Luggage lock

A luggage lock for locking together the two shells of a luggage case, said lock comprising:

• (a) a housing having a front end portion, a rear end portion and a body wall interconnecting said front and rear end portions;
• said housing formed having a first opening extending from said front end portion to said rear end portion, and a second opening forming in said body wall and interconnecting with said first opening;
• said housing adapted to be received within an opening in one of the luggage case shells;
• (b) closure means removably mounted on the rear end portion of said housing when the housing is positioned in the luggage case shell for securing said housing in its mounted position;
• (c) a button member reciprocally mounted within said housing for movement between a retracted position and a projected position;
• said button having a front finger engaging portion and a body wall;
• and said body wall formed having an opening aligned with the body wall opening of the housing when the button is mounted therein;
• (d) a spring member extending between said button member and said closure means for urging said button in the direction of the retracted position thereof;
• (e) a hook adapted to be mounted on the other one of the luggage case shells and positioned with its hook end projecting through the aligned openings in said housing and said button body walls when the luggage case is closed;
• and
• (f) a portion of the button body wall defining the rear edge of said body wall opening projecting into the path of travel of said hook whereby said hook end engages and overlies said edge portion when the luggage case is closed to fasten said lock, and wherein said lock is unfastened by displacing said button to its projected position, against the action of said spring, to disengage said hook end from said edge portion to permit the luggage case to be opened.