Safety latches for portfolios, bags, suitcases and the like
OwnerDomingo Perez-Alonsoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is related with improvements in safety closures for cases, bags, valises and the like, of the kind incorporating a male latch pin which is inserted into a female receptacle under pressure and which can be retained in the closed position by the action of a ratchet mechanism which is incorporated into a joined handle by means of a hinge mechanism of the lid portion of a container such as a suitcase.
Claims4
Improvements in safety closures for cases, bags, valises and the like, of the kind incorporating a male latch pin which is inserted into a female receptacle under pressure and which can be retained in the closed position by the action of a ratchet mechanism which is incorporated into a joined handle by means of a hinge mechanism on the lid portion of a container such as a suitcase, wherein the handle is divided lengthwise down its middle and each of the handle halves is joined to one of the confronting cover portions of the container by means of a hinge structure comprising a plate secured as with pins to each of the confronting portions of the container and having a perpendicular support brace, on one of the handle halves a pin passing through said brace and on the other handle half another pin passing through the corresponding brace and securing thereto a hollow slotted cylinder into which cylinder the pin of the opposite handle half can be inserted and housed therein, the latter pin also passing through a portion of the handle on the opposite side of said brace, said portion of the handle having a cover such that when closed it rests upon the cylinder of the other handle half, thereby forming between them a single hinge device for the two handle halves;
- and in which from one of the handle halves there protudes a slotted latch pin which is inserted into an elongated perforation of the other handle half and locks upon the upper edge thereof so long as a button projecting from a slot in the first handle half referred to is not depressed;
- and in that it likewise includes a pin which extends outward from a perforation in the first handle half and yieldingly presses upon the other handle half when the handle halves are in the closed position, thus taking up any clearance or space between the handle halves in their closed position, and yieldingly pressing one handle half out of contact with the other handle half to facilitate the opening of the suitcase;
- and in that one of the handle halves includes a keyhole and lock which by means of a key actuates a bar which prevents the button on the handle half from being pressed down and thus maintains the safety closure in closed position locked with the key.
Improvements in safety closures as set forth in any of the preceding claims, wherein the handle half opposite the slotted latch pin has a sliding lock plate with an elongated slot which coincides with the keyhole when in the open position and has a pair of incisions with tabs on one of the edges of a portion of said plate which provide perpendicular projections which can be connected to the corresponding portion of the key for causing the lock plate to slide lengthwise of the handle;
- the said plate also presents a recess of appropriate width such that upon sliding it prevents the slotted latch pin caught on the upper straight surface of the elongated passage coinciding with the latch on the other handle half from sliding down and thus maintains the mechanism in its locked position;
- this said recess produced by the tab for engaging the pin exhibits on its end a curved recess which coincides with the enlongated passage to permit the free travel of the pin of the opposite handle half in the open position, and wherein the plate is held against the cover of the handle half by the action of a spring having a bend which is inserted respectively into either of two openings in the locking plate, one being for the closed and the other for the open position thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.