Opposed jaw latch

Claim 2

An opposed jaw latch, comprising: a. housing means including a pair of guide elements; b. slide means reciprocable within said housing means; c. a pair of keeper levers having opposed keeper jaws, said keeper levers being pivotally connected to said slide means and pivotably movable by said guide elements, on reciprocation of said slide means, between a mutually open position and a manually closed position; d. a latch bolt dimensioned to be received between and engaged by said keeper jaws; and e. means for reciprocating said slide means, including a lever journaled in said housing means for movement abouT a fixed axis, a link pivotally attached to said slide means and to said lever, and means for guiding said slide member.

Claim 3

A latch, as defined in claim 1, wherein a cross slide is attached to the pivotal connection between said lever and said link to effect rotation thereof and reciprocation of said slide means.

Claim 4

A latch, as defined in claim 1, wherein said guiding means includes a slot in said housing means and a pin extending therein from said slide means.

Claim 5

A latch, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said guiding means includes a slot in said housing means having a laterally extending midportion and a pin extending therein from said slide means, and yieldable means tending to restrain said pin in said intermediate portion; and b. said yieldable means operable, when said slide means is in an intermediate position determined by said pin to hold said keeper jaws in their closed position, but permitting entrance of said latch bolt therebetween.

Claim 6

A latch, as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. a retainer engages said pin to hold said slide member in a position to secure said keeper jaws in their closed position; b. said lever is tool-engageable for rotation thereby to reciprocate said slide means; and c. a retainer release is carried by said lever and operable, on tool engagement with said lever, to cause said retainer to free said pin.

Claim 7

An opposed jaw latch, comprising: a. a pair of spaced housing plates, and guide elements extending therebetween; b. a pair of slide plates between said housing plates; c. a pair of keeper levers disposed between said slide plates and said guide elements, and having opposed keeper jaws exposed at an end of said housing plate and portions engageable with said guides to effect pivotal movement of said keeper levers in response to sliding movement of said slide plates to move said keeper jaws between an open and a closed position; d. a latch bolt dimensioned to be received between and engaged by said keeper jaws; e. guide means between said slide plates and said housing plates at the ends thereof remote from said keeper jaws to confine said slide plates to an essentially translatory movement; and f. pivotally interconnected lever and link means between said slide plates, said lever and link means also pivotally connected to said housing plates and said slide plates to effect movement of said slide plates and said keeper jaws.

Claim 8

An opposed jaw latch, comprising: a. a pair of spaced housing plates, and guide elements extending therebetween; b. a pair of slide plates between said housing plates; c. a pair of keeper levers disposed between said slide plates and said guide elements, and having opposed keeper jaws exposed at an end of said housing plate and portions engageable with said guides to effect pivotal movement of said keeper levers in response to sliding movement of said slide plates to move said keeper jaws between an open and a closed position; d. a latch bolt dimensioned to be received between and engaged by said keeper jaws; e. guide means between said slide plates and said housing plates at the ends thereof remote from said keeper jaws to confine said slide plates to an essentially translatory movement; and f. pivotally interconnected lever and link means between said slide plates, said lever and link means also pivotally connected to said housing plates and said slide plates to effect movement of said slide plates and said keeper jaws.

Claim 9

A latch, as defined in claim 6, wherein; a. said guide means includes aligned guide slots in said housing plates and a pin common to said slide plates and extending into said guide slots; b. a retainer secured to a housing plate is engageable with said pin to secure said latch jaws in their closed position; c. said lever and link means includes a tool-engageable element to effect movement of said slide plates; and d. a tool-engaged means is operable to disengage said retainer from said pin.

Claim 10

A latch, as defined in claim 6, wherein: a. said guide means includes aligned slots in said housing plates, and a pin common to said slide plates and extending into said slots; b. said slide plates, when said pin is in an intermediate position between the ends of said guide slots so positioning said keeper levers relative to their guide elements as to permit mutual pivotal movement of said levers; and c. yieldable means operable to urge said keeper jaws toward their closed position and permitting, when said pin is in its intermediate position, spreading of said keeper jaws upon forcing said bolt latch therebetween.

Claim 11

An opposed jaw latch, comprising: a. a mounting structure having a pair of guide members; b. a slide means; c. means connecting said slide means to said mounting means for reciprocation in a path passing between said guide members; d. a pair of opposed keeper levers pivotally connected to said slide means and having opposed keeper jaws at their extended ends; e. mutually engaginG means formed by said guide members and said keeper levers for effecting pivotal movement of said keeper levers to open and close said keeper jaws upon reciprocation of said slide means; said mutually engaging means cooperating to hold said keeper levers in a closed position when said slide means is in a predetermined extreme position, to permit pivotal movement of said keeper levers when said slide means is in an intermediate position, and to hold said keeper levers open when said slide means is in its opposite extreme position; f. yieldable means operable when said slide means is in its intermediate position, to close said keeper jaws; g. a bolt dimensioned to be received between and engaged by said keeper jaws; and h. means for reciprocating said slide means.

Claim 12

An opposed jaw latch, comprising: a. a mounting structure having a pair of guide members; b. a slide means; c. means connecting said slide means to said mounting means for reciprocation in a path passing between said guide members; d. a pair of opposed keeper levers pivotally connected to said slide means and having opposed keeper jaws at their extended ends; e. mutually engaginG means formed by said guide members and said keeper levers for effecting pivotal movement of said keeper levers to open and close said keeper jaws upon reciprocation of said slide means; said mutually engaging means cooperating to hold said keeper levers in a closed position when said slide means is in a predetermined extreme position, to permit pivotal movement of said keeper levers when said slide means is in an intermediate position, and to hold said keeper levers open when said slide means is in its opposite extreme position; f. yieldable means operable when said slide means is in its intermediate position, to close said keeper jaws; g. a bolt dimensioned to be received between and engaged by said keeper jaws; and h. means for reciprocating said slide means.

Claim 13

A latch, as defined in claim 9, wherein said reciprocating means comprises; a. a hub journaled in said mounting structure, and having a lever arm; and b. a link pivotally connected to said lever arm and to said slide means to cause reciprocation of said slide means on rotation of said hub.

Claim 14

A latch, as defined in claim 10, which further comprises: a. a restrainer for said slide means secured to said mounting structure operable to hold said slide means on insertion of said bolt between said keeper jaws; and b. means carried by said hub for rendering said restrainer inoperative.

Claim 15

A latch, as defined in claim 9, wherein an operating member is joined to the pivotal connection between said lever and link and extends transversely to said slide means for operating said latch from a remote station.

Claim 16

A latch, as defined in claim 9, which further comprises: a. a lever pivotally connected to said mounting structure; b. a link pivotally connected to said lever and to said slide means; c. a control member joined to the pivotal connection between said lever and link; d. the connecting means between said mounting structure and said slide means includes a pin and a slot, the slot having a lateral midportion to position said slide means in its intermediate position; and e. yieldable means tending to retain said pin in the midportion of said slot.