US1171690A - Latch-operating device. - Google Patents

Description

J. T. ALLMAND.

LATCH OPERATlNG DEVICE. APVPLICATION'FILED SEPT. 20, 1915.

1,171,690. Patented Feb.15,1916. j

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T.'ALLMAND, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO FISHER CLOSED BODY COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

LATCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Application filed September 20, 1915. Serial No. 51,526.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN T. ALLMAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of WVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and i. eful Improvement in Latch-Operating Devices, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a latch opening device for use on a removable top for convertible automobile bodies.

It comprises a device adapted .tobe carried by the upper section of the two-section door when the top is in place. The device is so constructed that it can be easily operated from the inside or from without to swing the ordinary inside latch lever onthe. lower body section, and it is so arranged that it affords a non-rattling connection with the said latch lever. This will more fully appear in the description following.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an inside view of portions of the upper and lower door sections of a convertible body when the removable top is in position, and showing my device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3. is a section on the line A A of Fig. 2.

a designates the ordinary-door used'in an o'pen body, I) the concealed latch casing, c

the latch lever which protrudes through the segmental slot d.

The door section of the removable top is lettered e and will be referred to as the upper door section.

f represents a small casting or sleeve which can be secured to the outside of the door .and which acts as one ofthe bearings for the arbor g which passes through the upper door section. To the outside end of this arbor is tightly fitted or soldered a handle it which for convenience of reference will be termed the exterior handle. The extension of this handle which fits over the outside end of the arbor g is really the member which is rotatably supported by the casting or sleeve 7 to give the arbor g a bearing in this sleeve. The extreme inner end of the arbor g is screw-threaded and the succeeding portion of the arbor is squared. On the squared portion fits the bushing a which may be soldered in place if desired, and also the lever j, which is preferably a two-arm lever, one arm above and one arm below the point of attachment to the arbor. A'casting or sleeve 70 screws to the inside of the door section 6 and serves as a bearing for the bushing z. A

cap nut Z runs on the threads of the inner iron stop 0 when the lever is not being oper.-"

ated. The stop 0 is secured to the lower door section.

A spring (not shown) which customarily keeps the latch proper-projected also serves to keep the latch lever o in its forward position. This is the common construction of latches for automobile doors and needs no further illustration or description. When the latch is not being retracted, the lower end of the lower arm of the lever y is pinched between the top of the latch lever 0 and the stop 0, and the rubber button 70. is the portion of this arm which is in contact with both the latch lever and the stop. Consetop of the quently this produces a non-rattling device,

as the force of the spring of the latch which keeps the latch lever in its forward position, is sufiicient to hold the latch lever and the =lower arm of the lever 7' tightly against the of the stop 0, which if in the way of the operation of the latch lever, can easily be taken 03 by-taking out thetwo screws.

It is apparentthat with the inside latch lever, which is the prevailing lever now used in the present form of open body construction, it will be impossible to open the door when the top section is in place. Consequently my device accomplishes this-purpose, and already set out in detail, the

stop used in conjunction with the lower arm for the lever j and the spring-actuated latch lever secures a non-rattling connection between my device 1 latch lever The upper serves as a com c tion-of the latch le\ from the ot' erwise would he other ineonvement "a h t latch opening nevic o upper se inoperative connection th the latch What 1 claim is: r

l. in a door constrnotion con aprising rip-- er and lower separable door sections and an inside latch lever for the lower door section yieldingly forced to one end of swinging arc, the combination of a stop rd-- jacent such end of the singing are of tile latch lever, and o device'secured to the upper door section and comprising an arbor passing through the upper door section a handle on the outside end of the arbor, and a lever arm on the inside of the arbor, the end of which is engaged between the latch lever and the stop when the device is inopen ative an dadspted to contact the latch lever to operate the same when the lever arm is swung.

Z In a door construction comprising upper and lower separable sections and an inside hitch lever yieldingly urged toward one end of its swinging are, the conduination of a stop adjacent said end of the lath lever swinging are, and a device secured to the upper door section, comprisinglenerhor r0- tatzihly held in the upper thi her section, ahandle on the outside end of the arbor and a lever arm on the inside end theerboi and provided at its eb'treine end with cushioning means for contacting the stop ace the lRiICil lever when the parts are in inoperative poksition, said lever arm servingtolswizug the latch lever when the lever arm is swung.

and lower separable door sections and a tch lever yieldingly urged toward one end swinging ere, the combination of a stop secured adiace'nt said end of the swing-i mg are, and a. device rotetably mounted in the upper door section, comprising an arbor in door construction, comprising up passing through the upper door section, .3, M handle on the outside endand a two arm 1 lever secured to the inside end, one urirrof which is pinched between the stop and the yieldingly urged latch lever when the; part5 are inoperative and which serves to aetuete the latch lever when the lever arm is swung, and the other arm. of which acts cs a lover handle on the inside of the door.

4. In a door construction, comprising upper and lower separable sections and a latch lever thatis ordinarily yieldingly urged toward one end of its swinging arc, the combination of a stop adjacent the end of said swinging arc, and a device rotatably mounted in the upper door section and comprising an arbor passing through the upper door section, lever arm on the inside end of the arbor probutton which contacts with the stop and the hitch lever when the parts are in inoperative position in testimony whereof, I signthis specification.

JGHN T. ALLMAND i at its extreme end With a. rivet-shaped,

Images