Handle operated draw latch with safety catch

In a toggle type draw latch assembly that has a base, an elongate operating handle pivotally connected to the base near one end region thereof for moving between an open position and a closed position wherein a portion of the handle is situated relatively near to the base, having a hand grip formed near the opposite end region thereof, having a drawbar pivotally connected to the handle at a location that is nearer to the one end region of the handle than to the hand grip, with the drawbar being pivotally movable relative to the handle between an extended position and a retracted position for engaging a latch-engageable formation to establish a connection between the latch assembly and the latch-engageable formation, the improvement comprising:

• a) safety catch means movably connected to the base for extending adjacent the handle when the handle is in its closed position, with the safety catch means being connected to the base at a location that positions the safety catch means beside a selected portion of the handle that is located between said one and opposite end regions when the handle is in its closed position;
• b) catch engagement formation means connected to the handle and being movable therewith as the handle pivots relative to the base between said open and closed positions, with the safety catch engagement formation means including a catch engagement formation that is configured for engaging and being releasably retained by the safety catch means when the handle is in its closed position;
• c) wherein the safety catch means 1) includes a catch member that is pivotally connected to the base for movement between latched and unlatched positions, 2) includes biasing means for biasing the catch member toward its latched position, 3) is operable to engage and releasably retain the catch engagement formation when the handle is in its closed position and the catch member is in its latched position, and 4) is configured such that, as the handle moves toward its closed position, the catch member is engaged by the catch engagement formation and is caused by such engagement to be cammed away from its latched position in opposition to the biasing action of the biasing means to permit the catch engagement formation to move into engaged, releasably retained relationship with the catch member when the handle reaches its closed position;
• and,
• d) with the safety catch means also defining first shackle engagement formation means for receiving the shackle of a padlock when the catch member is in its latched position, with the received shackle physically blocking movement of the catch member from its latched position to its unlatched position.

A handle operated toggle-type draw latch assembly for mounting on one of two members for engaging a latch-engageable formation connected to the other of the two members for exerting force on the two members that tends to draw the two members relatively toward each other and for releasably retaining the two members in joined relationship, comprising:

• a) base means including base structure for being connected to a mounting surface of said one of two members that are to be joined and releasably retained in joined relationship, for defining handle mounting means that extends away from the mounting surface, for defining safety catch mounting means that extends away from the mounting surface at a location spaced along the mounting surface from the location of the handle mounting means, with a first imaginary pivot axis being defined by the handle mounting means, and with a third imaginary pivot axis being defined by the safety catch mounting means;
• b) first pivot pin means connected to the handle mounting means at the first location and being configured to extend along the first pivot axis;
• c) handle means including an elongate handle having opposed first and second end regions, for defining pivot pin receiving means located near the first end region and extending about the first pivot axis to receive portions of the first pivot pin means to pivotally connect the handle means to the base means, for defining first and second stop formations located along the length of the handle between the first and second end regions, for defining a catch-engageable formation located along the length of the handle between the first and second stop formations, for being connected to the handle mounting means for pivotal movement relative to the base means about the first pivot axis in a "closing" direction of movement toward a closed position wherein the handle relatively closely overlies the mounting surface and wherein the first stop formation engages the base means to prevent further relative movement of the handle in said "closing" direction of movement, and in an "opening" direction of movement that extends oppositely about the first pivot axis toward an open position wherein the handle extends generally away from the mounting surface, and for defining a second pivot axis that extends transversely to the length of the handle in a direction that substantially parallels the first pivot axis but is spaced along the length of the handle from the first pivot axis;
• d) second pivot pin means connected to the handle and being configured to extend generally along the second pivot axis;
• e) drawbar means including an elongate drawbar for being connected to the second pivot pin means for pivotal movement relative to the handle for selectively being brought into engagement with the latch-engageable formation when the handle is pivoted to its open position, and for transmitting force to and establishing a joining connection with the latch-engageable formation when the handle is moved to its closed position while the drawbar means is engaging the latch-engageable formation, and for being pivoted to a retracted position wherein the drawbar engages the second stop formation of the handle;
• f) third pivot pin means connected to the safety catch mounting means at the second location along the base means and being configured to extend along the third pivot axis;
• and,
• g) safety catch means including a safety catch member for being pivotally connected by the third pivot pin means to the base means for pivotal movement relative to the base means about the third pivot axis between latched and unlatched positions, for defining a safety catch formation engagement means for receiving and releasably retaining the safety catch formation of the handle when the handle is pivoted to its closed position and when the safety catch is pivoted to its latched position, and including biasing means interposed between the base means and the safety catch member for biasing the safety catch member away from its unlatched position toward its latched position.