Ryadon, Inc.

John Chen

Gregg A Teskey

A rotary latch having a pivoting handle mounted in the recess of a mounting plate includes a turn-key member that rotates within the handle's free end, and the turn-key member is mechanically linked to a catch rod where rotation of the turn-key member results in a corresponding rotation of the catch rod. As a result of the rotation of the turn-key member, the catch rod has two positions&#x2014;a 'lock' position that does not engage a swiveling trip lever, and an 'unlocked' position that engages the swiveling trip lever. When the turn-key member rotates the catch rod into the unlocked position, an actuation/pivoting of the handle about the pivot pin rotates the free end of the handle away from the mounting plate recess to linearly displace the catch rod. The linear displacement of the catch rod causes it to come into contact with and pivot the arm of a swiveling trip lever. The trip lever arm, when rotated by the catch rod, rotates an adjacent kicker journaled on the mounting plate's rear surface. The kicker includes a kicker pin that is engaged by the swiveling trip lever, causing the release kicker to rotate and push a guard rotary. The guard rotary protects a capture rotary from opening, where the capture rotary retains a lock bar. However, when the release kicker pushes the guard rotary against the bias of a dedicated spring, the capture rotary can rotate freely and open outward to release the captured lock bar.

Rotary latch

A toolbox latch is disclosed having a pivoting handle mounted to a housing and mechanically linked to a pusher arm for setting in motion a series of linkages to trap and release a cooperating striker pin. The pusher arm rotates a swiveling trip lever when a turn-key member is first rotated into an unlocked position and the handle pulled in a pivoting motion away from the housing. The swiveling trip lever in turn rotates a rotating link member out of its locking position with a rotating lock lever, allowing a biasing spring on the rotating lock lever to rotate out of its trap position. The cooperating striker pin is thus freed from the trap position as the rotating link member disengages with the rotating lock lever and the latch is open. When the cooperating striker pin is brought back into proximity with the rotating lock lever as the toolbox is being closed, the force of the striker pin rotates the rotating lock lever back to the trap position, and a biasing spring returns the rotating link member back into engagement with the lock lever to prevent the lock lever from releasing the striker pin.

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Foothill Ranch, CA, United States of America

John Chen