Fractional-rotation latching system with retrofit capability

• US 5,272,894 A
• Filed: 08/28/1991
• Issued: 12/28/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Star Lock Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Star Lock Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Kuester, Jeffrey R., Stillwagon, Woodrow C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US07/751,879
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 70/208, 70/135, 70/140, 70/14, 70/34, 70/386, 70/387, 70/491, 70/224, 292/251, 292/57-62, 403/325
• US Class Current: 70/208
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/121 using balls or the like cooperating with notches
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/24 for car bonnets
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/1409 with balls or rollers urged by an axial displacement of a wedge or a conical member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1099 Screw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/443 Single stem or shank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5761 Retractable or flush handle

Abstract

A fractional-rotation latching system with retrofit capability which includes, in its most preferred embodiment with reference to an example vending machine environment, a T-handle housing to be connected to a vending machine door, a T-handle designed to be nested at least partially within the T-handle housing, a key-operated cylinder lock contained within the T-handle and including a radial lock bolt, a fractional-rotation post member connected to the T-handle, corresponding receiving assembly connected to the vending machine frame for receiving the post member, thereby creating a link sufficient to secure the vending machine door to the vending machine frame, a rotation limitation assembly connected to the post member which includes a cam washer and a flanged washer located within the T-handle housing, and a guide block interposed between the post member and the T-handle to secure a continuously engaging connection between the post member and the T-handle and to limit axial movement between the T-handle and the T-handle housing to an arrangement where the lock bolt is readily externally accessible.

Claims

1. Latching apparatus for linking a first body and second body, said apparatus comprising:

a handle assembly including, at least, a handle housing, said handle housing being attachable to a first body, and said handle including at least,

a front gripping means for receiving rotation force from a operator,

a cylindrical handle section connected to and from gripping measured defining a cylindrical handle pressure, and

a handle bearing wall connected to said cylindrical handle section;

a post member connected to said handle and defining a longitudinal post axis;

an independent guide member interposed between and contacting said post member and said handle, wherein said handle bearing wall includes at least, a handle coupling means for transferring rotation force received by said front gripping means of said handle to said guide member, and wherein said guide member includes, at least, guide coupling means for receiving the rotation force from said handle coupling means;

a stop means located within said handle housing for defining limits of allowable axial rotation of said post member relative to said handle housing; and

a receiving assembly means being attachable to a second body for receiving said post member to effect a link between the first body and the second body.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said handle housing includes, at least,

a front grip recess for receiving said front gripping means of said handle,

a middle housing section connected to said front grip recess and defining a cylindrical housing passage for receiving said cylindrical handle section, and

a housing bearing wall connected to said cylindrical housing section.

3. Apparatus of claim 2, wherein said handle assembly further includes a lock assembly means substantially located within said cylindrical handle passage for selectively maintaining said front gripping means at least partially within said front grip recess.

4. Apparatus of claim 3, wherein said handle assembly defines one of a variety of common T-handle assemblies with associated cylinder locks.

5. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post member defines a fractional-turn post member.

6. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said handle bearing wall defines an inner recess associated with said handle coupling means which defines, in cross-sectional profile, a first shape, wherein said guide member defines, in cross-sectional profile, a shape which corresponds to said first shape, and wherein said guide member is at least partially located within said inner recess so that rotational play between said handle and said guide member is substantially eliminated.

7. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post member includes, at least, a coupling segment defined, in cross-sectional profile, by two or more radii from said longitudinal post axis.

8. Apparatus of claim 7, wherein said guide member defines a longitudinal passageway for receiving said coupling segment of said post member and for transferring rotation force to said post member, said longitudinal passageway defining a cross-sectional profile similar to the cross-sectional profile of said coupling segment of said post member.

9. Apparatus of claim 8, wherein said cross-sectional profile of said coupling segment includes, at least, two parallel straight edges and two curved edges.

10. Apparatus of claim 8, wherein said post member further includes an end means connected to said coupling segment for maintaining a connection between said post member and said handle.

11. Apparatus of claim 10, wherein said end means defines a pin passageway at one end of said coupling segment of said post member and includes, at least, a roll pin protruding through said pin passageway.

12. Apparatus of claim 11, wherein said guide member further includes a pin valley for receiving said roll pin.

13. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said handle bearing wall defines a rear passageway which defines a rear passageway axis, wherein said guide member protrudes through said rear passageway, and wherein said guide member further includes a guide retention means for maintaining said guide member within said rear passageway.

14. Apparatus of claim 13, wherein said handle bearing wall includes an circular recess defined by a recess radius from said rear passageway axis, wherein said guide retention means includes, at least, a circumferential retention recess and a retention ring connected to said guide member at said retention recess, wherein said retention ring is defined by an outer ring radius from said rear passageway axis which is less than said recess radius, and wherein said retention ring is located within said outer circular recess.

15. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post member includes, at least, a stop segment which defines a cylindrical pin pit extending into said stop segment, wherein said apparatus further comprises a stop pin located partially within the pin pit and extending partially outside the pin pit, and wherein said first washer means includes, at least, a slot means for receiving rotational force from said post member through said stop pin.

16. Apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first washer means defines a circular central passageway for receiving said stop segment of said post member and a stop pin slot for receiving said stop pin.

17. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said handle housing includes, at least, a bearing wall defining an inner recess, and wherein said stop means is located at least partially within the inner recess.

18. Apparatus of claim 17, wherein said stop means includes, at least, a recess washer means connected to said post member and including an outer recess and a flanged washer means located at least partially within the inner recess which includes, at least, a flange member which extends longitudinally, with respect to said longitudinal post axis, and contacts said recess washer means within said outer recess.

19. Latching apparatus for linking a first body and a second body, said apparatus comprising:

a handle assembly including, at least, a handle and a handle housing, said handle housing being attachable to a first body;

a post member connected to said handle and defining a longitudinal post axis;

a stop means located within said handle housing for defining limits of allowable axial rotation of said post member relative to said handle housing, said stop means including, at least,

a first washer means for receiving rotational force from said post member, whereby said first washer means axially rotates in conjunction with said post member with respect to said handle housing and

a second washer means for interacting with said handle housing to limit axial rotation of said first washer means, whereby limits of allowable axial rotation of said post member are defined with respect to said handle housing; and

a receiving assembly means being attachable to a second body for receiving said post member to effect a link between the first body and the second body.

20. Apparatus of claim 19, wherein said post member includes, at least, a stop segment defining at least one cam surface, wherein said first washer means defines a central passageway for receiving said stop segment of said post member, and wherein said first washer means includes, at least, an inner cam surface which partially defines said central passageway and corresponds to said at least one cam surface of said stop segment of said post member.

21. Apparatus of claim 20, wherein said first washer means further defines a radial slot which provides access from an edge of said first washer means to said central passageway.

22. Apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first washer means further includes an outer cam recess bordered by first and second stop surfaces.

23. Apparatus of claim 22, wherein said second washer means includes, at least, a flange member which extends longitudinally, with respect to said longitudinal post axis, and contacts said first washer means within said outer cam recess between said first and second stop surfaces, whereby relative rotation between said housing and said handle is restricted according to the length of said outer cam recess.

24. Apparatus of claim 23, further including a retention ring connected around said post member and interposed between said second washer means and said first washer means, said retention ring defining a radial slot wherein said flange member is at least partially located to effect relative rotation between said retention ring and said post member.

25. Apparatus of claim 23, further including a retention ring connected around said post member and adjacent to said first washer means so that said first washer means is located between said retention ring and said second washer means, said retention ring remaining in rotational engagement with said post member.

26. Apparatus of claim 19, wherein said second washer means defines an effectively circular central passageway so that said second washer means and said post member are ordinarily free to rotate with respect to each other, wherein said handle housing defines an inner housing recess defined, in cross-sectional profile, by a first geometric shape, wherein said second washer means defines an outer edge which defines, in cross-sectional profile, a shape which substantially corresponds to said first geometric shape of said inner housing recess, and wherein said second washer means is located, at least partially, within said inner housing recess.

27. Apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first geometric shape of said inner housing recess substantially defines a hexagon.

28. Latching apparatus for linking a first body and a second body, said apparatus comprising:

a handle assembly including, at least,

a handle including, at least,

a front gripping means for receiving rotation force from an operator,

a cylindrical handle section connected to said front gripping means and defining a cylindrical handle passage, and

a handle bearing wall connected to said cylindrical handle section and including, at least, a handle coupling means for transferring rotation force received by said front gripping means, said handle bearing wall defining a rear passageway,

a handle housing, said handle housing attachable to a first body and including, at least,

a front grip recess for receiving said front gripping means of said handle,

a middle housing section connected to said front grip recess and defining a cylindrical housing passage for receiving said cylindrical handle section, and

a housing bearing wall connected to said cylindrical housing section, said housing bearing wall including, at least, an inner housing recess defined, in cross-sectional profile, by a hexagon, and

a lock assembly means substantially located within said cylindrical handle passage for selectively maintaining said front gripping means at least partially within said front grip recess;

a fractional-turn post member connected to said handle and defining a longitudinal post axis, said post member including, at least, a cam segment which includes at least one cam surface,

a coupling segment defined, in cross-sectional profile, by two or more radii from said longitudinal post axis, and

an ends means connected to said coupling segment for maintaining a connection between said post member and said handle, said end means defining a pin passageway at one end of said coupling segment of said post member and including, at least, a roll pin protruding through said pin passageway;

a guide member interposed between said post member and said handle and protruding through said rear passageway of said handle bearing wall, said guide member including, at least,

a guide retention means for maintaining said guide member within said rear passageway,

a guide coupling means for receiving rotation force from said handle coupling means, and

wherein said guide member defines a longitudinal passageway for receiving said coupling segment of said post member and for transferring rotation force to said post member, said longitudinal passageway defining a cross-sectional profile similar to the cross-sectional profile of said coupling segment of said post member;

a stop cam assembly means connected to said post member and located within said handle housing for defining limits of allowable relative rotation between said handle and said handle housing, said stop cam assembly including, at least,

a cam washer means connected to said cam segment of said post member for receiving rotation force from said post member through said at least one cam surface of said cam segment of said post member so that said cam washer means rotates in conjunction with said post member, said cam washer means defining a central passageway for receiving said cam segment of said post member and a radial slot which provides access from an edge of said cam washer means into said central passageway, and wherein said cam washer means includes, at least,

an inner cam surface which partially defines said central passageway and corresponds to said at least one cam surface of said cam segment of said post member, and

an outer cam recess bordered by first and second stop surfaces, and

a flanged washer means connected to said post member and contacting said cam washer means and said housing bearing wall for transferring resistance rotation force from said handle housing to said cam washer means, said flanged washer means including, at least, a flange member which extends longitudinally, with respect to said longitudinal post axis, and contacts said cam washer means within said outer cam recess between said first and second stop surfaces, whereby relative rotation between said housing and said handle is restricted according to the length of said outer cam recess, wherein said flanged washer means further defines an effectively circular central passageway so that said flanged washer means and said post member are ordinarily free to rotate with respect to each other, wherein said flanged washer means defines an outer edge which defines, in cross-sectional profile, a shape which substantially corresponds to a hexagon, and wherein said flanged washer is located, at least partially, within said inner housing recess; and

a receiving assembly means attachable to a second body for receiving said post member to effect a link between the first body and the second body.

29. Latch handle assembly for supporting and rotating a post member about the post member'"'"'s longitudinal axis and for releasably connecting and disconnecting the post member and a receiving assembly, said handle assembly comprising:

a handle means for transferring rotation force to a post member;

a handle housing defining a handle area for at least partially receiving said handle means and including, at least a bearing wall defining an inner housing recess; and

a stop means interposed between said handle housing and the post member for defining limits on allowable axial rotation of the post member relative to said handle housing, said stop means including, at least, a housing means at least partially located within said inner housing recess for receiving resistance from said handle housing.

30. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said handle and said handle housing define a T-handle and a T-handle housing, respectively.

31. Apparatus of claim 29, wherein said stop means further includes a post means constructed so as to be connected around said post member for receiving rotation force from said post member, and wherein said housing means and said post means interact to define allowable relative rotation between said handle and said handle housing.

32. Apparatus of claim 29, further including a guide means constructed so as to be interposed between the post member and said handle for tarnsferring rotation force from said handle to the post member, said guide means defining an axially extending central passageway for receipt of the post member.

33. In a latch handle assembly of the type including a handle housing including a bearing wall defining an inner recess and a handle with a grip section for receiving rotation force from an operator and transferring the rotation force to a connected post member, the improvement comprising:

a stop means located within the handle housing and at least partially within the inner recess defined in the bearing wall for defining limits on allowable axial rotation of the post member relative to the handle housing.

34. The improved latch handle assembly as set forth in claim 33, wherein said stop means includes, at least, a first washer means for rotating freely about the post member and receiving resistance rotation force from the handle housing, and a second washer means for rotating in conjunction with the post member and interacting with said first washer means to define limits on allowable post member rotation.

35. The improved latch handle assembly as set forth in claim 33, further comprising a guide means constructed so as to be interposed between the post member and the handle for transferring rotational force from the handle to the post member.

36. Fractional-rotation post assembly for connection to a T-handle assembly which includes a T-handle and a T-handle housing including a bearing wall recess, said post assembly comprising:

a post member including, at least,

a latching portion,

a stop segment axially disposed from said latching portion for location within a T-handle housing, and

a coupling segment axially disposed from said stop segment for being coupled to a T-handle; and

a stop means connected to said stop segment of said post member for defining limits of allowable axial rotation of said post member relative to the T-handle housing, wherein said stop means is so constructed as to be located within a bearing wall recess.

37. Assembly of claim 36, further comprising a guide block means for being interposed between the T-handle and said coupling segment of said post member for providing engaging connection between said post member and said T-handle.

38. Assembly of claim 37, wherein said assembly is constructed to retrofit a variety of common screw and nut T-handle latching systems which include T-handle housing which define smooth, stop-pin-less, rear exterior surfaces.

39. In a latching apparatus including a post member having a first end interacting with a post receiving assembly to effect a latching function, a handle member connected to a second end of the post member for rotating the post member to effect a release of the lathcing function, a handle housing through which the post member protrudes and relative to which the post member rotates, the handle housing including a hex shaped shoulder oriented in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the post member and located within the handle housing, the improvement thereto comprising:

a hex washer matching the hex shoulder so as to fit within the hex shoulder;

a means for biasing said hex washer into the hex shoulder, said hex washer being incapable of significant rotation relative to the hex shoulder while said washer is within the hex shoulder;

a recess washer for attachment around the post member to receive rotational force from the post member and interact with said hex washer to limit relative rotation of the post member relative to the handle housing.

40. Improvement of claim 39, further comprising a guide block means interposed between the handle and the post member for providing substantially continuous rotational engagement between the handle and the post member.

41. In a T-handle assembly including a T-handle with a cylindrical section, clutch lugs, and a radial lock bolt channel, a T-handle housing with a cylindrical section for receiving the cylindrical section of the T-handle, and a cylinder lock with a radial lock bolt, the improvement thereto comprising:

a post member connected to the T-handle; and

a guide means interposed between said post member and the T-handle for providing continuous rotational engagement between the post member and the T-handle and for, through cooperation with the post member and the T-handle, defining a limit on relative axial movement between the T-handle and the T-handle housing, the limit defined by an arrangement of the T-handle and the T-handle housing which includes the radial lock bolt extending axially, at least partially, outside of the cylindrical section of the T-handle housing.

42. Improvement of claim 41, wherein said guide means includes, at least,

a lug means for providing continuous rotational engagement between said guide means and the clutch lugs, and

a post passage means for providing continuous rotational engagement between said guide means and said post member.

43. Improvement of claim 41, wherein said post member includes, at least, a radial member, and said guide means includes, at least, a valley means for receiving said radial member.

44. Improvement of claim 41, wherein said post member includes a radial pin and wherein said guide means includes, at least, lug ears contacting the clutch lugs, a post passage through which the post member extends, and a pin valley, said radial pin being located within said pin valley when the radial lock bolt extends axially, at least partially, outside the cylindrical section of the T-handle housing.

45. Fractional-rotation post assembly for connected to a T-handle assembly which includes a T-handle and a T-handle housing, said post assembly comprising:

a post member including, at least,

a latching portion,

a stop segment axially disposed from said latching portion for location within a T-handle housing, and

a coupling segment axially disposed from said stop segment for being coupled to a T-handle; and

a stop means connected to said stop segment of said post member for defining limits of allowable axial rotation of said post member relative to the T-handle housing, wherein said stop means includes, at least,

a first washer means for receiving rotational force from said post member, and

a second washer means for transferring resistance from the T-handle housing to said first washer means.