US3044815A - Latch mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1962 c. .J. 5055 3,044,815

LATCH MECHANISM Filed Aug. 9, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3/ [M8455 YNVENT ci m W 6 we 44 July 17, 1962 c. J. soss LATCH MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1960 INVENTOR.

BY {M K 4/444 CHARLES J 5055 July 17, 1962 c. J. 5055 3,044,815

LATCH MECHANISM Filed Aug. 9, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR.

States This invention relates to improvements in latch mechanisms, that is, bolt actuators primarily for doors but not necessarily limited to that application. More particularly, the invention is directed to a concealed latch such as a door latch and associated means whereby a door or the like may be locked as well as latched.

A primary intended field of use of the latch of this invention is with doors utilizing concealed hinges. Concealed hinges as such have long been known in the art and have been very widely used for the reason that very effective designs of such hinges have been made and they are very desirable from the standpoint of the fact that being concealed, a very attractive and pleasing appearance is realized as far as the door is concerned. The herein invention carries forward and advances that purpose and result by providing a concealed latch and lock adapted not only for use with ordinary doors but with an form of hinged panel or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to make possible the realization of the result and purpose of having doors or hinged panels with a concealed latch (and/or lock) which as stated may be in combination with the use of concealed hinges.

The invention features the concept of and construction of a latching mechanism including a retractable bolt having an actuating member or lever which normally retracts into the frame of the latch so that it is essentially concealed and not readily visible. In other words, the operating member retracts into, a recess in the frame of the latch so that the'lever is entirely within the recess having only an edge or side portion remaining flush with the surface of the latch frame. In order to move the actuating lever outwardly into a position where it may be grasped for operating, means are provided which preferably are in the form of a relatively small push pad or button which may be essentially only touched or given a very small movement in order to retract the operating lever outwardly into a position where it may be grasped. The push pad may have at least a portion normally extending outwardly beyond the surface of the latch frame or it atent too maybe arranged so that it is normally flush with the frame surface having a small amount of inward movement therefrom. The overall result is the realization of the purpose and objective of having latching mechanism which is of the concealed type corresponding in that respect to the principle of concealed hinges.

A further object of the invention is to provide a concealed latch as described including a retractable bolt and an operating lever which is normally substantially concealed within the frame of the latch by being received in a recess therein.

Another object is to provide a latch as in the foregoing object including a manually operable member such as a push pad or button whereby in response to a small amount of movement thereof, the operating lever may be retracted.

Another object is to provide as in the foregoing having corresponding operating mechanisms on both sides of the frame of the latch.

Another object is to provide a latch as in the foregoing objects including locking means operated by a key for locking the operating lever in its retracted position.

Another object is to provide a latching mechanism as l in the foregoing object including manually operated locking means on the side of the frame opposite the key locking means whereby the operating levers may be locked from that side of the frame requiring unlocking'by the key locking mechanism from the other side of the frame.

Another object is to provide a latch mechanism as in the foregoing wherein the operating lever and push pad are pivotally mounted with the provision of biasing spring means which normally bias the actuating lever into its retracted position and bias the push pad in an outward di- FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. '3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

PEG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3. a

FIG. 7 is a detail sectional view similar to FIG. 3 with the parts shown in another position.

FIG. 8 is a detail view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a detail view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 including the locking member.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, numeral 10 designates generally the latch frame or housing which supports the mechanical parts. The frame is preferably rectilinear in shape adapting it for being mounted in an opening or mortise in a door or other hinged panel, as indicated at 11. Numeral 12 designates the bolt which is retractable having the configuration shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 7. The bolt is normally biased outwardly by a spring within the housing, as will be described in detail presently. The end of the bolt has the usual bevelled surface 13 which cooperates with a conventional striker plate 14- mounted on the door jamb in the usual manner. The type or detailed construction of the striker plate used is, of course, immaterial to the invention.

The frame comprises inside and outside face plates or escutcheon plates 15 and 16 having the particular configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7. The plates are held together by screws and spacer sleeves as, indicated at 17. The plates'fit into recesses on each side of the door as shown and have flanges fitting the walls of these of plates 15 and 16 will be described in connection with.

the latching and locking operations.

Plate 16 will be referred to as the outside plate. Numeral 24 designates an operating lever which is pivotally mounted as best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7. It pivots in a horizontal plane and when moved inwardly, moves into a slot or recess 26 formed by the inward deformation or recess in the face plate, as described above. Lever 24 is of bell crank lever shape having extending part 28 which operates the bolt. Lever 24 has a boss part 30 as seen in FIG. 4 having a bore for pivotal mounting on pin or post 31, the ends of which are mounted in flanges 32 and 33 of plate 16 which has an opening 35 to accommodate a torsion spring 38 having an end 40 which engages a portion 41 of lever 24 having a slanting or bevelled surface 42. The other end 44 of spring 38 engages an edge surface 45 of plate 16. Spring 38 normally biases lever 24 into its inward position.

Numeral 47 designates a push pad or operating button Parented July 17, 1962 i which, in a preferred form as shown, is substantially rectangular having inwardly extending apertured bosses of yoke arms 48 and 49. (See FIG. 4.) The push pad 47 is pivotally mounted also on the pivot pin 31 as shown. The inner surface of pad 47 has a rectangular cut-out presenting inclined surface 52 which normally engages surface 42 of lever 24, as seen in FIG. 5, so that pad 47 normally inclines outwardly very slightly beyond the surface of the door, as seen in FIG. 3. By pushing in a small amount on pad 47, lever 24 is moved outwardly against the force of spring 38 into the palm of the hand, whereby it may be grasped for operation.

Inward movement of pad 47 is limited by stop 46 engageable in a slot in the pad, as shown.

n the opposite side of the frame, that is, on the other face plate 15, there are mounted operating parts, including a push pad and an operating lever which are either the same or very similar to the corresponding parts on the front side of the frame. Such parts are designated by the same reference numerals primed. Those parts that are the sameor closely similar are similarly mounted, that is, in a symmetrical position, so that no further general description of them is necessary. To the extent that these parts differ in detail, such details will be described hereinafter.

The lever 24 on the front side of the frame is preferably, but not necessarily, formed as a casting. It has an intermediate cylindrical conformation or boss 55 having a cylindrical opening 56 therein. This opening is of a size to receive a standard commercial lock cylinder 58 operated by a key for locking. As will be described, this lock makes it possible to lock the door from the outside with a key lock by locking the operating lever 24 in its inward, that is, its substantially concealed position. It is to be observed that the construction, as described herein, is one wherein the operating lever is not only substantially concealed but, furthermore, when it is in its inward position and particularly when it is locked, there is no exposed part of it that can be grasped or jimmied for forcing the lock.

The rotatable cylinder which is rotated by use of the proper key carries on its end the locking member 60, the end part of which is formed to provide a lug 61 which, in locked position, engages behind the lug or abutment 62, which is preferably formed as an inwardly turned lug extending towards the edge of the door at the edge of the inwardly turned flange 63 extending inwardly from the surface of the face plate 16. Flange 63 extends inwardly from an opening 64 in plate 16, as may be seen in FIG. 8. Numeral 65 is a stop member which limits rotation of lock member 60.

From the foregoing, it will be readily observed that by inserting a key in the lock 58 and rotating the lock cylinder, the locking member or lug 61 may be rotated through substantially 45 for locking behind the lug 62 and unlocking therefrom. The configuration of member 60 is shown in FIG. 5.

Means are provided on the inside of the assembly for manually locking so that the door cannot be opened from the outside manually, but rather it can then be only opened from the outside by unlocking it using a key. In other words, the manual locking device on the inside locks the door so that it cannot be opened from the outside without a key. This type of arrangement is, of course, desirable for use, for example, on the inside of a bathroom door, so that the occupant can very easily and readily manually lock the door to prevent persons from entering the bathroom when it is in use.

The locking mechanism on the inside of the door comprises a button 65 which operates by being pushed in against spring 66 and also by rotating it. The button has a diametrical rib 67 to facilitate its being grasped between the thumb and forefinger for rotating. The operating lever 24 has a configuration including a central opening 71 or bore which receives the shank or stem of the button 65 and the coil spring 66 which seats against a washer adjacent plate 15.

On the end of the stem or shank of the button is the locking member 73 which moves inwardly when the button 65 is pressed and which rotates with the button, its rotation being preferably within an arc of substantially 180. (See FIGS. 6 and 9.) The member 73 has an axial portion 74 and a locking member or lug 75 of arcuate conformation. Referring again to the locking member 60 which is operated by the key lock, it will be observed in FIG. 3 that this member has a position 79 which is opposite to the locking lug 61. (See FIG. 5.) Numeral 81 designates an additional arcuate abutment which extends in a direction away from the door at the inner edge of the flange 82 which is shown bent inwardly from the face plate 17 at opening 64.

In the operation of the locking mechanism on the inside, when the button 65 is pressed against the spring 66, the member 73 moves inward, that is, axially, to a position wherein the portion 75 of the hook portion is in a position wherein it can be rotated into a rotated position wherein the hook member 75 is between the member 61 and the abutment or ing 81. In other words, as may be seen in FIG. 3, when the door is not locked from the outside, if the button 65 is pushed or depressed and then rotated as described, the hook portion rotates to a position in between the member 61 and the abutment 81. In this position, the door is locked and cannot be opened from the outside because the member 60 is prevented from moving outwardly by reason of the engagement of portion 61 with the hook member '75, which is, in turn, in engagement with the abutment 81. However, the door may now be unlocked from the outside in the usual manner by inserting the key and rotating the lock cylinder. In this manner, the locking member 60 may be rotated so that the portion 61 is brought out of engagement, that is, out of alignment with the hook portion 75, so that it is then free to move outwardly or, in other words, the door is then unlocked. If the door is unlocked from the outside after having been locked from the inside, when the member 61 moves out from engagement or alignment with the hook member 75, this releases the button 65, which is then rotated back to its normal position automatically and also moved axially by spring 66 to its normal position. On the other hand, if the door has been locked from the inside by the button 65 and if the person in the room manually unlocks it using the button, the button is simply rotated back to its original position and the spring 66 moves it axially to its normal position.

FIG. 10 shows the action when member 60 is rotated in the opposite direction. It engages hook 75 and rotates part 74 against stop 65.

Bolt 12 is attached to U-br-acket having rear web 91, as shown in FIG. 5. Guide pin 92 extends through bolt 12 and through the legs of bracket 90. Pin 92 slides in slots 94 and 95 in U-bracket 97 having back web 98 and flanges 99 and 100 fastened in a recess in the edge of the door by cover plate 101 and screws as shown at 102.

Numeral 104 designates a coil spring positioned between bolt 12 and a plate 106 attached between the legs of bracket 97, as shown in FIG. 3. Spring 104 normally urges bolt 12 outwardly.

Bell crank arm portions 28 and 28 of levers 24 and 24' extend inwardly as respects brackets 90 and 97 to engage with web 91 of bolt bracket 90 for operating the bolt. Portions 28 and 28 are offset. from each other, as shown.

Referring now generally to the over-all operation, having reference especially to the front side of the frame if the push pad 47 is actuated, that is, given a small amount of movement about the pivot pin 31 against the force of spring 38, its surface 52 engaging the bevelled surface 42 rotates the operating lever 24 outwardly against the force exerted by the spring 38. The operating lever 24 is rotated out into a position where it may be grasped. As may be seen, the operator may push the push pad 47 with his thumb so that the operating lever 24 then moves outwardly directly into the palm of his hand for grasping. The operator then pulls outwardly on the lever 24; it rotates about its pivot pin 31 and its portion 25, as described, acts on the bolt 12. This retracts the bolt against the spring 104 and the end of the bolt disengages from the opening in the striker plate in the door jamb, allowing opening of the door. The door may be pulled open by the same handle and allowed to close under the influence of a door closer, for example.

If desired, the push pad 47 may be so mounted that its normal position is flush with the surface of the door with a slight amount of freedom of movement inwardly for actuating the operating lever.

As described indetail in the foregoing, the door may be locked from the outside at any time by operating the key lock mechanism. Similarly, it may be locked from the inside against opening from the outside as described in detail in the foregoing, although the door may then be unlocked from the outside with a key.

From the description, those skilled in the art will readily observe that the invention, as described and explained herein, achieves and realizes the objects stated in the foregoing. It provides an improved door latch and lock mechanism having the particularly desirable qualities of carrying forward and extending the concept of having concealed hardware in a door or other hinged panel. The mechanism of the invention provides a latch and lock mechanism which is very desirable from the standpoint of pleasing appearance and ornamentation, since the moving parts are substantially concealed. The lock possesses the further advantage that by reason of the parts moving into recesses in the lock frame, particularly as to the operating lever itself, when it is in its recess in locked position, it does not offer any areas which can be grasped or jimmied by unauthorized persons. The construction of the mechanism is extremely dependable and of a simplified nature readily adapting itself to simplified fabrication, production and assembly techniques.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of a preferred form of the invention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative, rather than a limiting, sense, the invention to be accorded the full scope of the claims appended hereto. I

What is claimed is:

1. A latch mechanism comprising, a frame carrying a retractable bolt, said frame being adapted for mounting in a door with a surface thereof substantially flush with the door, an operating lever for the bolt, said flame having a recess to receive the said operating lever in a substantiallly flush position within the confines of the frame, and means comprising a push pad member mounted to have a normal position substantially flush with an exterior surface of the said frame, said operating lever and said push pad member having means providing interengagement there between whereby a push on the push pad memher to move it toward but not into the interior of the said frame causes the operating lever to move outwardly in a position to be grasped, the means providing interengagement between the push pad member and the said operating lever having a construction whereby the operating lever may be pulled out substantially from the said frame freely of the push pad member without imparting further movement to the push pad member, and said operating lever having means for actuating the said bolt.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said operating lever is a pivotedmember, said means providing interengagement comprising mutually engageable parts on the push pad member and operating lever.

3. A structure as in claim 2 wherein said mutually engageable parts comprise bevelled surfaces on the push pad member and on the operating lever having a relationship whereby when said surfaces are in mutual engagement the push pad member, in effect, forms an extension of the operating lever.

4. A structure as in claim 1 wherein the space in said frame directly inward from said push pad member is occupied by said retractable bolt.

5. A latch mechanism comprising a frame carrying a retractable bolt, said frame being adapted 'for mounting in a door with a surface thereof substantially flush with the door, a pivotally mounting operating lever for the bolt having a handle part extending in one direction from the pivot, said frame having a recess to receive the said handle portion substantially within the confines of the frame, means comprising a push pad member mounted in a position on the other side of the pivot of the operating lever and normally being substantially flush with an exterior surface of the frame said operating lever having means adjacent the pivot for actuating the retractable bolt and said push pad member having a part engageazble with the operating lever adjacent to the pivot whereby a slight inward movement of the push pad member is operative to move the operating lever outwardly into a position in which it may be grasped and said push pad) member and operating lever having an inter-engaging structural relationship allowing freedom of outward movement of the operating lever without movement of the push pad'member into the interior of the said frame, the interior of the frame directly inward of the said push pad member being occupied by the said retractable bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,688 Halinka Sept. 29, 1936 2,653,842 Love Sept. 29, 1953 7 2,657,085 Dedoes Oct. 27, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Automotive and Aviation Industries, page 27, May 1, 1944. a

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