Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention is in the trcld of fnounting dcr~ioes t°or zatc~oz~~,
rr~eohanislns and in
particular mountings for eonwcntional latches used as cfosCCres 'for doors or
,gates on
fences or buxlding~.
13~.CKG1~~IJlV~p
A, GOmrraQn device used as a closure far gates and doers, is a movable latch,
typically
colnprisixlg two parts; a latch bracket znouz~.ted oa a doorjatrih ar femce
post, and a latch
pin rnoCaCSted on the door or gate. '~ he door or gate is secured 'hy placing
the latch pin into
the latch bracket thereby secClring the doer or gate, and preventing it from
opening
aanintentianafly. These types of latches are readily available, and can
Casually be installed
I S with basic lxazCd tools by persons of modest mechanical skill. ~xaxnples
oil such latching
naechaniszxCS are illustrated in IJ.S. Patent Nos. 4y93~9508 ('fhoa,.~)>
x,993,759 (Thc~mas~,
6,05,74? (l~oyle et al.~, 5,71b,o~41 ~~roves) and ~,f9~,~98 (~'ilkersotl).
While such latchc3 are in Gammon use, the prior a~: latching devices suffer
fr~m a
common prablerrl due to the fact that both the latch bracket and latch pin arc
designed to
be installed in a feed position on the door or ,date and the doorjamb ar fence
post.
'1'heretore, if there is any chazage in the xelati~%e position of the. d:aor
or gate aa~.d the
doorjamb or fence post, the latch laracket arid latcl3 pin are no longer in a
proper
orientation, maleing it diffietClt or even inappssit~ie to latch the door or
gate as desired. As
~5 doors atCd gates commonly ship rasxti.on over time, the probl~.n is thus
comrnan to doors
and gates making use of conventional latches.
Consequently, when using prior art latches mounted using standard methods,
every time
an adjustment of the xelative positifln afthe latch bracket and latch
pin.Portioz~ is desired,
3~ a person tnvst loosen the fasteners, manipCalate the ~SOSition of either
the latching or latch
r
i
i
t
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pin portions, and then re'-secure the fasteners. This lirnitatian of prior art
mounting
methods greatly increases flee di~cultv of the initaal installatian as well as
subscqueut
adjustment of the latch as is required v~rher~ the door or ,date sags or thE~
doorjamb or fence
post shift position as carz>mon:ly occurs ixz actual ease. In additis~n,
repeated re-installation
ref either the bracket or latch Isin requires creating new holes for
fasteners, which cala
result in unsightly damage to the strelcture to wlai~.h the latch is affixed.
Ulfi~sBAltY ~F'd"HF If"I'I~IVr
1D
Ixa view of the foregoing disadvantages irr~hcsrent in the lrnov~rn methods of
anounting of
laxahes laow present in the prior art, it is an object of tl~e present
invention to provide axx
adjustable latch mount that avercoxnes problems ~. the prior ftxv.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide suc&n ale
adjustable latch mount
that is readily useable with existing latch brackets and latch pins.
It is a further object o~ the present invention to provide such au adjustable
latch mount
that is inexpensive and that sia~pli~es the initial installations and
aligrvarzez~t of the latch
bzttcke~t and latch pin partiolls of a latch.
'., It is a. further ob3ect of the prescrlt invention tc> provide suc~ll an
adjustable latch fnount
j that is easily adjustable irl order to compensate far variations irx th.e
alignment Of the latch
snd bolt portioxls ofpric~r art latches as occul° aver tirrle,
~vvitl3ocat the need for rezz~or~a.l az~d
ZS reinstallation of tlae latch calnpalxents.
The invention provides, izl one embodiment, a formed plate. 'Yhc formed plate
of the Latch
mount comprises a flat portion with holes for accepting mataiatir~g hardware,
and that is
attached to the desired mounting sa~rfa~.e sucia as a doorjamh or fensx, post.
Cartvelliently,
3(1 the side edges ofttle farmed plate are bent to produce two angled tlan
yes, producing a track
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shape that maintains the latch gortion of a conventional gate latch in a.
substantially sere
position. hi this way the latch portion of a conventional gate latch is able
to slide up and
down in the latch mount, grad can thus readily compensate f4r variations in
the position of
E
f
the latch pizx portion of the gate latch, without hawing to remove the latc::h
mount.
c
The i~xtcl~ bracket of a conventitrnal latch is typically formed ii~orn sleet
material bent into a
U-shape with. the ends bent to t"orrn two flanges that serve as the mounting
points for the
latch bracket. because of this design, the latch bracket is solnewlaat
resilient in that the
bracket flanges cars be compressed together. Tht preselat invention takes
advantage of the
1 ~ design ~f a eanventional latch bracket to secure th~c latch bracl~et icy
the latch mount. 'lhe
latch mount is formed as an opervrxg slightly narrower than the width of the
flanges on the
iateh bracket. Thus compressing the hauges of the lath bracket together allows
the
braclrct tea he slid into place in the openirkg. ~Vkaezz the cors~p~cessing
force is released, the
spring-life action ofthe bracket: produces a bias fc~rc~e that acts against
the siries of the latch
I:5 mount opening, thus securing the latch bracket in position$ ~c~sahile
still allowing the latch
bracket to be pushed up or dowli in the mount as re~ui.
~Io~~t such latch Iarackets provide an open mouth with upper Et~~d lower
sloping portions to
guide the latch pin into the center for engagement with the latch hook if the
latch pizA has
20 become nlis-aligned. V6~ith the latch rrAourrt of the inventioa~, when the;
latch pin hits one of
these sloped portions, the latch itself will zxzove up or down a;~ required to
center the latch
grin, rather than. forcing the latch pin, and the attached gate, up csx
clovtm~ to ezagage the latch
hook.
2.5 The preseryt invention provia~ an improved method of i~nskallatiozz of
conventional gate
latches. Using prior apt latches, installation of conventional latches
requires that particular
atkention must be paid to the precise alig~mcnt of the latch bracket anal
latch pin, otherwise
the latch will either be difFcult to open and close, or the bracket and pin
may even fail to
engage altogether. 'V~atla the adjustable latch mount oFthe present invention,
the position of
30 tllc latch mount need only be placed ita ~u~ approximate position as the
latch bracket can
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slide within the latcJh rno~lt, thcrcl~y allowing for precise positiowin,~ of
~hc latch braciset
and latch pin after the Iatcl~. mount has been secured in plar.,e oar the
doorjarn'b or ~fencc ,post
or the tike,
S 'ire presart method provides are unproved method of adjusting a gate latch,
to compensate
far relative movement of flee latch bracket and Latch pin as fr~,uently occurs
aifer
ins~llation. In latches ixxstalled by prior art methods the locatiozz of fhe
latching and latch
pin ~porrions is ~xod, so that any change in the relative position of the
latching and latch pfn
portions requires partial disassemi5ly of the mounted pieces of the latch in
order to realign
the bracket and pin. This is both cumbersome and time~ming" and over rime
leads to
ever-increasing damage to the site of installation as z~ebv hale arc created
to re-anount tl~e
bracket ox piza.
in this v~ay, the present inventzo~z overrnrnes the Fimitations of the ~>rior
art gate latchi~ag
devices ~by providing an easier method of mounting a gate latch, as well as
providing a
device wl7.ich can be easily arijtasted froxr~ time to tune to ccnrspens~rte
for dif~'crer~.ces in
the alig_~?ment of the latching a~.~d retch pin portions of a conventional.
gate latch.
z~ ~E~cl~l~~rr ~ ~°» ~ -c~~e
While the inventian is elahned in the cozlcluding ~SOrtions hweof, preferred
embodiments
are provided in the accompanying detaiXed description which may be best
understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diags where like parts in each of the
several
~5 diagrams are labeled with Iike nt~bers, ar<d where;
Fig. 1A is a. front viersv arid Fig. 1B is a bottoxr~ vievcr of an adjustable
latch. mount.
Fig. 2r~ is a front vietu of the latch mount illustrating the latch mou~at
with a larch
30 bracket of a gate latch ~.vhere dimension "~1." is the vridth of the Iatch
bz~aclCet c~f a
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conventional gate latch and dirxlension "E3" is the width of the internal
opening in
the latch rnotant;
Fig. 2B is ~. top view ~cf the latch mount and latch bracakct o~ a gate latch.
The
arrows depict the siirection of the bias force "C'q protrided by the squeg of
the
latch bracket by ties internal edges of the fetch mount;
Fig. ~ is a front view of an adjustable latch motuit as ir~talled on a fence
post, and
showing the relati~re position of a latch pin as it would typically 17e
installed on a
It? gate. The latch braclcei: is not shown for ease of viewing the relative
position rrf
the latch mount arid latch pin;
Fig. ~A is a side view of the latch xxxount with latch h~-a.ckct installed,
where the
latch brecket is at the top of ttZe z~ange of ~~ver~erit;
l~
Fig. ~B is a side vie~rr ofrhe Latch anount with latch bracket installcdg
whet°e the
latch bracket is at the bottom of the range ofxnc~vemena.
13ETAILE3.) DE~~TIt.~ht ~F TAE ILL1;18 TEJD E ~l~ll~~ElITTS:
As illustrated in Figs. lA and 1L~, ire one embodiment, the adjustclble latch
mc~uxzt l
comprises a formed plate. ~~anveniezatly the latch r~otoaar~t 1 may be
Fashioned from sheet
rn.etal or the like. The latch rnaurat 1 further comprises a flat portion 2
axa~l edge portions
25 3; the ed~c portions 3 a~ bent inward. toward the center o~tbe plate thus
~orrning a iz~,clc
shape operative to receive a latch bracket S of a conventional ate latch as
illustrated in
Fig_ 2A_
The precise angle of bend in the edge portions 3 relative to the fat portion 2
is net
3~ critical, although the angle ~ formed between the flat portion ~ and each
edge portion ~
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masst be less than 90° so that the; latch mount 1 farms a track slxape
to receive and secure
the latch iaracket 5, yet great enr~ugh to leave sufficient space betureen the
ed,~e portions 3
arAd flat portion 2 to allow insertion of a latch bracket 5 of a gate latch,
as illustrated in
Fig. 2?3. Cozzvez~iezztlyy izz the zllustratecl embodiment, the angle fozTned
between the edge
portiozzs ~ and ~lat poxtiorz 2 is about 45°.
~,s illustzuted irz Fig. 2f! and Fi,~. ~E, the latch mount ~ t~al~~es
advantage of a. design
feature cozzzxxzs~zt ixz cozwerttisar~al latahe'a as part of the operation
ofthe invea~tivra. Typical
latches are formed from sheet metal, bear in such a way that the Latch bracket
5 forms an
open clip shage ? with bracket flanges on ether side. formally, it is the
bracket
flanges 8 that serge as the mo~antin~ structures for the latch braci~ct ~
rasin~ conventional
methods c~finstallation.
The present illveaation takes further advazxtage of the ol~ser~ratisszr that
with uaodez~ate
l~ force, the bxacket flaz~;es ~ can be squeezed tcagethe~r owin,~ tc~ the
flexible spring like
i
= nature of the materials from bvhich mast date latches are corrstrcrrted. As
showr~l in Fig.
2A the width "A" of the latch bracket ~, is slightly lamer than the inner
dirnensiorl '°B" of
! the latch rr~o-cmt 3. Thus, to insert the latch bracket ~ into tllc latch.
mount, the irastallcr
first squeezes the bracket flames ~ of the Latch bracket 5 todvards each
other. i~Iith the
2~0 bracket flanges ~ compressed, the v~idth of the Latch bracket ~ care be
reduced by an
amount sufficient to then allow the latch bxacket 5 to be fit ir~ta the inner
dimension "J~"
of the Latch mount 1.
.Els shown in Fig. 2B, once ixl place the relaxation of the bracket fLan~es ~
of the latch
25 bracket ~ creates a bias force "C" that forces the bracket flame:; ~
against the iruxer
surface ~ of the Iatah mount, t'nus keeping the latch bracket ~> substantially
in place. 'I'bis
bias force "C" is sufhaient to prevent the latch bracket ~ frcsrn. sliding out
of the mount
when the latch pin 1'1 is not engaged itt the latch bracket 5, ~~xrhile still
allowing the latch
bracket ~ to slide up and dowk-~ the latch mount :d iza order to
coa:r~pe~.sate foz~ differezaces
30 in the relative alinea~t of the: latch bxaclGet atad latch pint O~ poxtions
of the gate latch.
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7
It will be obvious to those sldlled in the art that the width of the ixuzer
dz~cr~ension '~>a'7 of
the lateh mount will be varied to acwmntc~date latch brackets of varying
sizes, and the
ix~ventipm is intended to include sll such variations.
.As illustrated in Fig. 2A, the latch mount ~ further comprises at. least one
tnountin.,g bole ~
througkz which fasteners can be inserted z~~ order to attach the latch mount 1
to an
-~~derlying st~rfaee upon which it is desired to attach the latch. bracket 5
of the gate Eatch.,
In the it]castrated embodiment two siaclZ rs~raunting; hales 6 are present.
1C? As illustrated in Fig. 3, the latcE~ mount 1~ is conveniently attached. to
a doox~arnb or fence
post ~d with conventional fasteners such as screws or'bol~ts or the like, as
appropriate for
the surface upon whiclx tk~e lat~:l~ lno~ant is to br: attached. 7CE~e latch
mour~.t 1 is placed
such that the track shape is oriented s-~abstantialEy vertically, snd in sub a
position that
the latch pixy ~'1 would lie a wvithin the range thrc~ugla ~vhicll the latch
bracket 5 may mows
where placed in the latch mount 5. zle a number of differart types of
fastenez~ well
kz~.own in the art may be used with the inventis~s~, aonve~aientl~r, by using
faste~aez~s which
block rnovemcnt of the latch bracket S, the latch bracket ~ of th.e gate latch
will be
prevented from sliding out c~f the latch rnour~t 1_ inadvertently, and will
serve the
additional purpose of preventing theft of the latch bz°acket from the
latch l~nount.
~0 Alternatively, if fluslZ mounting fastc~crs are desired, a screw 'I5 could
be placed at the
toll and bottom of the latch mount ~. to prevent the latch, bracket ~ from
sliding out of the
latch mount ~. and pz~event they: of the latch brac~et ~.
Tllustrated in Fig. 3 is a latch ~u.ount ~ secured to a fence post 1~ for use
with a gate 16.
~thcr locations of tl~e latch mount are possible and so the illustration is
not intended to
lianit the placement of a latch mount to fleet which is iEh~strated. It will
be readily
apparent that the mount will be useable i.a~ a nu~.n't5er of ~sthez~
applications and the
invention is intended to incl~azde those other uses as well.
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t~.s itrdicatcd above, the precise ;position ofthc latch mount I ~;an he
vallicd relative to the
latch pzz~ ~~ during initial ir~tallation. This will permit the i~~staller to
rnount the late
mount ixt such a position in anticipation of rnover~ea~t c~pected ofthe latch
pin relative to
the latch bracket over the tlimc that the latch is in use. Fc~r cxat7~ple,.s.s
it is expected that
gates cornmQnly sag over tic, the latch mount ~ could c~nT,~cuiently
hmnoursted such
that the latch pin 11 is near the top of the latch nxt~unt when firsi.
installed, as is allusixatcci.
in ~zg. 4A. Thus over tirrae, as the gate sags, the greatest amount of
;adjustment possible
of the latch bracket S of the gate latch, without rcquirirag rcrr~c~val and
re~attachrneat of
the latch mount is possible, as is sbo~~rn in P'ig. 41~.
1Q
- B:he typical latch laracket ~ i~cludcs as allustratecl in Pig. ~G,~ a wide
mouth ~0 tm receive
the latch pin 11 when the gate closes, and upper arad lo~rer slopzx~g
1~o2°tions 22s that
i guide the latch ~piaz 1I into the center of the latch bracket s ~to be
ercgaged by the latch
a hook ~~. t~d~ustrnent of' the ~Sositior~ of the latch bracket ~ is easily
achieved by the
1 ~ actzcn of closing the gate taking advantage of the presce of the sloping
portions ~~, 2~.
.A,s iilustxated in Pigs 4A, when she latch bracket is too high relative to
the latch grin 11~,
a
.. pushing the latch pin '1 ~ into tFac latch bz~~cket : with a suci~:nt
horizontal force ~.'? will
push can the lower sloping pc~rtacn 2.~ ~of the latch bracket ~ igl such a way
as to create a
i resulting force >t3. 'l:'he resulting fearcc 't3 will cause the latch
bracket to slide
dawnward within the latch rnowyt, such that the latch pirs 11 and Iatch
bracket ~ will mncc
again be zty a substantially prcspe,~ aliuent. ~ira~ilarly, as p'ig. 4~ shows,
when the latch
~brackct ~ is too low relative tea tire latch pin ~'1, pushing tl~e l~.tcb,
pizx into the latch
bracket with a sufficient horizontal force 12 dill push errl the ~~pp~r
sloping portion m2 of
the latch bracket 5 is such a way as to oreate a rcs~altizag force :1.3 tkiat
will cause the latch.
ZS bracket to slide upward within. the latch xna~unt, again res~.eltirt~,g i~~
a substantially proper
alignment of the latch pin 11 and latch bracket ~.
'thus, as caa~ be readily understood from the ~~aove desoription. and the
rLrawin~s, an
adjustable latch mount according to the present i~avention provides a
:birnple, inexpezzsive
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9
and reliable aggaratus and method for the installation end alignment o ~ date
latches s,s are
well known in the art<
Tlie fore~oin~ is coz~szdered ~.s illustrative only of the grixzcagl.es of the
invcnticrn.
Further, since numerous ch~~.~cs and rnodiftcations will readzly
oc~cu~° tc~ thr~se skilled in
flee art, it is not desired to li,~zt the invtion to the exact [ronstc-
ec;taor~ and operation
sl3own and desariksed, I-~ccc's~rf3ingly, ail such 5uitabae claf~a-~gew c~~-
rr~mdifacatior.,s in
scr~ct~re dr operatiozz that may he resarted to are intended to v~,l,~ wathin
the scnpc c~f the
claimed inventzoz~.
