Door lock furniture

Locks – Operating mechanism – Key

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C070S451000, C292S348000, C292S357000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06223572

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to security hardware, and in particular to a door lock furniture system, including lock and jamb fittings and their method of installation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional lock furniture for doors consists of the hardware that is fitted to the door for securing it, and comprises a latch assembly containing a movable latch portion within an elongated housing, which assembly is inserted into a recess in the door edge; and outer and inner actuator portions secured to the outer and inner faces of the door, which are assembled to the door, by insertion into respective outer and inner portions of a through-bore located adjacent the door edge, and which intercepts the latch assembly. A pair of elongated securing screws, inserted form the door inner side through the inner actuator portion, are screwed into projecting post portions of the outer actuator portion, serving to draw the two actuator portions together in mutually securing, aligned relation. In the case of a door furniture assembly having two door handles, the actuator portions each includes a handle portion, the handle of the outer actuator portion including a keyhole to receive a door key; the inner handle portion being axally movable, or possessing a relatively rotatable handle portion, by means of which respective movements the lock can be engaged or disengaged by a user located inside the door.
The door key usually serves only to unlock the latch, thus permitting the opening of the door by way of either of the two handles.
In the case of a deadbolt installation, the lock outer actuator portion usually consists of a key boss, having a keyhole to receive a door key; the inner actuator portion consisting of a boss having a rotatable latch handle, to operate the deadbolt from inside the door.
With a deadbolt type lock, the key is operable to unlock, and also to apply the lock. The reliance upon a pair of screws to hold door lock furniture in secure assembled relation represents a point of weakness in the system, because such screws are subject to backing off, i.e. to unscrew themselves, so as to become slack. In some instances this has even led to complete disengagement of one or both of the screws, with the door handle pulling free from off the door.
In the matter of installation, the securing screws present two problems. First, it is most difficult to align the elongated securing screws with the internally threaded bossed into which they must be threaded, due to their length and an absence of visual alignment, and any slackness in fit of the furniture within the through bore of the door. Also, in the case of a door handle assembly, the inner door handle usually overlies the securing screws, thus denying unobstucted, aligned access to the screw heads, which further impedes alignment of the screws, while also making it necessary to tighten the screws from an awkward, off-centre, misaligned position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a first embodiment door lock for use with a door having a through bore and an intermediate transverse aperture connecting the bore with an edge of the door, through which bore actuator portions of the lock are inserted, and through which transverse aperture a latch portion of the lock is inserted; the lock having an outer first portion insertable into an outer portion of the bore, an inner second portion insertable into an inner portion of the bore, the lock first portion having at its inner end a laterally extending slot to receive the latch portion in entered relation therein, the lock second portion having a threaded cylindrical portion at its inner end; the lock first portion having a threaded inner end portion to make threaded engagement with the lock second portion. Thus there is provided a door lock for use in locking and unlocking a door, the lock having an outer first portion for installation at an outer face of the door, an inner second portion for installation at an inner face of the door, one lock portion including first securing means located at its inner end, the other lock portion incorporating receiving means adapted to receive the first securing means in secured relation therewith, in use to enable the first and the second lock portions to be secured in mutual positioning relation on opposite sides of the door.
In a first embodiment of the aforesaid door lock, the first securing means and the receiving means have threaded cylindrical portions in readly centered mutually engaging relation.
In another embodiment the door lock first securing means and the receiving means consist of two complementary halves of a bayonet fitting comprising at least one projecting lug, and at least one recess to receive the lug in entered, locking relation therewith.
In a further embodiment of the lock, the first securing means comprises a pair of post portions each having a turnbuckle at its end; the receiving means comprising a pair of slots in the other lock portion, each of the slots receiving a respective one of the turnbuckles in entered, externally accessible engaged relation therewith.
In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the lock outer portion has a transversely extending aperture therethrough to receive a latch portion of the lock in inserted relation therein, with the threaded cylindrical portions adjoining the side edges of the aperture. The aperture consists of a transverse slot, which enables the outer portion to be inserted in straddling relation with the latch portion of the lock, and the square section actuator bar to penetrate the square aperture within the latch. Thus, the open end of the slot enables the lock outer portion to be inserted past the already installed latch portion. The threads of the lock inner portion can then engage the cylindrical threaded portion of the lock outer portion, for tightening into mutual securing relation.
An elastomeric gasket may be interposed between one of the lock portion and the adjoining door surface, such that the door surface is protected; while the gasket also becomes compressed as the lock inner portion is rotated in tightening relation with the lock outer portion, to serve as a frictional retaining device and diminish the likelihood of loosening of the door lock furniture. The gasket, if used is preferably located on the inside. In the first embodiment a complementary cylindrical ring may be provided, in coaxial relation with the threaded inner lock portion, to support and stablize the two cylindrical threaded segments of the lock outer portion, such that these two segments are received in sliding, supported relation between a pair of coaxial cylinders, to sustain the threaded engagement between inner and outer lock portions as the threads are tightened.
It will be understod that locks in accordance with the present invention may incorporate one or more handles, and the latching provisions may be of the spring latch or the deadbolt variety, with the respective associated interior and exterior fitting of well known type.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 5409278 (1995-04-01), Harcourt
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patent: 5722273 (1998-03-01), Lin et al.
patent: 5757269 (1998-05-01), Roth et al.
patent: 422489 (1935-01-01), None

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