US1770917A - Latch for automobile doors - Google Patents

Description

July 22, 1930. B. H L 1,770,917

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Filed Oct. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "-"I ///////////A'///// I July 22, 1930. B. HALL 1,770,917-

v LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS.

Filed Oct. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Cal Patented July 22, 1930 UNITED STATES BICKNEIQLI HALL. or QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Application filed. October 12, 1927. Serial No. 225,802.

This invention relates to latches such as are utilized on the doors of closed automobiles, and while in certain aspects thereof the invention is not limited thereto, acardinal object is to provide a latch such as will permit the installation in a door of a sliding glass panel of substantially the full width of the door, particularly in those doors, whether of allsteel construction or otherwise, having sheet metal lock stiles. The construction illustrated by way of an example of my invention permits the installation of the glass channel or guide in contact with the inner face of the stile.

My invention will be well understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative l embodiment thereof shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: a

Fig. 1 is a plan section through an automobile door at the height of the latch, which door has applied thereto a latch illustrative of the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the latch detached. For clearness the parts of the latch casing are shown as if at right angles. That is, theshut bevel of the door, as illustrated in Fig. 1, has not been shown.

Figs. 3" and tare sections on the lines 33 and -14 of Fig. 1 showing the door in open and closed positions respectively, the glass and glass channel being omitted; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have there shown in section an automobile door having a lock stile 7 of sheet metal closing against a jamb 9, the body of the door carrying the sliding glass-panel 11, the edge of which is received in the glass guide or channel 13 here shown as abutting the inner face of the stile 7.

I have herein shown the door as latched by 3 means of a bolt 15 projecting from the edge of the door and which herein takes the form of a cylindrical body cradled in a lug 17 projecting from the jamb face of the door. a centrally disposed rivet 18 being herein provided for rotatably retaining the same in position. the upper surface of the body being exposed above the lug and provided with a. series of 33 disposed in the same teeth 19 and a smooth portion 19. As seen in Fig. 5, as the door closes the lug 17 rides up the bevel 21 on a fixed underriding support.

in the jamb fitting and the teeth 19 roll into engagement with an overhanging toothed element 25, the engagement in the present instance being that of a pinion. with a rack, although in the example shown the teeth 19 are in the form of a segment rather than covering a complete circumference. The pinion-like member 15 moves freely in this direction and it will be clear that if reverse movement is restrained except when permitted by a releasing action governed by the door handles the door will be held latched. hen the pinion is released for reverse rotation and the door opened, it will roll out, the reaction between it and the rack in the opening movement returning it to its initial position. It will also be clear that when the teeth are engaged the door will be held latched irrespective of the exact position of the pinion along the rack and the door may thus be held in any of a multiplicity of positions.

Referring to Fig. 2 I have herein shown the latch'as organized on a casing comprisiug the plate 27 applied to the inner face of the door and the angular flange 29 to extend over the jamb face. As seen in Fig. 1, the plate 27 is conveniently let in flush with the lockbar 31 of thedoor while the plate 29 isarranged coplanar with the lock stile 7 the latter being recessed to receive it. For constructional reasons the'lug 17 may be formed as a separate member on a base plate plane as the flange 29 (see Fig. 2), this plate being here shown as secured by lugs 35 extending over the inner face of the plate 29 and riveted thereto. these lugs being laterally disposed (see Figs. 3 and 4) at opposite sides of the positionof the glass channel 13. Essentially the plate, 33 is a portion of the flange 29 while the plate or the flange might be considered a part of the lock stile and might indeed be so built except for the convenience of constructing the latch as a unit apart from the door.

In accordance with my invention the pinion bolt 15 is organized in close proximity to the j amb face of the door to provide ample clearance .within the door for the glass 11 and herein is'organized outwardly of the inner face of the stile 7 so that the channel 13 may abut the inner face of the stile. Furthermore, as will appear as the description proceeds, the restraining means is disposed between the upper and lower bounding planes of the projecting bolt mechanism so that there is no projection from the jamb face of the door other than that of the bolt 15 and its supporting lug 17 and no cutting away of the jamb 9 is required except to receive the essential keeper mechanism ,illustrated in Fig. 5. I

In the example of the invention shown the member 15 terminates flush with the inner face of the stile and (as seen in Figs. 3 and 4) is reduced to provide within the projected contour of the bolt'15 and its lug 17 a camlike element having an edge portion 37 of increasing radius terminating in an abrupt shoulder 39 toward the inner side of the door and which may merge at the end of least radius in a straight abutment surface 41. Cooperating with this element is a sheet metal slide 43 disposed on edge in the plane of the door stile and between the projected upper and lower bounding planes of the bolt 15 and its lug 17. as will be apparent from the dot-ted lines of Figs. 3 and 4, the slide being supported in plate 33 at a fixed distance from the, center of the bolt 15. The slide is provided with a wedge-like abutment surface 45 terminating toward the outer side of the door in a shouldered portion 47 cooperating with the shoulder 39 in the manner shown in Fig. 3 and presently to be described. The slide 43 may terminate (see Fig. 1) atopposite sides of the plane of the glass 11 and near the outer and inner faces of the door respectively in laterally extending flanges 49 and 51 providing means for shifting the slide transversely of the door in the plane of the stile against the force of sprlng 53 surrounding guide pin 55 at the inner face 'of the door and normally tending to thrust the slide outwardly or toward the right, vlewing Figs. 3 and 4: in other words. from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 4. In Fig. the parts of the latch are shown in the position which they occupy when the door is open with the bolt 15 rotated to an extreme position counterclockwise, viewing Fig. 3, and held in that position by engagement of the shoulder 47 with the shoulder 39, the spring 53 being compressed. hen the parts of the latch are positioned as shown in Fig. 3 the smooth portion 19 of the pinionlike member 15 is presented above the upper surface of the lug 17 so that almost no rough teeth are exposed when the door is opened. Thus it is very unlikely that garments will catch on the pinion-like member or that it will present or hold particles of greasy dirt which might be the case if teeth were provided entirely around the circumference of the pinion-like member. This smooth portion 19 also excludes dust and dirt from the inner surfaces of the lug. The only irregularity of the pinion-like member projecting above the upper surface of the lug 17 when the door is opened is the abutment 19 provided between the first tooth 19 and the smooth portion 19, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This abutment is stronger than a tooth, which might be broken off when slamming the door shut, because it is well supported by the portion 19- If the door is now swung shut, the abutment 19 will strike the first tooth of the rack 25, thereby taking the initial strain, and the bolt will then roll into the keeper toward the position shown in Fig. 5, and the reaction of the rack 25 will rotate it clockwise, viewing Fig. 3. The first result is to kick the slide 43 to the left, still further compressing the spring 53 and permitting the shoulder 39 to clear the shoulder 47. The slide is then released to the spring and its wedge-like face 45 moves under the cam surface 37. The angle of the parts is so proportioned that a strain tending to move the bolt counterclockwise cannot drive the slide to the, left but at any point between the extreme positions of Figs. 3 and 4 any clockwise movement of the bolt will permit the slide to move in still further to the right and thus no matter how slightly the bolt may have entered the keeper it will be held against reverse movement and the door held latched by the action of the wedgelike surface 45 of the slide 43' wedging under the cam face 37. In the extreme position, as shown in Fig. 4, it will be readily apparent that the slide 43 cannot be displaced by any force tending to rotate the bolt 15 counterclockwise.

To release the latch and open the door the slide 43 may be shifted to the left in Figs. 3 and 4 .from the position of Fig. 4 and I have herein shown this as effected. by means of a pushbutton 57 carried by a hand-grip 59 mounted by means of a rose plate 60 at the exterior of the door and engaging flange 49 of the slide, the spring 53 serving to hold the parts in contact. As the pushbutton is depressed.the slide is moved away from beneath the cam 37 and the door may be drawn open by the pull of the hand on handle 59 and in so doing the bolt will be rotated until it returns to the position of Fig. 3. The flange 51 at the inner face of the door provides suitable means for opening the door by the operation of an inner handle and this is herein indicated as of the so-called remote control type.

located at a position remote from the lock stile of the door. Herein a portionof the flange 51 is deflected to form a diagonally extending arm 61 cooperating with a wedge-like end 63 67. It will be understood that if by means of.

(see Fig. 1) of a link 65 guided in lock casing plate 27 and normally pressed to an inactive position toward the left in Fig. 2 by a spring any suitable handle the link 65 is shifted toward the right in Fig. 2. surface 63 cooperating with surface 61 will draw slide 43 upwarde ly, viewing Fig. 1, or toward the left in Fig. 4.

releasing the bolt. To permit the latch to be dogged from the inner side of the door against operation by the exterior handle I have herein illustrated (see Fig. 2) a slide bar 69 installed on the inner face of casing plate 27 which may be shifted from the idle position shown in Fig. 2 toward the right in that figure to engage behind the flange 51 when the latter is in the position of Figs. 1 and 4, thus to prevent'the slide from being moved by the action of the pushbutton 57. Movement of the slide 69 may be effected by a suitable thumb-piece 71 which may be installed at the inner face of the door, that indicated in Fig. 2 being of the type disclosed in the patent to Thomas P. Archer and Ernest E. Heintz 1.541.312. dated June 9, 1925, and unnecessary herein to illustrate or describe in detail.

It will be noted that the locking means for the bolt herein exemplified by the cam 37 and slidAB are not only arranged outwardly of the inner face of the lock stile to permit the glass channel to engage such face but, at least in the .location of theglass channel, are received between the upper and lower bounding planes of the projecting bolt mechanism, and

I there is thus no projection at the jamb face of the door due to the presence of the detent means for the bolt or to themechanism pro viding for unlatching the bolt from both the exterior and the interior of the 'door other than that inevitable in any latch through the presence-of a projecting bolt. Moreover, the jamb 9 is not cut away except to seat/the vnecessary keeper to receive the latch bolt.

I have described in detail one particular embodiment of my invention in orderthat the particular construction of the same might be more clearly understood. Obviously, how ever. the particular mechanical construction shown might be considerably varied without departing from the essential principles involved and what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent I shall express in detail in the following claims.

Claims:

1. A latch mechanism for doors comprising a casing plate adapted to lie at the jamb face of the door. a lug projecting therefrom. a

\ generally cylindrical member rotata-bly cradled in the lug having a portion toothed to engage a keeper, an inner portion cut away to provide a cam-like part with an edge of variable radius, said member terminating outward of the inner face of said plate, a detent cooperating with said cam-like part having a part extending transversely at the edge of the door and operating outward of the inner face of said'plate and between the projected upper and lower boundaries of said lug and member and means at opposite faces of the door cooperating with the ends of said part for operating the same.

2. In a latch mechanism for doors a supporting plate to lie at the jamb face of the door having an opening therein, a lug projecting therefrom at the opening, a generally cylindrical member cradled in said lug and having a part projecting therefrom to interengage with the keeper, the end of said member lying in said opening in the plane of the plate and being reduced to provide a locking element, and a cooperating detent supported on the wall of said opening in the plane of said plate and in alignment with the body of said member and adapted to have force applied thereto at opposite faces of said door to shift it in said-plane. v

3. A latch for doors comprising a casing plate to lie at the jamb face of the door, a latching device for engaging a keeper organized at the outer face thereof, catch means to prevent unlatching movement of said device and including forwardly and rearwardly projecting parts to provide for releasing actuation of said means, said means being disposed outwardly of the inner face of said plate and between the projected upper and lower boundaries of said latching device and inner and outer handles connected to said projecting parts. 1

4. A latch for doors comprising a casing plate to lie at the jamb face of the door, a bolt support projecting therefrom, a latch bolt carried in the support, catch means to prevent unlatching movement of the'bolt and including forwardly and rearwardly projecting parts to provide for releasing actuation of said means, said means'being disposed outwardly of the inner face of said plate and between the projected upper and lower boundaries of said bolt and its support and inner and outer handles connected to said projecting parts. I

5. A latch for an automobile door having a sheet metal lock stile and a glass guide expart pro ecting for interlocking engagement I with a keeper, said bolt terminating outwardl v of the inner face of the stile and having at its inner end a, locking portion, cooperating detent means disposed outwardly of the inner face of the stile having operating portions extending inwardly and outwardly past the planes of the inner and outer faces of the glass guide, said locking portion and detent means being organized between the projected upper and lower boundaries of said bolt and lug.

6. A latch for an automobile door having a sheet metal lock stile and aglass guide extending along the inner face thereof, comprising a lug which projects from the amb face of the door when the latch is in place, a bolt rotatably cradled therein and having a part projecting for interlocking engagement with a keeper, said bolt terminating in the plane of said stile in a locking portion, cooperating detent means extending in the plane of said stile having operating portions extending inwardly and outwardly past the planes of the inner and outer faces of the glass guide, said locking portion and detent means being organized between theprojected upper and lower boundaries of said bolt and lug.

7. A latch mechanism for an automobile door of the type carrying a vertically slidable panel between the edges thereof, abolt carried exteriorly of the jamb face of the door freely movable to latch with a cooper ating keeper, :1" member operating in a plane closely adjacent said face and extending transversely of the said panel at the side r thereof, said member being automatically movable to hold said bolt from unlatching and inside and outside operating devices on opposite faces of said panel connected to said member for shifting the same to release the bolt.

8. A latch mechanism for automobile doors of the type having a glass guide therein in close proximity to the jamb face'comprising a rotatable bolt projecting axially from the j amb face of the door and adapted to roll into engagement witha-keeper, a part on the tail of the bolt having an edge of increasing radius and turning with the bolt in close proximity to the jamb face, a member extending in the plane of said part transversely across the edge of the glass guide and carrying an abutment surface cooperating with said edge, said member being normally projected to prevent reverse movement of the bolt. and means disposed at opposite faces of the glass connected to the ends of said member for moving the same to release the bolt.

9. A latch mechanism for an automobile door of the type carrying a vertically slid-' able panel of substantially the full width of the body of the door comprising a latch bolt pro ecting at an edge of the door and having latching and unlatching movements in a plane substantially parallel to the j amb face. inner and outer handles, an unlatching device cooperating with said bolt to move the same and having portions disposed on opposite faces of the panel connected with said handles and a connecting portion transversely crossing the edge of said panel and arranged to lie outwardly of the inner face of the jamb stile of the door and being receivedin a zone between the projected upper and lower surfaces of said bolt.

tatable bolt projecting axially from the jamb face of the door and adapted to roll into engagement with a keeper, a part at the tail of the bolt having an edge of increasing radius presented in a plane substantially parallel to the jamb face and a catch automatically advanced into cooperation with said face to lockthe bolt against reverse movement, said catch being capable of manual retraction from the edge of said part and said part and catch operating in close proximity to the jamb face.

12. In a latchmechanism for doors a lug extending from the jamb face of the door, a rotatable-bolt supported in the lug, said bolt having a series of teeth extending partway around the circumference thereof, said 7 teeth being adapted to roll into engagement with a toothed keeper, and a smooth faced portion extending from adjacent to said teeth at the periphery of said bolt, said smooth faced portion of said bolt being' adapted to be exposed when the bolt is disengaged from the keeper thereby to prevent I catching of garments on the bolt.

13. In 'a latch mechanism for doors a lug extending from the jamb face of the door, a rotatable bolt supported in the lug, said bolt having a-series of teeth extending part-way around the circumference thereof, said'teeth being adapted to roll into engagement with a toothed keeper,'and a smooth faced portion extending from adjacent'to' said teeth at the periphery of said bolt, said smooth faced portion of said bolt being adapted to be exposed when the bolt is disengaged from the keeper thereby to .prevent' catching of garments on the bolt and an abutment at the periphery of said bolt back supported by that portion of the bolt providing the smooth portion to take the initial part of the strain of the engaging movement between the teeth of the bolt and the teeth of the keeper.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

BICKNELL HALL.

Images