GB2110290A

GB2110290A - Door lever handle assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2110290A
Application number: GB08135989A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Hurst; Peter Howard-Smith
Original assignee: JCL ENGINEERING SERVICES LIMIT
Current assignee: JCL ENGINEERING SERVICES LIMIT
Priority date: 1981-11-28
Filing date: 1981-11-28
Publication date: 1983-06-15

Abstract

In a lever handle assembly, the spring and stop to control movement of the handle 2 relative to the backplate 1 is provided by a special plate member 4 of resiliently deformable plastics which is mounted on the handle boss 9 within the backplate recess for rotation with the handle. The member 4 has a wing 25 which is resiliently displaceable to provide an integral spring action on rotation of the handle 2 as the wing 25 is displaced towards the centre of the plate to store energy to return the handle 2. Additionally, the plate 4 has a nose 19 providing stop face 20 for engaging the backplate to limit return movement and another stop face 21 to limit turning movement of the handle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in door or like lever handle assemblies This invention concerns improvements in lever handle assemblies such as used for doors or the like for controlling movement of a spindle operating a latch or bolt mechanism.

Conventionally such lever handle assemblies include a back plate arranged for attachment to the door or like, and the lever handle is rotatably mounted on the back plate for limited rotation with a spring bias urging the lever handle to the inoperative position.

Although there are many prior arrangements for mounting the lever handle on the back plate, these all have to provide some arrangement for providing the spring bias and to limit the rotation of the lever handle. The known arrangements include fitting to or in the back plate a spring, usually a helical coil spring, which acts between the lever handle and the back plate.

In practice such known type of lever handle assemblies have to comprise a number of separate parts which have to be assembled together with the spring extending between and coupled to two parts such as a drive plate mounted on the handle and a spring retainer on the back plate. This leads to complex or manually intensive assembly operations. Furthermore, the spring often is the weak element in the assembly, particularly where the coil spring is attached to the parts by using the traditional method of hooking the ends of the spring in respective holes or piercings. The spring often fails in service or becomes dislodged and this is most unsatisfactory.

A significant number of parts are required for the assembly, and this increases manufacturing costs, particularly as in some types of assemblies, provision must be made in certain parts for alternate handing. Furthermore, sometimes it is not possible to use common parts for a range of designs and styles of handle assemblies.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lever handle assembly of particularly simple form in which the use of helical coil springs is avoided.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a lever handle assembly in which the spring means and a limit stop are integral to simplify manufacture and assembly.

Other objectives and merits of this invention will be referred to later herein.

According to this invention, we provide a lever handle assembly comprising a back plate rotatably mounting a handle, the handle having a boss projecting through the back plate and on which an integral spring and stop plate is located for rotation therewith, the said spring and stop plate being formed of a resiliently deformable plastics material and having an integral spring in the form of a curved wing engaging a pressure face on the back plate, the wing being arranged for resilient displacement relative to the centre of the spring and stop plate on turning movement of the handle between a first position determined by the engagement of a stop face of said spring and stop plate with an abutment on the back face and a second position, the arrangement being such that the energy causing the displacement of the wing towards the centre of the plate on actuating movement of the handle from the first position provides a restoring force acting between the wing and the pressure face to return the handle to the first position when the handle is released.

By this invention, the desired functions of the spring action and restricted or limited movement of the handle are achieved by the said integral spring and stop plate mounted on the boss. The assembly does not include any separate coil springs which have to be fitted and a very simple construction is obtained.

Preferably, the wing has a face engaging the pressure face for relative sliding movement on turning of the handle when the spring and stop plate is rotated. The curvature of the wing is such that the radial distance from the axis of rotation increases towards the free end of the wing so that on such turning movement from the first position of the handle, the wing is progressively resiliently stressed and displaced towards the centre of the plate. Thus the force required to turn the handle progressively increases to give the user the responsive feel similar to a traditional arrangement wherein a coil spring is stressed.

The spring and stop plate preferably has a second stop face defining a second position of the handle when the second stop face engages an abutment on the back plate. The first and second stop faces may be provided on respective lugs extending radially and spaced circumferentially apart with respect to the centre of the spring and stop plate, and these lugs may alternatively engage one or two abutments on the back plate.

Preferably, two such lugs are not employed and the first and second stop faces are constituted by two faces of a nose portion of the spring and stop plate, the nose portion extending to one side of the centre of the spring and stop plate remote from the wing. The two faces of the nose portion are respectively engageable with two abutments on the back plate defining the first and second positions of the handle.

Conveniently, the pressure face engaged by the wing may also provide the abutment for engagement by the second stop face of the nose portion of the spring and stop plate.

The pressure face may be defined by an inward face of the back plate opposed to another parallel inward face of the back plate with the two inward faces being spaced from each other and on either side of the centre of the spring and stop plate. The two inward faces may provide the two abutments respectively engageable by one of the two stop faces of the nose portion.

The two opposed faces may be provided by a peripheral flange of the back plate or by ribs or other formations in the back plate.

Preferably, the spring and stop plate has a central clearance hole through which the handle boss extends with at least one integral lug of the spring and stop plate engaging with a recess or hole in the boss to locate and retain the spring and stop plate on the boss against axial displacement.

The central clearance hole may also be bounded by two flat portions diametrically opposed for locating on diametrically opposed flats formed on the end of the boss.

The handle assembly may also include a bush seated in a clearance opening formed in the back plate with the handle boss extending through the bush in bearing engagement with the bore of the bush.

Other features of this invention will be mentioned with reference to an exemplary embodiment of a lever handle assembly according to this invention shown in the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE I is an expioded perspective view of the lever handle assembly component parts; FIGURE 2 is a rear view of the assembly; and FIGURE 3 is a part sectional enlarged detail of the spring and stop plate of the assembly.

With reference to the drawings, the assembly comprises a back plate 1, a handle 2, a bush 3 and a spring and stop plate 4.

The back plate 1 is generally of rectangular shape having a peripheral flange 5 and piercings 6 by which the back plate may be mounted on a door by screws or the like (not shown). The back plate may be of any suitable shape to suit the particular application and style of door furniture and may be elongated to provide an escutcheon.

The back plate is formed with a bore 7 in which the bush 3 is received.

The bush 3 has a flange 8 which overlies the outer face of the back plate surrounding the bore 7 and which locates the bush 3 on the back plate.

The bush may be a plastics moulding of suitable material, preferably having low friction characteristics.

The handle 2 has a boss 9 provided with a square section recess 10 opening to the end face, and in known manner this is adapted to receive the end of a square section operating spindle (not shown) for actuating a latch or lock mechanism (not shown) mounted in or on the door. The boss 9 is turned to provide a circular section bearing portion 11 for engagement within the bush 3. The free end of the boss 9 has two diametrically opposed flats 12 and two diametrically opposed recesses or holes 1 3. The bearing portion 1 1 terminates in a step 14 which provides a thrust face for engagement with the flange 8 of the bush 3.

The inside of the back plate 1 provides a shallow housing into which the free end of the boss 9 projects to receive the spring and stop plate 4 which is mounted thereon for rotation with the handle 2.

The spring and stop plate 4 is a moulding of a strong but resiliently deformable plastics material, such as acetal resin. Preferably the material has low friction characteristics.

The plate 4 has a central clearance aperture 1 5 for mounting the plate on the boss. There are two opposed flat portions 1 6 facing inwards of the aperture that complement the flats 12 on the handle boss 9. Intermediate the flat portions 1 6 there are two opposed inwardly directed lugs 1 7 connected to the plate by short webs 1 8 which permit the lugs 1 7 to be resiliently displaced when the end of the boss 9 is inserted through the clearance aperture 1 5. The flat portions 16 and the lugs 1 7 are arranged so as to register with the flats 12 and holes 13 of the handle boss 9 whereby, when the plate 4 is mounted on the boss 9, it is located for movement therewith and held against axial displacement.

The plate 4 has a central or main portion surrounding the clearance aperture and from this there is a projecting nose portion 1 9 having two stop faces 20 and 21 which extend normally to one another. The stop face 20 is arranged to engage the inward face 22 of the flange 5 which provides an abutment. The engagement of the stop face 20 provides a stop limiting the movement of the handle relative to the back plate 1. In the assembly as shown in Figure 2, it can be seen that by the engagement of the stop face 20 with the face 22 the first position of the handle 2 is defined and the handle 2 cannot be moved in the upward direction but can be moved only downwards.

The other stop face 21 of the nose portion 1 9 is arranged to engage the opposed inward face 23 of the flange 5 when the handle 2 is turned downwardly to a lower position (not shown).

Movement of the handle 2 from the upper position shown to the lower position corresponds to the actuating movement required to turn a spindle for operating a latch or lock mechanism. The inward flange face 23 provides an abutment for the second or lower position of the handle 2. As will now be explained, the same face 23 also provides a pressure face.

On the side of the plate 4 opposed to the nose portion 19, the plate is formed with a shoulder 24 from which a curved and tapering wing 25 extends. The outer face 26 of the wing is in pressure engagement with the inward face 23 of the flange 5, and on turning of the plate 4 by the handle 2, the wing 25 moves with respect to the inward flange face 23 and is in pressure sliding engagement therewith.

The wing 25 is arranged for resilient displacement relative to the main central portion of the plate 4 to provide an integral spring action in the assembly. The curvature of the wing face 26 is such that the radial distance from the axis of rotation of the handle and plate increases towards the free end of the wing so that the force required to displace the wing towards the centre of the plate increases as the handle is turned downwards until the stop face 21 abuts the inward flange face 23. The energy required for such resilient displacement provided by the turning moment from the handle provides a restoring force acting between the wing and the pressure face constituted by the inward flange face 23. The restoring force is applied on release of the handle and causes the plate 4 to return to the upper limit position.Thus there is provided a spring-like response on actuating the handle and a restoring force for returning the handle after actuation.

Preferably, in the upper limit position, the wing 25 is subject to a small degree of resilient displacement towards the centre of the plate to provide a small force urging and maintaining the stop face 20 in engagement with the inward flange face 22 to retain the handle firmly in the required attitude for actuation. This is provided in the initial assembly.

From the foregoing description of this preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that the component parts are simple and easy to manufacture and to assemble together, particularly on a semi-automatic line. To assemble the spring and stop plate 4 on the boss 9 it merely has to be aligned, and by a simple pressing action, the plate 4 is mounted on the end of the boss when projecting through the bush 3 located in the back plate 1. At such time, the wing 25 is displaced towards the centre of the plate 4 to clear the flange 5. The lugs 1 7 are received in the holes 13 with a snap action and the plate is retained against rotation and axial displacement.

The initial degree of displacement of the wing 25 to provide an initial small force is obtained by designing the wing so that it is not able to relax completely and is set in initial pressure engagement with the inward flange face 23.

The traditional need to provide separate springs and mountings therefor, as well as drive plates and special stop formations may be avoided. The operation of the invented assembly is smooth with adequate feel or response for the user.

The integral spring and stop plate can be mounted in either attitude in the back plate, that is with reference to the accompanying drawings, the plate can be employed with the wing extending upwardly as shown or depending downwardly.

The same integral spring and support plate may be used for a wide range of lever handle assemblies by providing faces in the back plate which are opposed and spaced a correct distance for respective engagement by the wing and the stop faces. In some applications, the back-plate may be provided with internal ribs or lugs for this purpose instead of using the inward flange faces of a back plate as described herein. This has particular application where the back plate may be of a different configuration, such as a length of extrusion of constant section with the ends of the section being closed by end trims or caps.

Furthermore, the back plate may be an assembly with a secondary mounting plate.

Although it is preferred that the spring and stop plate be located and held on the handle boss by means of the integral lugs, this is not essential. If desired, the lugs could be omitted and other retaining means used such as a circlip, a split pin or a threaded fastener.

It is envisaged that the design of the spring and support plate may be varied, particularly with respect to the stop faces, for instance for using existing back plates with the integral spring and stop plate. In some existing types of back plates there are one or two spaced abutments provided for the two limit positions of the handle. To suit such existing back plates, the spring and stop plate can be formed with one or two radially extending lugs, each lug being arranged to engage a respective abutment.

Other advantages of this invention will be appreciated from the foregoing, particularly the fact that the plastics material of the spring and stop plate is not subject to corrosion like the conventional helical coil springs and no lubrication is required.

Claims

1. A lever handle assembly comprising a back plate rotatably mounting a handle, the handle having a boss projecting through the back plate and on which an integral spring and stop plate is located for rotation therewith, the said spring and stop plate being formed of a resiliently deformable plastics material and having an integral spring in the form of a curved wing engaging a pressure face on the back plate, the wing being arranged for resilient displacement relative to the centre of the spring and stop plate on turning movement of the handle between a first position determined by the engagement of a stop face of said spring and stop plate with an abutment on the back face and a second position, the arrangement being such that the energy causing the displacement of the wings towards the centre of the plate on actuating movement of the handle from the first position provides a restoring force acting between the wing and the pressure face to return the handle to the first position when the handle is released.

2. A lever handle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wing has a face engaging the pressure face for relative sliding movement on turning of the handle when the spring and stop plate is rotated.

3. A lever handle assembly according to claim 2 wherein the curvature of the wing is such that the radial distance from the axis of rotation increases towards the free end of the wing so that on such turning movement from the first position of the handle, the wing is progressively resiliently stressed and displaced towards the centre of the plate.

4. A lever handle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spring and stop plate has a second stop face defining a second position of the handle when the second stop face engages an abutment on the back plate.

5. A lever handle assembly according to claim 4 wherein the first and second stop faces are provided on respective lugs extending radially and spaced circumferentially apart with respect to the centre of the spring and stop plate, and these lugs are arranged alternatively to engage one or two abutments on the back plate.

6. A lever handle assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein first and second stop faces are constituted by two faces of a nose portion of the spring and stop plate, the nose portion extending to one side of the centre of the spring and stop plate remote from the wing with the two faces of the nose portion being respectively engageable with two abutments on the back plate defining the first and second positions of the handle.

7. A lever handle assembly according to claim 6 wherein the pressure face engaged by the wing provides the abutment for engagement by the second stop face of the nose portion of the spring and stop plate.

8. A lever handle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said pressure face is defined by an inward face of the back plate opposed to another parallel inward face of the back plate with the two inward faces being spaced from each other and on either side of the centre of the spring and stop plate.

9. A lever handle assembly according to claim 8 wherein said two opposed inward faces are provided by a peripheral flange of the back plate or by opposed ribs or other formations in the back plate.

10. A lever handle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spring and stop plate has a central clearance hole through which the handle boss extends with at least one integral lug of the spring and stop plate engaging with a recess or hole in the boss to locate and retain the spring and stop plate on the boss against axial displacement.

11. A lever handle assembly according to claim 10 wherein the central clearance hole is bounded by two diametrically opposed flat portions for locating on diametrically opposed flats formed on the end of the boss.

12. A lever handle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a bush seated in a clearance opening formed in the back plate with the handle boss extending through the bush in bearing engagement with the bore of the bush.

13. A lever handle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the back plate is a metal pressing.

14. A lever handle assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.