Patent ID: 7118142

Claim:
A latching apparatus for a closure comprising a first frame and a second frame the latching apparatus comprising: a strike member for mounting to the first frame; and a latch assembly for mounting to the second frame, the latch assembly comprising: a support including a base member and a latch assembly housing connected to the base member, the latch assembly housing including a front wall facing the strike member; a latch member slidably retained on the support and movable between a latching position in which the latch member engages the strike member, and a non-latching position in which the latch member does not engage the strike member, a first spring biasing the latch member toward the latching position, the support including a latch member housing connected to the base member, the latch member being slidably retained upon the base member by the latch member housing: a retainer member connected to the support and movable between a retaining position in which the retainer member blocks the latch member to retain the latch member in the non-latching position and a non-retaining position in which the retainer member does not block the latch member thereby releasing the latch member to move to the latching position, the latch member in the latching position blocking the retainer member in the non-retaining position and the latch member in the non-latching position not blocking the retainer member thereby allowing it to move to the retaining position, the retainer member being mounted for sliding movement on the front wall, a second spring biasing the retainer member toward the retaining position, and wherein the retainer member includes an actuating portion that is externally engageable by the strike member for moving the retainer member to the non-retaining position as the first and second frames are brought into close proximity by a user in the act of closing the closure member; and an actuator connected to the latch member by which the user can move the latch member to the non-latching position for freeing the second frame and the retainer member and enabling the retainer member to move to the retaining position upon separation of the first frame from the second frame by the user.