Abstract: A hatch latch with a peripheral top surface adapted to fit through an opening in a hatch has a rotatable axial shaft with a latch member toward its lower end, the shaft being partially enclosed in an outer housing and having a central cavity at its upper end surrounded by a groove in the peripheral top surface which makes the hatch latch waterproof by draining water to the periphery by one or more channels leading to an edge of the peripheral top surface. The cavity is adapted to contain a locking device for locking a hatch that needs to be both latched and locked or a plug to fill the top of the cavity when the hatch requires only latching. A bail, D-ring or the like is used to raise and lower the shaft between secured and latched positions and, to rotate the shaft between latched and unlatched positions.

Abstract: A fastener is disclosed for fastening together two sheets of metal having mutually aligned apertures defined by generally annular walls having a plurality of radially spaced notches therein. The fastener comprises a metallic tube having a plurality of outwardly projecting tabs positioned along chord extensions of the tube and sized to be seated in the aperture defining wall notches of the two sheets and bent off the chord extensions of the tube into locking engagement with the aperture defining wall notches to fasten the two sheets of metal to the fastener and thereby to each other.A method is also disclosed for fastening together two sheets of metal. The method comprises the steps of cutting similarly sized and configured apertures into the two sheets of metal with the aperture defining wall of each sheet formed with a plurality of radially spaced notches. The two sheets of metal are stacked together with the aperture defining walls of each sheet in mutual register.