Patent ID: 7228719

Claim:
A lock including; a hollow lock body; a first tongue pivotally mounted in the body for angular movement about a first tongue axis, the tongue being moveable between an extended position projecting from the body and a retracted position located at least substantially within the body; a second tongue pivotally mounted in the body for angular movement about a second tongue axis, the second tongue being moveable between an extended position projecting from the body and a retracted position at least substantially located within the body, the second tongue axis being generally parallel to the first tongue axis; a first slide mounted in the body for movement relative thereto and engaged with the first tongue to cause the movement thereof, the slide having a first rack gear and projecting from within the body so as to provide a portion external of the body; a second slide mounted in the body for movement relative thereto and engaged with the second tongue to cause the movement thereof, the second slide having a second rack gear; drive means to cause the rack gears to slide in synchronisation in opposite directions so that the tongues move generally in unison in opposite rotational directions between the extended and retracted positions of the tongues, the drive means including a gear meshingly engaged with the rack gears, the gear being mounted for rotation about a gear axis, the gear axis being generally parallel to the first and second tongue axes; and a user operable member fixed to the first slide and projecting therefrom in a direction generally parallel to the near axis so as to project beyond the body to a position for gripping the user operable member to move thereby the first slide and the first and second tongues.