Abstract: An adjustable spring latch for doors of coke ovens or the like. The latch includes springs which urge the door into tight engagement with the jamb. The force exerted by the springs can be adjusted by turning a spindle. The latch also includes sight pins which afford a visual indication of the force exerted by the springs.

Abstract: A safety catch for a toggle latch of the type for fastening two members and including a base adapted to be coupled to one member. A draw bar is connected to the base with a free end for engagement with the other member. The lever is connected to the draw bar and the base and is shiftable to shift the draw bar between open and closed positions and unfasten and fasten the two members respectively. The safety catch includes a first resilient part having a configuration permitting it to be snapped onto a portion of the base. A second resilient part extends from the first part and is adapted to engage with one of the lever and draw bar to lock the lever and draw bar in position with respect to the base and prevent opening of the latch. The second part is resiliently shiftable away from engagement with the one of the lever and draw bar to permit opening of the latch. The toggle latch is designed with a slidable adjustment arrangement to accommodate dimensional variations.

Abstract: A gate latch in which a latch bar and/or latch body are adjustably mountable so as to allow repositioning thereof when such repositioning might be required, for example, as a result of misalignment of the gate structures due to sagging, etc. The locking bar may be provided with a plate fixed to a gate structure and have a plurality of paired apertures which are alignable with a pair of apertures in the bar. Thus, the locking bar may be adjustably positioned with respect to any given pair of apertures on the plate. The latch body may be adjustably mounted in a housing mounted on a gate structure. The housing may have portions which overlap the normal mounting flanges on the latch body. A pair of oppositely directed, opposed bolts may be threadedly mounted in flanges on the housing so as to cooperate with opposed surfaces on the latch body. When the body is to be vertically adjusted, one bolt can be loosened and the other tightened.

Abstract: A bolting arrangement, especially for coke-oven doors in which the ends of a two-armed bolt turnable about a central axis of a bolt support engage under pressure of a pre-stressed compression spring located between said bolt support and the door panel transverse portions of hook-shaped strikes projecting from a frame defining an opening in a coke oven wall covered by the door panel to press the latter against the frame. A fluid operated piston is sandwiched between the end of the spring distant from the door panel to compress, when actuated, the spring to relief thereby the pressure on the bolt support and the bolt carried thereby so that the latter may be easily turned about the axis and disengaged from the strikes.

Abstract: For automotive use, an inexpensive gasoline tank theft guard adjustably attached so that owner may integrate the guard or not by choice of a quick manual setting. The guard utilizes a gasoline fill-tube cover, a lockable body-entry panel, and the owner's key and perhaps his license plate for intercepting access to the gasoline tank when cover and panel are proximate and closed, and for protection against gasoline theft when entry panel is locked. By way of example, a pin (10, FIGS. 3-6), pivotally anchored inside gasoline fill-tube cover (6) engages a receptacle (9) in the trunk lid (2) when the lid closes (FIG. 5). Owner's key (1) unlocks lid to free pin. Anchor heads (4, FIG. 3) are concealed behind mounted license plate (7, FIG. 4) and are designed to frustrate tampering. Stability and rattle of the adjustable pin are controlled manually (FIG. 7) and automatically (FIG. 8). Pin (10) pivots manually aside to disconnect the system.

Abstract: The operating rod of an automotive door lock is provided with a connector member which, in turn, is engaged by a knob having a cavity to receive the connector member. The outside dimensions of the knob are larger than the aperture in the casing, thus preventing the knob from being depressed. The cavity in the knob is sufficiently large to permit the connector member and thus, the rod, to be in its advanced, or unlocked position, while remaining entirely within the knob. This arrangement permits one to pull upwardly on the knob thereby unlocking the door, but prevents one from manually depressing the knob or the connector member and thus, the rod, to thereby lock the door. A car key, however, can be inserted through the top of the cavity to urge the connector member and the rod to the retracted, locked position.

Abstract: A device for locking car doors with a motor and a reduction gearing and having the following construction; (a) a timer starts to work upon depressing a lock knob by a driver, whereby a relay is actuated, (b) the operation of the relay actuates a motor and rotates a sun gear incorporated in a casing, (c) friction plates installed opposite to each other are drawn into contact by energizing a driving coil in the casing, (d) as a result, an actuator works to turn, and lock knobs provided at the respective doors are operated through a linkage, thus locking the doors all together, (e) once the actuator moves to the door locking position, automatic stop switches are changed over and current to the aforesaid motor and driving coil is checked.

Abstract: A safety installation for locking and unlocking motor vehicle doors which includes an actuating knob arranged on the door inner side; the actuating knob is thereby constructed as sliding knob arranged on the top side of the windowsill.

Abstract: A latch suitable for use on the door of a walk-in refrigerator can be opened from the exterior thereof and in addition from the inside of the cabinet as well as by means of an electrical signal. The latch is provided with a vapor barrier to prevent flow of water vapor along that part of the mechanism by means of which the latch is operable from the interior of the cabinet, flow of water vapor presenting the danger of frost-formation in said mechanism which could adversely affect the operation thereof. Optionally, the latch is provided with a switch which is closed on operation of the latch to activate an external device such as a vent port or an alarm signal.

Abstract: For use with a reciprocating latch bolt or plunger having a transversely disposed slot, a thin elongate plate designed to fit in the usual space between the door edge and the frame and to engage in said slot to prevent the retraction of the latch bolt from the frame keeper, the latch bolt slot being of a width to accommodate the thickness of the plate. In a preferred embodiment the plate is made of 18 or 20 gauge sheet metal which is sturdy enough to restrain the retraction of the latch bolt yet thin enough to fit in the normal door-to-frame clearance dimension and on removal from the latch bolt to be carried in one's wallet or purse. The plate may be provided with a latch accommodating perforation near each end, with one of said perforations having a side opening thereto whereby the plate at this end is in the form of a hook, and each perforation has an inwardly extending projection or tab selectably engageable in said latch bolt slot.

Abstract: A car door lock control having a sliding protective sleeve that covers the door lock button when it is depressed in the locked position. The sliding sleeve is spring loaded so that it may be pushed down around the button allowing the button to be pulled up to the unlocked position.

Abstract: Actuator for automotive door lock consisting of a main body having a smooth cylindrical surface adapted to fit in a door sill opening and a threaded bore extending inwardly from one end for attachment to a threaded lock rod.

Abstract: A detent system is provided for releasably retaining a pair of relatively movable members of a lock assembly or other mechanism in one or more predetermined positions. The members are movable relative to each other to successively present a series of contiguous surface portions on one of the members in spaced, side-by-side relationship with a selected part of the other member. A hole is formed through the part, and a detent element is movably carried in the hole. The detent element has a rounded tip which is projectable from the hole for engaging the contiguous surface portions as the members move relative to each other. A detent receiving formation is provided at a location along the contiguous surface portions and is adapted to receive the rounded tip of the detent element when the members are in a predetermined relative position.

Abstract: A collar of suitable material, such as rubber, plastic, wood, metal, or the like, placed in surrounding association with a locking handle of an automobile door, of the type which extend vertically upwardly from the inside of the window sill of the door and which has an enlargement or knob at its upper end, the collar serving to convert such handle, when it is in "locked-door" position, to one having a side wall configuration of substantially uniform diameter throughout its height, such collar having an inside diameter smaller than the diameter of the enlarged head or end knob of such handle, but sufficiently large to slidably accommodate the shank of such handle and having an upper annular surface shaped to conform to the underside of the enlarged head of such handle.

Abstract: A device for securing the latch buttons of automobile door locks against tampering from the outside of the vehicle comprises a sleeve engaged upon the shaft of the latch button with a depression, or counterbore, in the upper surface of the sleeve for receiving the lower face of the button proper in the closed - pushed-down - position. The sleeve is preferably made of a plastic or metal material and may be provided with a roughened or knurled outer surface to ease lifting the latch button into the open position. A locking tab may depend from the sleeve and be engaged in a separate lock attached to the inner face of the automobile door.

Abstract: A closure which is releasably retained in closed position relative to a surrounding structure by inflation of a locking bladder, which preferably extends about the periphery of the closure and is partially received in opposed grooves in the closure and the surrounding structure respectively.

Abstract: A closure for a gasoline tank or radiator of an automobile having a permanent magnet for securing the closure to an adjacent portion of the vehicle upon removal so it will not be lost. The closure also includes a flashing light which is activated upon removal of the closure to remind a service station attendant to replace it.

Abstract: A vehicle door push button protector to prevent thieves or children from moving a locked push button to unlocked position.The protector comprises a pair of telescoping sleeves, the outer sleeve being securable to the door trim. The sleeves are relatively movable in an axial direction and include selectively interengagable members which permit the inner sleeve to be pulled from within the outer sleeve to a position preventing access to the door push button.

Abstract: A lock for use with a door having a latch which is adapted to be received in a notch located in the door frame can be utilized either as a permanently-installed lock or as a portable lock that can easily be moved to various locations. A planar member is adapted to be disposed between the door frame and the door when the latter is in closed position. A laterally extending tab is disposed at a right angle to the planar member and is adapted to be received in the notch. A pair of slots in the member are mirror images of each other and diverge away from a divider element that lies in a horizontal plane passing through the tab. Each slot is configured to present a plurality of seats for receiving a keeper pin adjacent the door, when the latter is closed, to present a dead bolt lock. By simply turning the member 180.degree. the lock can accommodate either a left or right-hand opening door with the opposite slot being utilized for each position of the member.