Latch mechanism

Claim 1

A LATCH MECHANISM FOR A WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING A CLEANSING TANK HAVING A FRONT OPENING, A DOOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID TANK ADJACENT THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID OPENING AND MOVABLE BETWEEN A VERTICAL CLOSED POSITION ACROSS SAID OPENING AND A HORIZONTAL OPEN POSITION, STRIKE MEANS ON SAID TANK AT THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID OPENING, AND A RESILIENT SEAL ADAPTED TO BE COMPRESSED BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE TANK; SAID LATCH MECHANISM COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID DOOR, A HANDLE MEMBER INCLUDING A PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND OUTWARDLY FROM SAID DOOR, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID HANDLE MEMBER ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR CLOSING AND OPENING MOVEMENT OF SAID PORTION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE DOOR ABOUT AN AXIS ADAPTED TO EXTEND GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE PIVOT AXIS OF THE DOOR, A ROCKER MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR PIVOTABLE MOVEMENT ON AN AXIS EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE PIVOT AXIS OF SAID HANDLE, A CATCH MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID ROCKER MEMBER FOR PIVOTABLE MOVEMENT ON AN AXIS EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE PIVOT AXIS OF SAID ROCKER MEMBER AND INCLUDING A PROJECTING PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND FROM SAID DOOR FOR ENGAGING SAID STRIKE MEANS, MEANS OPERABLE BY OPENING MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER FOR RETRACTING SAID CATCH MEMBER FROM SAID STRIKE MEANS, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE MEMBER FOR PIVOTING SAID ROCKER MEMBER IN RESPONSE TO COMPLETE CLOSING MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER FOR CAUSING SAID CATCH MEMBER TO DRAW SAID DOOR TIGHTLY AGAINST SAID SEAL.