Latch for combination vent and escape hatch
OwnerAustin K. Jeffords, Cris G. Corneliusinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch for a combination vent and escape hatch for buses and mobile homes. The latch can be used to hold the hatch door in a closed position that is rain-tight. Alternately, with just a push on the hatch door, it can be opened to a vent position and held there by the latch. When the user pushes on a release mechanism, the hatch door can be opened completely to allow an emergency exit from the vehicle. In addition, a release handle located on the outside of the hatch allows rescue workers to gain easy access.
Claims6
A latch adapted for operative association with a frame and a hatch door that is hinged to the frame so that the door can be opened outwardly, comprising:
- (a) at least one support pedestal secured to the inside surface of the hatch door;
- (b) at least one hollow cylinder open at one end and closed at the other end and pivotally connected to the pedestal;
- (c) a first compression spring disposed within the cylinder;
- (d) a rod that is slideably engageable with the cylinder, the rod being pivotally connected to the frame;
- (e) means, including at least one stop connected to the hatch door, for limiting the rotation of the cylinder about its pivotal connection with the pedestal, the cylinder rotating about said pivotal connection as the hatch door is being opened initially, the first compression spring being compressed by the rod both when the hatch door is closed and when the cylinder abuts the stop, the spring forcing the cylinder against the stop and holding the hatch door in the partly opened position so that an opening formed between the hatch door and the frame can be used for a vent;
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- (g) means for moving the stop out of the path of the cylinder to allow the hatch door to be fully opened.
A latch adapted for operative association with a frame and a hatch door that is hinged to the frame so that the door can be opened outwardly, comprising:
- (a) at least one support pedestal secured to the inside surface of the hatch door;
- (b) at least one hollow cylinder open at one end and closed at the other end and pivotally connected to the pedestal;
- (c) a first compression spring disposed within the cylinder;
- (d) a rod that is slideably engageable with and removable from the cylinder, the rod being pivotally connected to the frame;
- (e) means, including at least one stop connected to the hatch door, for limiting the rotation of the cylinder about its pivotal connection with the pedestal, the cylinder rotating about said pivotal connection as the hatch door is being opened initially, the first compression spring being compressed by the rod both when the hatch door is closed and when the cylinder abuts the stop, the spring being forced by the cylinder against the stop and holding the hatch door in the partly opened position so that an opening formed between the hatch door and the frame can be used for a vent;
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- (g) means for disengaging the rod from the cylinder in which the energy stored in the first compression spring when it is compressed by the rod can be utilized to aid in opening the hatch door from its closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.