GB1560990A

GB1560990A - Mechanism for use in a handle assembly

Info

Publication number: GB1560990A
Application number: GB3773175A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Newman Tonks Ltd
Current assignee: Allegion UK Ltd
Priority date: 1976-10-14
Filing date: 1976-10-14
Publication date: 1980-02-13

Description

(54) MECHANISM FOR USE IN A HANDLE ASSEMBLY (71) We, NEWMAN TONKS LIMITED a British Company, of Hospital Street, Birmingham B19 2YG, do hereby declare this invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to door handle mechanisms.

The handle of a conventional door handle assembly has an integral shank which is journalled in an attachment plate securable, in use, to one side of the door. The shank has an internal bore for reception, in nonrotatable manner, of a latch or lock-operating spindle and the external surface of the shank is shaped to provide a non-rotatable mounting for a stop washer which serves both to limit angular movement of the handle and to co-operate with a biased handle return device.

This conventional assembly is disadvantageous in that, in order to provide handles for fitting onto the various spindle shapes commonly used, and also for securing various types of stop washers, it is necessary to manufacture a number of handles which may all be of the same style, and differ only in the form of shank to accept the spindle and/or stop washer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a door handle mechanism for use in a handle assembly which overcomes this disadvantage.

According to the present invention a door handle mechanism comprises an attachment plate having a boss rotatably mounted therein, a stop washer mounted on the boss for rotatation therewith, and means for retaining the boss on the attachment plate, said boss having a bore for engagement with a latch-operating spindle for attachment to an operating handle at one side of the attachment plate.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a part sectional view showing a pair of door handles with respective mechanisms, constructed in accordance with the present invention, and being interconnected by a spindle passing through the door, Figure 2 is a side view of a component of one of the mechanisms shown in Figure 1, on an enlarged scale, Figure 3 is an end view of the component of Figure 2, and Figures 4 and 5 are respective side and end views of an alternative form of component to that shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 1 shows a pair of door handle assemblies secured to respective opposite sides of a door 10. Each includes a mechanism having an attachment plate 11 with a circular hole 12, in which a headed boss 13 is journalled. The boss 13, made conveniently by injection moulding of plastics material, is shown on a larger scale in Figures 2 and 3, and has a head 14, of a diameter greater than that of the hole 12, and a cylindrical shank 15. A square section bore 16 extends through the boss 13. The external surface of the shank is provided with a pair of opposed flats 17 which extend from the free end of the shank to approximately the mid-region thereof to define a pair of steps 18. Adjacent said free end of the shank there is provided an annular groove 19.

The thickness of the attachment plate 11 is increased inwardly around the hole 12 to provide at the inner end a flat annular surface 20. When the boss 13 is fitted into the hole 12, the annular surface 20 and the steps 18 are co-planar. A stop washer 21 is fitted on the boss 13 so that it contacts the co-planar surfaces, as shown in Figure 1.

The stop washer has a hole therein which matches the external cross section of the portion of the shank in which the flats 17 are provided. Thus once fitted on the boss, the washer 21 is retained against rotation thereon. A circlip, (not shown), fitted in the groove 19 retains the washer 21 against axial movement of the boss 13. The stop washer engages one or the other of two abutments (not shown) on the attachment plate to restrict angular movement of the handle, in a conventional manner, and is spring loaded so as to provide a return force for the handle in a direction towards one of the abutments.

A square section spindle 22 passes through the bore 16 in each of the bosses 13, as shown in Figure 1, and the ends of the spindle are received in identical square section bores in lever handles 24 fitted at opposite sides of the door respectively. Each handle has a conventional grip portion and has a flat circular end surface for engagement against the head of one of the bosses 13. The spindle 22 has at one end a parallel sided closed-ended slot 25, and a self tapping screw 31 is passed through a hole (not shown) in one of the lever handles 24 to engage in the slot 25. At the other end the spindle 22 has three holes 30, in one of which a self tapping screw 32 is shown for securing the other handle 24 in place. Each screw cuts its own thread, thereby firmly securing the handle to the spindle.

As can be seen from Figure 1 the spindle 22 passes through a hole provided in the door 10 and interconnects the pair of door handle assemblies. The spindle is used to operate a latch in conventional manner. In order that the spindle will fit a plurality of different standard size latch bores, the spindle is shown provided with a pair of notches 22a and a clip 22b, as described in our co-pending British Patent Application No. 29775/75.

On assembly, the boss 13 is passed through the hole 12 in the attachment plate and the stop washer 21 is fitted on the boss and is secured by the circlip. This mechanism is then placed on the door and the spindle 22 passed through the door so that one of its ends passes through the boss 13.

Onto this end is then secured a handle 24 by means of a self tapping screw. At the other side of the door the spindle passes through the boss of the other assembly placed at the other side of the door and a second handle is secured to the spindle in the manner already described. The bores in the handles which accept the spindle ends are large enough to receive the largest type of spindlet which can be used with the handle assemblies.

Once the two handles have been secured to the spindle 22, each mechanism is automatically held on the door. Additional securing means are required, however, to prevent rotation of the attachment plates 11.

The additional means can be one or more screws passing through the attachment plate into the door. Alternatively, the plate can be provided with a spiked portion which bites into the door. Respective decorative covers (not shown) may be press fitted or otherwise secured over the attachment plates.

In Figures 4 and 5 an alternative form of boss 26 is shown. This boss differs from the boss 13 in that it has a cylindrical shank which is provided with a pair of opposed slots 27 having respective flat chordal bottom surfaces 28.

This boss is intended for use with a stop washer having a parallel sided slot therein defining a fork. The washer engages on the boss with the sides of its slot contacting the respective flat bottom surfaces 28 of the slots in the boss 26. Thus in this form, the washer is retained on the boss 26 against relative rotational movement and also axial movement, thereby dispensing with the need for a circlip, as used with the boss 13.

It can be seen that with this arrangement, different types of stop washer can be used merely by changing the kind of boss. Since the bosses are relatively easy and inexpensive to produce, this arrangement is particularly advantageous. Moreover, by supplying the boss, stop washer and attachment plate as one mechanism, only the selected lever handles and associated spindle need be assembled on site.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A door handle mechanism comprising an attachment plate having a boss rotatably mounted therein, a stop washer mounted on the boss for rotation therewith, and means for retaining the boss on the attachment plate, said boss having a bore for engagement with a latch-operating spindle for attachment to an operating handle at one side of the attachment plate.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the boss is provided with a formation for non-rotatably engaging the stop washer so that rotation of the boss through the spindle by the handle is transmitted to the stop washer, the boss having separate means for securing the stop washer to the boss.

.3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the boss is provided with a forma tion for non-rotatably engaging the stop washer on the boss as well as for preventing removal of the stop washer from the boss, so that rotation of the boss through the spindle by the handle is transmitted to said stop washer.

4. A mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is fixed to the spindle directly.

5. A mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which there is another mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, said another mechanism, in use, being fitted at an opposite side of a door to said mechanism, and being connected to said mechanism by said spindle.

6. A boss when used in a door handle mechanism as claimed in claim 1, the boss

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. plate to restrict angular movement of the handle, in a conventional manner, and is spring loaded so as to provide a return force for the handle in a direction towards one of the abutments. A square section spindle 22 passes through the bore 16 in each of the bosses 13, as shown in Figure 1, and the ends of the spindle are received in identical square section bores in lever handles 24 fitted at opposite sides of the door respectively. Each handle has a conventional grip portion and has a flat circular end surface for engagement against the head of one of the bosses 13. The spindle 22 has at one end a parallel sided closed-ended slot 25, and a self tapping screw 31 is passed through a hole (not shown) in one of the lever handles 24 to engage in the slot 25. At the other end the spindle 22 has three holes 30, in one of which a self tapping screw 32 is shown for securing the other handle 24 in place. Each screw cuts its own thread, thereby firmly securing the handle to the spindle. As can be seen from Figure 1 the spindle 22 passes through a hole provided in the door 10 and interconnects the pair of door handle assemblies. The spindle is used to operate a latch in conventional manner. In order that the spindle will fit a plurality of different standard size latch bores, the spindle is shown provided with a pair of notches 22a and a clip 22b, as described in our co-pending British Patent Application No. 29775/75. On assembly, the boss 13 is passed through the hole 12 in the attachment plate and the stop washer 21 is fitted on the boss and is secured by the circlip. This mechanism is then placed on the door and the spindle 22 passed through the door so that one of its ends passes through the boss 13. Onto this end is then secured a handle 24 by means of a self tapping screw. At the other side of the door the spindle passes through the boss of the other assembly placed at the other side of the door and a second handle is secured to the spindle in the manner already described. The bores in the handles which accept the spindle ends are large enough to receive the largest type of spindlet which can be used with the handle assemblies. Once the two handles have been secured to the spindle 22, each mechanism is automatically held on the door. Additional securing means are required, however, to prevent rotation of the attachment plates 11. The additional means can be one or more screws passing through the attachment plate into the door. Alternatively, the plate can be provided with a spiked portion which bites into the door. Respective decorative covers (not shown) may be press fitted or otherwise secured over the attachment plates. In Figures 4 and 5 an alternative form of boss 26 is shown. This boss differs from the boss 13 in that it has a cylindrical shank which is provided with a pair of opposed slots 27 having respective flat chordal bottom surfaces 28. This boss is intended for use with a stop washer having a parallel sided slot therein defining a fork. The washer engages on the boss with the sides of its slot contacting the respective flat bottom surfaces 28 of the slots in the boss 26. Thus in this form, the washer is retained on the boss 26 against relative rotational movement and also axial movement, thereby dispensing with the need for a circlip, as used with the boss 13. It can be seen that with this arrangement, different types of stop washer can be used merely by changing the kind of boss. Since the bosses are relatively easy and inexpensive to produce, this arrangement is particularly advantageous. Moreover, by supplying the boss, stop washer and attachment plate as one mechanism, only the selected lever handles and associated spindle need be assembled on site. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A door handle mechanism comprising an attachment plate having a boss rotatably mounted therein, a stop washer mounted on the boss for rotation therewith, and means for retaining the boss on the attachment plate, said boss having a bore for engagement with a latch-operating spindle for attachment to an operating handle at one side of the attachment plate.

.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the boss is provided with a forma tion for non-rotatably engaging the stop washer on the boss as well as for preventing removal of the stop washer from the boss, so that rotation of the boss through the spindle by the handle is transmitted to said stop washer.

6. A boss when used in a door handle mechanism as claimed in claim 1, the boss

comprising a head and a shank, the shank being shaped to receive the stop washer thereon in a non-rotatable manner, and the shank and the head having a non-circular bore therethrough for engagement with the latch-operating spindle.

7. A door handle mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with refer ence to and as shown in Figure 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A door handle mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.