Positive catch

Claim 2

A catch comprising, a support, a bolt mounted on said support and having a head movable between a projected position and a retracted position, a resiliently flexible loop mounted on said support and having opposing sides with ends connected to said bolt head, said loop urging said head into said projected position, and an actuator engageable with said loop and manually operable to collapse said loop to move the head into its retracted position, said opposing sides being spaced from and extending generally parallel to each other, said loop further comprising an intermediate section connecting said sides together, said loop being constrained within said support in the general shape of a rhombus and having an elongated slot formed through one of said sides, said actuator being slidably connected to the opposite side of said loop, projecTing outwardly of said support through said slot and being movable along said loop within said slot.

Claim 3

A catch as defined by claim 1 further including a resiliently flexible web integrally formed with and connecting the end of the one side of said loop to said head, and a resiliently flexible hinge section integrally formed with each end of said intermediate section and with the adjacent side of said loop to connect said intermediate section to said sides.

Claim 4

A catch as defined by claim 2 in which first and second spaced parallel wings are integrally formed with said bolt and project rearwardly thereof, an aperture formed in each of said wings adjacent the rearward tip thereof, fingers forming the end portion of said opposite side of the loop, and a boss integrally formed with each of said fingers, said bosses being adapted to snap into said apertures to connect said opposite side of the loop pivotally with said wings.

Claim 5

A catch as defined by claim 2 further including a stop integrally formed with one of said sides and projecting toward the opposite one of said sides for engagement therewith when said loop is collapsed thereby to limit flexure of said web and hinge sections.

Claim 6

A catch as defined by claim 1 further including a second elongated slot formed the opposite side of said loop, said actuator comprising a rod having an outer end portion extending through both said first mentioned slot and said second slot, said rod having an inner end portion with a flange located between said opposite side and said support so when said rod is pulled outwardly, said opposite side is drawn toward said one side thereby moving the head of the bolt into its retracted position.

Claim 7

A catch as defined by claim 5 further including an elongated opening formed in said support and aligned with the slots in said sides, said inner end portion of the rod projecting inwardly through said opening, a slidable strap with a central hole telescoped over said inner end portion and fastened to said support to guide the inward and outward movements of said rod.

Claim 8

A catch as defined by claim 6 wherein said support includes upper and lower parallel sides, each of said sides having an elongated notch formed therein, said strap including spaced parallel legs adapted to fit along the sides of said support, each of said legs including a lateral rib extending toward the other leg, said ribs snap-fitting within said notches to fasten said strap slidably on said support.

Claim 9

A catch as defined by claim 1 further including means for fastening said bolt with a snap-fit within said support.

Claim 10

A catch as defined by claim 8 wherein said fastening means includes a first lug integrally formed with said one side of the loop adjacent one edge thereof and extending beyond said edge, a second similar lug adjacent the opposite edge of said one side, said lugs engaging the inside surfaces of said support when the bolt is inserted into said support and snap-fitting within holes in said support thereby to retain said bolt within the support.

Claim 11

A catch as defined by claim 9 further including first and second lateral projections spaced from said lugs, said projections being integrally formed with and extending beyond the opposite edges of said one side of the loop to interfit with said support to help hold said loop in the general shape of a rhombus.

Claim 12

A catch mountable on the inside of a door and adapted for selective positioning of an outside knob from the edge of the door, said catch comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to the inside of the door, a bolt mounted within said bracket and including a head movable between a retracted position and a projected position, said head, when in said projected position, extending forwardly beyond one end of the bracket adjacent the edge of the door to latch the door closed, a resiliently flexible loop captivated within said bracket and connected to said head, said loop being constrained generally in the shape of a rhombus within said bracket, urging said head into its projected position and having an elongated slot formed through one side thereof, an actuator slidably connected to the opposite side of said loop and projecting outwardly of said bracket through said slot, said actuator being movable along said loop within said slot to be inserted through the door at a selected distance from the edge of the door for connection with the knob so that, when the knob and the actuator are pulled, the loop is collapsed thereby moving the head of the bolt into its retracted position.

Claim 13

A catch mountable on the inside of a door and adapted for selective positioning of an outside knob from the edge of the door, said catch comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to the inside of the door, a bolt mounted within said bracket and including a head movable between a retracted position and a projected position, said head, when in said projected position, extending forwardly beyond one end of the bracket adjacent the edge of the door to latch the door closed, a resiliently flexible loop captivated within said bracket and connected to said head, said loop being constrained generally in the shape of a rhombus within said bracket, urging said head into its projected position and having an elongated slot formed through one side thereof, an actuator slidably connected to the opposite side of said loop and projecting outwardly of said bracket through said slot, said actuator being movable along said loop within said slot to be inserted through the door at a selected distance from the edge of the door for connection with the knob so that, when the knob and the actuator are pulled, the loop is collapsed thereby moving the head of the bolt into its retracted position.

Claim 14

A catch mountable on the inside of a door and adapted for selective positioning of an outside knob from the edge of the door, said catch comprising a bolt and including a head movable between a retracted position and a projected position, a resiliently flexible loop connected to said head, means for mounting said loop on the inside of the door and constraining said loop in the shape of a rhombus with said head being urged into its projected position, said loop having an elongated slot formed through one side thereof, and an actuator slidably connected to the opposite side of said loop and projecting outwardly through said slot, said actuator being movable along said loop within said slot to be inserted through the door at a selected distance from the edge of the door for connection with the knob so that, when the knob and the actuator are pulled, the loop is collapsed thereby moving the head of the bolt into its retracted position.

Claim 15

A catch mountable on the inside of a door and adapted for selective positioning of an outside knob from the edge of the door, said catch comprising a bolt and including a head movable between a retracted position and a projected position, a resiliently flexible loop connected to said head, means for mounting said loop on the inside of the door and constraining said loop in the shape of a rhombus with said head being urged into its projected position, said loop having an elongated slot formed through one side thereof, and an actuator slidably connected to the opposite side of said loop and projecting outwardly through said slot, said actuator being movable along said loop within said slot to be inserted through the door at a selected distance from the edge of the door for connection with the knob so that, when the knob and the actuator are pulled, the loop is collapsed thereby moving the head of the bolt into its retracted position.

Claim 16

A catch mountable on the inside of a door comprising, a bolt having a head movable between a projected position and a retracted position, collapsible loop means formed of a resiliently flexible material and having at least two opposing sides with ends connected to said bolt head, said loop means being movable between a expanded shape urging said head into said projected position with said sides spaced apart and a collapsed shape with said sides moved toward each other, means for mounting said loop means on the inside of the door, and an actuator slidably connected with one of said sides and projecting outwardly thereof for movement along said loop to be inserted through the door at a selected position with respect to the edge of the door, said actuator being manually operable from outside the door in said position to collapse said loop and thereby move the head into its retracted position.

Claim 17

A catch mountable on the inside of a door comprising, a bolt having a head movable between a projected position and a retracted position, collapsible loop means formed of a resiliently flexible material and having at least two opposing sides with ends connected to said bolt head, said loop means being movable between a expanded shape urging said head into said projected position with said sides spaced apart and a collapsed shape with said sides moved toward each other, means for mounting said loop means on the inside of the door, and an actuator slidably connected with one of said sides and projecting outwardly thereof for movement along said loop to be inserted through the door at a selected position with respect to the edge of the door, said actuator being manually operable from outside the door in said position to collapse said loop and thereby move the head into its retracted position.