Abstract: The latching apparatus has an external housing which contains a recess, an internal activating mechanism and a biased locking bolt for engagement with an associated striker plate. The operation of the latch is accomplished by inserting the hand into the recess and sliding a therein positioned handle cup. The movement of the cup causes, inside of the activating mechanism, the spreading of two levers which are geared to one another and are connected to the spring biased locking bolt. The levers will upon movement make contact with a pivot point and the resulted leverage action will pull the bolt to a retracted or unlatched position. Release of the handle cup automatically reverses the operation and moves the bolt in the latching position.