Catch with antirelease latch

Claim 2

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels one of which carries a strike, said catch comprising a plurality of connected members including a base member adapted for attachment to the other of said panels in alignment with said strike, an operating member supported for movement relative to said base member between open and closed positions, and a connecting member supported for movement into and out of engagement with said strike in response to movement of said operating member between its open and closed positions, respectively, one of said members having an opening therethrough intermediate the ends thereof, a latch element carried by said one member and extending through said opening, said latch element having one portion disposed on one side of said one member and another portion projecting beyond the opposite side thereof, and means supporting said latch element on said one member for both longitudinal and pivotal movement relative thereto between latching and releasing positions in response to application of pressure to said one portion, said other portion in said latching position being engageable with another of said members to releasably retain said one member against movement relative to said other member.

Claim 3

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting means includes biasing means for urging said latch element toward said latching position.

Claim 4

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 2 wherein said supporting means includes a pair of generally opposed spaced-apart tabs extending each toward the other, one of said tabs associated with said one member and the other of said tabs associated with said latch element, and wherein said biasing means comprises a helically coiled compression spring extending between said tabs and having each end thereof closely surrounding an associated one of said tabs.

Claim 5

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 3 wherein said one tab is laterally offset from said other tab, at least one of said tabs extends for a substantial distance into said spring, and said spring exerts a biasing force on said latch element in both said longitudinal and said pivotal direction toward said latching position.

Claim 6

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 3 wherein said one tab is disposed generally within said opening and said other tab is laterally offset from said one tab.

Claim 7

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 2 wherein said biasing means exerts biasing force in both said pivotal and said longitudinal direction.

Claim 8

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprises at least one bearing surface on said latch element for engaging one portion of said one member for longitudinal sliding and pivotal movement relative thereto and a cam surface on said latch member spaced from said bearing surface for engaging another portion of said one member.

Claim 9

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 7 wherein said other portion of said one member is defined by an edge of said opening.

Claim 10

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one portion comprises an operating button positioned generally adjacent the forward face of said one member and said other portion includes a pair of latch hooks extending from said one portion and projecting rearwardly through said opening, said latch hooks being spread apart rearwardly of said opening a distance greater than the width of said opening and coacting with said one portion to retain said latch element in functional assembly with said one member.

Claim 11

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said connecting member comprises a drawbar and said one member is said operating member and comprises an operating lever providing pivotal connecting between said drawbar and said base member.

Claim 12

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 10 wherein said drawbar comprises a plurality of connected parts including an inner part connected with said operating lever, a strike engageable outer part and an intermediate part providing connection between said inner and outer parts and said latch element includes a pair of spaced-apart latching hooks arranged to receive said intermediate part therebetween and latchingly engage one of the other said parts on opposite sides of said intermediate part in said latching position.

Claim 13

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 including means for deflecting said latch element from said latching position when said connecting member is in a strike engageable position and said operating member is moved toward its closed position to permit said operating member to be moved to its closed position.

Claim 14

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 12 wherein said latch element includes at least one latch hook for latching engagement with said other member in said latching position and said deflecting means comprises a cam surface on said one latch hook for coengagement with an associated edge of said other member when said connecting member is in said strike engageable position and said operating member is moved toward its closed position.

Claim 15

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opening is partially defined by at least one tab bent from said one member, said tab comprising said supporting means.

Claim 16

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other member is said connecting member.

Claim 17

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 24 wherein said other member is said base member.

Claim 18

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one portion is hollow and including a spring for biasing said latch element toward said latching position, at least a part of said spring being disposed within said one portion.

Claim 19

In a catcH for releasably connecting two separable panels the combination comprising an operating member having an opening therethrough, a latch element carried by said operating member and extending through said opening, said latch element including one portion disposed on one side of said operating member and another portion extending beyond the opposite side of said operating member, said latch element supported for both longitudinal and pivotal movement relative to said operating member, a pair of opposing spaced apart and generally parallel tabs each extending in the general direction of and laterally offset relative to the other, one of said tabs associated with said operating member and the other of said tabs associated with said latch element, and a helically coiled spring extending between said tabs and having each end thereof closely surrounding an associated one of said tabs, at least one of said tabs extending for a substantial distance into said spring to cause said spring to exert a biasing force in a direction transversely of said spring axis.

Claim 20

In a catcH for releasably connecting two separable panels the combination comprising an operating member having an opening therethrough, a latch element carried by said operating member and extending through said opening, said latch element including one portion disposed on one side of said operating member and another portion extending beyond the opposite side of said operating member, said latch element supported for both longitudinal and pivotal movement relative to said operating member, a pair of opposing spaced apart and generally parallel tabs each extending in the general direction of and laterally offset relative to the other, one of said tabs associated with said operating member and the other of said tabs associated with said latch element, and a helically coiled spring extending between said tabs and having each end thereof closely surrounding an associated one of said tabs, at least one of said tabs extending for a substantial distance into said spring to cause said spring to exert a biasing force in a direction transversely of said spring axis.

Claim 21

The combination as set forth in claim 18 wherein said spring exerts biasing force in both said longitudinal and said pivotal directions.

Claim 22

The combination as set forth in claim 18 wherein said one tab is disposed within said opening.

Claim 23

The combination as set forth in claim 18 wherein said one portion comprises a hollow button and at least a portion of said spring is disposed within said button.

Claim 24

In a catch for releasably connecting two separable panels the combination comprising an operating member, a latch member carried by said operating member for movement relative thereto between latching and releasing positions and including a hollow operating button portion protruding beyond one face of said operating member, said latch member and said operating member including a pair of opposing spaced-apart tabs one of which is carried by said operating member and the other of which is carried by said latch member, and a compression spring located at least partially within said hollow operating button portion of said latch member for biasing said latch member relative to said operating member toward said latching position, said spring extending between said tabs and having each end thereof retained by an associated one of said tabs.

Claim 25

In a catch for releasably connecting two separable panels the combination comprising an operating member, a latch member carried by said operating member for movement relative thereto between latching and releasing positions and including a hollow operating button portion protruding beyond one face of said operating member, said latch member and said operating member including a pair of opposing spaced-apart tabs one of which is carried by said operating member and the other of which is carried by said latch member, and a compression spring located at least partially within said hollow operating button portion of said latch member for biasing said latch member relative to said operating member toward said latching position, said spring extending between said tabs and having each end thereof retained by an associated one of said tabs.

Claim 26

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one member is said operating member.

Claim 27

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels one of which carries a strike, said catch comprising a plurality of connected members including a base member adapted for attachment to the other of said panels in alignment with said strike, an operating member supported for movement relative to said base member between open and closed positions, and a connecting member supported for movement into and out of engagement with said strike in response to movement of said operating members between its open and closed positions, a latch element supported on one of said members for movement relative thereto between latching and releasing positions, said latch element including a hollow operating button portion protruding beyond one side of said one member and another portion adapted for latching engagement with another of said members to releasably retain said one member against movement relative to said other member, said latch element and said one member including a pair of opposing spaced-apart tabs, one of which is carried by said one member and the other of which is carried by said latch element, and a compression spring located at least partially within said hollow operating button portion of said latch element for biasing said latch element relative to said one member toward said latching position, said spring extending between said tabs and having each end thereof retained by an associated one of said tabs.

Claim 28

A catch for releasably connecting two separable panels one of which carries a strike, said catch comprising a plurality of connected members including a base member adapted for attachment to the other of said panels in alignment with said strike, an operating member supported for movement relative to said base member between open and closed positions, and a connecting member supported for movement into and out of engagement with said strike in response to movement of said operating members between its open and closed positions, a latch element supported on one of said members for movement relative thereto between latching and releasing positions, said latch element including a hollow operating button portion protruding beyond one side of said one member and another portion adapted for latching engagement with another of said members to releasably retain said one member against movement relative to said other member, said latch element and said one member including a pair of opposing spaced-apart tabs, one of which is carried by said one member and the other of which is carried by said latch element, and a compression spring located at least partially within said hollow operating button portion of said latch element for biasing said latch element relative to said one member toward said latching position, said spring extending between said tabs and having each end thereof retained by an associated one of said tabs.