Universal sliding door handle and latch assembly

Claim 2

In a sliding door latch, the combination comprising: a latch housing integrally rigidly formed with a holddown element that projects forwardly from a forward wall of said housing, a selectively operable latch means mounted in said housing, and a rigid means adapted for rigidly securing said latch housing to a door stile with said holddown element in position to engage an aperture in a door jamb said rigid means comprising a handle integrally formed with a front flange against the inside of which flange said latch housing is disposed, said flange being formed with an opening therethrough that receives said holddown element, said opening and said holddown element having opposed surfaces adapted and arranged to hold said housing and handle against relatively longitudinal displacement.

Claim 3

A device as in claim 1 in which: said handle is formed with a rear flange laterally offset from said front flange and said housing has a rear wall, the spacing between said flanges being adapted to matingly receive the front and rear walls of said housing between said flanges when said holddown element is within said opening whereby to prevent relative lateral displacement of said housing and handle.

Claim 4

A device as in claim 1 in which: said handle includes a cover portion extending rearwardly from said front flange, and a base is mounted within said cover portion and said front flange of said handle to support said handle on the stile of a door, said base and handle having cooperating means for holding said base and handle against relative displacement, said base including a rear wall offset rearwardly from said front flange and abutting a rear wall of said housing to prevent relative lateral displacement of said housing and handle.

Claim 5

A device as in claim 3 in which: said cooperating means for holding said base and handle against relative displacement comprise a rear flange formed on said handle and a shoulder formed along one edge of said base, said shoulder being closed at both ends, said rear flange being matingly rEceived in said shoulder whereby the closed ends of said shoulder abuttingly prevent relative longitudinal displacement of said handle and base, said rear flange and front flange of said handle being adapted and arranged to prevent relative lateral displacement of said housing and said base.

Claim 6

A device as in claim 1 in which: said device includes a latch keeper adapted to be rigidly secured to a door jamb, and said rigid means includes a channel having rigid opposite end walls that is adapted to the mortised into a door stile, said channel having said latch housing rigidly secured thereto with a front wall of said housing in registration with an opening formed in a floor of said channel to dispose said holddown element within said channel and in registration with an opening in said keeper.

Claim 7

A device as in claim 5 in which said keeper comprises a rigid member adapted to be matingly received within said channel with limited vertical clearance between opposite ends of said keeper and said opposite end walls of said channel to positively limit vertical displacement of said channel and of the door on which said channel is to be mounted, relative to said keeper.

Claim 8

A device as in claim 5 in which: said keeper comprises a rigid member having a chamber adapted to receive said holddown element, said holddown element and said keeper having opposed confronting surfaces adapted to prevent raising said holddown element whereby to prevent unlatching movement of said latch means.

Claim 9

A universal handle and latch assembly for sliding doors comprising: a handle, a base and a latch cartridge, said handle being formed with a cover portion and a front flange, said base comprising an elongated framework that is adapted to be received within said cover portion and front flange to seat said handle on the stile of a door, said base being formed with a cavity adapted to seat said cartridge within said base with a front wall of said cartridge flush with a front wall of said base and abutting said front flange of said handle, said front flange of said handle being formed with a pair of vertically elongated slots, said front wall of said cartridge being formed with a vertically elongated holddown element protruding forwardly from said front wall to matingly extend through one of said slots of said flange to key said cartridge and said base against longitudinal displacement relative to said handle, said front wall of said cartridge also being formed with a vertically elongated slot in registration with the other of said slots of said flange, said cartridge internally mounting a latch having a hook portion that is swingable through said slot of said cartridge and said other slot of said flange.

Claim 10

A universal handle and latch assembly for sliding doors comprising: a handle, a base and a latch cartridge, said handle being formed with a cover portion and a front flange, said base comprising an elongated framework that is adapted to be received within said cover portion and front flange to seat said handle on the stile of a door, said base being formed with a cavity adapted to seat said cartridge within said base with a front wall of said cartridge flush with a front wall of said base and abutting said front flange of said handle, said front flange of said handle being formed with a pair of vertically elongated slots, said front wall of said cartridge being formed with a vertically elongated holddown element protruding forwardly from said front wall to matingly extend through one of said slots of said flange to key said cartridge and said base against longitudinal displacement relative to said handle, said front wall of said cartridge also being formed with a vertically elongated slot in registration with the other of said slots of said flange, said cartridge internally mounting a latch having a hook portion that is swingable through said slot of said cartridge and said other slot of said flange.

Claim 11

A device as in claim 8 in which: said handle is formed with an abbreviated rear flange, and said base has a rear wall whose opposite edges are formed with a pair of shoulders, each of said shoulders being adapted for alternative mating engagement with said rear flange whereby said base can selectively be reversely oriented with respect to said handle for mounting on either inside or outside doors.

Claim 12

A device as in claim 8 in which: said slots of said front flange are vertically aligned and of equal length, and said holddown element and said slot of said cartridge are vertically aligned and of a length equal to the length of said slots of said flange and adapted for congruent registration with said slots of said flange, whereby said cartridge may be seated on said base in either of two positions with said holddown element matingly extending through either of slots of said front flange and said slot of said cartridge in registration with either of said slots of said front flange for mounting the assembly on either a left-or right-hand door.

Claim 13

A latching device for sliding doors comprising: a pair of rigid hollow members adapted for mortise and tenon engagement, one of said meMbers comprising a latch mount defined by a rigid vertically elongate hollow mortiselike member mounting a selectively operable rotary latch means, the other of said members comprising a latch keeper defined by a rigid vertically elongate hollow tenonlike member having a rigid portion that is releasably engageable by said latch means upon actuation of said latch means when said pair of members are in mortise and tenon engagement, said pair of members having opposed wall portions adapted to prevent relative lateral displacement of said pair of members in a direction to unlatch said rotary latch means, said latch mount including a channel defined by an endless wall having a floor portion, said latch means being rigidly secured to a blind side of said floor of said channel, said latch means including a housing having a front wall positioned in registration with an opening formed in said floor of said channel.

Claim 14

A latching device for sliding doors comprising: a pair of rigid hollow members adapted for mortise and tenon engagement, one of said meMbers comprising a latch mount defined by a rigid vertically elongate hollow mortiselike member mounting a selectively operable rotary latch means, the other of said members comprising a latch keeper defined by a rigid vertically elongate hollow tenonlike member having a rigid portion that is releasably engageable by said latch means upon actuation of said latch means when said pair of members are in mortise and tenon engagement, said pair of members having opposed wall portions adapted to prevent relative lateral displacement of said pair of members in a direction to unlatch said rotary latch means, said latch mount including a channel defined by an endless wall having a floor portion, said latch means being rigidly secured to a blind side of said floor of said channel, said latch means including a housing having a front wall positioned in registration with an opening formed in said floor of said channel.

Claim 15

A device as in claim 11 in which: said latch housing includes an integrally formed holddown element on said front wall, said latch keeper including a chamber adapted to receive said holddown element when said latch keeper and said latch mount are in mortise and tenon engagement, said holddown element and said chamber having opposed surfaces adapted to prevent relative lateral displacement therebetween in a direction to unlatch said rotary latch means.

Claim 16

A device as in claim 12 in which: said latch engageable portion of said latch keeper comprises a forward wall portion of a second chamber of said latch keeper that is adapted for confronting said forward wall of said latch housing, said rotary latch means including a hook portion that is swingable into and out of engagement with said rigid front wall portion of said latch keeper.