Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LATCHING SYSTEM FOR L~GGAGE ARTICLES
This is a divisional of Canadian patent applic~tion
Serlal No. 386,586 filed September 24th, 1981.
1 Background of the Invention
This invention relates to a latching system suit-
able for use on ~ luggage ar~icle, particularly in a la~ch-
ing console which may be attached to one se~tion of a
luggage article, such as an attache case or the like, for
releasably securing that section to another section of
the article.
It is known ~o use a latching console, or example,
on the front wall of a body section of an attache or like
case, for releasably securing that section to a hinged lid
of the case. Such consoles commonly include a central
handle-m~unting structure, a pair of spaced latch assemblies
at opposite sides of the handle structure, respectively, for
cooperation with fixed hasps or keepers on the hinged l;d,
and actuator means for moving the latch assemblies betwe~n
latehin~ and unlatching positions with respect to the hasps.
The consoles may also include a locking means, requently
in the form o~ ~ com~;nation lo~k or loeks, for securin~
against unauthorized opening of the luggage article.
Various forms of latching consoles are known.
The latchin~ assemblies may, for example, include sliding
or pivo~ing lat~hes, and these may be operated individually
by flip-up, swivel or s~iding-type actuators. Alterna
tively, the latches may be linked together through the con-
sol~ for operation in unison by a single actuator, which
may be positioned centrally v the cons~le, and a single
lock may be provided for prev~nting unauthorized opera-
tion of the ~ctuator, Known latchin~ consoles are 8hOWrl,
for exam~le, in U.SO Patent No. 3,555,860, to Atkinson,
issue~ January 19, 1971 and IJ. S. Patent No. 3, 961, 505 to
Gehrie et al, issued June 8, 1976, the latter bein~s coImnon-
ly assigned herewith.
There are ~arious design cri~eria to be accommo-
dated in latching consoles for luggage articles. Thus,
~or ~ample, space considerations are a factor, and in
particular thc console ~echanism should have a minimum
thickness so as not to protrude unduly r~m the wall o
the article to whioh it is attached. This cGnsid2ra~ion
~0 is of particular relevance in consoles wher~ the latch
assemblies are linked together for operation in unison and
a linking mechanism must be included in the console. Further~
the console mechanism should be simple to operate and
reliable in operation,
The present invention is directed particularly
toward a latching system which can be incorporated in a
latching console for a lugg~ge article wi~h a view t~ward
~ccommodating the above and other relevant criterla.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above noted parent application Serial No.
386,586 describes and claims a luggage article latchi~ system
comprising a pair of spaced latches, means mounting each of
said latches for pivotal movement between latching and un
latching posi~ions, drive mean~ in~luding an endless
dri~e elemen~ cDnnec~ing said latches for movement in
unison between their latehing and unla ch~ng pvsitions,
a manual ac~uator 1 ver, and conne~tion means between
said lever a~d one of said latches for translating
movemen~ of said le~er in opposite direc~ions from a
res~ position into mo~ement of ehe la~ches between ~he
latching and unlatching positions and between ~he un-
latching and latchin~ positions; respectively, ~aid
connection means permitting said lever to return ~o
the rest position independent of said latches.
g~
In accordance with the invention of the
present divisional there is provided a
combinatio~ lock comprising a casing, a shaft
axially movably mounted in said casing7 a nose portion at one
end o~ said sha~t defining a latch formation for engaging a
member to be locked, said shaft having a latching position in
~hich the nose portion projects from the casing,combina~i.on
locking means for releasably locking the shaft in said
latching position, the shaft being moveable axially fr~m said
latching position to an unlatching position only when said
combination locking means is on combination by movement of said
nose portion inwardly with respect to said casing,and the shaft
being mo~eable axially beyond said unl~tching position when the
locking means is on combination by further movement of said
nose portion inwardly with respect to said casing to move the
shaft into a position in which the combination of said locking
means can be changed.
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Preferred ellibe)diments of the invention are described
below, by way of ~ca~le~ wi~h reference ~o the accompanyirlg
drawin~s .
Description o~ Drawin~
Figure 1 is an outside front elev tional view s~iE a
luggage case equipped with a latchlng consDle in accordaTlce
~ith the inver~tion;
Figure 2 is n exploded perspective view of ~he
componen~s of ~che lat~ing console and ~howing a hasp w~h
:1~ which one of the con~ole latches cooperates;
Figures 2a a~d Zb are respectlvely a rear ele~ational
view and a side eleYational ~Tiew of one of the console latch~s;
Figure 3*is a front elevational ~Tiew of ~ sec~ion s7f
~che console which atta hes interiorly of ~he ltlggage case;
Si6
Figure 4*is a sectional vie~ on line 4-4 of ~igure 3;
~ igure 5 is an vutside ~le~7ational tJiew, par~:ly brolcen
away, of a section of ~che console ~howlng a coD~ination l~ck,
one of ~he console latches, a la~ch actuator a~d a hasp;
~ igure ~a is a ~iew showlng ~he one la~ch in i~s
unlatchin~s po~ition.
Figur~ 6 is a sectional vi~w on ~ ine ~-6 o~ Tigure S;
Figure 7 is a sectional ~iew ~n line 7-7 o Figure 6;
:Figure 8 is a sectional ~iew on lin~ 8-8
~!3 of Figure 5;
Figures 9, 19 ~d 11 are partly diagrammatic views
illustrzting different positions o:E ~he ~ctua~or;
* (Located on the ~ame sheet as Fig. 13
~19'~ 5~5
Figure 1~ is a sectional view on line 12-12 vf
Figure 6;
Figure 13 is a front elevational view, partly broken -
away, of the combination lock shown in a com~ination chan~ing
co~dition;
Figure 14 is a sectional Vi2W on line 14-14 of Figure
13;
Figure 15 is an end elevational ~iew of a rombin~tion
sleeve; and
lD Figure 16 is an end elevational view of a co~ina-
~ion dial.
Description of Preerred Em~odiments
A luggage case 10 (Figure 1) utilizing the invention
may include a body section 12 ~nd a hin~ed lid 14 of conven-
1~ tional form. A latching console in accordance with the inven-
tion (see particularly Figures 2-4~ may be attached to the
~ront wall o~ body section 12 to releasably secure the case
sections together in conjunction with hasps 16 which, in use,
may be secured .to the înterior of a front wall 17 of hinged
2~ lid 14 of the case.
The latching console may include three main sections,
namely, ~n elongate` latch-carrying section 18 which is attached
to the interior of body section 12, a lock and actuator assem-
bly 20, and a dummy ac~uator 22, the last t~o components
~S bein& mounted on the exterior of the body section 12 of the
case.
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Body section 12 has a front wall 24 with an upper .
portion 26 through which the console sections are ~tached
together by means of fasteners passing through sui~able open-
ings in wall porti~n 26. Wa~l portion 26 may be ormed
integr~lly with the remai~der ~f body section 12 o thr case
or ~lternatively as shown in the drawings particularly in
Figure 7, this wall portion may be a separate valance mem~er,
supplied as a cDmponent of the latching console, in which
case it is attached in the con~entioIIal manner, for exa~l~
by-tongue and groove-type connections, to the rim of bo~y
section ~2. Front wall 17 of lid 14 may have a complemen-
~ary valance section 19 (Fig.7~ to which hasps 16 are
attached. Assembly 20 and dummy actuator 22 may have re-
eesses 78 in their adjacent end portions (see Figures 2 and
6) whic~ serve to mount the ends of a conven~ional cen~ral
oarrying handle 30 wi~h a washer 32 or the like being
provided in each reress.
Latch-carrying section 18 of the latchi~g console~
carries spaced swivelling latches 34, 36 adapted to swivel
in planes parallel to the general plane of wall portion 26
and a drive mechanism ~to be described) for providing swivel-
ing movement of the latches in unison. The latches have
hook portions 38 and 40 adapted to engage posts 42 of the
respective hasps. The loek and actuator assembly 20 includes
:25 a man~al aetuat~r 44 for effecting swiveling movement of
latch 34 (and ~hrough the drive mechanism corresponding
move~en~ of latch 36) and a combination lock 46 for locking
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the actuator and latches in position when the case is
closed. Dummy actuat~r 22 serves only t~ mount one end of
the handle 30 and to stabilize ~he latchin,g console by con-
nection to latch-carryin~ section 18. The dummy ac~uator
may comprise an integral casting or molding of complemen~ary
shape to assembly 20 so as to give a balanced appearance to
~he lu~gage case. Internally ~hreaded bosses 48 proJect
rom ~he rear sur~ace of the dummy actua~or through openings
~not ~hown~ in the wall pr~tiQn 26 of ~he case 2nd are aligned
~0 wi~h openings 52 in base:plate 54 forming part of lateh-
carrying sec~ion 18 of the console. Screws, also not shown
fit in each of the bosses 48 to connect the dummy actuator
to latch-carryin~ section lB. The lock and actuator assem-
bly 20 also includes threaded bosses 58 ex~ending through
openings 60 in wall portion 26 (Fig. 6) and aligned with
openings 62 in base plate 54. Screws $4 are received in
the bosses 58 to connect asse~bly 20 to latch-carrying sec-
tion 18~ Rivets may~ of course, be used instead of screw-type
asteners where appropriate.
Latch-carrying. section 18 of ~he latching console
(see particularly Figures 2-4) may be held in place ~n the
interior of wall portion 26 by the connections ~ormed be~wePn
bosses 48 and SB and their respective screws. Wall portion
26 may be channel shaped as seen in Figure 7, and a rein-
:25 forcing insert 27 may b~ proYided.
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Section 18 of ~che latching console comprises the afvre-
mentioned base plate 54? which may be chann~l-shaped and
have openings 50 and 56 in one upright wall to accommodate
swiveling movement of the latches 34 and 36 between ~heir
latching and unlatching positions,
Latches 34 and 36 ~re each formed ~n their rear
sur~aces with a boss, 66 and 68 respectively, ~see Figures
2, 6 and 7) which fits in a corresponding opening, 70 and
72 respec~i~ely, in base plate 54 to rotatably mount the
latches sn the base plate. Adj~cen~ the respec~i~e bosses,
each latch has a part-circular hub or pulley portion 74 and
76, resp~ctively, Referring particularly to Figures 2a and
2b, it will be seen th~t hub protion 66 of la~ch 34 has a
flat upper surface 75 facing a parallel flat surface 76 at ~he
base o~ hook portion 38. Surfaces 75 and 76 define a channel
therebe~ween and a shallow rectangular recess or pocket 78
is ~onmed in the base Df this ch~nnel. It will be u~derstood
that the rear of latch 36, while not shown in detail, has a
corresponding channel and recess~ The front surfaces of each
of the latches 34 and 36 are formed with shallow cylincrical
.0 ~langes ~0 and 82, respPctively. Cantilevered leaf sprlngs
84 and 86 hold the respective latches in place on base plate
54 with central openin~s 88 and 90 in the respective springs
rotatably receiving latch flanges 80 and 82. The springs are
~f stepped form and haYe base portions ~2 and 94 through
~5 which th2y are attached to base plate 54 by means of screws
93 and 95 CFigures 3, 4 and 6..~ The front surfaces of latches
R19~(:)56
34 and 36 are further formed with shall~w depressions 104,
106 which receive ball detents 108, 110. Springs 84 and 86
have openin~s 112 and 114 adapted to catch the respective
balls 108 and 110 and releasably hold the latches when ~he
latches are swiveled tt> their latching and unlatching posi-
tions, respectively, see Figure 8. Springs 84 and 86 have
further openings 116 and 118 for passage of b~sses i~ and 48,
respectively.
Swiveling motion is transmitted between the la~ches
1~ by drive means preferably in the form of endless wire cable
120, which may be formed from a ~ire of fini~e length having
its respec~ive ends onnected by a crimp-type or other connec-
tion 122, The cable is twisted into a figure-8 configuration
and is looped symmetrically over the hub portions 66 and 68
1~ of the respective latches wi~h thP hub portions being received
in each case between sections of the cable defining the res-
pective loops. Further, the cable has male drive elements or
plugs 124 and 126 crimped or otherwise fixed on the cable.
Plug 124 fits in pocket 78 of latch 34 ~see particularly
Figures 2a and 5) and plug 126 its in the corresponding poc^
ket ~not shown) in latch 36 . The plugs 124 and ~ 26 accordingly
~orm a positive dri~e connection between cable 120 and the
respective latches, and ~he twist in the cable produc~s
swiveling movement of the latches in opposite senses respec-
:2~ ti~ely. Thus, as seen for ex~mple in Figure ~? when lat~h
34 is swiveled in a clockwise direction from the illu~trated
latching position to its unlatchin~ position in which it is
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received in base pla~e 54, ~wiveling m~vem~nt will be
~ransmi~ted through ~he cable 120 to latch 36, which
moves in the c~unterclockwise direction from the illus~
trated latching position to the unlatching position> in
which this latch is likewise received in base plate 54.
Roller guides 128 located in openings 130 in base plate
54 may be provid~d for guiding cable 12û.
Swiveling mo~Pment is imparted directly to latch
34 (and through drive cable 120 to latch 3~) by means of
~0 ~he manual actuator 44 fo~ming part Qf actuator and lock
assembly 20 and which will now be de~eribed~
Assem~ly 20 may inelude an integral member 132
having a housing por~ion 134 and a base pl te pro~ion 136.
The aforementi~ned bosses 58 project from ~he undersurface
~5 o member 132. Base plate portion 136 has on its upper
surface a cylindrical 1ange 138, and a bore 140 extends
through portion 136 and through a boss 142 projecting from the
undersurface of portion 136. The manual actuator includes
an actuator lever 144 with a depending post 146 received in
.`~0 bore 140 and a cylindrical recess 148 fitting over fl~nge
338. Post 146 is internally threaded, and a segment plate
1~0 is attached to the base of post 146 by a screw 152.
Segment plate 150 includes an upstanding tab 151 fitting
in a eut-away porti~n 156 of post 146, as best seen in Figures
S and 6, so that the segment plate is cons~rained to swivel
with the lever 144. Lever 144 and segment plate ~50 toge~her
define the manual actuator. As best ~@en in Figures 5 and 5a,
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the segment plate has a segment portion 158 extending
over a 90~ quadrant. Segment plate 150 fits in a circular
recess 160 in latch 34, this recess including a semicircular .
wall 162 t the opposite edges of which define a sem;circular
opening 163 in which the se~ment portion is received and
which edges are adapted to engage the opposite edg s of ~eg-
ment por~ion 15B respectively, as will be described.
IhP configuration of segment portion 158 and wall 162
is such that when latch 34 is in the latching posi~ion, as
~hown in Figure 5, and lever 144 of the ac~uator is in its
rest position (the longitudinal axis ~ the lever being
aligned wi~h the longitudinal axis o~ base plate 54) one
edge of segment portion 158 engages the edge a of wall 1~2.
If the manual actuator le~er 144 is now swiveled in a
clockwise direction, segment portion 158 causes latch 34
also to swivel in a clockwise diree~ion by engagemen~ o~
segment protion 158 and edge a of wall 162. (Corresponding
counterclockwise rotation is impart~d to iatch 36 through
cable 120.) W~en 'latch 34 has swiveled through 90 to the
ulllatched position shown in Figure 5a, the actuator may be
returned to the rest position by ~irtue of the relative lengths
of the ares of segment portion 158 and opening 163, During
such movement s~gment portion 158 moves away from edge a of
wall 162. The manual actuat~r lever 144 can thus be retuxned
.25 to ~he rest position illustrated in Figure 5a while latch 34
is retained in the unlatching position shown in that igure.
In the ~onditi~n sh~wm in Figure 5a, segment portion 158
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enga~es edge b of wall 162. It will be appreciated, ~hat
in order to mc~ve the latch from the unlatching, positic:n to
the latching position, the actuator le~er 144 is swiYeled from
the Figure 5a condition in a counterclockwi~e direction,
retuxning latch 34 to the position shown in Figllre 5 . ' :By
virtue of the configuration of segment portion 158 and wall
162 9 ~he ac~uator may again be returned tQ the rest position
without disturbing latch 34. Thus, a lost motion eonne tion
is formed between the actuator and ~he latch whereby the la~ch
is swiveled generally in the plane of the latching console
between its latching and unl~tching positions by means of an
actuator lever which swivels in a parallel plane and can
be returned to i~s rest posit~ on independently of the ~atch.
It will also be apparen~ that in ~he unlatching position,
latches 34 and 36 are received within base plate 54 and are
therefore concealed behind wall p~rtion 26 of the ease, while
in the iatching position, the latches are projected from
wall portion 26 to engage with hasps 16.
The actuator is preferablg provided with means for
~0 biasing the actuator to return to t~e rest position when
it has been swiveled in either direction to ope~ate ~h~
latches. This means includes a coil spring, 164, of the
"scissors" type, the opposite ends of w~ich are bent to
form spaced, generally radial limbs 166 and 168, the spring
being received in an annular space defined between post 146
and flange 138. Further, flange 138 has an internal projec-
tion 170, and ~ever 144 has a tab 172, projecting into reces~
14
148 and positioned sli~htly closer t~ the axis of post 146
than projection 170, Limbs 166 and 168 of spring 164 straddle
tab 172 and proj ection 170 when the actuator is in the rest
position as shown in Fi~ure 9. When ~he ctuator is swiveled
in either direction from the rest position, as shown in
Figures 10 and 11, tab 172 will move ~ne or other of ~he
limbs 160 and 162, ~hereby separating the limbs, tensioning
spring 164, and biasing the actuator to return ~o ~he rest
posi~ion.
~ Combination lock 46 may be employ2d to prevent the .
aotuator from being swiveled from th2 rest posi~ion ~when
latches 34 and 36 are in engagement with hasps 16) excPpt
when the lock is on rombination. The constructis)n of the
com~ination lock will now be described with particular
1~ referenee tc Figures 5, S and 12 - 16.
Lock 46 includes a casing comprising ~che previously
referred-to housing portion 134 of member 132 and a back
cover plate 174 attached to posts 176 on the ~ndersurface
o member 132 by screws 178 which fit in suitable openings
:~ in the cover plate ~not shown~ and threaded bores 180 in
posts 176. Internally of the lock casing there is proYided
an elongate plug or shaft 182 supported at its left-h2nd
end betwPen a projection 184 of member 132 and an upturned
end 186 of eover plate 174, At its right end, shaft 182 is
~5 supported between a raised central portion 188 of the cov~r
plate and a bearing port:~orl:. 190 of mem.~er 132 Shaft 182
carries combination sleeves 192, 194 and 196 situated ~etween
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resilient biasing means in the ~o~m of a coil spring 198
surrounding the left end of the shaft and an in~egral shaft
collar 200 adjacent the other end of the shaft. To the
right of shaft collar 200, shaft 182 terminates in a flat-
S tened nose p~rtion 202 ha~ing a curved end pro~ile as seen
in Figure ~. By ~his construction, spring 198 urges the
assembly of shaft and sleeves to the right as shown in
Figures 5 ~nd 6 so that nose proti~n 202 projects from the
housing portion of member 132 through a~ opening formed
between bearing portion 190 and cover plate 186.
CDm~ination sleeves 192, 194 and 196 each have a
serie~ of peripheral teeth 204 with one tooth being omitted
in each case. (See Fig. 18). The sleeves further have plain
portions absent of tee~h at their lef t and right end6 . CODI-
bination dials 206, 208, 210 encircle the sleeves, respec~ively,
and are coupled for roration with ~he sleeves by dial tee~h
212 meshing with the teeth of the respective sleeves. As
seen particularly in Fi~ures 6 and 14, the dial tee~h extend
only partway over the thiekness of the dials. On .their
?~0 exterior periphery, the dials carry a circumferential series
of combination indicia with det~nts therebetween which engage
the arms 213 (see Fig. 12) of a dial spring ~15 so that the
dials and sleeves can be indexed around shaft 182 into differ-
ent combination settings. The dials have peripheral por-
~5 tions -proj ec~ing in eonventional manner through openings
207~ 209~ 211 in an upper wall or faceplate portion 213 of
the lock housing. The lock housing further include~ a bridge
1~
member 217 (see Fig. 12) having a series of limbs 214 dis-
posed adjacent the respective dials. The bridge member fur-
ther.includes a series of blocking furmations 216 disposed
to align with the spaces deined by the omi~ed ~eeth of the
respective sleeves.
Shaft 182 is biased by spring 198 into a posi~i~n
in whirh nose portion 202 projects from housing portion 134.
Further, nose portion 202 defines a latch formation adapted
to engage a complemeIItary catch formation f~nned a~ the free
~Q end of lever 144 ~en the lever is in the rest posi~ion. For
this purpose, the free end of lever 144 is foxmed as a cam
surface 218 complementary to the profile of nose portion 202,
which forms a cooperative cam surf ace .
In the rest position o~ lever 144, the longi~udina~
is of the le~7er aligns with the ~ ongitudinal axis of shaft
182 and the cam surfaces on the lever and on nose portion
20~ are in mating engagement whereby lever 144 is held in the
rest position.
When the dials and sleeves of the lock are set on com-
~ bination, the condition is such that the space defined by the
omitted teeth of each of the slee~es 192-196 aligns with the
blockîng formations 21~. In this condition, the lock is un-
l~cked and shaft 198 can be pressed to the lPft as sh~wn in
Fi~ures 5 and 6 a~ainst.the bias o spring 98. Accordingly,
2~ leyer 144 can be swiYeled from the rest position, such move-
ment being aceompanied ~y a ea~ming action be~ween the respec-
tiye c~m surfaces 202, 218 causing depression of shaft 182
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inwardly with respect ~o the lock casing against spring 198
to an unlatching position in which lever 144 is rele~sed
from nose portion 202 by camming shaft 182 to the le~t. When~.
however, ~he dials of the lock are of~ combination, one or
more of ~he sleeve teeth ~04 align with blGcking ormations
216 thereby preven~ing the shaft from being depressed to the
left agains~ spring 198. Therefore in this 9 the locked
condition of the lock, when lever 144 is in the rest posi-
tion in engagement with nose portion 202 (as is the situation
when latches 134 and 13~ are engaged with hasps 16), nose
portion ~02 cannot be moved to the left, and the lever 144
cannot therefore be disengaged from nose portion 202 by the
above described camming artion. This prevents the actua~or
from being operated, and the case cannot be opened.
1~ The lock also includes a means for changing thP com-
bina~ion to one of a user's own particular choice. To effect
a combination change, the lock must first be placed on com-
bination. Then the user moYes actuator lever 144 away from
its rest position and presses ~n nose portion 202 of shaft
182 to move it to the left with resPect to hDusing portion 134
beyond the unlatching position, to a position at which the
respective dial teeth 212 are di~engaged from the respective
~leeve ~eeth, and the d~als ~ay be turned relative to the
sleeves (the sleeves being held in position by the ~lockin~
~ormations 216), This condition is shown in Figures 16 and 17,
In the normal movement of shaft 182 when lever 144 is swiyelled,
shaft 182 does not mo~7e sufficiently to disengage the teeth of
18
the sleeves f~om the teeth of the dials. It will be noted
that the base pla~ portion 136 vf member 132 carries a
leaf spring 220 a~tached to the undersurface of the base
plate portion by a screw 222 passing through an opening 224
in the spring and into a threaded openi~g 226 in the base
plat~ portion. The spring has further openings 228 and 230
(Fig. 2~ for yassage of posts 142 and boss 58, respecti~ely,
A raised portion 232 of spring 220 ~its in a corresponding
opening 234 in ~he b~se plate por~ion, and the left end
portion 236 of ~he spring fits under nose por~ion 202 of
shaf~ 182 as shown partieularly in ~igure 6. Spring 220
is biased upwardly as shown in Figure 6 and during normal
c~mming movement of the shaft 18~ by the manual actuator
lever 144 nose portion 202 of the shaft rides on end portion
1~ 236 of the spring.
When the shaft 1~2 is depressed far enough into
housing protion 134 to change the combination of the lock,
as shown in Figures 16 and 17~ the nose portion moves beyond
the left end of spring 220, allowing the spring to flip up
:~D ~n~o the position shown in Figure 1~. The left edge of the
spring, in this position, forms a stop member which holds
shaft 182 in its depresQed conditi~n durin~ rotation of one or
more of the dials rPlative to ~he corresponding sleeYe or
sleeYes. When the combination has been changed, raised
2~ portion 732 of the sp.r;ng, which forms a release means for
the shaft, can be depressed so that the shaft snaps back to
the right under the influence of spring 198 into its normal
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opera~ing position, thereby brin~in~ the dials and sleeves
back in~o coupling engagement and setting the new combination.
It will be seen from the foregoing that ~he invention
provides a latching sy~tem particularly æuitable for use on
an article of luggage~ The sys~em employs a pair of spa ed
latches linked by a compact and relatively flat, simple drive
~ystem for swi~eling movement in unison and a readily ~cces-
sible actuator or operating the latehes in unison. The use
of ~n endless ca~le for ~oving the latches in unis~n avoids
~1~ the necessity f~r complex linkages which is of parti~ul~r ad-
vantage where the latches, operated by a single actuatvr are
relatively widely spaced apart. Thi ~orm of latch drive
system moreover permits of ready adaptation to different
~ize cases and facilitates adjustments to ompensa~e for
:~ hasp spacing tolerances.
Further, the invention provides a compact combination
lock arrangement for locking the actuator in position ~o inhibit
itæ unauthorized use, The.lo~-k and actuator may be loeated
in JUxtapositiorl to one side c~f a ceIltral carrying handle of
:20 a luggage article and ran be conveniently operated by a
user with one hand, while for example, the carrying handle
is held in the other hand,
While only preferred embodiments of the in~7entl0n have
been described herein in detail, it will be understood that
~25 the invention is not limited thereby and modifications can be
made -within the scope of the attached claims, Fcr ex~mple~
~9~(~5~
while a specific form o combination lock having an axially
moving plug has been discribed for locking the actuator lever,
other forms of locking mechanism may be used for this purpose.
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