Safety latch

A safety latch for securing an access cover on a machine for grinding waste, the safety latch comprising:

• an upper block mounted on the access cover;
• a lower block mounted on the machine;
• a threaded bolt rotatably secured to the lower block by a pin, the bolt being rotatable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the bolt securing the cover in place on the machine when the bolt is in the latched position;
• a wing nut threadably engagable on the threaded bolt for securing the bolt in the latched position;
• a switch mounted on the lower block and switchable between a closed state and an open state for respectively energizing and de-energizing the machine;
• and
• an interlock flag rotatably mounted on the upper block by a second bolt, a spring-loaded washer being provided between the second bolt and the interlock flag for frictionally restricting rotation of the interlock flag, the interlock flag being movable in position to selectively place the switch in either the closed state or the open state, the interlock flag preventing movement of the bolt from the latched position to the unlatched position when the interlock flag is moved in position to place the switch in the closed state, the interlock flag including a shoulder which obstructs rotation of the wing nut when the interlock flag is in position to place the switch in the closed state.