Toggle link latch

A latch for applying a clamp load between a mounting pin and a keeper, comprising:

• a rotatable latch handle operative to actuate the latch between open and closed positions of the latch which correspond to open and closed positions of the handle respectively whereby a clamp load between the mounting pin can be selectively applied or released;
• an over-center toggle linkage affixed to the handle;
• a latch arm affixed to said toggle linkage and having a hook at one end having a mouth adapted to receive the keeper and mounting pin attachment means an opposite end, said latch handle, said toggle linkage, and said latch arm being operative such that a portion of the clamp load applied between the mounting pin and the keeper by rotation of the handle forces the linkage toward the closed position when the latch and handle are in the closed position;
• and
• a mechanism for preventing the handle from closing fully when the mouth of the hook is not occupied comprising a lever rotatably affixed to the hook, said lever being spring-biased to a position where one end of the lever lies within the mouth of the hook when it is not occupied while a second end of the lever blocks the handle from fully rotating to the closed position by direct contact with the handle.

A latch for applying a clamp load between a mounting pin and a keeper, comprising:

• a rotatable latch handle operative to actuate the latch between open and closed positions which correspond to open and closed positions of the handle respectively whereby a clamp load between the mounting pin can be selectively applied or released by rotating the handle;
• an over-center toggle linkage affixed to the handle;
• a latch arm affixed to said toggle linkage and having a hook at one end with a mouth adapted to receive the keeper and mounting pin attachment means an opposite end, said latch handle, said toggle linkage, and said latch arm being operative such that a portion of the clamp load applied between the mounting pin and the keeper by rotation of the handle forces the linkage toward the closed position when the latch and handle are in the closed position;
• and
• a rod-and-cylinder slide mechanism comprising a cylinder affixed to the latch arm and a rod slideably received within the cylinder, said rod rotatably affixed to the mounting pin such that said slide mechanism provides lateral alignment of the latch arm with other elements of the latch as the latch is opened and closed.