The present invention relates to a handleset assembly, and more particularly to a universal escutcheon plate and thumbpiece therefor.
Escutcheon plates for mortise handleset are different from escutcheon plates for tubular handlesets due to different door prep for mortise and tubular lock assemblies. Due to the different design, the location and size of the thumbpiece aperture on the tubular escutcheon is different from that of the mortise, which requires the manufacturer to make a different escutcheon plate for each lock type even when the style is identical. The expense associated with manufacturing for each style as well as logistics and supply chain complexities may be relatively significant.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a universal escutcheon plate for use with both a tubular and mortise handleset assembly.
A handleset assembly according to the present invention provides a universal escutcheon plate with which only a mortise thumbpiece, and a mortise thumbpiece mounting bracket needs to be changed out with a tubular thumbpiece and a tubular thumb cartridge to effect the changeover with the universal escutcheon plate as a generally rectilinear thumbpiece aperture is in a common vertical location relative to a lock aperture. A mortise thumbpiece includes a uniquely shaped tailpiece to properly locate the mortise thumbpiece within the thumbpiece aperture of the universal escutcheon plate.
The present invention therefore provides a universal escutcheon plate for use with both a tubular and mortise handleset assembly.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:
Referring to
Commonality of the universal escutcheon plate 12 reduces expense and inventory considerations related to the handleset assemblies 10, 20. It should be understood that although only a particular architectural style is illustrated in the disclosed embodiment, other architectural styles such as Tuscany, French, Craftsman will also benefit from the present invention. That is, any style will utilize the same casting for exterior escutcheon plate whether it's a tubular or mortise application.
Only the mortise thumbpiece 14, and the mortise thumbpiece mounting bracket 16 needs to be changed out with the tubular thumbpiece 22 and the tubular thumb cartridge 24 to effect the changeover with the universal escutcheon plate 12 as a generally rectilinear thumbpiece aperture 26 (
Referring to
The tubular thumbpiece 22 includes a pivot pin 30 (also illustrated in
The pivot aperture 32 is not located within the vertical envelope E. A jogged tailpiece 34 extending from a thumbpad 36 of the mortise thumbpiece 14 permits operation with the thumbpiece aperture 26. The jogged tailpiece 34 of the mortise thumbpiece 14 must engage a bottom face of a lift lever on the mortise lock, which has heretofor been located at the same vertical distance, measured from the centerline of the lock cylinder aperture 28 as that of the top surface of a conventional straight mortise thumbpiece tail end. In the present invention, the distance Z from the centerline of the lock cylinder aperture 28 to the top edge of the thumbpiece aperture 26 is standardized to one location for both mortise and tubular escutcheons plates 12. As a result of this, the distance Z from centerline of the lock cylinder aperture 28 to the top edge of the thumbpiece aperture 26 is now different from that of the bottom face of the lift lever on the mortise lock. Since the lift lever location on a mortise lock is fixed, the solution to this is made possible by designing the uniquely shaped jogged tailpiece 34 for the mortise handleset 10.
Referring to
Although particular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present invention.
The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.