Patent GB-636335-A (GB)
Title: Latching mechanisms for closures
IPC: E05B65/32
Filed: 1947-03-10
Abstract: 636,335. Latches. ENDTER, W. A. March 10, 1947, No. 6638. Convention date, Oct. 26, 1946. [Class 44] Latch mechanism, particularly for vehicle doors, comprises a movable keeper element or part 13, Fig. 3, on the door, a movable latch 12 on the door pillar, keeper and latch interengaging to hold the door against opening, and means for moving the keeper out of holding relation with the latch. The latch part comprises a housing 14 in which is pivoted a swinging latch 18 projecting up throughethe top of the housing. The latch has a safety catch shoulder 20, a curved keeper-engaging surface 21, and an outer curved face 22 which engages with the keeper in latched position, and is urged to projected position by a spring 24. The mechanism on the door is mounted on a plate 27 which has an integrally formed housing 29 open at the bottom and supporting shafts 30, 31. The plate 27 also carries a lug 33. The housing 29 contains a movable element 35 co-operating with the latch 18 and normally engaged at 36 against housing 29 by the thrust of a strong spring 37. The element 35 acting as a keeper comprises a quadrant shaped part with a depending arm 40. Mounted on the same shaft 30 is a setting lever 41 controlled by a weak spring 43 which resists clockwise rotation and normally keeps the lever against the housing as shown in Fig. 3. The lower end of lever 41 carries a roller 46 which is engaged by, the latch housing 14. The keeper 35 carries a pivoted, spring urged, locking element 48 normally engaged against surface 49 of the setting lever. Element 48 has a projection 52 which engages as the keeper is swung down against a fixed projection 53 on plate 27 to retract element 48 from the path of the setting lever surface 54 and bring it to a position in which it rides on surface 55. A three armed dragging member 56, pivoted at 31, has two arms 57, 59 with inturned ends projecting through slots in plate 27. Anti-clockwise rotation of member 56 is resisted by a spring 64. Lug 65 on the arm 58 bears on keeper surface 38 and engages with surface 39 in the latched position. Member 56 is retracted by any appropriate operating mechanism from inside and outside, and by an inside push-button. As shown, outside operation is by a push-button 67, Fig. 1, acting on the end 62 of arm 59 of the dogging member, and capable of being locked by a key. The inside operator comprises a bell-crank lever 77 operated by a link 75 from the inside handle, which lifts the intumed end of arm 57 of member 56, and lever 77 can be locked by a pivoted lever 83 operated by push-rod 82. Operation is as follows : on closing door, housing 14 engages roller 46 of lever 41, and as the latter is swung round, the keeper 35 is also rotated since, the setting lever surface 54 bears against the end of locking element 48, Surface 38 of the keeper is then brought into the path of latch 18. On further movement of the keeper, projection 52 abuts against projection 53, and element 48 disengages surface 54, allowing the setting lever to rotate ahead of the keeper. In the position of Fig. 5, lug 65 of the dogging member engages against surface 39 to prevent unlatching movement of the keeper.