US3261630A

US3261630A - Holdback lock

Info

Publication number: US3261630A
Application number: US357939A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dewey H Chew
Original assignee: Schlage Lock Co LLC
Current assignee: Schlage Lock Co LLC
Priority date: 1964-04-07
Filing date: 1964-04-07
Publication date: 1966-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 1983-07-19

Description

July 19, 1966 D. H. cHEw 3,261,630

HoLDBAoK Loox DEWEY H CIL/EW 401:, m C/UW-/ ATTORNEY D. H. CHEW HOLDBACK LOCK July 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April '7, 1964 w RH mC w. WH 1w W E D M wmf.

A T TOPNE V United States Patent O 3,261,630 HOLDBACK LOCK Dewey H. Chew, Concord, Calif., assigner to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation Filed Apr. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 357,939 Claims. (Cl. 292-169) This invention relates to a holdback lock wherein means is provided for holding the latch bolt in retracted position.

In some lockset installations, for example hospital room doors, it is desirable to be able to hold the latch bolt in retracted position out of engagement with the keeper so that the door may be swung open without requiring actuation of the knob spindle. In the case of hospital rooms such a holdback feature is desirable especially during periods when the door is being opened and closed frequently.

In such holdback locks it is desirable to be able to restore the lockset to its normal condition with the latch bolt spring urged to its projected position so as to operate in the normal manner.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of means providing a holdback function permitting the latch bolt to be held in its retracted position for any period of time desired and at the same time permit the lockset to be restored to its normal condition so as to satisfy certain fire regulations.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a holdback lock wherein the latch bolt is retracted and automatically held back in its retracted position by operation of one of the knob spindles in the normal manner. In such a case the present invention permits the latch bolt to be held in its retracted position despite normal operation ofthe other knob spindle.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a lockset incorporating the holdback feature and including an easily operated means for restoring the latch bolt to its normal projected position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification and from the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in elevation of a lockset incorporating the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the outer spindle showing the spindle in its held back position.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken in a plane indicated by lines 3 3 of FIG. 2 but showing the spindle in normal position.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with `the spindle rotated to one of the hold back positions.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a modified form of the invention.

FIG. -6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but with the spindle rotated to one of the hold back positions.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing another modied form of the invention.

First with reference `to FIG. 1, the invention is illustrated in connection with a generally conventional lockset that includes inner and outer knobs 1, 2 supported on inner and

outer knob spindles

3, 4, respectively. Said spindles are provided with

rollbacks

5, 6 adapted to engage retracter slide 7 which in turn is connected to the latch bolt 8 of a latch unit generally designated 9. Slide 7 is urged outwardly at all times by means of springs 10 thus normally holding latch bolt 8 in a projected position as shown in FIG. 1.

The normal operation of the lockset permits the latch bolt 8 to -be retracted to open the door by rotating

spindles

3, 4 in either direction from their normal position by means of the attached knobs. The present invention will be described with reference to the outer spindle 4 although it will be understood that the holdback feature may be C ICC installed in either spindle. The term outer is used herein assuming the installation is one wherein knob 1 is on the inside of a hospital room door and knob 2 on the outside.

As best seen in FIG. 2, spindle 4 is rotatable mounted within a hub 13 which in turn is secured to the lockset housing generally designated 14 (FIG. l). Adjacent the inner end of hub 13 there is provided a radially extending hole 15 in which is slidably received a pin 16. In the normal position of the lockset pin 16 engages the outer periphery of spindle 4 but upon rotation of the spindle 4 pin 16 is adapted to be received in one or the other of a pair of radially extending

bores

17, 18 formed in the sidewall of spindle 4. As seen in' FIG. 3 the rotation of spindle 4 required to bring one or the other of

holes

17, 18 into registration with the pin 16 is about the same as is required to completely retract the latch bolt 8. The pin 16 is urged radially inwardly at all times by means of a spring clip 19 surrounding the hub 13 as best seen in FIG. 3. At this point it will be noted that when spindle 4 is rotated to retract the latch bolt the pin 16 will enter one or the other of the

bores

17, 18 depending on the direction of rotation of spindle 4. In this manner outer spindle 4 is held by pin 16 in a position corresponding to the retracted position of latch bolt 8. In such a case it will be apparent that rotation of the inner knob 1 will have no effect on the slide 7 since the rollbacks 5 of inner spindle 3 are out of engagement with said slide.

For the purpose of restoring the lock to its normal position with the latch bolt projected, there is provided within spindle 4 a camming member 20 which is slidably received within spindle 4 and normally in engagement at its outer end with the knob catch 22 which extends transversely of spindle 4.

Outwardly of knob catch 22 in spindle 4 is a plunger unit generally designated 25 and which plunger unit includes an outer -button 26 secured to an elongated plunger 27 which extends inwardly of spindle 4 and into a longitudinally extending recess 2S in camming member 20. Plunger unit 25 includes helical compression springs 29,

" 30. Spring 30 acts as a retainer and spring 29 urges the plunger 27 4together with button 26 outwardly of spindle 4 at all times.

Camming member 20 is formed adjacent its inner end to provide a frustoconical portion 35 and a disk-like end portion 36. At the juncture between the end portion 36 and the frustoconical portion 35 the camming member 20 is adapted to receive

balls

39, 40 which extend partially into

bores

17, 18, respectively, as best seen in FIG.

. 3. From FIG. 2 it will be apparent when the outer button 26 is depressed the plunger 27 urges the camming member 20 inwardly of spindle 4 thereby camming the

balls

39, 40 radially outwardly into

bores

17, 18. If the pin 16 is received in one of said

bores

17, 18, said pin will be urged outwardly against the resiliency of the spring clip 19 thereby permitting the springs 10 (FIG. l) of the slide 7 -to project the latch bolt 8 and at the same time return spindle 4 to its normal position. In FIG. 2 the inner position of camming member 20 is shown in dotdash lines. Naturally the compression spring 29 serves to return the button 26 to its outer position and the operative one of the

balls

39, 40 tends to return the camming member 20 to its outer position in abutment with the knob catch 22.

It will be apparent from the above description that there is provided a lockset having a spindle which, when rotated to retract the latch bolt, is heldin a position corresponding to the retracted latch bolt until it is positively released by depressing button 26.

A modilied form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein spindle 41 is provided with a pair of

bores

42, 43 as in the previously described form. However, in this case a ball 45 is received within a hole 46 formed in hub 47. The ball 45 is urged radially inwardly by a spring clip 48 which is the same as spring clip 19' in the previously described embodiment. It will be seen that rotation of the spindle 41 in either direction from the neutral position of FIG. 5 results in the ball 45 being partially received within one or the other of the

bores

42, 43 depending on the direction of rotation of the spindle 41. The friction developed by movement of the ball 45 partially into one of the

bores

42, 43 is suflcient to hold the spindle 41 and the associated latch bolt in a holdback position.

With the structure of FIGS. 5, 6 it is of course necessary to rotate the knob spindle 41 against the friction developed by ball 45 in order to return the latch bolt to its projected position.

It will be apparent that the

bores

42, 43 need not extend completely through the sidewall of the spindle 41 and, in fact, as seen in FIG. 7, recesses 50 may be provided in the spindle shown at 51 so as to receive the ball 45 therein thus developing suicient friction to hold the spindle and latch bolt in the holdback position.

It should be understood thta the very specific descriptions given above of. the preferred forms of the invention should not be taken as restrictive as it will be apparent that various modifications in design may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a latchset that includes a normally projected latch bolt and a spindle rotatably supported in a stationary hub and adapted to be rotated from a normal position to retract said latch bolt,

a locking element carried by said hub and spring-urged radially inwardly thereof,

said spindle being formed with a radially extending hole adapted to register with said element for receiving the latter therein when said spindle is rotated a predetermined amount from said normal position, whereby said spindle is held by said element in retracted position,

and means carried by said spindle for disengaging said element from said hole to permit return of said spindle and latch bolt to projected position.

2. A latchset according to claim 1 wherein said element comprises a pin and said last mentioned means includes a ball partially received in said hole.

3. In a latchset that includes a normally projected latch bolt, a retracter slide, and a spindle rotatably supported in a stationary hub and provided with rollbacks for retracting said slide and latch bolt,

a pin mounted in said hub for radial movement relative thereto,

spring means for urging said pin radially inwardly toward said spindle at all times,

a radially extending bore in said spindle angularly 01T- set from said bore in said hub and adapted to receive said pin therein when said spindle is rotated to a position corresponding to the retracted position of said latch bolt, whereby said spindle is held in said position by said pin,

a ball partially received in said bore, and

cam means carried by said spindle for urging said ball radially outwardly to eject said pin from said bore to permit return of said spindle and latch bolt to normal position.

4. A latchset according to claim 3 wherein said cam means comprises a plunger slidably received in said spindle and provided with a 4camming surface in engagement with said ball.

5. A latchset according to claim 4 wherein said spindle is provided with a depressible button at its outer end for moving said plunger axially of said spindle to eject said pin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,279,591 4/1942 Heyer 70-151 2,454,920 ll/ 1948 Heinman -150 2,630,697 3/1953 Welch 70-216 2,764,014 9/1956 George 292-359 2,838,926 6/1958 Schmid 70-216 2,920,472 l/1960 Welch 70-216 2,998,274 8/1961 Russell 292-169 3,097,872 7/1963 Russell 292-169 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner.

I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A LATCHSET THAT INCLUDES A NORMALLY PROJECTED LATCH BOLT AND A SPINDLE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN A STATIONARY HUB AND ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED FROM A NORMAL POSITION TO RETRACT SAID LATCH BOLT, A LOCKING ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID HUB AND SPRING-URGED RADIALLY INWARDLY THEREOF, SAID SPINDLE BEING FORMED WITH A RADIALLY EXTENDING HOLE ADAPTED TO REGISTER WITH SAID ELEMENT FOR RECEIVING THE LATTER THEREIN WHEN SAID SPINDLE IS ROTATED A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT FROM SAID NORMAL POSITION, WHEREBY SAID SPINDLE IS HELD BY SAID ELEMENT IN RETRACTED POSITION, AND MEANS CARRIED BT SAID SPINDLE FOR DISENGAGING SAID ELEMENT FROM SAID HOLE TO PERMIT RETURN OF SAID SPINDLE AND LATCH BOLT TO PROJECTED POSITION.