Locks – Special application – For closures
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-05-01
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Special application
For closures
C070S224000, C070S277000, C070S472000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223567
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lock arrangement in which a declutching mechanism is provided so that in the locked position rotation of the outer handle does not cause actuation and retraction of the latch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many of the prior art lock devices, there is incorporated a clutch mechanism by which the latch may be disengaged by manipulation of the inner handle so that the outer handle may be free to rotate when the clutch is disengaged without retraction of the latch. Such arrangements have not, in many instances, proven to be sufficiently strong enough in their operation to withstand comparatively heavy rotational forces on the outer handle. In particular, when the outer handle is a lever as now often required under various state and federal laws in the United States for handicapped access, the forces can be considerable depending upon the length of the lever.
Examples of such declutching mechanisms are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,773 in which a declutching mechanism is utilized in connection with a lever handle lock.
Other examples of the prior art patents are shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,598. Additionally, other examples of prior art lock arrangements are shown in:
Inventor
U.S. Pat. No.
Issue Date
J. A. Rymer
1,834,223
12/01/31
W. F. Nelson
2,062,598
12/01/36
K. A. Brauning
2,175,791
10/10/39
R. F. Peo
2,197,508
04/16/40
F. K. Heyer
2,672,041
03/16/54
Tornoe et al.
3,718,015
02/27/73
Tornoe et al.
3,856,339
12/24/74
Tranberg et al.
3,881,331
05/96/75
Nagy et al.
3,896,644
07/29/75
Kagoura
3,922,896
12/02/75
Dietrich et al.
4,108,482
08/22/78
Dietrich et al.
4,333,324
06/08/82
Kambic
4,429,556
02/07/84
Foshee
4,437,695
03/20/84
Gater et al.
4,631,944
12/30/86
Martin et al.
4,648,639
03/10/87
Best et al.
4,655,059
04/07/87
Huang et al.
4,660,395
04/28/87
Gater et al.
4,672,829
06/16/87
Lin
5,372,025
12/13/94
No exhaustive search of the prior art has been done.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As described in the above mentioned co-pending applications, there has long been a need for an improved lock arrangement in which a comparatively sturdy declutching mechanism is provided that allows driving engagement with the outer handle for retracting the latch for the lock in the unlocked position and prevents retraction of the latch upon operation of the outer handle when the lock is in the locked position. Such structure must be sufficiently strong to withstand comparatively high forces.
In accordance with the principles of the invention described in the above mentioned co-pending applications in a first preferred embodiment, there is provided a lock arrangement which has an inner handle which in preferred embodiments of the present invention, is an inner lever which is adapted to rotate about a first axis. The first axis extends longitudinally through the lock arrangement. In the first preferred embodiment there is a push button concentrically mounted on the first axis within the inner lever. The push button moves both reciprocatingly along the first axis and rotates about the first axis. In a second preferred embodiment of the invention described in the above mentioned co-pending applications the push button moves reciprocatingly along the first axis but does not rotate. In yet another preferred embodiment, described in the above mentioned co-pending applications there is no push button mounted on the inner lever. While such push button operations of lock arrangements are well known in the art, in the embodiments of the invention described in the above mentioned co-pending applications, having a push button, the push button is attached to a dogging bar which extends along the interior of the lock arrangement towards the outer lever and the dogging bar may rotate and reciprocate with the push button or only reciprocate with the push button. In the first and second preferred embodiments, for the push button pressed in a direction towards the outer handle the lock arrangement is in the locked position. For the push button retracted in a direction away from the outer handle the lock arrangement is in the unlocked position. Detents are provided to restrain the push button and dogging bar in the locked position. The detents engage the walls of a catch and the catch is spring biased towards the engagement with the detents in the dogging bar.
The outer handle, which in preferred embodiments of the present invention is a lever, is connected to an outer lever spindle which rotates about the first axis for rotation of the outer handle about the first axis. The outer lever spindle is generally tubular in shape and has an inner section having a radially inwardly-directed tab portion having internal walls concentric with the first axis and the internal walls having a first predetermined geometric configuration.
Concentrically mounted within the tab portion of the outer lever spindle is a driver. The driver has a first end positioned towards the outer handle and a second end positioned towards the inner handle. In preferred embodiments of the invention described in the above mentioned co-pending applications the driver is tubular in shape and has a first section on the outer surface thereof having the first predetermined geometric configuration in cross-section to match the cross-sectional configuration of the tab portion of the outer lever spindle. The first portion extends from the first end of the driver a preselected distance towards the second end of the driver.
The driver also has a second portion on the outer surface thereof and the second portion has a radial extent less than the first portion.
In preferred embodiments of the invention described in the above mentioned co-pending applications, the second portion of the outer surface of the driver has a second geometric configuration and cross-section which is different from the first portion. In preferred embodiments of the invention described in the above mentioned co-pending applications the first portion of the outer surface of the driver may, for example, be square and the second portion of the outer surface of the driver may, for example, be round. However, other geometrical configurations may be selected depending upon the application. In the above-described embodiment and in other embodiments with such other configurations, it is, of course, necessary that the second portion of the outer surface of the driver be configured so as to be free of driving engagement with the tab portion on the outer driver spindle. The second end of the driver has a flanged portion extending radially outwardly from the second portion. A push cup or push cap has a first end positioned against the flange portion of the driver and extends axially towards the inner handle and has a second end engaging the dogging bar. The push cup, in preferred embodiments of the present invention is generally tubular and is concentrically mounted about the first axis for reciprocating movement therealong.
A generally tubular outer drive spindle is coaxially mounted around the outer surface of the push cup and the outer drive spindle has a first end having an inwardly directed tab portion which has an internal surface having the first preselected geometric cross-section as the tab portion of the outer lever spindle and the first portion of the outer surface of the driver. The tab portion of the outer drive spindle is axially adjacent the tab portion of the outer lever spindle and, for the lock in the unlocked position the first portion of the outer surface of the driver engages both the tab portion of the outer lever spindle and the outer driver spindle. Rotation of the outer handle causes the tab portion of the outer lever spindle to engage the first portion of the outer surface of the driver to rotate the driver about the first axis. In the unlocked condition of the lock, rotation of the driver causes the first portion of the outer surface of the driver to engage the tab portion of the outer drive spindle. A second end of the outer drive spindle has a flange portion fo
Barrett Suzanne Dino
Finkelstein Don
NT Falcon Lock
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