US1920189A - Luggage latch - Google Patents

Description

Aug. l, 1933. 1 DORST ET AL 1,920,189

LUGGAGE LATCH Filed Aug. 27, 1932 d.. AIQUM 4% BY #.55 wx// ATTORNEYQS.

Eatented Aug. l, 1933 isnlss 1,920,189 LUGGAGE LATCH James Dorst and Henry Weitz, Mayville, Wis., assignors to Arthur A. Buerger, Mayville,

lVis.

Application August 27, 1932. Serial No. 630,616l

Claims.

The present invention relates in general toimprovements in the art of releasably fastening relatively movable closureY parts together, and relates more specically to improvements in the construction and operation of locking latches especially applicable to the closure sections of Iluggage carriers and similar containers.

Generally dened, an object of the invention is to provide improved latch mechanism which is 19 easily manipulable, and which functions to effectively lock the fastened parts to each other.

Some of the more speciiic objects of the invention are as follows:

To provide a new and useful multiple latch for elongated containers, which insures a positive interlock between parts at various portions of the container located at some Vdistance from a conveniently accessible point of control.

To provide an improved latching and locking device for luggage carriers or the like, which positively latches both the end and center por,-v

tions of the pivotally connected carrier sections, and wherein the individual end latches may be either independently set, or simultaneously released. Y

To provide improved latch mechanism for connecting relatively flexible fiat strips disposed flat- Wise adjacent to each other, which will eiiectively resist separation of the elements by bending or prying with an implement. y

To provide a multiple point latch for fastening together a pair of superimposed strips so as 'toV resist abuses of the kind to which such containers are ordinarily subjected, and will assist in maintaining the carrier in shape.

tener having a wide range of application, which may be manufactured at minimum cost, conveniently operated, and which is highly eicient and serviceable in operation.

To provide an improved automatic catch fas- These and other objects and advantages willv beapparentY from the following detailed descriptlon. l

A clear conception of one embodiment of the several features of the invention, and of the construction and mode of operating a multiple luggage carrier latch built in accordance therewith and applied to a Gladstone suit case, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and 'forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters `designate the same or similar parts in the various Views:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a partially opened leather suit case, showing a full top view of the improved latch in released position;

Fig,r 2 is a view looking into a'fragment of the 70 lock and handle carrying section of the suit case, disclosing an elevation of a portion of the iinproved latch mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section throughv the portion of the latch mechanism shown in Fig. 2; 75

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section Ythrough the central lock portiony of theI latch mechanism; l

Fig; 5 is a bottom view of the upper lock carrying part ofthe central lock portion of the mechanism;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section through one of the individual end latches, showing the same in released position; f v

Fig. 7 is a similarly enlarged longitudinal sec- 85 tion through the individuallatch, showing the same in latching position and the section through the inner casing being taken along the line '7-7 of Fig. 8; and f Fig. 8 is a longitudinal horizontal section 90 through the individual latch taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. '7, looking upwardly toward the mechanism while in latching position.V

It should be noted, that while the invention is shown and described herein as being specically applied to a leather suit case of the Gladstone type, the various features are capable. of more general application to containers and closures of various kinds. A

Referring to the drawing, the suit case is com- .100 posed or a pair of complementary hingedly connected sections 10, 11 having cooperable metal frame strips l2, 13 respectively, adapted to be inserted or disposed one within the other when the case is closed. The section 10 which carries 105 the outer strip 12, may also be provided with a carrying handle 14 attached to the medial upper portion of the strip 12, and the interior of the suit case may have a swinging division partition l5V disposed therein. Y 110 The improved lock and latch mechanism Vis associated directly with the upper cooperating medial portions of the frarne strips12, 13, and comprises'a central combined Alock and latch elements 16, and two end latch elementsl'l, 18 of similar construction disposed equi-distant from the opposite 'ends of the central element 16, near the ends of the upperportions of the strips l2, 13. The lower or inner strip 13 has` a rigid later ally extending central oppositely notched tongue 19 cooperable with the central elementA 16, and is also provided vwith a pair of rigid laterally ex-v tending singly notched tongues 20, 21 cooperable respectively with the elements 17, 18, to latch and lock the strips 12, 13 together when the suit case is closed.

The central combined lock and latch element 16 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 and 5, and consists of a lock housing 22 of artistic design and an inner complementary easing 23 rigidly attached to the frame strip 12 and to the housing 22 by screws 24 accessible only from within the suit case; a plunger 25 of rectangular crosssection slidable within the housing 22 and having anV inner widened head' portion 26 movable 'through an Vopening in the frame strip 12 into the Vinterior of the casing 23; a tumblerv'loclr 27 l mounted centrally within the plunger 25 and .inostpositiom a pair of slides 3G snugly fitting and movable longitudinally within the casing 23 inv opposite directions; a pairvof cam levers 3l Y pivotally attached to the housing 22 by normally Concealed pivot pins 32 and having swinging portions interposed 'between the plunger 25 VVand the slides and one or more tension springs 33 connecting the slides 30 and coacting through the cam levers 31 to constantly urge the into vits uppermost position.

The tumbler lock 27 is coniined within the cenoral bore of the plunger 25, by means of a retainer stripi3i rigidly attached tothe lower portion of the plunger head 26, and the head 26 serves as a stop for limiting the upwardmovement of the plunger 25 relative to the housing 22. The upper side walls of the housing 22 are preferably cut away as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 Vin order to permit depression of the plunger 25 by application of a linger or thumb of the op',l erator. The inner adjacent ends of the. cam

levers 31 coact directly with the lock retainer strip 34:, and the outer portions of these levers Vdirectly engage the end walls of the slides 30 which are constantly forced in contact with the levers 31`by the springs 33. The slides 30 snugly but slidably iit the casing 23 and have side walls 35 adapted to engage the opposite notches 36 'of the central Atongue 19, this tongue being vtapered so that it may be forced between the ,in to the tongue notches 3S and thus positively `lock the stripsY 12, 13 againstV separation until the slides 30 are again spread apart by the application of downward pressure against the plunger 25. 't

The two individual latch elements 17, Y*18.are of like constructionso thatia detailed description of one will sufce for the other. Frfomthe disclosure in Figs. 6,'7 and 3, it will be apparent that the latch element 17 comprises a housing 15; and a horir `t 1 to receive the end oi a side wall 5G of the slide plunger 25 37 of design corresponding to that of the lock housing 22, and an inner complementary casing '3.8. rigidly attached to the frame strip 12 and to the housing 37 by screws 39 accessible only from within the suit case; push button L10 of square eross--section slidable within the housing 37 and having an integral central pointed rod 41 projectable through a hole in the strip 12 and into the casing 33; a coil spring Ll2 embracing the rod lil and coacting with the button Aand with the traine strip 12 to constantly urge the button toward its uppermost release position; a slide snugly iitting but movable longitudinally within the casing 33; a pair of compression springs -44 which tend to constantly urge the slide 43 within the casing 33 toward the central element Y ntal compression rod 4.5 having one end abutting against an end wall of the slide and having its opposite end in Contact with the adjacent end wall of the corresponding slide 30 within the central casing 23.

The button Il() has lateral lower projections e5 which form for limiting the upward movement of button, and the pointed rod 41 has a lateral notch 4'? near the point thereof, which is adapted to receive a medial edge of the upper wall i3 of the slide i3 when the notch 47 is pushed downwardly into alinernent with said wail 4S, illustrated in Fig. 7.- The'point of the rod /llis also adapted to enter a central hole V in the corresponding side tongue 20, and this has Va lateral notch. e9 which is formed when the rod 41 penetrates the hole in the n tongue The slide also has an integral stop lng 51 cooperacle'with an end of the casing 3S `tofliniit the movement of the slide by the springs 44, the end portions of the horizontal compression. rod ll5 through end openings in the casings 23, 38 thus retaining these rods in position. The several latch casings 23, 38 are also provided with front slots 52, 53 re spectively, formed for reception of the latches 19,

20, 2l as cleariyin-dicated in Fig. 2, and the frame -in Fig; 1, the lock tumbler 23 is in release position as indicated in Fig. 5, and the plungers 3 and 6,being thus retained by the springsA 33,

l 42 respectively. As the sections lil, ll are swung toward each other during closing vquickly become effective to snap the slides toward each other and to loch the tongue 19 Within the v casing 23. The suit case sections 10, 1l are thusI locked centrally, and during such closing, the end .tongues 2G, 2l also enter the end casings 33 through the open"` gs 53 and coast with the side walls 50 of the slides toinove these slides away from the central element 15 until the tongue notches i9 brought into registry with the edges of the walls 5i), whereupon the springs /lfl quickly become effective to snap the slides 43 25, nl0 are in uppermost position as in Figs. 2,.,

and the frame strips 12, separation, itis only necessary to lock the plungtoward each other and thus likewise lock the tongues 20, r2l withinv their respective casings 38. -The suit case sections i0, l1 may therefore be efiectively and automatically latched together against direct lateral separation, both at the center and at the ends, by merely swinging the case vsections together.

If it becomes desirable to further protect the frame strips 12, :13 against vertical spreading,

`after such autoo'laticv initial closure and latching has beene-llected, the buttons 40 may be individually pressed from the positioirshown in Fig. 6 to that oifFig. 7. Upon application or" downward pressure to a button 40, the corresponding'spring Ll2 is compressed and the point of the rod lil passes through the opening in the top of the adjacent slide 43 and forces this slide against the action of the springs 44,1away from the'central 'element 15 until the rod notch 47 is brought into registry with the upper slide wallv 43, whereupon the springs i4 quickly become eiective to snap the edge of .the wall a8 into ythe notch .47. The button 40, rod 41, casing 38 and slide 43 then cooperate to ellectively resist possible spreading of the tongues 20, 2l away from the outer frame strip 12, and this additional latching action is obtained without releasing the central latching aiorded by the Vdoubly notched tongue 19.

When it becomes desirable to open the suit case, after the same has been closed as above described, it is only necessary to press down upon the central plunger 25, and it is unnecessary to .separately actuate the buttons 40. As the plunger moves downwardly, the lock retainer strip 34 causes the cam levers 31 to swing outwardly and to move the slides away from each other thus stretching the springs 33. This motion of the slides 3i) simultaneously disengages `the side walls from the tongue notches 36, and moves the horizontal rods longitudinally to thereby shift the slides 43-against the pressure imposed thereon by the springs 44. This shifting of the slides 43 causes the side walls 50 to disengage the tongue notches 49 and also releases the slide top walls 48 from the button rod notches 47,'

thereby causing the rods il to snap out of the central holes or" the tongues 20, 2l due to the action of the springs 42. The suit case sections 1G, 11 are thus completely released and may be pulled freely apart while the plunger 25 is pressed downwardly.

In order to positively lock the sections 10, 11 13 against opening or er 25 against movement. This may be accom-v plished by actuating the-lock `27 with the aid of a key, to swing the lool; tumber 23 into engagement with the groove 29 of the housing 22. When the tumbler 28 has been thus positioned, the plunger 25 cannot be shifted, and the slides 30, 43 therefore cannot be shifted to release the tongues This situation exists whetheror notY the push button rods 4l are in locking position, so thatr the lock 27 in fact positively prevents release of the sections 1Q, 11 without utilizing the key to remove the tumbler 28 from the :groove From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the improved lock and latch mechanism functions to eiiectively fasten the frame strips 12, 13 together so as toprevent both horizontal and vertical separation thereof. The side walls of the slides 30,43 cooperating `with the tongue notches 36, 49, positively prevent hori- Izontal separation, whereas vertical separation or spreading is likewise positively prevented by the .top walls of the slides engaging the rod notches l? and by the coaction of the casings 2 38 .with the upper and lower surfaces of the tongues 19, 20, 21 formed integral with the frame 13, atk the openings or slots 52, 53. The central element 16 affords a conveniently manipulable control for effecting automatic latching and release `of the sections, andpositive 'locking thereof, k

while the push buttons 40 may be set without interfering with the central latch. llhe housings 22, 37 and the casings 23, 38 are of rigid'construction and are firmly attached tothe frame strip 12 from the interior of the suit case, and

the slides 3G, 43 are likewise of durable construction 'so as to insure most eiilcient service. The

entire mechanism is constructed to present a neat and highly iinished appearance, and has proven far superior to other fastenings for the same general field of use, previously on the market.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the inventionto the exact details of con` struction and to the precise mode of operationr herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope oi the claims may occur to-persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In combination, ay pair of relatively movable' sections havingA cooperating closure portions, Ymeans for simultaneously latching said portions at remotely spaced points against separation, independently operable means foradditionally latching -said portions at some of said points, and common control means for sinuiltaneously releasing all of said latching means.

2. In combination, a pair of relatively movable sections having cooperating closure frames, means for simultaneously latching said frames at several places against separation, independently operable means for additionally latching said frames at several of said places, and common control means for simultaneously locking all of said latching means against release.- 3. In combination, a ci relatively movab sections having cooperable closure frames movable one within the other, means for simultaneously latching said frames at a central and two end points against separation, independently operable means tor additionally latching said frames at said end points, and common control means located at said central point for simultaneously releasing all of said latching means.

4, In combination, a pair of relatively movable sections having cooperating closure frames means for simultaneously latching said frames centrally and near the ends thereof against sepasections having cooperating closure portions,`

Y means for simultaneously.latchingV said portions 'movement '7. In combination, a pair of relatively movable sections having cooperating `closure frames,` means for Vsimultaneously latohing said frames centrally and near the ends thereof against separation, means for independently additionallyV latching said irame near the ends thereof, common means for simultaneously,releasing all of said latching means, and means fior simultaneously locking said releasing means and all of said latching means against movement.

8. En combination, a pair of relatively movable sections having cooperating closure portions, common means for simultaneously latching said portions at remotely spaced points against separation, independently operably means for additionally individually latching said portions at some of said points, andcommon means for simultaneously locking all oi said latching means against movement.

9. 1n combination, a pair oi relatively movable sections having cooperating closure frames, one of said frames having a plurality of notched tongues movable in close proximity to the other of said frames, slides carried by said other frame vand cooperable with the notches or" said tongues to latch said sections together, a plunger carried by one of said frames and movable toward the other, cam levers shiftable by the movement of said plunger to release slides from en- `gagement with said tongue notches, and indelable closure frames, one o1c said frames having a series of notched tonguesV movable in proximity to the other frame, slides movably supported by said other frame engageable with the notches oi rsaid tongues to lock said frames against separation, notched rods engageable with said slides to additionally independently lock said tongues against movement away from said other frame, and common means for simultaneously locking all of said slides against displacement.

12. In combination, a pair of relatively swingable frames one of which has three integral laterally-spaced notched tongues movable in close proximity to the other, slides movable longitudinally of and within said other frame and engageable with the notches of said tongues to simultaneously lock said frames against separation, latch means movable transversely oilsaid Aframes and throughA the twokend tongues for independently and additionally looking said frames againstlseparation at said end tongues, and common means for simultaneously releasing the locks aiforded by said slides and by said latch means.V

13. In combination, a pair of relatively swingable frames one of which has three integral latorally-spaced notched tongues movable in close proximity to the'other, slidesvmovable longitudinally of and within said other frame and engageable with the notches of said tongues to simultaneously lock rsaid frames against separation, latch means movable transversely of said frames and through the' two end tongues for vindependently and additionally locking said frames against separation at said end tongues, and common means for simultaneously locking said slides and said latch means against release from said tongues.

14. In combination, a pair of relatively swingable frames one of which has three integral latorally-spaced notched tongues movable in close proximity to the other, slides movable longitudinally of and Within said other frame and engageable with 'the notches of said tongues to simultaneously lock said frames against separation, latch means movable transversely of said trames and through the two end tongues for independently and additionally locking said frames against separation at said end tongues, common means for simultaneously releasing the locks afiorded by said slides and by said latch means, and common means for simultaneously locking said slides and said latch means against release from said tongues.

p 15. In combination, inner and outer relatively movable frames, a housing secured to said outer frame, a button slidably mounted in said housing ior movement toward and away from said inner frame and havingra stop flange within said housing, a rod secured to said button and movable through said housing into and out of an opening in saidinner frame, a main coil spring coacting with said button to urge said rod away from said inner frame openingfa slide movable along said outer frame transversely of said rod and adapted to retain said rod Within said inner frame opening in opposition to said main spring, a second coil spring normally urging said .slide` into rod latching position, and means for moving said slide longitudinally of said outerframe in opposition to said second spring to release said rod and to permit said main spring to move said rod out of said inner frame opening.

JAMES DORST.

HENRY F. WELTZ.

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