GB2152572A

GB2152572A - Door handle and latch assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2152572A
Application number: GB08400357A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur Pearson
Original assignee: Salter & Co Ltd G
Current assignee: Salter & Co Ltd G
Priority date: 1984-01-07
Filing date: 1984-01-07
Publication date: 1985-08-07
Also published as: GB8400357D0; EP0167611A1; WO1985003102A1; AU3788285A

Abstract

A door and handle assembly (1) has a door (2) hinged about axis (3) on a door frame (4). A bar (8) is arranged across the door (2) and passes through a spring loaded latch member (5) retractable from recess (7) in the door frame (4) by cam means (8a, 8b, 8c) cooperating with detent means (5b). The bar (8) is moved longitudinally to retract the latch member (5) by actuation of either curved actuating plate (9b, 10b) in the direction of the arrows as shown in (Fig. 1). The plates (9b, 10b) are hinged to the bar (at 11 and 12) and hinged to flat plates (9a, 10a at 15, 16); the flat plates are screwed to the door. In one modification the plates (9a, 10a) are interconnected by a U-shaped bridge piece which extends around the edge of the door (2) and through which the latch member (5) passes. In a second modification the latch member (5) is hollow and the spring is located inside the latch member.

Description

SPECIFICATION A door and handle assembly, a fixture including the door and handle assembly and a kit of parts This invention relates to a door and handle assembly, a fixture including the door and handle mounted on a door frame and a kit of parts including handle means and a latch member attachable to the door, to enable the door to be opened and closed; the door and handle assembly is more particularly but not exclusively for use in buildings such as domestic dwellings, offices and hospitals.

Many door handle and latch assemblies have been proposed which rely on a latch member being retracted from a door frame, on which the door is mounted, simultaneously as a handle is actuated, and before opening the door by pushing or pulling on the handle.

It is usual for the latch member to be retracted by rotating the handle in a plane parallel to the door, perhaps, by applying a generally downward force at one end of the handle, or if the handle is a knob-type, by rotating the knob.

Once the latch member has been retracted from the frame it is necessary to apply a further force, either a generally pulling or pushing action to open the door. Therefore, a person wishing to open a door provided with such an assembly must initiate two quite distinct operations in succession. Since such assemblies rely on a rotational action to retract the latch member, this rotational movement has to be converted to a linear movement along the axis of the latch member.

In some instances it may be disadvantageous to have to perform two such distinct operations in order to open a door, for example, if a person is either handicapped or unable to open the door because their hands are otherwise occupied.

Additionally. since rotary motion parallel to the plane of the door has to be transferred to a linear motion, the number of parts required in the door handle and latch assembly may be more than there need be otherwise, with consequential increases in cost and production.

Other door and handle assemblies have been previously proposed in which a handle is pulled or pushed to retract the latch member.

Such assemblies are not widely used in buildings and the reason for this may be that a practical, uncomplicated, inexpensive and user-acceptable design has not yet been achieved.

Some designs have included thin handles arranged to pivot about a horizontal axis at right angles to the hinge axis of the door.

Where a door handle is horizontal the natural tendency with thin handle parts is to grip them and turn them in a plane parallel to the plane of the door rather than pulling or pushing the end of the handle. Positioning the handle vertically with a horizontal hinge axis may alleviate this problem to some extent since it is not perhaps the usual orientation for a handle which is to be turned in a plane parallel to the door but nevertheless such a design would not entirely obviate the natural tendency to grip and turn the handle. Some of these designs may also have been unacceptable because of inherently poor design characteristics relating to reliability, durability, cooperation between components of the design and ease of manufacture of components.For example, some designs have required that the handles of a pair for a door be of non-identical form leading to obvious unncessary disadvantages such as, for example extra tooling costs, more complicated fitting and general inconvenience as well as, perhaps, undesirable aesthetic characteristics. In fact, the general function charcteristics provided for by these designs may have led to cubersome, unattractive mechanisms where the method of handle actuation is not clear, leaving the user confused into having to "experiment" with the handle in order to find out how to open the door.

Another fault of some previously proposed designs is that the handles of a pair are not both operatively, mechanically connected to the mechanism responsible for retracting the latch member; this can give rise to the possibility of several disadvantages, for example, the possibility of fingers of a users hand being trapped between the handle and the mechanism, undue wear of components as well as a generally, unbalanced erratic arrangement.

Additionally, it is important how the handles are operatively, mechanically connected to the mechanism so that the movement of the handle required to open the door is satisfactory, i.e. not too little and not too excessive, in order to arrive at a balanced arrangement.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate at least some of the aforesaid disadvantages.

From one aspect of the present invention there is provided a door and handle assembly comprising a latch member movably mounted in the door and biassed to project therefrom, in a first position, by resilient means, a bar arranged, in a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door, said bar having cam means co-operable with detent means on the latch member, handle means, comprising or including an actuating plate or panel, on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that, in use, the bar is capable of being moved, on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member from said first position and from engagement with a door frame on which the door is mounted, said movement of the bar causing the detent means to ride on the cam means and thereby retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means.

Since handle means comprises an actuating plate or panel the national tendency to grip and rotate the handle in a plane parallel to the plane of the door is obviated and in many instances the physical size of the plate or panel will prevent the handle being gripped in such manner, in any case.

From a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit of parts to be attached to a door, said kit of parts comprising a latch member adapted to be mounted in the door and resilient means to bias the latch member to project from the door when mounted therein, a bar adapted to be arranged in a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door with cam means on the bar co-operable with detent means on the latch member, handle means, comprising or including an actuating plate or panel, adapted to be mounted on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that, in use on the door, the bar is capable of being moved, on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member from said first position and from engagement with a door frame on which the door is mounted, said movement of the bar causing the detent means to ride on the cam means and thereby retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a fixture including a door frame and a door and handle assembly as claimed in the penultimate paragraph or a kit of parts as claimed in the immediately preceding paragraph.

It is an advantage of preferred embodiments of the present invention that an arrangement is provided to enable a door to be opened substantially simultaneously as the latch member is retracted from a door frame, by a single distinct operation such as a push or pull action on the part of a person opening the door.

The present invention may be applicable to a door arranged to be opened by pulling or pushing respectively from one of, or from either of, the first and second sides of the door.

More usually doors are hinged about one of the first and second sides so that, for example, the door can only be opened by a pulling action from the first side or by a pushing action from the second side of the door. Therefore, in some embodiments of the present invention, where the handle means is provided on both said first and second sides of the door, a hinge axis may be defined on the first side of the door, so that when the door is mounted in a door frame it co-operates with the frame to be capable of being opened by generally pulling on the handle means on the first side of the door or by generally pushing on the handle means on the second side of the door, the latch member being retractable only by the bar being moved in one longitudinal direction which is from the second side of the door toward the first side In such an assembly, preferably. a stop is provided, for example. on the door, latch member or bar, to limit the movement of the bar from the first side of the door to the second and thereby to restrain the handle means on said first side from being generally pushed towards said second side when the door is closed.

The bar may project from the first and second sides of the door. and the handle means may be formed separately to the bar Conveniently. the handle means may comprise a handle on the first side of the door and a handle on the second side of the door. the handles being formed separately to one another. Each handle may be operatively connected, as by for example a pivotal connection, interengaging tongue and notch connection, or by a resiliently deformable member. to a respective end of the bar. Preferably, the handles are identical to one another. In some instances it may be necessary that the door only be opened from one of said first and second sides, in which case handle means may be provided on that side of the door only.

In one embodiment each handle comprises a first handle part in the form of a base plate fastened in a fixed position on the door, through which the bar passes, and a second handle part in the form of a suitably-shaped actuating plate pivotally connected to the base plate about an axis parallel to the plane of the door, which axis is arranged generally vertical in use, and an intermediate portion of the actuating plate may be operatively connected to a respective end of the bar.

The bar may pass through the latch member and the cam means may comprise or include an inclined surface of the bar in engagement or engageable with detent means in the form of a curved surface on the latch member. Any suitable alternative cam and detent means may be provided to translate the linear movement of the bar to effect linear movement of the latch member.

The resilient means biassing the latch member to said first position may comprise a helical-coiled compression spring in a chamber in the door, at one end of the latch member remote from the portion which projects in the first position. Alternatively, the chamber may be in a cover surrounding the latch member, which cover is mounted or mountable in a mortise recess in the door.

In another embodiment the handle means comprises two handles interconnected by a bridge piece that extends from the first side to the second side of, and embraces the thickness of, the door. Advantageously, a single slot may be provided in the door for mounting the handle means and latch member thereto.

Also, advantageously, the distance apart of the handles may be variable to accommodate different thickness of door, for example by making the bridge piece in two parts which are interconnected in extensionwise manner such as by a tongue and groove arrangement.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a door and handle assembly comprising a latch member movably mounted in the door and biassed to project therefrom, in a first position, by resilient means, a bar arranged, in a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door, said bar having cam means co-operable with detent means on the latch member, handle means, comprising or including an actuating plate or panel, on at least one of the opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that, in use, the bar is capable of being moved, on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means and in which the or each actuating plate or panel is pivotally connected on the door and arranged to pivot about an axis generally parallel to the hinge axis of the door.

Preferably, an intermediate portion of the or each actuating plate or panel is operatively.

mechanically connected to a respective end of the bar thereby leaving a free end portion of the plate or panel spaced from the door, which plate or panel may be gripped by hand.

Preferably, the pivoting axis of the or each actuating plate or panel is fixed relative to the door and the actuating plate or panel does not become disconnected from the door or bar on actuation of said plate or panel.

Handle means may be provided on both sides of the door and be substantially identical to one another.

A stop may be provided on one of the door and bar to limit movement of the bar in a direction from the first side of the door to the second side of the door to thereby restrain the actuating plate on said first side from being generally pushed towards said second side.

Alternatively or additionally a limit stop may be provided on one of the door and bar to limit the movement of the bar in a direction from the second side of the door to the first side after the latch has been retracted. Such a limit stop will prevent the bar from being moved too far and, if the actuating panel or plate itself is not used as this stop, the stop may also fulfill the function of preventing possible damage to the panel or plate (and/or the door) by preventing engagement of a free end of the plate or panel with the door.

Depending on the design of the door and handle assembly, the provision of such a limit stop may prevent the fingers of a person on the opposing side of the door having his fingers trapped between the plate/panel and door should two people attempt to open the door substantially simultaneously.

In another embodiment of the present invention the latch member is hollow. Conveniently the resilient means may be provided in the latch member. In order to provide an abutment for the resilient means to act against, a portion of the latch cover may extend into slots in the hollow latch member for the resilient means to seat against and yet allow the latch member to move axially relative to the cover.

Still further according to the invention there is provided a kit of parts to be attached to a door, said kit of parts comprising a latch member adapted to be mounted in the door and resilient means to bias the latch member to project from the door when mounted therein, a bar adapted to be arranged in a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door with cam means on the bar co-operable with detent means on the latch member, handle means adapted to be mounted on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that. in use on the door, the bar is capable of being moved, on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member from said first position and from engagement with a door frame on which the door is mounted, said movement of the bar causing the detent means to ride on the cam means and thereby retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means, and in which the handle means is adapted for use on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door as aforesaid so that the door can be opened only from that side and said handle means being so configured that it can be used in combination with substantially identical handle means mountable on the other of said opposing first and second sides so that the door can be opened from each of said first and second sides on actuation of the respective handle means.

Three embodiments of a door and handle assembly in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional plan view of the first embodiment of a door and handle assembly with a latch member shown in a first position in engagement with a door frame; Figure 2 shows a front view of the door and handle assembly of Fig. 1; Figure 3 shows a modified handle arrangement for either embodiment of the door and latch assembly; Figure 4 shows a simplified perspective view Qf the second embodiment of a door and handle assembly; Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional plan view of a third embodiment of a door and handle assembly with a latch member shown in a first engagement position with a door frame;; Figure 5a shows a view similar to Fig. 5 with the latch member in a retracted position; Figure 6 shows a front view of the door and handle assembly of Fig. 5; Figure 7 shows an end view of the door and handle assembly of Fig. 5, and Figure 8 shows a simplified or sectional view taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a door and handle assembly generally designated 1 includes a door 2 hinged about axis 3 on a door frame 4. A latch member 5 is mounted in the door 2 and is movable to a limited extent in both directions along axis X-X as shown in Fig. 1. The latch member 5 is biassed by resilient means, in the form of a compression spring 6, so that a left hand portion 5a (as shown in Fig. 1) projects from the door 2 in a first position. As shown the latch member 5 also engages in a recess 7 in the door frame 4 provided with a usual striker plate 7a.

A bar 8 is arranged in a rest position across the latch member 5 at right-angles thereto along axis Y-Y and across the door 2. The bar 8 extends through an opening Sc in the latch member 5 and cam means, in the form of cutaway straight edges 8a, 8b and 8c on the bar, are co-operable with detent means in the form of a semi-circular projection 5b on the latch member 5. Handle means in the form of identical handles 9 and 10 are provided on first and second sides of the door 2 respectively at opposed locations, and the bar 8 extends through the door 2 from each of said first and second sides and is pivotally connected to this particular embodiment at each end to one of the handles 9, 10 about a vertical pivot axis 11 or 1 2 respectively.

As shown in Fig. 1 the latch member 5 is secured to the door 2 by an edge plate 13, for example, by screws in a manner known per se, and is encased in a cover 14 extending in the door 2, which cover is integral with edge plate 1 3. The compression spring 6 is seated at the right-hand end of. and inside, the cover 14; it abuts one internal end of the cover 1 4 and the right-hand end of the latch member 5.

As mentioned, bar 8 extends through the latch member 5, and also the minimum dimension of opening Sc along axis X-X through which the bar 8 extends is equal to the maximum width of the bar along axis X-X. The semi-circular projection Sb, which defines a side edge of opening 5c. is shown in Fig. 1 engaging transverse edge 8a and inclined edge 8b. The bar 8 extends equal amounts along axis Y-Y from axis X-X and the whole arrangement is generally symmetrical about axis X-X.

Each handle is of two part construction with a first part in the form of a flat base plate 9a.

1 Oa (see Fig. 2) secured to the door, as by screws. and a second movable part in the form of a curved actuating plate 9b, 10b The pivot axes 11, 1 2 with the bar 8 are provided on intermediate portions 9c, 10cof the curved plates 9b, lOb.

The pivot axes 11. 1 2 with the bar 8 are provided on intermediate portions 9c. 10e of the curved plates 9b, 10b, and the curved plates are each pivotally connected about a vertical pivotal axis 15, 1 6 to one of the flat plates 9a, 1 0a at an end nearest the edge of the door from which latch member 5 projects.

The free ends of the handle parts 9b, 1 0b are provided with vertical ribs 1 7 and 1 8. The bar 8 extends through plates 9a, 10a but the upper portion of bar 8 (as shown in Fig. 1) is provided with an edge 8dwhich engages the exterior of plate 9a to prevent handle part 9b from being closed towards plate 9a from the position shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the embodiment is as follows. The door 2 is mounted so that so that a person approaching the door from the second side must necessarily push the door to open it, the door then swinging open through arcuate path Z. The handle part 1 Ob may be gripped and pushed or just pushed, so that it pivots about axis 1 2 and 1 6 and forces bar 8 to move longitudinally towards the first side of the door along axis Y-Y, simultaneously as handle part 9b of handle 9 is moved outwardly from plate 9a about pivot 1 5. This has the effect of warning a person standing on the second side of the door 2 that someone is about to come through the doorway defined by the frame 4. The bar is moved against resistance provided by semi-circular projection 5b resiliently urged into contact with edges 8a, 8b, 8c by spring 6. As the bar 8 moves the projection 5b rides on inclined edge 8b and away from edge 8a as the latch member retracts, compressing spring 6. The bar travels through opening Sc until edge 8c engages projection 5b at which point intermediate por tion 10cand rib 18 engage plate 10a. The latch member 5 is now fully retracted. As soon as the latch member 5 is free from engagement with the door frame 4 the door 2 will open, with the result that the door may be opened with one smooth continuous pushing action.As soon as the handle 10 is released, for example, after the person has walked through the doorway the latch member 5 is returned to its first position and the bar 8 is returned to its rest position by action of the spring 6 via cam means 8a, 8b, 8c and projection Sb. Handle part 1 Ob is prevented from initially being pulled out instead of pushed to open the door by engagement of stop 8d on bar 8 with plate 9a, preventing movement of bar 8 in a direction Y-Y toward the second side of the door from the position shown in Fig. 1.

Alternatively, if the door 2 is opened from the first side, handle part 9b has to be gripped and pulled to move the bar 8 in a similar manner as previously described, one continuous pulling action being required in this case. Similarly, pulling on handle part 9b moves handle part lOb which indicates to a person on the second side of the door 2 that someone is about to come through the doorway. Handle part 9b is prevented from initially being pushed instead of pulled by engagement of top 8 d with plate 9a As the door 2 is closed either by a person or automatically by a door closer the latch member portion 5a engages the frame 4 and displaces the spring 6 somewhat, before seating in recess 7.

The bar does not have to pass through latch member 5 and it is easy to envisage alternative cam means and detent means within the scope of the invention.

A modified handle arrangement is shown in Fig. 4 which shows one handle 1 9 and one end of the bar 8. Instead of handle parts 9b or 1 0b being pivotally connected to the bar 8 as shown in Fig. 1 the alternative arrangement in Fig. 3 may be preferred. A notch 20 is provided In the bar 8 which seats free end 21 a of a finger member or tongue 21 e.g. a stiff leaf spring member, projecting from the inner face of the movable handle part. The spring member 21 is generally shaped with its other end 21b secured to the handle 19.

which is of slightly different appearance to handles 9 and 10 as shown. The operation of the modified arrangement should be self-evident.

It is an advantage of the described embodiment that attachment of the handles 9, 10, 1 9 to one side of a door is not critical, unlike many handles. Handles provided with relatively thin horiontal grip portions usually need to be accurately aligned otherwise they are displeasing to the eye, but the handles described which are pivoted in a generally vertical plane (and may be termed "push or pull pads") are not subject to the same exacting standards by the eye.

It is thought that the embodiment of the door and handle assembly described lends itself to embellishment of handle design.

Different embodiments of the present invention may include only one handle being provided on the door, and may be used in connection with doors that can be opened by both a pushing or pulling action from either side of the door. In the latter case the bar 8 may be designed to retract the latch when it is moved in either direction along axis Y-Y. The whole arrangement of the handle assembly may be exactly symmetrical about axis X-X from the second side of the door, so that no stop 8d is provided and cam means is provided upwardly of axis X-X in Fig. 1 which is a morror reflection of edges 8a, 8b, 8c.

In some cases, it may not be immediately evident whether the door is to be pushed or pulled, therefore a written instruction such as pull or push, as appropriate may be provided on the door or on the handle.

The first and/or second handle parts may extend generally vertically upwardly and/or downwardly to any desired length so that the door may be opened from different levels. For example, so that small children may open the door the handles may extend downwardly to within one or two feet from the floor.

The handles may conveniently be fabricated as metal castings, and the movable handle parts, in particular, may be adapted to be fitted with decorative or information carrying panels on their exterior faces.

Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of a door and handle assembly. In this example, a door d is provided with single slot S as shown.

Handle means H comprises a handle arrwangment as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or when modified as shown in Fig. 3, in which the handles are interconnected by a generally U-shaped bridge piece B. The bridge piece B is provided with an opening 0 to receive. and to allow retraction from the door frame of, the usual latch member (not shown).

The bridge piece B may be rigidly formed with the flat plates 9a, 1 0a shown in Fig. 1 so that they remain at a fixed distance apart corresponding approximately to the thickness of the door. but in this example the distance between the flat plates can be varied so that different thicknesses of door may be catered for.

As should be evident from Fig. 4 the handle means H extends right around the edge of the door; this construction facilitates fitting the handle arrangement to a door and is particularly appropriate for the D.l.Y. market since it can be fitted to a door with a single slot S as shown, instead of the door having to be provided with one slot to receive the latch and another cross slot for a latch retraction bar.

If desired a rebate could be provided on the edge of the door d to seat the thickness of the material of the U-shaped bridge-piece B but usually the thickness of material will be chosen so that bridge piece B can be adequately received in the gap between the door d and door frame.

The handles may be hingedly connected at the centre of bridge piece B on line A-A or fixed together by cranking parts of the bridge piece B together. As shown the bridge piece B comprises two parts with overlapping edges on axis A-A, one handle part is provided with tongues T which fit into slots on the other handle part and the distance apart of the flat plates can be varied by pulling the tongues T further out of their slots. In this way the handle arrangement may be fitted to doors which vary in thickness and the flat plates can be screwed to the door in a similar manner to that shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 to 7 show a further embodiment of a door and handle assembly. This design is very robust and has been designed to further reduce any possibility that the fingers of a user's hand might be trapped inbetween the handle and the door. This embodiment is generally similar in form to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and, therefore, will not be described in full detail. However, there are some important differences between the two designs which will now be described.

Firstly, referring to Figs. 5 to 7, the door and handle assembly 100 comprises substan tialiy identical handle means 102 and 103.

Each handle means has a decorative cover portion 1 04, 105 engaged over a main handle part 106, 107. A bar 108 arranged transversely of the latch member 109 passes through a hollow shell 100 of the member 109 and has angled ends 108' terminating in part-spherical tips 108". The tips 108" are slidably located in slots 111 of U-shaped section in the main handle parts 106, 107.

Each handle part 106, 107 has an end 106', 107' which is outwardly directed from the door arranged so that even when the handle part is in the closed position with the end 1 06', 107' in its position nearest the door (end 107' in Fig. 5) there is still a large clearance between the end 106', 107' and the door so that there is no danger of fingers being trapped.

Each handle part 106, 107 has an end 106", 107" which is part-spherical and provides a fixed pivotal axis for the handle means 102, 103. The end 106", 107" is seated by a snap-fit engagement in an extension 112' of door plate 112, the extension 112' being of hook-shaped cross-section. The ends 106", 107" pivots in the extension 112'.

The bar 108 passes through an opening 112" in the plate 112 and the plate 112 has inwardly directed portions 11 2"' bent at right angles to the main plane of the plate 11 2 which extend to a latch housing or cover 11 3.

Instead of the latch spring being provided between the cover and latch in this embodi ment a spring 11 4 is provided within the hollow shell 110 of latch member 1 09. The spring 11 4 is located between a left hand abutment 11 5 (as shown in Fig. 5) and two right hand abutments 11 6, 11 7. Vertically offset rectangular slots 118, 11 9 are provided in the latch shell 110 (see Fig. 8) and the abutments 11 6, 117 are generally square teeth integral with, and projecting from, the cover 11 3 through slots 118, 119 into the hollow latch shell 11 0.

Detent means is provided by a part 1 20 of the latch shell 110. Lower parts 121, 122 are supports for the handle means 1 02. 103.

Operation of this door and handle assembly should be evident from the description with reference to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of this specification.

It is to be understood that the choice of particular terminology used herein to describe features and function should not be constructed as unnecessarily limiting and that the scope of such features and function includes suitable or obvious generic replacements.

Claims

1. A door handle assembly comprising a latch member movably mounted in the door and biassed to project therefrom, in a first position, by resilient means, a bar arranged, in a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door, said bar having cam means co-operable with detent means on the latch member, handle means, comprising or including an actuating plate or panel. on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that, in use, the bar is capable of being moved, on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member from said first position and from engagement with a door frame on which the door is mounted, said movement of the bar causing the detent means to ride on the cam means and thereby retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means.

2. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which handle means is provided on both said first and second sides of the door and in which a hinge axis is defined on the first side of the door, so that when the door is mounted on a door frame it co-operates with the frame to be capable of being opened by generally pulling on the handle means on the first side of the door or by generally pushing on the handle means on the second side of the door, the latch member being retractable only by the bar being moved in one longitudi nal direction which is from the second side of the door toward the first side.

3. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which a stop is provided on one of the door and bar to limit the movement of the bar from the first side of the door to the second to thereby restrain the handle means on said first side from being generally pushed towards said second side.

4. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the bar projects from both the first and second sides of the door.

5. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the handle means is formed separately to the bar.

6. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 5 in which the handle means comprises at least one handle operatively connected to an end of the bar.

7. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 6 in which said operative connection is a pivotal connection.

8. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 6 in which said operative connection is an inter-engaging tongue and notch connection.

9. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the handle means comprises a handle on the first side of the door and a handle on the second side of the door, the handles being formed separately to one another.

1 0. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 9 In which the handles are substantially identical.

11. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 6 or any claim dependent therefrom In which the or each handle comprises a first handle part in the form of a base fixedly fastened on the door, and the bar passes through the first handle part. the respective handle also comprising a second handle part In the form of the actuating plate pivotally connected to said base plate about an axis parallel to the plane of the door, which axis is generally vertical in use; and an intermediate portion of the actuating plate is operatively connected to said end of the bar.

1 2. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims In which the cam means comprises or includes an inclined surface of the bar in engagement or engageable with detent means in the form of a curved surface on the latch member.

1 3. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the resilient means comprises a helicalcoiled compression spring in a chamber. at one end of the latch member remote from the portion which projects in the first position.

1 4. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the handle means comprises two handles which are interconnected by a bridgepiece that extends from the first side to the second side of, and embraces the thickness of, the door.

15. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 14 in which a single slot is provided in the door for mounting the handle means and latch member thereto.

1 6. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 14 or claim 1 5 in which the bridge piece has an opening for the latch member.

1 7. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 1 6 in which the distance apart of the handles can be varied to accommodate different thickness of the door.

1 8. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 1 7 when dependent from claim 9 or any claim dependent therefrom in which the bridge piece comprises two parts interconnected by a tongue and groove arrangement.

1 9. A door and handle assembly in which the or each actuating plate or panel is of uniform cross section.

20. A door and handle assembly substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or when modified substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A door and handle assembly substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A kit of parts to be attached to a door, said kit of parts comprising a latch member adapted to be mounted in the door and resilient means to bias the latch member to project from the door when mounted therein. a bar adapted to be arranged In a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door with cam means on the bar co-operable with detent means on the latch member. handle means adapted to be mounted on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that, in use on the door, the bar is capable of being moved. on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member from said first position and from engagement with a door frame on which the door Is mounted, said movement of the bar causing the detent means to ride on the cam means and thereby retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means.

23. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 22 substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or when modified substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 23 in which the handle means is substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A fixture including a door frame and a door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, or including a kit of parts as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 24.

26. A door and handle assembly comprising a latch member movably mounted in the door and biassed to project therefrom, in a first position, by resilient means, a bar arranged, in a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door, said bar having cam means co-operable with detent means on the latch member, handle means, comprising or including an actuating plate or panel, on at least one of the opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that, in use, the bar is capable of being moved, on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member from said first position and from engagement with a door frame on which the door is mounted, said movement of the bar causing the detent means to ride on the cam means and thereby retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means and in which the or each actuating plate or panel is pivotally connected on the door and arranged to pivot about an axis generally parallel to the hinge axis of the door.

27. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 26 in which an intermediate portion of the or each actuating plate or panel is operatively, mechanically connected to a respective end of the bar thereby leaving a free end portion of the plate or panel spaced from the door, which plate or panel may be gripped by hand.

28. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 26 or 27 in which the pivoting axis of the or each actuating plate or panel is fixed relative to the door and the actuating plate or panel does not become disconnected from the door or bar on actuation of said plate or panel.

29. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of claims 26 to 28 in which handle means is provided on both sides of the door and the handle means are substantially identical to one another.

30. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 29 in which a stop is provided on one of the door and bar to limit movement of the bar from the first side of the door to the second side of the door to thereby restrain the actuating plate or panel on said first side from being generally pushed towards said second side.

31. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 29 or 30 having a limit stop on one of the door and bar to limit movement of the bar in a direction from the second side of the door to the first side after the latch has been retracted.

32. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 31 in which the bar has angled ends terminating in part-spherical tips, which tips are slidably located in slots in each of the handle means.

33. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 1 or in any one of claims 26 to 32 in which the latch member is hollow.

34. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 33 in which the resilient means is inside the latch member.

35. A door and handle assembly as claimed in claim 34 in which a portion of a latch cover extends into slots in the hollow latch member to provide an abutment for the resilient means yet allow the latch member to move axially relative to the cover.

36. A door and handle assembly as claimed in any one of claims 26 to 35 In which the or each actuating plate or panel has outwardly directed ends.

37. A door and handle assembly substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

38. A kit of parts to be attached to a door, said kit of parts comprising a latch member adapted to be mounted in the door and resilient means to bias the latch member to project from the door when mounted therein, a bar adapted to be arranged in a rest position, transversely across the latch member and across the door with cam means on the bar co-operable with detent means on the latch member, handle means adapted to be mounted on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door, the arrangement being such that, in use on the door, the bar is capable of being moved, on actuation of the handle means, in at least one longitudinal direction across the latch member to retract the latch member from said first position and from engagement with a door frame on which the door is mounted, said movement of the bar causing the detent means to ride on the cam means and thereby retract the latch member against the biassing provided by the resilient means, and on release of the handle means the latch member and the bar are returned to their first and rest positions respectively by the resilient means, and in which the handle means is adapted for use on at least one of opposing first and second sides of the door as aforesaid so that the door can be opened only from that side and said handle means being so configured that it can be used in combination with substantially identical handle means mountable on the other of said opposing first and second sides so that the door can be opened from each of said first and second sides on.actuation of the respective handle means.