US703642A - Latch. - Google Patents

Description

No. 703,642. Patented July |902.

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LATCH.

(Appgcation led Sept. 14, 1901.)

(lo Model.)

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PATENT Orrcn.

JOHN W. CZERMAK AND JOHN TISCHLER, OF PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK.

LATCH.

SPECIFICATION formngpart of Letters Patent No. 703,642, dated July 1, 1902. Application filed September 14,'1901. Serial No. 75,4126. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN W. CZERMAK yand JOHN TISOHLER, citizens of the United States, residing at Port Chester, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Latch-Releasing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to latches, and particularly to latches on the inside of doors at both top and bottom; and the object of our invention is to provide an improved latch-releasing device which will possess advantages in point of convenience, effectiveness, and general efficiency. I

It is often desirable to have a latch both at the top and bottom'of a door and to be enabled to release both of such latches by one movement from a'single point.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a door and part of doorway embodyv ing ourimproved latch-releasing device,showing the same in side elevation in operative position and in dotted lines in 'inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, the door partly `broken away.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Our improved latch-releasing device comprises in general a sectional shaft extending longitudinally of the door and connected operatively with the spring-actuated bell-crank latches at the top and'bottom of the door, said shaft having telescopic ends and the sections of said shaft being pivotally mountedmidway their length and the end sections being also slidably carried by said pivotal mounting and a suitable means provided midway the length of said sectional shaftfor depressing that part thereof, and thereby depressing the ends of said shaft and causing said latches to be released from their keepers.

Our improved latch-releasing device is ap plicableto'any of the usual forms of latches, such kas pivoted catches, dac., releasable by being drawn away from engagement with a keeper used upon one leaf of a pair of doors to fasten it onthe inside, so thatsuchleaf may form the means of securing the other leaf of said pair of doors as by a sliding springcontrolled bolt having its end beveled on the top and bottom of said leaf 6. One arm of l said bell-crank 1 has its outer end face beveled, as at 7, forming a notch or shoulder 8, adapted tol automatically engage suitable keepers 9, herein shown as plates having one end turned up at right angles, forming a flange 10, said keepers 9 being secured to the inner side of the lintel 11 and threshold 12 of the door-frame 13 in any suitable manner, herein shown as `.screws 14, said ange 10 adapted to be engaged by the shoulder 8 when said leaf 6 is closed. Suitable tensional means are provided for normally holding said bell-crank 1 in suitable position to cause saidv shoulder 8 to automatically engage said ange 10 when the leaf 6 is closed. A convenient form of such tensional means is herein shown and comprises a coiled spring 15, interposed between the plate 3 and the arm of the bell-crank l, to which the operating means is attached.

In the form of our improved latch-releasing device shown in the accompanying drawings, and which, if desired, may be the preferred form thereof, a shaft 16 is provided formed in sections 17, connected pivotally, as at 24:,with each other and with one arm of the bell-cranks 1 for movement in a plane at right angles to the plane of the leaf 6. The end sections 17 are preferably telescopic at the end secured to the bell-crank 1 and are slidably carriedby sleeves 18, which are suitably mounted for oscillation longitudinally of the leaf 6, herein shown as vplates v19, secured to the leaf, 6 in any suitable manner, as by screws 20, and each provided with perforated ears 22, between which is pivotally mounted'an arm 23, depending from the sleeve 18. A sucient number of other `sections 17 of convenient length are provided to extend the shaft 163 from each end to within a short distance of IOO the point from which it is desired to operate .such shaft 16, herein shown as about the middle longitudinally of the leaf 6, such other sections 17 being suitably ymounted for oscillation longitudinally of the leaf 6, herein shown as exactly similar to that above described for sleeves 18, and hence which it is not necessary to again particularly describe. The organization of such other sections 17 is such that the movement of the ends nearest the operative point of the sections 17 adjoining the central section 17 will cause a like movement of the ends of the shaft 16, attached to the bell-cranks 1. The middle section 17 of the shaft 16 is not supported except by its connections with the adjoining sections 17, but is free to move in a plane at right angles to the plane of the leaf 6, so that by moving said middle section 17 nearer the leaf 6 the ends of the shaft 16, attached to the arm of the bell-cranks 1, are depressed and the shoulders 8 released from the flanges 10.

The operation and advantages of our invention will be readily understood and appreciated. In the use of our improved latch-releasing device it is only necessary to close the door to latch it., and to open the door a single movement is required. Often the latch at the top of a door is out of the reach of even the tallest person, and artificial means either to elevate the person, as a chair, steps, or step-ladder, or to lengthen his reach, as a pole or other suitable means, provided at its ends with suitable grappling means, must be procured. So the latch at the bottom of the door generally requires one to stoop, which is awkward for all persons and to some disagreeable, to others difficult, to others dangerous, and to yet others impossible. Now

the middle part of the door is within the easy convenient reach of most persons, and if not and a point above or below the middle is more convenient by suitably organizing the sections of the shaft the operative point can be brought to the desired position. improved latch-releasing device the latches fastening the door of a compartment raised above the Iioor can be easily manipulated by a person standing on the floor.

It will be evident that our invention and improvement are applicable to a variety of uses in their general scope and characteristics other than the specific use as a latch-re leasing device. It is furthermore manifest that variation and modication in the detail features of construction and in the arrangement of part-s may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention and improvements. We therefore reserve the right to all such variation and modiiication as properly come Within the scope of our invention and the terms of the following claim.

.Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- An improved latch-releasing device, comprising, in combination, a door-frame, a door, keepers secured to the lintel and the threshold of said frame, bell-cranks pivoted near the top and bottom of the door and provided with a shoulder adapted to automatically engage the keepers, springs adapted to hold said bell-cranks in operative position, a shaft formed in sections connected to each other and toene arm of the bell-crank for movement in a plane at right angles to the plane of the door, the end sections being telescopic and slidably mounted in sleeves and means for operating the shaft from a single point.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. CZERMAK. JOHN TISCHLER.

Witnesses:

J. R. LITTELL, I-IARTWELL P. HEATH.

With our

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