Gravity-sensitive latch
AssigneeSouthco, Inc.
InventorsLianli Ji, Robert Straka, Gerry Clisham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims55
A gravity-sensitive latch comprising:
- a housing;
- a handle pivotally secured to said housing, said handle pivoting between a latched position and an unlatched position;
- a pawl pivotally secured to said housing, said pawl being dimensioned and configured to engage a keeper, said pawl pivoting between a latched position and an unlatched position;
- a pawl-retaining arm pivoting between a latched position and an unlatched position;
- a pendulum pivotally secured to said pawl-retaining arm, said pendulum being dimensioned and configured to abut said handle, said pendulum pivoting between a latched position and an unlatched position;
- and
- means for pivotally securing said housing and said pawl-retaining arm,
- wherein said pawl includes an upper forward arm and a lower forward arm extending toward said handle, a channel between said forward arms, and a third arm extending rearward, said third arm is dimensioned and configured to engage said pawl-retaining arm, said forward arms are dimensioned and configured to secure a keeper, said pawl pivots between said latched position wherein said forward arms are substantially horizontal, and said unlatched position wherein said forward arms point downward.
A gravity-sensitive latch comprising:
- a housing;
- a handle secured to said housing;
- a pendulum operatively in communication with said handle, said pendulum pivoting between said operative position and a non-operative position out of communication with said handle under the force of gravity;
- a pawl pivotally connected to said housing for pivoting between a latch position and an unlatch position
- a pawl-retaining arm for engaging or disengaging with said pawl by pivoting between a first position and a second position;
- and
- means for pivotally securing said housing and said pawl-retaining arm.
A gravity-sensitive latch, comprising:
- a housing;
- a pawl mounted to said housing for movement relative thereto;
- means connected to said pawl for biasing its position;
- a manually operated activator structure mounted to said housing;
- means mounted to said housing for selectively engaging said pawl for locking it against movement;
- means connected to said selectively engaging means for biasing its position;
- and
- means, having an interposed position and non-interposed position, for transferring the manually operated motion of said activator structure to said selectively engaging means thereby altering its engagement with said pawl, when said transferring means is in its interposed position between said activator structure and said transferring means;
- wherein said linking means is gravity-sensitive to move between its interposed position and its non-interposed position as a function of said housing physical orientation with respect to the earth gravitational force.
A gravity-sensitive latch, comprising:
- a housing;
- a pawl connected to said housing for movement relative thereto;
- means connected to said pawl for biasing its position;
- a manually operated activator structure mounted to said housing for movement;
- and
- means, having an interposed state end non-interposed state, for transferring the manually operated motion of said activator structure to said pawl when said linking means is in its interposed state;
- wherein said tranferring means is gravity-sensitive to move between its interposed state and its non-interposed state.
In a latch, having a housing, a keeper-engaging member associated with said housing an activator member connected with said housing and movable with respect thereto, and means connected with said housing for connecting said activator member to said keeper-engaging member whereby a movement of said activator member moves said keeper-engaging member, the improvement comprising:
- a gravity-sensitive link included in said activator member to said keeper-engaging member connecting means, said gravity-sensitive link moving to dislocate said connecting means connection of said activator member to keeper-engaging member when said housing is moved into a first position, and said gravity-sensitive link moving to make said connecting means connection of said activator member to keeper-engaging member when said housing is moved into a second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.