GB2194139A

GB2194139A - Door furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2194139A
Application number: GB08620599A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John James Howlett
Original assignee: G & S Allgood
Current assignee: G & S Allgood
Priority date: 1986-08-26
Filing date: 1986-08-26
Publication date: 1988-03-02
Also published as: GB2194139B; GB8620599D0

Abstract

An article of door furniture e.g. a lever handle comprises a rose 2 and a manually grippable handle 3 rotatably mounted in the rose 2 by means of a ball-bearing 7 which is under such a radial loading (10, 11) that radial play in the bearing 2 is substantially reduced or eliminated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Door furniture This invention relates to door furniture, and more particularly to an improved bearing arrangement for a rotatable element, e.g. a lever handle, a knob or a turn button. The term 'rotatable handle' is intended to cover any manualiy grippable part of an article of door furniture. For the purposes of description, reference will be made hereafter to such part as a 'handle' or a 'lever handle'.

As is known, a lever handle has to be rotated in order to release the door latch, and also has to be capable of acting as a grab handle in order to pull open the door to which it is fitted. The lever handle is commonly fitted in a rose (or a combined rose and escutchon plate) by means of a nylon bearing bush. Wear of the nylon bush develops rapidly, and causes the lever handle to acquire a sloppy feel. In extreme cases the lever handle may also pull out of the bush especially if a strong pull has to be exerted to open the door against a door closer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bearing arrangement suitable for the above use, which is capable of providing a firm but easy action for the handle, has an anticipated long service life and a pleasant feel in operation.

The invention proposes an article of door furniture which comprises a rose and a manually grippable handle rotatably mounted in the rose by means of a ball-bearing which is under a radial loading such that radial play in the bearing is substantially reduced or eliminated.

The preferred means for loading the bearing consists in a lock nut threadably engaged with the inner end of the handle and having a wedge surface which cooperates with a taper surface on the handle as the nut is screwed in order to apply a radial outwards force to the inner race of the bearing.

An example of an article according to the invention is shown irl the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a cross-sectional view of part of a door to which a pair of door handles embodying the invention have been fitted, the door handle on the left being shown in elevation and that on the right in section.

Referring to the drawing, the two door handles 1 and 1a shown are identical and each comprises an annular rose 2 and a lever handle 3 only part of which is illustrated. The door has a cavity 4 for receiving a latch mechanism (not shown) operated by a spindle 5 accomodated in the lever handles 3. The door handles 1 and la are secured to the door by conventional bolts 6 extending between the roses 2.

The rose 2 is formed with an internal cylin drical seating for the outer race of a deepgroove ball bearing 7. Such ball-bearings are readily available and are manufactured to tolerances which give them a noticeable amount of radial play in order to accomodate whip in rapidly rotating shafts, etc. The construction of the invention reduces this radial play to provide a firm feel to the handle 3 while retaining the facility of easy and smooth rotation associated with the use of a ball-bearing.

The outer race of the ball-bearing 7 is a light press fit in the eating of the rose 2, and a thrust washer 8, suitably a circlip, is fitted in a recess in the rose 2 adjacent the inner end of the seating. The washer 8 prevents the ball-bearing 7 from being pushed off the seating by axially inwardly directed forces.

The inner end of the handle 3 opposed to the inner race of the ball-bearing 7 is formed with a taper surface 9 engaged by a corresponding taper wedge surface 10 on an axially extending portion of a lock nut 11 threadedly engaged with the handle 3. The radially outer face of the said portion of lock nut 11 opposed to the taper surface 10 is in engagement with the inner race of the ball-bearing 7.

As the lock nut 11 is tightened axially of the handle 3 and against the inner race of the ball-bearing 7 the tapered surfaces 9 and 10 expand the lock nut radially outwards against the inner race of the ball-bearing thus stressing the ball-bearing 7 to reduce the radial play therein according to the degree of tightening of the lock nut. The lock nut 11 is tightened until the radial play in the ball-bearing 7 is substantially eliminated and the handle 3 feels to have the desired firmness.

It will be appreciated that for versatility and to simplify stock holding problems, sub-assemblies of rose 2, ball-bearing 7 and thrust washer 8 can be made up and held in stock ready for combination on-site with any desired style of handles 3 by affixing the lock nuts 11.

It will be noticed in the drawing that the spindle 5 is shown as a 'floating' spindle and is relatively short, terminating in each handle substantially in the plane of the outer face of the associated rose 2. This feature allows the handle 3 to have substantially any desired cross-sectional configuration outwardly of the rose, e.g. it may reduce to a size equal to or less than that of the spindle, thus affording the handle designer great scope and freedom for designing handles of slender dimensions.

Of course, a conventional type of spindle 5 which is secured in either or both handles in a known manner may also be used.

1. An article of door furniture which comprises a rose and a manually grippable handle rotatably mounted in the rose by means of a ball-bearing which is under such a radial loading that radial play in the bearing is substantially reduced or eliminated.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Door furniture This invention relates to door furniture, and more particularly to an improved bearing arrangement for a rotatable element, e.g. a lever handle, a knob or a turn button. The term 'rotatable handle' is intended to cover any manualiy grippable part of an article of door furniture. For the purposes of description, reference will be made hereafter to such part as a 'handle' or a 'lever handle'. As is known, a lever handle has to be rotated in order to release the door latch, and also has to be capable of acting as a grab handle in order to pull open the door to which it is fitted. The lever handle is commonly fitted in a rose (or a combined rose and escutchon plate) by means of a nylon bearing bush. Wear of the nylon bush develops rapidly, and causes the lever handle to acquire a sloppy feel. In extreme cases the lever handle may also pull out of the bush especially if a strong pull has to be exerted to open the door against a door closer. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bearing arrangement suitable for the above use, which is capable of providing a firm but easy action for the handle, has an anticipated long service life and a pleasant feel in operation. The invention proposes an article of door furniture which comprises a rose and a manually grippable handle rotatably mounted in the rose by means of a ball-bearing which is under a radial loading such that radial play in the bearing is substantially reduced or eliminated. The preferred means for loading the bearing consists in a lock nut threadably engaged with the inner end of the handle and having a wedge surface which cooperates with a taper surface on the handle as the nut is screwed in order to apply a radial outwards force to the inner race of the bearing. An example of an article according to the invention is shown irl the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a cross-sectional view of part of a door to which a pair of door handles embodying the invention have been fitted, the door handle on the left being shown in elevation and that on the right in section. Referring to the drawing, the two door handles 1 and 1a shown are identical and each comprises an annular rose 2 and a lever handle 3 only part of which is illustrated. The door has a cavity 4 for receiving a latch mechanism (not shown) operated by a spindle 5 accomodated in the lever handles 3. The door handles 1 and la are secured to the door by conventional bolts 6 extending between the roses 2. The rose 2 is formed with an internal cylin drical seating for the outer race of a deepgroove ball bearing 7. Such ball-bearings are readily available and are manufactured to tolerances which give them a noticeable amount of radial play in order to accomodate whip in rapidly rotating shafts, etc. The construction of the invention reduces this radial play to provide a firm feel to the handle 3 while retaining the facility of easy and smooth rotation associated with the use of a ball-bearing. The outer race of the ball-bearing 7 is a light press fit in the eating of the rose 2, and a thrust washer 8, suitably a circlip, is fitted in a recess in the rose 2 adjacent the inner end of the seating. The washer 8 prevents the ball-bearing 7 from being pushed off the seating by axially inwardly directed forces. The inner end of the handle 3 opposed to the inner race of the ball-bearing 7 is formed with a taper surface 9 engaged by a corresponding taper wedge surface 10 on an axially extending portion of a lock nut 11 threadedly engaged with the handle 3. The radially outer face of the said portion of lock nut 11 opposed to the taper surface 10 is in engagement with the inner race of the ball-bearing 7. As the lock nut 11 is tightened axially of the handle 3 and against the inner race of the ball-bearing 7 the tapered surfaces 9 and 10 expand the lock nut radially outwards against the inner race of the ball-bearing thus stressing the ball-bearing 7 to reduce the radial play therein according to the degree of tightening of the lock nut. The lock nut 11 is tightened until the radial play in the ball-bearing 7 is substantially eliminated and the handle 3 feels to have the desired firmness. It will be appreciated that for versatility and to simplify stock holding problems, sub-assemblies of rose 2, ball-bearing 7 and thrust washer 8 can be made up and held in stock ready for combination on-site with any desired style of handles 3 by affixing the lock nuts 11. It will be noticed in the drawing that the spindle 5 is shown as a 'floating' spindle and is relatively short, terminating in each handle substantially in the plane of the outer face of the associated rose 2. This feature allows the handle 3 to have substantially any desired cross-sectional configuration outwardly of the rose, e.g. it may reduce to a size equal to or less than that of the spindle, thus affording the handle designer great scope and freedom for designing handles of slender dimensions. Of course, a conventional type of spindle 5 which is secured in either or both handles in a known manner may also be used. CLAIMS

2. An article according to Claim 1, including means for loading the bearing comprising a lock nut threadably engaged with the inner end of the handle and having a wedge surface which cooperates with a taper surface on the handle as the nut is screwed in in order to apply a radial outwards force to the inner race of the bearing.

3. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the rose is formed with an internal cylindrical seating for the outer race of the ball bearing and the outer race of the ball-bearing is a light press fit in the seating.

4. An article according to Claim 3 including a thrust washer, such as a circlip, is fitted in a recess in the rose adjacent the inner end of the seating. The washer prevents the ballbearing from being pushed off the seating by axially directed force.

5. An article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ball-bearing is a deep-groove ball bearing.

6. An article of door furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.