A foot pull for hands free opening or closing of a door, the foot pull comprising:
- a) a first vertical rectangular plate (102) having a top edge and a bottom edge, and the first vertical rectangular plate configured for attaching the foot pull to the door, and,
- b) a second nearly horizontal rectangular plate (101) that is angled upward from horizontal, and, attached along a first edge to the bottom edge of the first vertical rectangular plate, and,
- c) a region (104) along a second edge of the nearly horizontal rectangular plate, the second edge opposite the first edge of the nearly horizontal rectangular plate, where the region is treated to improve traction of a user of the foot pull by either serration of the region (104) or application of a stair tread tape to the region or by application of sand filled paint to the region or by etching or sand blasting to roughen the region, and,
- d) where the user engages the foot pull by placing their foot atop the nearly horizontal plate in the region treated for improved traction and pulling on the foot pull by moving their foot such that the door moves in the same direction they move their foot thereby moving the door in either an opening or closing direction without using their hands, and,
- e) wherein the first vertical rectangular plate is attached to a sliding actuator (1503) that is attached to the door, wherein the sliding actuator comprises;
- i. a rectangular outer housing affixed to the door having vertical and horizontal walls each with inner and outer surfaces, wherein the inner surfaces of the vertical walls of the housing are grooved, and,
- ii. a sliding plate that has vertical and horizontal edges wherein the shapes of the vertical edges match the grooves in the vertical walls of the outer housing and is mounted within the outer housing such that the sliding plate moves smoothly in a vertical direction and to which the foot pull is attached, and,
- iii. a first rigid bar having a first and second end, wherein the first end is attached to the top horizontal edge of the sliding plate such that the first rigid bar raises and lowers as the sliding plate is raised and lowered by the foot pull and the second end of the first rigid bar attaches to a linkage that engages a door latch, and,
- f) wherein the door latch is a conventional spring-loaded latch having an elongated handle and can be unlatched by applying an upward or downward force to said elongated handle, wherein the elongated handle is connected to the second end of the first rigid bar by a linkage, and the force transmitted by the first rigid bar is applied to rotate said elongated door latch handle to unlatch the door when the foot pull is engaged.