Latch usable optionally by arthritic and disabled persons

A device comprising a housing attachable to a door, a bolt received at least partially within said housing, a spring, and a knob, the device being convertible between a first arrangement wherein said bolt is spring-biased by said spring to move from a retracted position to an extended position for engaging a fixture attached to a jamb for latching the door to the jamb and wherein said knob is rotatable for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position to unlatch the door from the jamb and a second arrangement wherein said bolt is attached to said housing so that said bolt is held immovable in said retracted position, whereby the door can be opened and closed without manipulating said knob, and the device comprising a cam attached to said knob for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position by rotation of said knob, an aperture in said housing, an aperture in said bolt, and a threaded aperture in said cam, wherein said bolt aperture, said housing aperture, and said cam aperture are alignable for receiving a screw when said bolt is in said retracted position for holding said bolt immovable in said retracted position relative to said housing and for holding said knob non-rotatably.

A device comprising a housing attachable to a door, a bolt received at least partially within said housing, a spring, and a knob, the device being convertible between a first arrangement wherein said bolt is spring-biased by said spring to move from a retracted position to an extended position for engaging a fixture attached to a jamb for latching the door to the jamb and wherein said knob is rotatable for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position to unlatch the door from the jamb and a second arrangement wherein said bolt is attached to said housing so that said bolt is held immovable in said retracted position, whereby the door can be opened and closed without manipulating said knob, and the device comprising a cam attached to said knob for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position by rotation of said knob, an aperture in said housing, an aperture in said bolt, and a threaded aperture in said cam, wherein said bolt aperture, said housing aperture, and said cam aperture are alignable for receiving a screw when said bolt is in said retracted position and when said knob is oriented vertically.

A device comprising a housing attachable to a door, a bolt received at least partially within said housing, a spring for biasing said bolt to move from a retracted position to an extended position for engaging a fixture attached to a jamb for latching the door to the jamb, a knob which is rotatable for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position to unlatch the door from the jamb, and means for holding said bolt in said retracted position immovable relative to said housing, wherein said holding means comprises an aperture in said housing and an aperture in said bolt, wherein said bolt aperture is alignable with said housing aperture for receiving a screw in both said apertures for holding said bolt immovable relative to said housing when said bolt is in said retracted position, the device further comprising means for holding said knob non-rotatably.

A device comprising a housing attachable to a door, a bolt received at least partially within said housing, a spring for biasing said bolt to move from a retracted position to an extended position for engaging a fixture attached to a jamb for latching the door to the jamb, a knob which is rotatable for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position to unlatch the door from the jamb, and means for holding said bolt in said retracted position immovable relative to said housing, wherein said holding means comprises an aperture in said housing and an aperture in said bolt, wherein said bolt aperture is alignable with said housing aperture for receiving a screw in both said apertures for holding said bolt immovable relative to said housing when said bolt is in said retracted position, and the device comprising a cam attached to said knob for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position by rotation of said knob and a threaded aperture in said cam, wherein said bolt aperture, said housing aperture, and said cam aperture are alignable for receiving a screw when said bolt is in said retracted position.

A method for converting a latch having a housing attachable to a door, a bolt received at least partially within said housing, a spring, and a knob, the device being convertible between a first arrangement wherein said bolt is spring-biased by said spring to move from a retracted position to an extended position for engaging a fixture attached to a jamb for latching the door to the jamb and wherein said knob is rotatable for effecting movement of said bolt to the retracted position to unlatch the door from the jamb and a second arrangement wherein said bolt is held immovable in said retracted position so that the door can be opened and closed without manipulating said knob, the method comprising attaching the bolt to the housing so that the bolt is held in the retracted position immovable relative to the housing, the method further comprising holding the knob non-rotatably, and the method comprising inserting a screw into an aperture in the housing and into an aperture in the bolt while the bolt is in the retracted position and threadedly engaging the screw in a threaded aperture in a cam attached to the knob thereby to hold the bolt in the retracted position immovable relative to the housing and to hold the knob non-rotatably.