Remote-control door lock for a dog cage

Claim 1

A remote-control door lock for enabling release of a dog from a cage, comprising: control means secured to said dog cage for decoding a radio frequency signal transmitted by a remotely located transmitter and generating control signals responsive thereto; and, reversible locking means electrically coupled to said control means for locking and unlocking said door responsive to said control signals generated by said control means, said locking means including: a. a housing secured to said dog cage adjacent a door thereof; b. a latch bolt disposed within said housing, said latch bolt being extendable from said housing in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said latch bolt for engagement with an opening formed in said door when said latch bolt is in a first position; c. a first solenoid disposed within said housing, said first solenoid being electrically coupled to said control means and having a first armature coupled to said latch bolt for displacement thereof from said first position to a second position responsive to energization to said first solenoid, said latch bolt being disengaged from said opening formed in said door when in said second position, said first armature being disposed in parallel relation with said longitudinal axis of said latch bolt; d. a second solenoid disposed within said housing, said second solenoid being electrically coupled to said control means and having a second armature coupled to said latch bolt for displacement thereof from said second position to said first position responsive to energization to said second solenoid, said second armature being disposed in parallel relation with said longitudinal axis of said latch bolt; and, e. catch means disposed within a recess formed in a side wall of said housing adjacent said door for frictionally retaining said door in a closed position when said latch bolt is in said second position, until displaced by a dog from within said cage, said catch means including a ball-shaped member coupled to one end of a biasing spring for releasable engagement with a recess opening formed in said door.