Patent ID: 7017954

Claim:
A latch assembly for a trailer comprising a door opening partially defined by a bottom wall of the trailer, and which opening is selectively closed by a door moveably mounted to the trailer, the latch assembly comprising: a base plate adapted to mount to the door; a handle rotatably mounted to the base plate for rotation between a closed position and an open position, the handle having a locking flange; a hook rotatably mounted to the base plate and operably coupled to the handle for rotation between a locked and an unlocked position as the handle is rotated between the closed and open positions; and a closed keeper having a handle catch portion and moveably mounted to the base plate for movement between a latched position, wherein the handle locking flange is received by the keeper handle catch portion when the handle is in the closed position to maintain the handle in the closed position, and an unlatched position, wherein the handle locking flange is released by the closed keeper handle catch portion, whereby the handle can rotate from the closed position to the open position without interference from the closed keeper; the closed keeper further having a surface that is adapted to contact a portion of the handle when the closed keeper is in the unlatched position and the handle is moved from the open position to the closed position to move the closed keeper into the latched position in the event that the closed keeper is in the open position as the handle moves from the open position to the closed position.