Handle operable two-point latch and lock

A rotary latch assembly, comprising:

• a) first and second side plates that, when extending in spaced, parallel relationship, each have a first hex-shaped hole formed therethrough extending along a common first axis that extends substantially perpendicular to the planes of the parallel first and second plates, and that each have a second hex-shaped hole formed therethrough extending along a common second axis that substantially parallels said first axis at a location spaced therefrom;
• b) first and second elongate tubular mounting means having each having a central diameter that is greater than are diameters of opposed end regions of the first and second mounting means, with the end region diameters of the first mounting means having been inserted into the first hex-shaped holes and expanded therein to mate closely with the first hex-shaped holes and to define expanded first formation means for establishing rigid connections between the first mounting means and the first and second side plates, with the end region diameters of the second mounting means having been inserted into the second hex-shaped holes and expanded therein to mate closely with the second hex-shaped holes and to define expanded second formation means for establishing rigid connections between the second mounting means and the first and second side plates, with said rigid connections cooperating to hold the first and second side plates in spaced, parallel relationship;
• c) at least one U-shaped formation defined by at least a selected one of the first and second side plates and configured to receive a suitably configured strike formation therein;
• d) rotary jaw means pivotally mounted on the central diameter of the first elongate tubular mounting means for being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, and for defining another U-shaped formation configured to receive said suitably configured strike formation therein, with the rotary jaw means being capable of cooperating with said at least one U-shaped formation to receive and retain said suitably configured strike formation in said at least one U-shaped formation and said another U-shaped formation when the rotary jaw means is in the latched position, and to permit said suitably configured strike formation to move into and out of said at least one U-shaped formation and said another U-shaped formation when the rotary jaw means is in the unlatched position;
• and,
• e) rotary pawl means pivotally mounted on the central diameter of the second elongate tubular mounting means for being movable between release and retention positions, with the rotary pawl means being operable when the rotary pawl means is in the retention position and when the rotary jaw means is in the latched position to cooperate with the rotary jaw to releasably retain the rotary jaw means in the latched position.

A flush-mountable, handle-operable two-point lock for mounting on a closure for releasably retaining the closure in a closed position by latchingly engaging a pair of suitably configured strike formations when the closure is in its closed position, comprising:

• a) flush-mountable front assembly means for mounting as a first modular assembly on a closure adjacent a mounting opening that is formed through a front wall of the closure, including:
• i) first housing means including a one-piece pan-shaped housing for being mounted on a closure adjacent the mounting opening, with the housing having a combination of back and side walls that cooperate to define a substantially rectangular, forwardly-facing recess, and with the housing having a substantially flat mounting flange that extends principally in an imaginary front plane 1) to perimetrically surround the forwardly-facing recess, 2) to closely overlie portions of a front surface of the closure's front wall that extend perimetrically about the mounting opening, and 3) to be clamped toward engagement with said portions of the closure's front surface to substantially flush-mount the pan-shaped housing on the closure;
• ii) with the back and side walls being configured such that the forwardly-facing recess has 1) a generally rectangular shape, 2) having a main back wall portion that is substantially flat and extends in an imaginary main back wall plane that substantially parallels the imaginary front plane, and 3) having a minor back wall portion that is substantially flat and extends in an imaginary minor back wall plane that substantially parallels the imaginary front plane and the imaginary main back wall plane at a location spaced between the imaginary back wall plane and the imaginary front plane;
• iii) a main back wall opening formed through the main back wall portion, and a minor back wall opening formed through the minor back wall portion;
• iv) handle means including an operating handle that is at least partially nested within the recess, and that is connected to the first housing means for movement relative to the pan-shaped housing between a non-operated position and an operated position;
• and,
• v) projection means connected to the handle and extending rearwardly through the main back wall opening for being moved by movement of the handle such that, 1) when the handle is in the non-operated position, the projection means is caused by its connection to the handle to be in a first position, 2) when the handle is moved from the non-operated position to the operated position, the projection means is caused by such movement to move from the first position to a second position, and 3) when the handle is moved from the operated position to the non-operated position, the projection means is caused by such movement to move from the second position to the first position;
• b) rear assembly means for mounting as a second modular assembly on the closure, for being connected to the front assembly means to clampingly draw the mounting flange toward engagement with said portions of the closure's front surface to securely mount the rotary latch on the closure, including:
• i) mounting bracket means including a mounting bracket for overlying at least a portion of the main back wall portion and at least a portion of the minor back wall portion, for bridging at least a portion of the closure's mounting opening at a location behind the back surface of the closure's front wall, for being fastener-connected to the front assembly means, and for defining back-surface engaging means for being clamped toward engagement with the back surface of the closure's front wall when the mounting flange of the first housing means is being clamped toward engagement with said portions of the closure's front surface;
• ii) said mounting bracket means having a projection receiving opening formed therethrough for being aligned with the main back wall opening such that said projection means extends through the projection receiving opening when said mounting bracket means is fastener-connected to the front assembly means, with said projection receiving opening having a first end and an opposed second end, and with said projection receiving opening further being configured 1) such that, when said projection means is in said first position, a rearwardly projecting part of said projection means is located near said first end, 2) such that, when said projection means is in said second position, the rearwardly projecting part of said projection means is located near said second end, and 3) such that, when said projection means is moved between said first and second positions, said rearwardly projecting part of said projection means moves along a path of movement that is defined by the projection receiving opening;
• and,
• iii) said mounting bracket means having a lock mechanism receiving opening formed therethrough for being aligned with the minor back wall opening;
• c) lock means including a lock mechanism having a body and a locking formation that is movable relative to the body, with the body having 1) a front portion that is mountable within the minor back wall opening, and 2) a rear portion that is configured to extend through the lock mechanism receiving opening in a sufficiently close fit to enable such portions of the mounting bracket means as surround the lock mechanism receiving opening to assist such portions of the first housing means as surround the minor back wall opening to maintain proper positioning of the mounted lock mechanism when the mounting bracket means is fastener-connected to the front assembly means, and with the locking formation being movable relative to the body of the mounted lock mechanism between a locking position located relatively close to said projection receiving opening, and an unlocking position located relatively farther from said projection receiving opening;
• d) latch means including first and second latch assemblies for being mounted on a closure at first and second locations spaced from where the operating mechanism means is mounted on the closure;
• e) link means for connecting with the projection means and with the first and second latch assemblies for concurrently unlatching the first and second latch assemblies in response to movement of the projection means from said first position to said second position;
• and,
• f) fastener means for connecting and clamping toward each other the housing means and the mounting bracket means to thereby clamp the back-surface engaging means of the mounting bracket toward a position of engagement with the back surface of the closure's front wall, and to clamp the mounting flange of the pan-shaped housing toward a position of engagement with said portions of the closure's front surface.