US2203817A - Latch - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1940. w, D, FERRIS 2,203,817

LATCH Filed Feb. 11. 1938 INVENTQR. fli Frras ATTORNEY.

Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES. PATENT. O F E LATGH William D. Ferris, Sterling, Ill., assignor to Frantz Manufacturing 00., Sterling, Ill., a corporation of Illinois 1 Application February 11,1938, Serial No. 190,069

more particularly to those that are used on doors that open outwardly, such as refrigerator doors,

and on which there is a handle by which to both 1 11 unlatch the door and pull it outwardly into an open position.

This invention is an improvement on what is vention may be used on a door of any desired thickness.

It is also an objectto provide certain novel details and features of construction tending to increasethe generaleiiiciency and desirability of a door latch mechanism of this particular construction. 1

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a door latch mechanism embodying the principles of the invention, showing adjacent portions of the door and doorway broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 and on line 2-4 in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Fig. 3 Ba horizontal section on line 3--3 in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts in different positions.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the different parts of the mechanism shown more or less in separated condition.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises an outer front plate I, suitably fastened to the door,

2 by screws 3, as shown. A sheet metal housing 4 is rigidly fastened to said plate, in any suitable or desired manner, and a handle 5 is pivoted at 6 on said housing, with its upper end portion 1 enclosed within the housing and normally held by cross pin I3 that engages between the two portions l4 and I5 of a bell crank I6 that is pivotedat I! in the housing 9 and that has its portion I5 normally held against one wall of the housing by the'spring l8 appliedthereto, so that the said lockingbolt is normally in latching position, as

shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Between the handle outside and the latching mechanism inside, there is a connecting rod 19 that has a sleeve 20 screwed thereon, preferably at its outer end, and it will be seen that this sleeve is preferably externally polygonal to fit the polygonal opening 2| in the bracket plate I- previously mentioned, whereby this sleeve can move back and forth endwise in this opening, but cannot rotate therein, It will be seen that the rod. 19 itself is preferably provided with longitudinal fins 22 to slide in notches. 23 in an openingprovided in the bracket plate portion 24 of the said housing 9 previously mentioned, and in this way the said rod is held against rotation, but is freeto slide in thelsaid. openingin the inside bracket plate. It' will be seen that the head 25 of said rod engages the arm 26 of the previously mentioned bell crank it, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; of the drawing, whereby the endwise movement of the rod inwardly will move the latching bolt l2 into unlatched position, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In this way, the latch mechanism can be applied to doors of difierent thicknesses, inasmuch as the rod l9 may,in effect, be lengthened or shortened, according to the thickness of the door. This obviates the necessity of cutting any of the parts in fitting the latch to a door of any particular thickness.

Obviously, when the handle 5 is pulled outwardly, it will unlatch the door and also pull the door into open position.

It will be seen that the said rod extends through the latching bolt, the latter being formed to reciprocate endwiselwhile the rod remains held against lateral displacement.

An important aspect of the invention, therefore, is that the hole in the door is provided with a guiding device at each end thereof, and that the diameter of said hole is such that both the pin l9 and the sleeve 20 are free to move endwise therein, notwithstanding that the said sleeve and pin are held against rotation by said guiding devices, and in addition it will be observed that the sleeve 20 extends a distance beyond the outer end of said hole, and into the interior of the outside bracket on which the outside guiding device 2| is carried, while the inside guiding device 23 is carried by the inside bracket that is rigidly secured to the inner side of the door.

Thus an adjustable sectional push rod is provided, comprising the two sections l9 and 2t one in the form of a sleeve and the other in the form of a threaded rod for engagement with the threaded interior of the sleeve, with the head of the rod inside the door, and the sleeve extending outside the door. In addition, it will be seen that the formation of the two guides 2| and 23 is such, looking at Fig. 5, that the two sections of the push rod can be inserted separately toward each other through the door in the attachment of the latch thereto, and the sleeve 20 can be rotated to give it the proper adjustment for any particular thickness of door, ands'uch adjustment hav ing been accurately made the plate I can then be fastened in place.

In other words, there may be various ways of assembling the parts of the latch on the door, but it isobvious that the construction precludes the insertion of the push rod inwardly through the door, after the guide plate 24 is fastened in place'on the inner side ofv the door, as the'head 25 cannot pass through the guide 23 that holds the externally threaded rod portion l9 against turning or rotation about its longitudinal. axis.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A door latch comprising a guide plate for attachment to the outside of the door, a difierthreaded internally, an outside housing enclosing the outer end of said sleeve, fastened to saidoutside plate, a handle pivoted within said hous 'ing to engage the outerend of said sleeve, a rod screw threaded to adjustably engage the'interior of' said sleeve, the latterbeing held against rotion of said rod fitting the inside guide, the latter:

ently formed guide plate for attachment to the inside of the door, with the two plates in alignment, a sleeve fitting the outside guide and screw tation by said outside guide, the inner end por- I'he red I 9 cannot pass through the guide 23, as the head 25 is too large.v

being'formed to prevent the rod from turning, an inside housing attached to said inside plate, enclosing the inner end of said rod, and latch bolt means in said inside housing, operated by the inner end of the rod, the outside guide being polygonal in form, said sleeve being polygonal in cross section to fit the outside guide, the'inside guide having notches, and said rod having lateral ribs to fit the inside guide notches, with an enlarged head at the end of saidribs to engage said latch bolt means, and preventing said rod from being pulled outwardly from the door.

2. A door latchcomprising a guide plate for attachment to the outside of the door, a differently'formed guide plate for attachment to the inside of the door, with the two plates in alignment, a sleeve fitting the outside guide and screw threaded internally, an outside housing enclosing the outer end of said sleeve, fastened to said outside plate, a handle pivoted Within said housing to engage the outer end of said sleeve, a rod screw threaded to adjustably engage the interior of said sleeve, the latter being held against rotation by said outside-guide, the inner end portion.

of said rod fitting the inside guide, the latter;

projecting the distance-beyond said inside plate, for doors of different thicknesses; and said sleeve doing the same with said outside plate, said handle having a normal vertical position for all adjustments ofsaid rod and sleeve.

WILLIA D. FERRIS-

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