Self latching latch

A mechanism for, or included in, a lock or latch, the lock or latch being of the type which has

• a latch tongue which can move between a latching position and a free position,
• an operator for moving the latch tongue from the latching position to the free position, and
• means to bias the latch tongue towards the latching position,
• wherein the mechanism
• prevents the latch tongue from moving to the latching position when the lock or latch is separated from an associated strike,
• can be magnetically operated, when the latch is close enough to an associated strike for the latch tongue to engage the strike, so that the mechanism does not prevent the latch tongue from moving to the latching position, and
• prevents the latch tongue from moving from the latching position to the free position otherwise than upon operation of the operator.

A latch mechanism including

• a latch mounted to a first wing and
• a strike mounted to a second wing or a fixed member,
• the latch having
• a latch tongue which can move between a latching position in which the latch tongue can engage the strike to secure the first wing relative to the second wing or fixed member, and a free position which allows relative movement between the first wing and the second wing or fixed member,
• latch tongue biasing means to bias the latch tongue towards the latching position,
• latch tongue operating means to move the latch tongue from the latching position to the free position,
• a hold back member which can move between a first position in which the latch tongue is prevented from moving to the latching position, and a second position in which the latch tongue can move to the latching position,
• hold back member biasing means to bias the hold back member to the first position,
• a latch magnet associated with the hold back member, and
• latch tongue lockout means to prevent the latch tongue from moving from the latching position to the free position otherwise than upon operation of the latch tongue operating means the strike having a strike magnet
• whereby when the latch is close enough to the strike for the latch tongue to engage the strike the hold back member is caused to move from the first position to the second position by attractive or repulsive magnetic forces between the latch magnet and the strike magnet, thereby allowing the latch tongue to move from the free position to the latching position.