Patent attributes
A handle-latch assembly mounted on a horizontal sliding door and coupled to a vertically movable latch bolt which protrudes outwardly from a top or bottom door edge, and which enables the inside and outside handles of the door to be respectively used for moving the door in closing and opening directions. The door has a manual lock actuator on the inside of the door, and an optional key-lock actuator on the outside of the door, whereby latching the door in the closed position requires a deliberate manual manipulation of either the inner lock actuator or the outer key actuator. The assembly permits sequential unlocking and opening of the door from the inside by application of a single horizontally-directed force to the inner handle. The handle-latch mechanism includes cooperating linkages, and the linkages are automatically reset into an unlocked position whenever the locked door is opened from the inside.
