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US 5,193,861 AGranted
Latch
AssigneeA. L. Hansen Mfg. Co.
InventorsDouglas Juga, Gilbert Krahn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch includes a housing and first and second latch arms. Each latch arm defines a latching end, and the arms are pivotable between a latching position and a release position. A rotatable cam longitudinally shifts a latch arm follower, and the latch arms define bearing surfaces which engage the latch arm follower. The latch arms are configured such that movement of the latch arm follower toward the latching ends moves the bearing surfaces in a direction tending to move the latch arms to the release position.
Claims19
In a latch of the type comprising a housing;
- first and second latch arms, each mounted to pivot with respect to the housing;
- said latch arms each defining a latching end and pivotable between a latching position, in which the latching ends are positioned closer to one another to engage a striker, and a release position, in which the latching ends are positioned farther from one another to release the striker;
- the improvement comprising:
- a manually rotatable cam;
- a latch arm follower guided for movement in the housing and movable by the cam;
- a pair of bearing surfaces, each defined by a respective one of the latch arms, said bearing surfaces positioned to engage the latch arm follower and configured such that movement of the latch arm follower toward the latching ends moves the bearing surfaces in a direction tending to move the latch arms to the release position.
3 more elements
In a latch of the type comprising a housing;
- first and second latch arms, each mounted to pivot with respect to the housing;
- said latch arms each defining a latching end and pivotable between a latching position, in which the latching ends are positioned closer to one another to engage a striker, and a release position, in which the latching ends are positioned farther from one another to release the striker;
- the improvement comprising:
- a manually rotatable cam;
- a latch arm follower guided for movement in the housing and movable by the cam;
- a pair of bearing surfaces, each defined by a respective one of the latch arms, said bearing surfaces positioned to engage the latch arm follower;
- said latch defining a central axis extending from a cam rotation axis defined by the rotatable cam to a point midway between the latching ends;
- each of said latch arms pivoting about a respective pivot axis;
- each of said bearing surfaces contacting the latch arm follower (1) on the same side of the respective pivot axis as the central axis and (2) on the same side of a line extending between the pivot axes as the cam.
6 more elements
In a latch of the type comprising a housing;
- first and second latch arms, each mounted to pivot with respect to the housing;
- said latch arms each defining a latching end and pivotable between a latching position, in which the latching ends are positioned closer to one another to engage a striker, and a release position, in which the latching ends are positioned farther from one another to release the striker;
- the improvement comprising:
- a manually rotatable cam;
- a latch arm follower guided for movement in the housing and movable by the cam;
- a pair of bearing surfaces, each defined by a respective one of the latch arms, said bearing surfaces positioned to engage the latch arm follower;
- said latch defining a central axis extending from a cam rotation axis defined by the rotatable cam to a point midway between the latching ends;
- each of said latch arms pivoting about a respective pivot axis;
- each of said bearing surfaces containing the latch arm follower on the same side of the respective pivot axis as the central axis;
- an additional follower guided for movement along a path in the housing and movable by the cam;
- and
- a locking element guided for movement in the housing between a locked position, in which the locking element extends into the path to obstruct movement of the additional follower and thereby of the cam, and an unlocked position, in which the locking element is positioned out of the path to allow movement of the additional follower and thereby of the cam.
9 more elements
In a latch of the type comprising a housing;
- first and second latch arms, each mounted to pivot with respect to the housing;
- said latch arms each defining a latching end and pivotable between a latching positions, in which the latching ends are positioned closer to one another to engage a striker, and a release position, in which the latching ends are positioned farther from one another to release the striker;
- the improvement comprising:
- a manually rotatable cam;
- a latch arm follower guided for movement in the housing and movable by the cam;
- a pair of bearing surfaces, each defined by a respective one of the latch arms, said bearing surfaces positioned to engage the latch arm follower;
- said latch defining a central axis extending from a cam rotation axis defined by the rotatable cam to a point midway between the latching ends;
- each of said latch arms pivoting about a respective pivot axis;
- each of said bearing surfaces contacting the latch arm follower on the same side of the respective pivot axis as the central axis;
- and
- a pair of springs, each mounted to bear against the housing and a respective one of the latch arms to bias the latch arms to the latching position, said latch arm follower and said bearing surfaces disposed between the springs.
8 more elements
In a latch of the type comprising a housing;
- first and second latch arms, each mounted to pivot with respect to the housing;
- said latch arms each defining a latching end and pivotable between a latching position, in which the latching ends are positioned closer to one another to engage a striker, and a release position, in which the latching ends are positioned farther from one another to release the striker;
- the improvement comprising:
- a manually rotatable cam;
- a latch arm follower guided for movement in the housing and movable by the cam;
- a pair of bearing surfaces, each defined by a respective one of the latch arms, said bearing surfaces positioned to engage the latch arm follower;
- said latch defining a central axis extending from a cam rotation axis defined by the rotatable cam to a point midway between the latching ends;
- each of said latch arms pivoting about a respective pivot axis;
- each of said bearing surfaces contacting the latch arm follower on the same side of the respective pivot axis as the central axis;
- wherein the latch arm follower is guided for sliding movement substantially without rotation in the housing, wherein the latch arm follower defines a first surface oriented to contact the cam and a second surface oriented to contact the bearing surfaces, and wherein the first and second surfaces are substantially parallel.
7 more elements
In a latch of the type comprising a housing;
- first and second latch arms, each mounted to pivot with respect to the housing;
- said latch arms each defining a latching end and pivotable between a latching position, in which the latching ends are positioned closer to one another to engage a striker, and a release position, in which the latching ends are positioned farther from one another to release the striker;
- the improvement comprising:
- a manually rotatable cam;
- a latch arm follower guided for movement in the housing and movable by the cam;
- a pair of bearing surfaces, each defined by a respective one of the latch arms, said bearing surfaces positioned to engage the latch arm follower;
- said latch defining a central axis extending from a cam rotation axis defined by the rotatable cam to a point midway between the latching ends;
- each of said latch arms pivoting about a respective pivot axis;
- each of said bearing surfaces contacting the latch arm follower on the same side of the respective pivot axis as the central axis;
- wherein, for each of the latch arms, the respective bearing surface and the respective latching and are disposed on opposite sides of the central axis.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.