Lockset assembly and installation

A lock apparatus, comprising:

• a housing assembly, comprising:
• an escutcheon defining a longitudinal axis, the escutcheon comprising a mounting location and a pocket, wherein the pocket is longitudinally open to the mounting location;
• and
• a cover plate removably coupled to the escutcheon and at least partially enclosing the mounting location;
• wherein the mounting location is longitudinally offset from the pocket and comprises:
• a floor that is longitudinally open to the pocket;
• a pair of lateral walls positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a pair of transverse walls positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis;
• a lock module mounted within the mounting location, the lock module comprising:
• a lock module housing that conforms to the mounting location such that rotation of the lock module housing relative to the escutcheon is prevented;
• an input component mounted in the lock module housing for rotation about the longitudinal axis;
• an output component mounted in the lock module housing for rotation about the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a coupler operable to selectively couple the input component and the output component;
• a shim snugly engaged between the cover plate and a rear side of the lock module housing to discourage shifting of the lock module relative to the housing assembly;
• a drive spindle mounted for rotation relative to the escutcheon about the longitudinal axis, wherein the drive spindle is rotationally coupled with the input component;
• and
• a spring cage rotationally biasing the drive spindle toward a home position, wherein the spring cage is seated in the pocket and is covered by the lock module.

A method of assembling a lock apparatus comprising a housing assembly, the housing assembly including an escutcheon and a cover plate, the method comprising:

• seating a spring cage in a pocket of the escutcheon such that a base of the spring cage is non-rotatably secured to the escutcheon, the spring cage biasing a drive spindle toward a home position;
• positioning a shim between a lock module and the cover plate, the lock module comprising a housing, an input component rotatably mounted in the housing, an output component rotatably mounted in the housing, and a coupler operable to selectively rotationally couple the input component and the output component for joint rotation about a longitudinal axis;
• engaging the drive spindle with the input component such that the spring cage biases the input component toward the home position;
• positioning the lock module within a mounting location of the escutcheon such that the lock module covers the spring cage and the longitudinal axis passes through the lock module, wherein the mounting location comprises a plurality of longitudinally-extending walls that define a perimeter about the longitudinal axis;
• and
• securing the cover plate to the escutcheon to thereby retain the lock module within the mounting location;
• wherein the shim is snugly engaged between the cover plate and a rear side of the lock module and thereby discourages shifting of the lock module relative to the housing assembly.