Thumb-operated multilatch door lock

A thumb-operated multilatch door lock attachable to a door, the thumb-operated multilatch door lock comprising:

• an extendable and retractable central latch;
• a central latch driving mechanism;
• at least one extendable and retractable remote latch;
• at least one remote latch driving mechanism,
• the at least one remote latch driving mechanism including at least one extendable and retractable action bar to communicate movements of the central latch driving mechanism to the at least one remote latch driving mechanism,
• the at least one remote latch having a retracted, an extended and a superextended position, the at least one remote latch further including a latch trigger, the at least one latch trigger releasing the at least one remote latch to extend to its superextended position when the door is fully closed;
• the central latch driving mechanism having a rotatable spindle upon rotation of which in alternate directions the central latch driving mechanism retracts and extends the central latch and the at least one action bar of the at least one remote latch driving mechanism;
• a movable thumb-operated latch lever adapted to be exposed on the door;
• a handle adapted to be exposed on the door and positioned to facilitate actuating the movable thumb-operated latch lever with a thumb while grasping, pushing and pulling the handle to open and close the door;
• a rack responsive to the thumb-operated latch lever for movement in an upward direction when the thumb-operated latch lever is moved in a downward direction;
• a rack spring resiliently biasing the rack in a downward direction;
• a sector pinion connected to the spindle and engaging the rack for rotating the spindle, the rack when reciprocating in one direction rotating the spindle to extend the central latch and the at least one action bar, and the rack when reciprocating in another direction rotating the spindle to retract the central latch and the at least one action bar;
• an elongate mounting plate upon which the central latch driving mechanism and the at least one remote latch driving mechanism are mounted,
• the mounting plate being mountable to a free edge of the door, the door having an exterior side and an interior side, the mounting plate having apertures through which the central latch and the at least one remote latch pass while they are extended;
• a deadbolt slidable between a retracted position within the central latch driving mechanism and a position extending therefrom and through the mounting plate;
• a key-operated lock adapted to be disposed within the door proximate the central latch driving mechanism, the key-operated lock having an exposed end adapted to receive a key, the exposed end being adapted to be exposed on the exterior side of the door, the key-operated lock effecting an extension and a retraction of the deadbolt when a key is inserted into the exposed end of the key-operated lock and rotated;
• a thumb-turn adapted to be exposed on the interior side of the door and effecting an extension and retraction of the deadbolt when the thumb-turn is rotated;
• and
• a doorknob adapted to be exposed on the interior side of the door and adapted to be mounted on the spindle of the central latch driving mechanism to effect a retraction of the central latch and the at least one remote latch when the doorknob is rotated, and
• the central latch driving mechanism, the central latch, the deadbolt, the least one remote latch, the at least one remote latch driving mechanism, the at least one action bar, and the mounting plate cooperating to form a first subassembly.