Module latching mechanism

A latching mechanism for releasably joining and locking together two separate modules located on a flat surface. The latching mechanism includes a first module having a pair of lower fingers projecting therefrom and a pair of upper angular, locking members projecting therefrom, a second module having a pair of lower apertures for locking engagement with the pair of lower fingers and a pair of upper apertures for locking engagement with the pair of upper, angular, locking members and a cam rotatably mounted in the lower portion of the first module. The cam has a shape such that rotation of the cam is effective to lower the first module onto the second module to thereby join the two modules and continued rotation of the cam is effective to urge the second module upwardly against the first module to thereby rigidly lock together the two modules.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The instant invention relates to a latching mechanism for releasably 
joining and locking together two separate modules located on a flat 
surface, and more particularly to such a latching mechanism which is 
manually operable in modular office equipment. 
It is the current trend to offer office equipment in modular form so that 
users thereof can put together the particular combination of features that 
they desire. It therefore becomes important that the various modules have 
the capability of rigidly locking to each other and being easily 
releasable. 
The prior art is replete with various latching mechanisms which releasably 
join and lock together two separate modules which are located on a flat 
surface. However, virtually all of these prior art latching mechanisms 
involve more than one motion in order to join or separate the two modules, 
or if only one motion is required, the lock obtained thereby lacks the 
rigidity required in certain applications. 
The foregoing problems associated with locking mechanisms for modules, and 
particularly office machine modules, are overcome by the instant invention 
which provides a latching mechanism that rigidly locks the modules 
together in one continuous motion and similarly provides an easy release 
of the one module from the other in one continuous motion. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, the instant invention provides a latching mechanism for 
releasably joining and locking together two separate modules located on a 
flat surface. The latching mechanism includes a first module having a pair 
of lower fingers projecting therefrom and a pair of upper angular, locking 
members projecting therefrom, a second module having a pair of lower 
apertures for locking engagement with the pair of lower fingers and a pair 
of upper apertures for locking engagement with the pair of upper, angular, 
locking members and a cam rotatably mounted in the lower portion of the 
first module. The cam has a shape such that rotation of the cam is 
effective to lower the first module onto the second module to thereby join 
the two modules and continued rotation of the cam is effective to urge the 
second module upwardly against the first module to thereby rigidly lock 
together the two modules.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
In describing the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, reference 
is made to the drawings, wherein there is seen a first module generally 
designated 10 and a second module generally designated 12. The first 
module 10 is supported by a pair of rotary, front legs 14 and a pair of 
stationary, rear legs 16, while the second module 12 is supported by a 
pair of stationary, front legs 18 and a pair of stationary, rear legs 20, 
all of which rest on a flat, horizontal, supporting surface 22. 
The first module 10 includes a pair of lower fingers 24 and 26 projecting 
outwardly from the front panel 28 of the first module 10. Extending 
outwardly from the first module 10 in the same direction as the fingers 24 
and 26 is an overhanging member 30 which terminates in a vertical flange 
32. Extending from the under-surface of the overhanging member 30 are a 
pair of angular projections 34 and 36. A shaft 38 is rotatably mounted in 
the sidewalls 40 and 42 of the first module 10. The shaft 38 includes a 
handle 44 for manual rotation thereof and is fixedly secured to the pair 
of rotary, front legs 14 supporting the first module 10. Fixedly mounted 
in the middle of the shaft 38 is a cam 46 which, together with the rotary 
front legs 14, is rotatable when the handle 44 of the shaft 38 is rotated. 
The effects of the rotation will be discussed further hereinbelow. 
The second module 12 includes a lower front wall section 48 which includes 
a pair of lower apertures 50 and 52 which engage the fingers 24 and 26 
respectively of the first module 10. The top wall 54 of the second module 
12 includes a recessed panel 56 which contains a pair of angular slots 58 
and 60 which engage the angular projections 34 and 36 respectively of the 
first module 10. As best seen in FIG. 4, the second module 12 includes a 
front panel 62 and a recessed, horizontal section 64. The juncture of the 
front panel 62 and the horizontal section 64 is beveled in the middle to 
form a camming plane 66 which engages the cam 46 in a manner to be 
described more fully hereinafter. 
The manner of latching together the two modules 10 and 12 is best 
understood by referring first to FIG. 5, in which the two modules 10 and 
12 are seen in a separated condition, which is representative of how they 
would appear either subsequent to their separation or prior to their being 
latched together. It should be noted that in the separated condition, the 
rotary, front legs 24 and 26 of the first module 10 are facing downward 
toward the supporting surface 22 in order to support the first module 10 
in an upright position on all four of its legs 14 and 16. FIG. 4 is 
representative of the two modules 10 and 12 immediately prior to their 
being latched together or immediately subsequent to their being separated. 
The position of the shaft 38 in FIG. 4 is identical to position seen in 
FIG. 5 and thus the rotary front legs 14 and the cam 46 are in the same 
positions in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
FIG. 3 shows the two modules 10 and 12 as they appear either immediately 
subsequent to their being separated or immediately prior to their being 
latched together. It can be seen that the lower fingers 24 and 26 of the 
first module 10 have entered the apertures 50 and 52 respectively of the 
second module 12 and that the angular projections 34 and 36 of the first 
module 10 are poised over the angular slots 58 and 60 respectively of the 
second module 12. In FIG. 2 the two modules 10 and 12 are finally latched 
together. The latching is brought about by a counterclockwise rotation of 
the shaft handle 44 which causes the shaft 38 to rotate counterclockwise 
which in turn effects counterclockwise rotation of the rotary, front legs 
14 and the cam 46. The rotation of the rotary, front legs 14 causes them 
to be lifted away from the supporting surface 22, the result being that 
the first module 10 is lowered onto the second module 12. Continued 
rotation of the shaft 38 eventually brings the surface portion 68 of the 
cam 46 having the largest radius into butting engagement with the camming 
plane 66 of the second module 12. This butting engagement results in the 
second module 12 being forced upwardly against the first module 10 as seen 
in FIG. 2. Thus, by virtue of merely rotating the shaft 38, the first 
module 10 is lowered onto the second module 12 and then the second module 
12 is urged upwardly against the first module 10, thereby rigidly locking 
together the two modules 10 and 12. 
Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to 
certain preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those of skill in 
the art that variations and modifications in this detail may be effected 
without any departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, 
as defined in the appended claims below.