US3109674A

US3109674A - Door latch mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3109674A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl E Hafstad
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-12-06
Filing date: 1961-12-06
Publication date: 1963-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-05

Description

Nov. 5, 1963 c. E. HAFSTAD 3,109,674

DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6 1961 Ha. I

INVENTOR. CARL E HAFSTAD AT T ORNEYS United States Patent 3,109,674 DOGR LATCH MECHANISM Carl E. Hafstad, 828 21st Ave. 5., Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed Dec. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 157,357

6 Claims. (Cl. 292-76) This invention relates generally to door latch mechanisms, and more particularly it relates to an improved and useful door latch mechanism the latching action of which is generally frictional in character, but which is also provided with novel means for locking the door to which said latch mechanism is secured by rendering inoperative the friction catch elements of said mechanism.

More specifically, this invention relates to and is somewhat in the nature of an improvement upon the disclosure of my previous United States Patent No. 3,012,803, entitled Friction Catch, issued December 12, 1961. The friction catch mechanism comprising a pair of generally parallel coil compression springs as disclosed in my above noted previous application is unique in that the force required to open the door to which it is attached is materially greater than the force required to close the door, and such friction catch is of obvious utility for many installations. However, said invention disclosed in my previous application is not provided with positive locking means, and therefore although the same may be opened only by the application of a relatively great force as compared with the amount of force required to close the door, it is further desirable in certain installations to provide a friction catch mechanism in which the same is provided with locking means for preventing the accidental opening of the door, and which is also provided with positive locking means for use at certain times, such as at night.

In light of the above, an important object of this invention is the provision of an improved door latch mechanism having the above noted friction catch characteristics in combination means for positively preventing accidental opening of the door to which said door latch is attached, and also in combination with locking means for positively locking said door.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved door latch mechanism which may be easily opened from either side of the door to which it is at tached merely by the application of a unidirectional pushing or pulling force.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved door latch mechanism in which the above described means for positively preventing accidental opening of the door is easily and quickly avoided merely by the application of said unidirectional pushing or pulling opening force to the appropriate elements of said invention.

Other objects of this invention reside in the provision of an improved door latch mechanism which is extremely simple in construction, durable and strong throughout long periods of continued use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple and efiicient in its operation, and highly efiicient in sustaining the above noted objects and purposes.

The above and still further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicated like parts or elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of this invention as seen from a position adjacent the free edge of the door member to which said invention is attached, some parts shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken on the line 2-2 of 3,109,674 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 FIG. 1, and showing a substantial portion of this invention in front elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1, some parts being broken away, and this view showing my novel door latch mechanism in its closed door position, and with the positive locking: means of this invention shown in its locked position by full lines and also shown in its unlocked position by dotted lines;

16. 4 is a view in section corresponding generally to FIG. 3, but showing my novel door latch .mechanism during initial opening movement of the door;

FIG. 5 is a view in section corresponding generally to FIGS. 3 and 4, but showing my novel door latch mechanism during final closing movement of the door;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on the line 77 of FIG. 2.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the door member, represented generally by the reference letter A is movably mounted in a jarnb member, which is represented generally by the reference letter B. A conventional keeper element 1 is rigidly secured to the inner face b of the jamb member B, near the outer edge 0 thereof, by means of a pair of screws 2. This invention resides in the provision of an improved door latch mechanism, which is represented generally by the reference numeral 3. Also, the inner face of the door member A is represented by the reference letter a, the outer face thereof by the reference letter d, and the, free edge of the door member A being represented by the reference letter e.

In accordance with present practices, the door latch mechanism 3 comprises a rigid supporting housing, represented generally by the reference numeral 4, said supporting housing 4 including a front wall or front plate portion '5, a side wall 6, a top wall 7, a bottom wall 8, and a pluralityof apertures for receiving elongated screws 9 for rigidly securing the supporting housing 4 to the inner face a of the door member A. It is noted that the back of the supporting housing 4 is generally open, and the supporting housing 4 is also formed in a generally bifurcated manner at the outer side thereof so as to define spaced and alignable spring-carrying flanges 10. As shown, a pair of elongated coil springs 11, 12 are carried by the spaced flanges 10 of the supporting housing 4 so as to dispose the

respective end portions

13, 14 of the coil springs 111, 12 in a fixed but spaced relationship with respect to the door member A. It is noted that the respective end portions 13, '14 of the coil springs '11, 12 are rigidly secured, as by welding or soldering, in the respective positions shown particularly in the drawings. The end portions 113 of the outermost coil spring 11 are engaged by generally arcuate and aligned end claw portions 15 of the spring-carrying flanges 10, and the end portions 14 of the generally inwardly disposed coil spring 12 are engaged by generally intermediately disposed generally arcuate and aligned claw portions 16 of the spring-carrying flanges 10. With this arrangement, the coil springs 11, 12, are disposed in general axial parallelism with one another, and said coil springs 11, 12 are positioned relative to the supporting housing 4 in generally longitudinal engagement with one another and further arranged and adapted so that the generally outermost coil spring 11 is engaged by the keeper element 1 carried by the jamb member B during initial opening movement of the door member A with respect to said jamb member B and concerted lateral deflection is thereby imparted to both of the coil springs 11, 12 in the generally same lateral direction during said initial opening movement of the door member A, this being shown particularly in FIG. 4. Furthermore, the disposition of the coil springs 11, 12 is such that lateral deflection in another direction is imparted only to the generally outwardly disposed coil spring 11 during final closing movement of the door member A wit-h respect to the jamb member B, as shown particularly in FIG. 5. i

In order to retain or restrain the coil-springs 11, 12 against undesired deflection or displacement so as to prevent acoidental or undesired opening of the door member A, means is provided to bear against the generally inwardly disposed coil spring 12, said means being referred to ments described above, the push rod 18 is mounted for sliding movements to a second position, shown in FIG. 4, wherein the collar element 25 is disposed in spaced relationship to the front Wall of the supporting housing 4 and also in spaced relationship to the coil spring 12 whereby to permit deflection of the'coil springs 11, 12 by the keeper element 1 and thereby permit opening movement of the door member A, as shown particularly herein as a restraining member, represented generally by v the reference numeral 17, and which is carried at least partially by the supporting housing 4 in a manner which will be more particularly described hereinafter. The restraining member 17 comprises an elongated push rod 18 which is mounted and guided in the door member A and the supporting housing 4 for reciprocatory movements generally in its longitudinal direction and in a direction generally transverse of the doormember A. The outer end portion 19 of the push rod 18 projects through the door member A and is slidably received within a mounting plate 20, and is also provided with an outer knob 21. The inner end portion 22 of the push rod 18 is sl-idably received within and projects through an axially aligned aperture defined in the front wall 5 of the supporting housing 4, and said inner end portion 22 of the push rod 18 is also provided with an inner knob 23. With this arrangement, it is noted that the knob-equipped outer end portion 19 of the push rod 18 is disposed outwardly of the outer face. a of the door member A, and the knobequipped inner end portion 22 of the push rod 18 is disposed adjacent the outer side or outwardly of the front wall or front plate portion 5 of the supporting housing 4. It is noted that the elongated screws 9 which secure the supporting housing 4 to the door member A are received within screw threaded recesses defined by the mounting plate 20, so as to secure the mounting plate in the supporting housing 4 on aligned opposite sides of the door member A, as shown particularly by dotted lines in FIG. 3 and also shown in FIG. 7.

The generally intermediate portion 24 of the push rod 18 receives a collar element 25, which is rigidly secured to said push rod 18 by means of a diametrically extending cross pin 26, as shown particularly in FIG. 3. The collar element 25 is positioned on the push rod 18 so as to be disposed in the space between the front wall or plate portion 5 of the supporting housing 4 and the inner face or side a of the door member A. The collar element 25, as shown in the drawings, is generally cylindrical in construc tion, however, it should be appreciated that many parametric configurations would be suitable. In accordance with this invention, the push rod 18 and the collar element 25 carried thereby is normally disposed in one position shown particularly in FIGS. 3 and 5, wherein the collar element 25 is disposed adjacent the generally inter mediate portion of the generally inwardly disposed coil spring 12, and the collar element 25 when it is disposed in its said normal position is engaged by said coil spring 12 when the generally outwardly disposed coil spring 11 is engaged by the keeper element 1 whereby to substantially prevent deflection of the coil springs 11, 12 and thereby prevent opening movement of the door member A with respect to the jamb member B. With reference to FIG. 3, it is noted that when the push rod 18 and the collar element 25 carried thereby are disposed in said above described position wherein said collar element 25 is disposed adjacent the inner surface of said front wall 5 of the supporting housing 4 and also adjacent the coil spring 12, the door member A cannot be opened without displacing the-collar element 25 since said collar element 25 abuts against and prevents deflection or displacement of the coil springs 11, 12, and this of course may only be overcome by applying enough force to the door member A to completely deform the coil springs 11, 12.

With the novel combination and arrangement of elein FIG. 4. It should be appreciated that the collar element 25 may be easily moved out of its above described restraining position to its said second position merely by pushing on the inner knob 23 or pulling on the outer knob 21. provided for biasing the collar element 25 and hence the push rod 18 toward the above described restraining position thereof, said yielding means comprising a conical coiled compression spring 27 concentrically disposed around said generally intermediate portion 24 of the push rod 18and also disposed intermediate the inner face or side a of the door member A and the collar element 25. Novel lock means is also provided in combination with the above described components of this invention for fixing the push rod 18 of the restraining member 17 in the said restraining position of' the collar element 25 whereby the door member A may be locked in its closed position, shown particularly in FIGS. 3 and 5. Said lock means comprises an annular recess 28 defined by the push rod 18 and located generally adjacent the outer surface of the front plate portion 5 of the supporting housing 4 when the collar element 25 carried by said push rod 18 is disposed in its above noted restraining position. A slide element 29 provided with a slotted end portion 30 which cooperates with said annular recess 28 and engages the same so as to prevent the above noted reciprocating or sliding movements of the push rod 18. The slide element 29 is mounted for sliding movements within a guide track 31 defined by the front wall or front plate portion 5 of the supporting housing 4, and the slide element 29 defines a laterally outwardly projecting end tab 32 for moving said slide element into and out of engagement with the recess 28 of the push rod 18.

Having specifically described this invention, the operation thereof is thought to be easily understandable from said description. This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while I have shown and described above a preferred embodiment thereof in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, I wish it to be specifically understood that the same may be modified without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What Iclaim is:

1. In a latch mechanism for latching a door member mounted for opening and closing movements relative to a cooperating jamb member, and in which said jamb member is provided with a rigidly mounted keeper element, an improved friction catch, said improved friction catch comprising: a

(a) a supporting housing rigidly secured to said door member, I

(b) a pair of elongated coil springs carried by said supporting housing in spaced relation to said jamb member with the respective end portions of said coil springs fixedly disposed with respect to said'door member,

(c) said coil springs being disposed in general axial parallelism with one another,

(d) said coil springs being'positioned relative to said supporting housing an generally longitudinal engagement with one another and further arranged and adapted so that one of said springs is engaged by said keeper element during initial opening movement of said door member with respect to said jamb member and concerted lateral deflection is thereby According to present practices, yielding means is a imparted to both of said coil springs in the generally same lateral direction during said movement,

(e) the disposition of said coil springs being such that lateral deflection in another direction is imparted only to said one of said springs during final closing movement of said door member with re spect to said jamb member,

(f) a restraining member carried by said supporting housing for reciprocating movements in a direction generally transverse of said door member and normally disposed in one position adjacent the generally intermediate portion of the other of said coil springs generally opposite said keeper element, said restraining member When in said one position being engaged by said other of said coil springs when said one coil spring is engaged by the keeper element whereby to substantially prevent deflection of said coil springs and thereby prevent opening movement of said door member with respect to said j-amb member, and

(g) said restraining member being reciprocally movable to another position in spaced relationship to said other of said coil springs whereby to permit deflection of said coil springs by said keeper element and thereby permit opening movement of said door member.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with lock means for fixing said restraining member in its said one position whereby said door member may be locked in its closed position.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with yielding means biasing said restraining member toward its said one position. v

4. In a latch mechanism for latching a door member mounted for opening and closing movements relative to a cooperating jamb member, and in which said iamb member is provided with a rigidly mounted keeper element, an improved friction catch, said improved friction catch comprising:

(a) a supporting housing rigidly secured to one side of said door member adjacent a free edge of said door member, said supporting housing including a plate portion disposed in spaced relationship to said one side or the door member,

(b) a pair of elongated coil springs carried by said supporting housing in spaced relation to said jamb member with the respective end portions of said coil springs fixedly disposed with respect to said door member,

(0) said coil springs being disposed in general axial parallelism with one another,

(d) said coil springs being positioned relative to said supporting housing in generally longitudinal engagement with one another and further arranged and adapted so that one of said springs is engaged by said keeper element during initial opening movement of said door member with respect to said jamb member and concerted lateral deflection is thereby imparted to both of said coil springs in the generally same lateral direction during said movement,

(e) the disposition of said coil springs being such that lateral deflection in another direction is imparted only to said one of said springs during final closing move ment of said door member with respect to said member,

(7) a restraining member carried by said supporting housing, said restraining member comprising:

(l) a push rod mounted and guided in said door member and said supporting housing for reciproeating movements generally in its longitudinal direction and in a direction generally transverse of said door member, said push rod having opposite end portions one of which is disposed outwardly of said plate portion of said supporting house and the other of which is disposed outwardly of the other side of said door member,

(2) a collar element rigidly secured to an intermediate portion of said push rod and disposed in the space between said plate portion of said supporting housing and said one side of said door member, and

(3) said push rod being normally disposed in one position wherein said collar element carried thereby is disposed adjacent the generally intermediate portion of the other of said coil springs generally opposite said keeper element, said collar element of said push rod when said push rod is in said one position being engaged by said other of said coil springs when said one coil spring is engaged by the keeper element whereby to substantially prevent deflection or said coil springs and thereby prevent opening movement of said door member with respect to said jamb member, and

(g) said push rod being movable to another position wherein said collar element thereof is disposed in spaced relationship to said other of said coil springs whereby to permit deflection of said coil springs by said keeper element and thereby permit opening movement of said door member.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in further combination with lock means for fixing said push rod of said restraining member in its said one position whereby said door member may be locked in its closed position, said lock means comprising:

(a) a recess defined by said push rod and located generally adjacent the plate portion of said supporting housing when said push rod is in its said one position, and

(b) a slide element having an end portion adapted to engage said recess of said push rod and prevent said reciprocating movements thereof, said slide element being mounted for sliding movement-s into and out of engagement with said recess of said push rod.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in further combination with yielding means biasing said push rod of said restraining member toward its said one position, said yielding mew-s comprising a coiled compression spring concentrically disposed around a generally intermediate portion of said push rod and also disposed intermediate said one side of said door member and the collar element of said restraining member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,023,014 Hanson Apr. 9, 1912 2,036,154 Littledale Mar. 31, 1936 2,931,675 Coulson Apr. 5, 1960 2,957,719 Haistad Oct. 25, 1960 3,012,803 I-I afstad g Dec. 12, 1961

Claims

1. IN A LATCH MECHANISM FOR LATCHING A DOOR MEMBER MOUNTED FOR OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS RELATIVE TO A COOPERATING JAMB MEMBER, AND IN WHICH SAID JAMB MEMBER IS PROVIDED WITH A RIGIDLY MOUNTED KEEPER ELEMENT, AN IMPROVED FRICTION CATCH, SAID IMPROVED FRICTION CATCH COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORTING HOUSING RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID DOOR MEMBER, (B) A PAIR OF ELONGATED COIL SPRINGS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORTING HOUSING IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID JAMB MEMBER WITH THE RESPECTIVE END PORTIONS OF SAID COIL SPRINGS FIXEDLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID DOOR MEMBER, (C) SAID COIL SPRINGS BEING DISPOSED IN GENERAL AXIAL PARALLELISM WITH ONE ANOTHER, (D) SAID COIL SPRINGS BEING POSITIONED RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORTING HOUSING AN GENERALLY LONGITUDINAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND FURTHER ARRANGED AND ADAPTED SO THAT ONE OF SAID SPRINGS IS ENGAGED BY SAID KEEPER ELEMENT DURING INITIAL OPENING MOVEMENT OF SAID DOOR MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID JAMB MEMBER AND CONCERTED LATERAL DEFLECTION IS THEREBY IMPARTED TO BOTH OF SAID COIL SPRINGS IN THE GENERALLY SAME LATERAL DIRECTION DURING SAID MOVEMENT,