Abstract: An automatic safety latch assembly for use in combination with a striker on a door of a self-cleaning kitchen range has a bolt which is mounted for rotational movement and subsequent longitudinal movement to a latched position. An over-center biasing arrangement is provided to bias the latching mechanism into both the latched and unlatched positions of the latch bolt. A door sensing element is cooperatively engaged with the latch bolt to prevent accidental tripping of the latching mechanism until the oven door is properly positioned. The latching mechanism includes a thermally responsive blocking mechanism to lock the latch bolt in the latched position and prevent the opening of the oven door during the high temeprature self-cleaning cycle of the kitchen range.