초록 ▼

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-bia

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. Other improvements features include the provision of mounting hardware that readily adapts latch and lock units for mounting on structures of a wide variety of thicknesses, and simplifications that enhance the ease of assembly and improve the operation of components that are employed in the lock-type embodiment.

대표청구항 ▼

A flush-mountable latch, comprising: (a) housing means including a pan-shaped housing having a front wall, and having recess-defining wall formations that define a forwardly facing recess, with portions of the front wall forming a mounting flange that surrounds the recess; (b) the housing being form

A flush-mountable latch, comprising: (a) housing means including a pan-shaped housing having a front wall, and having recess-defining wall formations that define a forwardly facing recess, with portions of the front wall forming a mounting flange that surrounds the recess; (b) the housing being formed as a rigid, one-piece molded structure with the recess-defining wall formations including a back wall at the rear of the recess, with the back wall defining a rearwardly facing mounting surface; (c) threaded fastener means rigidly connected to the back wall at spaced locations, including two threaded fasteners located near opposed sides of the mounting surface; (d) handle means including a push-to-operate handle, and handle mounting means pivotally connecting the handle to the housing for movement relative to the housing between a non-operated position wherein the handle extends substantially flush with the front wall, and an operated position wherein at least a selected portion of the handle is pivoted inwardly with respect to the recess and toward the back wall of the housing; (e) opening means formed through the recess-defining wall formations of the housing to establish a path of communication between the forwardly facing recess and a region that is located behind the back wall, including an opening that is formed through the back wall and opens through the mounting surface at a location between the two threaded fasteners; (f) the handle means additionally including handle projection means for being rigidly connected to the handle for pivotal movement therewith, including structure projecting rearwardly relative to the handle for extending through the opening means, for extending into said region located behind the back wall, and for being moved within said region in response to movement of the handle between its non-operated and operated positions; (g) handle biasing means interposed between the handle means and the housing means for biasing the handle away from its operated position toward its non-operated position, with the housing means, the handle means and the handle biasing means cooperating to define a first spring-biased assembly; (h) housing bracket means for engaging the mounting surface of the back wall and for defining two spaced mounting formations that extend rearwardly from the back wall; (i) latch bolt means including an elongate latch bolt that has a central region that extends between the rearwardly extending mounting formations, and latch bolt mounting means pivotally connecting the latch bolt to the rearwardly extending mounting formations for movement relative to the housing bracket means between latched and unlatched positions, with the elongate latch bolt having opposed end regions that are interconnected by the central region; (j) latch bolt biasing means interposed between the latch bolt means and the housing bracket means for biasing the latch bolt away from its latched position toward its unlatched position, with the housing bracket means, the latch bolt means and the latch bolt biasing means cooperating to define a second spring-biased assembly; (k) securing means for threadedly engaging the threaded fastener means so as to clamp the housing bracket means into engagement with the mounting surface to rigidly connect the first and second spring-biased assemblies such that one end region of the elongate latch bolt extends into overlying relationship with the opening that is formed in the back wall whereby, when the handle is in its non-operated position and the latch bolt is in its latched position, the handle projection means directly engages the one end region of the latch bolt to releasably retain the latch bolt in its latched position in opposition to the action of the latch bolt biasing means, and whereby, when the handle is pivoted to its operated position in opposition to the action of the handle-biasing spring, the handle projection means does not obstruct pivotal movement of the latch bolt toward its unlatched position under the influence of the latch bolt biasing spring; and, (l) interengageable formation means carried on the handle projection means and on the one end of the latch bolt for permitting the handle to move to its non-operated position under the influence of the handle biasing means only when the latch bolt is in its latched position.