Latch Mechanism

Abstract

A simplified, compact catch mechanism for latching separable wall portions together, such as for instance in a casket or other container, and comprising in one embodiment a latch member which coacts with a longitudinally movable slide member and which is movable vertically with respect to the slide member but has substantially no lengthwise movement with respect to the slide member but instead is movable lengthwise as a unit with the slide member, and wherein a rotatable controller including an eccentric coacts with the latch member to move the latch member from a latching position upwardly and rearwardly to an unlatching position and vice versa; in another embodiment a catch mechanism is disclosed which comprises a latch member which is movable vertically and lengthwise with respect to a support and is actuated by a pivotal arm actuator which includes an actuating cam pin extending into coaction with a cam slot so that the latch member in moving from an unlatched to a latched condition moves lengthwise and then downwardly as caused by the coaction of the cam pin on the actuator with the cam slot and in conjunction with other cam and slot means coacting between the latch member and the support, and in moving to an unlocking position is tipped or pivoted upwardly at its forward end and then is moved rearwardly to unlatched condition.

Description

This invention relates to improvements in catch mechanisms, and more particularly to catch mechanisms for detachably connecting together separable wall portions of a container, such as for instance a casket or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of catch mechanisms for containers such as caskets are known in the art. However, many of these catch mechanisms are either unduly complex and thus are not economically feasible, or else they do not operate in an effective manner to latch one wall portion to another wall portion. An example of some prior art mechanisms are shown for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 2,405,240 to William A. Shearer et al. entitled "LOCKING LATCH STRUCTURE" and dated Aug. 6, 1946 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,943 entitled "CATCH MECHANISM" to Louis DeMarco dated Dec. 3, 1963.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides latch or catch mechanisms which will operate effectively to latch or hold one wall portion firmly against another wall portion and be disposed in locked condition in the latched condition of the catch mechanism.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a catch mechanism of simplified construction having a desired path of movement between unlatched and latched positions and vice versa.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel catch mechanism for containers for latching one wall portion thereof to another wall portion of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a catch mechanism of the latter type which is of simplified, compact construction, and which will operate expeditiously to latch the container in closed condition, and which includes a latch member having a desired path of movement in moving from unlatching to latching condition and vice versa, and including means for locking the latch member in latching position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a catch mechanism of the latter-described type wherein the mechanism comprises a latch member and a coacting slide member with the latch member being movable vertically with respect to the slide member and being adapted to be moved lengthwise as a unit with the slide member, and wherein an eccentric on an operator is utilized for actuating the latch member and coacting slide member from a latching to an unlatching position and vice versa.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism of the latter-described type wherein the slide member includes projection means thereon which coact with openings in said latch member to positively hold or lock the catch mechanism in latched condition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a catch mechanism which includes a latch member having a pair of converging cam slots therein and with a pivoted actuator having an actuator pin mounted thereon coacting in one of the cam slots to cause movement of the latch member upon predetermined movement of said actuator arm, and wherein an L-shaped cam slot and coacting guide pin or cam is provided adjacent the forward end of the latch member for obtaining a predetermined path of movement as the latch member moves between unlatched to latched positions and vice versa.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational, partially broken illustration of a catch mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the catch mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 taken from the opposite side thereof, and illustrating the socket of the rotatable controller, which is utilized to actuate the catch mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane of line 3-3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a reduced size, elevational view illustrating a pair of the catch mechanism of the invention as mounted on a support and operable by a single actuator mechanism coupled to the paired catch mechanisms by means of levers; In the FIG. 5 illustration the latch members of the catch mechanisms are illustrated in latched condition;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the latch members of the plural catch mechanisms disposed in unlatched condition and as moved to such positions by the common actuator;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another embodiment of catch mechanism with the latch member thereof being illustrated in latched condition coacting with a keeper for holding wall portions of the associated container in closed condition;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but showing the latch member in unlatched condition and the wall portions of the container having moved apart with respect to one another;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, exploded, diagrammatic illustration of the various parts of the catch mechanism of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the escutcheon member of the catch assembly which is adapted for attachment to one of the wall portions; and

FIG. 9B is an enlarged, fragmentary illustration showing the actuator arm of the catch mechanism of FIGS. 7 through 9 and associated cam slot in the latch member, in latching condition and illustrating in particular the positive locking or holding of the latch member in latched condition by the overcenter force of the arm of the actuator coacting with the associated cam slot in the latch member.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the present invention might be adapted to various types of uses, it has been chosen to disclose the same as a catch mechanism detachably connecting separable wall portions of a container. These wall portions may be, for instance, a lid wall 11 and a cooperating base wall 12 of a casket wherein such wall portions are movable with respect to one another. Resilient sealing means 13 formed of some suitable material such as for instance strip sponge rubber, or synthetic foam material, is preferably provided between walls 11 and 12, for sealing the juncture therebetween when the catch mechanism latches the lid wall to the base wall.

The catch mechanism 14 in the embodiment illustrated is mounted on a support 16 which may be of elongated channellike configuration in transverse cross section (as for instance as shown in FIG. 3). Support 16 may be attached by any suitable means to the base wall 12 of the casket or container, such as for instance, by fasteners, welds, or the like. The catch mechanism 14 comprises a slide member 18 which is of generally U-shaped configuration in top plan (FIG. 4) defining a base section 18a and lengthwise spaced leg sections 18b merging at their outer ends with wing sections 18c. Wing sections 18c are adapted for sliding engagement with the vertical sidewall 22 of the support 16.

Disposed in the cavity 23 defined by the slide member 18, between the base section 18a and leg sections 18b, is a latch member 24 comprising in the embodiment illustrated, a hooklike head portion 24a and a crosshead portion 24b formed integrally with the head portion 24a. Latch member 24 may be readily formed as by stamping, for facilitating economical mass production thereof, and in the embodiment illustrated, has spaced openings 26 and an intermediate opening 28 formed therein for purposes to be hereinafter set forth.

As can be best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the latch member is received between the leg sections 18b of the slide member 18 so that there is substantially no relative lengthwise movement between the latch member and the slide member, while the latch member 24 can readily move vertically relative to the slide member. As can be best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the height of the slide member is considerably greater than the height of the crosshead portion 24b of the latch member. FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in full lines show the catch mechanism in latched condition, or in other words, with the hook portion 24a thereof engaging in holding coaction with the lid wall 11 of the casket or container. In this connection, latch member 24 extends through opening 29 in lid wall 11, and opening 29a in the support channel 16. In such latched position of the catch mechanism, it will be seen that the crosshead portion 24b is disposed in generally the lower end of the slide member and in general alignment with the lower peripheral edge of the slide member (FIGS. 1 and 2). In the completely unlatched condition of the latch member as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1, the latch member has moved vertically in the cavity defined by the slide member and out of holding coaction with lid wall 11 of the container, and with the cross head portion then being disposed generally at the upper end of the cavity of the slide member, but still within the confines of the upper peripheral edge of the slide member. In the unlatched condition illustrated in FIG. 1, the slide member has, of course, moved as a unit lengthwise of the support 16 with the latch member, while the latch member has also moved vertically with respect to the slide member 18 and support 16.

In the embodiment illustrated, the support 16 and more particularly the vertical wall portion thereof is provided with lengthwise spaced slots 32 through which extend fastener means 34, which, in the embodiment illustrated, comprise headed rivets secured to the slide member and with the shanks of the rivets extending through the respective slot 32. The headed portions on the rivets prevent the rivets from being disengaged from the respective slot, and thus movably couple the slide member and associated latch member to the support 16 for lengthwise movement with respect thereto. In order to aid the ready lengthwise movement of the slide member 18 and associated latch member 24 with respect to the support 16, some antifriction means, such as for instance, nylon washers 36 (FIGS. 2 and 4) may be provided coacting with the rivets 34, for facilitating the lengthwise movement of the slide member and associated latch member with respect to the support 16. The ends of slots 32 may be so arranged that they coact with the associated rivet 34 and thus limit the lengthwise travel of the slide member.

Controller means 38 (FIGS. 1 to 4) is mounted on the support 16 for actuating the latch and slide members of the catch mechanism and moving them from a latching position to an unlatching position and vice versa. Controller means 38 in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a rotatable end plate 38a with a sleeve portion 38b projecting laterally from the end plate and secured thereto, with the sleeve portion 38b in the embodiment illustrated defining a socket 40 adapted to receive a tool, such as for instance, a wrench T, for rotating the controller 38 and thus actuating the catch mechanism. Sleeve portion 38b projects through an opening 42 in the vertical wall portion 22 of support 16, and out through an opening in the exterior wall of base portion 12 of the container, thereby making the socket 40 readily accessible for receiving a tool operated by a workman. Projecting from the opposite side of end plate 38a of controller 38 is an eccentric lug 44 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of cylindrical configuration which is received in the aforementioned opening 28 in crosshead portion 24b of latch member 24, thus coupling the controller to the latch member 24. Upon rotation of controller 38, the eccentric 44 causes the slide member and associated latch member 24 to move lengthwise with respect to support 16, while moving latch 24 vertically upwardly with respect to the slide member.

The base section 18a of the slide member has lengthwise spaced projections or embossments 46 (FIG. 4) formed thereon and projecting inwardly of cavity 23 defined by the slide member. The embossments are preferably of rounded configuration and may be conveniently formed by a suitable punching or deforming operation during formation of the U-shaped slide member. Such embossments are formed complementary to the aforementioned spaced openings 26 in the latch member 24 and are adapted to be received in such openings 26 when the catch mechanism is in latched condition, thus locking the latch member in latched condition. Upon rotation of the controller 38 and thus rotary movement of the eccentric lug 44 with respect to the support 16, the slide member and associated latch member are forced to the right from the position illustrated in FIG. 1, and the latch member 24 is moved upwardly with respect to the slide member 24, thus causing movement of the catch mechanism from a latched condition to an unlatched condition. During such relative upward or vertical movement of the latch 24 with respect to the slide member, the aforementioned locking projections 46 on the slide member separate from the openings 26 in the latch member. A resilient O-ring 50 may be provided coacting between the end plate 38a and the confronting vertical wall 22 of the support 16, for permitting resistive relative lateral movement between the latch member and the associated slide member and thus permitting the projections 46 on the slide member to separate from the openings 26 in the latch member, as the latter moves vertically relative to the slide member. When the controller is subsequently rotated to move the catch mechanism from unlatched condition back to a latched condition, the openings 26 in the latch member 24 once again align with the projections 46 on the slide member and the resilient ring 50 causes the projections to snap into the openings, thus once again locking the catch mechanism in latched condition.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is illustrated a pair of the catch mechanisms 14 of the aforedescribed embodiment mounted on an elongated support bar 16' which support bar is adapted to be attached by any suitable means to a container. In this embodiment, the controller means 38' for each respective catch mechanism instead of having a socket formed in a stem thereof, has an arm 52 secured to the respective controller, so that upon swinging movement of the respective arm, the controller 38' including its backup plate 38a' is caused to rotate thus actuating the respective catch mechanism in the manner aforedescribed in connection with the first described embodiment.

Each of arms 52 is pivoted as at 54 to a respective link 56 which in turn is pivoted as at 58 to a lever 60 which includes arm portions 60a extending diametrically opposite one another. Lever 60 may also include a laterally projecting stem portion 62 which is adapted to be received through an opening in for instance, the base wall portion of a container, for supporting the actuator 60 on the base wall portion and permitting rotation of the actuator and attached stem portion 62 with respect to the base wall portion. The stem 62 may include a socket 64 therein which is adapted to receive a tool, such as a wrench T for rotating or pivoting the actuator or lever 60 and thus causing movement of links 56. It will be seen that upon rotative turning of the actuator 60, both links 56 are moved thus pivoting both arms 52 connected to the respective catch mechanism, and thus causing actuation of both catch mechanisms simultaneously.

FIG. 6 illustrates the pivoting of actuator 60 as by means of the tool T to cause movement of the latch members of the plural catch assembly from the latched condition of FIG. 5 to an unlatched condition.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 9B, there is illustrated another embodiment of catch mechanism. In this embodiment, the latch member of the catch mechanism 61 comprises an elongated platelike latch member 62 which is movable lengthwise with respect to support 64. Latch member 62 includes a hook-shaped portion 66 projecting upwardly from the upper extremity of crosshead portion 67. Hook portion 66 is adapted to coact in holding relation with escutcheon 68 depending, for instance, from the cover portion 11' of the container or casket. Escutcheon 68, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a T-shaped member having an opening 68a in the depending portion thereof, adapted to receive therein the hook portion 66 of the latch for coupling the relatively movable wall portions of the container together.

Latch member 62 has a pair of diagonally arranged slots 70, 72 formed therein with such diagonally arranged slots receiving cam lugs or pins 70a, 72a therein for causing predetermined movement of said latch member in its operation of moving from a latched condition to an unlatched condition and vice versa. The lengthwise axes of slots 70, 72 preferably define an included angle X (FIG. 9) of approximately 105.degree.. Latch member 62 also has an L-shaped slot 74 therein disposed adjacent the forward end thereof which L-shaped slot is adapted to receive another lug or pin 76 therein for aiding in causing predetermined movement of the latch member with respect to the support 64, as will be hereinafter described.

A generally U-shaped bracket 78 is secured as by means of rivets 78a (FIG. 7) to the channel-shaped support 64 and in conjunction with the latter defines a recess or cavity 80 (FIG. 9) in which latch member 62 moves.

The aforementioned cam pin 70a extends between and is secured to the bracket 78 and support 64, and extends through associated cam slot 70 (FIG. 9). The aforementioned cam pin 76 extends between and is secured to bracket 78 and support 64 and extends through the slot 74. The aforementioned cam pin 72a is mounted on the lower portion of pivotal controller or lever 82 and extends into and through the cam slot 72. Lever 82 is pivoted by any suitable means such as rivet 82a to the support 64, with rivet 82a extending between bracket 78 and support 64 and being secured thereto.

Bracket 78 has a cutaway portion 86 therein through which the outer end of cam pin 72a extends with such outer end of the cam pin being pivotally secured to a link 88 which in turn is pivotally coupled as at 89 to actuator 90. Actuator 90 has a sleeve 92 attached thereto and extending laterally therefrom, which sleeve is adapted for pivotal mounting in a U-shape bracket 94 which may be attached as by means of rivets 96 to support 64. Sleeve 92 is adapted to extend through opening 98 in the support 64 and may have a socket therein adapted to receive a tool such as the aforementioned wrench of the first-described embodiment, for rotating the actuator 90 with respect to the support 64. Rotation of actuator 90 which is pivoted to link 88 causes shifting movement of the link and since it is pivotally coupled to the cam pin 72a, causes swinging movement of lever 82 about its pivot 82a. Assuming, for instance, that the catch mechanism is in latched condition as shown in FIG. 7 upon shifting movement of link 88 toward the left, lever 82 is caused to pivot in a clockwise direction. Such pivotal movement of lever 82 causes the cam pin 72a to coact with the upper periphery of the cam slot 72, thereby causing the latch member 62 to pivot upwardly about cam pin 70a extending through slot 70. This upward pivotal movement of the latch member 62 continues until such time as the cam pin in L-shaped slot 74 has moved into alignment with the horizontal portion of the slot. During this upward pivoting of the latch 62, the hook portion 66 almost completely clears the escutcheon 68 and at the end of its upward pivotal movement, the top edge of the latch 62, may engage the underside of escutcheon 68, as at 99, and urge it and the associated cover portion 11' upwardly. The cushioning strip 50 also of course urges the cover portion 11' upwardly once the holding coaction of the latch member with its escutcheon is released. Once the cam pin 76 reaches the horizontal portion of slot 74, the latch member 62 under the influence of the cam pin 72a, is caused to move lengthwise toward the left thus moving the hook portion 66 away from the escutcheon. Rear slot 70 moves diagonally upwardly relative to its cam pin 70a while the horizontal portion of slot 74 moves rearwardly relative to its cam pin 76, thereby guiding the lengthwise unlatching movement of the latch member. The lever 82 moves through an arc of approximately 45.degree. during movement of latch 62 from the latched position of FIG. 7 to the unlatched position of FIG. 8.

As can be seen in FIG. 9, the support 64 on its upper or top wall has an opening 101 formed therein through which extends the escutcheon 68 when the cover portion 11' is closed with respect to the base portion of the container. This slotted portion 101 extends generally transverse of the top wall of the support. Such top wall in the embodiment illustrated is also slotted lengthwise thereof as at 102 for providing clearance for the hook portion 66 of the latch member as the latter is moved from its latching position to its unlatching position and vice versa. The cam slots 70, 72, 74 are so arranged and coact with their respective cam pins 70a, 72a and 76, so that the latch member moves smoothly from its lower latching position to its unlatching position and vice versa.

In moving the latch member 62 from an unlatched position back to a latched position, the actuator 90 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction (with respect to FIG. 9) thus causing shifting movement of the link 88 to the right. The cam pin 72a coacts with the lower periphery of slot 72 applying a force thereto thus causing movement of the latch member 62 lengthwise toward the escutcheon 68. It will be understood that the cutaway portion 86 in the bracket 78 provides clearance for such swinging movement of the cam pin 72a in its associated cam slot 72. The latch member 62 continues to move lengthwise toward the escutcheon while the cam pin 70a in its associated cam slot 70 is coacting with the periphery of the slot to guide the latch member 62 as the latch 62 moves lengthwise. When cam pin 76 reaches alignment with the vertical leg of its cam slot 74, the hook portion 66 has entered the slot 68a of associated escutcheon 68 and the force of the cam pin 72a on the periphery of the lower edge of associated cam slot 72 causes downward movement of the latch member 62, and forcing of the hook portion 66 of the latch member 62 into downward pulling coaction with the escutcheon, thus compressing the resilient material 50 between the cover wall portion 11' and the base wall portion of the container. During such downward movement of the latch member 62, the vertical leg of slot 74 moves downward relative to cam pin 76, whereby the latter is located toward the upper end of the vertical leg of the slot 74. While only one catch mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 7-- 9, it will be understood, that another such mechanism can be readily connected to the link 88 for simultaneous actuation by link 88 and actuator 90.

Referring now to FIG. 9B, it will be seen that the cam pin 72a has moved toward the right-hand end of the associated cam slot 72 and to a position beyond where the pivotal lever 82 is perpendicular to the lower defining edge 106 of cam slot 72, so that the force of the cam pin 72 on the lower edge of the slot is applied at an angle X' with respect to a vertical plane passing through the axial center of cam pin 72a (or lever pivot 82a) and disposed perpendicular to lower edge 106 of slot 72. Also the lower peripheral edge of slot 72 may be grooved out, as at 108, (FIGS. 9, 9B) for receipt therein of cam pin 72a in generally snapping relation. This over center position of the lever 82 effectively locks the lever 82 in position against the defining lower edge of the slot 72, and prevents inadvertent swinging movement of the lever and inadvertent movement of the cam pin 72a away from the right-hand end of cam slot 72. The groove 108 insures that the lever will remain in locking position until the lever is pivoted by link 88 toward unlatching position.

As can be seen in FIG. 9, the bracket 78 is preferably recessed or cutaway along its upper edge portion as at 109 to provide clearance for escutcheon 68 when it passes through the slot 101 in support 64 and downwardly into position for engagement with the latch member 62.

The terms and expressions which have been used herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features shown or described and it is recognized that various modifications are possible without departing from the teachings of the invention.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. In a catch mechanism comprising a support, a latch member including a hooklike engaging portion and a crosshead portion movably mounted on said support, means coacting with said latch member for moving the latter lengthwise and vertical relative to said support, for selectively latching and unlatching said catch mechanism, and means for releasably locking said latch member in latching position, the last-mentioned means being deactuated upon predetermined actuation of the first mentioned means, and wherein said hooklike portion projects upwardly from the upper periphery of said crosshead portion, said crosshead portion including a pair of divergent slots disposed in laterally spaced relationship with respect to one another and a substantially L-shaped slot spaced from the first-mentioned slots, one of said first-mentioned slots and said L-shaped slot each having retaining means extending therethrough and coacting therewith in relative movable relation for guiding the movement of said latch member, said first-mentioned means including means coacting with the other of said first-mentioned slots for causing movement of said latch member with respect to said support in its operation of moving from latching to unlatching condition and vice versa.

2. A catch mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said other of said first-mentioned slots is disposed intermediate said one of said first-mentioned slots and said L-shaped slot.

3. A catch mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first-mentioned means comprises a lever pivoted to said support, said means on said first-mentioned means comprising a cam pin disposed downwardly from the pivotal mounting of said lever and extending laterally through said other of said slots, and means coacting with said cam pin for actuating said lever from a position remote from said lever.

4. A catch mechanism in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lever is pivoted through an angle of approximately 45.degree. to move said latch member from latching condition to unlatching condition and vice versa.

5. A catch mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first-mentioned means comprises a lever pivoted to said support, said means on said first-mentioned means comprising a cam pin disposed downwardly from the pivotal mounting of said lever and extending laterally of said lever through said other of said slots, and said lever being movable to a position beyond a vertical plane extending through the pivotal axis of said lever and disposed perpendicular to the lower defining edge of said other slot for locking said latch member in latching position.

6. A catch mechanism in accordance with claim 1 including a bracket of generally U-shaped configuration in top plan, said bracket coacting with said support for encompassing said latch member and providing means for supporting the adjacent ends of said retainer means which respectively extend through said one slot and said L-shaped slot.

7. A catch mechanism in accordance with claim 5 wherein the lengthwise axes of said divergent slots define an angular relationship of approximately 105.degree. with respect to one another, and wherein said cam pin coacts with the upper surface of said other slot during the unlatching movement of said latch member and coacts with the lower surface of said other slot in the latching movement of said latch member.

8. A catch mechanism in accordance with claim 5 wherein said locking means includes a recess in said lower defining edge of said other slot for receiving said cam pin in snap-fitting relation.