Closure fasteners – Bolts – Sliding
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-02
2001-04-10
Estremsky, Gary W. (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Sliding
C292SDIG006
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213523
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a lock having a bolting means for bolting a latch bolt.
2. Description of the Background Art
More precisely, this invention concerns a lock installable in, e.g., a door leaf. The lock includes a case and a latch bolt movable within the case between a locking position, in which the latch bolt at least partly projects from the case, and an unlocking position, in which the latch bolt is retracted within the case. Generally, a lock of this kind includes some kind of bolting means adapted to bolt the latch bolt in at least its locked position. Such bolting means is generally factory mounted on one side of the case for access from a corresponding side of a door. Consequently, to comply with possible customer needs, it is necessary to manufacture two locks having the bolting means on opposite sides of the case.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,287 discloses a lock having an optional bolting means, i.e., a bolting means that is separately delivered with the lock and that may be mounted in the lock by the user at need. This prior art lock includes a lock case having opposed walls and a latch bolt slidable between a locking position and an unlocking position. Each of the opposed walls is provided with an aperture for optionally receiving a holding bolt. The holding bolt is positionable in each aperture in a first, relatively retracted position allowing sliding of the latch bolt from its locking position to its unlocking position, and in a second relatively inserted position preventing sliding of the holding bolt from its locking position to its unlocking position. The optional bolting means further includes a spring for yieldably retaining the holding bolt in its first and second positions. The apertures are shaped such that once the holding bolt has been introduced in a selected aperture, it is automatically kept there by the spring pressing it towards a portion of the aperture preventing its withdrawal. However, withdrawal of the holding bolt is possible upon manually rotating it through a small, limited angle against the action of the spring. Since the free end of the holding bolt of this prior art lock needs to be axially and radially guided, the lock requires a relatively thick door leaf and particularly an escutcheon mounted onto the door leaf to guide the holding bolt and also to prevent its rotation and unintentional removal.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide a lock of the general kind stated preventing unintentional removal and allowing intentional removal of the holding bolt without rotational movement thereof. A second object is to provide such a lock needing neither a relatively thick door leaf nor an escutcheon to guide its holding bolt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The first object stated above has been achieved in a lock including a lock case, a forend attachable to said case by means of removable fastening means, a latch bolt movable within said case between a locking position, in which it at least partly projects from the case, and an unlocking position, in which it is retracted within the case, a holding bolt having a defined cross section and being positionable in a first, relatively retracted position allowing movement of said latch bolt from its locking position to its unlocking position, and in a second relatively inserted position preventing movement of said holding bolt from its locking position to its unlocking position, and spring means for yieldably retaining said holding bolt in its first and second positions and for positively preventing withdrawal thereof from said case, wherein at least one portion of said spring means is movable between a first position, in which it prevents withdrawal of said holding bolt, and a second position, in which it allows withdrawal of said holding bolt, movement of said at least one portion from said first to said second position being enabled by at least partial removal of said fastening means.
The second object has been achieved in that said case accommodates a guide means having a guide aperture for guiding movement of said holding bolt, said guide aperture having a cross section adapted to said defined cross section, said at least one portion of said spring means extending across at least a portion of said aperture in said first portion of said spring means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2295435 (1942-09-01), Teich
patent: 2727773 (1955-11-01), Hagstrom
patent: 4143529 (1979-03-01), Brummett
patent: 4296956 (1981-10-01), Colombo
patent: 4297862 (1981-11-01), Solovieff
patent: 4974883 (1990-12-01), Jans
patent: 5141268 (1992-08-01), Keller
patent: 5474348 (1995-12-01), Palmer
patent: 5779287 (1998-07-01), Johansson
patent: 0364781 A2 (1990-04-01), None
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