Patents Examined by Clifford B Vaterlaus
  • Patent number: 6053544
    Abstract: A locking handle for a refrigerator includes a mounting element rigidly secured to a refrigerator door, a hand grip rigidly secured to the mounting element, and a latch attached to the mounting element. The latch has a catch movable between a locked position and an unlocked position and an actuator operably connected to the catch for moving the catch from the locked position to the unlocked position. The latch provides a positive lock which is actuated to an unlocked position with a manipulation separate from pulling the hand grip but has an actuator located near the hand grip so that it can be manipulated by a hand grasping and pulling the hand grip. In a first embodiment, the catch is integrally molded with the mounting portion and is laterally deflectable away from a retainer mounted beside the door. In a second embodiment the catch is a vertically extending spindle which is downwardly movable away from a retainer mounted above the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: White Consoldiated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Gunnar Alvring, Kenneth Andersson, Per-Olof Lindqvist, Andrew Moseley, Bo Nilsson
  • Patent number: 6053542
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a rotatable forkbolt that is latched by a detent in a primary or an intermediate secondary latch position. The detent is operated via an intermittent lever that is operated by a transfer lever that is actuated by inside and outside door handles via suitable mechanical linkage. The door latch includes a locking lever that disables the door handles from operating the intermittent lever when it is in the locked position. The door latch also includes a cinching mechanism that automatically engages the forkbolt in the primary latch position when the intermediate secondary latch position is reached. The cinching mechanism includes a link that has one end connected to a cinch pawl and another end connected to the latch assembly. The link pulls on the pawl to disengage it from a cinching gear to allow the cinching gear to return to the standby or home position during an unlatching operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Artur Jerzy Ostrowski, Joseph Leon Bastien
  • Patent number: 6050617
    Abstract: A lock for sliding door, window or like closure includes a drive member mobile in the longitudinal direction of the casing relative to the casing and includes an arrangement which cooperates with a complementary arrangement attached to the cylinder to enable the drive member to be moved in one direction or the other by means of the key and another arrangement which cooperates with a complementary arrangement of the sliding assembly to enable the sliding assembly to be moved by means of the key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Ferco International Ferrures et Serrures de Batiment
    Inventors: Gerard Prevot, Gerard Desplantes, Eric Alvarez
  • Patent number: 6047572
    Abstract: A docking station for use with a portable electronic device and a docking system including such a docking station. The docking station includes a stand alone body that is configured to receive a complementary portable electronic device and includes support electronics therefor. The stand alone body is preferably further configured to define a generally transverse pass through opening of sufficient dimension to permit a security implement to be passed wholly through said body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Robert Paul Bliven, Ralph Waldo Kinser, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6045168
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch mechanism (10) having an improved double lock assembly (34). The present double lock assembly (34) is disposed between the latch handle assembly (30) and the latching assembly (26). In the un-double locked configuration, the double lock (34) allows motion transfer from the latch handle assembly (30) to the latching assembly (26) by extending the secondary intermittent member (36). In the double locked configuration, the double lock (34) retracts the secondary intermittent member (36) to prevent motion transfer between the latch handle assembly (30) and the latching assembly (26), preventing any unlatching of the door (12) even if the lock assembly (32) is in the unlocked configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Johnson, Joseph D. Cranston
  • Patent number: 6042161
    Abstract: A flexible coupling is provided for a lock actuator and a latch assembly. The coupling is particularly useful for sliding glass doors and enables the actuator to be mounted to the door in an axially offset relationship with respect to the connecting member of the latch assembly. The coupling includes a male member that includes an outwardly protruding knuckle that is pivotally and frictionally received in the socket of a female member. The male member is connected to either the lock actuator or the latch assembly while the female connector is connected to the other of the lock actuator or the latch assembly. Rotation of the lock actuator results in rotation of both the male and female member thereby resulting in rotation of the connecting member of the latch assembly even though the actuator is disposed offset from the connecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Reflectolite Products
    Inventors: Petros Z. Mantarakis, Donald A. Becken
  • Patent number: 6038895
    Abstract: A motor-vehicle latch system has a latch having a locking element displaceable between a locked position and an unlocked position and a latching element actuatable in the unlocked condition of the latch to unlock the latch and ineffective when actuated in the locked condition of the latch. An outside door handle connected to the latching element is movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position and a key having a transponder can fit in a rotatable body carrying an electrically powered transponder reader that can read a code of the transponder of the key. An electrically powered electromagnetic coupling has one part connected to the body and another part connected to the locking lever and can be energized to close and couple the two parts together and thereby connect the body with the locking lever. An electrically powered controller connected to the transponder reader and the coupling can energize and close the coupling when the transponder in the key matches a predetermined code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Johannes-Theodor Menke, Klaus-Peter Reis
  • Patent number: 6036240
    Abstract: Two mating L-shaped steel sheet casing members in one embodiment for sliding doors are secured to a corresponding door and have overlying front walls in the closed state. Each member has a plurality of corresponding locking keeper elements. In the closed state the keeper elements are in interdigitated juxtaposed and preferably welded to the casing members via through optional bores in the casing members, or extend through the side walls of the casing formed by side wall sections. The keeper elements in one subassembly are slotted to allow for misalignment with the other keeper elements for receiving a locking bolt seal shaft. The keeper elements optionally have tongue projections for engaging a gap between the closed doors. An angle iron member shields the rear of the chamber below the lowermost locking element to protect the seal locking body. Other embodiments are disclosed and include cast assemblies with no weldments and a single casing and hasp for use with swinging doors or a rail car plug door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Tranguard Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Hamilton, David L. Stevenson, Terrence N. Brammall
  • Patent number: 6036245
    Abstract: A pivotal gate latch (1), including housing (2), in which a pivotal sleeve (8) and gate post embracing plates (9 and 10) are disposed for pivotal movement. A latching flange (11) is arranged within the housing that engages with an upper disposed detent or shoulder (21) formed in the pivotal sleeve, to secure the gate frame (P) in place and sustain it in a locked condition. Vertical displacement of the latching flange, either manually or through remote cables, permits horizontal pivoting the latch plates in either direction, after which time, if the gate is biased by associated springs or cables, the gate may be self-centering, and locked automatically by the return of the latching flange to the rest position within the shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: The Latch L.L.C.
    Inventor: Alan W. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 6036239
    Abstract: A door security arrangement with the frame member which is mountable in a wall alongside the opening edge of a door and has an elongate member slideably mounted therein, the member being substantially the same length of the door edge and being movable from a retracted position in which it lies within the frame member and permits the door to swing past it to an extended position in which it lies alongside and substantially against the inner face of the door and the arrangement including releasable means, located within the frame member which hold the elongate member in its retracted and extended positions and are operable by the normal door locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Inventor: David George Hammersley
  • Patent number: 6032989
    Abstract: A locking ring includes two semi-annular ring portions with a U-shaped cross section. The locking ring serves to retain an electric meter in its meter socket in a manner which is well known. Both ends of each ring portion terminate in housings, each housing having an axial lock receiving aperture therethrough. When the ring halves are brought together to form a complete circle, the clockwise-most and counter-clockwise-most housings slide over each other until their lock receiving apertures are in axial alignment. A barrel lock can then be inserted into each of the two sets of aligned apertures, to secure the locking ring against opening. When a barrel lock is removed from either set of apertures, the ring can be opened at that location and removed from the meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Inventors: Norman Binz DeWalch, Jeffrey Mark Davis
  • Patent number: 6032985
    Abstract: A latch device, which is especially adapted for an exit bar, incorporates a trigger assembly. When the latch device is retracted and released, as ordinarily occurs when the door is opened, the latch bolt is biased to an intermediate extended position. The trigger engages the rim of the strike plate which in turn releases a retainer arm and allows the latch bolt to project to an extended position within the strike thereby providing a latch function of high integrity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Harrow Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan D. Cutter
  • Patent number: 6032986
    Abstract: A door system for closing a doorway in a mine stopping includes a door hinged adjacent the doorway for swinging relative to the stopping between a closed position and an open position. A keeper is mounted in fixed position relative to the doorway. A latch mechanism is cooperable with the keeper for latching the door in its closed position. The latch mechanism has a detent portion and is operable to move the detent portion between a latching position in which the detent portion engages the keeper for latching the door closed, and an unlatching position in which the detent portion is disengaged from the keeper for allowing the door to be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Jack Kennedy Metal Products & Buildings
    Inventors: William R. Kennedy, John M. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 6030008
    Abstract: An adjustable lock latch is composed of a main body, two fastening plates, two rotary wheels, and a handle. The main body has two action rods provided with a projection. The fastening plates are provided with a first position confining hole and a second position confining hole. The rotary wheels are provided with a through hole and a moving block engageable with the projection of the action rods of the main body. The handle is engageable with the through hole of the rotary wheels and with the first position confining hole or the second position confining hole of the fastening plates, so as to actuate the moving block of the rotary wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Inventor: Po Han Chang
  • Patent number: 6024389
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a latching mechanism and stiffness adjustment mechanism disposed in a housing. The housing includes a fishmouth slot for receiving a striker. The latching mechanism includes a fork bolt that moves between a latching position and an unlatching position. The fork bolt has a throat that is aligned with the throat of the housing for receiving the striker when the fork bolt is in the unlatching position and that captures the striker when the fork bolt is in the latching position. An overslam bumper has an elastomeric portion located at a rearward end of the housing slot. The elastomeric portion engages the striker and biases the striker against a surface of the throat of the fork bolt when the striker is captured. The elastomeric portion is preloaded by the stiffness adjustment mechanism that includes a flexible portion of the housing, an expandable bushing, a nut that slides in the bushing for expanding the bushing and an adjustment screw that screws into the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Joseph Arabia, Jr., Donald Michael Perkins, Jeffrey Joseph Boucke
  • Patent number: 6019401
    Abstract: In a lock for sliding closures a covering plate forms an integral part of a sliding assembly. Fixing members include arrangements to receive complementary arrangements of the covering plate and to cooperate with the latter to guide the moving assembly when it slides relative to the wall and to hold it against the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Ferco International Ferrures Et Serrures De Batiment
    Inventors: Gerard Prevot, Gerard Desplantes, Eric Alvarez
  • Patent number: 6018969
    Abstract: A lock including a lock housing, a lock bolt rotatably mounted in the lock housing, an undulating end on the lock housing, a torque plate mounted on the lock bolt for rotation therewith, an undulating face on the torque plate, and a spring mounted on the lock bolt and biasing the torque plate into engagement with the undulating end of the lock housing with the undulating face of the torque plate in meshing engagement with the undulating end of the lock housing. A bracket is mounted on the lock housing, first wings on the bracket, and a key having second wings for engagement with the first wings when the lock is in an unlocked condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: McGard, Inc.
    Inventors: Daryl R. Haseley, Jeffery R. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6007120
    Abstract: A clamp ring includes an elongated band formed into the shape of an open generally circular ring with opposing first and second ends. A cam lever is pivotally connected to a first end of the band and a link has one end pivotally connected to the cam lever. The opposite end of the link is connected to the second end of the band such that pivotal movement of the cam lever will selectively draw the ends of the band towards one another to secure the ring in position on a container. A removable handle is provided to engage and pivot the cam lever 20 and includes a polygonal pin for engagement with a corresponding socket on the cam lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Inventors: Randall L. Vogt, Michael D. Hartley, Delmar R. Wiese
  • Patent number: 6007118
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a selectively engaged security lock that prevents a vehicle door from being unlatched by an inside door handle. The security lock overrides the door lock when the inside door handle is operated with the security lock engaged so that the vehicle door latch may be unlocked from inside the vehicle easily when the security lock is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Joseph Arabia, Jr., Donald Michael Perkins
  • Patent number: 6003910
    Abstract: Lock comprising a rotary latch and a pawl for retaining the latch; external opening control rod and internal opening control rod for acting on the pawl by way of an intermediate lever and an electric drive. The intermediate lever has one end connected to the pawl. The lever being articulated in such a way as to be able to pivot at least about two different axes forming an angle between them. A pivoting of the lever about a first direction permits the locking function to be performed, a pivoting of the lever about the second direction permits the child safety function to be performed, and a combined pivoting of the lever about the first and second directions permits the double-locking function to be performed, so that the electric drive has only to control two movements in order to execute the three functions: locking, child safety and double-locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Securite Habitacle
    Inventors: Patrick Dupont, Jean-Marie Lefebvre, Jean-Philippe Hochart