A front-loading washing machine includes a door frame, a latch, a door, a seal, and a striker. The latch is secured to the door frame. The door is rotatably secured to the door frame. The seal is disposed between the door and the door frame. The striker is secured to the door. The striker is configured to disengage the latch in a first configuration while the door is in a closed position such that a gap is formed between the door and the door frame to facilitate venting from an interior of the washing machine. The striker is configured to engage the latch in a second configuration while the door is in the closed position such that the seal closes the gap between the door and the door frame to inhibit venting from the interior of the washing machine.

A latch system for locking of a door to a cabinet comprises a latch receiver secured to the cabinet and having first and second ramps and a rest surface. The latch system further comprises a door latch comprising a handle, a shank coupled to the handle, and a cam latch supported by the shank. In response to rotation of the handle (in either rotational directions), the shank and the cam latch rotate to cause a lock arm of the cam latch to slidably interface with the first and second ramps of the latch receiver, and to seat against the rest surface, thus placing the door latch in a locked position. The latch receiver can have a plurality of ramps, and the lock arm can have a plurality of cam surfaces, so that it can be locked from both rotational directions. The door latch can have a compression load adjustment mechanism.

An automatic hatch assembly for bulk material containers includes a hatch cover which covers a fill opening of the container, and may be retrofitted to existing containers equipped with a conventional hatch cover. A drive unit is operable to open and close the hatch cover, and a locking assembly actuates an extendable lock member. Optionally, a pneumatic seal is provided within the cover for sealing the container from the outside environment. The locking assembly is adapted to resist opening forces applied to the cover, such as when the container is pressurized, and a sequencing controller may be provided to facilitate automated operation of the opening/closing, locking/unlocking, and/or sealing/unsealing of the hatch cover.

An actuating system for an actuatable door and to an actuatable door having such an actuating system. The actuating system comprises first and second rotatable latching shafts, a coupling link, first and second pivotable mechanical transmission elements that are mounted onto first and second rotatable latching shafts, respectively, and first and second latching members. First and second latching members are non-rotatably mounted to the second rotatable latching shaft and adapted for latching the actuatable door in a closed position. A first rotation of the first rotatable latching shaft results in pivoting of the first and second mechanical transmission elements and a second rotation of the second rotatable latching shaft, which causes a third rotation of first and second latching members.

A cover is configured to selectively engage with a portion of a structure in response to receiving a wireless electrical power signal at a receiver antenna of the cover from a wireless power source located in an outside environment, to separate a first environment on a first side of the cover from a second environment on a second side of the cover opposite the first side. In response to wirelessly receiving the electrical power signal, a fastening subassembly of the cover changes from a secured mode configured to inhibit opening a cover body with respect to the structure, to an unsecured mode configured to facilitate opening the cover body with respect to the structure. This in turn allows the cover to be matingly engaged with a portion of the structure to form a smooth continuous surface, without any exposed fasteners on the exterior side of the cover.

A motorized appliance latch provides for a spring-biased strike grip that can be engaged and disengaged from the strike with low force but then locked in a close position during closing of the door to allow the strike to be retained against countervailing gasket compression forces. In this way, an arbitrarily low force may be required by the consumer to close or open the door when the door is unsealed by the motor.

A washing machine appliance equipped with door reversing locking and latching features is provided. Particularly, the washing machine appliance includes latching assembly that is movable between various mounting positions and is configured to hold the door in a closed position. A hinge assembly rotatably couples the door with a cabinet of the washing machine appliance and is movable between various mounting positions so that the door swing direction may be reversed. The washing machine appliance also includes a locking assembly for locking the door in the closed position, e.g., during operation of the washing machine appliance. The locking assembly is separate and distinct from the latching assembly and need not be moved when reversing the swing direction of the door.

A latch structure includes a moving member, a nut and a screw. The moving member includes a base plate, a receiving portion and a limiting portion. The receiving portion has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is connected to the base plate. The limiting portion is disposed at the second end portion of the receiving portion. The nut is fixed into the receiving portion and positioned proximate to the first end portion. The screw is received in the receiving portion and confined to between the limiting portion and the nut.

A latch system for locking of a door to a cabinet comprises a latch receiver secured to the cabinet and having first and second ramps and a rest surface. The latch system further comprises a door latch comprising a handle, a shank coupled to the handle, and a cam latch supported by the shank. In response to rotation of the handle (in either rotational directions), the shank and the cam latch rotate to cause a lock arm of the cam latch to slidably interface with the first and second ramps of the latch receiver, and to seat against the rest surface, thus placing the door latch in a locked position. The latch receiver can have a plurality of ramps, and the lock arm can have a plurality of cam surfaces, so that it can be locked from both rotational directions (i.e., multidirectional). The door latch can have a compression load adjustment mechanism.

A door sealing system for a container having a container door is provided. The container can be part of a vacuum system, for example as mounted on a trailer. The sealing system is hydraulically actuated and includes a mechanical lock. A corresponding vacuum system and method of operation are also provided.