Abstract:
A simply structured and smoothly operable latch device of a door in which a latch can be infallibly released by operating a handle from any of upper, lower, right, and left sides. The handle ( 1 ) having operation parts ( 1   e ) at the upper, lower, left, and right inner edges of the front opening part thereof is received in a handle receiving part ( 14 ) formed in a door ( 3 ) and having an opening in its front surface. The handle ( 1 ) can be moved to a non-operating position where the rear surface of the handle abuts on the rear end surface of the handle receiving part ( 14 ) or to an operating position where the handle ( 1 ) is tilted so that one of the upper and lower edges or one of the left and right edges is nearer to the person operating the handle ( 1 ) than the other. The handle ( 1 ) is biased toward the non-operating position by a spring ( 17 ), and the handle ( 1 ) and the latch are linked with each other by a linkage means ( 34 ) so that the latch can be moved to the non-engaging position when the handle ( 1 ) is moved to the operating position.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a latch device of a door in which a latch engages with and disengages from a housing when the door closes, a handle in a front panel of the door enabling a latch to engage with and disengage from the housing. 
     JP8-266348A discloses a door latch in which a handle pivotally mounted to a door is pulled to allow the handle to turn in one direction to release latch. 
     JP2004-332504A and JP63-96177U disclose that a latch is released by turning a handle from right and left or upper and lower directions. 
     However, the handle is limited to turn in one or two directions to make it impossible to release latch even if the handle is operated from other directions. 
     For example, in a storage system where a plurality of cabinets or lockers are piled up and arranged side by side, a handle at a higher position of a door for the cabinet is preferably operated from a lower position, and a handle at a lower position of the door is preferably operated from a higher position. A handle for a door at an intermediate-height position is preferably operated from a right or left direction to allow the latch to be released. All the handles should have the same structure and the same design. 
     To satisfy the requirements, handles are desirably operated from all directions for releasing latch. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the disadvantages, it is an object of the present invention to provide a door latch in which a handle is operated from any directions to allow latch to be released, its structure being simple and operable smoothly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a storage system in which three cabinets A, B, C are piled up, each including a latch device of a door according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line II-II in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged front view of a handle of the door of the cabinet B. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view thereof. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view thereof. 
         FIG. 6A  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line VI-VI in  FIG. 1  when the handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 6B  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line VI-VI in  FIG. 1  when the lower part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 6C  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line VI-VI in  FIG. 1  when the upper part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 7A  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line VII-VII in  FIG. 1  when the handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 7B  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line VII-VII in  FIG. 1  when the left part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 7C  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line VII-VII in  FIG. 1  when the right part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged front view of a handle on the front surface of a drawer of the cabinet A in the second embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9A  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line IX-IX in  FIG. 8  when the handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 9B  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line IX-IX in  FIG. 8  when the lower part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 9C  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line IX-IX in  FIG. 8  when the upper part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 10A  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line X-X in  FIG. 8  when the handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 10B  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line X-X in  FIG. 8  when the left part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 10C  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line X-X in  FIG. 8  when the right part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of a handle in a door in the third embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line XII-XII in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a vertical sectional side view similar to  FIG. 12  when the upper part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 14  is a horizontal sectional plan view of a handle of a door in the fourth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a vertical sectional side view of a handle of a door in the fifth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a vertical sectional side view of a handle of a door in the sixth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a vertical sectional side view of a handle of a door in the seventh embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a vertical sectional side view of a handle of a door in the eighth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a vertical sectional side view of a handle of a door in the ninth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 20  is an exploded perspective view thereof. 
         FIG. 21A  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line XXI-XXI in  FIG. 19  when the handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 21B  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line XXI-XXI in  FIG. 19  when the lower part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 21C  is a vertical sectional side view taken along the line XXI-XXI in  FIG. 19  when the upper part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 22A  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line XXII-XXII in  FIG. 19  when the handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 22B  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line XXII-XXII in  FIG. 19  when the left part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 22C  is a vertical sectional plan view taken along the line XXII-XXII in  FIG. 19  when the right part of the handle is pulled. 
         FIG. 23A  is a horizontal sectional plan view of a handle in the tenth embodiment according to the present invention when the handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 23B  is a horizontal sectional plan view of the handle in the tenth embodiment according to the present invention when the left-hand part of the handle is pressed rearward. 
         FIG. 24A  is a horizontal sectional plan view of a handle in the eleventh embodiment according to the present invention when a handle is not operated. 
         FIG. 24B  is a horizontal sectional plan view of a handle in the eleventh embodiment according to the present invention when left-hand part of the handle is pressed rearward. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  shows a storage system in which three cabinets A, B, C are piled up, each having a latch device of a door. 
     The handles  1  for the cabinets A, B, C are all the same in structure and design. The latch devices including the handle  1  differ from each other in structure to comply with the cabinets A, B, C. 
     The cabinet A comprises three-stage drawers and the handle  1  is provided in the middle of a front panel of each of the drawers  2 . 
     The cabinet B is a double-door type, and the right-hand door  4  has a handle  1 . 
     Then, a latch device D of the cabinet B will be described in detail with respect to  FIGS. 2-7  as the first embodiment of the present invention. Then, a latch device E of the cabinet A will be described with respect to  FIGS. 8-10  as the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     A latch device of the cabinet C has substantially the same structure as the latch device D of the cabinet D except partial size and description thereof is omitted. 
     In the cabinet B in  FIGS. 2-5 , the right-hand door  4  is pivotally mounted to a right side of a housing  6  with a hinge (not shown). A vertical rectangular latch shaft  7  is pivotally mounted in a left-hand side of the right-hand door  4 . At the upper and lower ends of the latch shaft  7 , the proximal end of the latch  8  is fixed. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the latch  8  projects rearward from the door  4  with a hooked rear end. When the door  4  is closed, the latch  8  engages in a hole  9  in the front surface of a top rail  6   a . A lower latch  8  is disposed in a bottom rail (not shown). 
     In  FIGS. 3 to 7 , a square opening  11  for operating the handle  1  is formed in the front surface of the right-hand door  4 , and a box-like handle storage case  12  is disposed behind the opening  11 . Vertical and horizontal distances of a front opening of the handle storage case  12  are larger than those of the opening  11 . When the handle storage case  12  is mounted in the door  4 , the peripheral edge of the door  4  around the opening  11  is formed as an inward brim  13  projecting inward in the front opening of the handle storage case  12 . 
     By the inward brim  13  and handle storage case  12 , the handle  1  is stored to move between a rest position where its rear end face abuts on the bottom of the handle storage case  12 , and a working position where the handle  1  is tilted to allow one end to be ahead of the other end in a rectangular handle storage portion  14 . 
     The handle  1  comprises a rectangular portion  1   a  having an opening; a brim  1   b  which is corresponding to the inner surface of the handle storage case  1   b ; and an operating part  1   e  which comprises an inward portion  1   c  and a rectangular projection  1   d.    
     The upper parts of the rectangular portion  1   a  are partially cut off at four corners to form a corner-cutout-flat portion  1   f.    
     An operating rod  15  is pivotally mounted under the handle storage case  12 . The upper ends of a pair of handle holding portions  16 , 16  extending from the ends of the operating rod  15  contact the front surfaces of the corner-cutout-flat portion  1   f.    
     A coil spring  17  is wound on the middle of the operating rod  15 . One end of the winding of the coil spring  17  engages in an engagement piece  18  fixed to the middle of the operating rod  15 . The other end of the winding engages on the lower edge of the handle storage case  12 . Thus, the operating rod  15  is urged by the coil spring  17  so that the ends of the handle holding portions  16 , 16  can rotate to push the lower corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f ,  1   f  rearward. 
     The handle  1  is pressed rearward by the handle holding portions  16 , 16  when it is not operated, and held in the rest position where the brim  1   b  contacts the rear end face of the handle storage portion  14 . 
     Three arms  19 , 20 , 21  are fixed to the latch shaft  7  at suitable intervals vertically. The upper arm  19  abuts on the front surface of the upper-left corner-cutout-flat portion  1   f  of the handle  1 . The middle arm  20  abuts on the front surface of the left handle holding portion  16 . 
     The latch shaft  7  is urged to rotate to press the handle  1  with the arms  19 , 20  directly and to press the handle  1  with the handle holding portion  16  indirectly by a coil spring (not shown). When the handle  1  is in the rest position, the latch shaft  7  is positioned in an engagement position where the latch  8  engages on the engagement portion  10  as shown by a solid line in  FIG. 2 . 
     A key (not shown) is put into a cylinder lock  22  in the front panel of the door  4  to turn the cylinder lock  22 , allowing a dead bolt  23  to move leftward. Thus, the left end of the dead bolt  23  gets in a turning track of the cylinder lock  21  for locking, or gets out of the turning track for unlocking. 
     In the embodiment, there is a connecting unit  24  for connecting the handle  1  to the latch  8  in which with the operating rod  15  having the handle holding portions  16 , 16  and with the latch shaft  7  having the arms  19 , 20  the handle  1  moves the latch  8  to a disengaged position where the latch  8  disengages from the engagement portion  10  of the housing  6 . A latch device D comprises the latch  8 , connecting unit  24 , handle storage case  12 , handle  1  and coil spring  17 . 
     A operation of the embodiment will be described. 
     When the handle  1  does not work, it is in the rest position in  FIGS. 6A and 7A , and the latch  8  and latch shaft  7  are in the engagement position by the solid line in  FIG. 2 . 
     From this position in  FIG. 6A , the operating portion  1   e  of the handle  1  is pulled, the handle  1  is tilted on the upper rear end as pivot to allow the lower end to move forward until the front lower end of the rectangular portion  1   a  contacts the rear surface of the lower brim  13  to the working position where the lower edge is ahead of the upper edge. 
     When the lower end of the handle  1  moves forward, the handle holding portions  16 , 16  are turned by the corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f , 1   f  of the handle  1  against the torsion coil spring  17 . The left-hand handle holding portion  16  turns to allow the middle arm  20  to turn forward. Thus, the latch  8  and the latch shaft  8  turn to the disengaged position where they disengage from the engaged portion  10  as shown by a dotted line in  FIG. 2  to allow the door  4  to open. 
     When the left-hand part of the operating portion  1   e  of the handle  1  is pulled in  FIG. 7B  and when the right-hand part is pulled in  FIG. 7C , one of the right and left ends of the rectangular portion  1   a  contacts the rear surface of the brim  13  of the opening  11 . 
     With tilting of the handle  1 , one of the right and left handle holding portions  16  is turned by one of the lower corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f  forward and downward. Then, the latch  6  turns to the disengaged position as well as in  FIG. 6B  to allow the door  4  to open. 
     In  FIG. 6C , when the upper operating portion  1   e  of the handle  1  is pulled, the upper end is tilted forward about the rear lower end as pivot until the upper front end of the rectangular portion  1   a  contacts the rear surface of the upper brim  13 . 
     The end of the upper arm  19  turns forward by the upper left corner-cutout-flat portion  1   f  of the handle  1  and the latch shaft  7  and latch  8  turns to the disengaged position to allow the door  4  to open. 
     Accordingly, when any one of the upper, lower, right-hand and left-hand operating portions  1   e  is pulled, the handle  1  is tilted to allow the latch  8  to move the disengaged position. Whenever the handle  1  is operated from any one of upper, lower, right and left directions, the latch  8  can surely be released to provide more convenient use. 
     In  FIGS. 8-10 , a latch device E in the second embodiment of the present invention is provided in a front panel  3  of each drawer  2  of the cabinet A. 
     The latch device E includes the same elements as those in the latch device D in the first embodiment with the same numerals and description thereof will be omitted. Only different elements will be described in detail. The other embodiments will be described as well. 
     In the latch device E, an opening  11  is formed in the middle of the front panel  3  and a handle storage case  12  is provided behind the opening  11 . A rectangular handle storage portion  14  is formed in the case  12  and a handle  1  is stored in the portion  14  to tilt between a rest position and a working position. At each side of the handle  1  in the front panel  3 , a pair of vertical operating rods  15 , 15  and torsion coil springs  17 , 17  are provided. The ends of upper and lower holding portions  16 , 16  extending from the upper and lower ends of each of the operating rods  15  contact the front surfaces of four corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f  of the handle  1 . 
     A pair of projections  25 , 25  is fixed to the right and left operating rods  15 , 15 . 
     Below the handle storage case  12  in the front panel  3 , an operating shaft  26  extends horizontally and has a downward portion  26   a , 26   a  at each end. 
     The operating shaft  26  has a pair of arms  27 , 27  each end of which is behind the projection  25 . 
     At each side of the front panel  3 , a latch  29  projects from the front panel  3  rearward, has an engagement hole  28  and is pivotally mounted on a vertical shaft  30 . 
     At the front end of the latch  29 , an arm  31  turns together with the latch  29 . The arm  31  turns forward by the bent portion  26   a  of the operating shaft  26 . The latch  29  is pivoted from an engagement position where a hole  28  engages with a projection  33  fixed to the inner surface of a side panel  32   a  of the housing  32  in  FIG. 10A  to a disengaged position where the engagement hole  28  disengages from the projection  33 . 
     The latch  29  is always urged toward the engagement position by a spring (not shown). 
     In the second embodiment, there is a connecting unit  34  connecting the handle  1  to the latch  29 , comprising a pair of operating rods  15  comprising handle holding portions  16 , 16  and projection  25 , and an operating shaft  26  comprising the arms  27 , 27  and bent portions  26   a , 26   a . Thus, motion of the handle  1  to the working position allows the latch  29  to got to a disengaged position where the latch  29  disengages from the projection  33  of the housing  32 . A latch device E comprises the latch  29 , connecting unit  34 , handle storage case  12 , handle  1  and torsion coil spring  17 . 
     Then, an operation of the latch device E will be described. 
     When the handle  1  does not operate, it is in a rest position in  FIGS. 9A and 10A  where the latch  29  engages with the projection  33 . 
     From this position, in  FIG. 9B , the operating portion  1   e  at the lower part of the handle  1  is pulled. The handle  1  is tilted to allow the lower end to move forward about the upper rear end to the working position where the lower edge is ahead of the upper edge until lower front end of a rectangular portion  1   a  contacts the rear surface of a brim  13  under an opening  11 . 
     With forward motion of the lower portion of the handle  1 , right and left handle holding portions  16 , 16  turn forward against force of a torsion coil spring  17  with corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f , 1   f  of the handle  1 . With rotation of the right and left operating rods  15 , 15 , right and left projections  25 , 25  press the upper ends of the right and left arms  27 , 27  rearward to allow the operating shaft  26  to rotate, so that the lower ends of the right and left bent portions  26   a , 26   a  go forward. 
     With forward rotation of the bent portion  26   a , the arm  31  of the latch  29  is pushed forward and each of the latches  29  turns to the disengaged position in the right side of  FIG. 10   b  to enable a drawer  2  to be pulled forward. 
     In  FIG. 9C , when an upper operating portion  1   e  of the handle  1  is pulled, the upper holding portions  16 , 16  of the operating rods  15 , 15  are turned forward with upper corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f , 1   f . So, in  FIG. 10B , when left-side operating portion  1   e  of the handle  1  is pulled, upper and lower holding portions  16 , 16  of the left-hand operating rod is turned forward with left-hand upper and lower corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f , 1   f  of the handle  1 . When the right-hand operating portion  1   e  of the handle  1  is pulled, upper and lower holding portions  16 , 16  of the right-hand operating portion  15  is turned forward with right-hand upper and lower corner-cutout-flat portions  1   f , 1   f  of the handle  1 . Thus, one of the arms  27 , 27  is pressed rearward with the projection  25  of one of the operating rods  15 , and then, as well as the embodiment in  FIG. 9B , each of the latches  29  is turned to the disengaged position to enable the drawer  2  to be pulled forward. 
       FIGS. 11-13  show a door including the third embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the front panel of the door  40 , a circular opening  41  is formed. A cylindrical storage case  42  forms a handle storage portion  43 . 
     In the handle storage case  42 , a circular rear end portion  44   b  having nearly the same size as the inner section of the handle storage case  42  is fixed to the rear end of a cylindrical portion  44   a . An inward projection  44   c  is provided at the front end of the cylindrical portion  44   a . In a handle  44 , the inward projection  44   c  is used as an operating portion  44   d . The front end of the cylindrical portion  44   a  faces an opening  41 . The rear end portion  44   b  can be slightly tilted from a rest position where it contacts the rear wall of the handle storage case  42 . 
     In the middle of the rear surface of the rear end portion  44   b , one end of a wire  46  is mounted through an opening  45  in the middle of the handle storage case  42 . The other end of the wire  46  is coupled to the middle of a turning latch  47 . The latch  47  is able to turn between a rest position in  FIG. 12  and a working position in  FIG. 13  and is urged toward the rest position by urging means (not shown). 
     In the embodiment, the wire  46  connects the handle  44  to the latch  47 . When the handle  44  is tilted in any direction from the rest position, the wire  46  is pulled to turn the latch from the working position in  FIG. 12  to the rest position in  FIG. 13 . 
       FIG. 14  is a door including the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the embodiment, a brim  1   b  of a handle  1  is urged forward by compression springs  48 , 48  in a handle storage case  12  to press any one of upper, lower, left-hand and right-hand edges of a rectangular or circular operating portion  1   e  at the front end of the handle  1 . So the operating portion  1   e  and brim  1   b  is tilted from a rest position where the operating portion  1   e  and brim  1   b  are in parallel with the front surface of the door  4  to a working position where the handle  1  is tilted. The edge of the brim  1   b  which moves rearward allows an arm  20  of a latch shaft  7  or a handle holding portion  16  of an operating rod  15  to turn rearward to release latching. 
     The latch shaft  7  turns in a direction contrary to that in  FIG. 7  to release latching. 
       FIG. 15  shows a door including the fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the embodiment, the handle  44  in the third embodiment is replaced with a handle  49  in which a circular rear end plate  49   b  which fits in a handle storage case  42  is fixed to the rear end of a short shaft  49   a  and a circular operating portion  49   c  projects from the front end of the shaft  49   a.    
       FIG. 16  is a door including the sixth embodiment according to the present invention. 
     In the embodiment, the handle  44  in the third embodiment is replaced with a handle  50  to which a circular rear end portion  50   b  which fits in a handle storage case  42  is fixed in the inside of a handle storage case  42  and an inward projection  50   a  and an outward projection  50   d  are provided at the front end of the cylindrical portion  50   a  to form an inward operating portion  50   e  and an outward operating portion  50   f.    
     The other structure is the same as those in the third embodiment. 
       FIG. 17  shows a door including the seventh embodiment according to the present invention. 
     In the embodiment, the handle  44  in the third embodiment is replaced with a handle  51 . 
     In the handle  51 , a cylindrical portion  51   a  which fits in the handle storage case  42  is closed by a rear end portion  51   b  and an inward projection  51   c  is provided at the front end of the cylindrical portion  51   a  to form an operating portion  51   d . A shaft  51   e  projects rearward from the middle of the rear end of the handle storage case  42  through an opening  45  in the middle of the rear end of the handle storage case  42 . The shaft  51   e  is urged rearward by a compression spring  52  between a spring retainer  51   f  and the rear end of the handle storage case  42 . The rear end of the shaft  51   e  is coupled to a wire  46 . 
     From any one of upper, lower, right-hand and left-hand directions, a hand is brought close to the handle  51  and the projection  51   c  is pulled by a finger to allow the handle  51  against force of the compression spring  52  to move from a rest position shown by solid lines to a working position shown by dotted lines forward to enable the wire  46  to be pulled thereby releasing latch surely. 
       FIG. 18  shows a door including the eighth embodiment according to the present invention. 
     In the embodiment, the handle  44  in the third embodiment is replaced with a handle  53 . 
     In the handle  53 , a front end of a cylindrical portion  53   a  which fits in a handle storage case  42  is closed by a front end plate  53   b  to form an operating portion  53   c . A shaft  53   d  which extends from the middle of the rear surface of a front end plate  53   b  projects rearward through an opening  45  in the middle of the rear end of the handle storage case  42 . One end of a wire  46  is mounted to the front surface of a rear end portion  53   e  of the shaft  51   d . The shaft  53   d  is urged anytime by a compression spring  54  between the rear surface of the front end portion  53   b  and the bottom of the handle storage case  42 . 
     An inward flange  55  is provided from the front end of the handle storage case  42 . The first or second joint of a finger is engaged on the projection  55  allows the operating portion  53   c  of the handle  53  to move rearward. 
     The other structure is the same as those in the third embodiment. 
     From any one of upper, lower, right-hand and left-hand directions, a hand is brought close to the handle  53  and a finger is engaged on the projection  55  at the front end of the handle storage case  42 . The first or second joint of the finger presses the operating portion  53   c  at the front end of the handle  53  rearward to allow the handle  53  by leverage to move from the rest position in solid lines to the working position in dotted lines against force of the compression spring  54  to enable the wire  46  to be pulled, thereby releasing the latch. 
       FIGS. 19-22  show a door including the ninth embodiment of the present invention. 
     A door  4  in  FIG. 19  is similar to that in  FIG. 3 . The right-hand door  4  is pivotally mounted to the right side of the housing  6  of the cabinet B in  FIG. 1  with a hinge (not shown). 
     The door  4  is equipped with what are similar to the latch shaft  7  and latch  8  in  FIG. 2 . Illustration and description thereof are the same as those in the first embodiment and omitted. 
     In  FIGS. 19-22 , a square opening  61  is formed to operate a handle  60  in the middle of a front panel of the right-hand door  4 . Behind the opening  61 , a box-like thin handle storage case  62  having a square opening  63  is provided. 
     A rectangular guide frame  64  is disposed on the front edge surrounding the opening  63  in the handle storage case  62 . Two rectangular grooves  65 , 65  are formed in each side of the guide frame  64 . 
     A vertical closing plate  66  is fixed to the rear end of the guide frame  64  with screws at four corners, and a hemispherical projection  67  is provided at the center of the front surface of the closing plate  66 . 
     A handle storage portion  68  comprises the opening  61  of the door  4 , handle storage case  62  and closing plate  66 . 
     A handle  60  comprises a vertical square base  60   a  having a thicken portion, a rectangular portion  60   b ; an inward portion  60   c ; and a rectangular projection  60   d . The inward portion  60   c  and the projection  60   d  form an operating portion  60   e.    
     The rear surface of the middle thicken part of the base  60   a  has a hemispherical hole  69  in which the hemispherical projection  67  engages. The hemispherical projection  67  and hemispherical hole  69  form a spherical bearing  70 . The handle  60  is pivotally mounted to the door  4  to tilt in all radial directions including up-and-down and right-and-left on the hemispherical projection  67  from the rest position where the base  60  is in a substantially upright position. In order that the handle  50  may tilt at the same angle in all radial directions, the rear surface of the handle  60  the top of which is the hemispherical hole  69  is conically shaped. 
     The hemispherical projection  67  may be provided on the rear surface of the handle  60 , and the hemispherical hole  69  may be formed in the middle of the front surface of the closing portion  66 . 
     Two projections  71 , 71  are provided on each of the upper, lower, right-hand and left-hand outer peripheral surfaces of the rectangular portion  60   b  of the handle  60  and project to the outside through the two grooves  65 , 65  of the guide frame  64 . 
     In the right side of the handle storage case  62 , the right side of an operating plate  73  is pivotally mounted with vertical shaft  74 , 74 , and has a square opening  72  through which a guide frame  64  and handle  60  therein engages. 
     A pair of engagement portions  73   a , 73   a  is provided on the left side of the operating plate  73  and contacts the rear surface of a pair of upper and lower arms  75 , 75  projecting from a latch shaft  7  of the handle storage case  62 . 
     On the rear surface of the operating plate  73 , the upper, lower, right and left projections  71 , 71  contact. When the handle  60  is in the rest position, the operating plate  73  is in a rest position where all the projections  71  contact the rear surface of the operating plate  73  in parallel with the base  60   a  of the handle  60 . 
     From this position, the upper, lower, right and left operating portions  60   e  of the handle  60  is pulled to allow the handle  60  to tilt into any working position. So the operating plate  73  is turned forward to the working position with any one of the projections  71 . With the engagement portions  73   a , 73   a , the arms  75 , 75  are pushed forward. Thus, in  FIG. 2 , the latch shaft  7  and latch  8  turn to the disengaged position where the latch  8  is released from the engagement portion  10 . 
     In  FIG. 22 , a compression spring  76  is disposed between the front surface of the operating plate  73  and a front portion  62   a  of the handle storage case  62 . By the compression spring  76 , the operating plate  73  is urged toward the rest position any time, and the handle  60  is urged toward the rest position since all the projections  71  of the handle  60  are pushed. 
     Specifically, by the single compression spring  76 , the operating plate  73  and the handle  60  are both urged toward the rest position. 
     At the left side of the handle storage case  62 , there is a torsion coil spring  77  for urging the latch  8  toward the engagement position where the latch  8  engages with the engagement portion  10  in  FIG. 2  and for urging the operating plate  72  toward the rest position. 
     Another arm  78  projects from the latch shaft  7  under an arm  75 . A cylinder lock  79  is mounted to the handle storage case  62  and exposed on the front surface of the door  4 . A key (not shown) is inserted into the cylinder lock  79  to move a dead bolt  80  back and force. The left end of the dead bolt  80  goes into a turning track of the arm  80  for locking and gets out of the track for unlocking. 
     In the embodiment, there is a connecting unit  81  where the latch  8  moves to the disengaged position where the housing  6  leaves the engagement portion  10  when the latch shaft  7  from which the arms  75 , 75  project allows the operating plate  73  and the latch  8  to move to the working position of the operating plate  73 . A latch device comprises the latch  8 , connecting unit  81 , handle storage case  62 , handle  60  and operating plate  73 . 
     How to operate the ninth embodiment will be described. 
     When the handle  60  does not work, the handle  60  is in the rest position in  FIGS. 21A and 22A . The latch  8  and latch shaft  7  are in the engagement position as shown by the solid lines in  FIG. 2 . 
     From this state, in  FIG. 21B , when the lower operating portion  60   e  is pulled, the handle  60  tilts rearward on the hemispherical projection  67 , the operating plate  73  is turned around the shaft  74  with the right projection  71  at the lower end of the handle  60 . The arms  75 , 75  are pushed forward by the engagement portions  73   a , 73   a  to allow the latch shaft  7  and latch  8  to turn to the disengaged position as shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 2  to allow the door  4  to open. 
     In  FIG. 21C , when the upper operating portion  60   e  of the handle  60  is pulled, the handle  60  tilts forward about the hemispherical projection  67 . With the upper right projection  71  of the handle  60 , the operating plate  73  turns to the working position about the shaft  74 . With movement of the engagement portions  73   a , 73   a , the arms  75 , 75  are pushed forward to allow the latch shaft  7  and latch  8  to turn to the disengaged position as shown by the dotted lines to allow the door  4  to open. 
     In  FIG. 22B , when the left side operating portion  60   e  of the handle  60  is pulled, the handle  60  turns counterclockwise around the hemispherical projection  67 . In  FIG. 22C , when the right-side operating portion  60   e  of the handle  60  is pulled, the handle  60  turns clockwise around the hemispherical projection  67 . The left-side projection  71  or right-side projection  71  allows the operating plate  73  to turn around the shaft  74  to the engagement position. With motion of the engagement portions  73   a , 73   a , the arms  75 , 75  are pressed forward to allow the latch shaft  7  and latch  8  to turn to the disengaged position as shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 2  to allow the door  4  to open. 
     Accordingly, even if any one of the upper, lower, right-hand and left-hand operating portions  60   e  of the handle  60  is pulled, the latch is moved to the disengaged position. Thus, even if the handle  60  is operated from any one of upper, lower, right-hand and left-hand directions, the latch  8  can be released surely, which is convenient. 
       FIG. 23  shows a door including the tenth embodiment of the present invention. 
     In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 23A , an operating plate  73  is urged forward by a compression spring  82  in a handle storage case  62 . A handle  60  is urged forward via any one of upper, lower, right and left projections  71  contacting the front surface of an operating plate  73 . A brim  83  at the front end of the handle  60  contacts the rear surface of the periphery around an opening  61  and a handle  60  is in a rest position where the front end face of the handle  60  and brim  83  is in parallel with the front surface of the door  4 . Any one of upper, lower, right and left edges of rectangular or circular operating portion  60   e  at the front end of the handle  60  is pressed rearward to allow the handle  60  to tilt to a working position in  FIG. 23B . The operating plate  73  is turned rearward against the force of a compression spring  82 . The left end of the operating plate  73  allows an arm  75  and a latch shaft  7  to turn counterclockwise in  FIG. 23A  to release latch. 
     The latch shaft  7  is rotated in a direction opposite to  FIG. 22  to release latch. 
       FIG. 24  shows a door including the eleventh embodiment of the present invention. 
     In this embodiment, the handle  60  in the tenth embodiment is replaced with a handle  90  in which a cylindrical portion  90   b  is provided on the front surface of a base  90   a  similar to the base  60   a . An inward projection  90   c  and an outward projection  90   d  are provided on the front end of the cylindrical portion  90   b.    
     A wire  91  connects the free end of an operating plate  73  to a latch  8 . The operating plate  73  is turned from a rest position in  FIG. 24A  to a working position in  FIG. 24B . The wire  91  is pulled to allow the latch  8  to turn from an engagement position in  FIG. 24A  to a disengaged position in  FIG. 24B . 
     The others are the same as those in the ninth embodiment. 
     The foregoing relate to preferred embodiments of the present invention. Variation below may be carried out without departing from the scope of claims. 
     (a) The right and left handle holding portions  16 , 16  in the first embodiment extends upward and bends rearward to allow its rear end to contact a middle portion of the brim  1   b  at each side of the handle  1 . The handle  1  tilts in any one of upper, lower right and left directions to allow any one of the right and left handle holding portions  16  to press forward with the brim  1   b . So the upper arm  19  may be omitted. 
     (b) At least the operating portion  1   e  of the opening  11  and handle  11  in the first and second embodiments may be circular, and the operating portion  1   e  is provided on the whole inner circumference of the handle  1  to enable the handle  1  to be operated not only from upper, lower, right and left directions but also from intermediate oblique directions. 
     (c) At least the operating portion  44   d  of the opening  41  and handle  44  in the third embodiment may be rectangular. 
     (d) In the ninth embodiment, between pulling of the left-side operating portion  60   e  of the handle  60  and pulling of the right-side operating portion  60   e  of the handle  60 , there is difference in a distance from a forcing point of the handle  60  to the shaft  74  or moment to make operating force of the handle  60  for releasing latch different. To reduce the difference, for example, the right and left projections  71 , 17  of the handle  60  is omitted. When the left-side operating portion  60   e  of the handle  60  is pulled, the operating  73  is pressed forward with the left projections  71 , 71  of the handle  60 . When the right-side operating portion  60   e  of the handle  60  is pulled, the operating plate  73  is pressed forward with the right projections  71 , 71  of the handle  60 . 
     (e) At least the operating portion  60   e  for the opening  61  and handle  60  in the ninth embodiment is circular and is provided on the whole inner periphery of the front opening to allow the handle  60  to be operated not only from upper, lower right and left directions but also from intermediate oblique directions. 
     (f) In the latch device of the drawer  2  in the cabinet A, instead of the latch shaft  7  disposed at the door turning together with the latch  8 , the connecting unit comprises an operating shaft disposed on the front panel  3  to allow the latch to press toward the disengaged position with the bent portion at one end; an arm provided in the operating shaft to turn by the free end of the operating plate to turn the latch to the disengaged position via the operating shaft when the operating plate turns from the rest position to the working position.