The Eastern Company

Donald J Dignan

Lee S Weinerman

Michael J Rachocki

John V Pastva, Jr

Jye P Swan

A clamping type cabinet lock that is mounted on a cabinet door includes a link-and-lever type of operating assembly which moves a vertical bar. End regions of the vertical bar are connected to pivotally mounted latch members. The latch members have latch formations that enter between and move behind keeper formations that define channels in which the latch formations are moveable. As the latch formations are moved in the keeper channels, the door is caused to be clamped toward a closed position.

Clamping type cabinet lock

Combined latch operating handle and handle housing

An adjustable grip latch has a slippable, friction-type drive connection provided between a shaft and a pawl which is carried on the shaft. A stop extends alongside the shaft for limiting the travel of the pawl to a range of movement extending between latched and unlatched positions. When the pawl is in its latched position it engages one portion of the stop. When the pawl is in its unlatched position it engages a different portion of the stop. The slippable drive connection transmits only a limited amount of torque from the shaft to the pawl, thereby enabling the shaft to move the pawl between its latched and unlatched positions, and enabling the shaft to rotate relative to the pawl when the pawl has engaged the stop. The slippable drive connection utilizes a wave spring washer to effect transmission of limited torque from the shaft to the pawl.

Adjustable-grip latch

Folding step

A new and improved folding step especially useful on trucks or rail transit vehicles. The folding step includes a support bracket, a step member pivoted to the bracket, and a spring urging the two together and into one of two pivoted positions. The step member has parallel arms that straddle a box-like portion of the bracket. Stub shafts extend from the arms into the bracket through slots and carry cams that are urged into contact with the bracket by the spring. The cams and spring provide an over-center snap action between the step member and bracket.

Folding foot step

A door lock has a flush-mountable body. A forwardly facing recess is defined by the body. A paddle-type handle is pivotally carried by the body and is movable between a nested position within the body recess and an operating position. A spring-projected slide bolt is carried on the back of the body and is movable between projected and retracted positions. A key-controlled disconnect linkage is provided for selectively connecting and disconnecting the handle and the bolt. The disconnect linkage includes a disconnect member which extends longitudinally along one side of the bolt and which has an end region that is shifted from side to side between connecting and disconnecting positions by a key-operated locking member. When the disconnect linkage drivingly connects the handle and the bolt, movement of the handle from its nested position to an operating position will cause corresponding retracting movement of the bolt. When the disconnect linkage disconnects the handle from the bolt, movement of the handle is inoperative to cause retracting movement of the bolt. A feature of the disconnect linkage is that it provides the lock with a 'slam' capability, meaning that when the bolt is projected, it can be slammed into latching engagement with a suitably configured strike regardless of whether the disconnect linkage is drivingly connecting or disconnecting the handle and the bolt.

Growing community of inventors

South Euclid, OH, United States of America

Donald J Dignan