Drawer slide with releasable latch

Abstract

A drawer slide includes first and second telescoping members, a latch having a dog and pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch. An actuator includes a cam surface and movably coupled to the first member and a cam follower on the latch riding on the cam surface. The cam surface includes a locking position on the cam surface between two unlocking positions on the cam surface for the latch. Thus the latch can be operated in opposed directions.

1 . A drawer slide comprising: 
 first and second telescoping members;    a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch;    an actuator including a cam surface and movably coupled to the first member;    a cam follower on the latch riding on the cam surface; and    the cam surface including a locking position on the cam surface between two unlocking positions on the cam surface for the latch.    
   
   
       2 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , including means for biasing the cam to the locking position of the cam surface.  
   
   
       3 . The drawer slide of  claim 2 , wherein the biasing means include a spring connected between the actuator and the first member.  
   
   
       4 . The drawer slide of  claim 2 , wherein the biasing means include a spring mounted to the first member at opposed ends and the actuator is connected to the spring between the opposed ends.  
   
   
       5 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , the cam surface is in a slot on the actuator and the cam follower is a pin riding in the slot.  
   
   
       6 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , wherein the catch is an aperture on the second member;  
   
   
       7 . The drawer slide of  claim 6 , including a third telescopic member which includes an aperture as a catch for receiving the dog of the latch in the locking position of the latch.  
   
   
       8 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , including a third telescopic member which includes a catch for receiving the dog of the latch in the locking position of the latch.  
   
   
       9 . The drawer slide of  claim 8 , wherein in the locked position of the dog, the dog is received in the catch of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the second and third members in a second telescopic position of the members.  
   
   
       10 . The drawer slide of  claim 9 , wherein the dog is stepped shape with an upper portion to be received in the of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the third member in a second telescopic position of the members and a lower portion to be received in the catch of the second member in a second telescopic position of the members.  
   
   
       11 . The drawer slide of  claim 8 , wherein in an extended telescopic position of the first and second member, the dog engages a trailing edge of the second member and prevents movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members.  
   
   
       12 . The drawer slide of  claim 8 , wherein in an extended telescopic position of the first and third member, the dog engages a trailing edge of the third member and prevents movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members.  
   
   
       13 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , wherein in an extended telescopic position of the first and second members, the dog engages a trailing edge of the second member and prevents movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members.  
   
   
       14 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , wherein the dog is stepped shape with an upper portion to be received in the catch and for engaging the trailing edges and a lower portion for engaging the trailing edges only.  
   
   
       15 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , wherein the first member has a generally U-shaped cross-section and the latch pivots about an axis parallel to the bight of the U-shape.  
   
   
       16 . The drawer slide of  claim 1 , wherein the first member includes a stop for receives a leading edge of the actuator.  
   
   
       17 . A drawer slide comprising: 
 first and second telescoping members;    a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch;    an actuator movably coupled to the first member for moving from a locking position to one of two unlocking positions on opposite sides of the locking position; and    the actuator is coupled to the dog for moving the dog from out of the catch for either direction of movement of the actuator from the actuator's locking position.