An elbow retainer is a low-cost hardware device used in cabinet making and woodworking to secure pairs of cabinet doors. It consists of a striker and a locking mechanism and can be used on all types of cabinets. Installers should align the latch and striker correctly and use them only on double cabinets.
An elbow retainer is a hardware device used in cabinet making and woodworking. The toggle latch offers a low-cost method of securing a door and makes it easy to manually lock or unlock the door as needed. This device consists of two separate components, including a striker and a locking mechanism. The elbow retainer gets its name from the angled design of the locking mechanism, while the attachment features a raised lip to secure the tip of the angled retainer.
These locks are often used to secure pairs of cabinet doors. When doors are locked from the outside with a cabinet latch or similar lock, one of the doors is considered active and the other inactive. When users turn or unlock the exterior lock, the active door opens while the toggle latch holds the inactive door securely in place. To open the inactive door, the user must reach into the open cabinet and press the latch located on the elbow latch.
Typically, installers mount the elbow latch to the idle cabinet door, while the striker is mounted to one of the shelves inside the cabinet. The device should be mounted close enough to the active cabinet door that the average user will be able to reach it. Once the inactive door is closed, the elbow latch automatically locks, securing the door in place.
This type of cabinet hardware can be used on all types of cabinets, including wood, metal and composite materials. Most contain pre-drilled holes to accommodate fasteners and manufacturers often supply appropriate fasteners to ensure proper installation. While standard hardware can be used on most residential cabinets, heavy-duty fasteners work best on commercial or industrial cabinets due to high levels of wear and abuse.
Consumers typically select elbow latches and other cabinet accessories based on materials and finish. The hardware should match or complement the cabinets themselves and can also be chosen to match other hardware or fixtures in the room. Even if the elbow catch is hidden inside the cabinet, it should still match the surrounding fixtures to create a cohesive look. These fasteners can be found in both polished and brushed varieties, with finishes ranging from brass to chrome.
Installers should use elbow fasteners carefully to ensure they function as intended. The latch and striker must be aligned correctly so that the lip of the striker matches the tip of the locking mechanism. As these latches cannot be accessed from outside the cabinet, they should only be used on double cabinets which allow users easy access to the lock.
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