Improvements to latches for movable barriers or the like

An egress assembly configured for mounting to a moveable barrier and structure to releasably secure the moveable barrier to the structure, the movable barrier being movable between a closed position and an open position relative to the structure, the egress assembly comprising:

• a striker assembly and a latch assembly, the striker assembly configured to co-operate with the latch assembly, wherein the striker assembly is configured to be mountable to the structure, and the latch assembly is configured to be mounted to the moveable barrier;
• the striker assembly comprising a striker bolt, and a striker bolt housing containing at least a portion of the striker bolt, wherein the striker bolt is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, the striker assembly including a biasing means that is adapted to urge the striker bolt towards the retracted position, wherein when the striker assembly and the latch assembly are in alignment the striker bolt extends from the striker bolt housing adopting the extended position, and when the striker assembly and the latch assembly are out of alignment the striker bolt retracts under the influence of the biasing means into the striker bolt housing adopting the retracted position;
• the latch assembly being operable to retain the striker bolt in the extended position, the latch assembly comprising a keeper, a magnet, and a keeper latch member, the keeper having a latch face and a strike face, and the keeper being moveable between a first position and a second position relative to the magnet, wherein when the keeper is in the first position the strike face is engageable with the striker bolt, the magnet being positioned relative to the keeper to retain the striker bolt in the extended position when the striker assembly and the latch assembly are in alignment;
• and
• an actuator assembly including an actuator moveable relative to a depressed position, wherein when the actuator is pushed into the depressed position the actuator assembly actuates the latch assembly by engaging a first end of the keeper latch member to move the keeper latch member to a released position to allow the striker bolt to be able to move the keeper to the second position as the moveable barrier is moved towards the open position;
• wherein, in use, when the latch assembly is actuated, the striker bolt engages the strike face to move the keeper to the second position and allows the striker bolt to be movable to the retracted position under the influence of the biasing means when the striker bolt is out of alignment or substantially out of alignment with the latch assembly.

An egress assembly for a movable barrier, the egress assembly comprising:

• an actuator assembly and a latch arrangement;
• the actuator assembly configured to be mounted to an elongate frame extending between a first end and a second end, the actuator assembly including an actuator operative to be depressible relative to the elongate frame to actuate the latch arrangement, the latch arrangement comprising a latch assembly and a striker assembly, the latch assembly and the striker assembly configured to co-operate in latching engagement, the latch assembly including a magnet and a keeper that is movable relative to the magnet on operation of the actuator, and the striker assembly including a striker bolt that is movable between an extended position and a retracted position that is attracted to the magnet to adopt the extended position, such that when the latch assembly and the striker assembly are aligned a magnetic force between the magnet and the striker bolt causes the striker bolt to move to the extended position and the latch assembly retains the striker bolt such that the latch arrangement is in a latched position;
• wherein the actuator assembly and the latch assembly are mechanically connected and configured such that depression of the actuator and initial movement of the moveable barrier causes the magnet and striker bolt to move out of alignment which disengages the latch arrangement to allow the moveable barrier to move to the open position.