Improvements in Fastenings for Bulkhead and other Doors, Manholes, Hatches, or the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastenings for Bulkhead and other Doors,
Manholes, Hatches, or the like.
I, AUSTIN ADAMS, of No. 621, Broadway, New York City, in the State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what nianner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to latches for ice box doors and other movable devices
where it is desired to close the door without having the same engage the latch
and thereby fasten or secure the door in position.
In the usual latches employed for wedging the door into its seat, the door can-
not be tightly closed without the latch engaging a corresponding part and thereby
preventing the door from being opened from the inside without operating the
latch. This, for various reasons, is objectionable, and it is desirable to provide
a latching or securing means which will not only permit the door to be freely
opened from either side without moving the latch but at the same time can be
used, when desired, to tightly wedge the door into its seat, and also serve to open
the same.
With this end in view, I have sought to producé a latching device that will
not only securely wedge the door into its seat, when desired, but, also, serve to
release it from its seat and open the same; such latching device being so con-
structed that it will in its normal or inoperative position, permit the door to be
tightly closed without the corresponding member of the latching device on the door,
coming in contact with the latch thereby securing the door in position.
With this object in view, I will proceed to describe my invention with reference
to the accompanying drawings in which.
Figures 1 and 2 represent perspective views of my latch; Figure 3 is a perspec-
tive view of another latch constructed according to my invention, the keeper being
secured to the door; Figure 4 is a cross-section of my latch; Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8
are views in detail of my rotatory keeper, and Figure 9 is a detail in front elevation
of the same.
Referring particularly to the drawings, A denotes my rotatory keeper, and C¹ a
fixed member, as a tongue or pin, supported by a vertical plate or bracket C and
ordinarily provided, in cases where the same is secured to a door, with a handle C¹².
My rotatory keeper, A consists of a hub provided with a spirally inclined edge
or way extending around the periphery of the same, and also provided with two
operating handles A¹ and A, the handle A¹ being located on the exterior and A* on
the interior of the door, wall, or the like, to which my device may be applied. I form
in my keeper an entrance opening or way a plane with the longitudinal axis of
the same and substantially at right angles to the plane or face of the support
thereof, and extending far enough through the same to allow the overhanging tongue
or pin C¹ to have free ingress and egress therethrough and to pass freely into and out
0 of the said keeper, without in any way rotating or otherwise actuating the same.
My keeper is also provided, as stated, with an inclined edge or way a², whereby

page_text: when the door or the like is closed it may be forced or crowded into its seat by
turning either of the handles A¹ or A, the said handles being ordinarily located
at the opposite ends of the horizontal shank or rod A³. Another rearwardly
disposed inclined edge or way a³, serves, upon subsequent manipulation of either
of the said handles to crowd the said door, or the like, from its seat and to force
the same open. I designate the rear edge a³ a posterior" incline, and the
front edge a³ of the seat formed by the said two inclines an anterior " incline.
My keeper may be applied to the jamb, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or to a
door, as shown in Figure 3, at will. The said keeper may also be cast or other-
wise formed in a solid piece with a peripheral inclined edge or way, or in tubular
form, as shown in Figure 8.
Obviously my invention is applicable to a great variety of doors, or other swing-
ing or movable devices, as for example, bulk head and compartment doors, dead
lights, man-holes, hatches, or the like, and I do not therefore limit myself to its
use in connection with ice house doors, herein particularly specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
The combination, in a fastening device, with a fixed projection, of a rotatory
latching device, and a handle, for actuating the same, said latching device con-
sisting of a hub provided with a spirally inclined edge or way extending around
the periphery of the same, whereby the projection may have free ingress and egress
to said spiral way when the latch is in its normal inoperative position without
impinging the latch-way, as specified.