Latch for bait bucket door

Claim 1

An improved latch means for selectively engaging and releasing an inwardly retractable access door to the interior of a container of the class described, which container has a front wall with an opening therein, an opposed rear wall and a connecting top wall interposed therebetween, which door is hinged to said front wall adjacent said opening and adapted to serve as a closure therefor, wherein said latch means comprises the combination of: an elongated strip having a mid-section and opposed ends integral therewith; said mid-section being relatively inflexible and having a longitudinally disposed guide portion and latching means adapted to engage cooperating means on said door; one of said ends comprising a protruding portion adapted to be engaged in longitudinally slidable relation in a cooperating aperture in said front wall adjacent said opening and being operable by manual pressure to cause retraction of said strip; the other of said ends comprising a relatively resilient extension adapted to bear in yieldable relation against said rear wall in such a manner as to urge said strip toward said aperture; said guide portion being engageable in longitudinally slidable relation with cooperating guide means protruding from one of the walls of said container; and said latching means being disengageable from said cooperating means on said door when said trip is caused to retract.