Kennel hull latch

• US 5,462,015 A
• Filed: 06/01/1994
• Issued: 10/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Doskocil Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Petmate Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Doskocil Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Petmate Holdings Co.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Thomas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US08/252,420
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 119/19, 119/17, 119/265, 119/266, 119/165, 119/166, 119/167, 119/168, 119/169, 119/170, 190/120, 292/DIG. 7, 292/57, 292/205, 292/241, 292/DIG. 30
• US Class Current: 119/496
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0245 Boxes or cages
• 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 3/041 rotating about an axis perpendicular to the surface on which the fastener is mounted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0863 Sliding and rotary
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1041 Rigid operating means

Abstract

An improved latch for securing together two portions of enclosure in which a rotary latch member is secured for rotation to an upstanding wall of one of the portions of the enclosure. The latch member includes a generally circular disk having an annular wall formed about the periphery thereof, the annular wall having an interruption therein and the latch member being rotatable between locked and unlocked positions. A lug is formed on an upstanding wall of the second portion of the enclosure upon assembly of the two portions of the enclosure, the lug is received interior of the annular wall through the interruption therein and the latch member is rotated to the locked position to confine the lug within the annular wall. A stop member extends from one of the upstanding walls generally adjacent the periphery of the disk and includes a locking aperture. A locking lug extends generally outward from the annular wall of the latch member and generally tangentially to the periphery of the disk. The locking lug cooperates with the stop member in the locked position to limit rotational movement of the latch member. An aperture is formed in the locking lug to register with the locking aperture in the stop member to permit the latch member to be secured against rotation in the locked position in which the two portions are secured together.

Claims

1. An improved latch for securing together two portions of an enclosure, said latch comprising:

a rotary latch member secured to a first of said portions of said enclosure, said latch member including a generally circular disk having an annular wall formed about the periphery thereof, said annular wall having an interruption therein and an annular recess formed in said annular wall and facing interiorly of said annular wall, said latch member being rotatable between locked and unlocked positions;

means for rotatably coupling said latch member to a first of said portions, said coupling means including a mounting lug extending from said first portion and having an external shoulder for engagement with said annular recess in said annular wall of said latch member;

a lug formed on a second of said portions of said enclosure;

wherein, upon assembly of said two portions, said lug is received interior of said annular wall through said interruption therein and said latch member is selectively rotated to said locked position to confine said lug within said annular wall, thus securing together said two portions;

a stop member extending from one of said upstanding walls and generally adjacent said periphery of said disk, said stop member including a locking aperture;

a locking lug extending outwardly from said annular wall of said latch member and generally tangentially to said periphery of said disk, said locking lug cooperating with said stop member in said locked position to limit rotational movement of said latch member; and

an aperture through said locking lug registering with said locking aperture in said stop member to permit said latch member to be secured against rotation in said locked position in which said two portions are secured together.

2. The improved latch according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure is a kennel for the transportation of animals and said two portions comprise an upper half and a lower half, each of said halves including a flat portion and three upstanding walls, each of said walls being provided with at least one improved latch.

3. The improved latch according to claim 1 further including a detent means coupled between said rotary latch member and said upstanding wall to indicate to a user the condition of said latch.

4. An improved latch for securing together two portions of an enclosure, said latch comprising:

a rotary latch member including a generally circular disk having an annular wall formed about the periphery thereof to define an interior of said latch, said annular wall having an interruption therein, said latch member being rotatable between locked and unlocked positions;

an annular recess formed in said annular wall and facing said interior of said latch member;

means for rotatably coupling said latch member to a first of said portions, said coupling means including a mounting lug extending from said upstanding wall and having an external shoulder for engagement with said annular recess in said annular wall of said latch member;

a lug formed on an upstanding wall of a second of said portions of said enclosure, said lug including an external lug shoulder;

wherein, upon assembly of said two portions, said lug is received in said interior of said latch member through said interruption in said annular wall, and wherein said latch member may be selectively rotated to said locked position to confine said lug within said annular wall with said external lug shoulder in engagement with said annular recess in said annular wall, thus securing together said two portions;

a stop member extending from one of said upstanding walls and generally adjacent said periphery of said disk, said stop member including a locking aperture;

a locking lug extending from said annular wall of said latch member and generally tangentially to said periphery of said disk, said locking lug cooperating with said stop member in said locked position to limit rotational movement of said latch member; and

an aperture formed through said locking lug for registry with said locking aperture in said stop member to permit said latch member to be secured against rotation in said locked position in which said two portions are secured together.

5. The improved latch according to claim 4 wherein said coupling means further includes detent means to indicate to a user the position of said latch member.

6. The improved latch according to claim 4 wherein said enclosure is a kennel for the transportation of animals and said two portions comprise an upper half and a lower half, each of said halves including a flat portion and three upstanding walls, each of said upstanding walls being provided with at least one latch.

7. The improved latch according to claim 4 further comprising:

a plurality of detent tabs extending from said disk interior of said annular wall; and

a corresponding detent tab formed on said upstanding wall and positioned for engagements with said detent tabs on said disk to provide to a user an indication of the condition of said latch member.

8. An improved kennel for transportation of animals, said kennel comprising:

a first and a second kennel portion, each of said portions including a generally flat portion and three upstanding walls extending from said flat portion;

a rotary latch member including a generally circular disk having an annular wall formed about the periphery thereof to define an interior of said latch, said annular wall having an interruption therein, said latch member being rotatable between locked and unlocked positions;

an annular recess formed in said annular wall and facing said interior of said latch member;

means for rotatably coupling said latch member to at least one upstanding wall of one of said portions of said kennel, said coupling means including a mounting lug extending from said upstanding wall and having an external shoulder for engagement with said annular recess in said annular wall of said latch member;

a plurality of detent tabs extending from said disk and into said interior of said latch member;

a corresponding detent tab formed on said upstanding wall and positioned for engagement with said detent tabs on said disk to provide to a user an indication of the condition of said latch member;

a lug formed on an upstanding wall of the other of said portions of said kennel, said lug including an external lug shoulder;

wherein, upon assembly of said two portions, said lug is received in said interior of said latch member through said interruption in said annular wall, and wherein said latch member may be selectively rotated to said locked position to confine said lug within said annular wall with said external lug shoulder in engagement with said annular recess in said annular wall, thus securing together said two portions;

a stop member extending from one of said upstanding walls and generally adjacent said periphery of said disk, said stop member including a locking aperture;

a locking lug extending from said annular wall of said latch member and generally tangentially to said periphery of said disk, said locking lug cooperating with said stop member in said locked position to limit rotational movement of said latch member; and

an aperture formed through said locking lug for registry with said locking aperture in said stop member to permit said latch member to be secured against rotation in said locked position in which said two portions are secured together.

9. An improved kennel for transportation of animals, said kennel comprising:

a first and a second kennel portion, each of said portions including a generally flat portion and three upstanding walls extending from said flat portion;

a rotary latch member including a generally circular disk having an annular wall formed about the periphery thereof to define an interior of said latch, said annular wall having an interruption therein, said latch member being rotatable between locked and unlocked positions;

an annular recess formed in said annular wall and facing said interior of said latch member;

means for rotatably coupling said latch member to at least one upstanding wall of one of said portions of said kennel, said coupling means including a mounting lug extending from said upstanding wall and having an external shoulder for engagement with said annular recess in said annular wall of said latch member;

a lug formed on an upstanding wall of the other of said portions of said kennel, said lug including an external lug shoulder;

wherein, upon assembly of said two portions, said lug is received in said interior of said latch member through said interruption in said annular wall, and wherein said latch member may be selectively rotated to said locked position to confine said lug within said annular wall with said external lug shoulder in engagement with said annular recess in said annular wall, thus securing together said two portions.

10. The improved kennel according to claim 9 wherein said coupling means further includes detent means to indicate to a user the position of said latch member.

11. The improved kennel according to claim 9 further comprising:

a plurality of detent tabs extending from said disk interior of said annular wall; and

a corresponding detent tab formed on said upstanding wall and positioned for engagement with said detent tabs on said disk to provide to a user an indication of the condition of said latch member.

12. The improved kennel according to claim 9 further comprising:

a stop member extending from one of said upstanding walls and generally adjacent said periphery of said disk, said stop member including a locking aperture;

a locking lug extending from said annular wall of said latch member and generally tangentially to said periphery of said disk, said locking lug cooperating with said stop member in said locked position to limit rotational movement of said latch member; and

an aperture formed through said locking lug for registry with said locking aperture in said stop member to permit said latch member to be secured against rotation in said locked position in which said two portions are secured together.