Gravity-sensitive latch
AssigneeSouthco, Inc.
InventorsLianli Ji, Robert Straka, Gerry Clisham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a gravity-sensitive latch. The latch includes a pendulum pivotally secured between the actuating button or handle and the pawl. When the latch is in a first position, gravity acting on the pendulum rotates the pendulum so that it abuts the button or handle, permitting actuation of the latch. When the latch is in a second orientation, gravity acting on the pendulum rotates the pendulum away from the button or handle, thereby preventing actuation of the latch. The latch may use a wide variety of buttons, handles, or pawl/keeper combinations.
Claims22
A gravity-sensitive latch for selective latched engagement with a keeper, comprising:
- a housing;
- a button supported for movement relative to said housing;
- a pendulum operatively positioned within said housing adjacent to said button, said pendulum pivoting between a first position and a second position responsive to gravitational force when said housing is respectively positioned in a first horizontal orientation and a second vertical orientation;
- a pawl suitable for engaging a keeper, said pawl having a latched position and an unlatched position;
- connection means connected between said pendulum and said pawl for moving said pawl between said latched position and said unlatched position responsive to said pendulum position;
- wherein when said housing is in said horizontal position, said pendulum is in first position suitable for being contacted by said button when said button is moved, wherein responsive to said button movement said pendulum moves and thereby though said connection means moves said pawl to said unlatched position;
- and
- wherein when said housing is in said vertical position, said pendulum is in said second position and thereby being out of contact by said button when said button is moved.
A button operated gravity-sensitive latch which is selectively disable when said latch is moved from a normal first position orientation to a rotated second position orientation, comprising:
- a housing;
- a pawl positioned with the housing for engaging a keeper;
- an activation button mounted on the outside of said housing and operable through a wall thereof from an inactivate position to an activate position, said button being biased to the inactivate position;
- and
- a connection means connecting said activation button to said pawl, for moving said pawl from a latched position to an unlatched position when said button is moved to the activate position;
- wherein said connection means includes a weighted pendulum structure for normally transferring said button activation from said button to said pawl when said latch is in said normal first position, said pendulum moving to a non-transferring position orientation removed from contact with said button in said activate position, when said housing is rotated to said second position orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.