Latching system

• US 5,269,161 A
• Filed: 03/27/1991
• Issued: 12/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Star Lock Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Star Lock Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Stillwagon, Woodrow C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US07/676,100
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 70/34, 70/207, 70/208, 70/365, 70/378, 70/418, 70/419, 70/491, 292/251, 292/57-62
• US Class Current: 70/34
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 13/108 the lock coaxial with spindle
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 5/003 Pop-out handles, e.g. sliding outwardly before rotation
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/244 the striker being movable for latching, the bolt for unlatching, or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/443 Single stem or shank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5761 Retractable or flush handle

Abstract

A Latching System comprises a notched post assembly, a post gripping assembly and a handle assembly, and, in preferred embodiments, a lock assembly associated with the handle assembly, wherein the notched post assembly is comprised of an elongated post formed at one end with at least two opposing, axially extending rows of notches or teeth and alternately disposed smooth surfaces and the post gripping assembly comprises a channel for accepting the notched end of the post and comprises movable cam elements which cooperate with the notches of the post to effect the primary latching function of the system; and wherein the unlatching of the post from the channel is accomplished by rotating the post to disengage the notches and the cam elements. A pick-resisting improvement to the cylinder lock assembly includes facial piece defined with a plurality of knobs protruding partly into the key entry passage of the lock assembly.

Claims

1. Latching apparatus for releasably latching a first door element, such as a vending machine door, and a second door element, such as a vending machine frame, said apparatus comprising:

a post member defining, at least, a multi-surfaced latching portion, which latching portion includes at least one notched surface and at least one smooth surface disposed about the circumference of said post member;

a latching assembly defining a passage for accepting said latching portion of said post member therein, and including, at least,

a latch element movably protruding into said passage, and

a biasing mechanism extending from said latch element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passage, whereby said latch element is biased toward protruding into said passage; and

a alignment means for changing the relative alignment of said post member and said latching assembly between

(i) a latched alignment wherein, while said latching portion is within said passage, said latch element is in alignment with said notched surface, and

(ii) an un-latched alignment wherein, while said latching portion is within said passage, said latch element is in alignment with said smooth surface,

whereby, in said latched alignment, relative movement of said post member and said latching assembly is prevented in at least one axial direction, and, in said un-latched alignment, relative movement of said post member and said latching assembly in both axial directions is un-prevented.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post member is, independent from said alignment means, unbiased toward said latched alignment and said un-latched alignment.

3. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, means for constricting around said passage to bias said latch element into said passage.

4. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, an elastic ring.

5. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said latch element defines a first latch element, wherein said latching assembly further includes, at least, a second latch element protruding into said passage, and wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, a unitary biasing member contacting both said first latch element and said second latch element.

6. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said alignment means is removably connected to said post member as an axial extension of said post member.

7. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said alignment means includes, at least, a key-actuated lock means engaging an end of said post member for directly translating rotation from a key to rotation of said post member.

8. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said alignment means includes, at least, a T-handle connected to said post member.

9. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said notched surface and said smooth surface extend axially along said post member in axial alignment with a central longitudinal axis of said post member.

10. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said smooth surface defines, in profile, a surface at a single radius from a central longitudinal axis of said post member.

11. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said latch element defines a first latch element, wherein said latching assembly further includes, at least, a second latch element protruding into said passage and separation means for maintaining separation between said first latch element and said second latch element.

12. Latching apparatus for releasably latching a first door element, such as a vending machine door, and a second door element, such as a vending machine frame, said apparatus comprising:

a post member defining, at least, a multi-surfaced latching portion, which latching portion includes at least one notched surface and at least one smooth surface disposed about the circumference of said post member, said notched surface including at least one notch which defines a peak and a valley;

a latching assembly defining a passage for accepting said latching portion of said port member therein, and including, at least, a latch means for effecting a grip on said notched surface when said latching portion of said post member is within said passage, thus resisting removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly, said latching means including, at least,

a latch element movably protruding into said passage, and

a biasing mechanism extending from said latch element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passage, whereby said latch element is biased toward protruding into said passage; and

a releasing means for releasing said grip between said notched surface and said latch means, thus facilitating removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly.

13. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said at least one notched surface and said at least one smooth surface extend axially along said post member.

14. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said releasing means comprises means for effecting relative rotation between said post member and said latch means.

15. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said notch comprises a radial surface defining a plane parallel to a radial plane of said post member and an inclined surface defining a plane at an acute angle to the radial plane of said post member.

16. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said releasing means includes, at least, a T-handle connected to said post member.

17. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said at least one notched surface includes a plurality of notches defined by a plurality of peaks and valleys.

18. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said post member is movable between a latching alignment and a releasing alignment, and wherein said post member is, independent from said releasing means, unbiased toward said latching alignment and said releasing alignment.

19. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, means for constricting around said passage to bias said latch element into said passage.

20. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, an elastic ring.

21. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said latch element defines a first latch element, wherein said latch means further includes, at least, a second latch element, and wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, a unitary biasing member contacting both said first latch element and said second latch element.

22. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said releasing means is removably connected to said post member as an axial extension of said post member.

23. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said alignment means includes, at least, a key-actuated lock means engaging an end of said post member for directly translating rotation from a key to rotation of said post member.

24. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said smooth surface defines, in profile, a surface at a single radius from a central longitudinal axis of said post member.

25. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein said latch element defines a first latch element, wherein said latching assembly further includes, at least, a second latch element protruding into said passage and separation means for maintaining separation between said first latch element and said second latch element.

26. Latching apparatus for releasably latching a first door element, such as a vending machine door, or the like, and a second door element, such as a vending machine frame, or the like, said apparatus comprising:

a post member including, at least, a latching portion which includes at least one notched surface;

a latching assembly defining a passage for accepting said latching portion of said post member therein, and including, at least, a latch means for effecting a grip on said notched surface when said latching portion of said post member is within said passage;

a releasing means for releasing said grip between said notched surface and said latch means; and

a cinch cam means for exerting an axial cinching force on said post member.

27. Apparatus of claim 26, wherein said post member is supported by one of the door elements and includes, at least, a coupling segment and a radial pin which protrudes radially from said coupling segment,

wherein said latching assembly is supported by the other of the door elements,

wherein said cinch cam means includes, at least, a force-receiving cam surface and a force-exerting cam surface,

further including a primary cylindrical cam means for exerting a primary axial force opposite said cinching force on said cinch cam means, and

wherein said cinch cam means is constructed to:

through said force-receiving cam surface, receive said primary axial force from said primary cylindrical cam means and convert said axial force into a rotational force which effects rotation of said cinch cam means, and

through said force-exerting cam surface, convert said rotational force into said axial cinching force and transfer said cinching force to said coupling segment of said post member though said radial pin.

28. Apparatus of claim 26, wherein said apparatus further comprises a primary cylindrical cam means for exerting a primary axial force opposite said cinching force on said cinch cam means, wherein said post member further comprises a coupling segment and a radial pin which protrudes radially from said coupling segment, and wherein said cinch cam means comprises a force-receiving cam surface and a force-exerting cam surface, said cinch cam means constructed to:

through said force-receiving cam surface, receive said primary axial force from said primary cylindrical cam means and convert said axial force into a rotational force which effects rotation of said cinch cam means, and

through said force-exerting cam surface, convert said rotational force into said axial cinching force and transfer said cinching force to said coupling segment of said post member though said radial pin.

29. A latching door apparatus comprising:

a first door element including, at least, a door;

a second door element including, at least, a frame means for accepting the door in closed fashion;

a post member supported by one of the door elements and defining, at least, a multi-surfaced latching portion, which latching portion includes at least one axially extending notched surface and at least one axially extending smooth surface disposed about the circumference of said post member;

a latching assembly supported by the other of the door elements, defining a passage for accepting said latching portion of said post member therein, and including, at least, a latch means for effecting a grip on said notched surface when said latching portion of said post member is within said passage, thus resisting removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly, said latching means including, at least,

a latch element movably protruding into said passage, and

a biasing mechanism extending from said latch element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passage, whereby said latch element is biased toward protruding into said passage; and

a releasing means for releasing said grip between said notched surface and said latch means, thus facilitating removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly.

30. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said smooth surface defines, in profile, a surface at a single radius from a central axis of said post member.

31. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said notched surface and said smooth surface are aligned with a longitudinal axis of said post member.

32. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said latch element includes, at least, a front surface and a back surface, whereby during insertion of said latching portion of said post member into said passage, said front surface engages said latching portion of said post member before said back surface engages said latching portion of said post member, said front surface defining a tapered surface constructed to, at least, engage said notched surface of said latching portion of said post member to facilitate insertion of said latching portion of said post member into said passage, said back surface defining a non-tapered, radially extending surface constructed to, at least, engage said notched surface of said latching portion of said post member to prevent removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage.

33. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, an elastic ring.

34. Apparatus of claim 32, wherein said latch assembly further comprises a latch housing which defines the passage and a radial aperture providing a path of movement for said latch element.

35. Apparatus of claim 34, wherein said front surface of said latch element defines a tapered surface which cooperates with said notched surface of said latching portion of said post member during insertion of said latching portion of said post member into said passage to transfer the insertion force of said post member into a force acting counter to a biasing force from said biasing mechanism to effect movement of said latch element along said path defined by said radial aperture of said latch housing to facilitate insertion of said latching portion of said post member into said passage.

36. Combination of claim 29, wherein said post member is movable between a latching alignment and a releasing alignment, and wherein said post member is, independent from said releasing means, unbiased toward said latching alignment and said releasing alignment.

37. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, means for constricting around said passage to bias said latch element into said passage.

38. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, an elastic ring.

39. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said latch element defines a first latch element, wherein said latch means further includes, at least, a second latch element, and wherein said biasing mechanism includes, at least, a unitary biasing member contacting both said first latch element and said second latch element.

40. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said releasing means is removably connected to said post member as an axial extension of said post member.

41. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said alignment means includes, at least, a key-actuated lock means engaging an end of said post member for directly translating rotation from a key to rotation of said post member.

42. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said releasing means includes, at least, an alignment means for controlling relative alignment of said post member and said latching assembly between

(i) a latched alignment wherein, while said latching portion is within said passage, said latch element is in alignment with said notched surface, and

(ii) an un-latched alignment wherein, while said latching portion is within said passage, said latch element is in alignment with said smooth surface.

43. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said notched surface includes at least one notch defining a peak and a valley.

44. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said releasing means includes, at least, a T-handle connected to said post member.

45. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said latch element defines a first latch element, wherein said latching assembly further includes, at least, a second latch element protruding into said passage and separation means for maintaining separation between said first latch element and said second latch element.

46. A latching door apparatus comprising:

a first door element including, at least, a door;

a second door element including, at least, a frame means for accepting the door in closed fashion;

a post member supported by one of the door elements and defining, at least, a multi-surfaced latching portion, which latching portion includes at least one notched surface and at least one smooth surface disposed about the circumference of said post member, each of said notched surface and said smooth surface encircling less than the entire circumference of said latching portion, said notched surface comprises a plurality of notches, each notch of said plurality of notches comprising a radial surface defining a plane parallel to a radial plane of said post member and an inclined surface defining a plane at an acute angle to the radial plane of said post member;

a latching assembly supported by the other of the door elements, defining a passage for accepting said latching portion of said post member therein, and including, at least, a latch means for effecting a grip on said notched surface when said latching portion of said post member is within said passage, thus resisting removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly, said latch means including, at least,

a movable latch element including, at least, a front surface and a back surface, whereby during insertion of said latching portion of said post member into said passage, said front surface engages said latching portion of said post member before said back surface engages said latching portion of said post member, said front surface defining a tapered surface constructed to, at least, engage said notched surface of said latching portion of said post member to facilitate insertion of said latching portion of said post member into said passage, said back surface defining a non-tapered, radially extending surface constructed to, at least, engage said notched surface of said latching portion of said post member to prevent removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage, and

a biasing means for biasing said movable latch element to an inward position at least partially blocking said passage of said latching assembly, said biasing means including, at least, an elastic ring; and

a releasing means for releasing said grip between said notched surface and said latch means, thus facilitating removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly, said releasing means including, at least,

a T-handle means connected to said post member for effecting relative rotation between said post member and said latch means, and

a locking means for preventing said releasing means from releasing said grip.

47. Receiving apparatus for receiving and releasably gripping a post member, said receiving apparatus comprising:

a housing member defining a passageway for receiving a post member, wherein said passageway defines a central axis;

two latching elements contained within said housing member and movable between an inward orientation at least partially blocking said passageway and an outward orientation clear from said passageway; and

a unitary biasing means for biasing both of said latching elements toward the central axis of said passageway toward the inward orientation,

wherein said housing member includes, at least, separation means for maintaining separation between the latching elements during the inward orientation.

48. Apparatus of claim 47, wherein said housing member further includes, at least, an entry element defining a chamfered circular aperture for receiving the post member, and wherein said separation means includes, at least, opposing inner wall elements connected to said entry element and extending axially from said entry element to, at least partially, define said passageway.

49. Apparatus of claim 47, wherein said unitary biasing means defines an elastic ring.

50. Apparatus of claim 47, wherein said unitary biasing means includes, at least, means for constricting around said passageway to bias said latching elements toward the central axis of said passageway.

51. Apparatus of claim 47, wherein each latching element of said two latching elements includes at least one planar surface.

52. Apparatus of claim 47, wherein said unitary biasing means extends from said two latching elements in directions having directional components toward opposite sides of said passageway.

53. Receiving apparatus for receiving and releasably gripping a post member, said receiving apparatus comprising:

a housing member including, at least, an entry element defining a passageway, wherein said passageway defines a central entry axis;

at least one latching element movable between an outward orientation and an inward orientation nearer the central entry axis; and

a biasing means extending from said latching element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passageway for biasing said latching element toward the central entry axis.

54. Apparatus of claim 53, wherein said biasing means defines an elastic ring.

55. Apparatus of claim 53, further comprising an inward positioning means for maintaining a predetermined distance between said latching element and the central entry axis during the inward orientation.

56. Apparatus of claim 55, wherein said inward positioning means is rigidly attached to said housing member.

57. Apparatus of claim 53, wherein said latching element defines a first latching element, wherein said assembly further comprises a second latching element, and wherein said biasing means includes, at least, a unitary biasing means for biasing both said first latching element and said second latching element toward the central entry axis.

58. Apparatus of claim 53, wherein said latching element includes at least one planar surface.

59. Apparatus of claim 53, wherein said biasing means includes, at least, means for constricting around said passageway to bias said latching element toward the central entry axis.

60. Receiving apparatus for receiving and releasably gripping a post member, said receiving apparatus comprising:

a housing member including, at least, an entry element defining a passageway, wherein said passageway defines a central entry axis;

a latching means for releasably engaging a post member inserted through said passageway, said latching means movable between an outward orientation and an inward orientation, and

a biasing means extending around said passageway for biasing said latching means toward the inward orientation.

61. Apparatus of claim 60, further comprising an inward positioning means for maintaining a predetermined distance between said latching means and the central entry axis during the inward orientation.

62. Apparatus of claim 60, wherein said latching means includes, at least, two latching elements, and wherein said biasing means includes, at least, a unitary biasing means for biasing both of said latching elements toward the central entry axis.

63. Apparatus of claim 60, wherein said biasing means includes, at least, an elastic ring.

64. Apparatus of claim 61, wherein said inward positioning means is rigidly attached to said housing member.

65. Apparatus of claim 60, wherein said latching means includes at least one planar surface.

66. Apparatus of claim 60, wherein said biasing means includes, at least, means for constricting around said passageway to bias said latching means toward the central entry axis.