Patent ID: 6250015
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: B01L,E05B,E05C,E05F,E05Y

Abstract:
A self-latching mechanism for a safety cabinet having an opening with a top frame, a bottom frame and opposing side jambs, a sequentially first-closing door hinged at a hinging edge to one of the jambs, a sequentially second-closing door hinged at a hinging edge to the remaining jamb, with each door having a latching edge, opposed to said hinging edge, a top and a bottom edge and an interior and exterior facing panel, all of which define a door cavity, and a lip extending laterally from the first-closing door to overlap the second-closing door along the latching edges which are adjacent when closed, said self-latching mechanism comprisinga rotatable handle extending outward from the exterior facing panel of the second-closing door,a handle shaft attached to rotate with said handle and extend through the exterior facing panel into the door cavity,a bellcrank, attached to said shaft, rotatable with said handle, said bellcrank having a protruding latching arm to engage the latching edge of the first-closing door when the doors are closed and the bellcrank is in a latched position and to clear the latching edge when the bellcrank is in an unlatched position, and two protruding actuating arms,latching rods attached to said bellcrank and extending to provide latching at the top and bottom door frames,means for biasing said bellcrank toward said latched position,an interference bar, attached to be slidable to a position of either interference with or non-interference with said bellcrank,means for biasing said interference bar toward said position of interference with said bellcrank,actuating means to overcome the biasing means of the interference bar so as to slide the bar to a position of non-interference with the bellcrank and resulting latching of the doors when the second-closing door is closed subsequent to the first-closing door being closed.