Latch

A latch comprising:

• a housing;
• a latching member;
• a latch actuating member for actuating said latching member and associated with said housing for both rotation and axial translation relative to said housing, wherein said housing includes an upper surface and a cavity within said upper surface, said latch actuating member further includes a handle having an outer surface and an upper end surface, wherein said handle is received within said housing cavity for axial translation between extended and retracted positions, with said outer surface of said handle being substantially received within said housing cavity and said upper end surface of said handle being substantially flush with said upper surface of said housing in said retracted position and said outer surface of said handle being substantially outside of said housing cavity in said extended position;
• said latch actuating member further includes means for actuating said latching member upon rotation of said handle, said latch actuating means comprises a sleeve within said housing cavity and attached with said handle for rotation corresponding with rotation of said handle;
• the latch further comprising means between said sleeve and said handle for attaching said sleeve and said handle, wherein said attaching means comprises at least one boss received within at least one cavity generally elongated along a longitudinal axis of said housing;
• and
• said sleeve includes at least one actuating boss engaging said latching member upon rotation of said handle for moving said latching member between latched and unlatched positions.

A slam latch comprising:

• a housing;
• a pawl disposed within said housing for movement between extended and retracted positions;
• a keeper engaging said pawl in a latched position;
• latch actuating means for selectively moving said pawl into said retracted position for unlatching from said keeper, said latch actuating means comprising a handle for movement at least axially between extended and retracted positions, wherein said pawl is moveable at least toward said retracted position of said bawl by engagement with said keeper when said handle is in said extended position thereof and said retracted position thereof for latching of said pawl and said keeper;
• said latch actuating means further comprises an actuator for selectively moving said pawl, wherein said actuator is at spaced separation from said pawl when said pawl is moved toward said retracted position of said pawl by engagement with said keeper;
• and
• said housing is generally elongated defining an outer surface, opposing upper and lower surfaces, a cavity within said upper surface and an opening within said outer surface extending to said cavity, said pawl being received within said opening in said outer surface of said cavity, said actuator comprising a sleeve generally elongated and received within said housing cavity, said sleeve having an outer surface, said handle being generally elongated and defining an outer surface and upper and lower surfaces, said handle being received within said sleeve cavity in said retracted position of said handle, said slam-latch further comprising means between said sleeve and said handle for attaching said sleeve and said handle, wherein said attaching means comprises at least one boss received within at least one cavity generally elongated along a longitudinal axis of said housing.

A latch, comprising:

• a housing;
• a pawl associated with said housing for movement between latched and unlatched positions;
• a handle associated with said housing for at least one of substantially axial translation or rotation relative to said housing, said handle including drive means for selectively moving said pawl into said unlatched position;
• said housing defining an outer surface, opposing upper and lower surfaces and an opening within said outer surface into which said pawl is received for movement between extended and retracted positions, wherein said supplemental latch actuating means comprises a second opening within said outer surface of said housing and an actuating member positioned within said second opening and attached with said pawl;
• and
• said latch further comprising connector means for attaching said actuating member to said housing and a receptacle within said pawl, whereby application of force on said actuating member substantially releases attachment of said actuating member and said housing by said connector means and said actuating member is received into said receptacle in said pawl.

A latch comprising:

• a housing;
• a pawl associated with said housing for movement between latched and unlatched positions;
• a sleeve with said housing for moving said pawl into at least the unlatched position;
• a handle with said sleeve for actuating said sleeve for moving said pawl;
• wherein said latch further comprises connecting means between at least one of said housing and said sleeve or said sleeve and said handle for snap-fit attachment;
• said connecting means comprising at least one boss and at least one cavity into which said at least one boss is received;
• and
• said handle is generally elongated and defines an outer surface and upper and lower surfaces, said sleeve is generally elongated and defines an outer surface and top and bottom surfaces with a cavity within said top surface, wherein said handle is received within said sleeve cavity, said at least one boss is attached with said outer surface of said handle and said at least one cavity is within said outer surface of said sleeve.

A latch comprising:

• a housing;
• a latching member associated with said housing;
• a handle mounted with said housing for movement at least between extended and retracted positions and for actuating said latching member;
• and
• means between said housing and said handle for retaining said handle at least in its retracted position comprising a leg and a receptacle receiving said leg, said receptacle receiving said leg comprising a cam surface.

A slam latch comprising:

• a housing;
• a pawl proximate said housing for movement between extended and retracted positions, said pawl having at least one serration proximate a terminating end;
• latch actuating means for selectively moving said pawl into said retracted position, said latch actuating means comprising a handle disposed within said housing for both rotational movement and for movement between extended and retracted positions and drive means comprising at least one drive member for selectively moving said pawl in response to movement of said handle;
• a keeper defining a latching surface having at least one serration therein for engagement with said at least one serration of said pawl in a latched position;
• wherein said housing includes an upper surface and a cavity within said upper surface, said handle of said latch actuating means further having an outer surface and an upper end surface, wherein said handle is received within said housing cavity for axial translation between extended and retracted positions, with said outer surface of said handle being substantially received within said housing cavity and said upper end surface of said handle being substantially flush with said upper surface of said housing in said retracted position, and said outer surface of said handle being substantially outside of said housing cavity in said extended position;
• said slam latch further comprising supplemental latch actuating means independent of said handle and said at least one drive member for selectively moving said pawl into said retracted position, wherein as said pawl is moved into said retracted position by said supplemental latch actuating means, said handle is substantially stationary, wherein said pawl is moveable by said supplemental latch actuating means into said retracted position of said pawl when said handle is in said extended position thereof and said retracted position thereof;
• and
• means between said housing and said handle for retaining said handle in its retracted position comprising a generally flexible leg and an opening receiving said generally flexible leg.