Tension latch assembly

• US 5,257,839 A
• Filed: 04/29/1992
• Issued: 11/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Manufacturing Company (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Manufacturing Company (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rooney, Dennis J., Nielsen, Raymond A., Meiste, Cordell E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US07/875,986
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 292/113, 292/104, 292/66, 292/DIG. 31, 292/DIG. 53, 292/DIG. 49, 292/205
• US Class Current: 292/113
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/383 Staples or the like for padlocks; Lock slings; Arrangements on locks to cooperate with padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/14 with toggle action
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/49 Toggle catches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0871 Sliding and swinging, lever-operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0917 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0954 Padlock or seal catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1086 Padlock or seal catch

Abstract

A latch incorporates a latch member in the form of a leaf spring which is connected by an overcenter operating lever mechanism to a case mounted to a door for latching engagement with a strike mounted to another door or frame member. The strike incorporates guide rails for guiding the latch member into engagement with the strike, and the case includes an upstanding part for receiving a part of a lock with another part of the lock extending through an opening in the lever mechanism.

Claims

1. A latch assembly for latching a first member to a second member comprising a relatively elongated latch sub-assembly and a strike, said latch sub-assembly being adapted to be mounted on one member and said strike on the other member in longitudinally aligned relation, said latch sub-assembly having a proximal end adapted to be positioned adjacent said strike and a distal end remote therefrom

said latch sub-assembly including in nested relation a case, a lever and a latch, each of said base and lever being U-shaped in transverse section,

said lever having a handle bight and two side flanges depending therefrom, pintle means pivotally mounting said lever in said case adjacent the proximal end thereof with the lever side flanges being within the case flanges, a longitudinally arcuate leaf spring latch having a pair of sides, a hook adjacent the proximal end thereof and a pivot mounting adjacent the distal end thereof, pin means pivotally mounting said latch in said lever intermediate the ends thereof, said pintle means and pin means cooperating to develop over center action in said lever, said handle bight extending from the lever distal end to a position adjacent said pin means,

said strike also having upstanding side flanges, the lever side flanges having proximal ends adjacent the distal ends of said strike side flanges, said strike flanges and lever flanges being in covering relation to said latch sides, and

lock means adjacent the distal end of said case for releasably locking said case and lever together in nested relation and for preventing pry bar use by an intruder.

2. The latch assembly according to claim 1 in which said strike adjacent the proximal end thereof has longitudinally straight side flanges upstanding from a bight and in which the side edges of said latch adjacent said hook are longitudinally tapered for engaging said strike said flanges to guide said latch into latching position between said strike side flanges.

3. The latch assembly of claim 1 in which the spacing between adjacent flanges of the case and lever is less than the thickness of said flanges, the spacing of said latch from the upstanding flanges of said strike being less than the thickness of said latch.

4. A latch assembly for latching a first member to a second member, comprising in combination:

a case adapted to be mounted to said first member,

said case including a bight and two upstanding side flanges,

a strike adapted to be mounted to said second member,

a lever pivotally mounted on said case and disposed between said side flanges,

a latch in the form of a leaf spring, and

means pivotally mounting said latch to said lever,

said latch having a hooked end portion for selective engagement with said strike to latch said first and second members together,

fastener means attaching said strike to said second member,

said latch covering said fastener means when said latch is engaged with said strike,

said latch and said lever being pivotally mounted for respective pivotal movement about mutually parallel axes,

an upstanding part of said case having an opening therethrough for receiving the shackle of a padlock, and an opening in said lever for receiving said shackle when said latch is in the latching condition, and

said upstanding part of said case being generally planar, located midway between said case side flanges and lying in a plane perpendicular to said case side flanges.

5. The latch assembly of claim 4 in which said case has a distal end remote from said strike, said case upstanding side flanges being equipped with notches at the distal ends thereof for receipt of said shackle.