Door Strike Plate with Adjustable Subplate
AssigneeEasy Latch LLC
InventorJonathan Sweeten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for adjusting a door latching mechanism is shown and illustrated. The apparatus comprises a subplate and a strike plate. The subplate is installed against a door frame at latching location underneath the strike plate. The subplate has a front side and a rear side with different widths and defining a bolt aperture. The user can install the subplate in any variation to present an additional latching edge to a latch bolt. In addition, the subplate may have an adjustable tab which may be positioned inward toward the door frame or outward away from the door frame. The adjustable tab presents an additional latching edge for the latch bolt.
Claims20
1) An apparatus for receiving a door latch bolt comprising
- a) a subplate (400) formed from a metal blank (402)
- i) wherein said metal blank (402) comprises
- (1) a front side (420) having a front edge (422) and a front latching edge (410);
- (2) a rear side (424) having a rear edge (426) and rear latching edge (428);
- (3) a bolt aperture (404);
- (4) an adjustable tab (412) connected to said front side (420) by a top tab fold line (430a) and a bottom tab fold line (430b);
- (5) a tab aperture (432) disposed between said adjustable tab (412) and said front side (420);
- (6) a top fastener hole (406a);
- (7) a bottom fastener hole (406b);
- b) a strike plate (100) comprising
- i) a bolt aperture (102) having a back edge (104) and a front latching edge (110);
- ii) an outer face (130);
- iii) an inner face (140);
- iv) a curved front portion (120) curving toward said inner face (140);
- v) a top screw hole (112);
- and
- vi) a bottom screw hole (114).
10) An apparatus for receiving a door latch bolt comprising
- a) a strike plate comprising
- i) a shaped body;
- ii) a shaped strike plate opening;
- iii) two screw holes;
- b) a subplate comprising
- i) a shaped body comprising
- (1) a front portion;
- (2) a top portion;
- (3) a bottom portion;
- (4) a rear portion;
- ii) a shaped subplate opening;
- iii) an adjustable tab connected to said front portion of said shaped body;
- iv) a first fastener hole disposed in said top portion of said shaped body;
- v) a second fastener hole disposed in said bottom portion of said shaped body.
15) A method for ensuring a door fits tightly within a door jamb when in a closed position comprising
- a) placing a subplate (400) against a door jamb at a location to receive a door latch bolt, said subplate (400) comprising
- (1) a front side (420) having a front edge (422) and a front latching edge (410);
- (2) a rear side (424) having a rear edge (426) and rear latching edge (428);
- (3) a bolt aperture (404);
- (4) an adjustable tab (412) connected to said front side (420) by a top tab fold line (430a) and a bottom tab fold line (430b);
- (5) a tab aperture (432) disposed between said adjustable tab (412) and said front side (420);
- (6) a top fastener hole (406a);
- (7) a bottom fastener hole (406b);
- b) placing a strike plate (100) against said subplate (400) such that said subplate (400) is disposed between said strike plate (100) and said door jamb, said strike plate (100) comprising
- i) a bolt aperture (102) having a back edge (104) and a front latching edge (110);
- ii) an outer face (130);
- iii) an inner face (140);
- iv) a curved front portion (120) curving toward said inner face (140);
- v) a top screw hole (112);
- vi) a bottom screw hole (114);
- and
- c) removably securing said subplate (100) and said strike plate (400) to said door jamb;
- d) ensuring proper utilization by listening for a double-clicking sound of a door latch bolt engaging said strike plate (100) and said subplate (400).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.