Privacy lock

#The present disclosure relates generally to locking devices. In particular, this disclosure relates to a privacy lock with an emergency exit feature.

#According to one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a privacy door lock with a lock assembly including a chassis having exterior and interior portions. A spindle extends between the exterior and interior portions to translate a door latch. An exterior spring housing and an interior spring housing may be coupled to the exterior and interior portions of the chassis. The interior spring housing and the exterior housing each have compression springs. A locking mechanism having a locking piece engages with a toggle offset from a central axis of the chassis to secure the lock assembly in a locked position. In some embodiments, the lock assembly provides means for unlocking the lock assembly from the interior portion by a camming motion so that the toggle is translated out of engagement with the locking piece, thereby allowing the locking piece to rotate with the spindle.

#In illustrative embodiments, the lock assembly may include a chassis with an exterior and interior portion configured to extend from an exterior and interior of a door. A spindle may be provided that extends between the exterior and interior portion to translate a door latch bolt. An exterior spring housing and an interior spring housing may be coupled to the exterior and interior portions of the chassis. The interior spring housing and the exterior housing may each have compression springs. A locking mechanism may be provided having a locking piece that is keyed to engage with a toggle offset from a central axis of the chassis to secure the lock assembly in a locked position. The locking piece is keyed to receive a tail piece of the toggle. Translation of the tail piece out of the keyed locking piece unlocks the lock assembly into an unlocked position.

#The detailed description makes reference to the accompanying figures in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cut away of a door on which a lock assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure is installed.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the example lock assembly shown in FIG. 1.

#The disclosure generally relates to a privacy lock assembly. Privacy door locks are often used in bedrooms and/or bathrooms, but this disclosure is not intended to be limited to a particular room or location in which the lock is installed. The lock assembly can be locked by actuating a push button on the interior assembly. Depending on the circumstances, the unlocking button could be offset from, and not incorporated into the handle, which provides more flexibility in the handle's aesthetic design. The lock assembly can be unlocked solely by actuating the interior handle, which provides an emergency exit feature for users to easily unlock the lock assembly and exit a room. An emergency key is provided to unlock the lock assembly from the exterior assembly side. The lock assembly may incorporate spring housings to maintain interior and exterior handles in a predetermined orientation in the unloaded position.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a privacy lock assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example shown, the privacy lock assembly 1 includes an interior handle 2, an interior rose 4, and a button 14 arranged on an interior side of a door 3 opposite an exterior handle 38 mounted on an opposite side of the door 3. The interior rose 4 could be many different sizes and shapes depending on the desired aesthetic qualities of the lock assembly 1. The handles 2, 38 are shown as levers in FIG. 1 for purposes of example, but could be embodied as knobs or other types of handles. When the privacy lock assembly 1 is in an unlocked position, a bolt 26 is operably movable by the interior and exterior handles 2, 38 between an extended and retracted position. As shown, the bolt 26 is in the extended position, but when the privacy lock assembly 1 is in the unlocked position, the rotation of either handle 2, 38 moves the bolt 26 to a retracted position. In the embodiment shown, the button 14 may be pushed to lock the lock assembly 1. In a locked position, the exterior handle 38 cannot actuate the bolt 26 to the retracted position. However, even in the locked position, the interior handle 2 can actuate the bolt 26 to the retracted position which is an emergency exit feature that allows a person to exit a room by solely activating the interior handle 2 to unlock the lock assembly 1. As shown, the button 14 is offset from an axis about which the interior handle 2 rotates. In the example shown, the button 14 extends through the interior rose 4.

#Referring to FIG. 2, the privacy lock assembly 1 includes an interior chassis 40 and an exterior chassis 42. The interior chassis 40 includes an interior insert 6 that extends through the opening 7 in interior rose 4 and into the interior handle 2. An interior liner 10 is received by a recessed area of the interior rose 4. The interior liner 10 also provides an opening 60 to receive an end of the interior insert 6. The interior insert 6 extends through the interior liner 10 and is retained in place by a clip 12. The interior rose 4 includes an opening 5 through which a button 14 extends in mating connection with toggle 16. As shown, the opening 5 is offset from an opening 7 through which handle 2 extends through rose 4. The interior spring housing 18 connects to interior liner 10 so that interior insert 6 extends into and through the interior spring housing 18. An unlocking piece 20 and a locking piece 22 are mounted to the interior insert 6 via fastener 23.