Patent ID: 6973810
Filing Date: 2005-12-13
Classification: E05B,E05C,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A toolbox latch comprising: a housing including a face plate and a recessed cavity at a central portion thereof, the recessed cavity including an aperture, a first and second spaced apart parallel brackets substantially parallel to the face plate and rigidly mounted thereto, and first and second cylindrical posts each traversely connected between the first and second spaced apart parallel plates; a handle in said recessed cavity mounted at a first end on a traversely extending pivot pin, said handle biased into the recessed cavity of the face plate by a return spring member disposed about said pivot pin, said handle further comprising a head at a second end including a rotateable turn-key element concentrically mounted in the handle head and protruding rearwardly from the handle head through the aperture in the face place cavity, the turn-key element further comprising a pusher arm mounted distally to the handle head on said turn-key element, the pusher arm rotating with the turn-key element between a first radial position corresponding to a locked position and a second radial position corresponding to an unlocked position; a rotary trip lever mounted on the housing to swivel in a plane perpendicular to the face plate, the rotary trip lever comprising a radially protruding leg member operably disposed adjacent the pusher arm when said pusher arm is in the second radial position corresponding to the unlocked position, and further comprising a gear tooth spaced from said leg member whereby rotation of said leg member by engagement with the pusher arm rotates the gear tooth in said plane; a rotating link member mounted on the first cylindrical post between said first and second parallel plates for rotational movement in a plane parallel to the first and second plates, the rotating link member biased rotationally in a lock position by a first biasing spring member on the first cylindrical post, the rotating link member comprising a drive tooth cooperating with the gear tooth of the rotary trip lever to rotate the rotary link member against the biasing spring to an open position, the rotating link member further comprising a radially projecting locking tooth; and a rotating lock lever mounted on the second cylindrical post between said first and second parallel plates for rotational movement in the plane parallel to the first and second plates, the rotating lock lever comprising a U-shaped latch catch cooperating with the housing to form a trap in a lock position, and opening away from the housing to release the trap in an unlocked position, the rotating lock lever biased in the unlocked position by a second biasing spring member on the second cylindrical post, and further comprising a notch sized to receive the locking tooth of the rotating link member and positioned to engage the locking tooth and prevent rotation of the rotating lock member when the rotary link member is in the lock position.