Handle operated heavy duty draw latch with safety catch

Abstract

A handle operated, heavy duty, toggle type draw latch is mountable on one of two members and is operable to selectively engage and disengage a latch-engageable formation connected to the other of the two members. The latch includes a complexly configured operating handle that is pivotally connected near one end to a mounting base for movement relative to the base between closed and open positions, that provides a hand grip near its opposite end, and that, at locations between its opposite ends pivotally mounts a drawbar for movement between extended and retracted positions, and defines not only a plurality of stops but also a catch-engageable formation. One stop engages the base when the handle is closed. Another stop engages the base when the handle is fully open. Still another stop engages the drawbar when the drawbar is retracted. When the handle is open, the drawbar can be pivoted into and out of extended positions for selectively embracing the latch-engageable formation. If the handle is pivoted to its closed position while the drawbar is extended to embrace the latch-engageable formation, the drawbar exerts force on the latch-engageable formation that tends to draw the two members relatively toward each other. A base-carried safety catch pivots between latched and unlatched positions for receiving and releasably retaining the catch-engageable formation of the handle when the handle is closed.