Lever actuated latch assembly

A latch assembly adapted for mounting adjacent an associated closure of the type that can be shifted between an open position and a closed position, the latch assembly comprising:

• an outside housing having inner face and an outer face;
• a door latch disposed proximate a side of the outside housing and adapted to engage a jamb section of a door opening, the door latch having a door open position and a door closed position;
• an external lever handle having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is operably coupled with the door latch and the second end is pivotally mounted on the outer face of the outside housing for rotation of the external lever handle between a retracted position and an extended position;
• a plunger slidingly received within a plunger recess disposed proximate the inner face of the outside housing and operably connected with the latch assembly, wherein the plunger has a latched position and an unlatched position within the plunger recess and comprises a longitudinal slot within which a plunger cam surface is disposed;
• a resilient member operably coupled with the plunger and urging the plunger to the latched position;
• and
• a handle cam operably coupled with the first end of the external lever handle, wherein the handle cam is received within the longitudinal slot of the plunger and the handle cam comprises a cam surface juxtaposed against and in sliding relation with the plunger cam surface;
• wherein the plunger is maintained in the latched position when the external lever handle is in the retracted position by the resilient member, whereby the closure cannot be unintentionally shifted from the closed position, and the plunger is displaced from the latched position to the unlatched position when the external lever handle is displaced from the retracted position to the extended position by the cam surface of the handle cam bearing against the plunger cam surface, whereby the closure is free to be shifted from the closed position to the open position.