This application claims priority to Australian Patent Application no. 2008906241, filed Dec. 2, 2008, entitled “ADJUSTABLE CYLINDRICAL LOCK SET”, naming John Constantinou as the inventor. The contents of the above-listed application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and the benefit of the filing date of the earlier filed application is hereby claimed for all purposes that are legally served by such claim for the benefit of the filing date.
This invention relates to a cylindrical lock set for use on any one of a range of door panels of different thickness, a lock assembly and furniture for use in such a lock set.
A cylindrical lock set generally includes a lock assembly for location in a cylindrical aperture formed in the door and a bolt assembly operatively connected to the lock assembly for location in a bore adjacent the aperture. The lock assembly interacts with the bolt assembly at the periphery of the cylindrical aperture, which distinguishes a cylindrical lock set from other forms of locks. It is generally desirable that the bore is centrally located within the thickness of the door panel, so as to provide even cover on both sides of the bolt assembly for resisting circumvention. The lock set also includes furniture operatively connected to the lock assembly. Components of the furniture are associated with either, or both of, the inner and outer side of the door. The lock assembly is generally fixed in a position relative to the furniture component on the outer side of the door by using fastening means such as bolts.
The thickness of a door panel may be selected from a range of thicknesses, generally having regard to the frame in which it is to be used, or function it is to perform. The frame may be a relatively thin aluminum frame in which case the door panel may be similarly thin to complement the frame. The door may be functioning as a high security door, in which case the door may need to be relatively thick. Door panels for use with cylindrical lock sets in a domestic or commercial dwelling are generally selected from the range of 32 mm to 50 mm. It is therefore desirable to provide a cylindrical lock set capable of suiting the thickness of the door. While one option is to provide a range of lock sets for the differing door thicknesses, it is not practical for locksmiths to stock such a range.
A cylindrical lock set will generally include a lock assembly having a chassis, an actuator and a shuttle that is moved relative to the chassis in response to operation of the actuator. The shuttle is connected to the bolt assembly so that operation of the actuator causes retraction of a bolt of the assembly. An option for providing the thickness adjustment is to include a shuttle having a width of a relatively thin door, and allow for the attachment of the bolt assembly at any location along the width of the shuttle. It will be appreciated that with the chassis fixed in position relative to the outer side of the door, the bolt assembly will be attached in a relatively central location on the shuttle if the door is relatively thin. However in the case of a relatively wide door the attachment will be at a distal end of the shuttle. Where the bolt assembly is attached to the shuttle at its extremity, this can result in a misalignment of the forces required to retract the bolt.
The furniture for use in a cylindrical lock set includes a hand engageable member that is used to operate the actuator. The hand engageable member generally includes either a lever or knob that is rotated about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the door to operate the actuator. The lock assembly generally includes locking means for rendering the actuator inoperable. The locking means may be operated from the inner side of the door by a button which is often located at the axis and positioned on the face of the lever or knob. However if the position of the furniture relative to the lock assembly is adjusted to accommodate a thick door, the button may be recessed within the knob or lever so as to render it unserviceable. Conversely the button may stick out too far when used in a thin door making it unsightly.
The actuator of the lock assembly is normally biased towards a rest position by a biasing means forming part of the lock assembly. When a knob is used to operate the actuator the forces acting around the axis are balanced, whereas for a lever the forces are eccentric and act against the biasing means. This makes it difficult selecting a single biasing means that is suitable for use with either a lever or a knob. A biasing means suitable for retaining a lever level when at rest may be too difficult to overcome when used with a knob.
It is desirable to provide a cylindrical lock set that addresses some of these problems, and in particular one that is relatively easily adjusted by the installer.
According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a cylindrical lock set for use on any one of a range of door panels of different thickness, the lock set including a lock assembly having a chassis which in use is located in a cylindrical aperture extending from an inner side to an outer side of the door, the chassis housing an actuator that is rotatable about an actuation axis and housing a shuttle that is moved linearly relative to the chassis in response to operation of the actuator, the shuttle is operatively attached to a bolt assembly that is located in a bore extending from an edge of the door to the cylindrical aperture, the lock set also including furniture including an outer rose for positioning adjacent the outer side of the door, the lock set also including spacing means associated with the furniture and the chassis to permit adjustment of the position of the shuttle in the axial direction relative to the outer rose.
It is preferred that the spacing means is associated with the outer rose so as to permit adjustment of the position of the chassis relative to the outer rose. It is further preferred that the spacing means permits the outer rose to be detachably connectable to the chassis. It is further preferred that the spacing means is configured to permit unitary incremental adjustment of the shuttle in the axial direction. The spacing means preferably includes a detent which in an inactive condition permits adjustment of the position of the shuttle in the axial direction, and in an active condition fixes the position of the shuttle. It is preferred that the detent is associated with the chassis so as to move therewith and includes biasing means to bias the detent to adopt the active condition. It is further preferred that the spacing means includes a stud associated with the outer rose which extends in the axial direction. It is further preferred that the stud interacts with the detent when the detent is in the active condition to fix the position of the stud relative to the detent. It is further preferred that the stud is configured with a plurality of incremental features that interact with the detent to allow for unitary incremental adjustment of the stud relative to the detent. It is still further preferred that the stud includes a threaded bore to interact with a threaded fastener associated with an inner rose so as to fix the position of the inner rose relative to the chassis.
It is preferred that the lock assembly includes a lock means that when in a locked condition renders the actuator inoperable, the lock means is operable from the inner side of the door by a button which is moved in the axial direction from a rest position to depressed position to adjust the condition of the lock from the locked condition, wherein the axial position of the button relative to the chassis when the button is in a rest position is adjustable. It is further preferred that the lock assembly includes a shaft with the button at a free end of the shaft, the shaft being movable along with the button between the rest and depressed positions to adjust the condition of the lock, the button being rotatable about the axis relative to the shaft to adjust the axial position of the button relative to the chassis when the button is in the rest position. It is further preferred that the cylindrical lock set include stop means which in an active position engages the button to restrain it from rotating about the axis, the stop means being moveable in the axial direction from the active position so as to allow the button to be rotated. It is further preferred that the stop means interacts with the shaft so as to restrain the stop means from rotating relative to the shaft. It is further preferred that the stop means includes biasing means for biasing it toward the active position. It is further preferred that the button and stop means include castellated mating surfaces that interlock when the stop means is in the active position so that rotation of the button causes rotation of the shaft.
According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a cylindrical lock assembly having a chassis which in use is located in a cylindrical aperture extending from an inner side to an outer side of the door, the chassis housing an actuator that is rotatable about an actuation axis and housing a shuttle that is moved linearly relative to the chassis in response to operation of the actuator, a lock means that when in a locked condition renders the actuator inoperable, the lock means is operable from the inner side of the door by a button which is moved in the axial direction from a rest position to depressed position to adjust the condition of the lock from the locked condition, wherein the axial position of the button relative to the chassis is adjustable when the button is in a rest position.
It is preferred that the lock assembly includes a shaft with the button at a free end of the shaft, the shaft being movable along with the button between the rest and depressed positions to adjust the condition of the lock, the button being rotatable about the axis relative to the shaft to adjust the axial position of the button relative to the chassis when the button is in the rest position. It is further preferred that the cylindrical lock assembly include stop means which in an active position engages the button to restrain it from rotating about the axis, the stop means being moveable in the axial direction from the active position so as to allow the button to be rotated. It is still further preferred that the stop means interacts with the shaft so as to restrain the stop means from rotating relative to the shaft. It is still further preferred that the stop means includes biasing means for biasing it toward the active position. It is still further preferred that the button and stop means include castellated mating surfaces that interlock when the stop means is in the active position so that rotation of the button causes rotation of the shaft.
According to still another aspect of this invention there is provided furniture for use with a cylindrical lock assembly having a chassis housing an actuator that is operable to retract a shuttle relative to the chassis from a rest position and actuator biasing means for urging the actuator toward the rest position, the furniture including a rose for location adjacent a door, drive means which is rotatable from a rest position by a hand engageable member relative to the rose for operating the actuator, and selectively operable drive biasing means that in an operative condition urges the drive means to adopt the rest position.
It is preferred that the drive biasing means when operative urges the drive means once it is rotated from the rest position. It is further preferred that the drive means is rotatable relative to the rose in both a clockwise or anticlockwise direction to operate the actuator, and the drive biasing means when operable urges the drive means once rotated in either direction. It is still further preferred that the furniture include a selector for selecting the condition of the drive biasing means. It is still further preferred that the selector is an abutment that is connected to the rose when the drive biasing means is in an operative condition against which the drive biasing means abuts. It is still further preferred that the abutment is detachable from the rose when the drive biasing means is in an inoperative condition. It is still further preferred that the hand engageable means is a rotatable lever or a knob. It is still further preferred that the operative condition is selected for the drive biasing means when the hand engageable means is a lever, and the inoperative condition is selected for the drive biasing means when the hand engageable means is a knob. It is still further preferred that the drive biasing means includes a plurality of torque settings when in the operative condition. It is still further preferred that the drive biasing means includes a torsion spring.
It will be convenient to hereinafter describe preferred embodiments of the invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It ought to be appreciated however that the detailed description in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of how the invention might be put into effect. The specific form and arrangement of the various features shown and described is not to be understood as limiting on the invention.
Referring to
The inner 4 and outer furniture 5 illustrated include a preferred form of hand engagable member 7 in the form of a doorknob. This is one form of hand engagable member 7 that may form part of the lock set 1, however other forms are possible. An alternate form of hand engagable member 7 in the form of a lever is illustrated in
A cylindrical aperture 8 is formed in the door 6 so as to accommodate a chassis 9 of the lock assembly 2. The aperture 8 extends from an inner surface 10 (obscured) of the door 6 to an outer surface 11 of the door 6. A bore 13 is formed from a side edge 12 of the door 6, and extends to the cylindrical aperture 8. The bore 13 accommodates a housing 14 of the bolt assembly 3 so as to allow the bolt assembly 3 to interact with the lock assembly 2. More specifically, a tail bar 15 of the bolt assembly 3 is brought into engagement with a shuttle 16 of the lock assembly 2, whereby this engagement occurs at the periphery of the cylindrical aperture 8. An actuator (obscured) housed within this chassis 9 operates in response to rotation of the hand engagable member 7 about an actuation axis xx. The actuator operates to cause movement of the shuttle in a direction perpendicular to the axis xx. This movement of the shuttle 16 causes retraction of a latch bolt 23 relative to the housing 14.
It ought to be noted from
The outer furniture 7 includes a rose 18 with a pair of studs 19a/19b extending from a rear surface thereof. The studs 19a/19b extend through and engage with the chassis 9 to function as a spacing means in a manner that will be understood with reference to later illustrations. The studs 19a/19b are engaged by fastening elements, preferably bolts 20a, 20b, associated with a rose 21 of the inner furniture 4. A further fastening means, in the form of a screw 22, is included to engage the door panel 6 to resist rotation of the inner rose 21 relative to the door panel 6.
The spacing means permits adjustment of the position of the shuttle relative to the outer rose. Any form of spacing means may be suitable, and the form of spacing means illustrated is only one preferred form. The preferred form illustrated includes the stud 19b extending from the outer rose 18 which interacts with a detent 24 located on a side of the chassis 9. The detent 24 includes a movable plate member 25 which is moved perpendicular to the actuation axis xx so as to space teeth 26a/26b associated with the plate member 25, from grooves 27 associated with the stud 19b.
The teeth 26a/26b and grooves 27 are more clearly illustrated in
The detent 24 is considered to be in an inactive condition when the teeth 26 are spaced from the grooves 27, as in this position the stud 19b can be moved in the axial direction xx relative to the detent 24. When the desired spacing is reached, the plate member 25 is moved so that the teeth 26 engage in the grooves 27 associated with the stud 19b. The detent 24 is considered to be in an active condition when the teeth 26 are located within the grooves 27, as the stud cannot be moved in an axial direction xx.
Referring now to
It ought to be appreciated that the axial position xx of the inner rose 21 relative to an inner shaft 35 will vary according to the thickness of the door 6. This adjusts the position of the inner furniture 4 relative to a button 36 located at a distal end of the shaft 35. The shaft 35 is used to operate a locking means (obscured) of the lock assembly and when control of the locking means by a key is not required of the lock set. The shaft 35 may need to be moved in the axial direction xx, or rotated about the axis xx to operate a function or functions of the locking means. The position of the button 36 relative to the knob 7 (See
When the stop means 37 is moved from the active position, as is illustrated in
The cylindrical lock set 1 may be operated by a hand engageable member 7 in the form of a handle (see
In order to address this issue
The short bolt 44 is detachable from the rose (see
It should be appreciated from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a lock set that requires a relatively simple adjustment to allow for door panels of a range of thicknesses. The ability to retain the position of the chassis relative to the outer rose is a particular advantage. Furthermore, the ability to adjust the length of the shaft that operates the locking means from the inner side is a further advantage. Still furthermore, the ease with which either a turn knob or handle may be selected and integrated into the lock set is a further advantage.
Various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangement of parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2008906241 | Dec 2008 | AU | national |
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Entry |
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ASSA ABLOY Australia Pty Limited, Australian Application No. 2008906241. filed Dec. 2, 2008, International-Type Search Report of the Australian Patent Office, dated Jul. 9, 2009. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20100139335 A1 | Jun 2010 | US |