US2378654A - Latch - Google Patents

Description

Jupe 19? 1945. E. R. PEKNY LATCH Filed Dec. 9, 1943l IN VEN T0 EDWARD R. PEKNY A TTORNE Y Patented June 19, 1945 LATCH Edward R. Pekny, Buffalo, N. Y., asslgnor to Curtiss-Wright Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Application December 9, 1943, Serial No. 513,572

` claims. (c1. 292-111) l This invention relates to a latch characterized by features which adapt it particularly, although not necessarily, for use in connection with closures of the self-sealing type, i e., closures which are so designed that during the iinal stages of their closing movements they are engageablewith, and compress, a yieldable sealing means.

One object of the invention is to provide a end wall of the closure and the frame member I2. As illustrated, the latch includes a housing I5 which is mounted on a bracket I6, the latter being welded or otherwise secured on the back of a panel I'l of the closure. The'housing I5 comprises a plate I3 and a U-shaped member I9, a

' spindle 20 which is mounted in the said member latch of the kind generally described which will be suitable for use in connection with closures which, owing to their size and weight, may require the use of considerable force to close them fully, this object contemplating a, latch having a high mechanical advantage which will enable closures of this type to be closed securely and with facility.

A further object is to provide a latch which is operable over a substantial range of the nal stage of the closing movement of the closure and which may be readily released in any closed position which the closure may occupy in said range, thereby insuring proper functioning of the latch with sealing means of various kinds and under 'I'he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l ls a fragmentary section through a closure and an associated frame structure, the closure being secured in a closed position by a latchY embodying the features of the invention.

Figure y2 is a transverse section taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken along line 3-3 of the same figure.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3. y

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the latching element in different release positions.

1- Figure 6 is a detail section taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5.

The latch, which is indicated generally at l0, is illustrated in connection with a closure Il, the structure with .which the closure is associated being sumciently indicatedv for the. purpose in view by a Showing of a frame member I2. 'I'he latter carries a yieldable sealing element I3 of rubber or the like which is engaged and compressed by an end wall I4 of the closure vas it approaches a. fully closed position. Means is thus provided for sealing the joint between the having a shank extension 2I which projects through aligned holes in the bracket I6 and panel I1 and carrying a handle 22 on its outer end. Within the housing I5 the spindle carries an eccentric 2 3 while at its inner end it may also be formed to receive a. handle (not shown), if desited. -The eccentric is mounted between spacing discs 24 and carries the inner end of a latch element 25, the outer end of which is formed to provide a hook 26 which may enter a slot 21 formed in a keeper 23 mounted on the member I 2.

The latch element 25 is biased toward, and is normally held in a keeper-engaging position by a spring 29, the upper end of which is connected to the body portion of the latch element and the lower end of which is connected to a bracket 30. When located in the position described, a tailpiece 3I on the latch element contacts, or is located in close proximity to, a' pin 32 which is carried by the plate I3, the said tail-piece and pin cooperating, when the closure is open, to prevent the spring 23 from moving thelatch element 25 to any position in which the nose of the hooked end 26 will not automatically ride over the keeper 23 and enter slot 2l when the closure member is closed.

VThe body portion of the latch element 25 is formed with an arcuate shoulder 33. The lower end of the latter provides a stop 34 for cooperating with a pin 35, whichis carried by the eccentric 23, to limit angular movement of the eccentric in a clockwise, or locking, direction and thereby similarly limit movement of the handle 22. The pin 36v is also adapted to cooperate with a. pin 36 which, in the position of the parts illustrated in Figure 3, is carried by the latch element at the opposite side of the eccentric.

When the closure is open, the tail-piece 3l enmitted to the latch element through the agency of the pins 3i and 3B. Hence the latch element may be manually moved so that the hooked end 2B will clear the iront end of the keeper. When the handle is released, the spring 28 will cause the hooked end of the latch element to enter the slot in the keeper. Thereafter the handle may be turned in clockwise direction. During this movement oi' the handle, the eccentric 23 is operative to retract the latch element, the hooked end oi the latter iirst taking up the clearance between it and the outer end wall of the slot in the keeper and thereafter urging the closure bodily toward the member I2 to thereby compress the sealing element Il and thus insure a tight Joint between the closure and the frame member.

As the compressing action exercised on the sealing element takes place, the handle 22 approaches a position corresponding to the fully closed position of the closure and the pin 35 engages the stop Il. 'I'he movement of the handle is thereby arrested. The action of the pin 35 against the stop 3H, however, tends to rotate the latch element with it. Hence the latch element is positively biased against the keeper at the same time the eccentric 2l is tending to pull the latch element into tighter engagement with the end wall of the slot 21. 'I'hese forces, therefore, act upon the latch element to insure its tight and eilective engagement with the keeper.

To release the latch, it is only necessary to turn the handle in the opposite direction. During the iirst part of this movement the latch element is advanced by the eccentric and the hooked end of the element is moved to the full-line position shown in Figure 5. During the iinal part of such movement the pin engages the pin Il and thereby causes the latch element to, move with the handle to the dotted-line position indicated in the same figure, movement of the latch element beyond this position being prevented by its engagement with the upper wall 21 of the member Il. The closure may thereupon be opened readily without any interference between the latch element and the keeper.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the latch construction described has the advantage that it is operative automatically to cause the closure to compress a sealing element which may be employed in' connection with the closure to render the latter more effective for the purpose for which it may be intended. A further advantage obtained is that the engagement and disengagement 'of the latch element with the keeper is not prevented or rendered less certain by the use of a sealing element-for the purpose and in the manner described.

I claim as my invention:

1. A latch of the character described including an element which is adapted to engage a keeper, an eccentric to which said element is connected and which is rotatable in one direction to advance said element with respect to said keeper and in the opposite direction to retract it, a pair o! cooperating projections, one of which is stationary, for limiting movement of said element about saidlv eccentric in, said second mentioned direction, and a second pair of cooperating pro- Jections carried bysaid element and eccentric for providing a lost-motion connection, whereby when said element engages said keeper and said eccentric is rotated in said first mentioned direction, said eccentricl is operative first to advance said element as the lost motion between said second pair oiproiections is taken up and thereafter to .pivot said element out oi engagement with said keeper as one of said second pair of projections engases the other.

2. A latch of the character described including an element which is adapted to engage a keeper. an eccentric to which said element is connected and which is rotatable in one direction to advance said element with respect to said keeper and in the opposite direction to retract it, a pair of cooperating projections, one of which is stefl tionary, for limiting movement of said element about said eccentric in said second mentioned direction, a second pair of cooperating proiec= tions carried by said element and eccentric for providing a lost-motion connection, whereby when'said element engages said keeper and said eccentric is rotated in said rst mentioned diCJ rection, said eccentric is operative first to ad vance said element as the lost motion between' said second pair of projections is taken up and thereafter to pivot said element out of engages ment with said keeper as one of said second pair of projections engages the other, and another pres jection for limiting movement of said element in said pivoting movement.

3. A latch of the character described including an element which is adapted-to cooperate with a keeper, resilient means for biasing said element into engagement with said keeper, an eccentric to which said element is connected, a handle for rotating said eccentric in one direction to advance said element with respect to'said keeper and which is rotatable in the opposite Vdirection to retract it, a xed stop, a tail-piece carried by said element which is engageable with said stop 40 tion, whereby when said element engages said keeper and said eccentric is rotated in saidrst mentioned direction, said eccentric is operative first to advance said element as the lost motion between said projections is taken up and there- Aafter to pivot said element out of engagement with said keeper against the action of said re-l silient means as one of said projections engages the other.

4.- A latch of the character described including an element which is adapted to cooperate with a keeper, resilient means for biasing said element into engagement with said keeper, an eccentric to which said element is connected, a handle for rotating said eccentric in one direction to advance said element with respect to said keeper and which is rotatable in the opposite direction to retract it, a xed stop, a tail-piece carried by said element which.is engageabie with said stop for limiting movement of said element about said eccentric in said second mentioned direction, cooperating projections'carried by said eccentric and element for providing a lost-motion connes tion, whereby when said element engages said keeper and said eccentric is rotated in said rst mentioned direction, said eccentric is operative ilrst to advance said element as the lost motion between said projections is taken up and thereafter to pivot said element out of engagement with said keeper against the action of said resilient means as one of said projections engages the other, and a stop carried by` said element and cooperating with the projection carried by said eccentric for limiting movement of said element in said second mentioned direction.

5. A latch of the character described including an element which is adapted to engage a keeper, an eccentric to which said element is connected and which is, with respect to said element, ro-

' tatable in one direction to advance said element with respect to said keeper and in thel opposite direction to retract it, a pair of spaced projections carried by said element, and a projection carried on said eccentric adapted to cooperate with one of said spaced projections for providing a iirst lost-motion connection, whereby when after. to pivot said element out of engagement with said keeper,v said eccentric projection also cooperating'with the other of said spaced projections for providing a second and opposite lost-mo:l tion connection,v whereby when said element engages said keeper and said eccentric is rotated in said opposite direction, said eccentricis rendered operative to retract said element as said opposite lost-motion is taken up, thereafter the other of said projections being effective to limit further rotation of said eccentric in said second mentioned direction.

EDWARD R.. PEKNY.

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