Hands-free door latch mechanism

摘要

The hands-free door latch mechanism includes two mutually opposed actuator plates to each side of the door, with the plates disposed vertically and orthogonally to the plane of the door. The plates are rigidly connected, with the connector bar also rigidly connected to the latch of the door. When either plate is pushed toward the hinge line of the door, the connector draws the latch into the door to release the latch from the strike plate. A horizontally disposed lock plate extends from one side of the door, with a transverse lock rod extending through the door. The lock rod has a tang that resides above the internal end of the latch when unlocked. When the lock plate is pushed down, the tang drops behind the latch to prevent retraction of the latch. The opposite end of the lock rod has a lock status indicator extending therefrom.

主权项

1. A hands-free door latch mechanism, comprising:
mutually opposed, laterally disposed first and second actuator plates, the actuator plates having vertically oriented major planes and inboard edges, the planes being mutually coplanar; a first arm and a second arm extending from the inboard edge of the respective first actuator plate and second actuator plate, each arm having a distal end, the arms being parallel to one another; a transverse connecting rod extending between the distal ends of the arms; a latch having a strike end and an inner end opposite the strike end, the latch being attached to the connecting rod between the arms; a lock plate, the lock plate having a substantially horizontal major plane and an inner edge, the lock plate selectively communicating with the latch; a transversely disposed lock rod extending from the inner edge of the lock plate, the lock rod having a distal end opposite the lock plate; and a tang depending generally medially from the lock rod, the tang selectively engaging the inner end of the latch and preventing latch movement when the lock plate is shifted downward.