Lockable hinge structure

Abstract

A lock hinge preferably, but not exclusively, for use with a hatch cover structure for a transportation vehicle. The lock hinge comprises a latch bracket and a base bracket. The base bracket is provided with a pivot bar. The latch bracket has a saddle member defining a hinge seat with a mouth opening for receiving at least a portion of the pivot bar therein. The latch bracket further is provided with a latch member having a lever end and a gate end. The latch member is interconnected to the saddle member by a flexible plate whereby the gate end is displaceably positioned adjacent the mouth opening of the hinge seat to retain the pivot bar captive in the hinge seat to interconnect both the latch and base brackets. When secured to a hatch cover, which normally closes the hatch opening in a wall of the vehicle, at least one lock hinge is secured on a respective one of a pair of opposed sides of the cover.

We claim: 
     
       1. A lock hinge comprising a latch bracket and a base bracket; said base bracket having a pivot bar; said latch bracket having a saddle member defining a hinge seat with a mouth opening for receiving at least a portion of said pivot bar therein; a latch member having a lever end and a gate end; said latch member being interconnected to said saddle member by a flexible plate which is secured adjacent one end to said saddle member and adjacent an opposed end to said latch member, said gate end being displaceably held adjacent said mouth opening of said hinge seat by said flexible plate to retain said pivot bar captive in said hinge seat to interconnect said latch bracket to said base bracket, said gate end being displaceable away from adjacent said hinge seat mouth opening by .[.pulling.]. .Iadd.displacing .Iaddend.said lever end in a predetermined direction against the spring load exerted by said .[.leaf.]. .Iadd.flexible plate. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       2. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said saddle member is a flat rectangular member of rigid material formed to define a securable end section, an extension portion extending angularly from said securable end section, a leaf spring securement section integral with said extension portion and disposed substantially transverse to the plane of said flat securable end section, and a hinge seat section formed below said leaf spring securement section and disposed in the same plane as said securement face section. 
     
     
       3. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hinge seat is constituted by a tongue extending angularly outwardly of a central section of said hinge seat section and extending toward and end thereof, a side arm formed by said hinge seat section on each side of said tongue, said pivot bar being retained transversely between said tongue and said side arms. 
     
     
       4. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 2, wherein said latch member is a flat rectangular member of rigid material formed to define said lever end at an end section thereof, a leaf spring securement section intergral with and disposed substantially transverse to the plane of said lever section, a gate section formed at the other end of said latch member and having an inclined face section positioned in a lower portion thereof, said inclined face section protruding from a lower end of a curved section and extending away from said curved section. 
     
     
       5. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 2, wherein said latch member is a flat rectangular member of rigid material formed to define said lever end at an end section thereof, a leaf spring securement section integral with and disposed substantially transverse to the plane of said lever section, a gate section formed at the other end of said latch member and having a flat end portion extending substantially parallel to said lever section and slightly forwardly of the planar axis of said leaf spring securement section and an inclined face section below said flat end portion and a curved section upwardly therefrom and above and behind said inclined face section. 
     
     
       6. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 4, wherein said leaf spring extending substantially transverse to said securable end section of said saddle member whereby said inclined face section lies below said mouth opening of said hinge seat. 
     
     
       7. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base bracket is further provided with a stop member to prevent opening of the latch member during rotation of said latch bracket about said pivot bar. 
     
     
       8. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 7, wherein said stop member is a stop bar secured adjacent and below said pivot bar, the longitudinal axis of both said stop bar and said pivot bar extending substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
       9. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 7, wherein said base bracket is a generally U-shaped bracket having a bottom securable wall and opposed parallel side walls, said pivot bar being secured transversely across said side walls adjacent an upper end thereof, said stop member being a stop bar secured transversely across said side walls below said pivot bar and to one side thereof. 
     
     
       10. A lock hinge as claimed in claim 8, wherein said stop bar is spaced from said pivot bar whereby upon pivotal displacement of said latch bracket about said pivot bar, said stop bar will be closely spaced from a curved section of said latch bracket to prevent disengagement of said latch bracket with said pivot bar. 
     
     
       11. A hatch cover structure for a transportation vehicle comprising a hatch cover, a hatch opening in a wall of said vehicle, said hatch cover having at least one lock hinge secured on a respective one of a pair of opposed sides of said cover, said lock hinge comprising a latch bracket and a base bracket, one of said brackets being secured to said hatch cover and the other to said wall of said vehicle adjacent a respective one of said cover opposed sides, said base bracket having a pivot bar, said latch bracket having a saddle member defining a hinge seat with a mouth opening for receiving at least a portion of said pivot bar therein, a latch member having a lever end and a gate end, said latch member being interconnected to said saddle member by a flexible plate which is secured adjacent one end to said saddle member and adjacent an opposed end to said latch member, said gate end being displaceably held adjacent said mouth opening of said hinge seat by said flexible plate to retain said pivot bar captive in said hinge seat to interconnect said latch bracket to said base bracket, said gate end being displaceable away from adjacent said hinge seat mouth opening by .[.pulling.]. .Iadd.displacing .Iaddend.said lever end in a predetermined direction against the spring load exerted by said .[.leaf spring.]. .Iadd.flexible plate. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       12. A hatch cover structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein said leaf spring is of a selected resilient force relative to the weight of said hatch cover whereby the lifting force applied to said lever end is substantially the same as the lifting force necessary to cause the cover to separate from the hatch opening. 
     
     
       13. A hatch cover structure as claimed 11, wherein said saddle member is a flat rectangular member of rigid material formed to define a securable end section, an extension portion extending angularly from said securable end section, a leaf spring securement section integral with said extension portion and disposed substantially transverse to the plane of said flat securable end section, and a hinge seat section formed below said leaf spring securement section and disposed in the same plane as said securement face section, said hinge seat is constituted by a tongue extending angularly outwardly of a central section of said hinge seat section and extending toward an end thereof, a side arm formed by said hinge seat section on each side of said tongue, said pivot bar being retained transversely between said tongue and said side arms, said securable end section of said saddle member being secured to a top wall of said hatch cover adjacent one of said opposed sides, said base bracket being secured to said wall of said vehicle adjacent a respective one of said opposed sides of said cover. 
     
     
       14. A hatch cover structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein a stop bar is further provided in said base bracket and secured adjacent and below said pivot bar, the longitudinal axis of both said stop bar and pivot bar extending substantially parallel to each other, said stop bar is spaced from said pivot bar whereby upon pivotal displacement of said latch bracket about said pivot bar, said stop bar will be closely spaced from a curved section of said latch bracket to prevent disengagement of said latch bracket with said pivot bar.