US621574A

US621574A - Ernest u

Info

Publication number: US621574A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1899-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 1916-03-21

Description

- UNITED STATES:

'PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST U. KINSEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LATCH FOR BOXES, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,574, dated March 21, 1899.

Application led October 31, 1898. Serial No. 694,993. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNEST U.'K1NsEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Latches for Cabinets, Boxes, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention :relates to latches for cabinets, boxes, trunks, satchels, 85o., and espe cially7 to cabinets for holding phonograph cylinders or records, in connection with which my improvement holds the lid in a fixed relation to the body of the cabinet to prevent the endwise movement of the records, which movement is injurious to their preservation. The device also holds the lid of a bQx, trunk, or other similar article in a tixed relation to the body, so as to prevent the movement of the one in relation to the other.

In carrying out my invention I provide a case having front, back, and edge plates, within which are pivoted tumblers of peculiar form, and a'spring-actuated bolt for engaging and holding the tumblers in a fixed position. This case is connected to one part of the cabinet or box, and secured to the other part is a latch-bar adapted to pass between and engage the tumblers. The pivoted tumblers are each made with a shoulder at one end'and with a hook 'at the other end, and the tumblers are placed so that said should ers and the hooks are in opposition and move in opposite directions toward or from one another. When the latch-bar is in engagement with the tumblers, the bolt is also in engagement with the tumblers to prevent motion and. the withdrawal of the latch-bar, and when the bolt is moved endwise by fingerpressure upon a knob connected therewith vor otherwise the latch-barv ismoved away from the tumblers and in said movement sets the tumblers ready for rengaging the edge notches of the latch-bar, and the released bolt is returned by the spring and holds the tumblers in a fixed position rcadyfor engagment with the latch-bar.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation representing my improvement with the parts vin engagement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, and Fig. 3 is an elevation representing the parts separated.

y The latch-bar is represented at a. It has notches with inclined bases on its opposite edges and is connected to one part, either the lid or thebody of a cabinet, box, trunk, satcliel, or similar article.

o b represent the pivoted tumblers, each made with a shoulder 2 at one end and a hook 3 at the other end. These tumblers are oppositely placed, so that the shoulders and the hooks are in opposite positions.

The pivots -l of the tumblers pass through or are secured to the front and back plates 4 ,5 of a case, the said case also having sides 6 and ends 7 and being of anydesired coniiguration and adapted to be fastened either' to the outer or inner face of one part of a cabinet, box, trunk, Satchel, &c., in any desired manner. Y

The bolt c is betweenthe case sides 6 and is movable longitudinally of the case. The spring d is a helix bent into U form within the case. I have adopted this form as insuring the greatest elasticity in a confined space; but any form of spring may be employed.

The knob c has a stem passing through a mortise in the front or surface plate, and it is connected to the bolt, so that finger-pressure upon the knob will move the bolt against the action of the spring and away from the tumblers. This bolt is received between the shoulders of the tumblers when the parts are in the position Fig. l.

If the latch mechanism is connected upon the inner surface of the box or cabinet, the ste'rn of the knob will extend through the body of the same and the knob be outside, or the case may be made so as to connect the knob upon either side.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the operation of the parts is as follows: 'Finger-pressure upon the knob c against the action of the spring d moves the bolt c away from the tumblers, relieving the tumblers and permitting the latch-bar a to be Withdrawn from the case,

the withdrawal of the latch-bar causing its inclines to act against'the hooks and swing the tumblers b h apart on their pivots and leave them in the position Fig. 3, with the back edges resting against the case, and the release by the nger o f the bolt permits -the spring to press the same against the ends of IOO the tumblers to hold them in the position shown in Fig. 3 ready for the rentrance of the latch-bar. When the cabinet, box, or similar article is closed, the latch-bar again enters the case and comes in contact with the curved surfaces of the tumblers Z) b, compelling them to swing on their pivots and in the motion of swinging to bring the hooked ends into engagement with the edge notches of the latch-bar and simultaneously to slide the opposite ends oi the face of the bolt, so that the same is projected bythe action of the spring into engagement with the shouldered ends of the tumblers, the parts assuming the position shown in Fig. 1, where the latch-bar is securely held in place, the respective parts being of such coinciding configuration that a movement of the latch-bar is prevented.

Vith my improvement the mechanism contained in the case may be connected to either part of a cabinet, box, or similar article, the latch-bar being connected to the other part, and the operation is effectedby the simple movement of the bolt by the iingers engaging the knob or otherwise, and the locking action is automatic when the parts are returned to a normal engagement.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with the case and the latch-bar having notches on opposite edges and an end projecting beyond the notches, of a pair of pivoted tumblers standing in opposite directions and having hook ends to engage the edge notches of the latch-bar and side projections that extend toward each other and against which the latch-bar acts to swing the tumblers and bring the hooks into engagement with the latch-bar and a bolt adapted to pass between and hold the tumblers and lneans for moving the bolt, subsfantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the case andthe latch-bar, of pi voted tumblers standing in opposite directions and having hook ends to engage the latch-bar, and projections that eX- tend toward each other and against which ihe latch-bar acts to swing the tumblers and bring the hooks into engagement with the latch-bar, there being shoulders at the rear ends of the tumblers, a bolt and means for moving the same between the shoulders to hold the tumblers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a latch, the combination With an inclosing case, of tumblers pivoted in the case, each having a hook at the forward end, a bolt for holding the tumblers, and means for operating the same, .and a latch-bar having edge notches with inclines to be engaged by the hook ends of the tumblers, the inclines acting when the tumblers are released and the latch-bar is withdrawn to swing the pivoted tumblers out of the way, substantially as specified.

4f. In a latch, the combination with an inclosing case, of tumblers, each having a shoulder at one end and a hook at the other end, and pivoted in said case in opposite positions, a bolt adapted to engage the shoulders of the tu1nblers,a springfor moving the said bolt in one direction, a knob to be engaged by thefingers for moving said bolt in the opposite direction and a latch-bar having edge notches and inclines adapted to be received between the hook ends of the tumblers and to be held thereby when the bolt is in engagement with the shoulders of the tumblers or to be released and withdrawn from the tumblers with the retraction of the bolt, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a latch, the combination with an inclosing case, of tumblers, each having a shoulder at one end and a hook at the other end and pivoted in said case in opposite positions, a bolt adapted to engage the shoulders of the tumblers, a spring for moving the said bolt in one direction, means for moving the said bolt in the opposite direction and a latch-bar having edge notches and inclines adapted to be received between the hook ends of the tumblers and to be held thereby, the bolt holding the tumblers in either of their positions, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 25th day of October, 1898.`

E. U. KINSEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, HAROLD SERRELL.