US2287710A - Latch - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1942'. k R. L. sA'YLEs- LATCH 2 Sheets-sheaf. 1

Filed Feb. 3,1941

June 23, 1942. R. L. SAYLES LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1941 Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LATCH Robert L. Sayles, Meriden, Kans., assignor of onehalf to Stewart K. Sayles, Meriden, Kans.

Application February 3, 1941, Serial No. 277,232 1 Claim (01. 292236) My invention relates to latches and has as one of the principal objects thereof the provision of a latch organization-which may be easily applied to doors, gates and the like and which may be conveniently operated from either side of the door without undue effort on the part of the operator.

An important object of my invention is to pro vide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, durable in use, 'efficient in operation and economical in manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claim and annexed drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention in connected relation with a gate and gate post.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the latch casing and latch bar and with the same illustrated in disassembled relation.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of one of the latch bar operators.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the keeper.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the latch and illustrating a modified arrangement of the latch bar operators.

In practising my invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawings, I provide a latch organization comprising a latch casing 5 secured to the front end of a gate 6 and a keeper I secured to a gate post 8, it being understood that the gate is' adapted to pivot with respect to the post. The latch casing 5 is fashioned with detachable front and rear sections 9 and respectively and with said sect-ions secured together by means of nuts and bolts l l or the like. The side walls 12 are cut and bent in a manner to form substantially anterolaterally disposed brackets l3 and with the latter defining the contours of registering openings [4 in the walls l2 as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings.

The section I0 is formed with top, bottom, front end and rear end walls I5, l6, l1 and I8 respectively and with the front and rear end walls I1 and I8 fashioned with elongated slots l9 and 20 respectively. The slot 19 is disposed intermediate the top and bottom walls l and [6 while the slot IB is disposed in close proximity to the top wall [5 for a purpose hereinafter made apparent.

Postjacent the opening M, the wall l2 of the section l0 has threaded therein one end of an inwardly disposed pivot or screw 2!, the latter having pivotally mounted thereon a latch bar or element 22 provided with front and rear end portions 23 and 24 respectively. The inner ends of the portions 23 and 24 effect jointure with each other at the pivot 22 while their respective outer ends extend through the slots I9 and 20. The outer end of the rear portion 24 is provided with a weight 25 for urging the upper face of the front portion of the bar in engagement with the face defining the upper end of the slot l9.

Each of the brackets I3 is provided with an aperture 26 through which extends a bolt 21 pivotally and interjacently connected to a bell crank lever or latch bar operator 28. The lowerend 29 of the lever 28 extends through the adjacent opening Id of the side wall and overlies the upper face of the front portion of the bar 23 prejacent the pivot 2 I. The end 29 of each of the levers 28 extends in close proximity to horizontality while the other end 30 extends upwardly in close proximity to verticality as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Both of the ends 29 of the levers 28 engage one of the upper faces defining one of the openings I4 whereby to maintain the ends 30 in raised position.

The keeper 1 comprises a plate 3i formed with a pair of elongated slots 32 through which extends screws 33 for securing the keeper to the gate post 8, the elongation of the slots permitting vertical adjustment of the keeper with respect to the post and the latch bar 22 as apparent from an inspection of Figure 3 of the drawings. The upper end of the plate is formed with a right angularly disposed section 34 extending towards the casing 5 and terminating in close spatiality therewith. The sides of the section 34 are fashioned with bearings 35 in which are rotatably mounted horizontal pintles 36, the latter being provided at one end with normally depending portions 31 and at their opposite ends with horizontally disposed portions 38 normally engaging the upper face of the section 34 and precluding outwardly swinging of the portions 31. The side walls 12, postjacent the brackets [3, are formed with registering openings 39 through which is inserted a pin 43 for overlying engagement with the bar 22 to preclude accidental operation of the bar to open position, as hereinafter set forth, by cattle or the like. The pin 40 is secured to one of the walls I2 by a chain 4! or the like.

In operation, the parts being in the positions illustrated in full lines in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, pressure is exerted on the upper end 30 of one of the levers 28 to actuate the upper end in a direction towards the gate. When pressure is thus exerted on the lever the latter actuates the front portion of the bar downwardly and below the lower ends of the portions 31 of the pintles 36 and at the same time effect swinging of the gate to an open position beyond the post.

When the gate is operated from opened to closed position, it is swung toward the keeper, (the bar being disposed in horizontality by the weight 25 as hereinbefore described) whereupon the bar engages a depending portion 31 of the adjacent pintle and rotates said depending por tion inwardly and upwardly to a point where it becomes released from the bar and gravitates to normal verticality thus positioning the bar be tween the portion 31 of both of said pintles. Due to the portions 38 of the pintles engaging the section 34, the depending portions 3'! are precluded from outwardly and upwardly pivoting thereby maintaining the bar interposed between the portions 37 when said bar is in the aforementioned horizontal position. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the gate may be freely opened by merely exerting sufiicient pressure upon the upper end of one of the levers 28 and without any other attendant exertion on the part of the operator.

In instances where gates or the like are adapted to be opened in one direction only, one of the levers 28 is inverted as illustrated in Figure 7 thus permitting the gate to be conveniently pulled open from one side and pushed open from the opposite side.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain the invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefor as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction as illustrated and described as the same is only illustrative of the principles of operation, which are capable of extended application in various forms, and that the invention comprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a gate latch, a substantially rectangular shaped casing provided with slots in opposite end Walls thereof and having ears struck out from opposite side walls thereof providing openings arranged between the slots and opposite to each other, a latch bar pivoted in said casing and protruding through the slots, said ears being arranged at right angles to the side walls of the casing and extending in opposite directions to each other, and L shaped levers pivoted on the ears with portions thereof extending through the openings and engaging over the bar and the other portions extending upwardly and outwardly from the casing to provide handles for the manual pivoting of said latch bar from either side of the casing.

ROBERT L. SAYLES.

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