WO2008003977A1

WO2008003977A1 - Door latch face plate assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2008003977A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/002519
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Heeley; Philip David Jones
Original assignee: Peter Heeley; Philip David Jones
Priority date: 2006-07-07
Filing date: 2007-07-06
Publication date: 2008-01-10
Also published as: GB2453893B; GB2453893A; GB0613587D0; GB0901868D0

Abstract

A face plate assembly for a door latch, comprises two face plates (1, 2) for positioning on opposite sides of the door and mounting handles (9, 10) for coupling to the latch mechanism of the door, a fixing plate (14), screw fastening members (42) for respectively disposing through a selected hole (20) and a slot (21) in the fixing plate and holes (46) drilled in the door and engageable with screw threaded fastenings (3 9) on the inside of the outer one (2) of the face plates for clamping the latter and the fixing plate to opposite sides of the door, and fastening members (16) for attaching the inner face plate (1) to the fixing plate. Each face plate has an opening in a position to provide access to a lock (25) of the latch and/or lock mechanism when the associated handle (9, 10) is coupled to the mechanism. This opening is covered by a slidable escutcheon plate (28, 29) having a keyhole therein so that, when the face plate assembly is fitted to the door, each escutcheon plate (28, 29) is adjustable to position its key hole (30,31) in matching relation with the adjacent keyhole of the lock (25).

Description

Door Latch Face Plate Assembly

[0001] The present invention relates to face plate assemblies for use with latch and/or lock mechanisms fitted to doors, windows and other closure members (referred to generically in the following description and claims as doors) . The face plates of such an assembly are disposed on opposite sides of a door, adjacent an edge of the door in which is mounted the latch and/or the lock mechanism, and mounts handles for actuating the mechanism. Additionally, they conceal components of the mechanism and the fixings and are designed to provide an attractive finish for the handle mountings and the mechanism. More particularly, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to a face plate assembly which is intended as a replacement product for fitting to a door in place of an. original or existing face plate assembly and which, is designed readily to enable replacement handles to be fitted to an existing latch or lock mechanism.

[0002] In a typical face plate assembly, for example, as used with lockable espangnolette type latches of UPVC and some aluminium doors, the face plates mount lever handles of the lockable latch mechanism. With this type of mechanism, when the door is closed, either handle can be lifted though 45° from a horizontal position to cause a series of bolts and latches to project from the door frame and engage the door jam. The handle is then returned to the horizontal position. To retract the bolts and latches either handle is pulled downwardly in the normal manner to open the door. The door only becomes locked when, after the bolts and latches have been actuated or thrown, a key is turned to operate a cylinder lock or other dead lock mechanism which prevents either handle from being moved downwardly. On the outside of the door, which is accessible to unauthorised persons, the face plate conceals the outside fixings of the latch and shields the deadlock mechanism which is used to lock the latch mechanism.

[0003] Face plate assemblies are typically fastened in position by two screws extending though holes drilled though the door. The screws extend through the face plate on the inside of the door and engage in internally threaded bosses cast into the inside of the outside face plate and concealed behind the latter. There is no recognised standard for the spacing of these fastenings and the centres of the fixing holes drilled though a door to accept the fastenings so that, for replacement purposes, a manufacturer or supplier has to produce or stock replacement face plate assemblies having fastenings with different spacings, or fresh holes may have to be drilled through a door to accept a replacement face plate assembly.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a door latch face plate assembly which is constructed to accommodate a large range of different fixing hole centres and facilitates fitting of the assembly to a door latch mechanism using existing fixing holes formed through the door.

[0005] The invention consists in a face plate assembly comprising two face plates for positioning on opposite sides of a door and mounting handles for coupling to a latch and/or lock mechanism mounted within an edge of the door, wherein a first one of the face plates has a multiplicity of screw threaded fastenings disposed at predetermined spaced positions along the inside of the face plate which faces the door, at least one of which, when the associated handle is coupled to the mechanism, corresponds to the anticipated position of at least one fixing hole formed through the door, wherein a fixing plate, having holes and/or slots therethough arranged to cooperate with the threaded fastenings of the first face plate, is locatable on the opposite side of the door, whereby the first face plate and the fixing plate can be clamped to opposite sides of the door by at least one screw fastening member extending through a selected hole in the fixing plate and engageable with a cooperating one of the threaded fastenings of the first plate, and wherein the second one of the face plates is fastenable to the fixing plate.

[0006] The invention is more particularly designed as a replacement product and can be structured as a replacement for the face plate assemblies of most, if not all-existing doors having, for example, espangnolette type latches. As a replacement product, it may be produced as a kit of parts comprising the face plates for positioning on opposite sides of a door in place of existing face plates and mounting handles for coupling to the existing latch and/or lock mechanism of the door, the fixing plate, one or more screw fastening members for disposing through preformed holes in the door and engageable with the screw threaded fastenings on the inside of the first face plate for clamping the latter and the fixing plate to opposite sides of the door, and fastening members for attaching the second face plate to the fixing plate.

[0007] To install the invention as a replacement, the existing face plate assembly of a door is removed to reveal the one or more fixing holes formed through the door for the existing assembly and the opposite ends of the latch spindle to which the handles are to be coupled. Typically, the handles are coupled to the latch mechanism via holes of a predetermined cross section formed in the inner ends of stub shafts journaling the handles in the face plates. The first face plate is offered to the outside of the door so that its handle is coupled to the adjacent end of the latch spindle projecting from the outside of the door, and at least one of the screw threaded fastenings should correspond to at least one of the fixing holes through the door. The fixing plate is then offered to the inside of the door with a hole for the latch spindle disposed about the adjacent inside projecting end. At least one hole or slot in the fixing plate should correspond with the aforementoned at least one of the fixing holes, and a screw fastening member can then be inserted through the fixing plate and through the or each of those holes to screw into engagement with a cooperating threaded fastening of the outside face plate in order to clamp the latter and the fixing plate to the door. Thereafter, the second face plate is fastened to the fixing plate on the inside of the door with its handle coupled to the adjacent end of the latch spindle in order to complete the assembly. It will be apparent that the invention enables the face plate assembly to be easily replaced without the necessity of drilling any additional fixing holes though the door. [0008] In a preferred embodiment, the face plates are cast or otherwise formed as hollow plates having cavities on their insides which face the door and the fixing plate is of complementary shape in plan to the second or inner face plate so that it is enclosed by the cavity of the inner face plate when the latter is fastened to the fixing plate. The face plates may, for example, be of an elongated shape with the screw threaded fastenings of the first or outer face plate and the holes and/or slots of the fixing plate disposed at spaced positions substantially centrally along these members. So as to serve as a replacement for the maximum of existing assemblies, several of the threaded bosses of the outer face plate may be aligned in adjoining relation and cooperate with a corresponding slot in the fixing plate so that a screw fastening member extending through the fixing plate can be adjusted along the slot of the latter to engage through a hole in the door and with a matching threaded fastening of the outer face plate.

[0009] Conventionally, two fixing holes though a door are formed for securing a face plate assembly to opposite sides of a door. Accordingly, as a replacement product, the face plate assembly of the invention is constructed so that two of the screw threaded fastenings on the outer face plate will match with two preformed fixing holes for an existing face plate assembly of the door, as will also holes or slots of the fixing plate on the inside of the door. Two screw fastening members can then be used through the existing holes for clamping the outer face plate and fixing plate to opposite sides of the door. At least two fastenings may be provided for securing the inner face plate to the fixing plate. [0010] Preferably, the screw threaded attachment of the screw fastening members to the outer face plate comprises internally threaded blind holes on the inside of the outer face plate and one or more studs, each of which is externally threaded at one end for engaging the threaded blind holes, and internally threaded at the opposite end for engagement with a screw fastening member. The internally threaded ends of the studs may be configured to be engagable with the adjacent ends of fixing holes drilled through a door. The holes and/or slots in the fixing plate may be sized so as to receive a guide bush through which the fastening members extend and which are also configured so as to engage in the adjacent end of a fixing hole drilled through the door. The fixing plate may have one or more internally threaded bosses projecting from its outside face, that is, its face opposite to that clamped against the door, each of which is engageable with a screw extending through the inner face plate for fastening the latter to the fixing plate.

[0011) Conveniently, each face plate has an opening there through in a position to provide access to a dead lock of the latch or lock mechanism, and the opening is covered by a sliding escutcheon plate having an opening therein so that, when the face plate assembly is fitted to a door, the slideable escutcheon plate can be adjusted to position the opening in matching relation with the keyhole of the deadlock, thereby enabling access to the latter.

[0012] The face plates of the assembly may house conventional spring return mechanisms on their insides adjacent the stub shafts journaling the handles in the face plates so as to bias the handles into rest positions which, in the case of a lever handle, may be in a position in which the lever is generally horizontal.

[0013] In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is an exploded side elevational view of a face plate assembly embodying the invention and shown in a position for fitting to a door having existing fixing holes drilled for the replaced assembly,

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively enlarged front, side and rear elevational views of the outer face plate of Figure 1,

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively enlarged front, side and rear elevational views of the inner face plate of Figure 1,

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively enlarged side and front elevational views of the fixing plate of Figure 1, and

Figures 10 and 11 are front elevational views illustrating adjustment of the slidable escutcheon plates of the face plates,

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the face plate assembly comprises an inner face plate 1 which is intended to be located on the inside of a door D and an outer face plate 2 for location on the outside of the door. Both face plates are hollow metal castings each of which comprises a generally oblong facia wall 3, 4 having an inwardly projecting peripheral flange 5, 6 which, together with the facia wall, defines a cavity 7, 8 on the inside of the face plate adjacent the door.

[0014] Each face plate has a lever handle 9, 10 journaled in its facia wall 3, 4 by means of stub shafts 11, 12 projecting into the cavities 7, 8 of the associated face plates. These stub shafts also serve to couple the lever handles to a latch mechanism (not shown) embedded in the edge of the door D and arranged to be actuated via the lever handles. The lever handles 9, 10 may, for example, comprise the handles of a latch mechanism of the type described in WO-A-2004/007'877. In this regard, the inside handle 9 of the face plate assembly is fitted with a trigger actuated lock 13, as described in the aforementioned International publication. In the accompanying drawings, the lever handles 9, 10 are generally shown projecting downwardly for convenience of illustration. However, it will be appreciated that, in normal use, the lever handles will be generally horizontal, in their normal rest positions (see Figures 10 and 11) and that they may be resiliently urged into the rest positions by conventional spring return units (not shown) bearing on horizontal flats at diametrically opposite positions on the stub shafts 11, 12. The spring units may be secured within the cavities 7, 8 of the face plates in any convenient manner.

[0015] Cooperating with the inner face plate 1, on the inside of the latter facing the door, is a fixing plate 14 which is of complementary shape to the cavity 7 of the inner face plate so that, when the assembly is installed, the fixing plate is concealed by the flange 5 of the inner face plate. The fixing plate is a simple, flat plate having internally threaded collars 15 projecting from its outside into the cavity 7 of the inner face plate. The latter is secured to the fixing plate by means of fastening screws 16 which pass through counter sunk holes 17 in the facia wall 3 of the inner face plate. The fixing plate is additionally formed, generally centrally along the longitudinal axis of the plate, with a hole 18 for accommodating the latch spindle 19 of a latch mechanism installed in the adjacent edge of the door D, and several holes 20 and slots 21,22 for aligning with screw threaded fastening points 23,24 of the outer face plate arid for enabling access to a cylinder lock 25 of the latch mechanism, as more fully described below.

[0016] On its rear or inside, the facia wall 4 of the outer face plate 2 is cast centrally along the longitudinal axis of the plate with internally threaded bosses 23, 24. These bosses are arranged along the inside of the facia plate so as to match the fixing centres which are generally used by the producers of other door handle face plate assemblies. The threaded bosses 23 are disposed in spaced positions along an upper end of the face plate 2 whilst the bosses 24 are arranged in an adjoining line adjacent the lower end of the face plate, as viewed in the drawings.

[0017] To accommodate the cylinder lock 25 of a latch mechanism, the facia walls 3,4 of each of the face plates is formed below its handle journal with a rectangular opening 26, extending over an area where it is anticipated ■ that the cylinder lock of the latch mechanism will be positioned, and this opening is covered on the outside of the facia wall by a sliding escutcheon plate 28,29 having a keyhole opening 30,31 for matching to the adjacent end of the cylinder lock. Each escutcheon plate is slidably mounted by means of two pairs of ears 32,33 riveted to the inside of the escutcheon plate adjacent to each edge thereof and engaging behind ledges 34,35 of the facia plate at opposite sides of the rectangular opening. Plastic pads 36 secured in cooperating openings on the inside of each escutcheon plate are engagable with the outside of the facia wall, as the escutcheon plate slides over its range of movement, so as frictionally to engage the escutcheon plate with the outside of the facia wall and retain it in an adjusted position and avoid looseness. On its inside, the keyhole opening 30,31 in each escutcheon plate is provided with an inwardly projecting peripheral flange 38 for embracing the adjacent end of the cylinder lock 25.

[0018] To enable the face plate assembly to be installed on a door, it comprises two fixing studs 39 which are externally threaded at one end 40 for screwing into selected ones of the internally threaded bosses 23, 24 and are internally threaded at the opposite end 41; two screw fastening pins 42 having heads 43 at one end and externally threaded at the opposite end 44 for screwing into the internally threaded ends of the studs 39; and two headed guide bushes 45 for guiding the pins through the holes and/or slots 20,21 in the fixing plate 14. The fixing studs 39 may be formed with a pair of diametrically opposite flats to facilitate tightening of the studs into the bushes 23,24. The heads of the pins 42 have screw driver slots. When supplied in kit form as a replacement product, the face plate assembly will comprise the two face plates 1,2, the fixing plate 14 and at least two fastening screws 16, studs 39, pins 42 and headed bushes 45.

[0019] As discussed above, the face plate assembly of the invention is especially designed as a replacement product for existing handles and face plate assemblies of doors having lockable latch assemblies embedded in the edges of the doors. It can use the existing fixing holes 46 drilled through a door for an existing face plate assembly and avoid the necessity of drilling fresh holes for the replacement.

[0020] Hence, having removed the existing face plate assembly from the door D, the outer face plate 2 is offered to the outside of the door, with the stub shaft journal 12 aligned with the latch spindle 19 of the existing latch mechanism in order to establish which of the internally threaded bosses 23, 24 of the face plate match the existing fixing holes 46 of the removed assembly. The two studs 39 are then screwed into the selected two threaded bosses 23,24 of the outer face plate and the latter is positioned against the outside face of the door with its stub shaft 12 engaged with the adjacent end of the latch spindle 19 and the studs 39 projecting into the adjacent ends of the fixing holes 46. At the same time, the escutcheon plates 29 is adjusted (see Figures 10 and 11) so as to enable the inwardly projecting flange 38 of the keyhole 31 to engage about the adjacent end of the cylinder lock 25. The enlarged internally threaded ends of the studs 39 serve more positively to locate the face plate relative to the fixing holes. The fixing plate 14 is then offered to the opposite inside face of the door, with the hole 18 surrounding the adjacent projecting end of the latch spindle 19, and the headed guide bushes 45 are inserted through an appropriate one of the holes 20 and the slot 21 in the fixing plate and matching the fixing holes 46 to be used for the assembly. Similarly to the studs 39, the guide bushes 45 engage in the fixing holes more positively to locate the fixing plate. The two fastening pins 42 are inserted through the guide bushes and the fixing holes 46 so that they engage with the internally threaded ends 41, of the studs 39_f whereafter they are tightened to clamp the outer face plates 2 and the fixing plate 14 to the opposite faces of the door.

[0021] Finally, the inner face plate 1 is positioned over the fixing plate 14 with its handle stub shaft 11 aligned with the adjacent end of the latch spindle 19, the sliding escutcheon plate 30 is adjusted so that the peripheral flange 38 about the key hole opening 30 is engageable with the adjacent end of the cylinder lock 25, and the inner face plate is fastened to the fixing plate with the screws 16 which extend through the facia wall 3 and are screwed into tight engagement with the internally threaded collars 15.

[0022] It will be appreciated that this replacement face plate assembly is extremely easy to install without the requirement for any tools except a screw driver and, possibly, a pair of pliers to permit tightening of the studs 39 into the selected internally threaded bosses 23,24 of the outer plates.

[0023] Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be understood that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A face plate (1, 2) for positioning on one side of a door (D) and mounting a handle (9, 10) for coupling to a latch and/or lock mechanism mounted within an edge of the door, said face plate having an opening (26) in a position to provide access to a lock (25) of the latch and/or lock mechanism when the associated handle (9, 10) is coupled to the mechanism, characterised in that the opening (26) is covered by an adjustable plate (28, 29) having a keyhole or other through hole (30, 31) therein so that, when the face plate is fitted to the door, the adjustable plate is adjustable to position the through hole (30, 31) in matching relation with the keyhole of the lock (25) .

2. A face plate assembly comprising two face plates (1, 2) for positioning on opposite sides of a door (D) and mounting handles (9, 10) for coupling to a latch and/or lock mechanism mounted within an edge of the door, and fastenings

(39,42) for attaching the face plates together on opposite sides of the door, each face plate having an opening (26) in a position to provide access to a lock (25) of the latch and/or lock mechanism when the associated handle (9, 10) is coupled to the mechanism, characterised in that the opening

(26) of each face plate is covered by an adjustable plate

(28, 29) having a keyhole or other through hole (30, 31) therein so that, when the face plate assembly is fitted to the door, each plate (28, 29) is adjustable to position its through hole (30, 31) in matching relation with the adjacent keyhole of the lock (25) .

3. A face plate assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first one (2) of the face plates has a multiplicity of screw threaded fastenings (39) disposed at predetermined spaced positions along the inside of the face plate which faces the door, at least one of which fastenings, when the associated handle (10) is coupled to the mechanism, corresponds to the anticipated position of at least one fixing hole (46) formed through the door, wherein a fixing plate (14) , having holes and/or slots (20,21) therethrough arranged to co-operate with the threaded fastenings (39) of the first face plate

(2) , is provided for locating on the opposite side of the door (D) , whereby the first face plate (2) and the fixing plate (14) can be clamped to opposite sides of the door by at least one screw fastening member (42) extending through a selected hole or slot (20, 21) in the fixing plate and engaging with a co-operating one of the threaded fastenings

(39) of the first face plate, and wherein the second one (1) of the face plates is fastenable to the fixing plate (14) .

4. A kit of parts for a face plate assembly comprising face plates (1,2) for positioning on opposite sides of a door (D) in place of existing face plates and mounting handles (9,10) for coupling to an existing latch and/or lock mechanism of the door, characterised by a fixing plate (14) , one or more fastening members (42) for disposing through pre-formed holes in the door and engageable with complementary fastenings (39) on the inside of a first one

(2) of the face plates (1, 2) for clamping the latter and the fixing plate to opposite sides of the door, fastening members (16) for attaching the second face plate (1) to the fixing plate, an opening (26) in each face plate disposed in a position to provide access to a lock (25) of the latch and/or lock mechanism when the associated handle (9, 10) is coupled to the mechanism, and the opening (26) of each face plate being covered by an adjustable plate (28, 29) having a keyhole or other through hole (30, 31) therein so that, when the face plate assembly is fitted to the door, each plate (28, 29) is adjustable to position its through hole (30, 31) in matching relation with the adjacent keyhole of the lock (25) .

5. An assembly or kit as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein one or each face plate (1, 2) is cast or otherwise formed as a hollow plate having a cavity (7, 8) on its inside which faces the door.

6. An assembly or kit as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second face plate (1) is formed as a hollow plate having a cavity (7) on its inside facing the door and the fixing plate (14) is of complementary shape in plan to the second face plate so that it is enclosed by the cavity (7) when the face plate (1) is fastened to the fixing plate. 5

7. An assembly or kit as claimed in any preceding claim 3 to 6, wherein the face plates (1,2) are of elongated shape and the screw threaded fastenings (39) of the first plate (2) and holes and/or slots of the fixing plate (14) areΘ disposed at spaced positions substantially centrally along the plates.

8. An assembly or kit as claimed in any preceding claim 3 to 7, wherein several of the threaded fastenings (39) of the5 first face plate (2) are aligned in substantially adjoining relation and co-operate with a corresponding slot (21) formed in the fixing plate (14) .

9. An assembly or kit as claimed in any preceding claim 30 to 8, wherein the screw threaded fastenings of the first face plate (2) comprise threaded parts (23, 24) on the inside of the first face plate, and one or more studs (39) , each of which is threaded at one end (40) for mating with the threaded parts of the first face plate and threaded (41)5 at the opposite end for engaging with a screw fastening member (42) .

10. An assembly or kit as claimed in claim 9, wherein said opposite threaded ends (41) of the studs (39) are configured to be engageable with the adjacent ends of fixing holes (46) formed through the door.

11. An assembly or kit as claimed in any preceding claim 3 to 10, wherein the holes and/or slots (20,21) in the fixing plate (14) are sized to receive a guide bush (45) through which the fastening members (42) can extend and which are configured to engage in the adjacent end of a fixing hole

(46) formed through the door.

12. An assembly or kit as claimed in any preceding claim 3 to 11, wherein the fixing plate (14) has one or more threaded bosses (15) projecting from its face adjacent the second face plate (2) and engageable with a screw or screws extending through the second face plate (1) for fastening the latter to the fixing plate.

13. An assembly or kit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each face plate (1, 2) houses a spring return mechanism on its inside adjacent a stub shaft (11, 12) journaling the associated handle (9, 10) in the face plate for biasing the handle into a rest position.