US834810A - Fastener for receptacles. - Google Patents

Description

EDWIN F. HULBERT, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN.

FASTEIlER FOR RECEPTACLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

Application filed June18, 1906. Serial No. 322.314.

10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN F. HULBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at'Keno- I I sha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in fasteners for receptacles, and more particularly to an improved construction of gravity latch or fastener which is designed to be automatically operated by a closing movement of one part toward the other to lock the parts together.

The object 'of myinvention is to provide an improved fastener or latch of this character which will be composed of comparatively few and simple parts, that will be easy and cheap to manufacture, which will be capable of being; readily assembled, and which will be dura le in construction and efficient in operation, and which will embody practically no projecting parts to be broken off or damaged in handling, my improved device being therefore especially applicable for use in connection with shipping-crates, oyster packages, and similar receptacles that are designed for the transportatlon of perishable or other goods.

- With this and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds,

myinventlon conslsts in certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of the parts hereinafter set forth and claimed. For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a kno wl-' edge of the details of construction .of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and ac companying drawings, 1n which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved fastener in applied position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of a box, showing the fastener attached. Fig. 3 is a detached detail front view with the plate 10 removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In, the drawings theparts to be secured toether are represented as a portion of the body 1 of a receptacle of any desired charac ter, and 2 the cover thereof. 3 designates the casing of the fastener. This casing comprises a base-plate 4, which is substantially semicircular in outline and which is provided with a swelled or bulged encircling rim or margin 5, as shown, and within the said rim is a substantially semicircular groove or channel 6.

The casing is also formed with a hole 7 and wlth prongs or spurs 8, adapted to penetrate the wood of the part to which it is attached to a slight degree sufficient to hold it from turning axially and to secure it in place before it is permanently attached to the body 1 by means of the coacting plate 10 and its attaching shank 11. This plate 10 is adapted to fit over a portion of the outer face of the base-plate 4, with its stud or shank 11. eX- tending through the hole 7 and through a hole in the body 1, the inner end of said shank being mashed to form a rivet or bein secured by a nut. In the present instance t e end of the shank is shown as riveted, as indicated at 12. When in position, the plate 10, which is the face-plate of the casing 3, coacts at its upper end with the upper middle portion of the base-plate 4 to form an upwardly-open- .ing socket 9, as clearly illustrated in. the drawings. The upper end of the plate 10 is formed on its inner surface with a transversely-extending substantially semicircular groove 13. ,A catch 14, which in the present instance is in the form of a bail or ring, has its upper cross-bar or connecting-bar 15 mounted in the groove 18, and said upper cross-bar is of the same substantial crosssectional outline as the said groove, so that when the catch 14 is in a horizontal position the said cross-bar 15 will accurately fit and fill said groove, its flattened outer face registering and flush with the inner face of the faceplate 10 at the upper end of the same. The lower and remaining portions of the catch 14 are preferably circular, as shown, and are adapted to fit in the semicircular channel 6 in the base-plate 4, so as to lie flush with the bulged rim 5 on the latter. Hence when the locking-catch 4 is down and within said channel or groove 6 no part of said catch will pro- 'ect. l As best seen in Fig. 2, the bulged rim 5 of the base-plate 4 is interrupted at the bottom to produce a recess 17 at which ones finger may be directed to raise the bail-like lockingcatch 14.

18 designates the keeper, which is angular lengthwise and is provided with a strap portion 19, adapted to be secured by screws or any suitable fastening means to one of the parts to be secured togetherin the present instance the cover 2. The said keeper is also provided with an inwardly-extending lug 20, adapted to fit around the body-cover and beyond said lug with a downwardly-facing shoulder 21, beyond which the catch portion 22 is designed to fit in socket 9 when the two parts of the receptacle are brought together for locking engagement. The said catch portion is formed on its outer side with a transversely-extending groove 23. As the catch portion 22 of the keeper moves into the socket 9, it is manifest that its outer end will strike that portion of the fiat face of the connecting-bar 15 which projects beyond the plane of the groove 13, it being assumed that the catch 14 is in a perpendicular position, as it is a gravity-catch. As the keeper strikes this portion of said flat face, it is evident that it will rock the catch outwardly about the groove 13 as an aXis, and as soon as the keeper passes into the socket 9 sulliciently far the groove or gutter 23 in the keeper will register with the groove 13 in the lock-casing and permit the gravity-catch 14 to swing downwardly and into the groove 23, by which means it will securely lock the keeper in the socket. To unlock the parts, it is only necessary to swing the catch 14 outwardly until the flat face of the portion 15 registers with the inner surface of the face-plate 10, at which time the keeper 18 may be retracted.

It is to be noted that the particular construction of locking-catch herein illustrated admits of the said catch performing the function of a bail or handle without detracting from its primary function as a catch.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a fastener for receptacles, the combination with parts to be secured together of a casing secured to one of said parts and provided with a keeper-receiving socket and a groove in one wall opening into said socket, a catch mounted to swing in said groove, and so arranged that in one position it will lie flush with the margin of said groove and in another position will project beyond said margin, and a keeper adapted to enter said socket and provided with a groove in its side facing the groove in the casing, said keeper being arranged to engage the projecting end of said catch and swing it in one direction whereby to allow the keeper to pass and bring its groove in registry with the groove in the casing, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fastener for receptacles the combination with parts to be secured together, of a casing secured to one of said parts and provided with a'keeper-receiving socket and a semicircular transversely-extending groove in one vertical wall, said groove opening into said socket, a ring-like gravity-catch having a semicircular cross-bar swung in said groove, the flat face of said cross-bar projecting out of said groove when the gravity-catch is in the down position, the said face retreating into said groove when the catch is swung outwardly, and a keeper secured to the other part, said keeper being adapted to enter said socket and provided with a groove facing the groove in the casing, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a fastener for receptacles the combination with parts to be secured together, of a casing secured to one of said parts and of substantially semicircular shape, said casing consisting of a base-plate provided with a bulged rim and a substantially semicircular groove within the margin of said rim, and a face-plate provided with an attaching shank inserted through the base-plate and adapted to secure it and the base-plate to the part of the receptacle on which they are mounted, the face-plate forming with the base-plate a keeper-receiving socket and said face-plate being provided in one wall with a transverse groove opening into said socket, a bail-likc locking catch swung in said groove and adapted to fit within said groove in the baseplate substantially flush with the bulged rim of the latter, the upper member of said catch being flattened on one side and the catch being so arranged that when it is swung outwardly the flat face will lie flush with the wall of the keeper-receiving socket and when swung downwardly will project beyond said wall, said catch being mounted. to freely swing, and a keeper secured to the other part and adapted to enter said socket, said keeper being formed within the margin of its outer end with a groove adapted to register with the groove in the base-plate, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN F. HULBERT.

ICC

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