Patent GB-1320901-A (GB)
Title: Latch mechanisms
IPC: E05B65/32
Filed: 1969-06-25
Abstract: 1320901 Releasable fastenings WILMOTBREEDEN Ltd 21 Sept 1970 [25 June 1969] 31984/69 Heading E2A A latch mechanism for use with a motor vehicle has a latch assembly 11 having a rotary latch member 17, a co-operating keeper assembly 12 with a keeper member 20, restraint means 30, Fig. 3, acting on the keeper assembly 12 laterally of the rotation axis of the latch member 17 to provide restraint in that lateral direction, and further restraint means employing parts 18a and 28a, Fig. 2, on the latch assembly 11 and the keeper assembly 12 respectively which co-operate and engage on opposite sides of the latch member axis to provide restraint in the direction of the latch member axis. The latch assembly 11, Figs. 2 and 3, has a moulded synthetic plastics body 15 with a circular recess 16 which receives the disc-shaped latch member 17 therein. The latch member 17 is rotatable in the recess 16 and is retained therein by means of a cover plate 18 of the latch assembly 11. A peripheral notch 19 is provided in the latch member 17 for latching engagement with the keeper member 20 of the keeper assembly 12. The keeper member 20 is guided to the latching position along a guide slot 22 which is moulded in the body 15 from one edge thereof and has a flared mouth as shown in Fig. 3. A similar slot 23 is formed in the cover plate 18 to provide clearance for the keeper member 20. A spring-loaded and pivotally mounted pawl 24 is housed in the body 15 and projects into the recess 16 for alternative engagement with either of two further peripheral notches 25 and 26 in the latch member 17, whereby to act as a detent which retains the latch member in either a first safety or a fulllatching position. A pivotally mounted release lever 27 can move the pawl 24 to a release position to free the latch member 17 and release the keeper member 20. The keeper member 20 is 'U'-shaped and, when in the latching position, has side limbs 20a thereof positioned as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. The leading limb is in latching engagement with the notch 19 and an intermediate limb 20b of the keeper member 20 is positioned above the latch member 17. An aperture 29 is formed in the body 15 so as to provide a flexible and resilient tongue 30 and a recess in which a block of elastomeric material 32 which resiliently engages the tongue 30 is mounted. As the leading limb 20a of the keeper member is guided to the latching position it engages the resilient tongue 30 with a wedging action, for this purpose the tongue 30 projects into the guide slot 22 through an opening in aside wall thereof. The keeper member 20 is thus wedged against the opposite side of the guide slot 22, with a convex portion of the tongue 30 engaging the intermediate limb 20b of the keeper member, whereby to provide restraint laterally of the latch member axis. Axial restraint is provided by interengagement of the edge flange portions 18a, Figs. 2 and 4, and the inturned edge flange portions 28a of a keeper backplate 28. Leading ends of the flange portions 18a are bent outwardly to facilitate smooth engagement behind the backplate flanges 28a which are received above the cover plate 18 in edge recesses 33 in the body 15. Each recess 33 houses a wedge member 34, Figs. 3 and 4, which engages the corresponding backplate flange 28a to provide axial restraint and wedge the co-operating flanges together. Each wedge member 34 is provided with an elastomeric block 35, the latter being in a corresponding recess 36 in the body 15.