ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR A LATCH

• US 3,666,308 A
• Filed: 09/11/1970
• Issued: 05/30/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michel Bonnaud
• Original Assignee: Michel Bonnaud
• Inventors: Bonnaud, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US05/071,312
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 292/336.3,216,DIG.23,DIG.24,DIG.26,DIG.27,198
• US Class Current: 292/336.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/36 Locks for passenger or like doors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

Actuating mechanism for a door latch which has a movable element assuming a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position. A first control means controls the opening of the latch and a separate second control means controls the locking of the latch. A rocker element is operatively connected to each control means and to the movable element. A device is adapted to bring the rocker element to, and lock it in, a position in which the movable element is placed in the latch locking position when the second control means is brought to a latch locking position.

Claims

1. An actuating mechanism for a latch comprising a movable element capable of assuming three positions namely a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position, two separate first and second control means, said first control means being for shifting said movable element between said latch closing position and said latch opening position and said second control means being for shifting said movable element to said latch locking position, a rocker element, first connecting means operatively interconnecting said rocker element and said movable element so that movement of said movable element between said three positions is controlled by movement of said rocker element between three positions, second connecting means operatively interconnecting said first control means and said rocker eLement, third connecting means operatively interconnecting said second control means and said rocker element, connection between said first control means and said movable element consisting of said first and second connecting means and connection between said second control means and said movable element consisting of said first and third connecting means, and a device associated with said rocker element for preventing said rocker element from moving in a direction to shift said movable element to said latch opening position when said rocker element has been shifted by said second control means to a position in which said movable element is put in said latch locking position.

2. An actuating mechanism for a latch comprising a movable element capable of assuming three positions namely a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position, two separate first and second control means, said first control means being for shifting said movable element between said latch closing position and said latch opening position and said second control means being for shifting said movable element to said latch locking position, a rocker element, first connecting means operatively interconnecting said rocker element and said movable element so that movement of said movable element between said three positions is controlled by movement of said rocker element between three positions, second connecting means operatively interconnecting said first control means and said rocker element, third connecting means operatively interconnecting said second control means and said rocker element, connection between said first control means and said movable element consisting of said first and second connecting means and connection between said second control means and said movable element consisting of said first and third connecting means, and a device associated with said rocker element for preventing said rocker element from moving in a direction to shift said movable element to said latch opening position when said rocker element has been shifted by said second control means to a position in which said movable element is put in said latch locking position, said first connecting means comprising a single rod connecting said rocker element to said movable element, said first control means comprising a first lever pivotably mounted on a first pin and directly pivoted to said rocker element, and said second control means comprising a pull-rod, a second lever rotatably mounted on a second pin and pivoted to said rocker element, said pull-rod being pivoted to said second lever, a plate with respect to which said first and second pins are fixed and a guide slot in said plate, said rocker element having a finger portion which is cooperative with said guide slot.

3. An actuating mechanism for a latch comprising a movable element capable of assuming three positions, namely a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position, two distinct first and second control means, said first control means controlling the opening of the latch, and said second control means controlling the locking of the latch, a rocker element operatively connected to each of said control means and to said movable element and a device associated with said rocker element and adapted to bring said rocker element to and lock it in a position in which said movable element is placed in said latch locking position when said second control means is brought to a latch locking position, said first connecting means comprising a single rod connecting said rocker element to said movable element, said first control means comprising a first lever pivotably mounted on a first pin and directly pivoted to said rocker element, and said second control means comprising a pull-rod, a second lever rotatably mounted on a second pin and pivoted to said rocker element, said pull-rod being pivoted to said second lever, a plate with respect to which said first and second pins are fixed and a guide slot in said plate, said rocker element having a finger portion which is cooperative with said guide slot, said slot being in the shape of an inverted L in which said finger portion of the rocker element is engaged,said finger portion being guided in a first branch of the guide slot when said pull-rod is in a position in which said latch is unlocked and said first lever is shifted to a position for opening said latch, said finger portion being blocked in a second branch of said guide slot and preventing any movement of said first lever when said pull-rod is placed a position for locking said latch.

4. An actuating mechanism for a latch comprising a movable element capable of assuming three positions, namely a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position, two distinct first and second control means, said first control means controlling the opening of the latch, and said second control means controlling the locking of the latch, a rocker element operatively connected to each of said control means and to said movable element, and a device associated with said rocker element and adapted to bring said rocker element to and lock it in a position in which said movable element is placed in said latch locking position when said second control means is brought to a latch locking position, said first connecting means comprising a single rod connecting said rocker element to said movable element, said first control means comprising a first lever pivotably mounted on a first pin and directly pivoted to said rocker element, and said second control means comprising a pull-rod, a second lever rotatably mounted on a second pin and pivoted to said rocker element, said pull-rod being pivoted to said second lever, a plate with respect to which said first and second pins are fixed and a guide slot in said plate, said rocker element having a finger portion which is cooperative with said guide slot, said second lever having an oblong opening by means of which it is pivoted to said finger portion of said rocker element.

5. An actuating mechanism for a latch comprising a movable element capable of assuming three positions, namely a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position, two distinct first and second control means, said first control means controlling the opening of the latch, and said second control means controlling the locking of the latch, a rocker element operatively connected to each of said control means and to said movable element, and a device associated with said rocker element and adapted to bring said rocker element to and lock it in a position in which said movable element is placed in said latch locking position when said second control means is brought to a latch locking position, said first connecting means comprising a single rod connecting said rocker element to said movable element, said first control means comprising a first lever pivotably mounted on a first pin and directly pivoted to said rocker element, and said second control means comprising a pull-rod, a second lever rotatably mounted on a second pin and pivoted to said rocker element, said pull-rod being pivoted to said second lever, a plate with respect to which said first and second pins are fixed and a guide slot in said plate, said rocker element having a finger portion which is cooperative with said guide slot, said rocker element having an abutment which is in contact with a resiliently yieldable return means which biases said rocker element towards a position thereof corresponding to the latch closing position of said movable element.

6. An actuating mechanism for a latch comprising a movable element capable of assuming three positions, namely a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position, two distinct first and second control means, said first control means controlling the opening of the latch, and said second control means controlling the locking of the latch, a rocker element operatively connected to each of Said control means and to said movable element, and a device associated with said rocker element and adapted to bring said rocker element to and lock it in a position in which said movable element is placed in said latch locking position when said second control means is brought to a latch locking position, said device comprising a toggle arrangement having means defining two toggle members interconnected by an articulation pin and interconnecting said two control means, said articulation pin being guided in a guide slot formed in a fixed plate adapted to be fixed relative to a door on which said latch is intended to be mounted, said rocker element being connected by a single rod to said movable element.

7. An actuating mechanism for a latch comprising,means defining a support, a movable element capable of assuming three positions namely a latch closing position, a latch opening position and a latch locking position, two separate first and second control means, said first control means being for shifting said movable element between said latch closing position and said latch opening position and said second control means being for shifting said movable element to said latch locking position, a rocker element, first connecting means operatively interconnecting said rocker element and said movable element so that movement of said movable element between said three positions is controlled by movement of said rocker element between three positions, second connecting means operatively interconnecting said first control means and said rocker element, third connecting means operatively interconnecting said second control means and said rocker element, connection between said first control means and said movable element consisting of said first and second connecting means and connection between said second control means and said movable element consisting of said first and third connecting means, and a device associated with said rocker element for preventing said rocker element from moving in a direction to shift said movable element to said latch opening position when said rocker element has been shifted by said second control means to a position in which said movable element is put in said latch locking position, said first control means comprising a first lever mounted to pivot between two extreme positions about a first axis fixed relative to said support and having a first end portion, a first pivot directly pivoting said end portion to said rocker element, said second control means comprising a second lever mounted to pivot about a second axis fixed relative to said support and having a second end portion, a second pivot directly pivoting said second end portion to said rocker element, said first end portion and said second end portion constituting a toggle arrangement movable to each side of a position in which said second axis and said first and second pivots are in alignment, a resiliently yieldable element supported by said support, a portion of said rocker element against which portion said yieldable element yieldably bears, said yieldable element acting on said portion of said rocker element in a direction which continuously biases said first lever through the intermediary of said rocker element toward an extreme position in which said first lever puts said movable element in said latch closing position and also biases said toggle arrangement on one side of said position of alignment when said second lever is in a position for locking said latch through the intermediary of said rocker element.