Importance

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Abstract

A latching device is provided for releasably retaining in an upright and open position, a hinged door which is typically manufactured of a heavy cast iron and hinged to a train stop housing, thereby to prevent the unintentional and accidental closure of the hinged door during installation connections or any field operational maintenance of the train stop housing. Preferably, a latch assembly is mounted atop a sturdy frame which provides an integral support above the train stop housing and is mountable with mounting hardware to a mounting lug of the train stop housing. The latch assembly includes a covered latching bar which slides in a channel defined by a first and second bracket and is urged by a spring mounted between the first and second bracket, thereby to urge a latch end of the latching bar outwardly away from the latch assembly and an opposing handle end of the latching bar inwardly towards the latch assembly. The latching device is mounted to the train stop housing so that a hinged door which is rotated toward the integral support of the frame slides against the latch end and urges the latch end inwardly toward the latch assembly against the urging of the spring, until the door is moved past the latch end and the spring snaps the latch end outwardly away from the latch assembly, thereby to obstruct the door from unintentionally and accidentally being closed past the latch end, so that the door is positioned between the latch end and the support of the frame. When closing of the door is desired, the handle end of the latching bar may be manually grasped, thereby to urge the handle end outwardly away from the latching assembly and to retract the latch end inwardly towards the latch assembly to clear the latch end obstruction which prevents closing of the door.

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First Claim