The Eastern Company

Other

Joel T Vargus

Lee S Weinerman

Timothy H Wentzell

Thomas V McLinden

Steven A Mayo

Richard M O'Grady

Richard H Russell

Jye P Swan

Frank R Albris

A vehicle door lock system includes, interior and exterior handle assembies that are accessible, respectively, from interior and exterior sides of a vehicle door on which the door lock system is mounted. The door lock system includes a rotary latch that is configured to releasably engage a door-frame-mounted striker to 'latch' and 'unlatch' the door. The door is 'locked' and 'unlocked' by selectively enabling and disabling driving connections between the handle assemblies and separate release arms of the rotary latch. More specifically, locking and unlocking of the door are effected either by operating an exterior key cylinder, or by operating an interior sill button. The handle assemblies, the key cylinder and the sill button preferably are commercially available units that are arranged as may be appropriate for use with a particular vehicle door, with these units being interconnected for operation by a novel and highly versatile linkage, with elements of the linkage being operable to interact so that, 1) when the door is 'latched' but not 'locked,' either of the handle assemblies may be operated to unlatch the door, 2) when the door is both 'latched' and 'locked,' neither of the handle assemblies may be operated to unlatch the door, and, 3) such locking and unlocking movements as are executed by the key cylinder will cause corresponding movements of the sill button between its locked and unlocked positions whereby the position of the sill button is operable to provide an indication of the 'locked' and 'unlocked' status of the door lock system.

Vehicle door lock system

Latch or lock housing with push button operator

A vehicle door lock system includes a rotary latch having an elongate housing with an end formation that is 'inclined' or 'tapered' so as to be wedgingly engaged, when 'latched,' by a correspondingly inclined or tapered wedge block component of an L-shaped striker assembly. As the rotary latch releasably engages the striker to effect 'latching,' the inclined or tapered end region of the latch housing cooperatively engages the wedge block of the striker to guide the latch into properly aligned engagement with the striker, and to maintain proper alignment of the rotary latch with the striker while 'latched.' By this arrangement, a strong, racking-resistant type of latched connection is provided that will assist in preventing undesired relative movements of a door and a door frame on which the latch and striker are mounted, respectively. Handle assemblies are connected to the rotary latch to operate the latch to effect 'unlatching' of the latch and the striker. 'Locking' and 'unlocking' of the latch is effected by selectively enabling and disabling driving connections between the handle assemblies and the rotary latch.

Combined latch housing and interengageable strike plate

Latch or lock housing with foldable handle

A lock for a sliding door includes front and rear housing members that clamp front and rear faces of a door panel adjacent an opening that is formed through the door panel. Aligned cavities in the front and rear housing members cooperate with the opening to provide a compartment that mounts a latch bolt member for forward and rearward movement. The latch bolt member has a rearwardly extending formation that projects through a hole formed in the rear housing member for selectively engaging structure located behind the door to releasably latch the door in its closed position. An operating mechanism connects with the latch bolt member and includes components that extend forwardly and rearwardly through aligned openings formed through the front and rear housing members to enable the latch bolt member to be moved forwardly and rearwardly between unlatched and latched positions, and to releasably retain the latch bolt member its unlatched and latched positions. The operating mechanism preferably includes a forwardly facing lock cylinder housed in a forwardly facing push button, and a rearwardly facing foldable handle. A sleeve formation protectively surrounds portions of the push button. Weatherproofing seals are provided between selected relatively movable components.

Sliding door lock

Flush mountable latches and locks for industrial cabinets, tool carts, electrical equipment enclosures and the like utilize versatile housings of novel configuration together with push-to-operate handles that are pivotally movable relative to the housings to effect unlatching movements of spring-biased, pivotally mounted latch bolts. The lock-type embodiment has a locking mechanism that is mounted on the housing to selectively permit and prevent unlatching movements of its pivotal latch bolt. The resulting arrangement provides sturdy latch and lock assemblies that employ a small number of relatively movable parts that can be assembled, installed and serviced with ease. Improved features include the provision of a plural part handle assembly having portions that are configured to cooperate with a resilient, weather resistant boot that optionally may be interposed between housing and handle assembly components. Other improvements features include the provision of mounting hardware that readily adapts latch and lock units for mounting on structures of a wide variety of thicknesses, and simplifications that enhance the ease of assembly and improve the operation of components that are employed in the lock-type embodiment.

Latch and lock assemblies with spring-biased pivot bolts

Latch housing

Strike plate

A vehicle door lock system includes interior and exterior handle assemblies that are accessible, respectively, from interior and exterior sides of a vehicle door on which the door lock system is mounted. The system includes a plurality of rotary latches that are configured to releasably engage door-frame-mounted strikers to 'latch' and 'unlatch' the door, and a latch interconnection linkage for effecting concurrent unlatching of the rotary latches. The door is 'locked' and 'unlocked' by selectively enabling and disabling at least one driving connection between at least one of the handle assemblies and separate latch release arms that are arranged to operate a selected one of the rotary latches. In preferred practice, locking and unlocking of the door are effected either by operating an exterior key cylinder, or by operating an interior sill button.

Vehicle door lock system providing a plurality of spaced rotary latches

A lock or latch for a sliding or rolling type door includes front and rear housing members that clampingly engage opposite sides of a door panel adjacent an opening that is formed through the door panel. Aligned cavities are formed in the front and rear housing members that cooperate with the door panel opening to define a compartment within which a latch bolt member is housed for forward and rearward movement. The latch bolt member has a rearwardly extending formation that projects through a hole formed in the rear housing member for selectively engaging structure located behind the door to releasably latch the door in its closed position. An operating mechanism connects with the latch bolt member and includes components that extend forwardly and rearwardly through aligned openings formed through the front and rear housing members to provide means (1) for moving the latch bolt member forwardly and rearwardly relative to the housing members between unlatched and latched positions, and (2) for releasably retaining the latch bolt member its unlatched and latched positions. The operating mechanism preferably includes a forwardly facing key operated lock cylinder that is housed in a forwardly facing push button, and a foldable handle that faces rearwardly. The push button and the key cylinder are accessible from the front side of the lock for operating the latch bolt member. The foldable handle is accessible from the rear side of the lock for operating the latch bolt member.

A vehicle door lock system includes a rotary latch having an elongate housing with opposed ends that are tapered so as to be securely received, when 'latched,' within an elongate U-shaped striker assembly that has a pair of spaced, inwardly facing wedge blocks at opposed ends. As the rotary latch releasably engages the striker to effect 'latching,' the tapered end regions of the latch housing are wedgingly engaged by the wedge blocks of the striker to guide the latch into properly aligned engagement with the striker, and to maintain proper alignment of the rotary latch with the striker while 'latched.' By this arrangement, a strong, racking-resistant type of latched connection is provided that will assist in preventing undesired relative movements of a door and a door frame on which the latch and striker are mounted, respectively. Handle assemblies are connected to the rotary latch to operate the latch to effect 'unlatching' of the latch and the striker. 'Locking' and 'unlocking' of the latch is effected by selectively enabling and disabling driving connections between the handle assemblies and the rotary latch.

Growing community of inventors

Parma, OH, United States of America

Joel T Vargus