Single-motion mechanically leveraged latch apparatus for horse trailer stall divider

摘要

A latch assembly (8) for securing and releasing a horse trailer divider (100), the latch assembly (8) having a mechanically leveraged handle (10) coupled to a latchbolt (13), the handle (10) and the latchbolt (13) having a latched position and an unlatched position. In one embodiment, the latch assembly (8) may be incorporated into a divider (100) having a first end (107A) hinged to a first wall (130) of the trailer and a second end (107B) releasably securable to a second wall (122). The latch assembly (8) may comprise a handle (10) operatively coupled to an axle (14) for being extended to its latched position and retracted to its unlatched position by operation of the handle (10). The handle may comprise an angled portion (10A) to improve access to the fingers of the user's hand.

主权项

1. A latch apparatus for releasably securing a pivotable divider in a closed position within a livestock trailer having at least one wall, comprising:
an axle securable to a pivotable divider and rotatable about a first axis; wherein said axle has a hole through the axle a latchbolt, having a first end and a second end, slidable within a channel in the pivotable divider between a withdrawn position and a deployed position; whereby in said deployed position said latchbolt engages said wall and prevents said pivotable divider from pivoting, a tensile member having a first end extending through said axle hole and directly coupled to a portion of the rotatable axle, and a second end coupled to the first end of the latchbolt; a spring biasing the latchbolt towards the deployed position and a handle coupled to the axle to provide a mechanical advantage for axle rotation; wherein pulling the handle coupled to the axle rotates the axle on its axis to wrap at least a portion of the first end of the tensile member about at least a portion of the axle to move the latchbolt from the deployed position towards the withdrawn position to release the divider to allow the divider to pivot to an open position.