Abstract: An elevator for raising and lowering a string in a wellbore includes left and right bodies hinged together that selectively open and close. The elevator can be a tubing elevator, and the string can be a tubing string, casing, or drill string. Semi-circular channels on an inner surface of each of the bodies face one another when the bodies are in the closed position and define a circular collar for engaging the string. A retainer on one of the bodies selectively pivots into latching engagement with a lug on the other body to hold the bodies in the closed position. A boss projects radially inward from an inner surface of the retainer and a retainer pin selectively is moveable adjacent the boss to lock the retainer in its latching engagement with the lug. The pin moves to adjacent the boss when the elevator contacts a collar.