NZ299577A - Mortice lock, actuating handles selectable to allow bolt movement even when locked, and where the lock can be handed - Google Patents

Description

V New Zealand No. 299577 International No. PCT/ TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority datss 1410,1996 Complete Specification Filed, 11.07.1997 Classification"(6) E05B63/16; E05B55/14 Publication date: 26 January 1998 Journal No,: 1424 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 2A , ot the AMENDED under Section.

Patent fet 1083 tram ASSISTANT COMM'SStONEtt OF PATENTS COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention* Locks - CHANGE OF NAME OF APPLICANT ouu- £i\ND vfe clutf/SL LimneD Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form- LT LEGGE PACIFIC LTD, a New Zealand company of 21 Veronica Street, New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand i m I NOW AMENDED I *7 7 + NEW ZE AND PATENTS, T, 1953 No: 299577 Date: 14 October 1996 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 'Locks We, NT LEGGE PACIFIC LTD, a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 21 Veronica Street, New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for wliich we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which > it is to be performed, to be particularly described m and by the following statement: / 1 - AS AMENDED 299577 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: 299577 Date 14 October 1996 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "Locks" We, NT LEGGE PACIFIC LTD, a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 21 Veronica Street, New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, do hereby declare the 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. 2 6 JUL 1999 j ~~B£cfi\/pp I I NOW AMENDED] _ — - .9 7,. 298577 The present invention relates to locks (and in particular but not solely to handled mortise lock types for doors) which have two handles. i Such locks have a bolt moveable between lock and unlock conditions.

/ The movement of the bolt from a lock to an unlock condition can, depending on the mechanism of the lock, be (in some cases) by one/both or neither handle when a locking mechanism is itself in a locked condition and^by both when a locking mechanism is an unlocked condition. / Frequently locks of this kind have been provided in a form requiring some degree of dismantling and reassembly where the "handjng" of the lock is to be changed from the condition in which it is supplied, ie; where itis set for (0 the left or right handle operation ("vestibule"), or (ii) neither handle operation/when the locking mechanism is locked ("combination"). Most usually handinig by a locksmith or carpenter is to choose in (l) whether a left or right handle, once/nstalled, is to allow access despite the locking mechanism. For example, in a hotel .room situation it is usual for the outside handle to be prevented from moving the bolt/rom a lock to unlock condition when the locking mechanism is locked but to allow/irrespective of the condition of the locking mechanism to allow the inside handle to ny/ve the bolt from the lock to unlocking condition.

Some locks with such capabilities are sometimes also arranged such that they can be reassembled into a condition that ensures that neither handle can move the bolt from the lock to unlock conditi^/ when the locking mechanism is in a lock condition.

Such an ability to^alter the handedness of locks is to minimise the stock required to be held by retailers or carried by door lock installers and it frees carpenters from the worry at the time of purchase of what quantities of which handedness locks they require It also enables adjustments to be made to already fitted locks where requirements might change More recently there has been a trend to the provision of locks of a kind where the handling of the lock can be set by a simple adjustment of the assembly without any need for any substantial disassembly and reassembly One approach was that adopted in the EFCO 3000 Series mortise lock of EFCO Manufacturing Pty Limited of Australia That particular lock series (which pre-dates those of Sc^lage and Lockwood hereinafter referred to) utilised a locking mechanism which inclijded a resilient member which moved rectilinearly back and forth between its locked or unlocking condition but which captured a locking head between itself and the casing or housing. The locking head could be moved transversely of said resilient member in a transverse direction normal to both the rectilinear back and forth direction AS AMENDED c9§577 The present invention relates to locks (and in particular but not solely to handled mortise lock types for doors) which have two handles Such locks have a bolt moveable between lock and unlock conditions.

The movement of the bolt from a lock to an unlock condition can, depending on the mechanism of the lock, be (in some cases) by one, both or neither handle when a locking mechanism is itself in a loeked condition and by both when a locking mechanism is an unlocked condition.

Frequently locks of this kind have been provided in a form requiring some degree of dismantling and reassembly where the "handing" of the lock is to be changed from the condition in which it is supplied, ie, where it is set for (i) the left or right handle operation ("vestibule"), or (u) neither handle operation when the locking mechanism is locked ("combination"). Most usually handing by a locksmith or carpenter is to choose in (i) whether a left or right handle, once installed, is to allow acccss despite the locking mechanism. For example, in a hotel room situation it is usual for the outside handle to be prevented from moving the bolt from a lock to unlock condition when the locking mechanism is locked but to allow, irrespective of the condition of the locking mechanism to allow the inside handle to move the bolt from the lock to unlocking condition.

Some locks with such capabilities are sometimes also arranged such that they can be reassembled into a condition that ensures that neither handle can move the bolt from the lock to unlock condition when the locking mechanism is in a lock condition.

Such an ability to alter the handedness of locks is f o minimise the stock required to be held by retailers or carried by door lock installers and it frees carpenters from the worry at the time of purchase of what quantities of which handedness locks they require It also enables adjustments to be made to lready fitted locks where requirements might change More recently there has been a trend to the provision of locks of a kind where the handling of the lock can be set by a simple adjustment of the assembly without any need for any substantial disassembly and reassembly One approach was that adopted in the EFCO 3000 Series mortise lock of EFCO Manufacturing Pty Limited of Australia That particular lock: series (which pre-dates those of Schlage and Lockwood hereinafter referred to) utilised a locking mechanism which included a resilient member which moved rectilinearly back and forth between its locked or unlocking condition but which captured a locking head between itself and the casing or housing The locking head could be moved transversely of said resilient member in a transverse direction normal to both the rectilinear back and forth direction LNOW AMENDED I 299 577 (the rectilinear axis) and the axis of the bolt which itself was normal tp said rectilinear axis. Such movement however could only occur against a movement of the resilient member away from the casing or housing.

Nevertheless the movement of the captured locking head enabled the locking head / being presentable (when the locking mechanism is in a lockecj condition) to one of the actuators only at a time yet allowed movement to another condition which interferes with the operation of the other actuator, each actuator being undep'a direct or indirect rotational drive under the action of a handle. / The EFCO 3000 Series therefore included a locking mechanism having a locking head movable into a left or right handle actuator en^/ging condition by simply sliding movement transverse of the rectilinear axis of the niovable member by which it is held captive. However some dis-assembly was required to allow the insertion of an addition locking head if for any reason an EFCO 3000 Series lock was to be taken to a condition where neither handle is to operate when the locking mechanism is locked.

Another example is that of Schlage (NZ) Limited disclosed in New Zealand Patent Specification No 237000 (Australian Patent Specification No. 647236). In this particular embodiment a screw is either fitted into one side or the other of a selection means, le. it / is the screw alone that requires disassembly from the oveiall assembly and reassembly Depending on the "handedness" determined by the side of the mortise lock from which the screw is fitted a member.carned by the locking mechanism rotates a pivoted assembly which on one side or the other carries a detent for the actuator. No screw means a condition (lii) as outlined abo^e.

Another, example is that of Lockwood Australia Pty Limited disclosed in PCT/AU95/00376 [W096/01355] which provides a locking head on a detent which is slidably adjustable during^ch a handing operation, such that subsequently a handle is either operative or inoperative for moving the bolt from the lock to unlock condition whilst the locking mechanism is in a locked condition.

Other examples'of locks capable of being handed with minimal disassembly and reassembly or no disassembly or reassembly exist The presenyinvention relates to still a further lock (hereafter "lock assembly") capable of being handed selectively to allow one or other of the handles to be associated therewith to be able to move the bolt from the lock to unlock condition when the locking mechanism is locked The present invention preferably also allows a locking mechanism detent of a kind used in our NT Legge 990 Series mortise lock to be modified to allow handing of the lock. As used herein "handle" or "handles" should be construed in the broadest possible AS AMENDED 299577 (the rectilinear axis) and the axis of the bolt which itself was normal to said rectilinear axis. Such movement however could only occur against a movement of the resilient member away from the casing or housing.

Nevertheless the movement of the captured locking head enabled the locking head being presentable (when the locking mechanism is in a locked condition) to one of the actuators only at a time yet allowed movement to another condition which interferes with the operation of the other actuator, each actuator being under a direct or indirect rotational drive under the action of a handle The EFCO 3000 Series therefore included a locking mcchanism having a locking head movable into a left or right handle actuator engaging condition by simply sliding movement transverse of the rectilinear axis of the movable member by which it is held captive. However some dis-assembly was required to allow the insertion of an addition locking head if for any reason an EFCO 3000 Series lock was to be taken to a condition where neither handle is to operate when the locking mcchanism is locked, Another example is that of Schlagc (NZ) Limited disclosed in New Zealand Patent Specification No. 237000 (Australian Patent Specification No. 647236). In this particular embodiment a screw is either fitted into one side or the other of a selection means, ie. it is the screw alone that requires disassembly from the cvc.all assembly and reassembly.

Depending on the "handedness" determined by the side of the mortise lock from which the screw is fitted a member carried by the locking mcchanism rotates a pivoted assembly which on one side or the other carries a detent for the actuator. No screw means a condition (in) as outlined above Another example is that of Lockwood Australia Pty Limited disclosed in PCT/AU95/00376 [W096/01355] which provides a locking head on a detent which is slidably adjustable during such a handing operation, such that subsequently a handle is either operative or inoperative for moving the bolt from the lock to unlock condition whilst the locking mechanism is in a locked condition.

Other examples of locks capable of being handed with minimal disassembly and reassembly or no disassembly or reassembly exist The present invention relates to still a further lock (hereafter "lock assembly") capable of being handed selectively to allow one or other of the handles to be associated therewith to be able to move the bolt from the lock to unlock condition when the locking mechanism is locked.

The present invention preferably also allows a locking mechanism detent of a kind used in our NT Legge 990 Series mortise lock to be modified to allow handing of the lock. As used herein "handle" or "handles" should be construed in the broadest possible i NOW AM ENDED A ^ r~> rJ7 ^ ,* 0095// , -4- * sbnse consistent with human actuation.

| Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention consists in a lock assembly of a kind having a bolt moveable between a locking and unlocking condition relative to the i / housing of the assembly, there being at least one actuator (and preferably two actuators each) capable of moving the bolt from its locking to its unlocking condition (in use under th$ action of a handle(s) to be associated or associated therewith), and a locking mechanism moveable relative to said actuator(s) and said housing within said housing (fr between an unlocked condition and a locked condition, said lacked condition being such as to be capable in certain circumstances of allowing or preventing the movement of the or ap actuator (such as in use is to occur by operation of ^fiandle) and thus the movement of the bolt relative to the housing from a locking to an unlocking condition under the action of an actuator, / wherein (where, as preferred, there arc twp actuators) said locking mechanism includes a member or assembly (hereafter "locking member") which has a captured (preferably protuberant) member capable ofbeirig rotated such that, in one condition and whcn'said locking member is in its locked condition, will prevent (preferably with said protuberant member) the or an actuator from moving the bolt from a locking to an unlocking condition,-and which, in another condition and when said locking member is in its locked condition, will prevent the'other actuator from moving the bolt from the locking to unlocking condition. / Preferably said captured member is such that it can adopt at least a third condition which will prevent the use of either actuator to move the bolt from a locking to unlocking condition when the locking memt^r is in its locked condition.

Preferably the bolt has a rectilinear movement axis and the rotation of the captuied member is about an axis substantially parallel to that bolt axis.

Preferably said captured member is a turret member not capable of being rotated unless displaced axially against (with respect to the rotational axis) resilient and/or biasing means which holds the sarpe locked in a previously set or preset condition.

Preferably said capmred member under the action of a screwdnver or like tool from externally of the housing (or by use, externally of the housing, of an extension of said captured member) is capable of being displaced against said resilient and/or biasing means to allow rotational movement between said conditions Preferably tne captured member includes a indexing means (eg, plurality of abutment faces) Wnich will index said locking member unless displaced against said resilient and/or biasing means Preferably the capture member includes a protuberant member substantially as AS AMENDED 29957 7 sense consistent with human actuation.

Accordingly in n first aspcct the present invention consists in a mortise lock assembly having a bolt carried at least in part within the housing moveable between a latching and an unlatching condition, a first rotatablc actuator within the housing capable of moving the bolt from its latching to its unlatching condition, a sccond rotatablc actuator within the housing capable of moving the bolt from its latching to its unlatching condition, the axes of rotation of said actuators being substantially norma! to a (hereafter "said plane") plane within which the bolt moves between said latching and unlatching conditions, a locking mcchanism within the housing having a locking member movable towards and away from the actuators to provide respectively a locking and unlocking condition, and a lock handing member captive to said locking member within the housing yet being actuablc through at least one access opening of thr housing to rotate relative to said locking member about an axis at least substantially parallel to said plane within which the bolt moves, said lock handing member having positions indexed to the locking member whereby, by interfering with the rotation of one or other of said actuators when the bolt is in its latching condition and said locking mcchanism is in its locking condition, the lock handing member by virtue of its contouring allows at least the following two modes of unlatching (i) the first actuator only can move the bolt from its latching to its unlatching condition, and (li) the second actuator only can move the bolt from its latching to its unlatching condition Preferably said actuator(s) is operable by a handle Preferably said lock handling member is such that it can adopt at least a third condition which will prevent the use of either actuator to move the bolt from a locking to unlocking condition when the locking member is in its locked condition Preferably the bolt has a rectilinear movement axis and the rotation of the lock handling member is about an axis substantially parallel to that bolt axis Preferably said lock handling member is a turret member not capable of being rotated from an indexed position unless displaced axially on its rotational axis against resilient and/or biasing means which holds the same locked in a previously set or preset a housing,

Claims (1)

1. JiL'}amended 999577 -5- hereinafter described with refer^i.ce to any one or more of the accompanying drawings, Preferably the lock assemi><y has a locking mechanism operable substantially as hereinafter described with reference fo one, some or all of the accompanying drawings or any mechanical equivalent thereof pro ided however there is a requirement for a measure of rotation of the captured member. In Js respect the captured member can in some less preferred forms of the present invention be captured against the housing where such a locking member is itself resilient and is adapted to bear on part of said captured member, Reference here in throughout to "against" in respect of "the resilient and/or biasing f means" is not to be considered as restrictive on whether or not any such resilient means or biasing means acts upon the captured member on a side thereof remote from the direction from which handing is to be effected or not. / Fot example, while in a preferred form of the present invention the resilient member (which may or may not act as a bias on the captured member) is not deflected from a stable condition unless under a handing pressure (e.g. of a screwdriver) being passed through said captured member. Preferably- such deflection causes the resilient member to act as a said biasing means for so long as the handing pressure remains. In that respect preferably it acts in the form of a leaf spring. In other forms of the present invention a compression spring could similarly be held within the locking member against the captured member. Equally if desired, some member adapted to provide a bias in tension could be deployed from that side from which handing is to be effected. ^ The reference therefore to Resilient and/or biasing means" is to be interrupted in such a way as to provide a member which allows a rotation of the rotatablc captured member only when it is urged to rotate (preferably from an indexed condition that prevents rcijtion). Such an ability to relocate the captured member at least largely witlun / the locking member mean^ that the captured member can have a loose fit within the locking member but not sjo loose as to allow non required rotation thereof about axes other than that desired and then only sufficiently loose once in its indexed condition to prevent rotation about the handing rotational axis unless unindexed by pressure In still a fiirtiier aspect the present invention consists in a method of handing a lock which involves a method substantially as hereinafter described whether by reference to the specific embodiment hereinafter described or any form of lock as defined as being in respect of/the present invention. One preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; 7igure 1A is a view in side elevation of a preferred mortise lock in accordance with AS AMENDED 29 9 57 7 - 5 - condition. Piefcrably said lock handling member, under the notion of a scrcwdrivcr or like tool from externally of die housing (or by use, externally of the housing, of an extension of said lock handling member), is capable of being displaced against said resilient and/or biasing means to allow rotational movement between said conditions. Pieferably the lock assembly has a locking mechanism operable substantially ns hereinafter described with reference to one, some or all of the accompanying drawings or any mechanical equivalent thereof provided however there is a requirement for a measure of lotation of the lock handling member. In this rcspcct the lock handling member can in some less prefened forms of the present invention be captured against the housing where such a locking member is itself rcsil»f«nt and is udaptcd to bear on part of said lock handling member. Reference here in throughout to "against" in rcspcct of "the resilient and/or biasing means" is not to be considered as restrictive on whether or not any such resilient means or biasing means acts upon tne lock handling member on a side thereof remote from the direction from which handing is to be effected or not. For example, while in a preferred form of the present invention the resilient member (which may or may not act as a bias on the lock handling member) is not deflected from a stable condition unless under a handing pressure (e.g. of a scrcwdrivcr) being passcO through said lock handling member. Preferably such dcflcction causes the resilient member to act as a said biasing means for so long as the handing pressure remains. In that respect preferably it acts in the form of a leaf spnng. In other forms 01 the present invention a compression spring could similarly be held within the locking member against the lock handling member Equally if desired, some member adapted to provide a bias in tension could be deployed from that side from which handing is to be effected. The reference therefore to "resilient and/or biasing means" is to be interrupted in such a way as to provide a membet which allows a rotation of the rotatablc lock handling member only when it is urged to rotate (preferably from an indexed condition that prevents rotation) Such an ability to relocate the lock handling member at least largely within the locking member means that the lock handling member can have a loose fit within the locking member but not so loose as to allow non required rotation thereof about axes other than that desired and then only sufficiently loose once in its indexed condition to prevent rotation about the handing rotational axis unless unindexed by pressure. In still a further aspect the present invention consists in a method of handing a lock which involves a method substantially as hereinafter described whether by reference