US2031522A - Latch - Google Patents

Description

1936. J. T. BIGLIN LATCH Fi led June 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheei 1 IN VEN TOR.

(Jo/7w I Bid/flu A TTORNEY,

Feb. 18, 19350 I J B|GL|N 2,081,522

LATCH Filed June 30, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOh/Z/ :ZY Bfy/frv,

INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in door or gate latches of that type in which a loose ring is employed as a keeper for releasable retaining engagement with a projecting pin or bolt rigid with the door or gate to be fastened.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a latch of the above kind. in which the keeper ring is of such character and so mounted that it will instantly return to lowered latching position after being raised and passed by the bolt, thereby providing a latch which is quick or unfailing in action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a latch of the above kind which is simple and durable in construction, eflicient in use, and attractive in appearance. 7

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved latch of the above kind of novel and durable construction in which improved means is provided for manually releasing the keeper ring from the inner side of the -door or gate.

With these and other object s in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is afragmentary elevational View of a door and door frame equipped With a latch constructed in accordance with the present invention. V

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 looking at the opposite side of the door.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 with the keeper ring inreleased position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the guide bracket for the keeper ring-releasing lever; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the combined handle and latch pin member.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the present invention includes a keeper unit composed of a narrow hollow casing 5 open at the bottom as shown in Figure 4 and having rear lateral attaching flanges 6 by means of which it may be rigidly fastened to a door frame or gate post adjacent the free vertical edge of the associated door or gate as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Loosely suspended in and from the casing by a transverse pin l is a keeper ring 8, the pin 1 being preferably mounted for limited vertical movement in elongated slots 9 provided in opposite sides of thej'casing' 5 adjacent the front wall of the latter. In this way the keeper ring 8 is allowed to move bodily to a position entirely within and above the bottom of the casing 5 as shown in Figure 5 for a purpose which will presently be apparent, although being normally suspended from pin 1 to project a considerable distance from and below the bottom of said casing 5 as shown in Figure 4. The pin I normally occupies a lowered position at the lower ends of slots 9 which are located in close proximity to the front wall of easing 5 and terminate at their lower ends in close proximity to the bottom of said casing 5. The lower end of the front wall of casing 5 is cut away or notched as at ID for a purpose which will presently become apparent.

Bolted or otherwise attached to opposite sides of the door or casing ll adjacent the free vertical edge of the latter, as at I2, are horizontal U-shaped strap metal handles l3 and I4 adapted to be grasped to facilitate opening of the door or gate from either side thereof when unlatched. As shown, the handle I 4 at the outer sideof the door or gate has an integral extension on its outer end to form a projecting pin or bolt rigid with and extending outwardly beyond the outer free edge of said door or gate so as to be movable with the latter in a horizontal path directly beneath the bottom of casing 5 of the keeper unit. This rigid latch pin or bolt, indicated at I5, is adapted to assume a position adjacent the door frame or gate post l6 inwardly of the keeper ring 8 when the door or gate is closed, so as to prevent movement of said pin or bolt [5 away from the door frame or gate post l6 and thereby ef fectively secure the door or gate H in closed position. Due to engagement of keeper ring 8 with pin 1 and the lower edge of the front wall of easing 5 at a point outwardly of the pin or bolt l5 and in close proximity to the horizontal path of movement of the latter, opening of the door or gate is positively prevented until the keeper ring 8 is manually shifted inwardly and upwardly within the casing 5 and out of the path of movement of said pin or bolt I5 as illustrated in Figure 5. By mounting the pin 1 in elongated slots 9 and cutting away the front wall of casing 5 as at I0, the points: of contact of the keeper ring 8 with pin 1 and with the front wall of casing 5 are brought as close as possible to the bottom of casing 5 and the path of movement of the upper edge of pin or bolt l5 when the parts are in latching position, thereby preventing any possibility of forcing the keeper ring 8 upwardly to released position by a mere outward pull on the gate or door. This makes separate manual release of keeper ring 8 absolutely necessary for release of the gate or door, and due to the vertical movement allowed pin 1 in slots 9, said keeper ring 8 may shift upwardly into casing 5 complete- 1y outiof the path of pin or bolt l5 even. though the latter is arranged to move in a path in close proximity to the bottom of said casing 5.

To facilitate manual release of the keeper ring 8 from either side of the door, I provide a release lever consisting of a horizontal shaft portion l1 journaled in horizontal alined openings provided in the outer ends of handles l3 and I l and in the door or gate ll, said shaft portion ll having a suitable operating knob or handle l8 secured on the projecting inner end thereof, and being formed with an integral laterally extending actuating arm I9 on its outer projecting end, said arm l9 extending beyond the outer free vertical edge of the door or gate ll so as to extend beneath the keeper ring 8 outwardly of the latch pin or bolt l5 when the parts are in latching position as shown in Figure 4. The arm l9 loosely extends through a vertically elongated slot 20 in the outwardly projecting outer end of an angular bracket 2| bolted to the outer end of handle M by the same bolt which fastens said outer end of handle M to the door of gate H. In this way the actuating arm I9 is permitted limited vertical movement so as to allow complete lowering of keeper ring 8 to latching position when the arm I9 is in its lowermost position, and to permit such upward movement of arm l9 as to effect complete release of keeper ring 8 from and above the path of movement of latch pin or bolt l5. This will be readily seen from an inspection of Figures 4 and 5, wherein the arm I9 is engaged with the bottom of keeper ring l8 when the latter is lowered to latching position, and proper elevation of keeper ring 8 is had upon swinging actuating arm l9 upwardly by manual rotation of the shaft portion ll of the keeper-releasing lever. The inner portion of actuating arm I! may be of outwardly bowed form as at 22 to form a handle by means of which said actuating arm l9 may be manipulated from the outer side of the door to effect release of keeper ring 8. Also, by engagement of actuating arm IS in slot 20 of bracket 2|, in combination with the engagement of the shank of handle l8 with handle l3, endwise or axial movement of shaft portion ll relative to the door is prevented so that the proper relation of arm IS with latch pin or bolt I5 is maintained to insure proper engagement of actuating arm IS with keeper ring 8 to effect release of the latter when desired to open the door or gate. As shown, the inner portion of bracket 2| is preferably of channel-form to snugly fit over the outer end portion of handle I 4 and maintain the bracket against turning about the bolt l2 by which it is secured to the door or gate. It will be seen that the outer ends of handles l3 and. I4 form durable metal bearings for the shaft portion ll of the keeper-releasing element. Moreover, the compact and durable construction illustrated and described insures continued eflicient operation of the latch without getting out of order, as well as facilitating ready installation of the latch for use.

It will be noted that the keeper ring 8 is in the form of a relatively thin annular band of metal possessing resiliency. Also, due to location of the suspension pin 1 for the ring 8 in close proximity to the front or outer wall of casing 5 and the normal engagement of said ring at its outer side with the lower edge of said front or outer wall, said ring is normally suspended to extend at a downward and inward angle or inclination from the pin 1. At the same time, said ring extends at a greater upward and inward angle or inclination from pin 1 when raised.

- return to lowered latching position, and such return movement is accelerated by rebounding of the resilient ring inwardly and downwardly from the front or outer Wall of easing 5 upon striking said wall above pin 1. The result is instantaneous return of the ring to lowered latching position as soon as the bolt l5 has passed the ring, thereby providing a latch which is quick or unfailing in action. This overcomes a serious objection to prior latches of this type, in which the ring simply lowers by gravity somewhat more slowly and often fails to catch and hold the bolt when the door or gate is slammed, and in which the ring is normally vertically suspended from its highest point and allowed free swinging movement entirely about the suspension pin or outwardly past a vertical plane intersecting such pin. The provision of notch [0 allows the ring to lower sufliciently beneath the casing 5 so that the bolt l5 may engage said ring above its center, whereby a mere outward pull on the door or its bolt will not cause the ring to rise and release the bolt.

Minor changes are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, and while the latch is especially useful in connection with doors and gates, it will be apparent that it is capable oi general application and use where the separable connection of two members is desired.

What I claim as new is:

In a latch, a casing open at the bottom and having an outer and side vertical walls, means to rigidly secure said casing to a door frame or the like, a horizontal pin mounted in and extending between said side walls of the casing in close proximity to said outer wall and near the bottom of the casing, a resilient keeper ring loosely suspended from said pin and normally engaged at its outer side with said outer vertical wall of the casing so as to be normally supported by the latter in latching position at a downward and inward inclination from said pin, said ring being free to be swung inwardly and upwardly in an arcuate path about said pin when struck by a latch bolt during closing of the door or the like, said ring further being limited in its upward swinging movement by said outer wall to a released position wherein the ring extends at an upward and inward inclination from said pin, whereby said ring will instantaneously swing downwardly and outwardly in such arcuate path back to latching position due to gravity and rebounding of the ring from said outer wall for positively engaging the latch bolt to hold the door closed as soon as the door reaches its completely closed position, the outer wall of the casing being cut away at its lower end and said side walls of the casing having alined vertical elongated slots allowing said pin limited vertical movement so that the ring will swing upwardly to a released position entirely above the bottom of the casing and will lower to a latching position with its center below the bottom of the casns.

JOHN T. BIGLIN.

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