Latch assembly
AssigneeSouthco, Inc.
InventorsRichard E. Schlack, Robert H. Bisbing
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The latch assembly includes a housing, a crank member disposed within the housing for limited rotational movement therein, a pawl, a crank pin, and an attachment pin. The latch assembly may further comprise an actuating member or system, such as a rod. The pawl is selectively movable between latched and unlatched positions in response to rotational movement of the crank member. The crank member is in operable engagement with the actuating member or system, whereby upon rotation of the actuating member, the crank member or pawl is pivoted and slid between latched and unlatched positions.
Claims7
A latch assembly for securing a first panel relative to a second panel, the latch assembly comprising:
- a housing adapted for attachment to the first panel;
- a pawl pivotally attached to said housing, said pawl being movable between closed and open positions relative to said housing, said pawl having at least one slot;
- a operating rod supported such that it can rotate about its own longitudinal axis with said longitudinal axis of said operating rod being substantially fixed in location relative to said housing;
- an actuating arm attached to said operating rod so as to rotate therewith as a unit, said actuating arm rotating between first and second positions responsive to rotation of said operating rod;
- and
- a pin attached to said actuating arm at a location spaced apart from said operating rod, said pin engaging said slot and being movable relative to said slot along a longitudinal direction of said slot,
- wherein said pawl moves from said open position to said closed position as said actuating arm pivotally moves from said first position to said second position.
A latch assembly for securing a first panel relative to a second panel, the latch assembly comprising:
- a housing adapted for attachment to the first panel;
- a pawl being movable between closed and open positions relative to said housing, said pawl having at least one slot;
- a operating rod supported such that it can rotate about its own longitudinal axis with said longitudinal axis of said operating rod being substantially fixed in location relative to said housing;
- an actuating arm attached to said operating rod so as to rotate therewith as a unit, said actuating arm rotating between first and second positions responsive to rotation of said operating rod, said pawl being pivotally attached to said actuating arm;
- and
- a pin attached to said housing, said pin engaging said slot and guiding movement of said pawl between said open and closed positions, said pin being movable relative to said slot along said slot,
- wherein said pawl moves from said open position to said closed position as said actuating arm pivotally moves from said first position to said second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.