. 1 a piece of luggage 10 including a hollow base portion 11 and a complementary cover 12. Both the base portion 11 and cover 12 provide confronting

separable edge portions

13 and 14, respectively,'which are encased in

pre-formed escutcheon plates

15 and 16, respectively.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 8, the escutcheon plate 15 is substantially I'l-shaped in cross section and provides a lower compartment 17 which receives the edge 13 of the base 11. An upper compartment 18 is normally open and adapted to receive a depending projection 19 formed as a part of the depending flange 20 of the upper escutcheon plate 16. The upper escutcheon plate 16 provides a recess 21 which receives the corresponding edge 14 of the cover 12.

The depending flange 20 of the upper escutcheon plate 16 approximately at a mid-line through its front wall provides an opening 22 through which projects the latch finger 23 which carries the lock plate Throughout the longitudinal length of the depending flange 20 of the escutcheon plate 16, there is provided These clip members are provided in any suitable number to either side of the center opening 22 formed in the depending flange 20 of the escutcheon plate 16 and serve the purpose of rotatably retaining a latching rod 30 within the recess 24 formed in the rear surface of the flange 20.

As shown in FIG. 6, the latching rod 30 is of an elongated circular configuration which is bowed out of its normal longitudinal length so that when it is held within the recess 24 of the flange 20 by the retaining clips 29, it will assume a biased condition and thus act as a torsion member in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Each of the free ends 31 of the latching rod 30 are preformed so as to provide a substantially elliptical shaped body 32 having an enlarged head portion 33 which terminates into a latch shoulder 34. Intermediate the ends 31 and fixedly connected to the rod 30 is a lock plate 30'.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, I show mounted on the lower escutcheon plate 15 a clasp member 35 which provides at one end a bendable clip 36 and which has struck from its medial portion an oppositely bendable clip 37, with both the

clips

36 and 37 being in contact with the inner oppositely extending

legs

38 and 39 of the I-I-shaped escutcheon plate 15.

The clasp member 35 provides an upstanding hook shaped catch 40 which is adapted to cooperate with the formed ends 31 of the latching rod 30 to latch and lock the confronting edges of the base 11 and cover 12 together in a closed relationship such as shown in FIG. 2. 7 When the cover 12 is desired to be closed upon the base 11, it is so moved that the

confronting edges

13 and 14 of such parts will align themselves with the depending projection 19, seeking to be received in the upper compartment 18 of the lower escutcheon plate 15. The latching rod30 will be in condition such that its preformed ends 31will have their latch shoulder 34 disposed to be engaged by the hook-shaped catch 40, and with the rod 30 having sufficient spring tension so as to pass' around the free end of the catch 40 from the condition shown in FIG. 7A, to that shown in FIG. 78. At this stage of the operation the latching rod 30 has not been caused to rotate but has merely been caused to seek its biased position, which is in the direction shown by the full arrows in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The arrangement of the ends 31 of the rod 30 and the hookshaped catch 40, provides an intermediate latch position. When the parts are in the relation shown in FIG. 7B, the suitcase cover 12 cannot be opened but is retained in its intermediate latched condition by the head 33 of the end 31 of the rod 30 being biased beneath the hook-shaped catch 40.

To complete the closure, the rod 30 is caused to be rotated about its longitudinal axis by forceable movement of the lock plate 30' from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2. This rotatable movement of the rod 30 will cause the ends 31 thereof to be rotated into the position shown in FIG. 7C, wherein the free end of the hook-shaped catch 40 is caused to be disposed behind the shoulder 34. The lock plate 30' can now be locked to the keeper plate 41 and secured thereto through the use of a key or combination type lock.

When the luggage is to be opened, the rod 30 will be caused to rotate in an opposite direction from that necessary to lock it, through the manipulation of the lock plate 30'. By this movement the rotation of the rod 30 in the direction of the line arrow shown in FIG. 7D, will cause the latching rod 30 to be moved over a mid center line parallel to its longitudinal axis, to overcome the torsion effect of its biased condition and will assume an intermediate open position where the free end of the hook-shaped catch 40 is arrested against the shoulder 34 of the free end 31 of the rod 30, as shown in H6. 7D. Further rotation of the rod 30 into its position as shown in FIG. 7A, will complete the unlatching of such parts and permit the cover 12 to be raised.

From the foregoing l have described a complete latching mechanism which affords an intermediate latching position during the closing of the separable parts and which is simple in operation and economical to manufacture. It should also be noted that as the locking mechanism is completely concealed and the only movable part which is exposed is the lock plate 30', a safety feature is accomplished by having such lock plate 30 positioned beneath the handle 42 of the luggage piece so that if it were to be accidentally moved it would become immediately apparent to the person carrying or picking up the luggage piece.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A concealed latching mechanism for releasably securing together in edgewise relation separable edges of a container such as luggage and the like, wherein the improvement comprises a. an elongated latch member biased out of its normal longitudinal plane and carried within one of the edges of the container to be secured together,

b. means connecting said latch member in its longitudinal biased condition within said one edge of the container,

0. means carried by said latch member for axially rotating said member within said one edge of the container,

d. catch means provided by the other edge of the container in the path of movement of the ends of said latch member when the edges are moved to a juxta-edgewise position with respect to each other,

e. and means on the ends of said latch member movable into contact with said catch means for latchably engaging said catch means and, upon axial rotation of said latch member by said latch member rotating means, for locking said latch member to said catch means and the separable edges together.

2. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises an elongated rod bowed out of its normal longitudinal length and connected with said one edge in a biased restrained condition so as to rotate its ends through an arcuate path when it is axially pivoted.

mechanism as defined by 3. A concealed latching claim 1 wherein said catch means comprise a plurality of hook-shaped members projecting in a direction transversely to said latch means and having a free end of the hook-shaped portion thereof disposed in the path of said latch means when said separated edges are moved into a juxtaposed position with respect to each other.

4. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 2 wherein said catch means comprise hookshaped members projecting in a direction transversely to the longitudinal length of said elongated rod and having a free end of the hook-shaped portion thereof disposed 'in the path of said latch means when said separated edges are moved into juxtaposed position with respect to each other.

5. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein the means on the ends of said latch means comprises a pre-shaped member having a substantially elliptical shaped body including an enlarged head portion and restraining shoulder.

6. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 4 wherein the means on the ends of said latch means comprises a pre-shaped member having a substantially elliptical shaped body including an enlarged head portion and restraining shoulder. 4

Claims

1. A concealed latching mechanism for releasably securing together in edgewise relation separable edges of a container such as luggage and the like, wherein the improvement comprises a. an elongated latch member biased out of its normal longitudinal plane and carried within one of the edges of the container to be secured together, b. means connecting said latch member in its longitudinal biased condition within said one edge of the container, c. means carried by said latch member for axially rotating said member within said one edge of the container, d. catch means provided by the other edge of the container in the path of movement of the ends of said latch member when the edges are moved to a juxta-edgewise position with respect to each other, e. and means on the ends of said latch member movable into contact with said catch means for latchably engaging said catch means and, upon axial rotation of said latch member by said latch member rotating means, for locking said latch member to said catch means and the separable edges together.

3. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said catch means comprise a plurality of hook-shaped members projecting in a direction transversely to said latch means and having a free end of the hook-shaped portion thereof disposed in the path of said latch means when said separated edges are moved into a juxtaposed position with respect to each other.

4. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 2 wherein said catch means comprise hook-shaped members projecting in a direction transversely to the longitudinal length of said elongated rod and having a free end of the hook-shaped portion thereof disposed in the path of said latch means when said separated edges are moved into juxtaposed position with respect to each other.