Easy-to-operate cylindrical lock

Closure fasteners – Operators with knobs or handles

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C292SDIG006, C292S347000, C292S348000, C292S357000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06742820

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an easy-to-operate cylindrical lock. In particular, the present invention relates to a cylindrical lock that is easy-to-operate for people that are handicapped in the hands or without hands.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 through 3
of the drawings illustrate a conventional cylindrical lock comprising an inner assembly
1
, an outer assembly
2
, and a latch mechanism
3
. The inner assembly
1
includes an inside lever handle
11
, an inside rose
12
, an inside rose liner
13
, and an inside spindle
15
. The outer assembly
2
includes an outside lever handle
21
, an outside rose
22
, an outside rose liner
23
, and an outside spindle
25
. Two engaging posts
24
are mounted to an inner side of the outside rose liner
23
.
The latch mechanism
3
is mounted in a door
8
and includes a housing
30
and a latch bolt
31
. A cam
32
is rotatably mounted in the housing
30
and operably connected to the latch bolt
31
such that rotation of the cam
32
causes retraction of the latch bolt
31
. The cam
32
includes a square spindle-engaging hole
321
for receiving an end of the inside spindle
15
and an end of the outside spindle
25
such that rotation of either lever handle
11
,
21
causes rotation of the cam
32
. The housing
30
includes two engaging holes
33
and
34
through which the engaging posts
24
respectively extend, and two screws
14
are extended through holes
16
in the inside rose liner
13
into screw holes in the engaging posts
24
, thereby securing the rose liners
13
and
23
together and engaging the inner and outer assemblies
1
and
2
with the latch mechanism
3
.
The lever handle
11
,
21
allows easy operation for a person that is handicapped in the hands or without hands.
FIG. 2
is a sectional view of the lock in a latched state, and
FIG. 3
is a sectional view of the lock in an unlatched state. Unlatching of the lock is attained when the lever handle
11
,
21
is moved through 45 degrees. Nevertheless, rotation of the lever handle
11
,
21
is a movement in a lower portion of a circle in which the arm of the user is moved inward. More specifically, it is not easy to apply force in such a posture. Further, a returning force is generated by a return spring in the lock when the lever handle
11
,
21
reaches its end of the unlatching travel. This further increases difficulty to the user that is handicapped in the hands or without hands. Further, the engaging strength between the inner and outer assemblies
1
and
2
and the latch mechanism
3
by the engaging posts
24
is not strong enough and is thus apt to be destroyed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a cylindrical lock having an inside lever handle and an outside lever handle that incline upward and are at 45 degrees with a horizontal axis such that a person without hands may operate either lever handle easily.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cylindrical lock having a reinforcing plate to reinforce the structure while allowing easy operation of either lever handle.
A lock in accordance with the present invention includes an inner assembly, an outer assembly, and a latch mechanism. The inner assembly includes an inside lever handle, an inside rose, an inside rose liner, and an inside spindle. The outer assembly includes an outside lever handle, an outside rose, an outside rose liner, and an outside spindle. Two engaging posts extend from the outside rose liner. The latch mechanism includes a housing and a latch bolt. The latch bolt is operably connected to the inside lever handle and the outside lever handle such that 45° rotation of either one of the inside lever handle and the outside lever handle causes retraction of the latch bolt into the housing.
A reinforcing plate includes two pegs respectively extending through two positioning holes of the housing. The reinforcing plate further includes a central hole through which the outside spindle extends. The reinforcing plate further includes a pair of slots through which the engaging posts extend. Two fasteners are extended through the inside rose liner and engaged with the engaging posts. Each of the inside lever handle and the outside lever handle are located in a position that inclines upward and at 45 degrees with a horizontal axis.
The reinforcing plate may further include another pair of slots. The engaging posts are selectively engaged in one of the two pairs of slots so as to be used with one of a left-handed door and a right-handed door.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3965528 (1976-06-01), Kissler
patent: 4018465 (1977-04-01), Ramler
patent: 4676083 (1987-06-01), Sedley et al.
patent: 4913479 (1990-04-01), Allison
patent: 5177987 (1993-01-01), Shen
patent: 5286074 (1994-02-01), Lin
patent: 5385374 (1995-01-01), Fann et al.
patent: 5605064 (1997-02-01), Katayama et al.
patent: 5638576 (1997-06-01), Mutone
patent: 5718468 (1998-02-01), Qureshi et al.
patent: 5794472 (1998-08-01), Kester et al.
patent: 5904232 (1999-05-01), Shen
patent: 6131970 (2000-10-01), Hurst et al.
patent: 6279360 (2001-08-01), Shen
patent: 6289557 (2001-09-01), Manson et al.
patent: 6425273 (2002-07-01), Kim et al.

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