Patent · US Expired

Rotary latch and lock

US5884948A · kind A · utility

68Cited by
33References
46Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 17, 1997
Grant dateMar 23, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 17, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T292/688
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A slam-capable rotary latch employs a single rotary jaw that is releasably retained in its latched position by a rotary pawl, with the latch having a pair of spaced housing side plates that sandwich the rotary jaw and the rotary pawl, with the side plates defining aligned first and second U-shaped notches that cooperate with a third U-shaped notch formed in the rotary jaw for concurrently receiving and latchingly retaining within the confines of the first, second and third U-shaped notches a suitably configured strike formation, with housing side plate portions that define a selected one of the first and second U-shaped notches being rigidified and strengthened by the close proximity presence of a flange 1) that is formed integrally with side plate portions that define the selected notch and 2) that extends transversely to bridge between the housing side plates at a location near the first and second U-shaped notches. Improvements include housing side plate formations that aid in positioning, guiding and accommodating movement of relatively movable components, and improved connections formed between non-movable components.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.