The present invention generally relates to locks that interface between a first article and a second article. More particularly, the present invention discloses a deadbolt type lock that interfaces between a door and a door frame.
Prior art typical deadbolt locks are typically constructed of an exterior key lock cylinder that is rotationally coupled to the bolt assembly that has a mechanism to convert the rotational movement from the lock cylinder into reciprocating movement in the bolt assembly that moves into and out of the door frame, wherein the lock cylinder is rotationally engaged to the door, thus with the bolt extension assembly extended into the door frame this results in the door being locked to the door frame. Further included in the typical deadbolt lock is an interior thumb turn handle that is also rotationally engaged to the door and the bolt extension assembly like the key lock cylinder except that the thumb turn handle can manually place the bolt assembly extended into or retracted out of the door frame.
One of the security concerns with the deadbolt lock is on the key lock cylinder that is on the external side of the door, wherein a person with evil intent would try to breach the lock cylinder with a master key or even a locksmiths key picking ratchet to have the key lock cylinder rotate as though the evil intent person had the correct key to turn the lock cylinder, thus being able to rotate the key lock cylinder and resulting in the bolt extension assembly withdrawing from the door frame and effectively unlocking the door without using the correct key, thus emphasizing that the unique configuration of the key is not much of a barrier for a motivated and resourceful criminal to overcome the typical prior art dead bolt lock. One possible solution to removing the weak deterrent effect of requiring a unique key to rotate the key lock cylinder is to be able to selectively rotationally disconnect the rotational engagement of the key lock cylinder from the bolt extension assembly all from the inside portion of the door via the thumb turn handle, thus resulting that if the key lock cylinder is overcome with a bogus key or even in the case of the criminal having the correct key, being irrelevant toward overcoming dead bolt in retracting the bolt extension assembly from the door frame and being able to open the door.
Further, even if a criminal were to use the incorrect key in the key lock cylinder and impart excessive rotational force, bump, or even drill out the key lock cylinder to overcome the key lock cylinder not rotating from the wrong key being in it would also be irrelevant as the key lock cylinder is rotationally disengaged from the bolt assembly thus resulting in the dead bolt remaining locked no matter what happens to the key lock cylinder. Even with an electronic key, there could be an instance of it being hacked and being overcome as if the criminal had the correct key code would still not allow the dead bolt to become un-locked-truly making the lock apparatus a “dead” bolt, wherein the bolt cannot be changed from its locked positional state via the exterior key lock cylinder.
In looking at the prior art in this area, starting with U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,199 to Smith, et al., disclosed is a deadbolt mechanism including a lock out mechanism that functions to disable the operation of the deadbolt from at least one side of the deadbolt mechanism. In Smith '199 the deadbolt mechanism includes a deadbolt, key cylinder, housing, turn knob and a shaft that connects the key cylinder and turn knob. To place the deadbolt mechanism in Smith '199 into lock out mode, the turn knob is moved to the locked positioned and then pulled outward away from the door. By pulling the knob outward, the shaft engages a portion of the housing which prevents rotation of the shaft and thereby prevents movement of the deadbolt from the locked position. A problem with Smith '199 is that a mechanical rotational lockout effectuates the rotational lock-up of the shaft between the thumb turn handle and the key lock cylinder with the bolt assembly rotationally disposed therebetween, wherein if excessive rotational force is applied externally to the key lock, it could overcome the rotational lock which would breach the entire deadbolt lock, thus a better design would have the rotational dis-engagement of the key lock assembly thus allowing the key lock assembly to rotationally “free wheel” in relation to the bolt assembly and the thumb turn handle such that if excessive rotational force is applied to the key lock assembly to breach the dead bolt lock it would not matter.
Further in the dead bolt lock prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,343 to Smith, et al., disclosed is a deadbolt mechanism including a lock out mechanism (100) that functions to disable the operation of the deadbolt from at least one side of the deadbolt mechanism. The deadbolt mechanism in Smith '343 includes a deadbolt, key cylinder, housing, turn knob and a shaft that connects the key cylinder and turn knob. In Smith '343 to place the deadbolt mechanism in lock out mode, a release mechanism is actuated and the turn knob is pulled outward away from the door.
Further in Smith '343, by pulling the knob outward, the shaft engages a portion of the housing which prevents rotation of the shaft and thereby prevents movement of the deadbolt from the lock-out position. Again as in Smith '199, Smith '343 has the problem in that a mechanical rotational lockout effectuates the rotational lock-up of the shaft between the thumb turn handle and the key lock cylinder with the bolt assembly rotationally disposed therebetween, wherein if excessive rotational force is applied externally to the key lock, it could overcome the rotational lock which would breach the entire deadbolt lock, thus a better design would have the rotational dis-engagement of the key lock assembly thus allowing the key lock assembly to rotationally “free wheel” in relation to the bolt extension assembly and the thumb turn handle such that if excessive rotational force is applied to the key lock assembly to breach the dead bolt lock it would not matter.
Continuing in the deadbolt lock prior art, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,169 to Moore disclosed is a deadbolt manipulation adjunct and method that provides user selection between dual cylinder, single cylinder, and disabled modes, is capable of retrofitting on existing deadbolt structures, which maintains full deadbolt security while providing authorized user deadbolt operation between locked and unlocked positions via a thumb turn actuator to release the deadbolt in the case of an emergency. Moore '169 provides especially the emergency opening release of the key locked interior deadbolt type lock, wherein the dead bolt lock can be selectively set to function as a conventional non-key required interior thumb type turn handle to facilitate emergency exit situations wherein a key would not be easily available to open the dead bolt lock from inside the building structure.
Next in the dead bolt lock prior art area in U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,244 to Garza, et al., disclosed a lock assembly for use with a bolt movable from a retracted position to an extended position from outside the house. The lock assembly in Garza includes an exterior assembly and an interior assembly having an interior actuator manually operable to move the bolt extension between the retracted position and the extended position. The exterior assembly in Garza includes an exterior actuator manually operable to cause the bolt extension to move from the retracted position to the extended position and inoperable to move the bolt extension from the extended position to the retracted position. Thus the result in Garza is that the exterior portion of the dead bolt has an added actuator that functions to only lock the dead bolt without the need for a key.
Further in the dead bolt lock prior art area in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,074 to Moore, disclosed is a conversion kit allows a user to convert a deadbolt lock mechanism into a pick proof deadbolt lock mechanism by providing all the necessary parts allowing a user to easily and effectively prevent the turn piece latch of the deadbolt lock mechanism from rotating. Once installed in Moore '074, a locking shaft pin of the kit can be placed into a first orifice drilled through the turn piece latch and a second orifice, coaxially aligned with the first orifice, drilled through the back plate to immobilize the turn piece latch in its locked position from the interior side of the dead bolt lock, further it would also allow a deadbolt manufacturer to use the same, in which case collars could be an O-ring style.
In Moore '074 there is the same issue as with Smith '199 and Smith '343 in that the problem is with the mechanical fixed rotational lockout via rod 6, that effectuates the rotational lock-up of the shaft between the thumb turn handle and the key lock cylinder with the bolt assembly rotationally disposed and bolt extension assembly locked therebetween, wherein if excessive rotational force is applied externally to the key lock, it could overcome via rotationally overloading the rotational lock which would breach the entire deadbolt lock, thus again a better design would have the rotational dis-engagement of the key lock assembly thus allowing the key lock assembly to rotationally “free wheel” rotationally in relation to the bolt extension assembly and the thumb turn handle such that if excessive rotational force is applied to the key lock assembly to breach the dead bolt lock it would not matter toward breaching the dead bolt lock.
What is needed is a lock out mechanism that safely selectively dis-engages the key lock assembly from the bolt extension assembly from the interior side of the door such that the application of significant rotational force against the exterior key lock assembly with or without the correct key by a criminal does not have the opportunity to cause damage to the dead bolt lock as the rotationally disengaged key lock assembly is simply rotationally “freewheeling” via not offering any rotational resistance for the criminal to apply a force toward, that can potentially cause an element to fail within the dead bolt lock assembly. In summarizing the above mentioned prior art in the current state of the art in deadbolt locks that have various disengagement mechanisms, starting with Smith '199 whose patentability is in an inside pullout for the deadbolt extension lock, in Smith '343 whose patentability lays in a lockout mechanism (100) as an example to prevent accidental key disabling lockout, in Moore '169 whose patentability lays in having different locking options with a double ended key lock deadbolt lock assembly, in Garza whose patentability lays in the ability to activate (irreversibly) the key deactivation from the outside, and in Moore '074 whose patentability is in retrofitting existing installed dead bolt locks. So there are a number of differing approaches to adding dead bolt lock security with various advantages and disadvantages disclosed.
Broadly, the present invention is a lock apparatus for selectively securing and un-securing a first article to a second article, the lock apparatus comprises a first element including a primary end portion and an opposing secondary end portion with a longitudinal axis spanning therebetween, the first element having a first element rotational engagement about the longitudinal axis to the first article. Further included in the lock apparatus is an extension beam including a first end portion and an opposing second end portion with a lengthwise axis spanning therebetween, the extension beam having an extension beam rotational engagement about the lengthwise axis to the first article, wherein the lengthwise axis and the longitudinal axis are coincident to one another, wherein the extension beam second end portion has a structure to selectively rotationally engage and disengage the first element secondary end portion.
Also included in the lock apparatus is a means to selectively engage and disengage the second article that is driven from the extension beam, wherein operationally the extension beam selectively rotationally engages the first element and the extension beam selectively engages and disengages the first article to the second article, thus resulting in the extension beam always being able to selectively engage and disengage the first article to the second article and the first element only having an ability to selectively engage and disengage the first article to the second article when the first element and the extension beam are selectively rotationally engaged to one another.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which;
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Also included in the lock apparatus 50 is the means 170 to selectively engage and disengage the second article 70 that is driven from the extension beam 130, wherein operationally the extension beam 130 selectively rotationally engages the first element 80 and the extension beam 130 selectively engages and disengages the first article 60 to the second article 70, thus resulting in the extension beam 130 always being able to selectively engage and disengage the first article 60 to the second article 70 and the first element 80 only having an ability to selectively engage and disengage the first article 60 to the second article 70 when the first element 80 and the extension beam 130 are selectively rotationally engaged 190 to one another, see in particular
An option for the lock apparatus 50, wherein the structure 165 is preferably constructed of the male portion 180 that is received in the female portion 185 that includes the means 200 for urging the male 180 and female 185 portions apart from one another to operationally cause the default bias 210 toward the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 and the first element 80 secondary end portion 95 not being rotationally engaged, see in particular
Alternatively, for the lock apparatus 50, the male portion 180 is preferably disposed on the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 and the female portion 185 is preferably disposed on the first element 80 secondary end portion 95, as best shown in
Further, optionally for the lock apparatus 50, the means for urging 200 is preferably constructed of a spring 220 that is disposed within the female portion 185 to operationally have the urging movement 210 along the longitudinal axis 120, see in particular
Another alternative for the lock apparatus 50, can further comprise a twist lock assembly 225 that is rotationally engaged 230 to the first article 60, the twist lock assembly 225 is rotationally engaged 240 to the extension beam 130 first end portion 135, the twist lock assembly 225 having rotational movement 245 about the lengthwise axis 150, the twist lock assembly 225 also having a means 260 to removably lock the first axial position 250 along the lengthwise axis 150 and use a fixed amount of rotation 265 about the lengthwise axis 150 to unlock the first axial position 250 to the free movement axial state 255 along the lengthwise axis 150, see
As a continuing alternative for the lock apparatus 50, wherein the twist lock assembly 225 further comprises the first extension element 270 and the second extension element 275 that are both parallel 280 to the lengthwise axis 150 and the retainer 285 that is rotationally engaged 290 to the first 270 and second 275 extension elements and affixed 295 to the first article 60, wherein the first extension element 270 selectively axially interlocks 305 with the retainer 285 to form the first axial position 250, see
As a further alternative for the lock apparatus 50, wherein the first 270 and second 275 extension elements are preferably constructed of an inner 325 and an outer 330 sleeve, wherein the first extension element 270 is the outer sleeve 330 and the second extension element 275 is the inner sleeve 325, the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves are axially connected 310 through the circular clip 335 that affixes the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves axially while allowing independent rotational movement 340 as between the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves about the lengthwise axis 150, see
A continuing alternative for the lock apparatus 50, wherein the outer sleeve 330 further comprises a thumbscrew 345 type manual grabbing point and the inner sleeve 325 further comprises a lever 350 type manual grasping point to manually effectuate rotational motion 355 about the lengthwise axis 150 of the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves, again see
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Further included in the dead bolt apparatus 55 is the extension beam 130 including the first end portion 135 and the opposing second end portion 145 with the lengthwise axis 150 spanning therebetween, the extension beam 130 having the extension beam 130 rotational engagement about the lengthwise axis 150 to the lock cylinder 85, wherein the lengthwise axis 150 and the longitudinal axis 100 are coincident 160 to one another, wherein the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 has structure 165 to selectively rotationally engage and disengage the lock cylinder 85 secondary end portion 115, as best shown in
Also included in the dead bolt apparatus 55 is the bolt extension assembly 175 to selectively engage and disengage the door frame 75 that is driven from the extension beam 130, wherein operationally the extension beam 130 selectively rotationally engages 165 the lock cylinder 85 and the extension beam 130 selectively 175 engages and disengages the door 65 to the door frame 75, thus resulting in the extension beam 130 always being able to selectively 175 engage and disengage the door 65 to the door frame 75 and the lock cylinder 85 only having an ability to selectively engage and disengage the door 65 to the door frame 75 when the lock cylinder 85 and the extension beam 130 are selectively rotationally engaged 195 to one another, as best shown in
An option for the lock apparatus 55, wherein the structure 165 is preferably constructed of the male portion 180 that is received in the female portion 185 that includes the means 205 for urging the male 180 and female 185 portions apart from one another to operationally cause the default bias 215 toward the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 and the lock cylinder 85 secondary end portion 115 not being rotationally engaged 205, wherein manual effort 365 is required to overcome the default bias 215 to rotationally engage 195 the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 and the lock cylinder 85 secondary end portion 115, all as best shown in
Another option for the lock apparatus 55 wherein the male portion 180 is preferably disposed on the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 and the female portion 185 is preferably disposed on the lock cylinder 85 secondary end portion 115, as best shown in
A further option for the lock apparatus 55 wherein the means 205 for urging is preferably constructed of a spring 220 that is disposed within the female portion 185 to operationally have the urging movement 215 along the longitudinal axis 120, again see
Alternatively for the lock apparatus 55 can further comprise the twist lock assembly 225 that is rotationally engaged 235 to the door 65, also the twist lock assembly 225 is rotationally engaged 240 to the extension beam 130 first end portion 135, wherein the twist lock assembly 225 having rotational movement 245 about the lengthwise axis 150, see
Wherein operationally the twist lock assembly 225 facilitates the structure 165 to rotationally engage the lock cylinder 85 secondary end portion 115 and the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 to one another in the first axial position 250 and to disengage the rotational engagement 195 at the lock cylinder 85 secondary end portion 115 and the extension beam 130 second end portion 145 when in the free movement axial state 255, again see
A further alternative for the lock apparatus 55 wherein the twist lock assembly 225 further comprises the first extension element 270 and the second extension element 275 that are both parallel 280 to the lengthwise axis 150 and the retainer 285 that is rotationally engaged 290 to the first 270 and second 275 extension elements and affixed 295 to the door 65, wherein the first extension element 270 selectively axially interlocks 305 with the retainer 285 to form the first axial position 250, see
Wherein the first 270 and second 275 extension elements are axially affixed 310 to one another along the lengthwise axis 150 via an axial interface that allows independent rotational movement 315 about the lengthwise axis 150 as between the first 270 and second 275 extension elements, wherein the second extension element 275 is rotationally engaged to the extension beam 130 first end portion 135, see
Another alternative for the lock apparatus 55, wherein the first 270 and second 275 extension elements are preferably constructed of the inner 325 and the outer sleeve 330, wherein the first extension element 270 is the outer sleeve 330 and the second extension element 275 is the inner sleeve 325, the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves are axially connected 310 through the circular clip 335 that affixes the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves axially while allowing independent rotational movement 340 as between the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves that are co-axial to one another about the lengthwise axis 150, see
A continuing alternative for the lock apparatus 55, wherein the outer sleeve 330 further comprises the thumbscrew 345 type manual grabbing point and the inner sleeve 325 further comprises the lever 350 type manual grasping point to manually effectuate rotational motion 355 about the lengthwise axis 150 of the inner 325 and outer 330 sleeves, see
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Thirdly a step of turning 360 the thumbscrew 345 manually about the lengthwise axis 150 to change from the first axial position lock 250 to the free movement axial state 255, thus operationally disengaging the extension beam 130 from the lock cylinder 85, thus disabling the lock cylinder 85 from being able to disengage the bolt extension assembly 175 from the door frame 75, see
Further as an option for the method for using the dead bolt lock apparatus 55, wherein the turning 360 the thumb screw 345 third step is reversed to moving manually or preferably pushing manually 365 the thumb screw 345 along the lengthwise axis 150 toward the lock cylinder 85 to engage the male 180 and female 185 portions thus taking the outer sleeve 330 from the free movement axial state 255 to the first axial position lock 250 with an additional manual turn of the lever 350 thus rotationally having the lock cylinder 85 rotationally engaged to the extension beam 130 that is rotationally engaged to the bolt extension assembly 175, see
Accordingly, the present invention of a lock apparatus has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though; that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so modifications of the changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained therein.
This is a continuation in part (CIP) patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/513,546 (now abandoned) filed on Oct. 14, 2014 by Scott A. Densmore of Sedalia, Colo., US, that in turn claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/031,270 filed on Jul. 31, 2014 by Scott A. Densmore of Sedalia, Colo., U.S.
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Number | Date | Country |
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102014110857 | Feb 2016 | DE |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20180073270 A1 | Mar 2018 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62031270 | Jul 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14513546 | Oct 2014 | US |
Child | 15822118 | US |