GB1317146A - Gravity actuated lock - Google Patents

Abstract

1317146 Door fastenings OVERHEAD DOOR CORP 19 April 1971 [18 March 1970] 24454/71 Addition to 1233385 Headings E2A and E2B A door lock for a vertically acting van or truck door 12, comprises an actuating member 33. pivotally mounted on the door near the lower edge thereof for movement about an axis substantially parallel with the vehicle platform 14 when the lower edge 15 of the door is adjacent the platform, a hook-bolt 47 pivotally supported upon the door for movement about the axis 35 and with respect to the actuating member, the hook-bolt having a shank portion 48 extending radially outwardly away from said axis, the hook-bolt also having an elongate arcuate hook portion 49 fixed to the shank portion adjacent the radially outer end thereof and adapted to extend below the lower edge of the door, the hook portion extending sidewardly from the shank portion and substantially about the axis, the radially inner surface 51 of the hook portion near the free end thereof being spaced radially from the axis a distance slightly greater than the opposite end of the surface, a striker assembly mounted adjacent the platform and having a striker member 29 located at a position below the axis for engagement by the radially inner surface of the hook portion, whereby the lower edge of the door is held closely adjacent the platform, a keeper device 79 mounted upon the door and adapted to hold the actuating member in a selected position with respect to the door wherein the hook portion is held in a locking position beneath the striker member when the edge of the door is closely adjacent the platform, and the centre of gravity of the hook-bolt being disposed between the shank portion and an imaginary line passing through the axis and said striker member when the hook portion is disposed adjacent the locking position, the hook-portion of the hook-bolt being rotatably urged into engagement with the striker member solely by gravity when the edge of the door is closely adjacent the platform and the actuating member is maintained in said selected position. As shown, a manually-operable lever 33 is together with the hook bolt 47, rotatably supported on an axle 35 and comprises a housing 34 formed with a flange 55 arid a channel-shaped arm 43 terminating in a flange 84. The latter, in the operative position, is located adjacent a lug 86 on the keeper 79 which has an arcuate edge 91 extending over and engageable with the upper edge 92 of the flange 84. The keeper 63 is pivoted on a pin 64 so as to rotate clockwise (Fig. 1) under the action of a counterbalance 69 and until the keeper abuts a pin 71; the keeper also has a hook 68 and a cam surface 67. In the unfastened position, the flange 55 is engaged by the flange 67 of the keeper 63, (Fig. 7) and upon release of the lever 33 and hook-bolt 47, by swinging the lever anti-clockwise the hook-bolt under the influence of gravitational force swings under the striker pin 29 to engage the latter by the surface 51 thereof, the keeper 79 then engaging the lever 33 as seen in Fig. 1.