Claims
- 1. In combination, a first panel having an outer surface, an inner surface and aperture therethrough extending in an axial direction between said outer surface and said inner surface and a latch flush mounted in said first panel, the latch comprising:a housing defining an upper terminating end and a lower terminating end along a longitudinal axis and an outer surface between said upper and lower terminating ends, wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of said housing adjacent to said upper terminating end is received in said aperture in said first panel and said upper terminating end is positioned substantially flush with said outer surface of said first panel when said housing is in a mounted position; retaining means for securing said housing when said housing is received within said aperture of said first panel, wherein said retaining means is capable of assuming mounting and mounted positions, said retaining means further including rotational position retaining means, axial position retaining means, means for substantially preventing movement of said rotational position retaining means in said mounted position, and means for substantially preventing movement of said axial position retaining means in said mounted position, with said rotational position retaining means and said axial position retaining means being movable in said mounting position and substantially fixed in said mounted position, said rotational position retaining means retaining a rotational position of said latch when said rotational position retaining means and said housing are in said mounted position and said means for substantially preventing movement of said rotational position retaining means in said mounted position substantially prevents movement of said rotational position retaining means in said mounted position, said axial position retaining means retaining an axial position of said latch when said axial position retaining means and said housing are in said mounted position and said means for substantially preventing movement of said axial position retaining means in said mounted position substantially prevents movement of said axial position retaining means in said mounted position, and with said rotational position retaining means in said mounting position being movable along said longitudinal axis and being substantially fixed against rotation about said longitudinal axis relative to said housing.
- 2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said rotational position retaining means comprises a retaining washer having a non-circular shaped aperture therethrough received onto at least a portion of said outer surface of said housing having a non-circular shaped cross-section.
- 3. A combination according to claim 2, wherein said axial position retaining means comprises a retaining nut having a substantially circular aperture therethrough defining an annular wall having a series of threads therein received onto at least a portion of said outer surface of said housing having a series of corresponding threads formed therein.
- 4. A combination according to claim 3, wherein said means for substantially preventing movement of either said retaining washer or said retaining nut in said mounted position comprises at least one fastening member.
- 5. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said housing further includes an opening within said upper end into which said actuating means is received so that said actuating means is confined within said housing.
- 6. A latch adapted for mounting in a closure member having an outer surface, an inner surface and an aperture extending in an axial direction through said outer surface and said inner surface, the latch comprising:a housing generally elongated and adapted for mounting in the aperture of the closure member and defining an upper end and a lower end; a first retaining member having an aperture therethrough defining at least one retaining surface and encircling a first portion of said housing wherein said first portion of said housing in cross-section comprises a latch retaining surface substantially corresponding in configuration to said at least one retaining surface of said aperture of said first retaining member, whereby said first retaining member is adjustable in a longitudinal direction of said first portion of said housing and is substantially fixed against rotation relative to said first portion of said housing; a second retaining member having a threaded aperture therethrough and encircling a second portion of said housing having a threaded outer surface, whereby said second retaining member is rotatable relative to said housing for adjusting a position of said second retaining member in a longitudinal direction of said second portion of said housing; means for substantially preventing movement of said first retaining member; and means for substantially preventing movement of said second retaining member, whereby said means for substantially preventing movement of said first retaining member and said means for substantially preventing movement of said second retaining member fixedly secure said first and second retaining members relative to the closure member when the latch is mounted to the closure member with said upper end thereof flush with the outer surface of the closure member.
- 7. A latch according to claim 6, wherein said first portion of said housing comprises at least a section of said second portion of said housing.
- 8. A method for mounting a latch in a panel, the panel having an outer surface, an inner surface and an aperture therethrough, said method comprising the steps ofproviding a latch comprising a first retaining member having an aperture therethrough defining at least one retaining surface, a second retaining member having a threaded aperture therethrough, a housing having an upper terminating end, a lower terminating end and an outer surface, with said outer surface having a first portion defining a substantially threaded section and a second portion defining a latch retaining surface having a cross-section substantially corresponding in configuration to said at least one retaining surface of said first retaining member; and installing said latch in said panel comprising: inserting at least a portion said outer surface of said housing into said aperture of said panel; inserting said first retaining member on said housing so that said aperture of said first retaining member substantially encircles said outer surface of said housing; inserting said second retaining member on said housing so that said threaded aperture of said second retaining member substantially encircles and engages said threaded section of said outer surface of said housing; adjusting a position of said first retaining member and said second retaining member relative to said upper terminating end of said housing by rotating said second retaining member and sliding said first retaining member in a substantially axial direction; adjusting a position of said latch so that said upper terminating end is substantially flush with said outer surface of said panel; providing means for fixedly securing said first and second retaining members relative to the panel once the latch is mounted to the panel; and securing said first retaining member and said second retaining member in said adjusted position on said latch by using said means for fixedly securing said first and second retaining members relative to the panel.
- 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said first retaining member and said second retaining member are secured in said adjusted position on said latch by fastening means.
- 10. A latch adapted for mounting in a closure member having an outer surface, an inner surface and an aperture extending in an axial direction through said outer surface and said inner surface, the latch comprising:a housing generally elongated and adapted for mounting in the aperture of the closure member and defining an upper end and a lower end; a first retaining member having an aperture therethrough defining at least one retaining surface and encircling a first portion of said housing, wherein said first portion of said housing in cross-section comprises a latch retaining surface substantially corresponding in configuration to said at least one retaining surface of said aperture of said first retaining member, whereby said first retaining member is adjustable in a longitudinal direction of said first portion of said housing and is substantially fixed against rotation relative to said first portion of said housing; a second retaining member having a threaded aperture therethrough and encircling a second portion of said housing having a threaded outer surface, whereby said second retaining member is rotatable relative to said housing for adjusting a position of said second retaining member in a longitudinal direction of said second portion of said housing, at least one of said first retaining member and said second retaining member having at least one hole; and at least one fastening member passing through said at least one hole and adapted to engage the closure member to thereby substantially prevent movement of said housing relative to the closure member when the latch is mounted to the closure member.
- 11. The method for mounting a latch in a panel according to claim 8, wherein the means for fixedly securing said first and second retaining members relative to the panel once the latch is mounted to the panel comprises at least one hole proved in one of said first and second retaining members and at least one fastening member passing through said at least one hole.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/931,993 filed Sep. 17, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
29615837 U1 |
Feb 1996 |
DE |
WO 0031365 |
Jun 2000 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Trade Literature, “Wooden Furniture Lock”, Dzus Fasteners. |
Southco Latches & Access Hardware, Handbook 43, 1993, Section E, p. E1-E13. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/931993 |
Sep 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/345292 |
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US |