US3240522A

US3240522A - Latch

Info

Publication number: US3240522A
Application number: US322127A
Authority: US
Inventors: Irving S Houvener
Original assignee: Dow Chemical Co
Current assignee: Dow Chemical Co
Priority date: 1963-11-07
Filing date: 1963-11-07
Publication date: 1966-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-15

Description

March 15, 1966 l. s. HouvENr-:R 3,240,522

LATCH Filed Nov. '7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. /fv' y. H0 vener Q/VT MMR/WY March 15, 1966 Filed NOV. '7, 1963 I. S. HOUVENER LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tit",

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HTTORNE f United States Patent O 3,240,522 LATCH Irving S. Houvener, Midland, Mich., assignor to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 322,127 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-111) This invention relates to a latch. It more particularly relates to an improved manually operable concealable latch.

In many instances it is desirable to have available a latch by which various panels may be secured together in a rigid manner and yet be quickly and readily disconnected without the use of tools. Such latches are particularly desirable for shipping containers, demountable shelters, component parts on motor truck bodies, railway cars, and the like.

Advantageously such latches should not be readily subject to accidental opening such as by engagement with a passing object or readily opened by means of vibration.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved latch assembly which is manually operated.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved manually operated latch assembly which is capable of providing a large mechanical advantage in closing the latch mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved latch mechanism which is not susceptible to accidental opening.

These benefits and other advantages in accordance with the present invention are readily achieved by a latch assembly comprising a strike, a pivot so constructed and arranged as to be mounted on one of the members to be joined an operating handle rotatably mounted on said pivot, a cam rigidly afHXed to said operating handle, a latch member pivotally mounted upon said cam and adapted to engage said strike.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following specication when taken in connection with the drawing wherein:

In FIGURE l there is illustrated a fastener in accordance with the present invention in the closed position;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the fastener of FIGURE l in the open position;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the fastener of FIGURE 1 along the line 3 3.

In FIGURES l, 2 and 3 there are illustrated various views of a latch assembly in accordance with the present invention. The latch assembly 10 comprises a housing 11, having a generally rectangular conguration. Within the housing 11 is disposed a pivot 13. An operating handle 14 is rotatably mounted on the pivot 13. A grip 16 is pivotally attached to the operating handle 14 by means of the pivot 17 remotely disposed from the pivot 13. Within the grip 16 is an opening 19. Rigidly affixed to the operating handle 14 is a cam 21. A latch or hook 24 is pivotally supported on the cam 21. The latch 24 is provided with a strike engaging means 26 and stop er1- gaging means 27 and 28. A stop 30 is disposed generally adjacent the

stop engaging means

27 and 28 of the latch 24. A strike 31 is disposed generally adjacent the strike engaging portion 26 of the latch 24. The strike 31 comprises a latch engaging portion 32 and a mounting portion 33.

In operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 the cam 21 on the operating handle 14 is disposed in such a manner that the latch 25 is drawn away from the mounting portion or base 33 of the strike 31 when the handle 14 is positioned adjacent the latch 24. The stop means 27 and 28 limit the rota- 3,240,522 Patented Mar. l5, 1966 `tional motion of the latch 24 in such a manner that effective rotation beyond the fully open and fully closed positions is prevented. Thus the latch 24 is unable to inconveniently rotate to a position where a portion 26 of it is outside of the desired position. The operating handle 14 and the grip 16 conveniently are fully enclosed when the latch 10 is installed in a recess and is in the closed position. The grip 16 provides a ready access and means of applying an opening force to the operating handle 14 when the latch is in the fully closed position. The grip 16 is readily positioned by means of a relatively small amount of force into a position where it may be firmly gripped to actuate the latch assembly. Beneficially latches in accordance with the invention are installed in a recess within the panels or structural members as depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2. In such positions beneficially the grip 16 may be maintained within the recess by the simple expedient of closing the access to the recess by means of tape or alternately the pivot 16 may provide sufficient friction that accidental emerge-nce of the grip 16 from the recess is prevented.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification the method and apparatus of the present invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. For .this reason, it is to be fully understood that all of the foregoing is intended to be merely illustrative and is not to be construed or interpreted as being restrictive or otherwise limiting of the present invention, excepting as it is set forth and defined in the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. A latch for joining two members, the latch adapted to engage a strike, the strike comprising a projecting member adapted to be engaged by a latching member, the latch comprises a housing comprising a generally narrow enclosure having at least two open sides, one of the open sides being an access means for the strike, the housing having mounted therein a pivot, a cam rotatably mounted on the pivot, an operating handle mounted to the cam, the cam so constructed and arranged that the operating surface of the cam is remote from the strike access means when the operating handle is positioned within the housing through a remaining open side, a latching member rotatably mounted upon the cam and having stop means so constructed and arranged so as to prevent rotation of the latching means beyond a full opened and full closed position, the latching member defining a strike engaging member having a hook-like configuration adapted to engage the strike, the operating handle and the latching member being generally planar elements.

2. A concealable latch adapted to cooperate with a strike adapted to be fastened to one of two members to be joined, the latch comprising a housing, said housing adapted to be mounted in the other member to be joined, said housing defining a cavity, a pivot mounted to the housing within said cavity, a cam pivotally mounted on said pivot and an operating handle rigidly afxed to the cam and so constructed and arranged that the operating surface of the cam is disposed remotely from the strike when the strike is in the engaged position, a latch member rotatably mounted on said cam, said latch member adapted to engage said strike and exert tension thereon and the latch being so constructed and arranged that when the operating handle is positioned in the closed position the operating handle, pivot, cam and latch member are contained entirely within the housing.

3. A latch for joining two members, the latch adapted to cooperate with a strike adapted to be mounted on one of the members to be joined, the latch comprising a housing adapted to be mounted Within the other member t0 be joined, the housing defining access means for the strike, the housing having mounted therein a pivot, a cam rotatably mounted on the pivot, an operating handle mounted rigidly to the cam, the cam so constructed and arranged that the operating surface of the cam is remote from the strike access means when the operating handle is positioned Within the housing, the housing defining an access means for the handle, a latching member rotatably mounted upon the cam, the latching member defining a strike engaging member, and having a hook-like configuration, the hook-like configuration being positioned so that the open side of the hook is disposed remote from the handle access means, the latching member defining at least two stop engaging means, a stop disposed adjacent the stop engaging means and aixed to the housing, the stop and stop engaging means being so constructed and arranged so as to prevent rotation of the latching member beyond fully opened and fully closed positions, the latch being so constructed and arranged so that when the latch is in the closed position the latching member, cam and CII References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 224,066 2/1880 Armstrong 16-126 2,222,293 11/ 1940 Hagstrom 292-113 2,378,654 12/1943 Pekny 292-111 2,600,483 6/1952 Colonna 292-173 2,714,751 8/1955 Stuart et al 292-109 2,896,989 7/1959 Ehret 292-111 FOREIGN PATENTS 441,852 1/1936 Great Britain.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., DONLEY J. STOCKING,

Examiners.

Claims

1. A LATCH FOR JOINING TWO MEMBERS, THE LATCH ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A STRIKE, THE STRIKE COMPRISING A PROJECTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY A LATCHING MEMBER, THE LATCH COMPRISES A HOUSING COMPRISING A GENERALLY NARROW ENCLOSURE HAVING AT LEAST TWO OPEN SIDES, ONE OF THE OPEN SIDES BEING AN ACCESS MEANS FOR THE STRIKE, THE HOUSING HAVING MOUNTED THEREIN A PIVOT, A CAM ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE PIVOT, AN OPERATING HANGLE MOUNTED TO THE CAM, THE CAM SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT THE OPERATING SURFACE OF THE CAM IS REMOTE FROM THE STRIKE ACCESS MEANS WHEN THE OPERATING HANDLE IS POSITIONED WITHIN THE HOUSING THROUGH A REMAINING OPEN SIDE, A LATCHING MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED UPON THE CAM AND HAVING STOP MEANS SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED SO AS TO PREVENT ROTATION OF THE LATCHING MEANS BEYOND A FULL OPENED AND FULL CLOSED POSITION, THE LATCHING MEMBER DEFINING A STRIKE ENGAGING MEMBER HAVING A HOOK-LIKE CONFIGURATION ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE STRIKE, THE OPERATING HANDLE AND THE LATCHING MEMBER BEING GENERALLY PLANAR ELEMENTS.