MXPA97005973A - Adjustable interconnected lock - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interconnected lock that can be used in applications having different center distances. A grid is placed between the lower operator assembly and the upper stationary pin to engage a pinion that will release the stationary pin. This pinion can be placed vertically in a position to receive the impeller use of the stationary pin. A second pinion that is secured in the front plate. These pinions cooperate with the adjacent wide portions of the grid allowing the faceplate to function with different center distances.

Description

"ADJUSTABLE INTERCONNECTED LOCK" The present invention relates to interlocked (latch) locks having a top stationary pin and a bottom lock mount having inner and outer operators. The inner operator of the latch can be rotated from a closed position to an open position to release the lower lock assembly, and the upper movable bolt and the lower lock assembly are interconnected so that the interior operator moves to the open position will also release the immobile pin. The vertical distance between the stationary pin and the axes of the lock set is referred to as the central distance and a lock set can only be used conventionally at a selected central distance. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a latch that can be used for any central distance within a considerable range of central distance. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following portion of this specification and from the accompanying drawings which illustrate, in accordance with what is required by the patent statutes, a currently preferred embodiment incorporating the principles of the invention. With reference to the drawings: Figure 1 is an oblique view of a portion of an interconnected lock that is secured inside a door; Figure 2 is an oblique view of the upper portion of the lock shown in Figure 1, with the front plate removed; Figure 3 is an oblique rear view of the upper portion of the lock shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is an oblique view similar to Figure 2, with the pivoting lever and the grid removed. As seen from inside the door, the inner faceplate 10 of the latch 10 has a lower lock set 12 which includes a rotary inner operator (knob or lever 14) that includes a closing lever 15. The door can be secured by rotating the pivoting lever 16 of the stationary pin at 90 degrees to the illustrated vertical position that fully advances the pin of the stationary pin. The rotation of the interior operator vertically displaces a grid 18 (Figure 2) having teeth 20 on an interior vertical surface 22. The disclosed invention can be used in the latch shown in US Patent Number 5,496,082, which was issued on March 5, 1996 or in the latch disclosed in the Serial Number Application, filed on the same date as the present . The rotating lever 16 is fastened to an arrow 24 that ends with a pinion 26 that will operatively couple the teeth 20 of the grid. The thickness of the pinion is approximately half the thickness of the grid 18, therefore the pinion cooperates with the inner half (half of the anchho) of the grid. Since the rotary lever is mounted on the inner front plate 10, the location of the pinion relative to the grid in its neutral position will always be the same. The movement of the grid is guided by appropriate rails 28 defined in a frame 30 which is received by a cavity 32 defined in the rear part of the inner faceplate 10 (Figure 3). The frame has a vertically extending elongated opening 34 which receives a slide 36. The slide has interior side slots 38 which cooperate with the opposite frame flanges 40. This slide rotatably supports an arrow 41 having a second pinion 42 secured at its free end. The pinion 42 of the arrow of the slide has a thickness of approximately half the thickness of the grid so that it will cooperate with the outer half of the grid (half the width). The slider has a pair of holes 44 through which the appropriate screws (not shown) can be extended to ensure sliding towards the housing of the immobile outer pin (not shown). The slide arrow 41 has a hole 45 for receiving a stationary spindle 47 of the stationary pin. The location of the slide and therefore, of the second pinion, will correspond to the actual central distance of the latch and therefore will be changed from one central distance to another, within the scale that is provided by the grid. In Figure 2, the pinions are shown coaxial but this would be only in the case of a central distance. For different center distances, these pinions would no longer be coaxial. To assemble the inner faceplate, the frame would first be secured in position. The slide would be placed in position by placing the pin drive spindle motionless inside the arrow hole of the slide and the screws would be inserted into the holes 44 to secure the slide on the stationary pin. The front plate holding the rotating lever would then be placed above the frame, adjusting the rotary lever to introduce the pinion of the rotating lever into the teeth of the grid. The faceplate would then be secured in position with the screws passing through the holes 48 of the appropriate faceplate and would be received through the holes 49 of the mounting plate.

Claims (2)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A latch for a door that includes an upper stationary bolt having an inner rotating lever secured to a first rotary arrow and a rotary drive spindle, a lower lock set having a rotary interior operator, a means for interconnecting the lower operator and the driving spindle so that rotation of the lower operator rotates the driving spindle to release the stationary pin, including a grid having a row of vertically extending teeth, the grid having a selected thickness, a frame means for holding the grid for vertical displacement, a first pinion secured to the first rotary arrow that operati couples a selected vertical portion of the row of teeth, a second pinion secured to a second rotary arrow, a slide member to hold the second rotation arrow and to receive the driving use, the means of fortification also comprises a means for holding the sliding member for vertical displacement independently of the vertical displacement of the grid with the second pinion operably mating the remaining horizontally adjacent vertical portion of the row of teeth, whereby the driving use can be placed at different central distances from the axis of the lower operator and interconnect with the rotary lever through the grid.

2. A latch according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sprockets occupy approximately half the width of the grid.