This invention relates generally to lock assemblies used to secure doors. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rose locking mechanism for a hybrid lock architecture designed to incorporate the functionality of a cylindrical lock architecture with the ease of installation of a tubular lock architecture.
There are currently two main types of lock architectures in widespread use today. These lock architectures are typically known as the cylindrical lock and the tubular lock designs. Each of these designs has advantages and disadvantages in comparison to the other.
While there are variations, traditionally, a cylindrical lock consists of a chassis, an inside mounting plate, an outside mounting plate and rose, an inside rose, a fixed backset latch, an inside and outside knob/lever, and mounting screws. The fundamental workings of the cylindrical lock provide the conversion of rotational motion of the knob/lever to linear motion—within the chassis housing—to retract the latch. The typical cylindrical lock architecture uses a drawbar occupying the axis of the latch bore. The cylindrical lock architecture typically is more expensive to manufacture, but allows more functional variations than a tubular lock and generally provides better security. The chassis has a fixed spindle-end to spindle-end length which easily accommodates a push-button locking mechanism, however this also results in a varying distance from the end of the knob/lever to the surface of the door when used with different door thicknesses. Installation of a cylindrical lock is generally more complicated than that of a tubular lock. During installation of the cylindrical lock, the inside knob/lever, rose, and mounting plate need to be removed. The chassis needs to be centered in the door by adjusting the outside rose. Additionally, the design constraints inherent in the cylindrical architecture make it impossible to have a dual backset latch which does not require some type of adjustment. Where available, these adjustable backsets used in cylindrical locks are failure-prone and inferior to fixed backset latches.
A tubular lock architecture traditionally consists of an inside chassis complete with a rose and a knob/lever attached, an outside chassis also complete with a rose and a knob/lever attached, a latch, and mounting screws. This simple design allows for easy and quick installation of the tubular lock design with virtually no adjustment required. Due to its simplicity, the tubular architecture also provides a cost advantage over the cylindrical lock. The tubular lock design also provides a fixed distance from the surface of the door to the end of the lever even when used with different door thicknesses. The tubular lock architecture converts rotational motion of the knob/lever to linear motion within the latch in order to retract the latch. Accordingly, a drawbar occupies the axis of the latch bore. However, due to the edge bore of a door preparation, the amount of latch retraction is restricted. In addition, rose locking mechanisms used in a tubular lock utilize a moveable locking mechanism located in the latch to lock the door. Other problems are found in that design constraints make it impossible to design a consistently functioning push button lock because of the chassis datum on the surface of the door. Since the door thickness variation is considerably greater than the push button linear travel, no direct means are available to provide a secure consistent locking action. The tubular lock architecture is also generally less secure than a cylindrical lock architecture.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a lock architecture which combines the advantages of both the tubular lock architecture and the cylindrical lock architecture along with other advantages, while minimizing or removing the limitations existing in each of the prior art designs. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new lock architecture configuration designed to incorporate the functionality of a cylindrical lock architecture with the ease of installation of a tubular lock architecture and specifically incorporating a rose locking mechanism. These and other improvements are provided by a lock assembly for a door comprising a chassis assembly mounted in a bore of the door including an inside chassis assembly and an outside chassis assembly. The inside chassis assembly and the outside chassis assembly are telescopically engaged to accommodate different door widths. A door latch assembly is operably connected to the chassis assembly for retraction and extension of a bolt. A handle is mounted on a spindle on either side of the chassis assembly wherein rotational motion imparted on one of the handles is converted to linear motion within the chassis assembly in order to retract the bolt of the door latch assembly. The inside chassis assembly includes a rose locking mechanism positioned radially outward of said inside spindle.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is generally indicated at 10 a hybrid lock architecture incorporating the rose locking feature of the present invention. The hybrid lock architecture 10 is also referred to and comprises the hybrid lock architecture without the rose locking feature. As shown in
The details of each component assembly will now be discussed in detail. Referring now to
Inside chassis assembly 22 further comprises an inner retractor 48, locking plate 52, slide 50, and at least one slide spring 54, all of which are attached to inside housing 30 by a slide cage 56. Slide cage 56 may be attached to inside housing 30 by tangs 58 extending from a first cage surface 62 and from a second cage surface 64. The tangs 58 are insertable into mating slots 66 formed in inside housing 30. Other forms of attachment between the slide cage 56 and inside housing 30 are also contemplated and within the scope of the to invention. In the embodiment shown, upper or first cage surface 62 and lower or second cage side 64 are generally parallel to each other and connected by a generally U-shaped body portion 68 which is generally perpendicular to the first and second cage sides 62 and 64. Slide 50 is generally U-shaped and slidably fits within cage 56. Slide 50 is oriented within cage 56 such that an open end 72 of slide 50 is oriented in the same direction as an open end 74 of body portion 68. Slide springs 54 axe mounted on spring guide tabs 76 extending toward each other and perpendicularly from each cage side 62, 64. In an assembled configuration, slide springs 54 mate with self retaining springs seats 78 formed within slide 50 in a manner biasing the slide 50 toward the open end 74 of cage 56.
Lock plate 52 rotatingly mates with inner retractor 48 which is positioned through an aperture 80 in lock plate 52. The assembled lock plate 52 and inner retractor 48 are positioned over slide 50 positioned within cage 56 on a tanged side 82 of slide cage 56. In the assembled configuration, lock plate 52 is generally parallel to U-shaped cage body portion 68 and generally perpendicular to upper and lower cage sides 62 and 64, respectively. Referring to
Outside chassis assembly 16 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. Similarly to inside chassis assembly 22, outside chassis assembly 16 comprises an outside housing 96 which mates against the outside surface of the door, not shown, and fits into a bore in the door, and at least one lever spring 32, held in place against the outside housing 96 by inner retractor driver 98. The lever springs 32 and inner retractor driver 98 are secured to the outside housing 96 by stepped spindle 36. Stepped spindle 36 may comprise at least one tanged portion 38 which extends through a centrally located aperture 100 of outside housing 96 and a flange portion 42 which registers against the outer surface of outside housing 96. The at least one tanged portion 38 of stepped spindle 36 extends through a mating slot 102 in inner retractor driver 98 and is staked in a manner securing the attached parts. Any suitable attachment is contemplated such as a retaining ring, welding, adhesive, etc. Again, other suitable configurations to attach the spindle 36 to the driver 98 are contemplated. The spindle 36 is rotatable within outside housing 96, however lever springs 32 are positioned with one end biased against outside housing 96 and the other end biased against inner retractor driver 98 such that the spindle 36 will return to a neutral position when a restraining force is removed, such as a user letting go of the lever/knob assembly 12. The inner retractor driver 98 includes a driver bar portion 104. When outside chassis assembly 16 is attached to inside chassis assembly 22, driver bar portion 104 of inner retractor driver 98 mates within inner retractor 48 such that rotation of one causes rotation of the other. As previously described, slide 50 has retractor extensions 84 extending therefrom which are biased against a retractor portion 106 of inner retractor 48. Rotation of inner retractor 48 in either direction causes slide 50 to slide away from the open end 74 of U-shaped body portion 68 of cage 56, thus retracting bolt 94 attached to the drawbar 88 of latch assembly 18. Conversely, when the rotational force on the inner retractor 48 is released, springs 32 cause the inner retractor 48 and inner retractor driver 98 to return to their original positions which allow slide springs 54 to bias slide 50 towards the open end 74 of cage 56. This enables the bolt 94 to return to an extended or latched position.
When lock architecture 10 is used on non-standard thickness doors, either thinner or thicker, outside chassis assembly 16 can move inward or outward in relation to inside chassis assembly 22 as driver bar portion 104 of inner retractor driver 98 is able to slide inward or outward in a telescopic manner with respect to inner retractor 48 and still maintain a co-rotating connection with inner retractor 48. This makes any adjustment of the lock unnecessary. Conversely, a cylindrical architecture lock chassis has a fixed spindle-end to spindle-end length which results in a varying distance from the end of the lever to the surface of the door when used with different door thicknesses. The combination of inside chassis assembly 22 and outside chassis assembly 16 form lock architecture chassis assembly 70. Accordingly, with lock architecture 10, the distance between the door handle 12 and the door (not shown) will always be fixed distance regardless of variations in the door thicknesses.
Focusing now on
Lock architecture 10 was shown in a passage function configuration whereas rotation of door handle 12 from either the inside of the door or the outside of the door would retract the bolt 94 and open the door. In a locking embodiment, lock architecture 110 provides a privacy configuration that comprises an inside chassis assembly 122 including a rose locking mechanism 26 as shown in FIG. 6. Inside chassis assembly 122 is similar to inside chassis assembly 22 except that it further comprises rose locking feature 26 including a push button lock bar 113, shown in detail in
The rose locking mechanism 26 can be disengaged in several ways. The first method is by rotation of the inside door lever/knob 12 which rotates main retractor 34. The arcuate portion 86 of main retractor 34 engages extensions 84 on slide 50. Intermediate locking portion 127, as previously mentioned, engages slide 50. However, intermediate locking portion 127 has a first inclined leading cam surface 135 on the side adjacent converging extensions 129 of slide 50. As the slide 50 moves due to rotation of main retractor 34, converging extensions 129 engage first inclined leading cam surface 135 forcing push button lock bar 131 axially into an unlocked position. The second method of disengaging the rose locking feature 26 is by pushing a rod through an aperture 126 in the outside housing 96 and manually disengaging the push button lock bar 113 similar to that of a conventional cylindrical lock with a central push button locking mechanism. A third method is provided when the door is open when the rose locking mechanism 26 is engaged, closing the door will unlock the door when the lock is configured with a restoring feature (to be discussed in detail below). Essentially, when the door bolt hits the strike plate assembly 20, the latch assembly 18 forces the slide 50 to move. As the slide 50 moves, converging extensions 129 engage first inclined leading cam surface 135 forcing push button lock bar 131 axially into an unlocked position. Conversely, if a restoring feature is not used in the latch assembly 18, the door will remain locked when shut after engaging the rose locking feature 26. As can be seen, the rose locking mechanism 26 is completely contained in the inside chassis assembly 122. The rose locking feature does not depend on the distance between the inside chassis assembly 122 and the outside chassis assembly 16. Lock architecture 110 therefore provides the convenience of a rose locking mechanism 26 which is independent of varying door thicknesses and varying distances between door lever/knobs 12.
It is possible to accidentally engage push lock bar 113 into a locked position when the slide 50 is in a retracted bolt position. In such a case, push lock bar 113 will be automatically returned to a disengaged position when slide 50 returns to an extended bolt position toward the U end 74 of cage 56. This is accomplished by converging extensions 129 of slide 50 engaging a second inclined leading cam surface 136 on intermediate portion 127 of push lock bar 113. As converging extensions 129 engage second cam surface 136, push lock bar 113 is forced rearward to a disengaged position.
Another aspect of the present invention involves a convertible door latch assembly for use in both a non-locking function lock architecture and a privacy, or locking lock architecture configuration. The convertible door latch assembly can easily be converted from a dead latch configuration to a spring latch configuration. Each configuration can also be converted from a non-restoring to a restoring function. Referring now to
Referring now to
In both door latch assemblies, 18, 118, depressing the bolt will not result to in movement of drawbar 88 as both door latch assemblies are in a non-restoring configuration. In other words, when an open door is locked (e.g., when shut), the door will remain in a locked state. In another embodiment, the present invention provides an inactive component referred to as a restore component 159 as shown in
Although the present invention has been described above in detail, the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. Accordingly, the scope and content of the present invention are to be defined only by the terms of the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20020117867 A1 | Aug 2002 | US |