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US 7,313,937 B2Granted
Latch
AssigneeSouthco, Inc.
InventorRobert Lewis Straka, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch is disclosed that can be applied to doors in a variety of orientations and/or with keepers in a variety of orientations without any modifications to the latch being necessary. The latch includes a first module that carries a handle and an actuating member, and the latch includes a second module that includes a latching mechanism. The first and second modules can be secured together with the first and second modules being relatively oriented in any one of a plurality of orientations, while the latch remains operational with the two modules secured together in any of the various orientations.
Claims55
A latch comprising:
- a latch module including at least a portion of a latching mechanism;
- and
- an actuator module,
- wherein said latch module can be secured to said actuator module in any one of a plurality of angular orientations relative to said actuator module, such that a user can secure said latch module to said actuator module with said latch module being in a user selected one of said plurality of angular orientations relative to said actuator module,
- wherein the latch can be operated to assume a latched configuration and an unlatched configuration,
- wherein during operation of the latch between said latched configuration and said unlatched configuration said latch module at least in part remains in said user selected one of said plurality of angular orientations relative to said actuator module,
- wherein said actuator module comprises an actuating member having a longitudinal axis and said actuating member remains in a position to engage said latch module such that the latch remains operable with said latch module secured to said actuator module in any one of said plurality of angular orientations, said plurality of angular orientations being determined by reference to rotation about an imaginary axis passing through said actuator module,
- wherein said actuator module further comprises a first housing supporting said actuating member, wherein said latch module comprises a second housing supporting a pawl, wherein the latch remains operable with said second housing secured to said first housing in any one of a plurality of angular orientations relative to said first housing about said imaginary axis, wherein said imaginary axis is coincident with said longitudinal axis of said actuating member, and wherein said plurality of angular orientations of said second housing relative to said first housing define said plurality of angular orientations of said latch module relative to said actuator module,
- wherein said actuating member is supported by said first housing for linear movement directed along said imaginary axis, and
- wherein said actuator module further comprises a handle pivotally attached to said first housing, said handle moving pivotally between a raised position and a folded-down position, said actuating member moving linearly along said imaginary axis in response to said handle moving between said raised position and said folded-down position.
7 more elements
A latch comprising:
- an actuator module having a first plurality of holes, said actuator module comprising an actuating member having a longitudinal axis, said first plurality of holes being distributed about said actuating member with said longitudinal axis said actuating member being centrally located with respect to said first plurality of holes, said actuating member being supported for linear movement directed along said longitudinal axis thereof, and said actuator module further comprising a handle pivotally supported for moving pivotally between a raised position and a folded-down position, said actuating member moving linearly along said longitudinal axis thereof in response to said handle moving between said raised position and said folded-down position;
- and
- a latch module including at least a portion of a latching mechanism, said latch module having a second plurality of holes adapted to register with said first plurality of holes with said latch module in any one of a plurality of angular orientations relative to said actuator module,
- wherein a position of said actuating member relative to said latch module remains essentially unchanged regardless of which one of said plurality of angular orientations is selected when securing said latch module to said actuator module.
1 more element
A latch for releasably securing a first member in a closed position relative to a second member, the first member having an opening adapted for mounting of the latch to the first member, the latch comprising:
- an actuator module comprising a first housing, said first housing having a first flange;
- and
- a latch module including at least a portion of a latching mechanism, said latch module comprising a second housing, said second housing having a second flange,
- wherein said first flange and said second flange are adapted to allow a portion of the first member adjacent the opening to be captured between said first flange and said second flange when the latch is attached to the first member with said second housing secured to said first housing and when the opening in the first member is sized such that both said first flange and said second flange are too large to pass through the opening,
- wherein said actuator module further comprises an actuating member supported by said first housing, wherein said actuating member has a longitudinal axis, wherein said latch module further comprises a pawl supported by said second housing, wherein the latch remains operable with said second housing secured to said first housing in a user selected one of a plurality of angular orientations relative to said first housing about an imaginary axis coincident with said longitudinal axis of said actuating member,
- wherein said actuating member is supported by said first housing for linear movement directed along said imaginary axis, and
- wherein said actuator module further comprises a handle pivotally attached to said first housing, said handle moving pivotally between a raised position and a folded-down position, said actuating member moving linearly along said imaginary axis in response to said handle moving between said raised position and said folded-down position.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.