Abstract: A vehicle door lock system includes, interior and exterior handle assembies that are accessible, respectively, from interior and exterior sides of a vehicle door on which the door lock system is mounted. The door lock system includes a rotary latch that is configured to releasably engage a door-frame-mounted striker to "latch" and "unlatch" the door. The door is "locked" and "unlocked" by selectively enabling and disabling driving connections between the handle assemblies and separate release arms of the rotary latch. More specifically, locking and unlocking of the door are effected either by operating an exterior key cylinder, or by operating an interior sill button.

Abstract: A vehicle door lock system includes a rotary latch having an elongate housing with an end formation that is "inclined" or "tapered" so as to be wedgingly engaged, when "latched," by a correspondingly inclined or tapered wedge block component of an L-shaped striker assembly. As the rotary latch releasably engages the striker to effect "latching," the inclined or tapered end region of the latch housing cooperatively engages the wedge block of the striker to guide the latch into properly aligned engagement with the striker, and to maintain proper alignment of the rotary latch with the striker while "latched." By this arrangement, a strong, racking-resistant type of latched connection is provided that will assist in preventing undesired relative movements of a door and a door frame on which the latch and striker are mounted, respectively. Handle assemblies are connected to the rotary latch to operate the latch to effect "unlatching" of the latch and the striker.

Abstract: A lock for a sliding door includes front and rear housing members that clamp front and rear faces of a door panel adjacent an opening that is formed through the door panel. Aligned cavities in the front and rear housing members cooperate with the opening to provide a compartment that mounts a latch bolt member for forward and rearward movement. The latch bolt member has a rearwardly extending formation that projects through a hole formed in the rear housing member for selectively engaging structure located behind the door to releasably latch the door in its closed position. An operating mechanism connects with the latch bolt member and includes components that extend forwardly and rearwardly through aligned openings formed through the front and rear housing members to enable the latch bolt member to be moved forwardly and rearwardly between unlatched and latched positions, and to releasably retain the latch bolt member its unlatched and latched positions.

Abstract: Flush mountable latches and locks for industrial cabinets, tool carts, electrical equipment enclosures and the like utilize versatile housings of novel configuration together with push-to-operate handles that are pivotally movable relative to the housings to effect unlatching movements of spring-biased, pivotally mounted latch bolts. The lock-type embodiment has a locking mechanism that is mounted on the housing to selectively permit and prevent unlatching movements of its pivotal latch bolt. The resulting arrangement provides sturdy latch and lock assemblies that employ a small number of relatively movable parts that can be assembled, installed and serviced with ease. Improved features include the provision of a plural part handle assembly having portions that are configured to cooperate with a resilient, weather resistant boot that optionally may be interposed between housing and handle assembly components.

Abstract: A vehicle door lock system includes interior and exterior handle assemblies that are accessible, respectively, from interior and exterior sides of a vehicle door on which the door lock system is mounted. The system includes a plurality of rotary latches that are configured to releasably engage door-frame-mounted strikers to "latch" and "unlatch" the door, and a latch interconnection linkage for effecting concurrent unlatching of the rotary latches. The door is "locked" and "unlocked" by selectively enabling and disabling at least one driving connection between at least one of the handle assemblies and separate latch release arms that are arranged to operate a selected one of the rotary latches. In preferred practice, locking and unlocking of the door are effected either by operating an exterior key cylinder, or by operating an interior sill button.

Abstract: A lock or latch for a sliding or rolling type door includes front and rear housing members that clampingly engage opposite sides of a door panel adjacent an opening that is formed through the door panel. Aligned cavities are formed in the front and rear housing members that cooperate with the door panel opening to define a compartment within which a latch bolt member is housed for forward and rearward movement. The latch bolt member has a rearwardly extending formation that projects through a hole formed in the rear housing member for selectively engaging structure located behind the door to releasably latch the door in its closed position.

Abstract: A vehicle door lock system includes a rotary latch having an elongate housing with opposed ends that are tapered so as to be securely received, when "latched," within an elongate U-shaped striker assembly that has a pair of spaced, inwardly facing wedge blocks at opposed ends. As the rotary latch releasably engages the striker to effect "latching," the tapered end regions of the latch housing are wedgingly engaged by the wedge blocks of the striker to guide the latch into properly aligned engagement with the striker, and to maintain proper alignment of the rotary latch with the striker while "latched." By this arrangement, a strong, racking-resistant type of latched connection is provided that will assist in preventing undesired relative movements of a door and a door frame on which the latch and striker are mounted, respectively. Handle assemblies are connected to the rotary latch to operate the latch to effect "unlatching" of the latch and the striker.

Abstract: Flush mountable pulls, latches and locks for industrial cabinets, tool carts, electrical equipment enclosures and the like utilize a versatile housing together with other components of novel form mounted on the housing to provide a variety of desired features. Pull handles as well as latch and lock operating handles of a wide variety of types can be connected to the housing, as can a wide variety of latch bolt mechanisms that are configured to engage various types of strikers or keeper formations. The resulting arrangement provides sturdy pull, latch and lock assemblies that employ a small number of parts that can be assembled, installed and serviced with ease.

Abstract: Flush mountable latches and locks for industrial cabinets, tool carts, electrical equipment enclosures and the like utilize versatile housings of novel configuration together with a variety of types of handles that are movable relative to the housing to effect unlatching movements of spring-projected slide bolts. Locking mechanisms are mountable on the housings to selectively permit and prevent unlatching movements of the latch bolts. The resulting arrangement provides sturdy latch and lock assemblies that employs a small number of relatively movable parts that can be assembled and serviced with ease.

Abstract: A rotary latch has a U-shaped housing that is formed as a metal stamping having a base wall that connects spaced, parallel-extending side walls. A pair of opposed jaw members are housed between the side walls, are mounted for rotation betwen latched and unlatched positions, and are arranged to embrace and latchingly retain a striker as the striker is moved into a pair of aligned notches that are defined by the side walls. A "primary" one of the jaws is biased toward its unlatched position by a housing-carried spring. A "secondary" one of the jaws is arranged to engage a resilient bumper that cushions the action of the latch as the jaws rotate to their latched positions. When the jaws are latched, the primary jaw can be rotated in opposition to the action of the spring to a release position to initiate unlatching of the latch.

Abstract: A cabinet latch has a generally cylindrical body that is mountable on a closure panel or the like. A passage is formed through the body along a center axis, and opens through forward and rearward end regions of the body. Operating components are protectively nested within the body passage, including a primary operating element that is formed as a three-piece assembly including a generally cylindrical tool-receiving core and a pair of semi-circular sleeve halves that are journaled for rotation within the forward end region of the body passage. An elongate shank has a portion that projects from the rearward end of the body passage and carries a pawl. The shank and the pawl are rotatable about and movable axially along the center axis to position the pawl among unlatched, latched and latched-clamped positions for selectively releasing, retaining, and securely clamping the closure in a closed position relative to an associated cabinet or the like.

Abstract: A control button assembly for positioning an operating rod to "lock" and "unlock" a vehicle door lock includes a sleeve member and a button member. The button member has a hollow stem portion for threading onto an upper end region of the operating rod. The sleeve member is a tubular part that surrounds the stem of the button member. The sleeve member is mountable on a window sill of a vehicle door structure, with portions of the sleeve member extending through a sill opening to surround the threaded upper end region of the operating rod. The sleeve member has a plurality of integrally formed, resilient fingers that depend from the sill as they extend alongside the stem of the button. The fingers have inwardly turned tip portions that frictionally grip outer surface portions of the stem. The frictional grip of the fingers on the stem acts as a detent to assist in holding the button in its lowermost or "locked" position.