Two-part casing latching mechanism

A latching mechanism for a hinged container having an upper casing and a lower casing, each of said upper casing and said lower casing having a peripheral sidewall of a predetermined thickness;

• a latch plate including a latch keeper recessed in an inner peripheral surface of one of said sidewalls;
• an elongated latch pivotably extending from an inner periphery of the remaining peripheral sidewall, said latch having a cantilevered end in latching abutment with said latch keeper when said upper casing and bottom casing are in container "closed" condition;
• push button means extending outwardly from said latch through an aperture in one of said sidewalls and being operable for pivoting said latch to release the latching abutment of said latch end and said latch keeper and to allow opening of said container;
• wherein said remaining sidewall includes an inner peripheral recess, said latch having an opposed end opposite the cantilevered end and fixed in said recess and wherein inward movement of said push button pivots said latch along an entrance edge of said recess;
• and
• in which said recess is curvilinear in cross-section and extends linearly along a portion of said remaining sidewall and said latch opposed end has a cross-section matching and a width corresponding to the width of said remaining sidewall portion.