Locking handle for refrigerators

摘要

A locking handle (12,112) for a refrigerator includes a mounting element (46,146) rigidly secured to a refrigerator door, a hand grip (48,148) rigidly secured to the mounting element, and a latch (50,150) attached to the mounting element. The latch (50,150) has a catch (68,168) movable between a locked position and an unlocked position and an actuator (70,170) operably connected to the catch (68,168) for moving the catch from the locked position to the unlocked position. The latch (50,150) provides a positive lock which is actuated to an unlocked position with a manipulation separate from pulling the hand grip (48,148) but has an actuator (70,170) located near the hand grip so that it can be manipulated by a hand grasping and pulling the hand grip. In a first embodiment, the catch (68) is integrally molded with the mounting portion (46) and is laterally deflectable away from a retainer (42) mounted beside the door. In a second embodiment the catch (168) is a vertically extending spindle which is downwardly movable away from a retainer (142) mounted above the door.