Locks – Operating mechanism – Key
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-05
2001-12-04
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Locks
Operating mechanism
Key
C701S066000, C701S052000, C701S054000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324879
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of devices for door locks, which devices are intended to inhibit unwanted access to the lock actuator mechanism, and in particular to removable covers mountable over lock actuators.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional deadbolt actuators for residential use when installed on a door have a knob on the inside of the door which may be manually turned so as to lock and unlock the deadbolt. The problem in the prior art is that many residential doors have glass inserts located near to the deadbolt so that a burglar only has to break the glass and reach inside the door to unlock the deadbolt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In summary the deadbolt cover of the present invention includes a first or deadbolt knob housing mountable to a door so as to enclose a deadbolt knob. The housing has a rigid continuous perimeter wall. The perimeter wall has a base end on one end of the wall and an opposite second end on an opposite end of the wall. The base end of the perimeter wall has a first opening or aperture in it. The second end of the perimeter wall has a second opening or aperture in it. The perimeter wall and the base end define a central cavity. The first and second openings open into the central cavity. The first housing may be mounted to the door so as to journal a deadbolt actuator knob protruding from the door through the first opening into the central cavity so as to fully contain the knob within the first housing.
A cover is provided which is slidably mountable into snug mating engagement with the first housing so as to close the second opening. The cover is releasably lockable onto the first housing by means of a male locking member on the housing releasably engaging a cooperating female receiver such as a groove, channel, aperture, detent or the like in the cover.
In one embodiment, not intended to be limiting, the locking member is resiliently urged by a resilient actuator into locking registration with the female receiver in the cover. The locking member may be mounted to a plunger slidably mounted to the housing. The plunger may be mounted to the locking member, for example, rigidly or by means of a mechanical linkage or the like, for pulling the locking member from registration with the female receiver against the return biasing force of the resilient actuator, such as a spring, when the plunger is manually translated relative to the first housing by a user pulling on the plunger. The plunger is slidable between a locking position wherein the locking member is engaged within the female receiver, and an unlocking position wherein the locking member is removed from engagement within the female receiver.
A telescopically translatable hollow second housing such as a collar, tube or the like is telescopically mounted to the first housing for telescopic sliding relative to the first housing. The plunger is slidably journalled through the hollow second housing. The second housing is telescopically translatable from a plunger disabling position to a plunger access position against the return biasing force of a second resilient return means wherein, when in the plunger disabling position, an outermost end of the plunger is enclosed within the second housing, and wherein, in the plunger access position, the outermost end of the plunger is exposed so as to facilitate manual grasping and pulling of the plunger by a user. Thus a first hand of the user may, firstly, depress the second housing so as to translate the second housing into the plunger access position and, secondly, then grasp the outermost end of the plunger. The plunger may then be translated into the unlocking position. A second hand of the user may then subsequently grasp and remove the cover from the first housing so as to expose the deadbolt knob in the central cavity whereby the user may gain access to the deadbolt knob for actuation of the deadbolt mounted in the door.
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Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Edwards Antony C.
Hernandez Olga
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