Patent GB-796826-A (GB)
Title: Vehicle door fastenings
Inventor: HARMAN JULIUS
IPC: E05C9/04
Filed: 1955-11-02
Abstract: 796,826. Latches; multiple fastenings. WILMOT-BREEDEN, Ltd. Oct. 22, 1956 [Nov. 2, 1955], No. 31313/55. Class 44. A vehicle door fastening comprises in combination, a hollow body part 12, Fig. 2, adapted to be mounted adjacent the free edge of the door, a plunger 13 slidable in the body part 12 and being longitudinally slotted at its outer end the extremity of which is adapted (when in the latched position) to project from the body part for engagement with an aperture in a keeper 10 on a relatively fixed part of the vehicle body, a catch piece 14 mounted on a transverse pivot pin 15 in the slotted end of the plunger, the catch piece 14 having a nose 14a adapted to engage behind a shoulder 10a on the keeper 10 when in the latched position, a spring-loaded wedge piece 16 mounted for sliding movement within the slotted end of the plunger 13 and adapted to impart angular movement to the catch piece 14 in a direction to engage its nose with the shoulder and an actuating rod 17 connected to the wedge piece. As shown, a spring-loaded wedge block 19 is formed with a protruding face which, as the door is closed engages a complementary wedge face 10b formed on the underside of the keeper to prevent upward movement of the door relative to the keeper. In operation downward movement of the rod 17 and wedge piece 16 frees the catch piece 14 the wedge piece then engaging the plunger 13 to withdraw it from the keeper. When the door is reclosed. an abutment 12a in the body part rocks the catch piece and subsequent engagement by the wedge piece 16 moves the nose 14a into contact with the shoulder 10a. A roller 20 non-rotatably mounted in the keeper wedges the plunger 13 against the opposite edge of the aperture in the keeper as the door is slammed. The fastener forms an upper mechanism A, Fig. 1, of a three part door fastener, mounted adjacent the free vertical edge of the door, a lower mechanism B being mounted at the lower edge of the door and a mechanism C being provided for releasing or locking the upper and lower mechanisms A and B. The mechanism B comprises a housing 21, Fig. 5, adapted to receive a striker pin 11 as the door is closed, the striker pin being adapted to receive an end portion of a spring- loaded bolt 22 and connected to an actuating rod 23. When the bolt is withdrawn from the striker pin 11 an abutment 25a on a spring-loaded lever 25 engages beneath a pin 22a on the bolt to hold the latter in the withdrawn position, the bolt being released as the door is closed by engagement of the lever with the striker pin 11. The rods 17 and 23 are adjustably connected to levers 26 and 27 respectively, Figs. 7 and 8 of mechanism C, both levers being actuatable by an external press button 29 and by an internal handle (not shown). The handle is connected through a link 30 to a lever 31 which is engageable with an arm of lever 27 upon movement of the handle in one direction. The lever 31 is also connected by a pin and slot connection 32, 33 with a spring-loaded locking lever 34, such that movement of the handle in the other direction causes the lever 34 to overlie the one arm of lever 27 to prevent the door being opened. The lever 34 is biased to locking position and the arrangement is such that the handle may be moved to the locking position while the door is unlatched, the lever 27 then obstructing movement of the lever 34. If the door is then closed. it is automatically locked by the locking spring 35 of the lever 34.