MORTISE LOCK WITH DEAD BOLT RELEASE FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to mortise lock assemblies, and particularly to a mortise lock with a dead bolt release.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the most widely used forms of lock is a mortise lock. The mortise lock is fitted within a recess that opens at the side edge of a door, that is, the edge that abuts the adjacent surface of a door jamb when the door is closed. Because the main body of the lock including most of its operational parts is within the door itself, it is difficult for an intruder to gain access to those operational parts, thereby making it difficult for the intruder to gain unauthorized entry to a locked room or area.

Many conventional lock assemblies include a handle that opens a latch against the force of a return spring. Some mortise locks have dead bolts which are thrown by turning a key-operated cylinder lock, which may also operate the latch. Some mortise locks have an auxiliary cylinder lock for actuating an auxiliary dead bolt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide an improved mortise lock assembly, as is described in detail further hereinbelow.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a mortise lock including a housing, a latch and a dead bolt arranged for moving in and out of the housing to unlocked and locked orientations, respectively, by means of a bolt-throw wheel, and a dead-bolt release member for selectively blocking and unblocking movement of the dead bolt into the housing to the unlocked orientation, the dead-bolt release member including a bolt-blocking element that blocks passage of the dead bolt, wherein upon initial rotation of the bolt-throw wheel, a lever which is in geared connection with the bolt-throw wheel pushes the dead-bolt release member out of blocking movement of the dead bolt, and wherein further rotation of the bolt-throw wheel moves the dead bolt inwards into the housing to the unlocked orientation.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the dead- bolt release member includes a plate and the bolt-blocking element includes inwardly formed protrusions from the plate that block passage of the dead bolt, wherein the plate is arranged for sliding motion in the housing. The lever abuts against an aperture formed in the plate and the lever turns with a gear which is in geared connection with the bolt-throw

wheel. The bolt-throw wheel is in geared connection with two spur gears which mesh with a gear wheel which meshes with the gear that turns with the lever.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the bolt- throw wheel is in geared connection with the dead bolt by means of a connection gear that meshes with the gear wheel and by means of a pinion gear that turns with the connection gear only after the connection gear has turned through a predefined arcuate distance, the pinion gear meshing with a gear rack fixed to the dead bolt, wherein upon initial rotation of the bolt-throw wheel, the lever pushes against the aperture and pushes the dead-bolt release member out of blocking movement of the dead bolt, and wherein further rotation of the bolt-throw wheel turns the gear wheel, the connection gear and the pinion gear, the pinion gear moving the gear rack so as to move the dead bolt inwards into the housing to the unlocked orientation. The bolt-throw wheel may be in geared connection with a gear rack fixed to a lower lock bolt that slides in and out of housing.

The gear rack may also mesh with a gear, which in turn is in geared connection with another gear rack fixed to an upper lock bolt that slides in and out of housing.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the dead bolt includes a lug that abuts against a latch bolt follower that is movable by means of the bolt-throw wheel, wherein an upper portion of the latch bolt follower is arranged to cause a latch bolt arm to move the latch. The latch bolt follower has an ear arranged to be pushed by a cam portion of the bolt-throw wheel, wherein the upper portion of the latch bolt follower is arranged to abut against a lever which is pivoted about a pivot and arranged to push against the latch bolt arm that pivots to move the latch. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a simplified side view illustration of inner components of a mortise lock, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the mortise lock being in a locked orientation;

Fig. IA is a simplified enlarged view of a latch throw member and a cylinder lock cam side of the mortise lock of Fig. 1, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. IB is a simplified enlarged sectional view of a dead bolt assembly and a dead-bolt release member of the mortise lock of Fig. 1, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 1C is a simplified enlarged view of a gear train used to move components of the mortise lock of Fig. 1 , constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 2, 2A, 2B and 2C are simplified illustrations, corresponding respectively to Figs. 1, IA, IB and 1C of the mortise lock of Fig. 1, wherein the mortise lock is in a locked orientation but the dead-bolt release member has released the dead bolt assembly;

Figs. 3, 3A, 3B and 3C are simplified illustrations, corresponding respectively to Figs. 1, IA, IB and 1C of the mortise lock of Fig. 1, wherein the dead bolt assembly has been moved to an unlocked orientation;

Figs. 4, 4A, 4B and 4C are simplified illustrations, corresponding respectively to Figs. 1, IA, IB and 1C of the mortise lock of Fig. 1, wherein a latch bolt has been moved to an unlocked orientation; and

Figs. 5, 5A and 5B are simplified side view, enlarged view and top view illustrations, respectively, of a gear train of the lower cylinder lock of the mortise lock of Fig. 1, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to Figs. 1-1 C, which illustrate a mortise lock 10, constructed and operative in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Mortise lock 10 includes a lock casing or housing 12 into which the locking mechanism of the lock is fitted, and a faceplate 14. Mortise lock 10 is suitable for use in a variety of doors, for example, but not exclusively, hinged doors and sliding doors. Mortise lock 10 is designed to be mortise fitted typically within a frame section of the door. When received within the door, the housing 12 is concealed except for the faceplate 14, which is typically flush with the edge surface of the door opposite the hinge edge of the door. Mortise lock 10 includes apertures for receiving other lock furniture, including a handle aperture 16 (typically non-round, e.g., square) and a lock cylinder aperture 18. The handle aperture 16 may receive a spindle of a handle (not shown) for throwing (opening) a latch (or latch bolt) 20. The lock cylinder aperture 18 may receive a cylinder lock 19 (shown in Figs. 5-5B) which may turn a bolt-throw wheel 22 (part of which is also seen in Fig. IA) for throwing a dead bolt assembly 24 (as well as latch 20 and other lock elements, as is described below) upon insertion and rotation of a proper key in cylinder lock 19. Dead bolt assembly 24 is also referred to as dead bolt or dead bolts 24.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, mortise lock 10 includes an auxiliary lock cylinder aperture 26 for receiving therein an auxiliary cylinder lock (not shown) for actuating an auxiliary dead bolt 28 and latch 20. Auxiliary dead bolt 28 may be secured to a guide member 30 arranged for sliding in and out of housing 12. The sliding motion of guide member 30 may be guided by means of a pin 32 that fits in a groove 34 formed in shaft 30. Guide member 30 may have gear teeth 36 that mesh with a bolt-throw wheel (not shown) of the auxiliary cylinder lock. The auxiliary cylinder lock may be useful, for example, to a homeowner who has a maid who has a key to operate the cylinder lock that fits in the lock cylinder aperture 18. The homeowner does not provide the maid with the key to the auxiliary cylinder lock. In this manner, the homeowner can lock the auxiliary cylinder lock and leave for vacation, with the comforting assurance that the maid cannot gain unauthorized entry into the home with her key to the other lock.

The dead bolt assembly is now described in detail. The dead bolt assembly 24 is shown in Figs. 1 and IB in the locked orientation. The dead bolt assembly 24 cannot move inwards because inward movement is blocked by a dead-bolt release member 38. Dead-bolt release member 38 includes one or more plates 40 (a pair of plates 40 are present in the illustrated embodiment) that include bolt-blocking elements 42. Bolt- blocking elements 42 (three are shown, one for each dead bolt 24) may be inwardly formed protrusions that block passage of the dead bolts 24, as seen best in Fig. IB. Plate 40 is arranged for sliding motion guided by means of one or more pins 44 received in grooves 46. Plate 40 is formed with an aperture 48. A lever 50 that turns with a gear 52 is arranged to abut against an inner surface of aperture 48. The bolt-throw wheel 22 is in geared connection with two spur gears 60 which mesh with a gear wheel 62 which turns with gear 52 (thus gear 52 is in geared connection with bolt-throw wheel 22). Dead-bolt release member 38 is biased by means of a biasing device 54, such as being spring-loaded by a coil spring 54.

Gear wheel 62 can throw the dead bolts 24 by means of a connection gear 64 that meshes with gear wheel 62. As seen best in Fig. 1C, connection gear 64 turns on the same axis as a pinion gear 66. It is important to note that pinion gear 66 does not turn all the time with connection gear 64. Rather there is a section 65 on connection gear 64 (bounded by surfaces 67 seen in Fig. 1C) that does not mesh with pinion gear 66. Pinion gear 66 turns with connection gear 64 only after connection gear 64 has turned through the arcuate distance between surfaces 67. Pinion gear 66 meshes with a gear rack 68 fixed to dead bolt assembly 24.

Gear 52 is also in geared connection with a gear rack 80 fixed to an upper lock bolt 82 that slides in and out of housing 12, guided by a pin 84 in a groove 86 (part of gear rack 80 extends down to mesh gear 52). Gear rack 80 also meshes with a gear 78, which in turn is in geared connection with a gear rack 70 fixed to a lower lock bolt 72 that slides in and out of housing 12, guided by a pin 74 in a groove 76.

Reference is now made to Figs. 5, 5A and 5B, which illustrate a gear train of the lower cylinder lock 19 of mortise lock 10, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As described above, cylinder lock 19 turns bolt- throw wheel 22, which is affixed to the end of the tumbler of cylinder lock 19. Bolt-throw wheel 22 may be a complete gear wheel, that is, with gear teeth 360° around wheel 22. Additionally or alternatively, bolt-throw wheel 22 may include a tongue 29, which may actuate locking elements as is known in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, bolt-throw wheel 22 includes both gear teeth and tongue 29, wherein tongue 29 interrupts a portion of the gear teeth of bolt-throw wheel 22. In order that the gear transmission from bolt- throw wheel 22 to gear 62 is continuous, two gears 60 are provided spaced from each other in accordance with the interrupted portion of the gear teeth of bolt-throw wheel 22. In this manner, at least one of gears 60 constantly transfers power to gear 62.

Upon initial rotation (e.g., quarter turn - 90°) of bolt-throw wheel 22 by rotation of a proper key in cylinder lock 19 (Fig. 5) mounted in lock cylinder aperture 18, gear 52 and lever 50 turn clockwise in the sense of the drawings. Lever 50 thus pushes against the bottom surface of aperture 48 and pushes dead-bolt release member 38 downwards to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 2B. This compresses spring 54. Bolt-blocking elements 42 no longer block passage of the dead bolts 24, as seen best in Fig. 2B. It is noted that the partial rotation of the key in cylinder lock 19 has not yet caused the dead bolts 24 to move inwards because pinion gear 66 has not yet rotated as explained above.

Reference is now made to Figs. 3, 3A, 3B and 3C. Further rotation of the key in the cylinder lock mounted in lock cylinder aperture 18 causes bolt-throw wheel 22 to turn gear wheel 62 (via spur gears 60), which turns connection gear 64 which now turns pinion gear 66. Pinion gear 66 moves gear rack 68 and dead bolt assembly 24 inwards into case 12 to the unlocked orientation. Simultaneously, gear 52 turns and causes gear racks 70 and 80 together with lower lock bolt 72 and upper lock bolt 82 to move inwards into case 12 to the unlocked orientation. All this occurs with just one complete revolution of the key in cylinder lock 19.

As seen best in Fig. IA, dead bolt assembly 24 also includes a lug 88 that abuts against a groove 90 formed in a latch bolt follower 92. The latch bolt follower 92 has an ear 94. Lug 88 is biased, such as by means of a spring 96 (seen in Fig. 3A). When dead bolt assembly 24 is brought to the unlocked orientation, as seen best in Fig. 3A, lug 88 pushes against groove 90 and moves ear 94 to the right, in the sense of Fig. 3A. Ear 94 is now in a position to be struck and pushed by a cam portion 98 of bolt-throw wheel 22.

Reference is now made to Figs. 4, 4A, 4B and 4C. The latch bolt follower 92 is arranged for sliding motion, guided by a pin 100 in a groove 102 (Fig. 3). An upper portion 103 of latch bolt follower 92 is arranged to abut against a shoe 104 of a lever 106. Lever 106 is pivoted about a pivot 108 and has an arm extension 110 arranged to push against a latch bolt arm 112. Latch bolt arm 112 pivots together with handle aperture 16 to move latch 20, and may be biased by a spring 114.

Further rotation of the key in the cylinder lock mounted in lock cylinder aperture 18 causes bolt-throw wheel 22 to turn, wherein cam portion 98 pushes up against ear 94 of latch bolt follower 92. The upper portion 103 of latch bolt follower 92 pushes up against shoe 104 of lever 106. This causes lever 106 to pivot about pivot 108 and causes arm extension 110 to push against latch bolt arm 112. Latch bolt arm 112 pivots together with handle aperture 16 to move latch 20 to the unlocked orientation.

It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.