US2412497A - Strike plate or door latch keeper - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1946. R. P. EDWARDS 2,412,497

STRIKE PLATE OR DOOR LATCH KEEPER Filed Dec. 13, 1944 INVENTOR.

Rich/men P. EDIYHRDS,

Patented Dec. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates specifically to a strike plate or door latch keeper; and it has general reference to a novel and more accurately and easily adjustable device, of strong and lasting nature, for engaging and holding the sliding door latch to prevent the door from oscillating and thereby prevent the latch from rattling when the door is closed.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved strike plate or door latch keeper having a body portion of about the same length as the ordinary strike plate or door latch keeper, in substitution for which it is to be used, and having a rigid lateral extension arranged to seat against the exposed surface of the door jamb in front of and in horizontal alinement with the usual latch keeper recess in said door jamb; in cooperative combination with a bracket extending across that portion of said strike plate or door latch keeper at and beyond the outer side wall of said recess, and having laterally extended portions in said recess and beyond the outer surface of said extension of said latch plate, respectively, and an actuating screw having screwthreaded connection in said rigid lateral extension of said strike plate or latch keeper and also havin swivel connection with said laterally extended portions on said bracket, whereby rotation of said screw will move said bracket in a straight line to different adjusted positions for accurate cooperation with the latch extending through said plate and into said keeper recess.

Another object of the invention is to provide a strike plate or door latch keeper having an opening for receiving the door latch, in combination with a bracket extendin through said opening, means interlocking said bracket with the inner side of said latch plate above and below said opening, and means for moving said bracket to and rigidly holding the same in different selected adjustments for engaging the door latch to prevent vibration and rattling of the door when closed.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawing, in Which- Fig. l is a plan view showin the concealed side of my improved strike plate or door latch keeper having the adjustable bracket mounted thereon and interlocked therewith for horizontal adjustment.

Fig. 2 is an outer side edge elevation of my improved strike plat or door latch keeper.

Fig. 3 is an outer side elevation of said strike plate or door latch keeper and the horizontally adjustable bracket mounted thereon.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the strike plate or door latch keeper on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, a portion of the door jamb, door and door latch being indicated by broken lines.

My improved strike plate or door latch keeper comprises a body portion l of about the same length and width as the ordinary strike plate or door latch keeper in substitution for which it is used. Said body portion i has a rigid lateral extension 2 arranged to seat against the bottom of a complementary recess in the exposed surface of the door jamb 3 in front of and in horizontal alinement with the usual latch keeper recess i in said door jamb. According to practice, the body portion of the usual strike plate or door latch keeper is attached to the door jamb 3 in a recess having a depth equal to the thickness of said body portion. The body portion I of my improved strike plate is arranged to fit and seat in the same recess. Thus, when the strike plate or door latch keeper is attached to the door jamb, the outer or exposed surface of said body portion l is even or flush with the surface of the door jamb.

According to my invention and as stated, the rigid lateral extension 2 is preferably seated in a complementary recess in the outer side edge of the door jamb, so that its outer surface is even or flush with the surface of said outer side edge. The extension 2 is formed with a screwthreaded hole about midway of its vertical length and spaced slightly from the adjacent body portion of the strike plate or door latch keeper. A notch or groove 5 is formed in the door jamb 3 opposite or in horizontal alinement with said screwthreaded hole, and opens into the latch keeper recess 4 in said door jamb. The body portion I has an openin 6 through which the usual latch bolt 1 extends into th latch keeper recess 4 when the door 8 is closed.

The part 9 of the strike plate or door latch keeper with which the extension 2 is formed integral and which is beyond the outer side wall of the latch keeper recess 4, is bent laterally beyond the plane of the body portion I to provide a horizontal groove or space 10, preferably of about the same depth as the thickness of said body portion l. A bracket is adjustably seated in said groove or space Ill against the outer surface of the bent portion 9, and has its outer surface even or flush with the outer surface of the body portion I. Said bracket comprises a sliding 3 part I I seated in said groove or space I as aforesaid, a laterally extended portion I2 in the latch keeper recess 4 of the door jamb, and a complementary laterally extended portion I3 outwardly beyond the extension 2 of the body portion I. A screw I4 extends through an unscrewthreaded hole in the extension I3, is screwed through the aforesaid screwthreaded hole in the extension 2, and is formed with a head I5 having a swivel connection with the extension I2 of the bracket. The head I6 of said screw is rotative against the bracket extension I3. It is evident that rotation of the screw I4 in one direction will move the bracket inwardly across the part 9 of the strike plate, and will hold said bracket in the adjustment and position to which it is moved; and that rotation of said screw in the opposite direction will move said bracket outwardly across said part 9 of the strike plate, and will hold the same in the position and adjustment to which it is moved by said rotation of said screw. The screw I4 extends through the notch or groove 5. The head I5 may be formed on the screw after said screw has been mounted in the screwthreaded hole in the extension 2, so that the parts will be held in close operative assembly. The extension I2 has ends I? projecting upwardly and downwardly beyond the upper and lower ends of the opening 6 and engaging closely against the inner side of the body portion I. This positively prevents said bracket from being loosened by action and operation of the latch bolt l against the outer portion of said bracket during closing or other movement of the door 8. Therefore, the adjustable bracket has interlocking engagement with the strike plate or door latch keeper, and is positively prevented from displacement by repeated opening and closing of the door. The screw I i with its inner head I 5 and outer head I6 closely engages the extensions I2 and I3 and the extension 2, and is frictionally held from displacement and accidental rotation.

From the foregoing, it is evident that my improved strike plate or door latch keeper attains all of its intended objectives and may be manufactured and assembled at permissible cost, may be originally attached to a door jamb, or may be substituted for the usual strike plate or door latch keeper by attaching screws passing through holes I8 in the body portion I in the same location as the holes for attaching screws in the usual strike plate. To make substitution, it is only necessary to form the notch or recess 5 and a notch for the extension 2, and then attach my improved strike plate by screws extended through the holes I8 and into holes in the door jamb. The bracket III2-I3 may then be adjusted in proper position to cooperate with the latch bolt 1 of the door to hold the door securely closed and prevent rattling. I contemplate such variations in the construction and arrangement as may be within the scope of equivalent limits.

I claim:

A device of the character described, comprising a-plate for attachment to a door jamb and having an opening for receiving a latch bolt and having a groove in horizontal alinement with said opening, a lateral extension integral with the outer edge of said plate and having a screw-threaded hole therethrough, a bracket seated in said groove in said plate and having one extension projecting through said opening and having a complementary extension outwardly beyond said lateral extension on said plate, parts on said one extension engaging the inner side of said plate above and below said opening, and a screw extending through and having screw-threaded engagement in said hole and having swivel engagement with both of said two last named extensions on said bracket for moving said bracket to and holding said bracket in difierent adjusted positions for cooperation with said latch bolt.

RICHARD P. EDWARDS.

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