Description of the Prior Art Conventional doors more often than not employ some form of closure mechanism to keep the door in the closed position when required. Often such closure mechanisms also include means for locking the closure mechanism. There are numerous different types of lock in existence which can achieve this aim, varying from the very basic hook-type lock, to the more complicated electronic lock.

In domestic houses for example, it is common to use a mortice lock on both interior and exterior doors. A typical mortice lock includes a lock housing which is inserted into a cavity in the side edge of a door, the cavity lying in a plane parallel to the front and rear faces of the door. The lock housing is generally provided with a fixing plate at one end which requires a shallow trench in the side edge of the door so that the fixing plate can lie flush with the edge of the door. The fixing plate is used to fix the lock housing to the door and generally employs screws which are inserted through the fixing plate into regions of the side edge of the door beyond the top and bottom

edges of the cavity. The lock housing has a latch member which is movable so as to project outside of the lock housing, through a slot in the fixing plate. In this position the latch member locates in a mortice which is provided in a trench in the door frame thereby holding the door in a closed position. The latch member is moved into and out of the lock housing by means of a shaft, which extends through the width of the door and engages the latch member generally midway along the shaft. The shaft is also attached to handles at the opposed free ends of the shaft on either side of the door. The shaft is biased towards a position in which the latch member protrudes outside of the lock housing so as to engage with the mortice in the frame of the door. When the shaft is turned, the latch member is drawn into the housing to facilitate the opening of the door.

Although the above-described basic type of mortice lock is widely-used, it is difficult to install, in view of the fact that a cavity, which must extend parallel to the front and rear faces of the door, has to be bored into the side edge of the door to receive the lock housing. Also, a hole must be drilled at right angles to the front and rear faces of the door, to intersect the cavity at the correct position so that the lock housing can receive the shaft. A further hole in the door at right angles to the front and rear faces of the door and at the correct distance away from the side edge of the door must also be drilled to intersect the cavity if a keyhole and its associated mortice and tenon is to be provided for locking the door. Finally, a mortice must be accurately channelled in the frame of the door so also to be aligned with and to receive the latch member.

In view of the above-discussed difficulties, it is common for people to rely upon a locksmith when a lock needs to be replaced. A lay person wishing to install even a basic type of known mortice lock requires a number of different tools and will find the task to be complex and time consuming.

An example of a mortice lock can be found in GB 2369856 which describes a traditional type of mortice lock which is secured to the door by means of screws passing through the face plate of the lock into the edge of the door

above and below the lock recess. The mortice lock described in this document includes an anchor which extends from the body of the lock housing further into the interior of the door to increase the contacting surface area between the door and the lock housing. As can be seen, the lock described in GB 2369856 suffers from the problem of being time consuming and difficult to install, with particular skill being required to make the requisite drill holes and cavities to accommodate the various interlocking components of the lock including the hole in the interior of the door for the anchor.

In GB 1109751 an alternative type of door lock is described which is mounted in a channel in the edge of the door and which is secured to the door by means of a peg which extends across the entire thickness of the door. The ends of the peg are therefore accessible to those wishing to tamper with the lock.

In GB 2158500 and US 6412317 lock housings are described which are held in place in the edge of a door or drawer by the sides of the lock housing being clamped against the sides of the door or drawer. The lock arrangements provide no direct securement of the lock housing to the door or drawer edge and so are liable to be unreliable in the face of brute force.

In US 4887856 a lock housing is described that is mounted in the edge of a door in a channel which extends across the thickness of the door. The lock housing is secured to the door in the traditional manner by means of screws which extend through the endplate of the lock housing into the edge of the door above and below the channel. As the lock is attached to the door only at the edge of the door, it is possible for someone wishing to tamper with the lock to loosen the lock via the edge of the channel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aim of the present invention is to provide a closure, and a method of installation of the closure, which overcomes or at least alleviates the above

mentioned problems, and which provides an improved closure in comparison to known closures such as those described above.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of installation of a closure for a door or window comprising the steps of :- forming a continuous channel in a side edge of a door or window, the channel having one or more side walls and extending across the thickness of the door or window so that the channel is open to the edge and to the front and back of the door or window; and directly attaching the closure to the one or more side walls of the channel.

It is preferred that the step of attaching the closure includes :- attaching a closure frame to the side walls of the channel; and mounting an engaging member to the closure frame.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided:-a closure for a door or window having a continuous channel with one or more side walls in a side edge of the door or window, the closure including an engaging member movable between an engaging position and a releasing position; and an actuator for controlling movement of the engaging member; and wherein the closure further include attachment means arranged for directly attaching the closure to the side walls of the continuous channel in the door or window.

It is preferred that the closure includes a closure frame for supporting the actuator and the engaging member, wherein the closure frame includes attachment means for attaching the closure frame to the side walls of the continuous channel in the door or window.

It is preferable that the attachment means of the closure frame is positioned such that it is located towards the opposite end of the closure frame to the engaging member. In this way, the closure frame is attached to the interior of the door or window distant from the free end of the engaging member.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an exploded view of a closure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from the front and one side of the closure of Figure 1, in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view from the rear and one side of the closure frame of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the closure of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view from the front and one side of a third embodiment of the closure of the present invention; Figure 5a is a perspective view from the front and one side of a sixth embodiment of the closure of the present invention; Figure 6 is a side view of a door prepared to receive a first embodiment of the closure of the present invention ; Figure 6a is a perspective view from the front and one side of a door prepared to receive a first embodiment of the closure of the present invention; Figure 7 is a side view of a door prepared to receive a fourth embodiment of the closure of the present invention; Figure 7a is a perspective view from the front and one side of a door prepared to receive a fourth embodiment of the closure of the present invention ; Figure 8 is a side view of a door prepared to receive a fifth embodiment of the closure of the present invention ; Figure 8a is a perspective view from the front and one side of a door prepared to receive a fifth embodiment of the closure of the present invention ; Figure 9 is an exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the closure of the present invention; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view from the front and one side of a fifth embodiment of the closure of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A closure is identified generally by reference numeral 1. With reference to Figures 1 to 3 in particular, the closure 1 includes a triangular closure frame 2 including a planar member 41, two screw plates 3a and 3b, and attachment means comprising further screw plates 3c and 3d with each of the screw plates 3a-3d having screw holes 15 therethrough. The shape of the closure frame 2 corresponds to the shape of a channel 27 cut in a door 6 to which the closure 1 is to be fitted. With the closure frame 2 of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a corresponding triangular channel is cut out of the door 6. When in situ, the closure frame 2 substantially replaces any rigidity lost by the removal of part of the door 6, and is the part to which a closure mechanism 5 is attached. The closure frame 2 also includes screw holes 13a and 13b to enable the closure mechanism 5 to be easily and accurately fitted to the closure frame 2 in an appropriate position and a spindle hole 13c.

The closure mechanism 5 consists of an attachment plate 9, an engaging member in the form of a latch bar 10, and a housing 11. The attachment plate 9 includes two screw holes 14a and 14b which, when the closure mechanism 5 is in situ, align with the screw holes 15 on screw plates 3a and 3b.

The attachment means 3c and 3d are positioned distant from the latch bar 10, towards the opposite end of the closure frame 2 to the free end of the latch member 10.

The housing 11 of the closure mechanism 5 includes two screw holes 12a and 12b, which, when the housing 11 is in situ on the closure frame 2, align with the screw holes 13a and 13b of the closure frame 2. The screw holes 13a and 13b are formed as slots, thereby allowing limited adjustment of the

position of the closure mechanism 5 prior to the final attachment of the closure mechanism 5 to the closure frame 2. The housing 11 of the closure mechanism 5 also includes a through-hole 16 into which a spindle 17 is received. The spindle 17 engages with the through-hole 16 to operate the latch bar 10. The latch bar 10 is biased towards its extended (i. e. protruding from the housing) position but when the spindle 17 is rotated, for example, by means of a handle 31, the latch bar 10 is drawn into the housing 11 of the closure mechanism 5, to facilitate the opening of the door 6.

The closure 1 also includes cover plates 7a and 7b which substantially correspond to the shape of the channel 27 cut in the door 6. In the case of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the channel is triangular in cross-section. The cover plate 7a includes screw plates 18a and 18b having screw holes 19 therethrough. When the cover plate 7a is in situ, the screw holes 19 align with the screw holes 15 of the screw plates 3a and 3b of the closure frame 2, and accordingly, also align with the screw holes 14a and 14b of the attachment plate 9 of the closure mechanism 5.

The cover plate 7a further includes a spindle hole 22a which, when in situ, aligns with the spindle hole 13c of the closure frame 2 and the through-hole 16. The cover plate 7b includes screw plates 20a and 20b having screw holes 21 therethrough. As with cover plate 7a, the screw holes 21 align with the screw holes 15 of the screw plates 3a and 3b of the closure frame 2. As can be seen from Figure 1 in particular, cover plate 7b is similar to cover plate 7a but for the provision of a stop plate 23 along the edge of the plate 7b projecting beyond the screw plates 20a and 20b.

The closure 1 further includes a face plate 24 which includes a pair of screw holes 25 and a latch slot 26. The screw holes 25 align with the screw holes 15 of the screw plates 3a and 3b of the closure frame 2, and the latch slot 26 corresponds with the latch bar 10 of the closure mechanism 5, such that when the closure is in situ, the latch bar 10 aligns with and projects through the latch slot 26 when the latch bar 10 has not

been drawn into the housing 11.

The closure 1 also includes a keep 32 which is intended to be attached to the frame 36 of the door 6, and which receives the free end of the latch bar 10 of the closure mechanism 5 when the door 6 is closed and the handle 31 released. The keep 32 is a hollow member 33 having a rectangular profile, incorporating a slot 34 and screw holes 35. It is to be appreciated however, that the keep may be of any suitable profile as long as it is able to receive the free end of the latch bar 10 the closure mechanism 5.

In order to install the closure 1, a user first makes the required cuts in the door 6 in which the closure is to be installed, to provide a channel 27 which matches the shape of the closure frame 2. In the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the channel 27 is triangular in shape. The cut extends from the side edge of the door 6 to a point inboard of the edge and from there extends back to the side edge of the door 6, and is made across the complete width of the door 6. The cut is continuous in that the cut describes the boundary of a notch-type section of the door 6 which is removed. Thus, the channel 27 is open to the edge of the door and to the front and back surfaces of the door and has a pair of side walls arranged at an acute angle to each other. The closure frame 2 is then inserted into the channel 27 so as to be attached to the exposed interior of the door 6 by direct attachment to the side walls of the channel.

Screws 15a are inserted through screw holes 15 of screw plates 3c and 3d of the closure frame 2 (see Figure 3) and directly into the exposed side walls 29 and 30 of the channel 27. This screw fixing retains the closure frame 2 in position in the channel 27 of the door 6 with the screw plates 3a, 3b positioned inboard of the side edge of the door 6. The housing 11 of the closure mechanism 5 is then inserted between the screw plates 3a, 3b into the channel 27 and is held in position with the attachment plate 9 of the closure mechanism 5 abutting the screw plates 3a and 3b of the closure frame 2 and the screw holes 14a and 14b aligned with the screw holes 15 of the screw plates 3a and 3b. Further, with the closure mechanism 5 in

place, the screw holes 12a and 12b of the housing 11 are aligned with the screw holes 13a and 13b of the carrier 2. Adjustment of the position of the housing 11 relative to the closure frame 2 is possible by virtue of the holes 13a and 13b, being formed as slots. The closure mechanism 5 is then secured to the closure frame 2 by means of screws which extend through screw holes 12a and 12b, and 13a and 13b, respectively.

As can be seen from Figure 2 in particular, the door frame 36 includes a stop panel 37, which prevents the door 6 from swinging through too large an angle. In using a stop panel 37, the door 6 may be opened and closed but is not able to swing through the plane of the frame 36 itself.

The next step in the installation of the closure 1 is the fixing of the keep 32 to the frame 36 of the door 6. This is achieved by attaching the keep 32 to the frame 36 of the door 6 by means of screws through screw holes 35, such that a side edge of the keep 32 abuts the stop panel 37 of the door frame 36, and the latch slot 34 is at the correct location on the frame to receive the engaging member 10.

The next step in the installation of the closure 1 is the fixing of the cover plates to the closure frame 2. The first cover plate 7a is placed over one side of the closure frame 2 thereby closing one end of the channel 27, such that the spindle hole 22a of the cover plate 7a aligns with the spindle hole 16 of the housing 11 and the spindle hole 13c of the closure frame 2. The second cover plate 7b is then placed over the opposed side of the closure frame 2 thereby closing the other end of the channel 27. Here too, the spindle hole 22b aligns with the spindle hole 16 of the housing 11. Thus the first cover plate 7a is positioned on that face of the door 6 which, when the door 6 is in the closed position, is on the same side of the door frame as the stop panel 37. The second cover plate 7b having the stop plate 23 is positioned on the opposite face of the door 6 in a similar fashion. In this way, when the door 6 is closed, it passes freely over the keep 32, and the stop plate 23 of the cover plate 7b substantially hides the keep 32 from view.

With the closure frame 2, closure mechanism 5 and cover plates 7a, 7b in place, the spindle 17 is then inserted into the aligned spindle holes so as to project outwardly from each cover plate. The free ends of the spindle 17 are then secured to handles 31 in the usual manner.

Finally, the face plate 24 is positioned so that the engaging member 10 projects through the latch hole 26 and the screw holes 25 are aligned with the screw holes 21 of the cover plate 7b which in turn are aligned with screw holes 19,14a, 14b and 1 5 of the cover plate 7a, the closure mechanism 5 and the closure frame 2. Screws are then inserted into aligned screw holes 25,14a and 14b, 19,21 and 15 so as to hold the various components of the closure 1 firmly together.

It is to be noted that it is not essential for the various elements of the closure to be installed in the order as indicated above. As shown in Figure 4, a closure 1d is envisaged in which cover plates 7e and 7f are first directly attached to the interior of the door i. e. directly to the side walls of the channel by means of flanges 53 and 54, for example. In order to attach the cover plates 7f and 7e to the interior of the door, screws are inserted through respective screw holes 55 and 56 of flanges 53 and 54. The housing 11 of the closure mechanism 5c is then inserted into the gap between the plates 18c and 18d, and 20c and 20d of the cover plates 7f and 7e, such that the attachment plate 9a of the closure mechanism 5c overlies the plates 18c and 18d and 20c and 20d of the cover plates 7f and 7e, and further such that screw holes 57,58 and 59, and 60,61 and 62, are aligned. The face plate 24 is then placed over the attachment plate 9a of the closure mechanism 5c, such that screw hole 63 is aligned with screw holes 57 to 59, and such that screw hole 64 is aligned with screw holes 60 to 62. Screws are then inserted through each set of aligned holes, thereby holding the various components of the closure 1 d together.

It is also to be noted that, whilst it is preferred that the closure comprises separate elements, which are installed one by one, in a further alternative it is envisaged that the closure is in the form of a one piece item 1a, as is

shown in Figure 5. As an example of such a one piece item, the closure 1 a may comprise a closure mechanism 5a having flanged edges 2a and 2b.

The edges 2a and 2b abut the side walls of the channel and have respective screw holes 15a and 15b therethrough. The width A of the closure mechanism 1 a including the flanged edges 2a is substantially the same as the length of the channel 27. The closure mechanism 1 a further includes an integral face plate 24a having screw holes 14c and 14d therethrough which are aligned with the screw holes 15a and 15b. The closure mechanism 1 a further includes integral cover plates which, for the sake of clarity, are not shown in Figure 5. The integral cover plates extend over each side of the closure mechanism 1 a and preferably include flanges that overlie the edges of the channel in the door so as to shield the join of the closure to the channel.

In order to install the cover 1 a, a user places the closure 1 a into the channel 27 of the door 6, and inserts a screw 50 directly through screw hole 14c of the face plate 24a such that the screw passes through the interior of the closure 1 a, through the screw hole 15a of the flanged edge 2a and directly into a side wall of the channel 27. Similarly, a user then inserts a further screw 51 through screw hole 14d of the face plate 24a such that the screw 51 passes through interior of the closure 1 a, through the screw hole 15b of the flanged edge 2b, and directly into the other side wall of the channel. As can be seen from Figure 5, this process is repeated on the other side of the closure 1 a. In view of the fact that the screws 50 and 51 must be inserted at an angle to the face plate 24a, screw holes 14c and 14d are countersunk to prevent the screwheads of the screws from standing proud from the face plate 24a.

Figure 5a shows an alternative one piece closure 1f. The embodiment of Figure 5a is similar to the embodiment of Figure 5, but for the feature whereby the face place 24c includes a single screwhole 60 towards the upper part of the face place 24c, and a further single screwhole 61 towards the lower part of the face plate 24c. In order to attach the closure 1f to the

door 6, a screw is inserted through each of the screwholes 60 and 61 and through aligned screwholes (not shown) towards the rear of the closure 1f, directly into the exposed interior side walls of the channel 27.

It is to be noted that it is not essential for the cover plates 7a and 7b to match the shape of the channel 27 of the door 6 as the cover plates can overlie the side of the door. As can be seen from the figures, the only requirement for the cover plates 7a and 7b is that they substantially cover the closure 1. They may be of the same basic shape as the channel 27, but slightly larger, in order to cover any irregularities in the channel 27. In the above disclosed embodiment, the channel 27 and closure frame 2 are triangular in shape, as are the cover plates 7a and 7b. However, it is also envisaged that the cover plates 7a and 7b may be of an alternative shape, for example, rectangular, which does not match the shape of the channel 27 and closure frame 2, but which covers the other components of the closure 1. The cover plates 7a and 7b may also include decoration.

It is also to be noted that, whilst a triangular shaped channel 27 and closure frame 2 are preferred, due to ease of installation, the channel 27 and closure frame 2 may be of any suitable shape as long as it results from the removal of a through section of the door to provide an open channel as described above.

Figures 6,6a, 7,7a, 8 and 8a show the channels 27 cut in the door in order to accommodate closures being of different shapes. In figure 7 for example, the closure would be of a rectangular shape.

Further envisaged shapes for the closure (rectangular and circular respectively) are illustrated in Figures 9 and 10. In the embodiments shown in Figures 9 and 10, a keyhole 40 and tenon 41 are also provided.

The keep (not shown) for use with the embodiments of Figures 9 and 10 would include an additional slot for receiving the tenon 41.

The closure described hereinabove is simple in design, and quick and easy to install. Installation of the closure requires no special skills beyond the ability to use a saw, a tape measure and a screwdriver. No intersecting

drill holes are required nor are shallow channels involving the use of a chisel.

Using the present invention any person with basic DIY skills could reasonably install the closure with or without a lock which obviates the need to enlist the help of a locksmith. The closure is simple to install in view of the accessibility of the attachment means of the closure frame, which is then used as a means of attachment of the closure mechanism to the door.

As shown above, the closure is also secure in that it is firmly fixed to the exposed interior of the door, namely the wall or walls of the channel, with substantially no movement of the closure mechanism as a result of the secure fixing of the closure frame and hence the closure mechanism to the interior of the door. In this way, the closure is especially resistant to force being applied to the front or rear surfaces of the door.

Further and alternative features of the closure are envisaged without departing from the scope of the present invention as claimed.