Six-way self-adjusting lock for use on truck storage boxes and the like
First Claim
1. A self-adjusting lock including a keeper stud assembly and a latch assembly,said keeper stud assembly including a keeper stud, having a transverse base, a keeper plate substantially transverse to the axis of said stud having a recess therein larger than said base and an opening in said keeper plate larger than the diameter of said keeper stud to receive said keeper stud, said recess and said opening being sufficiently large as to permit alignment motion of said keeper stud in directions transverse to the axis of said stud, without changing the angle of said axis, and means to press said base away from said opening, and means to secure said keeper stud assembly to a surface to be locked,said latch assembly including a socket to receive said keeper stud, means to secure said latch assembly to a second surface to be locked, and latch means associated with said socket, and said socket being generally aligned with said keeper stud when said surfaces are brought together,whereby movement of said keeper stud into said socket will cause said keeper stud to move in a direction perpendicular to its axis to align itself with said socket.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A self-adjusting lock has a keeper stud with a base that is mounted in a recess in a keeper assembly so that it can slide in four directions. As the bevelled keeper stud is pressed into an opening in a latch assembly, the stud self-adjusts in the necessary direction to achieve alignment. A spring pressing the base against a surface causes the base, and so the keeper stud, to be frictionally held in its new position. The keeper stud has a series of spaced ratchet teeth, axially separated from one another, any of which can interengage with the latch mechanism. Thus, the lock is adjusted in this direction each time the lock is closed, resulting in a lock self-adjustable in six directions.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A self-adjusting lock including a keeper stud assembly and a latch assembly,
said keeper stud assembly including a keeper stud, having a transverse base, a keeper plate substantially transverse to the axis of said stud having a recess therein larger than said base and an opening in said keeper plate larger than the diameter of said keeper stud to receive said keeper stud, said recess and said opening being sufficiently large as to permit alignment motion of said keeper stud in directions transverse to the axis of said stud, without changing the angle of said axis, and means to press said base away from said opening, and means to secure said keeper stud assembly to a surface to be locked, said latch assembly including a socket to receive said keeper stud, means to secure said latch assembly to a second surface to be locked, and latch means associated with said socket, and said socket being generally aligned with said keeper stud when said surfaces are brought together, whereby movement of said keeper stud into said socket will cause said keeper stud to move in a direction perpendicular to its axis to align itself with said socket.
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7. A keeper assembly adapted for alignment with a latch, including
a keeper plate, a recess in said plate, and an opening in said plate, a keeper stud having a transverse base, ratchet teeth on said stud above said base, said base being sufficiently smaller than said recess to permit alignment movement of said base within said recess, and said stud having a diameter sufficiently smaller than the size of said opening to permit alignment movement of said stud within said opening, said base and said stud being sufficiently smaller than said recess and said opening, respectively, to permit non-tilting alignment motion of said keeper stud in directions transverse to the axis of said stud, said stud passing through said opening with said base being in said recess, and means to press said base away from said keeper plate, whereby said keeper plate is mountable upon a surface with said base pressing against said surface, and said stud is movable relative to said keeper plate transversely of its axis.
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10. A lock adapted to self-adjust for alignment along three axes, said lock including
a keeper stud having an integral transverse base, and an associated keeper plate proximate to said base, means permitting non-tilting adjustment of the position of said keeper stud relative to said keeper plate in directions transverse to the axis of said keeper stud, spring means to hold said keeper stud in said adjusted position, a latch assembly having a socket and self-engaging latching means and being generally positioned such that said socket will receive said keeper stud in a direction axially of said stud when said lock is closed, and means for interengaging said keeper stud and said socket.
Specification