Woodworking – Special-work machine – Hinge-seat cutting
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-23
2002-02-05
Bray, W. Donald (Department: 3725)
Woodworking
Special-work machine
Hinge-seat cutting
C033S197000, C033S539000, C144S003100, C144S035100, C144S092000, C408S11500B, C408S24100G
Reexamination Certificate
active
06343632
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to means for affixing locks in doors, and in particular relates to an adjustable jig suitable for affixing temporarily along the edge of a door for guiding the cutting action of suitable cutting tools such as drills and/or routers and the like in order to make appropriate holes or recesses in the door for receiving the lock mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, fixing a mortise lock or a cylindrical lock to a door is a time consuming operation. Firstly, it is necessary to mark the location of the various holes and recesses on the side and edge of the door into which the lock mechanism must be fitted. Typically, this is achieved by using a suitable stencil, for example a paper stencil, to mark the various locations where drilling and other operations such as routing etc must be carried out. Using these markings, various tools are then employed to create a mortise in the edge of the door to receive the body of a mortise lock or a cylindrical hole to receive the bolt of a cylindrical lock. Then a rebate must be cut in the edge of the door to receive the face plate of the lock so that it fits flush with the edge of the door.
In addition. a hole or holes must be drilled through the door perpendicular to the mortise or cylindrical hole in order to accommodate the shaft which supports the handles and/or the barrel or cylinder of the lock itself. Furthermore, additional holes need to be pre-drilled to accommodate the several screws which affix the lock mechanism and where necessary the cover plates in the case of a mortise lock, the primary fixing generally being through the face plate on the edge of the door.
Where a fit-out is being performed either in a new building or as a result of refurbishment of an existing building, and irrespective of whether it is an industrial, commercial or domestic building, it is of course also desirable to fit all the locks in their respective doors at the same height throughout the building.
However, one of the major problems in using a stencil or paper template is that it can easily move during the marking operation. Furthermore, once the positions are marked, there is no guarantee that subsequent drilling or other operations would be performed accurately. Consequently, there is a likelihood that not only will locks be fitted at varying heights, but that, worse still, they will be fitted somewhat out of alignment causing undue stress on the lock mechanism.
In addition, there is a high likelihood that damage will occur to the door not only during the operation of marking out the location of the lock but more importantly as a result of slippage of tools whilst performing the various drilling and mortising functions. This is particularly true when considering the difficulties encountered whilst installing a mortise lock. By its very nature, a mortise lock requires the preparation of a relatively deep mortise in the edge of the door, the width of which is generally not that much less than the thickness of the door itself, leaving essentially only a thin wall remaining in each face of the door into which the lock mechanism is fitted. Naturally, during the process of preparing the mortise, there is a likelihood that the relevant cutting tool will slip, whether it be a router, drill bit, chisel etc, thereby causing it to tear or break through this thin-walled section with generally unrepairable consequences.
Although it is generally known to employ various jigs for carpentry and joinery, in order to facilitate drilling, routing and other operations, these do not specifically address the particular problems encountered in preparing the mortise for mortise locks and/or the other relevant holes etc for such locks or even preparing the relevant holes for cylindrical locks. This generally follows because such a jig is a non adjustable mechanism designed for a specific function. No such jig appears to have been designed for the specific purpose of preparing a door to receive either a mortise lock or a cylindrical lock in its entirety. Even where jigs have been developed which are multi functional or multi-purpose, generally through the use of adjustable guides or templates, they are of such a bulky and cumbersome nature, that they are consequently ill-suited for use in the preparation of the door when preparing it to receive a lock mechanism.
Thus, for example, one could employ an adjustable jig as described in Australian Patent No 509869, by locating same on the edge of the door for the sole purpose of preparing the mortise to receive a mortise lock, or alternatively a suitable hole to receive a cylindrical lock. However, this jig is a cumbersome arrangement and there is no ready facility to ensure that the jig would be set at a constant height, particularly as it could easily move out of adjustment between application from one door to another. In other words, even if a suitable reference point were established on the jig for setting against a relevant marking on the door, the very geometry of the jig construction would not necessary mean consistency in height.
More importantly however, the type of jig described in the aforementioned prior art fails to provide any additional facility to allow the preparation of a suitable rebate to receive the face plate of the lock mechanism or indeed preparation of the holes through the door perpendicular to the mortise or cylindrical hole as the case may be, for fitting the handle and/or lock barrel/cylinder etc.
Thus, previously known adjustable jigs are limited in that they do not provide a comprehensive solution for the number of preparatory steps in setting a lock in a door. In particular, known jigs and guides do not provide any facility for location at a constant height, nor indeed do they provide satisfactory methods for stopping the router or drill travel which must necessarily be controlled manually, either in terms of the depth reached or travel along the edge of the door where a mortise is required. Also they do not provide effective or comprehensive solutions for the preparation of the remaining aspects of fitting the lock, including the rebate for the face plate, and suitable holes for the handle shaft and lock barrel.
Although the following description refers generally to the preparation of a door to receive a mortise or cylindrical lock, it will be appreciated that no such limitation is thereby intended and any analogous requirement, where the invention may also be utilised, by suitable modification if necessary, is also intended to be encompassed. Thus for example, simple door latches which do not actually have the facility to be locked are also included. Any similar situation where a lock or similar mechanism (whether lockable or otherwise) may equally benefit from the application of the principles embodied in the invention is therefore also contemplated by the following disclosure.
In the light of the foregoing, it would therefore be advantageous to provide a suitable jig or guide system capable of fitment to a door, without damage thereto, which would allow for the comprehensive preparation of the door to receive the various components of a mortise and/or cylindrical lock or other similar latch mechanism, whilst providing uniformity of location and fitment thereof and comprehensive ease of use. It would be especially advantageous if the same jig construction were able to accommodate preparation of the door for either a mortise lock or a cylindrical lock by means of suitable adjustments therereto or simple replacement only of relevant guide plates suited to the particular requirement.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a comprehensive solution to the problems of fitting mortise and/or cylindrical locks or similar latch mechanisms to a door, which overcomes or at least ameliorates the foregoing shortcomings and disadvantages of presently known means of performing such operations. It is a further object of the invention that it should accommodate the fitting of both mortise and cylindrical locks as required. At
Bray W. Donald
Schindler Edwin D.
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