Toggle Link Latch
OwnerAndres Hernandezinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A latch with a unique nesting toggle linkage that extends and retracts a hook via movement of an actuation handle. The linkage links have U-shaped lateral cross sections with a central channel into which the respective links nest when the latch is closed to minimize the overall volume of the latch. The links fold toward each other while closing to reduce the latch's overall length when fully closed. The components of the latch are arranged so that the center of gravity of the latch is positioned in front of a mounting pin; therefore, in applications where the latch swings in the vertical plane, the hook will necessarily hang downwardly away from the keeper when the latch is open. Optionally, a keeper detector prevents the actuation handle from closing if the keeper has not been first captured in the mouth of the hook.
Claims19
A latch for applying a clinch load between a mounting pin and a keeper, comprising:
- an elongate latch arm having a body portion slideably affixed to an upper toggle link by a transverse mounting pin received through a longitudinally extending slot in the latch arm at a first end thereof, and having a hook at a second end thereof opposite the first end for engaging the keeper;
- a lower link hingedly connected to the latch arm at one end and hingedly connected to the upper link at an opposite end thereof, said upper and lower links providing a toggle linkage for extending and retracting the latch arm between an open and a closed position;
- wherein the toggle linkage and latch arm are nested when the latch is in the closed position, said lower link being nested in a first channel in the upper link and a portion of said latch arm being nested within a second channel in the lower link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.