Lock

Claim 1

A BOX HAVING A LOCK COMPARTMENT THEREIN TOGETHER WITH A CLOSURE MOVABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID BOX, SAID LOCK COMPARTMENT HAVING A TOP OPENING THEREINTO AND A LATCH KEEPER ON SAID COVER MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF SAID LOCK COMPARTMENT THROUGH SAID TOP OPENING UPON RESPECTIVE CLOSING AND OPENING MOVEMENTS OF SAID CLOSURE, A LATCH MECHANISM DISPOSED IN SAID LOCK COMPARTMENT AND INCLUDING A LATCH LEVER HAVING A LATCH HOOK COOPERATING WITH SAID LATCH KEEPER, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID LATCH LEVER FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH HOOK INTO AND OUT OF LATCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LATCH KEEPER, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID LATCH LEVER AND URGING SAID LATCH HOOK TOWARD LATCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LATCH KEEPER, STOP MEANS ENGAGING SAID LATCH LEVER AND LIMITING IT TO PIVOTAL MOVEMENT FROM A FULLY LATCHED POSITION, THROUGH AN INTERMEDIATE LATCH RELEASE POSITION AND TO AN EXTREME LATCH RELEASE POSITION, A LATCH RELEASE MEMBER GUIDINGLY MOUNTED IN SAID COMPARTMENT FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND FROM SAID LATCH LEVER WITH ONE PORTION OF SAID MEMBER BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LATCH LEVER AND OPERABLE TO PIVOTALLY MOVE THE LATTER IN A LATCH RELEASING MOVEMENT TOWARD SAID LATCH RELEASE POSITIONS, MEANS MANUALLY OPERABLE FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BOX FOR ENGAGING ANOTHER PORTION OF SAID LATCH RELEASE MEMBER AND EFFECTING LATCH RELEASING MOVEMENT THEREOF, RETAINING MEANS IN SAID COMPARTMENT ENGAGEABLE BY SAID LATCH LEVER ONLY WHEN THE LATTER IS IN SAID EXTREME LATCH RELEASE POSITION AND RETAINING THE LATTER IN SAID EXTREME LATCH RELEASE POSITION, SAID RETAINING MEANS BEING A HORSESHOW MAGNET AND AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID LATCH LEVER BEING OF MAGNETIZABLE MATERIAL, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID MAGNET FOR OSCILLATION THEREBY ENABLING ITS POLES TO ADJUSTABLY AND EQUALLY ENGAGE SAID LATCH LEVER PORTION.