Need help with design

[aaron hero]

Im building a wooden chest for my daughter and want to make some retractable handles but can't figure out how to make a mechanism to allow me to push on the handle to allow it to pop out. I used some one inch square tubing that a piece of .75 pipe slides into, there are two of theses, one along the inside front and rear, these square tubes will also act as a surface for the tray to slide on. At the ends of the chest I drilled 1" holes that the .75 pipe slide through and into the sq tubing, I want to be able to push on the end of the pipe and have them pop out so they can be used as handles to carry the chest, i want to then be able to push them in and have them latch when not in use. There will be two handles on each end. The mechanism will act somewhat like the button on a retractable pen. Anyone have any ideas how I can make such a mechanism? Thanks for any help!

[Jamie Buxton]

There are touch-latches intended for cabinet doors. You could buy one, take it apart, and see how they do it. For instance http://www.wwhardware.com/catalogsea...&q=touch+latch Or you could take apart that retractable pen that you mentioned.

Fair warning... My experience with touch latches is bad. They break, usually in the latched position, so you can't get in to repair them. If I were starting down the design road you're on, I'd aim at a retractable handle, but wouldn't attempt to make it a touch-latch.