Convertible knob/lever cylinder

Abstract

A convertible knob/lever cylinder developed with a hybrid lock architecture for a door designed to incorporate the functionality of a cylindrical lock architecture with the ease of installation of a tubular lock architecture is provided by the present invention. The convertible knob/lever cylinder comprises a cylinder plug housed within a cylinder housing. A driver bar is attached to the cylinder by a cylinder driver such that rotation of the cylinder plug causes rotation of the driver bar. The driver bar telescopically mates with a chassis assembly of a lock assembly. The present invention also relates to a new lock architecture configuration including a convertible knob/lever cylinder, the lock assembly comprising a chassis assembly mounted in a bore of a door. A door latch assembly is operably connected to the chassis assembly for retraction and extension of a bolt. An outside handle is mounted on an outside spindle of the chassis assembly. A convertible knob/lever cylinder assembly is mounted within the outside handle wherein the knob/lever cylinder assembly comprises a driver bar telescopically mating with the chassis assembly. Rotational motion of the driver bar is converted to linear motion within the chassis assembly in order to retract the bolt of the door latch assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.