US2743123A

US2743123A - Turnpiece for door locks

Info

Publication number: US2743123A
Application number: US376400A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gordon A Alexander
Original assignee: American Hardware Corp
Current assignee: Emhart Industries Inc
Priority date: 1953-08-25
Filing date: 1953-08-25
Publication date: 1956-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 1973-04-24

Description

April 24, 1956 A. ALEXANDER TURNPIECE FOR DOOR LOCKS Filed Aug. 25, 1953 IN VEN TOR. @0200 f7. 1% [Xi/IDEA fill/1171171777" United States Patent 2,743,123 TURNPIECE FOR noon LOCKS Gordon A. Alexander, Newington, Conn., assignor to The American Hardware Corporation, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 25, 1953, Serial No. 376,400

6 Claims. (Cl. 292-1) This invention relates to a turnpiece for door locks and more particularly for door locks of the cylindrical type such as fully shown and described in United States Patent No. 2,724,607 of Leland H. Fisler, issued November 22, 1955.

Such turnpieces are commonly contained in the inner knob spindle of the door lock and project therefrom through an opening in the inner knob and are utilized to move the dogging member in said lock into dogging engagement with other elements of the lock mechanism to prevent rotation of the outer knob. In order to dog the outer knob, it is usually necessary to manually push the turnpiece inwardly into the inner knob spindle and rotate it into engagement with the means provided in the inner spindle for securing the said turnpiece in its inward position. Such securing means usually include a bayonet slot in the knob spindle having a detent portion into which a projection on the turnpiece is moved by rotating the turnpiece after it has been pushed into its inward position; the said projection being held in the detent portion by means of a compression spring which is disposed between the turnpiece and a stationary element in the spindle and biases the said turnpiece and the dogging member, which is connected thereto, outwardly relatively to the inner knob and into its normal position. The force applied by the said spring member is necessarily light since it is important that the least possible resistance be applied to the movement of the turnpiece, when it is forced inwardly, in order to facilitate its operation.

It has been found that due to the light pressure which is applied against the turnpiece by said spring when said turnpiece is in locked position, it is possible, by repeatedly hitting the outer knob with the pahn of the hand or with some tool, to cause'the projection to become disengaged from the detent portion of the bayonet slot and the turnpiece to be returned to its normal position thereby undogging the lock mechanism. This occurs because the turnpiece is rotated after it has been forced inwardly into the inner knob against the said spring, thereby winding the spring to such a degree that it then exerts a torque on the turnpiece which tends to rotate it in the opposite direction. Such rotation is prevented while the projection on the turnpiece is in engagement with the detent portion of the bayonet slot, but upon hitting the outside knob, the inner spindle moves longitudinally while the inertia of the turnpiece and the parts connected thereto cause it to remain stationary relatively to the spindle. Such relative movement can cause the projection to become disengaged from the detent portion and the stored tension in the spring will then rotate the turnpiece and permit it to be returned to its normal position.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide highly efiicient means for preventing disengagement of the projection from the detent portion of the bayonet slot without increasing the resistance presented by the spring to the inward movement of the turnpiece.

A further object of this invention is to provide such means which will prevent relative movement between the 2,743,123 Patented Apr. 24, 1956 turnpiece and the spindle, that is caused by the inertia of the turnpiece, so as to prevent disengagement of said projection from said detent portion.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more clearly understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view showing the inner spindle assembly and its related knob, turnpiece and spring, with the knob being shown partly in central vertical section..

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the assembly partly in central vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end view on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the inside end portion of said assembly showing the turnpiece in its locking position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional side view on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an exploded isometric view of the parts included in the turnpiece.

As shown in the drawings, the numeral 5 denotes the inner spindle of a cylindrical door lock, such as fully shown and described in the above mentioned patent, to which there is connected an inner knob 6 having a shank 7 that fits over the spindle 5 and is secured thereto by means of a retainer 8.

A turnpiece 9 is provided with an outer element 9-a which is slidable in the end portion of the spindle 5 and projects outwardly therefrom through an axial opening in the outside wall of the knob 6. The said turnpiece further has a cup-shaped member 10 that fits within an enlarged portion 11 of the element 9-a and is secured therein by means of prongs 12 which are bent inwardly from said enlarged portion over the edge of the cupshaped member.

A dogging bar 13 is loosely secured to the said cupshaped member and a spring 14 surrounds said bar and urges it and the turnpiece into their normal positions, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the said turnpiece extends outwardly from the knob 6 and the bar is in undogged position. When the turnpiece and bar are in said normal position, the lock mechanism is in unlocked condition so that it can be operated to retract the bolt thereof. by rotation of the outside knob.

The wall of the spindle 5 contains a bayonet slot 15 of conventional form which is provided with a detent portion 16 and a cam portion 17 extending from the said detent portion.

The cup-shaped member 10 has

lateral projections

18 and 19 which extend laterally therefrom and fit between each pair of prongs 12-12 of the element 9-a so as to secure the said member 10 against rotation relatively thereto. The projection 19 extends beyond the periphery of the element 9-a into the bayonet slot 15 and, when the said turnpiece is forced inwardly against the force of the spring 14 and rotated, it will enter the detent portion 16 of the said slot and retain the bar 13 in its dogging position and the turnpiece in its inward position. The spring 14 will then bias the said projection 19 into contact with the outer side of the detent portion 16 of the slot 15 and the lug 16-a adjacent said portion will prevent unintentional or accidental movement of the said projection out of the detent portion 16 so that an inward push of the turnpiece is required to move the projection 19 over the lug 16-a before the said turnpiece can be rotated to permit the spring 14 to return the turnpiece to its normal position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the lock mechanism is in its unlocked condition.

When the lock mechanism is dogged to prevent rotation of the outer knob, it will be understood that the turnpiece 9 is pushed inwardly against the tension of the spring 14 and then rotated to bring the retaining projection 19 over the lug and intothe detent portion 16. Such rotation of the turnpiece 9 will cause the spring 14 to be slightly wound and, therefore, to exert a torque which "tends to rotate the turnpicc'e in a contraclockwise direction, but the lug 16% will then engage the projection 19 and prevent rotation of the turnpiece.

As above stated, it has been found that by repeatedly hitting the outer knob in an inward direction the spindle S is moved inwardly relatively to the turnpiece which remains stationary due to its inertia. This will cause inward movement of the lug'16'a past the projection 19 which will then be ermitted to escape from the detent portion of the bayonet slot. The torque exerted by the spring will then cause rotation of the turnpiece and complete removal of the said projection from the detent portion, whereupon the spring '14 will cause the tumpiece and the dogging bar '13 to be moved outwardl to their normal positions and the lock mechanism 'to become 'undo'g'ged and returned to its -unlocked condition.

In order to revent the unauthorized disengagement of the projection 19 from the detent portion 16 by unauthorized persons attempting to open the lock by hitting the outside knob as above described, I have provided, by my invention, a spring member 20 having a base portion 21, which is adapted to fit into the member 10, and a pair of oppositely extending

spring fingers

22 and 23 which project from the opposite sides of the said base portion 21 and normally rest in front of the

projections

18 and 19. The base portion 21 of said spring member contains an axially disposed circular opening 21- 1 which is aligned with a circular opening lit-a in the wall of the cup-shaped member 10. The outer end of the dogging bar has a stem 13-0 of reduced Width projecting therefrom to provide outwardly facing shoulders 13b13b on said bar. Said stem projects through the openings 21-0 and -a and is swaged over the outer side of the cup-shaped member to thereby loosely secure the turnpiece to the bar. The spring 20 is confined between the wall of the cup-shaped member and shoulders 13-b- 13-b on the dogging bar and is thus retained within the turnpiece. The finger 22 is shorter than the finger 23 so that it does not extend beyond the periphery of the element 9-a but will extend over the projection 18 and between the prongs 12*12 so as to prevent the said spring member 20 from rotating in the turnpiece. The finger 23 extends over and is spaced from the projection 19 and, being longer, extends into the bayonet slot from within the spindle 5.

When the turnpiece of my improved construction is moved into dogging position as above described, the spring finger 23 will engage the abutment edge 24 of the bayonet slot and thereby provide a spring force against the turnpiece which will supplement the force applied by the spring 14 to retain the projection 19 in the detent portion 16 and prevent said projection from becoming disengaged therefrom accidentally or when the outer knob is bit.

It will be understood that the supplemental spring force provided by the spring finger 23 is applied only against a small portion of the inward movement of the turnpiece so that the operation of moving said turnpiece inwardly of the inner knob will not be undesirably stiffened by excessive spring pressure while disengagement of said projection from the hook portion 15 by such unauthorized means as above described will be prevented.

I claim:

1. In a door lock including a tubular spindle, a dogging plunger slidably positioned in said spindle, main spring means normally urging said plunger outwardly relatively to the spindle, interlocking means on said spindle and said plunger brought into engagement by. depression of said plunger for holding said plunger in depressed position against the force of said main spring means, said interlocking means when engaged being biased into locking engagement by spring pressure on the plunger outwardly of said spindle; auxiliary spring means and abutment means positioned to be engaged by said auxiliary spring means upon depression of said plunger, the distance between said auxiliary spring means and said abutment means when said plunger is in released outward position being slightly less than the length of the axial travel path of said plunger, whereby upon depression of said plunger said auxiliary spring means will be stressed just before said plunger reaches the inner limit of its travel, the said auxiliary spring means thereby applying force in addition to the main spring force against said plunger when it is in fully depressed position to urge said interlocking means into tighter engagement.

2. In a door lock including a tubular spindle, a turnpiece slidable and rotatable in said spindle, main spring means normally urging said turnpiece outwardly relatively to the spindle, and interlocking means on said spindle and said turnpiece brought into engagement by depression and rotation of said turnpiece for retaining the turnpiece in depressed position against the force of said main spring means, said interlocking means when engaged being biased into locking engagement by spring pressure on the plunger outwardly of said spindle; normally unstressed auxiliary spring means and abutment means positioned to be engaged by said auxiliary spring means upon depression of said turnpiece, the distance between said auxiliary spring means and said abutment means when said tumpiece is in released outward position being slightly less than the length of the axial travel path of said turnpiece, whereby upon depression of said turnpiece said auxiliary spring means will be stressed just before said turnpiece reaches the inner limit of its travel, the said auxiliary spring means thereby applying force in addition to the main spring force against said turnpiece when it is in fully depressed position to urge said interlocking means into tighter engagement.

3. In a door lock including a tubular spindle, a turnpiece slidable and rotatable in said spindle, main spring means normally urging said turnpiece outwardly relatively to said spindle, and interlocking means on said spindle and said turnpiece brought into engagement by depression and rotation of said turnpiece for retaining the turnpiece in depressed position against the force of said main spring means, said interlocking means when engaged being biased into locking engagement by spring pressure on the plunger outwardly of said spindle; an auxiliary spring on said turnpiece projecting beyond the inner end thereof, and abutment means in said spindle, the distance between said abutment means and said auxiliary spring when said turnpiece is in released outward position being slightly; less than the length of the axial travel path of said turnpiece, whereby upon depression of said turnpiece said auxiliary spring will be stressed just before said turnpiec'e reaches the inner limit of its travel, the said auxiliary spring means thereby applying force in addition to the main spring force against said turnpiece to urge said interlocking means into tighter engagement.

4. In a door lock including a tubular spindle having a bayonet slot therein provided with a detent portion, a turnpi'ece slidable and rotatable insaid spindle and having aprojection thereon movable in said bayonet slot and into said detent portion to retain the turnpiece in depressed position, and main spring means normally urging said turnpiece outwardly relatively to the spindle; an auxiliary spring member on said turnpiece positioned to engage and be stressed by a portion of said spindle upon depression of said turnpiece, the distance between the engaged portion of said spindle and the auxiliary spring member when said turnpiece is in released outward position being slightly less than the length of the axial travel path of said turnpiece, whereby upon depression of said turnpiece said auxiliary spring member will be stressed just before said turnpiece reaches the inner limit of it's travel, the said auxiliary spring member thereby applying force in addition to the main spring force against said turnpiece when it is in fully depressed position to urge said projection into tighter engagement with said detent.

5. In a door lock including a tubular spindle having a bayonet slot therein provided with a detent'portion, a turnpiece slidable and rotatable in said spindle and having a projection thereon movable in said slot and into said detent portion to retain the turnpiece in depressed position, and a main spring normally urging said tumpiece outwardly relatively to said spindle; an auxiliary member carried by said turnpiece including a spring finger which is disposed over and forwardly of said projection, the distance between said spring finger and the inner end of said slot when said turnpiece is in released outward position being slightly less than the length of the axial travel path of said turnpiece, whereby upon depression of said turnpiece said auxiliary spring will be stressed just before'said turnpiece reaches the inner limit of its travel, the said auxiliary member thereby applying force in addition to the main spring force against said turnpiece when it is in fully depressed position to urge said projection into fighter engagement with said wen portion.

6. In a door lock including a tubular spindle having a bayonet slot therein provided with a detent portion, a

turnpiece slidable and rotatable in said spindle having a recess in its inner end portion and a projection thereon extending into said slot, and a main spring normally urging the turnpiece outwardly relatively to the spindle; an auxiliary spring member comprising a base portion which is supported in the recess in said turnpiece and has a forwardly extending finger thereon, the free end of said finger extending over said projection, the distance between said finger and the inner end of said slot when said turnpiece is in released outward position being slightly less than the length of the axial travel path of said turnpiece, whereby upon depression of said turnpiece said auxiliary spring member will be stressed just before said turnpiece reaches the inner limit of its travel, the spring member thereby applying force in addition to the main spring force against the turnpiece when it is in fully depressed position to urge said projection into tighter engagement with said detent.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS