GB2467430A

GB2467430A - Latch having an engaging member held within a receiving member by friction

Info

Publication number: GB2467430A
Application number: GB1001393A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Alexander Durrant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-01-28
Filing date: 2010-01-28
Publication date: 2010-08-04
Also published as: GB201001393D0; WO2010086605A1; GB0901339D0

Abstract

A latch for holding together two confronting surfaces, such as holding open a door. The latch comprising an engaging member 6 for securing to a first surface such as a wall 3 and capable of being received within a receiving member 10 for securing to a second surface such as a door 5. The receiving member is biased toward an engaged position in which the receiving member frictionally holds the engaging member and movable to a second position in which the two components are not frictionally engaged. The engaging and receiving members are preferably a rod 6 which is received within an apertured plate 10 mounted for pivotal movement between the first and second positions; the wall of aperture 14 in the receiving plate frictionally engaging the rod when the plate is tilted such that the rod and hole axis are offset. The pivotal friction plate 10 may have an actuator 20 accessible from the opposite side of the door to enable the latch to be released by pivoting the plate 10 such that the rod and hole are aligned.

Description

LATCH

This disclosure relates to a latch, more specifically to a latch of the kind adapted to latch a first surface of a first body to a second surface of a second body when said first and second surfaces are in confronting relation. The first and second bodies may typically comprise a wall and a door or window mounted in an opening in the wall and which a user wishes to latch to the wall in an open condition of the door or window.

A known latch comprises a hook and staple. In typical use, the hook is mounted on a wall and the staple on a door or window, or vice-versa. A person may latch the door/window to the wall in an open position by reaching around the door/window to pace the hook in the staple. A similar operation is required to disengage the latch. This arrangement is both cumbersome and time consuming.

In an attempt to overcome these problems, a double ball catch has been devised which is adapted to be mounted to a first body so that the two balls extend from the body and an engaging member mounted from a second body is adapted to be received between the two balls by pushing them apart against spring bias. The latch is disengaged by applying force to the second body to pull the receiving member from between the balls. This often requires relatively little force so that the latch may readily be inadvertently disengaged, for example by the wind.

I describe below embodiments of latch adapted to latch a first surface of a first body to a second surface of a second body when said first and second surfaces are in confronting relation, the latch comprising: an engaging member adapted for coupling to said first surface to extend therefrom, and a receiving member ananged to be coupled to said second surface, the engaging member being releasably attachable to the receiving member by means of frictional engagement therebetween, when the engaging member is received within the receiving member, the receiving member being movable to adjust the relative orientation of the engaging and receiving members, while the engaging member is within the receiving member, between a first position in which the engaging and receiving members are frictionally engaged and a second position in which they are not frictionally engaged, the engaging member being biased towards said first position.

Preferred embodiments have one or more of the following features: The receiving and engaging members are arranged such that they automatically frictionally engage when the engaging member is received within the receiving member. The latch further comprises an actuating member adapted to move the receiving member from said first position to said second position against said bias to disengage the engaging and receiving members to release the latch. The second body defines a thickness of said body between said second surface and a third surface on a side of said second body opposite said second surface, and said actuating member comprises a rod coupled to said receiving member and adapted to extend through said thickness for actuation of said actuating member to disengage said latch from said opposite side of said second body. The latch is disengageable from either side of said second body. The receiving member is mounted within a housing adapted to be coupled to said second body, the receiving member being arranged for pivotable movement relative to the housing generally about one end of the receiving member under control of a biasing member, preferably a spring, providing said bias, and the receiving member having a bore therein in which the engaging member is received, the bore defining a first axis and having a first cross-section; the engaging member includes a distal end portion adapted to be received within the bore, the distal end portion defining a second axis and having a second cross-section that fits within said first cross-section when said first and second axes are generally aligned; and said first and second axes are generally aligned in said second position, and are misaligned in said first position, whereby the distal end portion forms an interference fit within said bore in said first position. The housing is generally box shaped, having a bottom surface adapted for attachment to said second surface, side walls, and a top surface, said top surface having a through aperture therein defining a third axis and having a third cross-section, said distal end portion extending through the aperture in the top surface when the latch is engaged, with said first and third axes generally aligned and said first cross-section fitting within said third cross-section. An end of the receiving member opposite said one end extends beyond the housing and is manually engageable to push the receiving member against said bias to release said latch. The (or a second said) actuating member is provided as a push-button in said top surface, engageable with said receiving member when pushed, to move said receiving member against said bias to the second position to disengage the latch. The receiving member comprises an apertured plate, said bore extending therethrough, and said one end of which plate is loosely received within a slot on an internal wall of the housing.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings by way of example only: Fig. 1 is a view from above looking down on a first embodiment of door latch in use to latch a door to a confronting wall; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a housing in the latch of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view of the housing of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a receiving member of the latch of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is side elevational view of the receiving member of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a somewhat schematic view showing the receiving member in a first position within the housing; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the receiving member in a second position within the housing; Fig. 8 is a view generally similar to Fig. 1 for a second embodiment of latch; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a latch similar to that of Fig. 8 but with a different engaging member; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the housing of the embodiments of Figs. 8 and 9 with a top surface separated.

Latch 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 7 comprises a first unit 2 attached to a wall 3 by fastening elements, such as screws S, and a second unit 4 attached to a confronting surface of a door 5 by fastening elements, such as screws S. The first unit 2 comprises an elongate rod 6 and a fixing bracket 7. Rod 6 defines an axis 8 and has a cross-section C1, and, as explained below, is adapted to serve as an engaging member. Both rod and bracket are suitably metallic. Bracket 7 comprises a lug 7a from which a threaded stem 7b projects upwardly. Rod 6 has an aperture 9 at one end for receiving stem 7b. A nut (not shown) is screwed to stem 7b above the rod to fix the rod at a desired rotational position relative to bracket 7.

Second unit 4 comprises a plate 10 adapted, as explained below, to serve as a receiving member for receiving rod 6, plate 10 being mounted within a housing 11.

Housing 11 is generally box shaped, having a bottom surface, here shown mounted to the surface of door 5 by screws S, side walls, and a top surface having a through S aperture 12 therein defining an axis which coincides with axis 8 in the view of Fig. 1.

Aperture 12 has a cross-section C2. Housing 11 is suitably metallic.

One end 13 of plate 10 is loosely received in a slot 1 la in a sidewall of housing 11 to allow for pivotable movement relative to the housing generally about end 13 under control of a biasing member, preferably a spring 16, mounted between plate 10 and the bottom surface of housing 11. Plate 10 is provided with a bore 14, here a through aperture in the plate, the bore defining an axis 15 and having a cross-section C3. Spring 16 biases plate 10 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Figs 1 and 6.

To latch the door S to the wall 3, the door is opened sufficiently for the distal end of rod 6 to be received through aperture 12 in the top surface of housing 11 to engage within aperture 14 of plate 10. It will be appreciated that for this to be possible cross-section C1 must fit within cross-section C3. Cross-section C1 is also capable of fitting within cross-section C3. However, since the axes of the distal end of rod 6 and of bore 14 are misaligned in the first position of plate 10 shown in Fig. 6, rod 6 is unable to pass through bore 14. Accordingly, it will push plate 10 against the bias of spring 16 towards the second position of plate 10 shown in Fig. 7. When the axes 8 and 15 are generally aligned, the plate may pass along the distal end of rod 6 due to the bias of spring 16 until the axes are sufficiently misaligned for the distal end of rod 6 to form an interference fit within bore 14 to engage the latch.

As a result the latch is automatically engaged simply by the distal end of rod 6 being received through aperture 12 in the top surface of the housing 11.

A protrusion 17 at the end of plate 10 opposite end 13 extends through a slot 18 in a sidewall of the housing 11, the slot allowing for movement of plate 10 between its first and second positions. Disengagement of the latch may be achieved by pressing protrusion 17 towards the surface of the door 5 against the bias of spring 16 until the axes 8 and 15 are sufficiently aligned for the rod 6 to disengage from bore 14.

The illustrated embodiment of latch also allows disengagement of the latch from the side of the door opposite the surface that confronts wall 3. This is achieved by an actuating member in the form of a handle 19 and a connecting rod 20 which passes through an aperture in the door and is coupled to protrusion 17 of plate 10.

Pulling on the handle 19 draws connecting rod 20 through the aperture in the door and pivots plate 10 against the bias of spring 16 until axes 8 and 15 are sufficiently aligned for the rod 6 to disengage from bore 14.

The latch may support relatively large loads because it cannot be disengaged by pulling the door away from the confronting wall as with the prior double ball catch alTangement. The pulling force needed on handle 19 depends upon the strength of spring 16.

The alternative anangements illustrated ion Figs. 8 to 10 avoid the need for a protruding portion of plate 10 and slot 18, and also avoid exposing connecting rod 19 and the associated aperture through the door to the elements. The resultant structure is also neater. In this arrangement plate 10 is fully accommodated within housing 11, which has a lid 21 slidably received on the top of the housing. Connecting rod 19 extends through an opening in the base of housing 11 and then through the thickness of the door. To allow for the latch to be disengaged from the outer side of the door (the side that confronts the wall when latched), a push button 22 is mounted in lid 21.

Pushing button 22 into the housing engages end 23 of plate 10 to push it inwardly against the bias of spring 16 until axes 8 and 15 are sufficiently aligned for the rod 6 to disengage from bore 14.

Fig. 9 shows an alternative engagement member. Rod 6 is replaced by an arm 24 extending from bracket 7 and a cranked rod 25. Other mechanical linkages could be employed. When mounting the arrangement to a wall and door or window, the housing and bracket need to be positioned such that the axis defined by the distal end of the engagement member, however constituted, is aligned with the axis defined by through aperture 12 when the latch is engaged.

Claims

Claims 1. A latch adapted to latch a first surface of a first body to a second surface of a second body when said first and second surfaces are in confronting relation, the latch comprising: an engaging member adapted for coupling to said first surface to extend therefrom, and a receiving member arranged to be coupled to said second surface, the engaging member being releasably attachable to the receiving member by means of frictional engagement therebetween, when the engaging member is received within the receiving member, the receiving member being movable to adjust the relative orientation of the engaging and receiving members, while the engaging member is within the receiving member, between a first position in which the engaging and receiving members are frictionally engaged and a second position in which they are not frictionally engaged, the engaging member being biased towards said first position.
2. A latch according to Claim 1, wherein the receiving and engaging members are ananged such that they automatically frictionally engage when the engaging member is received within the receiving member.
3. A latch according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising an actuating member adapted to move the receiving member from said first position to said second position against said bias to disengage the engaging and receiving members to release the latch.
4. A latch according to Claim 3, wherein said second body defines a thickness of said body between said second surface and a third surface on a side of said second body opposite said second surface, and said actuating member comprises a rod coupled to said receiving member and adapted to extend through said thickness for actuation of said actuating member to disengage said latch from said opposite side of said second body.
5. A latch according to Claim 4, wherein said latch is disengageable from either side of said second body.
6. A latch according to any preceding Claim, wherein the receiving member is mounted within a housing adapted to be coupled to said second body, the receiving member being arranged for pivotable movement relative to the housing generally about one end of the receiving member under control of a biasing member, preferably a spring, providing said bias, and the receiving member having a bore therein in which the engaging member is received, the bore defining a first axis and having a first cross-section; wherein the engaging member includes a distal end portion adapted to be received within the bore, the distal end portion defining a second axis and having a second cross-section that fits within said first cross-section when said first and second axes are generally aligned; and wherein said first and second axes are generally aligned in said second position, and are misaligned in said first position, whereby the distal end portion forms an interference fit within said bore in said first position.
7. A latch according to Claim 6, wherein said housing is generally box shaped, having a bottom surface adapted for attachment to said second surface, side walls, and a top surface, said top surface having a through aperture therein defining a third axis and having a third cross-section, said distal end portion extending through the aperture in the top surface when the latch is engaged, with said first and third axes generally aligned and said first cross-section fitting within said third cross-section.
8. A latch according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein an end of the receiving member opposite said one end extends beyond the housing and is manually engageable to push the receiving member against said bias to release said latch.
9. A latch according to both Claim 3 and one of Claims 6 and 7, wherein the (or a second said) actuating member is provided as a push-button in said top surface, engageable with said receiving member when pushed, to move said receiving member against said bias to the second position to disengage the latch.
10. A latch according to Claim 6 or any Claim appendent thereto, wherein the receiving member comprises an apertured plate, said bore extending therethrough, and said one end of which plate is loosely received within a slot on an internal wall of the housing.
11. A latch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs lto7or8to 10 of the accompanyingdrawings.