Patent ID: 7111879
Filing Date: 2006-09-26
Classification: E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A latch assembly kit comprising: a) a latching subassembly for mounting upon a movable closure element, the latching subassembly having i) a latched state wherein the latching subassembly releasably engages a strike element to maintain the movable closure element in a desired position relative to a support to which the movable closure element is attached, and ii) a release state; b) an actuating assembly having a normal state and a release state, the actuating assembly causing the latching subassembly to change from its latched state into its release state as an incident of the actuating assembly changing from its normal state into its release state, c) a first elongate graspable handle comprising a tubular element having a first length and operatively connectable to at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly in a first manner to facilitate repositioning of the movable closure element upon which the latching subassembly is mounted; and d) a second elongate graspable handle comprising a tubular element having a second length different than the first length and operatively connectable to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly in the same manner that the first elongate graspable handle is connectable to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly and in place of the first elongate graspable handle to facilitate repositioning of the movable closure element upon which the latching subassembly is mounted, wherein the first and second elongate graspable handles can be selectively operatively connected, one in place of the other, to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly to select a desired length of graspable handle to facilitate repositioning of the movable closure element upon which the latching subassembly is mounted, the first length of the first elongate handle oriented in a first direction relative to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly when the first elongate handle is operatively connected to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly, the second length of the second elongate handle oriented in the first direction relative to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly when the second elongate handle is operatively connected to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly, wherein the first and second elongate graspable handles each have spaced first and second ends, the first ends of the first and second elongate graspable handles are each operatively connectable to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly, and the kit further comprises a fitting which is connectable to the movable closure element upon which the latching subassembly is mounted and operatively connectable to a) the second end of the first elongate graspable handle when the first elongate graspable handle is operatively connected to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly and b) the second end of the second elongate graspable handle when the second elongate handle is operatively connected to the at least one of the latching subassembly and actuating assembly, wherein the fitting is elbow-shaped.