Inside safety release latch device
AssigneeKason Hardware Corporation
InventorIrving L. Berkowitz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a safety striker mechanism available and accessible from within an enclosure that is normally locked by means of a door-mounted latch. A freezer or refrigerator door, for example, may be provided with a door latch which is capable of being locked with a key. The door latch cooperatively engages a safety striker mechanism according to the invention which may be independently actuated from within the enclosure such that the striker member is disengaged from contact with and out of the path of the associated latch member. The result is the ability of a person otherwise trapped within the enclosure to reach safety. A novel linkage-type of mechanism having a plurality of pivot points translates rectilinear actuating movement into an arcuate movement of the striker member.
Claims16
A safety striker mechanism for use with enclosure door latches or the like of the type having a movable keeper latch member adapted to releasably engage and be captively held by a stationary striker member when in a locked condition, said safety striker mechanism comprising, in combination, a striker member having surfaces disposed in the path of and capable of holding a latch member associated with a door latch in a locked condition, and safety release means actuated independently of said door latch and accessible from within an enclosure locked by said door latch for urging said striker member out of the path of said latch member thereby unlocking said door and permitting ingress to and egress from said enclosure without substantially moving said latch member, said safety release means comprising a bar member supporting said striker member and itself supported for pivotal movement about a first axis, a link member supported by said bar member for pivotal movement about a second axis, a lever member cooperative with said link member and supported for pivotal movement about a third axis, and actuating means cooperative with said link member for first causing pivotal movement thereof about said second axis and only thereafter causing pivotal movement of the combination of said link member, said bar member and said striker member about said first axis, said lever member preventing said pivotal movement of said striker member during normal times when said actuating means is in a locked position, said lever member engaging and preventing pivotal movement of said link member about said first axis during said normal times.
A safety method of unlocking a door to an enclosure from within the enclosure, said door carrying a door latch having a movable keeper latch member adapted to releasably engage and be captively held by a stationary striker member when in a locked condition, the method comprising the steps of:
- urging a safety striker mechanism actuating member substantially rectilinearly from a locked position to an unlocked position, translating said rectilinear movement of said actuating member into arcuate movement of a link member which is normally engaged and restrained by a lever member about a second axis, said lever member normally preventing said arcuate link member movement during times when said actuating member is in said locked position, said step of translating further causing movement of said link member out of said engagement with said lever member, further and subsequently pivotally moving said link member, said bar member and a striker member integral with said bar member about an axis, said step of further and subsequent movement causing movement of said striker member out of the path of a door latch member, thereby unlocking a door carrying the latch and permitting ingress to and egress from an enclosure normally closed by said door without substantially moving said latch member.
A safety striker mechanism for use with latches or the like of the type having a movable keeper latch member adapted to releasably engage and be captively held by a striker member, said safety striker mechanism comprising, in combination:
- a striker member having surfaces disposed in the path of a latch member and being capable of holding said latch member, a bar portion integral with said striker member and supported for pivotal movement about a first axis, actuating means cooperative with said bar portion and movable by a user between locked and unlocked positions for causing movement of said striker member out of said path of said latch member, link means carried by said bar portion and supported thereby for pivotal movement about a second axis for interconnecting said actuating means and said bar portions, and lever means cooperative with said link means for preventing pivotal movement of said link means about said second axis during times when said actuating means is disposed in said locked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.