Adjustable safety latch with inoperable position

• US 4,632,438 A
• Filed: 07/12/1985
• Issued: 12/30/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James C. Mckinney
• Original Assignee: James C. Mckinney
• Inventors: McKinney, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/754,609
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 292/80, 292/87, 292/DIG. 60, 292/341.18, 292/341.19, 248/544, 248/496, 248/354.7, 24/586, 24/683, 24/685, 24/686
• US Class Current: 292/87
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0014 to prevent opening by children E05B13/00 takes precedence; child-proof container closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/60 Adjustment provisions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0902 Rigid

Abstract

A child proof safety latch for a cabinet door or drawer. The safety latch includes a base plate receivable on the door, with a hook extending from the base plate to engage the cabinet. A holding plate is provided to locate the base plate, and the holding plate and base plate have teeth for ratchet adjustment of the base plate. A screw passes through the holding plate and the base plate to secure the latch to the door, and the latch is rotatable to place the hook in a position so the hook will not engage the cabinet. The latch therefore has an operable position and an inoperable position.

Claims

1. A safety latch in combination with a closure for a cabinet for preventing access to a cabinet or the like by preventing full opening of said closure for said cabinet, said safety latch including a hook carrying member receivable on said closure adjacent to a movable edge thereof, said hook carrying member including a base plate disposable on said closure, and a hook extending therefrom, said base plate defining an opening therethrough, securing means extending through said opening in said base plate, said opening in said base plate being larger than said securing means so that said base plate can move along the surface of said closure relative to said securing means, placement means for locating said base plate on said closure, said placement means defining a second plate having a hole generally centrally thereof for rotatably receiving said securing means, said securing means engaging said placement means for holding said placement means against said base plate and said base plate against said closure, said base plate disposed between said closure and said second plate, and means carried by said placement means for preventing relative rotation between said base plate and said placement means, said hook member extending generally perpendicularly from said base plate for selective engagement with said cabinet, said hook member being sufficiently resilient to be forcefully bent for disengagement from said cabinet, the arrangement being such that said placement means is rotatable on said securing means and said base plate is slidable relative to said placement means for varying the position of said hook with respect to said closure, said opening in said base plate being of such size as to allow placement of said hook so that rotation of said latch about said securing means will prevent said hook from engaging said cabinet.

2. A safety latch as claimed in claim 1, said base plate further including a first plurality of teeth, said placement means including a holding plate having a second plurality of teeth, said first plurality of teeth being interengageable to prevent relative motion in at least one direction.

3. A safety latch as claimed in claim 2, said means for preventing relative rotation comprising a pair of flanges on opposite sides of said holding plate, said base plate being receivable between said flanges for maintaining rotational alignment of said base plate and said holding plate.

4. A safety latch as claimed in claim 2, said first and second plurality of teeth constituting ratchet means, said first plurality of teeth and said second plurality of teeth being engageable to allow said base plate to be moved towards said edge of said closure and to restrain motion in the opposite direction.

5. A safety latch as claimed in claim 3, said holding plate including a boss having said hole therethrough, said securing means comprising a screw, said boss constituting screw holding means for installation of said safety latch.

6. A safety latch as claimed in claim 5, and further including a flexible web extending from said base plate to said holding plate.