The present invention relates to a lock cylinder. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lock cylinder that is mounted in a door and that includes a housing, a plug, a spin ring, and a cross bore adapter.
Generally, lock cylinders are attached to doors and other structures where security is desired. Most conventional lock cylinders operate or interact with a latch bolt assembly that is positioned in an opening or edge bore of the structure. The lock cylinder is positioned in another opening of the door that is generally perpendicular to and in communication with the edge bore.
Typically, these lock cylinders include a housing and a plug assembly that is rotatable relative to the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position. Existing lock cylinders also include a spin ring that receives the housing, a spin ring cover that attaches to the spin ring, an adapter, and a shield. In these lock cylinders, the adapter generally rests against an end of the spin ring, and is not directly attached to the housing, the spin ring, or the shield. The adapter and the shield are separate pieces, and the shield extends into the door to protect the latch bolt assembly. Generally, the spin ring, the adapter, and the shield are loosely and indirectly held together in the door by a fastener that extends through the latch bolt assembly and that attaches the latch bolt assembly to the housing. The spin ring, the adapter, and the shield are trapped between the housing and the latch bolt assembly. In some lock cylinders, an end piece is positioned on a side of the latch bolt assembly that is opposite the side of the shield and the adapter to hold the lock cylinder together after the lock cylinder is coupled to the door.
Some existing lock cylinders are susceptible to attack or tampering using a pry bar, a pipe wrench, or other devices. The susceptibility of existing lock cylinders to tampering is enhanced by the indirect connection of the spin ring, the adapter, and the shield in the lock cylinder, which creates joints between these separate pieces.
Typically, lock cylinders are provided to an installer from a manufacturer or distributor as separate pieces that are assembled by the installer. The separate pieces of existing lock cylinders make installation of these lock cylinders in the door difficult and time consuming because each component must be held in place until the fastener is passed through the latch bolt assembly and attached to the housing. In some instances, one or more components may fall out of the opening in the door, which adds to the time necessary for installation time of the lock cylinder. Often, one hand of the installer is used to hold components of the lock cylinder, while the other hand of the installer inserts the fastener through the latch bolt assembly and attaches the latch bolt assembly to the lock cylinder.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a lock cylinder for a door that includes an opening. The lock cylinder is operable to interact with a latch bolt assembly, and includes a housing that has a cavity, and a plug assembly that has a casing and a plug housed in the casing. The plug is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and is operable to interact with the latch bolt assembly. The casing is disposed within the cavity of the housing. The lock cylinder also includes a spin ring member that at least partially encloses the housing, and an adapter that is configured to be installed in the opening of the door. The adapter includes a spin ring interface that is engaged with the spin ring member, and a shield portion that is extendable into the opening of the door. The spin ring interface and the shield portion are formed as a single piece.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a lock cylinder for a door that includes an opening. The lock cylinder is operable to interact with a latch bolt assembly, and includes a housing that has a cavity, and a plug assembly that has a casing and a plug housed in the casing. The plug is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and is operable to interact with the latch bolt assembly. The casing is disposed within the cavity of the housing. The lock cylinder also includes a spin ring member that at least partially encloses the housing, and an adapter that is configured to be installed in the opening of the door, and that is directly attached to the housing.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of assembling a lock cylinder for a door that includes a wall defining an opening. The lock cylinder is operable to interact with a latch bolt assembly. The method includes providing a housing that includes a cavity, providing a rotatable plug assembly that is insertable into the cavity and that is configured to be operably coupled to the latch bolt assembly, providing a spin ring member that includes a hollow portion, and providing an adapter that is configured to be inserted into the opening in the door. The method also includes inserting the plug assembly into the cavity of the housing, inserting the housing into the hollow portion of the spin ring member, engaging the spin ring member with the adapter, and attaching the adapter to the housing prior to attachment of the latch bolt assembly to the housing and to the plug, and prior to insertion of the adapter into the opening in the door.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a lock cylinder for a door that includes an opening. The lock cylinder is operable to interact with a latch bolt assembly, and includes a housing that has a cavity, and a plug assembly that has a casing and a plug housed in the casing. The plug is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and is operable to interact with the latch bolt assembly. The casing is disposed within the cavity of the housing. The lock cylinder also includes a spin ring member that at least partially encloses the housing, and an adapter that is configured to be installed in the opening of the door, and that is directly attached to the spin ring member.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a lock cylinder for a door that includes a wall defining an opening. The lock cylinder is operable to interact with a latch bolt assembly, and includes a housing that has a cavity, and a plug assembly that has a casing and a plug housed in the casing. The plug is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and is operable to interact with the latch bolt assembly. The casing is disposed within the cavity of the housing. The lock cylinder also includes a spin ring member that at least partially encloses the housing, and an adapter that is coupled to the spin ring member and that includes a wall portion. The lock cylinder also includes at least one movable member that extends outward from the wall portion and that is configured to engage the wall of the door to couple the adapter to the door. The movable member is movable inward toward the wall portion against a force that biases the member outward.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of assembling a lock cylinder for a door that includes a wall defining an opening. The lock cylinder is operable to interact with a latch bolt assembly. The method includes providing a housing that includes a cavity, and that is configured to interact with the latch bolt assembly, providing a rotatable plug assembly that is insertable into the cavity and that is configured to be operably coupled to the latch bolt assembly, providing a spin ring member that includes a hollow portion, and providing an adapter that includes an aperture defining an axis. The adapter is configured to be inserted into the opening in the door. The method also includes inserting the plug assembly into the cavity of the housing, inserting the housing into the hollow portion of the spin ring member, and attaching the adapter to the spin ring member prior to attachment of the latch bolt assembly to the housing and to the plug, and prior to insertion of the adapter into the opening in the door.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of installing a lock cylinder into a door. The lock cylinder is operable to interact with a latch bolt assembly. The method includes providing a housing including a cavity, providing a rotatable plug assembly that is insertable into the cavity and that is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The plug is operable to interact with the latch bolt assembly. The method also includes providing a spin ring member that includes a hollow portion, and providing an adapter that is configured to be inserted into the opening in the door. The adapter includes a wall portion and at least one movable member that extends outward from the wall portion. The movable member is movable inward toward the wall portion against a force that biases the movable member outward. The method further includes inserting the plug assembly into the cavity of the housing, inserting the housing into the spin ring member, attaching the adapter to the spin ring member, and inserting the adapter into the opening in the door so that the movable member engages the wall of the door and at least temporarily holds the adapter in the opening of the door.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
The plug assembly 20 includes a casing 65, a driver bar 70, and a plug 75 that is configured to be selectively rotatable within the casing 65 using a key 80 that has pin engaging portions 85. The plug assembly 20 is disposed in the cavity 30 of the housing 15, and is attached to the housing 15 using a fastener 90 that is engaged with the third hole 55 of the housing 15, as discussed in detail below. The fastener 90 threadably attaches to the housing 15 within the third hole 55 so that the plug assembly 20 is retained or secured within the cavity 30 by the fastener 90. The illustrated fastener 90 is a bolt or a screw. However, other fasteners may be employed to attach the plug assembly 20 to the housing 15, and should not be limited.
The casing 65 includes a wall 95 and a pin portion 100. The wall 95 is substantially cylindrical and defines a hollow portion that is configured to receive the plug 75. The casing 65 is typically fixed relative to the housing 15 within the cavity 30, and the plug assembly 20 is movable or rotatable relative to the housing 15 between a locked position and an unlocked position. The plug 75 has a key slot 105 that is configured to receive the key 80. The plug 75 is coupled to the driver bar 70 to interact with the latch bolt assembly 12 and to move the latch 13 relative to the door to lock or unlock the door. Such arrangements are well known in the art.
The spin ring 115 includes a wall 140 that has a hollow portion 145, and a second recessed portion 150 that is engageable with the first recessed portion 135 of the spin ring cover 110. When the spin ring 115 is disposed in the hollow portion 130 of the spin ring cover 110, an outer surface of the wall 140 of the spin ring 115 is engaged with an inner surface of the wall 125 of the spin ring cover 110. Generally, the shape of the wall 140 substantially corresponds to the shape of the wall 125 of the spin ring cover 110, and the shape of the second recessed portion 150 substantially corresponds to the shape of the first recessed portion 135.
The protrusion 160 extends outward from the first annular surface 155. The illustrated protrusion 160 is defined by an annular ring that extends from the wall 140. In other constructions, the protrusion 160 may have other shapes.
The unitary adapter 120 can be formed using various forming processes. For example, the unitary adapter 120 can be formed by a deep drawing process. In other constructions, the adapter 120 may be formed by using one of many die processes (e.g., transfer die, progressive die, etc.). In still other constructions, the adapter 120 may be formed by other processes (e.g., metal injection molding, machining, die cast, plastic injection molding, rolling, etc.).
The stepped portion 195 includes a second annular surface 205 and a recessed wall 210 that defines an aperture 215. The second annular surface 205 is recessed inward from an end of the spin ring interface 170 that includes the door engagement portion 190, and is engaged with the first annular surface 155 of the spin ring 115 when the spin ring 115 and the adapter 120 are coupled together. The illustrated second annular surface 205 is a substantially planar surface that conforms to the first annular surface 155. In other constructions, the second annular surface 205 may have other surfaces.
The attachment member 175 extends inward from the recessed wall 210 into the aperture 215 to directly attach the adapter 120 to the housing 15 using a fastener 220 that is attached to the housing 15 within the fourth hole 60 (
The spin ring 115 is inserted into the hollow portion 130 of the spin ring cover 110 such that the second recessed portion 150 of the spin ring 115 is engaged with the first recessed portion 135 of the spin ring cover 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115 are loosely coupled to each other. In other constructions, the spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115 can be securely fastened to each other by crimping the spin ring 115 to the spin ring cover 110, or by other methods (e.g., a fastener that attaches the spin ring 115 to the spin ring cover 110, etc.).
The assembled housing 15 and plug assembly 20 are inserted into the assembled spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115, and are at least partially enclosed by the spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115 within the hollow portion 145 of the spin ring 115. The face plate 35 is engaged with the first recessed portion 135 so that the end of the housing 15 is substantially co-planar with an end of the spin ring cover 110, and so that the face plate 35 is substantially co-planar with an end of the spin ring cover 110. Engagement of the housing 15 with the first recessed portion 135 substantially centers the housing 15 within the spin ring cover 110. The plug 75 extends through the aperture 40 and is accessible from adjacent the face plate 35.
In some constructions, the lock cylinder 10 may not include the spin ring cover 110. In these constructions, the housing 15 can be directly engaged with the second recessed portion 150 of the spin ring 115 and at least partially enclosed by the wall 140. The spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115 support and protect the housing 15 and the plug assembly 20 so that damage to the housing 15 and/or the plug assembly 20 is resisted.
In some constructions, the spin ring 115 can be attached to the spin ring cover 110 after the housing 15 and the plug assembly 20 have been inserted into the spin ring cover 110. Similarly, in some constructions, the plug assembly 20 can be inserted into the housing 15 after the spin ring 115 is attached to the spin ring cover 110, and prior to engagement of the adapter 120 with the spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115.
The spin ring 115 is engaged with the spin ring cover 110 such that a portion of the spin ring cover 110 is recessed within the spin ring interface 170. The spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115 are further engaged with the adapter 120 after the housing 15 and the plug assembly 20 have been inserted into cavity of the spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115. The first annular surface 155 is engaged with the second annular surface 205 to recess the ends of the spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115 within the spin ring interface 170. The protrusion 160 protrudes into the aperture 215 and engages the recessed wall 210 such that the spin ring 115 is substantially centered within the adapter 120. In some constructions, the protrusion 160 may abut the attachment member 175.
The spin ring cover 110 and the spin ring 115 are engaged with the adapter 120 prior to attachment of the adapter 120 to the housing 15, and are retained between the housing 15 and the adapter 120 when the fastener 220 is inserted through the hole 225 in the attachment member 175 and attached to the housing 15. The adapter 120 is directly attached to the housing 15 prior to attachment of the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 15 and to the plug assembly 20, and prior to insertion of the adapter 120 into the opening in the door. The fastener is inserted into the hole 225 of the attachment member 175 and is attached to the fourth hole 60. The latch bolt assembly 12 is attached to the housing 15 after the lock cylinder 10 is assembled and attached to the door. Fasteners (not shown) extend through the holes 14 in the latch bolt assembly 12 and are retained in the first and second holes 45, 50 to attach the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 15. These fasteners fix the latch bolt assembly 12 relative to the shield portion 165.
The adapter 120 also supports the housing 15, the plug assembly 20, the spin ring cover 110, and the spin ring 115, and shields the latch bolt assembly 12 from tampering. The adapter 120 is rigidly attached to the housing 15 using the fastener 220, which resists one or more of the components of the lock cylinder 10 from separating from the remaining components prior to insertion of the lock cylinder 10 into the door and prior to engagement of the lock cylinder 10 with the latch bolt assembly 12. When the lock cylinder 10 is assembled and attached to the door, the unitary adapter 120 extends to the opening of the door and resists access to the latch bolt assembly 12.
The assembled lock cylinder 10 including the housing 15, the plug assembly 20, the spin ring cover 110, the spin ring 115, and the adapter 120 define a modular assembly that provides easier installation of the lock cylinder 10 into the opening of the door, and that provides a relatively strong lock cylinder 10 that is resistant to tampering, including direct vertical blows to the spin ring cover 110 and/or the adapter 120. In addition, the modular assembly has a relatively low cost due in part to the unitary adapter 120. An installer or user can insert the modular assembly into the opening of the door, and then attach the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 15 by inserting the fasteners through the latch bolt assembly 12 without concern for separation of the components of the modular assembly during installation. After the latch bolt assembly 12 is attached to the housing 15, the key 80 can be used to rotate the plug 75 to lock and unlock the door.
As illustrated in
With continued reference to
The spin ring cover 320 includes a wall 355 that has a hollow portion 360, and a front wall 365 that has therein an aperture 367 in communication with the hollow portion 360. The spin ring 315 is disposed in the hollow portion 360 of the spin ring cover 320 such that an outer surface of the wall 355 of the spin ring 315 is substantially engaged with an inner surface of the wall 355 of the spin ring cover 320. Generally, the shape of the wall 355 of the spin ring cover 320 substantially corresponds to the shape of the wall 330 of the spin ring 315. The face plate 35 is engaged with an inner surface of the front wall 365 when the housing 305 and the spin ring 315 are attached to the spin ring cover 320.
The spin ring cover 320 also includes a crimp portion 370 that is disposed adjacent an end of the wall 355, and that is configured to be crimped around an end of the spin ring 315 to hold the spin ring 315 partially recessed within the hollow portion 360 of the spin ring cover 320. The spin ring 315 may also be coupled to the spin ring cover 320 using other attachment methods.
The adapter wall 375 and the annular flange 380 are formed as a single piece from any suitable material (e.g., steel, aluminum, plastic, composite, etc.) using one of many manufacturing processes (e.g., deep drawing, transfer die, progressive die, metal injection molding, machining, die cast, plastic injection molding, rolling, etc.).
The adapter wall 375 is extendable into the opening of the door, and defines a hollow portion 395, and a pair of cutouts 400 disposed through the adapter wall 375 and in communication with the hollow portion 395. The cutouts 400 are generally separated from each other by approximately 180 degrees, and are adapted to receive the latch bolt assembly 12. The illustrated adapter wall 375 is substantially cylindrical. However, the adapter wall 375 may include other shapes (e.g., substantially rectangular, etc.).
The adapter wall 375 also includes four openings 405 spaced apart from each other along a circumference of the adapter wall 375 and disposed through the adapter wall 375 adjacent the annular flange 380. In the illustrated construction, the openings 405 are substantially rectangular. Other shapes of the openings 405 are also possible. Generally, the openings 405 are located on the adapter wall 375 between the cutouts 400. In the construction illustrated in
The annular flange 380 is disposed about a circumference of the adapter wall 375 adjacent an end of the adapter 325. In some constructions, the annular flange 380 is disposed about a portion of the circumference of the adapter wall 375. The annular flange 380 substantially corresponds to a circumference of the inner portion of the wall 330 of the spin ring 315 to provide a relatively tight attachment of the adapter 325 to the spin ring 315. As shown in
In some constructions, the annular flange 380 may include the first and second tabs 345, 350. In these constructions, the spin ring 315 includes the notch 420. In other constructions, the annular flange 380 may include one of the first and second tabs 345, 350, and the spin ring 315 may include the other of the first and second tabs 345, 350. In these constructions, a notch 420 can be located in one or both of the spin ring 315 and the annular flange 380. Similarly, in constructions that attach the adapter 325 directly to the spin ring cover 320, the spin ring cover 320 can include the first and second tabs 345, 350, the notch 420, or any other suitable combination.
The movable members 435 are disposed about the body 430 and are engageable with the adapter 325 within the openings 405, as explained in detail below. In the illustrated construction, the movable members 435 and the body 430 are formed as a single piece. Two movable members 435 disposed on one side of the spacer 425 are angularly spaced from each other on the circumference of the body 430 at an angle 437. Similarly, the remaining two movable members 435 disposed on the other side of the spacer 425 are angularly spaced from each other on the circumference of the body 430 at the angle 437. In the illustrated construction, the angle 407 is about 60 degrees, and the angular spacing between the pairs of movable members is about 120 degrees. In other constructions, the movable members 435 can be angularly spaced about the circumference of the spacer 425 at any angle. The angle 437 and the angle 407 are dependent on each other so that the movable members 435 substantially align with the openings 405. Generally, the quantity of movable members 435 is equal to the quantity of openings 405.
Each of the movable members 435 includes a resilient element 445 and a protrusion 450 that extends from the resilient element 445. The resilient element 445 is formed from a flexible or spring-type material. Generally, the resilient elements 445 are flexible or adjustable to allow inward movement of the protrusions 450 against a spring force defined by the resilient element 445 that biases each of the movable members 435 outward. The resilient elements 445 can be formed from any suitable material that has spring-like or extension-compression properties, such as plastic, metal, composites and the like. The material used for the resilient elements 445 can be the same as or different from the material used to form the body 430. In some constructions, the resilient elements 445 may include springs or other flexible components.
In some constructions, the lock cylinder 300 may be without the spacer 425 such that the movable members 435 are directly attached to and radially extend outward from the adapter wall 375. In these constructions, the movable members 435 are disposed within the openings 405 so that the movable members 435 can move inward and outward. First ends of the resilient elements 445 can be directly coupled to the adapter wall 375, and the second ends of the resilient elements 445 would be free ends of the movable members 435 that are allowed to move inward and outward. In other words, the movable members 435 are attached to the adapter wall 375 adjacent one side of the movable members 435 (i.e., the side adjacent the first ends) such that the three remaining sides of the movable members 435 are free from direct attachment to the adapter wall 375.
As illustrated in
In constructions of the lock cylinder 300 that include the movable members 435 located directly on the adapter 325, and that do not include the spacer 425, the adapter 325 can also include the attachment member 440 to facilitate direct attachment of the adapter 325 to the housing 305. In these constructions, the adapter wall 375, the annular flange 380, and the attachment member 440 can be formed as a single piece from any suitable material.
After the housing 305 and the plug assembly 310 are inserted into the spin ring 315, the spin ring 315 is attached (e.g., crimped) to the spin ring cover 320. The spin ring cover 320 and the spin ring 315 support and protect the housing 305 and the plug assembly 310 so that damage to the housing 305 and/or the plug assembly 310 is resisted. The face plate 35 is engaged with the front wall 365 of the spin ring cover 320 after the spin ring 315 is attached to the spin ring cover 320 such that the plug 75 extends through the face plate 35 and is accessible from adjacent the outside the spin ring cover 320.
In some constructions, the lock cylinder 300 may not include the spin ring cover 320. In these constructions, the spin ring 315 functions as the spin ring 315 and the spin ring cover 320, and the housing 305 can be directly engaged with the recessed portion 340 of the spin ring 315 and at least partially enclosed by the wall 330. In other constructions, the spin ring 315 may be loosely coupled to the spin ring cover 320.
The adapter 325 is attached to the spin ring 315 prior to attachment of the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 305 and to the plug, and prior to insertion of the adapter 325 into the opening of the door. The adapter 325 is attached to the spin ring 315 by rotating either the adapter 325 or the spin ring 315, or both, about the first axis 385 to align the notch 420 with the first tab 345 (e.g., the smaller tab), which provides alignment of the adapter 325 with the spin ring 315 prior to attachment of these components. Next, one or both of the spin ring 315 and the adapter 325 are tilted about the second axis 390 such that the annular flange 380 is positioned behind the second tab 350, and such that the first tab 345 is inserted through the notch 420. In some constructions, the spin ring 315 or the adapter 325, or both, can be tilted about the second axis 390 prior to rotating the spin ring 315 and/or the adapter 325 to align the notch 420 with the first tab 345.
After the first tab 345 is inserted through the notch 420, either or both of the spin ring 315 and the adapter 325 are further rotated about the first axis 385 to retain the adapter 325 partially inside the spin ring 315. The first and second tabs 345, 350 are engaged with the second surface 415 of the flange 380 when the spin ring 315 and/or the adapter 325 are rotated, securing the flange 380 to the spin ring 315. The first and second tabs 345, 350 retain the adapter 325 partially within the spin ring 315 so that the adapter 325 is substantially inseparable from the spin ring 315. The use of the first and second tabs 345, 350 on the spin ring 315 and the notched annular flange 380 rigidly attach the adapter 325 to the spin ring 315, which resists access to the joint between the spin ring 315 and the adapter 325.
In the illustrated construction, the adapter 325 is rotated ninety degrees about the first axis 385 so that the notch 420 (positioned at the top of the adapter 325 in
The notch 420 is located in the annular flange 380 such that when the lock cylinder 300 is assembled, the first tab 345 or the second tab 350 that is received by the notch 420 may not be aligned with the notch 420. In constructions that include one of the first and second tabs 345, 350 that are larger than the other of the first and second tabs 345, 350, the smaller of first and second tabs 345, 350 is operable to align the adapter 325 with the spin ring 315, and the larger of the first and second tabs 345, 350 is operable to retain the annular flange 380, even if the notch 420 is substantially aligned with the larger of the two tabs 345, 350.
In this manner, the second tab 350 can be employed to align the cutouts 400 when the lock cylinder is inserted into the door, in addition to retaining the adapter 325 in the spin ring 315. For example, in constructions that include the notch 420 initially aligned with the first tab 345 and the cutouts 400 positioned in a substantially horizontal position relative to each other, the adapter 325 is rotated until the notch 420 is aligned with the second tab 350. Since the second tab 350 is larger than the notch 420, the adapter 325 is retained within the spin ring 315. Alignment of the notch 420 with the second tab 350 signals an end to rotation of the adapter 325 and/or the spin ring 315.
The spacer 425 can be attached to the adapter 325 before or after the adapter 325 is attached to the spin ring 315. The movable members 435 are biased inward to insert the spacer 425 into the hollow portion 395 of the adapter 325. The spacer 425 is inserted along the first axis 385 until the movable members 435 are aligned with the openings 405 in the adapter wall 375. Upon alignment with the openings 405, the movable members 435 protrude through the openings 405 and extend outward from the adapter wall 375.
The attachment member 440 is directly attached to the housing 305 using the fastener 467 prior to attachment of the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 305 and to the plug assembly 310, and prior to insertion of the adapter 325 into the opening in the door. The fastener 467 is inserted into the hole 470 of the attachment member 440 and is attached to the fourth hole 60 of the housing 305, similar to the embodiment described with regard to
The latch bolt assembly 12 is attached to the housing 15 after the lock cylinder 10 is assembled and attached to the door. Fasteners (not shown) extend through the holes 14 in the latch bolt assembly 12 and are retained in the first and second holes 45, 50 to attach the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 305.
In some constructions, the adapter 325 and the spacer 425 can be attached to the spin ring 315 after the housing 305 and the plug assembly 310 have been inserted into the spin ring cover 320. Similarly, the plug assembly 310 can be inserted into the housing 305 after the spin ring 315 is attached to the spin ring cover 320, and prior to engagement of the spacer 425 to the spin ring 315. In other constructions, the adapter 325 can be attached to the spin ring 315, and then the spacer 425 can be attached to the adapter 325. Other combinations of assembly of the lock cylinder 300 are also possible and are considered herein.
The assembled lock cylinder 300 including the housing 305, the plug assembly 310, the spin ring cover 320, the spin ring 315, and the adapter 325 define a modular assembly that provides easier installation of the lock cylinder 300 into the opening of the door, and that provides a relatively strong lock cylinder 300 that is resistant to tampering, including direct vertical blows to the spin ring cover 320 and/or the adapter 325. The movable members 435 protrude outward from the adapter wall 375 to engage the wall of the opening in the door to provide hands-free attachment of the modular assembly to the door. The wall of the door slightly compresses or moves the movable members 435 inward to rigidly couple the modular assembly to the wall. In this manner, the modular assembly can be positioned in the opening of the door and left in the opening without an installer having to hold the modular assembly while attaching the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 305. The adapter 325 is partially recessed in the spin ring 315 to protect the latch bolt after the latch bolt assembly 12 is attached to the housing 305. The adapter wall 375 resists access to and tampering of the latch bolt assembly 12, and supports the housing 305, the plug assembly 310, the spin ring cover 320, and the spin ring 315.
Generally, the closer that the openings 405, and therefore, the movable members 435, are to a vertical location (e.g., close to the second axis 390 in
In addition, the modular assembly has a relatively low cost and provides easy installation of the lock cylinder 300 and the latch bolt assembly 12 into the door. An installer or user can insert the modular assembly into the opening of the door, and then attach the latch bolt assembly 12 to the housing 305 using the latch bolt assembly 12 fasteners without concern for separation of the components of the modular assembly during installation, or that the modular assembly will fall out of the opening in the door. After the latch bolt assembly 12 is attached to the housing 305, the key can be used to rotate the plug to lock and unlock the door. The adapter 325 is rigidly attached to the housing 305 using the fastener, which resists one or more of the components of the lock cylinder 300 from separating from the remaining components prior to insertion of the lock cylinder 300 into the door and prior to engagement of the lock cylinder 300 with the latch bolt assembly 12.
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
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