Patent ID: 9410348
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: A01K,E05B,E05C,E06B,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising: a) a latch, the latch engaged to the first piece, the latch comprising a sliding member, the sliding member having a proximal end and a distal end, the sliding member having a bias in a direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the sliding member such that the sliding member is biased to slide in the direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the sliding member; and b) a catch, the catch being engaged to the second piece, the sliding member and catch engagable to each other and disengagable from each other, the catch comprising an oblique front portion and a back portion, the oblique front portion and back portion being spaced from each other, the oblique front portion having a distal end, a proximal end, and an oblique surface extending between the distal and proximal ends of the oblique front portion, the proximal end of the oblique front portion being spaced from the back portion by a first distance and defining a catch space, the distal end of the oblique front portion being spaced from the back portion by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that, when the first piece and sliding member swing toward the back portion of the catch to engage the catch, the oblique surface directs the sliding member to slide against said bias to slide the sliding member over the proximal end of the oblique front portion, whereupon the sliding member reverses a slide direction to slide under the bias in the direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the sliding member such that the proximal end of the sliding member is pushed under proximal end of the oblique front portion such that the sliding member engages the catch; c) wherein the latch includes a coil spring having first and second ends and wherein the latch includes a back plate on which the sliding member slides, the back plate having an extension protruding into the sliding member, the sliding member having an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends of the sliding member, and the coil spring being in the sliding member and between the extension of the back plate and the intermediate section of the sliding member such that the first end of the coil spring brings pressure to bear upon said extension and the second end of the coil spring brings pressure to bear upon said intermediate section such that the proximal end of the sliding member is normally biased in a direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the sliding member; d) wherein one of the back plate and sliding member includes a first slot, the other of the back plate and sliding member having a first guide pin extending into the first slot, the first slot defining a direction toward the catch such that the sliding member slides to and away from the catch; and e) wherein said first slot includes proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being closer to said catch than the distal end, the proximal end of the first slot working as a proximal stop for the sliding member when the sliding member is at rest and the coil spring is in a most expanded state, the distal end of the first slot working as a distal stop for the sliding member when the coil spring is in a most contracted state.