AU2006200086B2 - A Strike Assembly - Google Patents

Description

DH Ref: 11-300AU AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name and Address of Applicant: Assa Abloy New Zealand Limited 6 Armstrong Road, North Harbour Industrial Park, Albany, New Zealand Actual Inventor(s): STEVEN DEAN CHADWICK a New Zealand citizen of 97B Duncan Terrace, Kilbirnie, Wellington, New Zealand and ANDREW JOHN HELM a New Zealand citizen c/- 23 Vyner Road, Otatara, 9 RDM, Invercargill, New Zealand Address for Service: Don Hopkins & Associates C/- Spruson & Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33, St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia Invention Title: A Strike Assembly The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: AUP3 2 TITLE OF THE INVENTION A Strike Assembly BACKGROUND TO THE IINVENTON The invention relates to a strike assembly and more particularly a strike assembly for receiving a latch element of a door latch. More particularly, the strike assembly is of an adjustable type so that the strike assembly can be adjusted to suit a particular form of latch element depending on the type of latch with which the strike assembly is to be associated. It is well known that a door, particularly a door which forms an external door of a dwelling or other space, may be fitted with a deadbolt or a latching bolt. Therefore, it is equally common for lock/latch manufacturers to provide different forms of strikes depending on whether the latch incorporates a latching bolt or a deadbolt. Not only does this create the need for an end user to obtain a latch with the correct strike, but also leads to stock holding issues for the manufacturer, as the manufacturer must hold stocks of both forms of strike. Reference to any prior art in this specification does not constitute an admission that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It would be desirable to provide a strike assembly which is readily adjustable to accommodate either a latching bolt or deadbolt, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. According to one broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a strike assembly including a striker plate adapted for mounting to a door frame, an insert mountable in the striker plate in a selected one of two possible orientations, an opening in the insert for receiving a latch element, the opening being positioned in the insert such that when the insert is mounted in the strike plate in one of the orientations, the opening is offset from the position of the opening when the insert is located in the second of the orientations. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 -J Preferably the striker plate has a front side and a rear side the insert being engaged into the striker plate from the rear side. The insert can be engaged in aperture in the strike the plate such that a surface of the insert is substantially flush with a facing surface of the front side of the striker plate. Preferably insert includes a shoulder which engages with a shoulder formed adjacent the aperture and rearward of the facing surface of the striker plate. In the preferred form the insert includes a pair of projections which engage in recesses open to the rear side of the striker plate. Preferably the peripheral shape of a portion of the insert which fits into the aperture is commensurate with the shape of the aperture. Preferably the insert includes a base portion and a turret portion the turret portion being engaged in the aperture. The turret can have a tapered peripheral surface which engages with a similarly tapered peripheral surface of the aperture when the turret is located within the aperture. In one preferred form the aperture is at least in part of angular shape and engaged therewith in either orientation of the insert is an angular shaped portion of the insert. The angular shape and the angular shaped portion are preferably each formed by a pair of edge surfaces which diverge away from the direction from which, in use, a latch element passes over the strike assembly as the latch element advances to an engagement position in the opening of the insert. Preferably the opening has an axis of symmetry which is parallel to an axis of symmetry of the insert. The opening can be of a generally rectangular shape and the axis of symmetry of the opening is a longitudinal axis of the rectangular shaped opening. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 -r In a preferred form an edge of the striker plate over which a latch element advances when engaging with the strike assembly is of a curved profile. The striker plate can include one or more grooves or longitudinally extending weakened areas whereby in use a section of the striker plate can be snapped off such that a width dimension of the striker plate can be reduced. According to the present invention there is thus provided a strike assembly which can accommodate either a latching bolt or a deadbolt, whereby changing the orientation of the insert in the striker plate results in two differently positioned locking edges, one of which is horizontally offset to the other to thereby enable the relative differences in position of a latching bolt and deadbolt to be accommodated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following more detailed description of the invention according to a preferred embodiment, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a face view of the strike assembly according to the present invention with the insert in a position to receive a latch bolt, Figure 2 is an end elevation of the strike assembly of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a reverse face view of the strike assembly of Figure 1, Figure 4 is detail A of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a perspective illustration of the striker assembly of Figure 1, SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 Figure 6 is face view of the strike assembly but illustrating the insert in the position to accommodate a deadbolt, Figure 7 is a perspective illustration of the striker plate, Figure 8 is a cross-section through the striker plate, Figure 9 is a perspective view (on enlarged scale) of the insert, Figure 10 is a side elevation view of the insert, Figure 11 is a perspective illustration of two of the strike assemblies shown relative to a door stile and door frame element with representations depicting a deadbolt and a latching bolt, Figure 12 is a perspective illustration of the strike assembly in conjunction with a latching bolt, Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 but showing the latching bolt having advanced further toward the insert, Figure 14 is a section view of a deadbolt of a latch fitted to a door stile which is in the latching position relative to a door frame element, the latter incorporating the striker assembly of the present invention, Figure 15 is a face view of the striker plate according to a second embodiment, Figure 16 is an end view of the striker plate of Figure 15, SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 U Figure 17 is a reverse face view of the striker plate of Figures 15 and 16, Figure 18 is a face view of the reversible insert able to be incorporated with the striker plate of Figures 15-17, Figure 19 is a face view of the striker plate and insert assembled, and Figure 20 is a cross-section on line A-A of Figure 19. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In a preferred form of the present invention the strike assembly 10 comprises two elements, namely, a striker plate 11 and an insert 12. In the preferred form of the invention each of the components 11 and 12 are of a moulded construction from suitable plastics material. The striker plate 11 incorporates a profiled or curved edge 13, this forming the leading edge of the striker plate relative to a latch moving toward the strike assembly 10 and into a latched position (see e.g. Figures 12 and 13). Projecting rearwardly from and forming part of the rear side of the striker plate 11 is a body portion 14 into which the insert 12 is inserted (as will hereinafter be described). The striker plate 11 incorporates a pair of spaced apart openings 15 through which mechanical fasteners (e.g. screws) may be engaged to fasten the striker plate 11 to a door frame element F. In the preferred form of the invention the openings 15 lie on a common line L (see Figures 1 and 6). SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 The insert 12 incorporates an opening 16. This opening 16 is shaped to accommodate both a latching bolt of an entrance lockset or a deadbolt of an entrance lockset. The opening 16 provides a pair of opposed locking edges 17 and 18. The insert 12 can be rotated 180 degrees and therefore can fit in the striker plate 11 in a first orientation for receiving a latching bolt (Figure 1) or a second orientation where it is orientated to accommodate a deadbolt (Figure 6). In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the latching edge 17 is closest to the leading edge 13 of the striker plate 11 and is offset from line L by distance D1. In the deadbolt orientation, however, the latching edge 18 is closest to the leading edge 13 and is offset from line L by a greater distance D2. Typically, the locking edges of an entrance set latching bolt and an entrance deadbolt are horizontally offset by 3mm, thus, the insert 12 can be rotated 180 degrees to offset the clearance hole 16 by about 4mm. In a preferred form of the invention the rear surface (relative to the front surface of striker plate 11) is marked with notations "L" and "DB" which when aligned with a datum point 19 (see Figures 3 and 4) denotes whether the insert is in the "latching bolt" or "deadbolt" orientations. The insert 12 is, in the preferred form, constructed such that it has a circular base portion 20 and a shaped or profiled turret portion 21 with a resultant shoulder 22 formed between the base 20 and 21. The opening 16 has an axis of symmetry (parallel to latching edges 17 and 18) which is offset to the diameter of the circular base 20. As can be seen the peripheral surfaces 20a and 21a of the base 20 and turret 21 are tapered. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 0 As can be seen in Figures 7 and 8, the striker plate 11 has a shaped opening 23 which accommodates and is commensurate in shape with the turret 21. Within the body 14 there is provided a circular opening 24 which accommodates the base 20 of the insert 12. A shoulder 25 (see Figure 8) is formed between the openings 23 and 24. Peripheral surfaces 23a and 24a of the openings 23 and 24 are also tapered at substantially the same angles of taper as surfaces 20a and 21 a. Accordingly, the insert 12 can be inserted through opening 24 into the striker plate 11 whereupon the face surface 26 of the insert 12 takes a position flush with the facing surface of striker plate 11. This can be seen more particularly in Figures 12 and 13. In such a position the shoulders 22 and 25 come into contact. According to the present invention the shape of the turret 21 and the opening 23 in the striker plate 11 are non-circular such that when the insert is in either of its orientations the insert is not capable of rotating relative to the striker plate 11. Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that commensurate shapes of the turret 21 and opening 23 other than those shown in the accompanying drawings are possible. The particular arrangement as shown is, however, a preferred form of the invention as the "diamond" insert edge 27 of the turret 21 ensures that the latch does not foul on the edge of the insert 12 as the latch bolt L rides across the surface of the strike assembly 10. In effect therefore the diamond insert edge 27 provides a pair of divergent edges relative to the advancing bolt L so as to ensure that the latch bolt L rides smoothly across the surface of the two-piece strike assembly. This overcomes the problem which could arise with an insert having a straight edge across which the latch bolt L would need to move as would be the possibility that if there is any stepped transition between the surface of the striker plate 11 and SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 7 external surface 26 of the insert 12, there would be possibility of the latch bolt L fouling on the stepped edge. As shown in Figure 14, the striker assembly 10 when in place and fastened to the door frame section F, not only captures the insert 12 within the striker plate 11, but also ensures that the insert 12 is forced into a position where the shoulders 22 and 25 engage thereby ensuring a flush fit of the insert 12 with the outside surface of the striker plate 11. The shaped profile of the opening 23 in the striker plate 11 ensures that the insert can only fully locate in one or other of the two possible orientations. However, the circular profile 24 enables the insert to be easily rotated when the insert is only partially inserted in the strike 11. The present invention thus provides a striker assembly which forms a common strike to accommodate an entrance set latching bolt or an entrance set deadbolt. When in the deadbolt orientation the insert provides a clearance hole which is located so as provide something in the order of 1 mm of overall clearance around the deadbolt B. However, with the insert rotated through 180 degrees the locking edge 17 of the clearance hole is offset 4mm further from the lip 13 of the strike 11. This therefore locates the locking edge 17 at the correct position for the latch bolt L to fasten the door. The invention is open to modification as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications fall within the scope of the invention as it is intended. One such modified form of a striker assembly incorporating the present invention is shown in Figures 15-18. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 IU In Figures 15-18 those elements of construction that are common to the first described embodiment of Figures 1-14 carry the same reference numerals. This numbering is employed for the sake of convenience and clarity. The reversible insert 12' of the second embodiment does not have the edge profile of the previously described insert 12. As can be seen in Figure 18 the profile of the turret form 21' is being formed of straight parallel sides 30 with opposed ends 31 of slightly curved form. The opening 16 is offset in the turret 21 such that one latching edge 17 of the opening 16 is closer to one of the sides 30 than to the other latching edge 18. This is clearly seen in Figures 18 and 19. Projecting from each end of the insert 12' is a projection 32 which is of a somewhat curved profile as can be seen in Figure 18. Each projection 32 incorporates an elongate opening 33. The opening 23' in the striker plate 11 has a peripheral profile commensurate with the shape of the turret 21'. This can be seen from Figure 15 in particular. Adjacent each end of the opening 23 is an elongate opening 34. When the insert 12' is located in the striker plate 11 i.e. turret 21' is located in opening 23 the elongate openings 33 and 34 are aligned. Referring to the reverse view of the striker plate 11 (Figure 17), it will be observed that adjacent each curved end 23a of the opening 23 there is a recess 36 in the striker plate 11. The recess 36 is of a shape commensurate with that of the projections 32 of the insert 12'. Thus when the insert 12' is located in the striker plate 11 (as shown in Figures 19 and 20) the turret 21' fits in the opening 23 as does the projections 32 fit into the recesses 36. Because the projections 32 are symmetrical with the external peripheral shape of the turret 21' the insert 12' is reversible in the same manner as described with the first embodiment. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 According to this embodiment the striker plate 11 has a pair of profiled or curved edges 13. Inward of these curved edges and in the reverse or backside of the striker plate 11 there are parallel grooves 37. As can be seen in Figures 16 and 17 one groove 37 is closely adjacent the body portion 14 while the other groove 37 is spaced from the side of the body portion 14. These grooves 37 provide weakened areas such that if the width of the striker plate needs to be reduced the portion of the striker plate 11 outward of the groove 37 can be snapped off. As a result not only does the reversible insert 12' provide different orientations for a latching bolt and deadbolt but also the width of the striker plate 11 can be altered to suit particular end applications as may be desired. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006

Claims (15)

1. A strike assembly including a striker plate adapted for mounting to a door frame, an insert mountable in the striker plate in a selected one of two possible orientations, an opening in the insert for receiving a latch element, the opening being positioned in the insert such that when the insert is mounted in the strike plate in one of the orientations, the opening is offset from the position of the opening when the insert is located in the second of the orientations.

2. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the striker plate has a front side and a rear side the insert being engaged into the striker plate from the rear side.

3. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the insert is engaged in an aperture in the striker plate such that a surface of the insert is substantially flush with a facing surface of the front side of the striker plate.

4. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the insert includes a shoulder which engages with a shoulder formed adjacent the aperture and rearward of the facing surface side of the striker plate.

5. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the insert includes a pair of projections which engage in recesses open to the rear side of the striker plate.

6. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the peripheral shape of a portion of the insert which fits into the aperture is commensurate with the shape of the aperture. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006

7. A strike assembly as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6 wherein the insert includes a base portion and a turret portion the turret portion being engaged in the aperture.

8. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the aperture is at least in part of angular shape and engaged therewith in either orientation of the insert is an angular shaped portion of the insert.

9. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the angular shape and the angular shaped portion are each formed by a pair of edge surfaces which diverge away from the direction from which, in use, a latch element passes over the strike assembly as the latch element advances to an engagement position in the opening of the insert.

10. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the turret has a tapered peripheral surface which engages with a similarly tapered peripheral surface of the aperture when the turret is located within the aperture.

11. A strike assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the opening has an axis of symmetry which is parallel to an axis of symmetry of the insert.

12. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the opening is of a generally rectangular shape and the axis of symmetry of the opening is a longitudinal axis of the rectangular shaped opening.

13. A strike assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein an edge of the striker plate over which a latch element advances when engaging with the strike assembly is of a curved profile. SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006 I It

14. A strike assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the striker plate includes one or more grooves or longitudinally extending weakened areas whereby in use a section of the striker plate can be snapped off such that a width dimension of the striker plate can be reduced.

15. A strike assembly substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 14 or 15 to 20 of the accompanying drawings. Dated this 3rd day of October 2005 Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person ASSA ABLOY NEW ZEALAND LIMITED DON HOPKINS & ASSOCIATES SPEC1803 JANUARY 2006