Two stage latch for heavy duty engine cover
AssigneeBobcat Company
InventorsThomas Tokach, Troy D. Kraft, Daniel J. Krieger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two-stage latch is used for a tailgate on a vehicle such as an excavator or skid steer loader. The tailgate forms a cover for an engine compartment or other components of the vehicle, and the two-stage latch has a primary latch dog that will hold the cover fully closed. A secondary catch hook is used and includes a lost motion drive for actuating the latch dog. When opening the tailgate the latch hook engages a retainer bracket and will remain in a holding position so that the cover or tailgate will open slightly when the latch hook is released but cannot be fully opened until the catch hook is manually released from the retainer bracket on the vehicle frame.
Claims14
A two-stage latch for a cover hingedly attached to a frame comprising a bracket supported on the frame and having a catch receiver and a latch retainer, a housing mounted on the cover, a catch hook pivotally mounted on the housing, a latch dog pivotally mounted on the housing coaxial with the catch hook, a lost motion drive between the catch hook and the latch dog that permits the latch dog to pivot in one direction relative to the catch hook, and to be pivoted by the catch hook when the catch hook is moved in an opposite direction, a spring urging the latch dog in the one direction to form a primary latch with the latch retainer when the cover is closed, the catch hook engaging the catch receiver before the latch dog engages the latch retainer when the cover is moved toward a closed position, the catch hook holding the cover from opening, the lost motion drive permitting the latch dog to be moved away from the latch retainer to release the latch dog while the catch hook remains in the catch receiver to permit limited opening movement of the cover only until the catch hook is manually moved farther in the same direction as the direction the catch hook is moved to release the latch dog.
A two-stage latch for a vehicle tailgate hingedly attached to a vehicle frame comprising a lock bracket supported on the vehicle frame and having a catch receiver and a latch dog retainer, a housing mounted on the tailgate, a catch hook pivotally mounted on the housing on the tailgate, a latch dog pivotally mounted on the housing coaxial with the catch hook, a drive pin on the latch dog extending laterally from the latch dog, the catch hook having a slot for receiving the pin and positioned so the pin rests in one end of the slot and the latch dog can pivot in one direction relative to the catch hook, and is driven by movement of the catch hook in the one direction, the latch dog and catch hook each being independently urged in direction opposite from the one direction, the latch dog forming a primary latch with the latch dog retainer when the cover is closed, the catch hook engaging the catch receiver before the latch dog engages the latch dog retainer when the cover is moved toward a closed position, the catch receiver permitting sliding movement of the catch hook as the cover closes, the pin moving in the slot permitting the latch dog to be moved away from the latch dog retainer upon an initial movement of the latch hook in the one direction to release the latch dog while the catch hook remains in the catch receiver to prevent opening of the cover until the catch hook is manually moved farther in the one direction than the initial movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.