Closure fasteners – Adjustable backset
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-16
2002-12-17
Estremsky, Gary (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Adjustable backset
C292S337000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494504
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a latch assembly, and more particularly to an adjustable latch assembly that can be used for different types of locks and can be adjusted easily.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to
FIG. 7
, a conventional latch assembly in accordance with the prior art comprises a casing (
80
), a latch bolt (
81
), a housing, a fixed plate (
83
), a connecting member (
84
), a lever holder (
85
), a lever (
86
) and an adjusting member (
88
). The latch bolt (
81
) is retractably received in the casing (
80
). The housing is securely attached to the casing and is composed of two half-housings (
82
,
822
). The fixed plate (
83
) is mounted in the housing and is attached to the latch bolt (
81
). Two notches (
832
,
834
) are defined in the top of the fixed plate (
83
). The connecting member (
84
) is slidably mounted on the fixed plate (
83
). A protrusion (
842
) is formed on the bottom of the connecting member (
84
) to selectively engage with one of the notches (
832
,
834
) in the fixed plate (
83
). A first resilient member (
844
) is connected between the fixed plate (
83
) and the connecting member (
84
) to provide a force on the connecting member (
84
) to press the protrusion (
842
) to securely engage with the corresponding notch (
832
,
834
).
The lever holder (
85
) is moveably received in the housing. The lever (
86
) is pivotally attached to the lever holder (
85
). The lever (
85
) is connected to the connecting member (
84
) with a link (
87
). A link pin (
862
) is slidably mounted through the lever (
86
) and engages with a recess (
852
) defined in the lever holder (
85
). A second resilient member (
864
) is attached to the lever holder (
85
) and abuts the bottom of the lever (
86
). The adjusting member (
88
) has a shaft (
882
) extending through the lever holder (
85
) below the connecting member (
84
). An oblique face (not numbered) is formed on the top of the adjusting member (
88
) to abut the bottom of the connecting member (
84
). A third resilient member (
884
) is mounted between the lever holder (
85
) and the adjusting member (
88
).
When the adjusting member (
88
) is pushed, the connecting member (
84
) will be lifted up by the oblique face on the adjusting member (
88
). The protrusion (
842
) of the connecting member (
84
) will disengage from the corresponding notch (
832
,
834
) in the fixed member (
83
), and the connecting member (
84
) can slide relative to the fixed member (
83
). The lever (
86
) and the lever holder (
85
) will simultaneously move relative to the housing with the connecting member (
84
). The latch assembly is adjusted to fit with different size of door or lock.
However, the conventional latch assembly is very complex. To manufacture or assemble the conventional latch assembly is difficult. The cost for manufacturing the conventional latch assembly is expensive. In addition, the conventional latch assembly needs three resilient members (
844
,
864
,
884
) to assist the actions of the connecting member (
84
), the lever (
86
) and the adjusting member (
88
). When one of the resilient members (
844
,
864
,
884
) loses its resilience, the latch assembly cannot operate properly and must be repaired or replaced. Furthermore, the retraction of the latch bolt (
81
) relative to the casing (
80
) is actuated by rotating the lever (
86
), which moves the link (
87
), the connecting member (
84
) and the fixed member (
83
). However, because the link (
87
) is pivotally connected between the connecting member (
84
) and the lever (
86
), there could be two dead points at the transmission mechanism arranged between the connecting member (
84
) and the lever (
86
).
With reference to
FIG. 8
, another conventional latch assembly in accordance with the prior art comprises a casing (
90
), a latch bolt (
91
), a housing (
92
), a fixed member (
93
), a connecting member (
94
), a slide (
97
), a lever holder (
95
), a lever (
96
) and an adjusting pin (
98
). The latch bolt (
91
) is retractably received in the casing (
90
). The housing (
92
) is securely attached to the casing (
90
). The fixed member (
93
) is received in the housing (
92
) and is connected to the latch bolt (
91
). The slide (
97
) is slidably mounted in the housing (
92
). A slot (
972
) is laterally defined in the slide (
97
). Two detents (
974
) are respectively defined in two ends of the slot (
972
). The connecting member (
94
) is pivotally attached to the fixed member (
93
). An engaging pin (
942
) is connected to the free end of the connecting member (
94
) to be selectively received in one of the detents (
974
) in the slot (
972
). A first resilient member (
944
) is arranged between the fixed member (
93
) and the connecting member (
94
) to provide a force on the connecting member (
94
) to press the engaging pin (
942
) to securely engage with the corresponding detent (
974
).
The lever holder (
95
) is moveably received in the housing (
92
). The lever (
96
) is pivotally attached to the lever holder (
95
). The uppermost end of the lever (
96
) engages with a recess (
976
) in the slide (
97
). A second resilient member (
962
) is attached to the lever holder (
95
) and abuts the bottom of the lever (
96
). The adjusting pin (
98
) extends through the lever holder (
95
) and is located below the connecting member (
94
).
When the adjusting pin (
94
) is lifted up, the connecting member (
94
) will be pivoted up to disengage the pin (
942
) from the corresponding detent (
974
) in the slide (
97
). The slide (
97
), the lever holder (
95
) and the lever (
96
) can be moved relative to the housing (
92
) to fit a different size door or lock.
Although the structure of the conventional latch assembly shown in
FIG. 8
has been simplified, the user must use two hands to adjust the conventional latch assembly, one hand to lift up the adjusting pin (
98
) and the other hand to pull or push the lever holder (
95
). To adjust the conventional latch assembly is tedious.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved latch assembly to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main objective of the invention is to provide an improved latch assembly that can be adjusted easily. The latch assembly has a casing, a housing, a latch bolt, a slide, a connecting member, a lever holder, a lever and an adjusting pin. The housing is attached to the casing. A slot is laterally defined in the housing. Two detents are respectively defined at opposite ends of the slot. The latch bolt is retractably mounted in the casing. The fixed member is securely attached to the latch bolt. The fixed member has two notches defined in the top of the fixed member and a slot laterally defined in the fixed member. The slide is slidably mounted in the housing and is connected to the fixed member with the connecting member. The connecting member is slidably mounted on the fixed member and engages with one of the notches in the fixed member. A recess is defined in the bottom of the slide. A biasing member is arranged between the slide and the connecting member to provide a biasing force on the connecting member to engage with the fixed member. The lever holder is slidably mounted in the housing. The lever is pivotally attached to the lever holder and engages with the slide with the uppermost end of the lever. The adjusting pin extends through one of the detents in the housing, aligns with the notch in the bottom of the slide and abuts the bottom of the connecting member. When the adjusting pin is disengaged from the corresponding detents in the housing, the connecting member can be pushed to disengage from the corresponding one of the notches in the fixed member and the adjusting pin will engage with the notch in the slide. The slide with the lever holder and the lever can be pushed to move relative to the housing with the hand of the user, which lifts up the adjusting pin. To adjust the latch assembly is easier.
Other obje
Estremsky Gary
Pelton, Esq. William E.
LandOfFree
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