Latch mechanism

A door or window panel including a latch mechanism for securing the panel to a frame, wherein the door or window panel comprises a front surface, a back surface, and one or more edge surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, the latch mechanism including:

• a pair of first members, a first of the pair of first members being located in an upper region of the frame, and a second of the pair of first members being located in a lower region of the frame;
• a pair of second members, a first of the pair of second members being located in an upper region of the door or window panel and a second of the pair of second members being located in a lower region of the door or window panel, each second member being movable between an unlatched position and a latched position;
• and
• a controller comprising a handle,
• wherein the first of the pair of second members is brought into abutment with, or close proximity to, the first of the pair of first members and the second of the pair of second members is brought into abutment with, or close proximity to, the second of the pair of first members,
• wherein the second member is adapted to move from the unlatched position to the latched position under a magnetic attraction to one of the first members when the door or window panel is brought into a closed condition,
• wherein each second member is coupled to the controller via one or more linkage members, the one or more linkage members comprising one or more cables and at least one linking arm,
• wherein a locking member, being located in the upper region of the other of the door or window panel or the frame to the first of the pair of first members, or being located in the lower region of the other of the door or window panel or the frame to the second of the pair of first members, engages at least one of the second members to prevent the at least one of the second members from being forced from the latched position to the unlatched position by force applied to an end of the at least one of the second members, and one of the at least one linking arm actuates the locking member to disengage from the at least one of the second members,
• wherein the latch mechanism is provided with a tension adjustment mechanism adapted to adjust the tension in the one or more linkage members,
• wherein actuation of the controller results in moving the second members from the latched position to the unlatched position, and
• wherein slack is allowed to exist between the at least one linking arm and the second member when the second members are in the unlatched position such that, as the first and second members are brought into proximity with one another, the slack between the at least one linking arm and the second member is sufficient to allow movement under magnetic attraction of the second members towards the first members into the latched position.

A door or window assembly having a plurality of door or window panels, wherein at least one panel includes a latch mechanism for securing the at least one panel to a frame, wherein the door or window panel comprises a front surface, a back surface, and one or more edge surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, the latch mechanism including:

• a pair of first members, a first of the pair of first members being located in an upper region of the frame, and a second of the pair of first members being located in a lower region of the frame;
• a pair of second members, a first of the pair of second members being located in an upper region of the door or window panel and a second of the pair of second members being located in a lower region of the door or window panel, each second member being movable between an unlatched position and a latched position;
• and
• a controller comprising a handle,
• wherein the first of the pair of second members is brought into abutment with, or close proximity to, the first of the pair of first members and the second of the pair of second members is brought into abutment with, or close proximity to, the second of the pair of first members,
• wherein the second member is adapted to move from the unlatched position to the latched position under a magnetic attraction to one of the first members when the door or window panel is brought into a closed condition,
• wherein each second member is coupled to the controller via one or more linkage members, the one or more linkage members comprising one or more cables and at least one linking arm,
• wherein a locking member, being located in the upper region of the other of the door or window panel or the frame to the first of the pair of first members, or being located in the lower region of the other of the door or window panel or the frame to the second of the pair of first members, engages at least one of the second members to prevent the at least one of the second members from being forced from the latched position to the unlatched position by force applied to an end of the at least one of the second members, and one of the at least one linking arm actuates the locking member to disengage from the at least one of the second members,
• wherein the latch mechanism is provided with a tension adjustment mechanism adapted to adjust the tension in the one or more linkage members,
• wherein actuation of the controller results in moving the second members from the latched position to the unlatched position, and
• wherein slack is allowed to exist between the at least one linking arm and the second member when the second members are in the unlatched position such that, as the first and second members are brought into proximity with one another, the slack between the at least one linking arm and the second member is sufficient to allow movement under magnetic attraction of the second members towards the first members into the latched position.