Latching and locking device

June 14, 1960

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2,940,291

G. E. SWANSON

LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE

Filed July 3, 1956

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IN VENT OR GUNNAR E. SWANSON

ATTORNEYS

June 14, 1960

G. E. SWANSON

2,940,291

LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE

Filed July 3, 1956

Sheets-Sheet 2

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INVENTOR GUNNAR E. SWANSON 1i'/1^ l

ATTORNEYS

United States Patent Office

2,940,291

Patented June 14, 1960

2,940,291

LATCHING AND LOCKING DEVICE 5

Gunnar E. Swanson, Middletown, Conn. (% Nielsen Hardware Corp., 770 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford, Conn.)

Filed July 3, 1956, Ser. No. 595,777 10

Claims. (CI. 70—70)

The invention relates to a latching device which may 15 also be a locking device and which comprises two separable strike and bolt units adapted respectively to be fixedly attached to the cover and to the body of a carrying case or the like.

The general object of the invention is to provide a 20 device of the type referred to which , is simple and inexpensive but nevertheless reliable in its latching and locking action.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a device of the said type wherein the bolt of the bolt unit 25 is movable at such an angle to the direction of cover closing that it is very readily moved out of its normal position by a hook on the strike unit so as to permit the strike unit to be readily moved into latching or cooperative position. 30

Other more specific objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and from the following description and claims.

The drawings show three embodiments of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes may 35 be made from the constructions shown, and that the drawings are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings: 40

Fig. 1 is a front view of a latching and locking device embodying the invention together with portions of a carrying case.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the latching and locking device with the portions of the carrying case shown in section 45 along the line 2—2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of a key that may be used with the latching and locking device.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the lines 4—4 of Figs. 2 and 5. 50

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 5—-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 6—6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken 55 along the line 7—7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts in relative positions for releasing and showing the strike unit separated from the latching and locking ™it. _eo

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the lock tumbler in a different position.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing an alternative latching and locking device embodying the invention.

Fig. 11 is a side view of the alternative latching and locking device with the portion of the carrying case shown in section along the line 11—11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 12—12 of Fig. 13. __

Fig. 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 13—:13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 14—14 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 12 but showing the parts in different relative positions and showing strike unit separated from the latching and locking unit.

Fig. 16 is a front view of another alternative device’ embodying the invention with portions of the front housing wall broken away to show interior parts.

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 16 but showing the parts in different relative positions and showing the strike unit separated from the latching unit.

Device shown in Figs. 1 to 9

Figs. 1 to 9 of the drawings show a latching and locking device for use with a carrying case or the like having a main body and a separable cover. A portion of the case cover is shown at 10 and a portion of the case body is shown at 12. It will be assumed that the cover is hinged to the body and is upwardly separable by pivotal movement.

It will be understood that such terms as “upwardly” or “downwardly” or the like are herein used for conveniently indicating the relationship of parts, and that such terms do not otherwise limit the scope of the invention.

A strike unit 14 and a bolt unit 16 are adapted respectively to be fixedly attached to said case cover and to said case body as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the cover 10 is in its lower closed position as shown, said units 14 and 16 are in cooperative relationship.

The strike unit 14 includes at least one relatively fixed hook 18 and preferably there are two generally similar hooks 18 and 2® spaced apart transversely. Each hook 18 and 20 includes a vertical stem and a lateral projection having an upwardly exposed face such as 22 which is downwardly inclined relatively to the stem at an angle substantially greater than 90°, the angle as shown being about 135°. When there are two hooks, the lateral projections thereof are preferably opposite and the faces 22 and 24 on said projections are oppositely inclined. As shown the two projections on said hooks project toward each other.

The details of the strike unit 14 may be widely varied, but as shown the hooks 18 and 20 are integral portions of a sheet metal plate 26. The major portion of said plate 26 is within a rectangular sheet metal housing 28 closed at the front and open at the rear. The hooks 18 and 20 project downwardly from the housing 28 through notches in the bottom wall thereof. The plate 26 has portions 30, 30 at its ends which are offset rearwardly and said plate 26 has rearwardly extending projections 32 near the top. Said offsets 30 and said projections 32 are engaged by tabs-34 and 36 bent inwardly from the top and bottom walls of the housing 28, the plate 26 being thus firmly held in place. The entire strike unit is attached to the case cover 10 by screws 38 which enter threaded holes 40, 40 in the offset portions 30, 30 of the plate 26.

The bolt unit 16 includes a frame 42 and at least one bolt 44 guided on the frame for relative movement in substantial parallelism with the inclined face such as 22 of a corresponding hook such as 18 when said strike and bolt units are in the said cooperative relationship. The bolt 44 is movable upwardly and laterally, as toward the right, into an upper position for engagement with said hook face 22 to prevent upward movement of said strike unit, and said bolt 44 is movable downwardly and laterally, as toward the left, out of said engagement with said hook face to release said strike unit for upward movement. The bolt is biased upwardly and laterally to its said engagement position by means to be more fully explained, and the bolt is movable downwardly

------- ____. ' 2,940,5 .- ·. 3 ^: and laterally out of said position by manually operable means to be more fully explained.

When there are two hooks such as 18 and 20 with oppositely inclined, faces such as 22 and 24, there are two bolts 44 and 46 which are guided in said housing 5 42 and are movable upwardly and laterally in opposite directions, preferably toward each other, into upper po-. sitions for engagement respectively with said hook faces tp prevent upward movement of said strike unit and. are movable downwardly and in laterally opposite direc- 10 tions, preferably away from each other, out of said engagement position to release said strike, unit.

I The details of the bolt unit 16 may be widely varied, blit as shown the frame. 42 is a sheet metal plate enclosed in a housing 48 generally similar to the strike unit 15 housing 28 but substantially deeper. . The top wall of the housing has a notch or notches for the hook or hooks Of the strike unit, and when the strike unit has two hooks 18 and 20 the housing top wall has two notches 50 and 52. The frame or plate 42 has rearwardly offset por- 20 tions 54 near its ends and it has forwardly extending finnys 56. 56 and 58, 58 which engage the front wall of the-cover to-prevent-relative forward movement. The frarnp. plate 42 is also provided near the bottom with forwardly extending flanges 60, 60 and 62 for purposes 25 to be set forth. The plate 42 is held in place in thje housing 48 by . tabs 64 and 66 bent inwardly from the top and bottom walls of said housing. One upper tab 64 is shown in Fig. 4 and one lower tab 66 is shown in Fig. 5. The entire bolt unit is attached to the case body 30 by screws 68 which enter threaded holes 70, 70 in the offset portions 54 of the frame plate 42, '

The bolts 44 and 46 are formed as integral parts of bolt members 72 and 74. With the exception of one detail, hereinafter described, the two bolt members are 35 similar, but they are reversely shaped, Each of the bolt members 72 and 74 is a metal plate having the bolt 44 or 46 formed integrally therewith and bent forwardly there- , from. Each of the bolt members 72 and 74 has an ear 76 or 78 bent rearwardly therefrom and entered in an ⁴⁰inclined slot 80 or 82 in the frame plate 42. The slots 80 and 82 are oppositely inclined and the sides of the respective slots together with the corresponding ears 76 and 78 constitute means for guiding the bolts for movement in substantial parallelism with the inclined hook 45 faces 22 and 24. Each of the bolt members 72 and 74 has. an extension 84 or 86 which projects through a notch in a wall of . the housing 48. perpendicular to the front wall thereof and serves as manually operable means for moving the bolt member downwardly and laterally in- 50 wardly. As shown, the two extensions 84 and 86 project through opposite notches in the side walls of the housing. Springs 88 and 90 serve respectively as means for biasing the bolt members for upward and laterally outward movement. As shown, the spring 88 is a leaf spring engaging the corresponding flanges 58 and 60 on the frame plate and engaging a forwardly bent ear 92 on the bolt member 72. The spring 90 is generally similar to the spring 88 and engages the corresponding flange 60 on the frame plate and a forwardly bent ear 94 on the bolt member 74. However, the spring 90 does not engage the corresponding flange 58 on the frame plate. The bolt members 72 and 74 are shown as having openings 96 and 98 which provide clearances for the holding screws 68.

It will be seen that each bolt member 72 or 74 is guided in part by the engagement of the corresponding ear 76 or 78 in the corresponding slot in the frame 42 and in part by the engagement of the corresponding extension 84 or 86 with the walls of the corresponding slot in the side wall of the housing 48.

Fig. 4 shows, the parts positioned for latching the units 14 are 16 in their said cooperative relationship. The bolts 44 and 46 respectively engage the faces 22 and 24 of the hooks 18 and 20 to prevent relative upward move4 . Λ ment of the strike unit, the bolts and the bolt members being held in place by the springs 88 and 90. The engagement faces of the two bolts 44 and 46 are at approximately 90° to each other, thus preventing any accidental release due to a shock such as might result from dropping the case. A shock or blow in such a direction as to tend to release one bolt would not tend to release the other bolt. Furthermore, there is a frictional action tending to resist accidental disengagement, there being a wedging effect between the engagement face of each bolt and the upper face of the corresponding ear 76 or 78 which engages the upper wall of the corresponding slot 80 or 82. In addition, .it should be observed that the oppositely inclined hook faces and the similarly inclined bolt faces automatically provide an equalization of pressure at the two hooks. If there are minor inaccuracies of manufacturing tending to cause one hook to engage first, there is a sufficient slight looseness. in the cover mounting to permit the cover and the strike to shift laterally as necessary to equalize the pressures. Sufficient clearances are provided in the notches 50 and 52 to permit such shifting.

For releasing the strike unit, opposite pressures are manually applied, to the extension 84 and 86 of the bolt members and the bolts 44 and 46 are guided by the slots 80 and . 82 for relative movements downwardly and inwardly in substantial parallelism respectively with the oppositely inclined hook faces 22 and 24. When the bolts and the bolt members reach the positions shown in Fig. 8, the hooks are in positions to release the hooks and the strike unit is freely movable upwardly.

When the manual pressures on the bolt member extensions 84 and 86 are released, the springs 88 and 90 restore the. bolts and the bolt members to their normal or engagement positions as shown in Fig. 4. The restored or engagement positions of the bolts are also shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8.

When the cover is to be closed, the strike unit is moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 8, and the lower faces 100 and 102 of the hooks 18 and 20 engage the bolts to push them downwardly and outwardly in opposition to the springs 88 and 90. When the hooks engage the bolts, said bolts move in downwardly inclined directions and there is therefore a minimum resistance to bolt movement. The result is that the cover and the strike unit can be very readily moved to the closed or cooperative relationship. When the hooks reach their lower positions, the springs move the bolts back to their engagement positions as shown in Fig. 4 and the device is self-latching. ’ . Preferably, means is provided for locking at least one bolt in its engagement position, and as shown such means is provided for the bolt 44. A rotary tumbler 104 is provided within the housing 48 at the lower center there55 of. The tumbler 104 is cup-shaped and closed at the rear, and it is partly within a recess in the frame plate 42 and it is guided and held in place by the flanges 58, 58 and 62 on said frame palte. A key 106, shown in Fig. 3, may be inserted through a keyhole 108 in the housing 60 .48 and into a notch 110 in the rear wall of the tumbler.

By means of the key the tumbler may be rotated to the unlocking position shown in Fig. 8 or to the locking position shown in Fig. 9. A rearward projection 112 on the tumbler enters an arcuate slot 114 in file frame plate 42 65 to limit rotary movement of said tumbler. The tumbler is provided with two similar opposite notches 116 and ,118, the corners of which are engaged by the spring 90. The spring serves not only to bias the bolt member 74 as described but also to releasably hold the tumbler in 70 its unlocking position as shown in Fig. 8 onto releasably hold said tumbler in its locking position as shown in Fig. 9.

The bolt 44 has an integral locking extension 120 which enters a slot 122 in the tumbler 104 when the tumbler is in its unlocking position and when the bolt is moved

2,940,291 to its unlatching position as shown in Fig. 8. When the tumbler is turned to its locking position as shown in Fig. 9, said locking extension 120 engages the wall of the tumbler and prevents any substantial movement of said bolt 44. Thus the strike and bolt units are locked in their cooperative relationship.

Device shown in Figs. 10 to 15

In the device shown in Figs. 10 to 15, a strike unit 123 and a bolt unit 124 are adapted respectively to be fixedly attached to the case cover 16 and to the case body 12, these units being generally similar to the strike and bolt units 14 and 16.

The strike unit 123 has a single relatively fixed hook 126. The hook includes a vertical stem and a lateral projection having an upwardly exposed face 128 which is downwardly inclined relatively to the stem at an angle substantially greater than 90°, the angle as shown being about 135°. The hook 126 is an integral portion of a sheet metal plate 130. The major portion of said plate 130 is within a rectangular sheet metal housing 132 closed at the front and open at the rear. The hook 126 projects downwardly from the housing 132 through a notch in the bottom wall thereof. The plate is generally similar to the plate 26 and it is similarly held in place in its housing. The entire strike unit is attached to the case cover 10 by screws 134 which enter threaded holes in the plate 130.

The bolt unit 124 includes a frame 136 and a bolt 138 guided on the frame for relative movement in substantial parallelism with the inclined face 128 of the hook 126 when said strike and bolt units are in the said cooperative relationship. The bolt 138 is movable upwardly and laterally toward the left into an upper position for engagement with said hook face 128 to prevent upward movement of said strike unit, and said bolt 138 is movable downwardly and laterally toward the right out of said engagement with said hook face to release said strike unit for upward movement. The bolt may be biased upwardly and laterally to its said engagement position by means to be more fully explained, and the bolt is movable downwardly and laterally out c-f said position by manually operable means to be more fully explained.

As shown, the frame 136 is a sheet metal plate enclosed in a housing 140 generally similar to the strike unit housing 132 but substantially deeper. The top wall of the housing has a notch 142 for the hook of the -strike unit. The frame or plate 136 is generally similar to the plate 42 and it is similarly held in place in its housing. The frame plate 136 is provided above the bottom with a forwardly extending flange 144 for purposes to be set forth. The entire bolt unit is attached to the case body by screws 146 which enter threaded holes in the frame plate 136.

The bolt 138 is formed as an integral part of a bolt member 148. The bolt member 14S is a metal plate having the bolt 138 formed integrally therewith and bent forwardly therefrom. The member 148 has an. ear ISO bent rearwardly therefrom and entered in an inclined slot 152 in the frame plate 136. The inclined slot 152 guides the bolt for movement in substantial parallelism with the inclined hook face 128. The bolt member 138 has an extension 153 which projects through a notch in the side wall of the housing 140 and has a forwardly turned lip 154 that serves as a manually operable means for moving the bolt member laterally outwardly. A coil compression spring 156 is provided which engages projections c-n the bolt member 148 and on the frame flange 144. Said spring may serve as a means for biasing the bolt member upwardly and laterally inwardly and said spring may tend to hold the bolt member in its upper engagement position.

It will be seen that the bolt member 148 is guided in part by the engagement of the ear 150 in the frame Stet 152 and in part by the engagement of the extension 153 with tlie edges of the slot in the side wall of’ -the housing 140.

β

Fig. 12 shows the parts positioned for latching the units 123 and 124 in their said cooperative relationship. The bolt 138 engages the face 128 of the hook 126 to prevent relative upward movement of the strike unit, the bolt and the bolt member being held in place by the spring 156. When there is only a single hook and only a single bolt, it is important for the hook, at the side thereof opposite its inclined face, to be in engagement with the edge of the slot 142 as clearly shown in Fig. 12. This last-mentioned engagement prevents any lateral shifting of the hook relatively to the bolt unit which would tend to permit disengagement of the hook from the bolt.

For releasing the strike unit, the lip 154 on the bolt member is manually engaged and moved outwardly and the bolt 138 is guided by the slot 152 for relative movement downwardly and laterally in substantial parallelism with the inclined hook face 128. When the bolt and the bolt member reach the positions shown in Fig. 15, the bolt is positioned to release the hook and the strike unit is freely movable upwardly.

The spring 156 is preferably so positioned in relation to the bolt member 148 and the flange 144 that it serves in cooperation with the shape of the bolt member at the point 157 to hold said bolt member either in the position shown in Fig. 12 or in the position shown in Fig. 15. In the Fig. 12 position the spring 156 biases the bolt member 136 upwardly and laterally inwardly to hold the bolt 138 in its engagement position. In the Fig. 15 position the spring 156 presses against the bolt member 136 at such an angle as to hold the bolt 138 out of its engagement position.

The provision of means for automatically holding the bolt out of engagement position is advantageous for installations wherein the cover will ordinarily be repeatedly raised and lowered without any need for being always latched in its lower or closed position. Furthermore, when a case has two widely spaced latching devices, it may be inconvenient to release them simultaneously, and with the bolt automatically held out of its engagement position, the two devices can be released in sequence without automatic re-engagement to the bolt first released.

When the bolt is to be restored to its engagement position as shown in Fig. 12, the bolt member is moved manually inwardly far enough to move the spring to such an angle that it will continue the bolt movement upwardly and laterally to the engagement position as shown by full lines in Fig. 12 and as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 15.

It will be evident that the bolt may be moved to its engagement position with the cover closed and with the hook 126 in its lower position as shown in Fig. 12 or the bolt can be so moved with the cover open and with the hook in its upper position as shown in Fig. 15.

When the bolt is moved to its engagement position with the cover open, the device is self-latching as described in connection with the device shown in Figs. 1 to 9. When the cover is to be closed, the strike unit is moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 15, and the lower face 158 of the hook 126 engages the bolt to push it downwardly and laterally in opposition to the spring 156. The hook in moving to its lower position does not move the bolt member 153 far enough for -the spring 156 to retain it in the unlocked position, and the spring therefor moves the bolt back to its engagement position as shown in Fig. 12.

Means is preferably provided for locking the bolt in its engagement position and, as shown, there is a transversely movable tumbler 160 within the housing 140. The tumbler is U-shaped in vertical section as shown in Figs. 13 and 14 and it is guided at the top by the beforementioned flange 144 on the frame plate 136. A spring 162 engages the tumbler at the bottom and serves to hold it in engagement with the flange 144 and also serves to frictionally resist movement of the said tumbler. The tumbler 160 has an opening 164 in the rear wall thereof

2,940,591 which opening includes an upper notch 166. -A key can be inserted through a keyway 168 in the front wall of the housing 140 and the key can engage the walls of the notch 166 to move the tumbler to its left position as shown in Fig. 12 or to its right position as shown in 5 Fig. 15.

.. The upper wall of the tumbler 160 has a notch 170 therein for receiving a locking extension 172 on the bolt member 148. When the tumbler is in its left position as shown in Fig. 12, the upper wall of the tumbler ob- io structs the locking extension 172 and the bolt cannot be moved out of its engagement position. When the tumbler is in its right position as shown in Fig. 15, the notch 170 registers with the locking extension 172 and said extension can move into said notch to permit the 15 bolt to move out of its engagement position.

Device shown in Figs. 16 and 17

- In the device shown in Figs. 16 and 17, a strike unit 174 and a bolt unit 176 are adapted respectively to be fixedly, attached to a case cover and a case body.

The strike unit 174 is or may be very similar to the strike unit 123 shown in Figs. 10 and 15 to detailed description is. unnecessary.

The bolt unit 176 comprises a frame plate 178 within a housing 18®. A bolt 182 is provided which is a part of a bolt member 184. The bolt member has a rearwardly projecting ear 186 guided in a slot 188 in the frame plate 178.

The bolt 182 is movable upwardly and laterally toward ₃₀the left into an upper position for engagement with the hook face 128 to prevent upward movement of the strike unit, and said bolt 182 is movable downwardly and laterally toward the right out of engagement with said hook face to release said strike, for upward movement. The 35 bolt member has a downward extension 190 which projects through a notch in the bottom wall of the housing 180 and has a forwardly turned lip 192 that serves as a manually operable means for moving the bolt member downwardly and laterally toward the right. A coil com- ₄₀pression spring 194 is provided which engages projections on the bolt member 184 and on the right side wall of the housing 180. Said spring serves as a means for biasing the bolt member upwardly and laterally and said spring tends to hold the bolt member in its upper engagement position. .

. The functioning and manner of operation of the device as shown in Figs. 16 and 17 is generally similar to that of the devices shown respectively in Figs. 1 to 9 and in Figs. 10 to 15 and further detailed description is unnecessary. No locking means is shown, but it is obvious that the device may be provided with a locking means.