US3038747A - Latch device - Google Patents

Jun e 12, 1962 G. M. RAPATA

LATCH DEVICE

2 Sheets-

Sheet

1 Filed July 9, 1959 INVENTOR.

- LATCH DEVICE Filed July 9, 1959 2 Sheets-

Sheet

2 Efifidfl i? Patented June 12, 1952 rife 3,038,747 LATQH DEVI-CE George M. Kapata, Park Ridge, 111., assignor to Ellinois Tool Works, Chicago, lit, a corporation of llliinois Filed July 9, 1959, Ser. No. 82%,013 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-47) This application relates to a novel anchor member for application to an apertured workpiece, and more particularly to a novel anchor member or receptacle especially suitable for receiving and releasably retaining a strike pin of a cabinet latch or the like.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along

line

66 in FIG. 4;

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, an

anchor member

20 incorporating one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The anchor member which will be described in detail below is adapted to be inserted into and retained within an

aperture

22 in a

workpiece

24 for receiving and releasably holding a

strike element

26 or the like. The

strike element

26 may be of any suitable construction and includes an enlargement or laterally extending shoulder means 28 at its free end for interengagement with the anchor member in the manner to be described.

The

anchor member

20 is preferably molded in onepiece from a suitable tough resilient plastic material, such, for example, as nylon. The anchor member is provided with a generally radially extending

head section

30 engageable with the outer surface of the

workpiece

24 for preventing the anchor member from passing entirely through the

aperture

22. An

opening

32 is provided through the

head section

30 for permitting the insertion of the

strike

26 into the anchor member. The anchor member also includes a

shank section

34 extending axially from the

head section

30 for entry into the

workpiece

22 in the manner shown.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the

shank portion

34 is provided with a pair of relatively thin and resiliently

flexible side portions

36 and 38 which extend from integral junctions with internal marginal portions of the

head section

30. The shank side or

leg portions

36 and 38 respectively include laterally projecting

abutments

40 and 42 which

present shoulder surfaces

414 and 46 facing toward the

head section

30 for engagement behind the

workpiece

24. The shoulder surfaces are spaced axially from the

head section

30 a distance similar to the thickness of the

workpiece

24. However, in order to provide for variations in thickness of the workpiece, ribs or

protuberances

48 and 5e are formed on and project from the under surface of the

head section

30 at opposite marginal portions of the head section between the shoulders. It will be noted that these ribs cause the head section to be flexed when the device is fully applied to the work structure so that the device will resiliently grip the workpiece between the head section and the shoulders.

The

shank section

34 also comprises a pair of oppositely disposed resiliently

flexible elements

52 and 54 which extend generally axially with respect to the

head section

30 and are adapted to receive and releasably retain the

strike

26 therebetwcen. In this embodiment the

elements

52 and 54 are operatively interconnected with the head section through an entering

end section

56 of the shank which has a generally U-shaped transverse cross section and which is in turn integrally and operatively interconnected to the head section through the

leg portions

36 and 38. It will be noted that the

elements

52 and 54 are relatively widely spaced apart at their integral junctions with the entering

end section

56 so that they may accommodate the enlarged

end

28 of the strike therebetween. It is further to be noted that the

elements

52 and 54 include inwardly directed abutments or shoulder means and 60 which define a restricted throat '62 therebetween. The width of the throat is substantially less than the transverse dimension of the enlarged end of the strike so that when the strike is inserted into the anchor member, the abutment or

shoulder elements

58 and 60 are forced apart until the enlarged

end

28 of the strike is passed whereupon the

resilient elements

52 and 54 spring back toward their normal positions for causing the

abutments

58 and oil to engage behind and retain the enlarged end of the strike. As shown best in FIG. 3, the surfaces of the

abutments

58 and 60 are curved and flared outwardly in both directions from midpoints of the abutments so as to provide cam surfaces 6466 and 6876 res ectively for facilitating spreading of the abutments to permit entry of the strike therebetween and intentional withdrawal of the strike. It is to be noted that the free ends of the

elements

52 and 54 and the strike engageable abutinents thereon are located substantially at the

head section

36 so that the

srike element

26 need be of minimum length to accomplish proper engagement with the abutments. This arrangement also promotes an illusion that the opening through the head section is substantially covered so as to provide the device with a more pleasing and finished appearance. This feature is of particular importance when the device is to be used in connection with kitchen cabinets or installations in which appearance is a prime factor.

As shown best in FIG. 3, the transverse width of the

leg sections

36 and 38 is substantially less than the corre sponding dimension of the

aperture

22 through the

workpiece

24. In addition the spacing between the outer surfaces of the

elements

52 and 54 is such that the elements avoid any material engagement with the workpiece. Thus, the device may float or may be adjusted back and forth within the

aperture

22 to allow for misalignment between the strike and the central axis of the

shank

34. Furthermore, since the

elements

52 and 54- avoid all contact with the workpiece, it is clear that the

shoulder surfaces

44 and 46 which are on the

leg sections

36 and 38 and entirely independent of the

elements

52 and 54, provide the sole means for retaining the anchor member wi hin workpiece aperture. As a result, the flexing action or" the

elements

52 and 54 for the purpose of receiving or releasing the strike in no way adversely affects the connection between the anchor member and the workpiece.

In certain installations it may be desirable to reinforce the spring action of the

elements

52 and 54 for more securely retaining the strike therebetween. This may be accomplished by providing a generally U-shaped

spring

72 preferably made from spring steel. The

spring

72 which is shown in F168. 2 and 3 is disposed so that

opposite portions

74 and 76 thereof embrace the

elements

52 and 54 in a manner such that

free ends

78 and 80 of the spring aggressively engage the

elements

52 and 54. In the embodiment shown the

free ends

78 and 84) of the spring are turned inwardly to provide flanges engageable in

recesses

82 and 84 formed in the side of the

elements

52; and 54 respectively for retaining the

spring

72 in assembled relationship with the plastic anchor member. It is to be understood that in many installations the

spring

72 may be omitted.

FIGS. 4-7 show an anchor member a incorporating a modified form of the present invention as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the suffix a added to corresponding elements. This embodiment differs primarily that the

strike retaining elements

52a and 54a are entirely independent of the anchor securing

leg sections

36a and 38a. More specifically, the

elements

52a and 54a are provided with reversely

bent extensions

86 and 88 respectively which are integrally connected with

head section

30a rather than with an entering end section which in turn is supported by the anchor securing leg sections. It will be noted that the strike retaining elements of this embodiment like the corresponding elements of the other embodiments disclosed herein are relatively wide so that the restricted throat therebetween is elongated in a direction extending transversely of the direction in which the anchor member may be adjusted within the workpiece aperture. In other words the restricted throat is elongated in a direction extending transversely of the anchor retaining

shank sections

36a and 38a. This feature allows for misalignment of the strike element in a direction extending along the length of the throat While the above described adjustment of the anchor member within the workpiece aperture accommodates misalignment of the strike in a direction extending transversely of the throat.

FIGS. 8l1 show another embodiment of the present invention which is similar to the structures described above as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the sufiix b added to corresponding elements. This embodiment differs primarily in that the

strike retaining elements

52b and 541) are not only connected integrally to the entering end portions 561; of the shank but they are also integrally connected at their outer ends to the head section as indicated at 90 and 92. This enables the

resilient elements

52b and 54b to be stiffened for increasing the holding power thereof.

In FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 there is shown a further modified form of the present invention which is similar to the devices described above as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the sufiix 0 added to corresponding elements. In this embodiment the

strike retaining elements

520 and 54c are relatively short and extend directly from

integral junctions

90c and 920 with opposite inner margins of

head section

360. The entering ends of the elements 520 and 540 are free so that these elements function entirely independently of the

anchor retaining sections

36c and 380.

FIG. 15 shows a device Zild which is identical to the anchor member 21% except that the

anchor securing sections

36d and 3&1 are slightly modified for accommodating workpieces of diiterent widths. More specifically, the shoulder surfaces 44d and 46d are flared outwardly so that they may be wedged against the workpiece regardless of minor variations of the thickness of the workpiece.

FIG. 16 shows an

anchor member

200 which is similar to the device shown in FIGS. l4 as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the

suflix

2 added to corresponding elements. This embodiment differs in that the entering

end sections

56e is provided with an

opening

2 therethrough, which feature, in certain instances facilitates the molding operation.

2. An anchor device, as defined in

claim

1, wherein said strike retaining shoulder means on said elements respectively present flaring surfaces at opposite sides of said throat for facilitating passage of a strike into the anchor device and intentional removal of the strike therefrom.

3. An anchor device, as defined in

claim

1, which in cludes spring means embracing and aggressively gripping said opposed plastic elements for resisting spreading of said elements and increasing the holding power of the device.

4. An anchor device, as defined in

claim

1, which includes a generally U-shaped plastic section extending between and integrally joined to entering ends of said shank sections, said opposed strike retaining elements respectively being integrally connected with opposite margins of said U-shaped section and thereby being operatively interconnected with said head section.

5. An anchor device, as defined in

claim

1, wherein said shank sections have free entering ends and are operable independently of each other and said opposed ele ments.

7. An anchor device, as defined in

claim

1, wherein said opposed elements have entering ends which are free and separated from said shank sections and trailing ends integrally connected directly to said head section.

8. An anchor device, as defined in

claim

1, which includes a transverse section extending between and integrally joining entering ends of said shank sections, said opposed strike retaining elements have entering ends integrally joined to said transverse section and trailing ends integrally joined directly to opposite inner margins of said head sections.