Locks – Special application – For closures
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-10
2001-09-04
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Special application
For closures
C070S107000, C070S450000, C292S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282929
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mortise locks that extend multiple bolts outward from a door edge and into latching engagement with an adjacent surface, such as an adjacent door frame. More specifically, the present invention relates to mortise lock assemblies that include a central mortise lock having a deadbolt that extends outward from a face piece mounted to the edge of a door and at least one latch mechanism having a latching bolt, preferably a hook bolt, which also extends outward from the face piece to engage the adjacent surface.
2. Description of Related Art
Mortise locks are designed to be mortised into the edge of a door and typically include a spring loaded latchbolt with a beveled edge that latches into an opening in an adjacent surface when the door is closed. The adjacent surface may be a door frame or the edge of another door. In addition to the latchbolt, mortise locks usually include an integrated deadbolt that can also be extended outward from the mortise lock to latch into the adjacent surface.
In most modern mortise lock designs, the deadbolt can be extended or retracted by turning a key in a cylinder lock on one side of the door, or by rotating a thumb latch on the other side. The deadbolt may also be connected to the latchbolt retraction linkage between a handle and the latchbolt. When the door is locked, rotating the handle will retract the latchbolt and simultaneously retract the deadbolt.
An improved type of mortise lock used in high security applications is a multipoint mortise lock assembly. A multipoint mortise lock assembly includes an elongated vertical face piece that is attached to the front of the mortise lock case. One or more additional latch mechanisms are also attached to the face piece and are operably connected to the mortise lock. The additional latch mechanisms include latching bolts that can be extended outward from the face piece and into latching engagement with the opposing door frame or adjacent door.
For maximum security, the additional latch mechanisms are constructed with hook bolts which hook into openings in the opposing door frame when they are extended. This hooking action prevents the adjacent door frame from being separated from the face piece on the mortise lock assemble until the hook bolts are withdrawn.
Multipoint mortise lock mechanisms of this type have heretofore required that the lock be operated with two hands to extend the hook bolts. One hand is required to rotate the key, and a second hand is required to operate the hook latches. The hook latches are usually operated by rotating the handle, typically a lever handle, at the same time that the key is held in a selected position that permits the extension of the hook bolts. Two-handed operation, however, is inconvenient and the correct manner of operating the lock may not be immediately apparent to the user.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multipoint mortise lock assembly that can be operated with one hand.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a multipoint mortise lock assembly that may be mounted to a door having a beveled edge.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a multipoint mortise lock assembly that can be operated by existing trim and handle mechanisms.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a multipoint mortise lock assembly that is easy to operate and which operates in substantially the same manner as conventional mortise locks having only a latchbolt and a deadbolt.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in art, are achieved in the present invention which is directed to a multipoint mortise lock assembly for mounting in an edge of a door including an elongated face piece, a mortise case connected to the face piece, and at least one latch mechanism mounted to the face piece. Each latch mechanism includes a latching bolt that can be extended outward from the face piece into a latched position, or retracted inward to an unlatched position.
A deadbolt is movably mounted in the mortise case for motion between an extended position and a retracted position and also extends outward from the face piece when in the extended position. The deadbolt is driven between the extended position and the retracted position by a deadbolt arm mounted in the mortise case. At least one elongated actuator is connected between the at least one latch mechanism and the deadbolt arm, the elongated actuator moving the latching bolt to the latched position whenever the deadbolt arm drives the deadbolt to the extended position.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the elongated actuator is a flat rod mounted in sliding contact with and substantially parallel to the face piece.
In another aspect of the invention the mortise case is connected to the face piece with a pivoting connection which allows the face piece to be pivoted relative to the mortise case. This lets the face piece be attached flush against a door edge when the door edge is beveled. In this embodiment of the invention, the actuator is loosely connected to a link, and the link is loosely connected to the deadbolt arm, to allow relative movement between the actuator and the deadbolt arm as the mortise case is pivoted relative to the face piece.
To drive the actuator, it is preferred for the actuator to have an extended actuating arm projecting out approximately perpendicular to the actuator and connected to a link which is connected to the deadbolt arm.
In the most highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the multipoint mortise lock assembly includes an elongated face piece, a mortise case connected to the face piece, and first and second hook bolt latch mechanisms mounted to the face piece at points above and below the mortise case. The latch mechanisms include corresponding first and second hook bolts mounted in the latch mechanisms for motion between latched position and unlatched positions, with the hook bolts extending outward from the face piece in the latched position. A deadbolt is slidably mounted in the mortise case and a deadbolt arm is also mounted in the mortise case for driving the deadbolt between extended and retracted positions. A link is connected to the deadbolt arm and an elongated actuator is slidably mounted to face piece and operably connected to the first and second hook bolt latch mechanisms and the link. The elongated actuator moves the first and second hook bolts to the latched position when the deadbolt arm drives the deadbolt to the extended position.
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Eller Darren C.
Fleury Bryce A.
Leiper Dan S.
Zimmer Todd C.
Barrett Suzanne Dino
DeLio & Peterson LLC
Sargent Manufacturing Company
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