sliding door latching mechanism

[Bill Bixby]

The entry to my master bath are sliding bypass doors. They both slide to the right side of the entry when open and to close, one moves all the way to the left of the opening and the other moves to the halfway point. Below is a top down view illustration.

Can anyone think of a latching mechanism that I can buy or make that would allow both doors to slide together when opening until they reach the halfway point where one door will be released and the other will keep sliding?

Thanks!!

[Jerry Miner]

Do they have to travel together for the first half, or can one door open to the halfway point and then pull the other door along for the next half?

If so, a simple tab can do that. It can be attached on the edge or on the top of the doors. And if you add a tab to the back of the "following door" then the "leading door" can push it to the open position as well.

Doors 1-7-13.pngblank.png Door Detail 1-7-13.png

[Bill Bixby]

Do they have to travel together for the first half, or can one door open to the halfway point and then pull the other door along for the next half?

Yes, that what I have now but I'm trying to come up with something more elegant. I think a gate hinge like this turned 90 degrees would work if I could find one small enough and figure out a way to create a pin that would open the latch and release the post. If I mount it high and between the doors, it wont be visible.

[Jerry Miner]

Could you do it with something like an elbow catch?

elbow catch 1-7-13.PNG

[Bill Bixby]

Could you do it with something like an elbow catch?

elbow catch 1-7-13.PNG

This looks great!! I knew this problem could be solved with some type of hardware but with so much out there, you have to have the specific term or google searches are full of junk.