Title

Improvements in Locks

Background and Unresolved Needs

Many common glass doors (i.e. doors having a frame and a glass infill) have a vertical protruding lip that extends along the outside of the closing edge that would interfere with the wing of a strike plate attached to the frame around the opening (if the wing were included); in some cases the lip is crudely chopped out to accommodate the strike plate wing and in some cases, the wing is omitted and the latch bolt is allowed to slide up the face of the frame surrounding the opening; in either case the aesthetics is impaired. In other cases, the frame surrounding the opening has a lip that precludes the use of a wing on a strike plate and again it is common to allow the latch bolt to slide up the face of the frame surrounding the opening.

Another commonly encountered problem is the distance between the closing edge of the wing and the frame surrounding the opening varies significantly (by up to 6MM) to reduce the engagement between the bolt and strike plate to an unacceptable level. The inventions described herein address these commonly encountered problems by providing a strike-box that is adjustable and one that may be set to automatically adjust as the wing closes; the inventions described herein are not limited to these applications however and are applicable to locks in general as defined herein.

Summary of the Inventions

According to one aspect the invention, there is an engageable member for a lock mountable relative to a wing supported for angular displacement adjacent to an opening whose extent is defined in part by an element relative to which the engageable member is mountable, the lock including an engaging portion cooperable with a participating portion of the engageable member to effect a locking function where the quality of cooperation is dependent in part on the relative disposition of the cooperating portions, said relative disposition being characterized by being changeable by reconfiguring the engageable member.

In a second aspect of the invention, the participating portion is within a slide supported relative to a casing.

In a third aspect of the invention, there is an operable member that acts to limit the relative disposition between the participating portion and the casing. In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is at least one compression spring acting to outwardly bias the slide.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, the participating portion is inwardly displaceable in response to displacement of the wing in a closing direction.

In a sixth aspect of the invention, the participating portion is displaced away from the wing as the wing is closed.

In a seventh aspect of the invention, the participating portion is displaceable through contact with the wing.

In an eighth aspect of the invention, said relative disposition is dependent in part on the relative disposition between the closed wing and the element and is characterized by being changeable by operation of an operable member within the engageable member.

In a ninth aspect of the invention, the operable member includes a threaded portion.

In a tenth aspect of the invention, the participating portion includes an operative portion of the engageable member the operative portion and engaging portion cooperating in engagement to restrain the wing against displacement in an opening direction where the quality of engagement is dependent in part on the relative disposition of the cooperating portions, said relative disposition being characterized by being changeable by reconfiguring the engageable member.

In an eleventh aspect of the invention, the engaging portion is within a bolt supported within a lock casing and displaceable to and from an extended configuration in which the bolt protrudes from the casing, the operative portion being defined in part by a leading edge of the slide.

In a twelfth aspect of the invention, the quality of engagement is directly related to the extent to which the bolt overlaps the operative portion when fully extended.

In a thirteenth aspect of the invention, the participating portion _, includes an interactive portion of the engageable member, the interactive portion and engaging portion cooperating in latching to displace the engaging member into engagement with the "engageable member" under the action of biasing where the quality of latching is dependent in part on the relative disposition of the cooperating portions, said relative disposition being characterized by being changeable by reconfiguring the engageable member.

In a fourteenth aspect of the invention, the engaging member includes an outwardly biased latch bolt displaceable to and from an extended disposition where it protrudes from the casing, the latch bolt during latching making contact with the interactive operative portion to become free to outwardly displace to the extended configuration In a fifteenth aspect of the invention, there is an outwardly biased auxiliary bolt displaceable from an extended disposition where it protrudes from the casing and where the lock is characterized by a pre-latching configuration in which the auxiliary bolt and latch bolt cooperate to restrain the bolt in the pre-determined disposition, the latch bolt and auxiliary bolt during latching making contact with the interactive operative portion of the slide, the latch bolt subsequently to become free to outwardly displace to the extended configuration, the auxiliary bolt subsequently to be retained depressed.

In a sixteenth aspect of the invention, the latch bolt prior to engagement protrudes a pre-determined distance from the wing, a distance substantially the same as the distance the interactive portion protrudes from the element and substantially the same as the distance the closed wing is disposed from the element.

In a seventeenth aspect of the invention, the quality of latching is substantially inversely related to the extent to which the latch bolt in the pre-latching configuration is disposed from the interactive portion.

In an eighteenth aspect of the invention, the interactive portion is adjacently disposed to the operative portion, the engageable member being configurable so that the relative disposition that facilitates good engagement also facilitates good latching.

According to another aspect the invention, there is an engageable member for a lock substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings

According to yet another aspect the invention, there is an lock substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

According to yet another aspect the invention, there is a wing having a lock substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The elements relating to the various aspects of the invention claimed within are identified throughout this specification as follows:

Unless the context requires otherwise, the word "locks" or variations such as "lock" will be understood to include complete locks for displaceable wings and improvements for locks for displaceable wings that are transportable into other locks and locking devices without being limited to the complete locks described herein.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "including" or "including", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the word "preferably" or variations such as "prefer" does not mean nor infer that the form of an integer is restricted to that referred to as preferred as preferred unless the context requires otherwise, has the meaning of acceptable and able to perform the function required by the inventions in which it is included.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the positional prepositions such as rear, forward are used to assist in description of the preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings and have in general no absolute significance and "overlap" and derivations such as "overlaps" means at least in part, occupying a same plane as.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the headings are included for convenience only and not to affect interpretation.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the words 'Wing" embraces both doors and windows; an "aperture" includes a hole that extends between opposed surfaces while a "recess" extends from one surface only and a handle includes a knob or lever

either of which may be operable; "furniture" includes "door furniture" that includes a handle assembly that includes a base and handle that in one form includes an operable handle supported by a back plate that may comprise an unlatching lever supported by a back-plate; a "base" includes a "rose" (that may comprise a member having a recess on the underside and be bounded by an outer surface and bounded in usage by the surface of the wing) and a "back-plate" (also called a "back plate" that may comprise a box-like member that in one form includes a vertically elongated hollow member having a recess on the underside bounded by an outer surface and bounded in usage by the surface of the wing). Unless the context requires otherwise, an "engaging member" in isolated use, is displaceable between a fully displaced disposition and a fully retracted disposition. When employed with an "engagable member", the engaging member is displaceable between an operative disposition, a disposition in which the engaging member finds itself when engaged with the engagable member and an inoperative disposition removed from the said engagement. In many locks, the operative disposition corresponds with the fully displaced disposition but in some cases the engageable member acts to limit the displacement of the engaging member, and the inoperative disposition may correspond with the retracted disposition.

Unless the context requires otherwise, fully displaced will embrace substantially fully displaced as the operative disposition may in some cases be and retracted disposition will embrace substantially fully retracted as the inoperative disposition may well be. For example, in the case of a common lock for hinged doors, in the inoperative configuration the bolt is withdrawn from the strike plate aperture and in the operative configuration the bolt is within the aperture of a strike plate - the operative disposition generally corresponding to a fully displaced (fully extended) bolt while the inoperative disposition generally corresponds to a fully retracted bolt.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the "operative portion" of the engageable member means that portion which acts on the bolt to restrain it against relative sideways movement and the "quality of engagement" relates to the resilience and the capacity of the engagement to withstand actions tending to undermining or weaken the engagement. Unless the context requires otherwise, a "member" is an identifiable single entity that may include one or more separate components.

Unless the context requires otherwise, "latching" means displacement of an engaging member into engagement with the "engageable member" under the action of biasing. In relation to common hinged doors latching may comprise: 1) displacement of a

latch bolt towards the lock casing by an engageable member including a "striker" or "strike plate" or "strike box" and subsequent displacement of the latch bolt by biasing into the aperture of the strike box, or 2) displacement of an auxiliary bolt against biasing (that may or may not be accompanied by displacement of the latch bolt) to render the auxiliary bolt unable to restrain the latch bolt whereby to enable the latch bolt to be displaced by biasing into the aperture of the engageable member.

Unless the context requires otherwise, a "latch-bolt" or latch bolt is an outwardly biased bolt capable of executing (or participating in) latching and includes bolts having a leading end that is chamfered or otherwise profiled on one side to facilitate latching and includes ["advanced latch bolts"] that are restrained in a pre-latching configuration prior to latching to either facilitate or assist latching and that in some forms are accompanied by an operably associated auxiliary bolt - advanced latch bolts in some forms including a prism shaped bolt that in some forms include counter-acting hooks and in some forms including a leading end that is chamfered, curved or otherwise profiled on both sides to assist or facilitate latching.

In the context of latching, "interactive portion" of the engageable member means the portion that is struck by the latch bolt and which act on the latch bolt to urge it inwardly as occurs in normal latching and "quality of latching" relates to the probability of latching actually (good latching having a high probability) occurring when the participating portions are subjected to minor actions and effects (as might occur in practise) that mitigate against latching such as minor relative displacement of the cooperating portions from their optimum relative disposition for latching; in effect, it relates to the stability of the functionality in an engineering sense.

Unless the context requires otherwise, an "auxiliary bolt", means an outwardly biased plunger that is operably associated with the advanced engaging member that may comprise a latch bolt.

Unless the context requires otherwise, "unlatching", means withdrawal of the engaging member from engagement with the engagable member, and for hinged door it includes withdrawal of the bolt from the aperture in a strike plate and an "unlatching lever" is a lever or knob that is hand operable to cause the engaging member to become unlatched.

Unless the context requires otherwise, "locking", unless the context requires otherwise, means the act of configuring the lock to restrain it from becoming unlatched and in some forms of locks employing deadlocking slides, it means restraining the

deadlocking slide to restrain the bolt from being inwardly displaced by the unlatching lever.

Unless the context requires otherwise, a "French Door", means a door including a frame with a glass in-fill; it may be configured in a pair where one door is normally closed and is often secured by vertical bolts while one door supports the lock body and operable unlatching levers, often there is a strip of compressible sealing material between the doors to prevent energy loss; many French Doors comprise a hollow frame where the hollow within the frame is comparatively small in depth.

Unless the context requires otherwise, a "lock body", includes an engaging member and a lock casing that may be fitted within the frame of a wing; the lock body together with an engaging member, door furniture and a cylinder being a typical mortice lock; the "depth" of lock body being the extent of the lock body in a direction parallel to the face of the door; the "width" of lock body being the extent of the lock body in a direction at right-angles to the face of the door. The elements relating to the various aspects of the invention claimed within and other elements described within may also be employed within other inventions subject of divisional applications.

Specification shall be taken to include: a Body [including a Title, a Description of

Preferred Embodiment/s, an Abstract and a Summary of the Invention] and Claims. _JU ι-i-o6

Detailed Description of Embodiments Consistent with the Concepts of the Inventions: Description of the Figures

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cut-away isometric view of a lock mounted to a wing and a common strike plate attached to an element defining in part an opening, the latch bolt and auxiliary bolt being in the pre-latching configuration,

Figure 2 are isometric views of a lock body mounted to a wing and a strike box mounted to an element, Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a wing supported adjacent to an opening supporting a lock body where the element supports a strike-box, Figure 4 is an isometric view of the strike-box,

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the strike box of Fig 4 viewed from the outside, Figure 6 is an exploded view of the strike box of Fig 4 viewed from the outside, Figure 7 is an isometric view of an alternative strike box viewed from the outside,

Figure 8 is an exploded view of the strike box of Fig 7 viewed from the outside, Figure 9 is an exploded view of the strike box of Fig 7 having substitute support plate and screws viewed from the outside,

Figure 10 is an exploded view of the slide of Figure 7 viewed from the underside, Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view AA through the friction-reducing pads.

The inventions, referencing Fig 1 and 2, relate to an engageable member 2 mountable to an element 3 defining in part an opening 4, the engageable member being suitable for a lock 1 , mountable relative to the closing edge 6 of a displaceable wing 80 supported adjacent to the opening (where the closing edge moves towards the element as the wing is closing) where the lock includes an engaging member 7; the engaging member may be a bolt 8 that may be an outwardly biased latch bolt 9 displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position and which automatically latches as the wing closes to subsequently become engaged with the engageable member. The lock may include a lock body 5 of which the engaging member 2 is part, and if the lock is a typical mortise lock, the lock body will be mountable within the wing as shown in Fig 1.

Inventions, referencing Figures 4 and 5, include an engageable member 2 that includes a casing 10 that is mountable to the element 3 and a relatively displaceable slide 11 (also called a slide member 11) supported by the casing 10; these preferably including box-like members as shown in the figures. The slide member 11 in some

forms, is outwardly biased by at least one compressed compression spring 12 each retained between the inner surface 13 of the casing rear wall 14 and the underside of a protruding slide shoulder 15 of the slide member. In some forms, the outwardly biased slide 11 is restrained against outward displacement by one or more restraining screws 16 each adjustable to set the distance the slide member 11 protrudes from the casing by extending through an aperture 17 in the slide member 11 to engage by dint of thread engagement in a coaxial aperture 18 in the casing 10. Where the engaging member is a latch bolt 9, the compression springs 12 together are sufficiently strong to prevent the slide member 11 from being displaced inwardly by the latch bolt during latching. In some forms, each spring is supported about a pin 75 that extend from the floor 38 of the casing.

The slide member 11 has a leading edge 20 that preferably has a beveled surface (that may be substantially 45 degrees) located adjacent to an outer substantially planar surface that includes an upper planar surface 21 and a lower planar surface 22 between which the leading edge 20 extends; and where the slide member 11 and casing 10 are configured to suit an advanced latch bolt, one planar surface cooperates with an auxiliary bolt to facilitate latching.

As shown in Fig 3 to 6, the slide member 11 in usage, is retained to protrude a distance "d2" from the underside of the support plate 23 being a part of the casing 10, a distance that is set to enable the leading edge 20 and the engaging member 7 to properly interact.

In relation to a closed wing, the surface 24 of the element 3 adjacent to the front plate 25 and the front plate 25 are separated by a distance "d4" and surface 24 of the element 3 and the closing edge 6 of the adjacent wing are separated by a distance "d3". It will be appreciated that where the engaging member 7 includes a bolt 8 that protrudes to cooperate with the planar portion 26 of the engageable member 2 in engagement (such as the such as the planar portion 27of the strike plate 76 shown in Fig 1), the larger the distance d4, the poorer will be in the engagement between the bolt 7 and planar portion 26. The inventions address this issue by providing a substitute for the planar portion 27 in the form of a strike box 29 having an adjustable slide member 11 where the leading edge 20 can be adjusted to protrude from the support plate 23 a distance that brings it to a disposition (where relative to a closed wing) it is adjacent to the front plate 25 of the lock body that is fastened relative to the closing edge 6 of the wing; the bolt 7 in engagement overlapping the leading edge 20 to extend into a recess 26 extending inwardly from the leading edge 20; and where the further it protrudes into

- the recess (and the further past the leading edge 20), the better will be the engagement . [It will be appreciated that these considerations apply to all bolts that protrude to engage including those outwardly biased and latching where the planar member]

Further more, where the engaging member 7 includes an advanced latch bolt 8 having an associated auxiliary bolt 27 that protrudes through an opening in the front plate 25 as shown in Fig 2, (and where this bolt and the latch bolt may be beveled, radiused or otherwise profiled on each side to suit both left and right hand hinged wings), both the auxiliary bolt 27 and latch bolt 8 must be inwardly displaced through contact with an interactive portion of the engageable member, such as the wing 28 of a conventional strike plate or the leading edge 20 of the strike box 29; the auxiliary bolt 27 to be depressed sufficiently to render the auxiliary bolt unable to restrain the latch bolt 8 against outwards displacement and to be held depressed by abutting one of the planar surfaces 21 or 22. In these locks, the latch bolt 8 in a pre-latching configuration protrudes a pre-determined distance d5 from the front plate 25 as shown in Fig 1 and 3, (that may be less than half the distance the latch bolt protrudes when fully extended) and it is from this pre-latching configuration that the bolt must be displaced during latching.

These locks are sensitive to the distance between the front plate 25 and the interactive portion of the engageable member and in the case of a conventional strike plate; this translates as sensitivity to the distance d4; given that the thickness of the strike plate (in the present context) can be considered insignificant. Because of this sensitivity, it is desirable to have a means of accurately controlling the effective distance between the front plate 25 and the interactive portion of the engageable member with which the bolt 8 interacts during latching. This issue is also addressed through the strike box 29 where the distance the interactive portion, the leading edge 20, protrudes from the face 24 is adjustable to ensure proper latching.

Inventions described herein, enable the distance d2 to be set (selectively) at a pre-determined distance that facilitates latching; d2 being set so that the leading edge 20 is engaged by the sides of the auxiliary bolt and latch bolt 8 during latching (as defined above) and with sufficient overlap to cause the auxiliary bolt to be inwardly displaced (and retained so displaced) sufficiently to render the auxiliary bolt unable to restrain the latch bolt 8. In a particular embodiment, the distance d3 is configured so that the latch bolt leading end 30 does not contact the face 24 of the element 3 during closing; i.e. d3 > d5. This configuration enables wings that cannot readily employ a conventional strike plate 76 to include a lock capable of latching. This capability also enables the slide member 11 to be set so far that it is engaged by the leading corner 31 of the wing as

the wing is closed as shown in Fig 3. In this case, the slide member 11 is inwardly displaced by contact with the wing so that the wing slides over the surface of the outwardly urged slide member 11 as the wing closes thus ensuring that the leading edge 6 and slide 11 are adjacently disposed in the closed wing. Where the distance d4=d3 corresponding to the front plate 25 and leading edge of the wing 6 being co-planar as is common and preferred, the slide member 11 and front plate 25 are adjacently disposed in the closed wing - this configuration ensuring proper latching and maximum engagement between the bolt and lock box.

In some forms, the leading edge includes upper and lower friction reducing pads 32 that extend up the beveled face and across the upper and lower faces to reduce friction and the wear on the corner of the wing - these may comprise nylon or other form of plastic. In some forms these comprise laminar strips that mate within mating recesses 33 in the slide member as shown in Fig 11 characterized by upper and lower deformable legs 80 having at their outwardly ramped faces 81 at their ends extending inwardly from substantially orthogonal shoulders 82. The opposed outermost walls of the recesses include inwardly angled faces 83 that terminate in an outwardly disposed recess 84 defined by shoulders 85. The friction reducing pads and recess 33 being configured such that as the friction reducing is placed into the recesses, the legs 80 are inwardly deformed as the ramped faces 81 slide down the angled faces 83 till the shoulders 82 outwardly displace to occupy the recesses 84 to be retained under the overlapping shoulders 85.

In some forms, the leading edge 20 defines in part both the interactive portion and the operative portion; the interactive portion being within the leading edge 20; the operative portion extending from the leading edge to overlap the extended bolt. In a first set of strike box 29 forms, referencing Fig 1 to 6, the casing 10 includes a box-like portion having a space 34 to accept the slide member 11 defined and limited by an upper end 35, a lower end 36, a side 37 and a floor 38. The slide member includes a box-like member that mates with working clearance within walls of the space 34 and has an upper end that includes the upper planar surface 21 and a lower end that includes the planar surface 22, a side 40 that is connected to the leading edge 20 and a base 42. The slide 61 is supported by to be relatively displaceable with respect to the housing to enable the leading edge 20 to be set to protrude a desired distance from the face 24 of the element 3. In some forms, the slide member 11 is retained for relative rectilinear displacement by opposed horizontally elongated shoulders 43 of the casing that extends each other from the upper end and lower ends of the casing 10 to form a

portion of a side opposed to side 40. These shoulders 43 locate with working clearance within upper and lower horizontally elongated recesses 44 a side of the slide member to overlap the slide member 11 ; the recesses 44 being defined in part by horizontal walls that also define in part upper and lower horizontally elongated shoulders 45 of the slide 11. Beneath the planar portions 21 and 22 of the slide member 11 and rear of the shoulders 45, the slide member 11 is relieved to provide chambers 46 to house the springs 12.

In some forms, the casing 10 includes a separate support plate 47 that includes a substantially rectangular relatively thin plate that in some forms is 1.5 MM thick and that protrudes upwardly and downwardly from the ends 35 and 36 to provide the fixing apertures 48 through which fixing screws have passage. This plate 47 is attached to member 49 (that may be a single casting) that includes the balance of the casing; the support plate being attached to member 49 by fasteners 50 that may include countersunk head rivets 51 that extend from countersunk recesses in the support plate 47 into elongated recesses 52 in the member 49.

In a second set of strike box forms similar to those described above, shown in Fig 7 to 9 in and particular but also referencing common features from Fig 1 to 6, a slide member 61 substantially as described above is also supported by to be relatively displaceable with respect to a housing 77 (that additionally includes side 79) to enable the leading edge 20 to be set to protrude a desired distance from the face 24 of the element 3 and in one form, the slide member 61 is supported for relative rectilinear displacement by a horizontally elongated upper shoulder 54 that extends upwardly relative to the upper planar surface 21 and a similar lower shoulder 55 that extends downwardly relative to the lower planar surface 22, both surfaces 54 and 55 being inwardly offset from the plane occupied by the planar surfaces 21 and 22 to enable the interspaced portion of the slide member 61 to extend through the aperture 62 in the support plate 58 to protrude from the support plate as shown in Fig 7; the aperture 62 preferably being profiled to suit the peripheral form of the interspaced portion as shown. The shoulders 54 and 55 are within horizontally elongated upper and lower recesses 56 of the casing 10 defined in part by recess side walls 57 that act as bearing surface that overlap the upper and lower shoulders 54 and 55 on both sides. The catch box is further configured so the support plate 58 overlaps the recesses 56 to overlap the upper and lower shoulder 54 and 55 that each include horizontally elongated apertures 59 to receive screws 60 that engage by dint of threads.

The support plate 58 includes orthogonal apertures 63 through which the heads 65 of the screws 60 can be accessed by a tool to enable the screws to be rotated to cause them to displace inwardly or outwardly; the slide member 61 being configured such that when the screws 60 are fully in, the slide member 61 protrudes a maximum pre-determined distance from the support plate 58 and when the screws 60 are fully outwardly disposed the base 38 is adjacent to the floor 42. Rotating the screws 60 inwardly allows the slide member 61 to be displaced outwardly by springs 67 as a consequence of the distance between the underside of the support plate 58 and the apertures 59 being reduced by the screw displacing into the recess 59 and similarly, rotating the screws 60 outwardly causes the slide member 61 to be displaced inwardly.

Beneath the upper planar surface 21 and lower planar surface 22 of the slide member 61 and substantially rearwardly disposed of the shoulders 54 and 55, the slide member 61 has spring chambers 66 as shown in Fig 10 that extend from the underside of the slide member 61 towards the outer portion of the slide member; these recesses 66 are occupied by compression springs 67 that act between the floor 42 of the casing and the outer ends 68 of the spring chamber to outwardly bias the slide member 61 and in some forms, the springs 57 are supported around an elongated pins 69

In some forms, the support plate 58 is substantially rectangular and relatively thin and may be 1.5 MM thick and that protrudes upwardly and downwardly to provide fixing similar to fixing apertures 48 described above. Similarly the support plate may be attached to another member by fastener as the support plate 58 is attached to member 49 as described above.

In other forms that may include the second set of strike box forms (springs may or may not be included), screws 70 replace the screws 60 having countersunk heads 75 that occupy a countersunk recess 71 in the front of a support plate 72 and each screw adjacent to the underside of the support plate 72 has a peripheral groove 73 occupied by a crescent circlip 74; this circlip restraining the screw 70 against longitudinal displacing relative to the support plate 72. In this case rotating the screw 70 inwardly causes the slide member 61 to be drawn out as a consequence of the distance between the aperture 59 and the support plate 72 being reduced by the screw displacing into the recess 59 and rotating the screw 70 outwardly causes the slide member 61 to be displaced inwardly as a consequence of the distance between the aperture 59 and the support plate 72 being increased by the screw displacing from the recess 59 while the crescent circlip 74 acts to prevent the head 75 from displacing longitudinally relative to the support plate 72.