Patent GB-1222991-A (GB)
Title: Latch mechanism
IPC: B63C9/22
Filed: 1967-04-20
Abstract: 1,222,991. Latch mechanisms. HARLEY PATENTS (INTERNATIONAL) Ltd. and F. B. HARLEY. 17 April, 1968 [20 April, 1967], No. 18223/67. Headings E2A and E2B. A latch mechanism comprises a body having a latch bolt 52 mounted thereon for movement between a latching position in which the bolt retains a keeper 12 to the body and a releasing position in which the keeper can separate from the body, a detent 65 mounted.  for movement between first and second positions, in the first of which movement of the bolt from the latching position to the releasing position is prevented and in the second of which such movement is permitted, a release member 84 being connected to the detent and being so arranged that a force applied to the release member can move the detent from the first to the second position, the release member being capable of ready disconnection from the detent when the latter is in its second position but not when it is in its first position. In the construction shown a collar 49 is secured to the body by a rivet 48 and when the detent is in the first position the release member underlies the collar 49 which prevents it from being removed from a hooked portion 80 of the detent. The latch bolt 52 is bifurcated and has a jaw 53 formed by spaced arms 54 and 55 and in the latching position of the bolt the two arms bridge a slot 35 in the body so that a keeper pin 27 is trapped in the slot 35; in the releasing position of the bolt only the arm 53 bridges the slot 35 so that the keeper pin can be removed from the slot. The bolt is biassed to the releasing position by a spring 60 and the detent holds the bolt in the latching position by being positioned in the path of movement of a corner region 77 of the bolt. Releasing movement of the bolt is limited by a protruberance 57 engaging a collar 50 rivetted to the base. In the construction shown which is intended to fasten together the two halves of a casing of an inflatable dinghy the base is releasably fastened to a securing member 17 which is fastened to one half of the dinghy by means of bolts. The releasable fastening consists of a pair of spaced tubular hinge like portions 94 and 95, Fig. 5, at the lower end portion of the base and a further tubular hinge like portion 96 of the member 17; the portion 96 is received between the portions 94 and 95 and held in position by a member 103 which is secured to a cable 106. The base also has a pair of part key hole shaped cut outs 99 which are engaged by studs 100 of the member 17 when the tubular portions are held together by the member 103. Withdrawing the member 103 by means of the cable allows the studs to drop out of the cut outs 99. The withdrawal of the member 103 provides an emergency release means for allowing the two halves of the dinghy casing to separate if the latch bolt failed to release the keeper pin. The keeper consists of a member 15 which is secured to the upper half of the dinghy casing by bolts the member 15 carrying a collar through which can slide a threaded rod 22 which extends from the base of an inverted U-shaped bail having two arms which are interconnected by the pin 27. Mounted on the rod 22 is a sleeve formed with a co-operating screw thread and rotation of the sleeve allows the position of the pin 27 to be adjusted. A locking screw 33 is provided to which access can be gained through the upper end of the sleeve.