Versatile paddle handle operating mechanism for latches and locks

A flush-mountable handle mechanism capable of being connected to a plurality of elongate links for concurrently moving the links along their lengths to operate latches connected to the links, comprising a generally rectangular pan-shaped housing having opposed ends and opposed sides that cooperate to define a forwardly facing recess wherein a handle is supported for movement about a handle pivot axis that extends across the recess between a selected one of the opposed sides of the housing and the opposed ends of the housing, with the handle being movable about the handle pivot axis between a normal non-operating position substantially nested within the recess and an operated position projecting from the recess, means for connection to the housing and for defining a rearwardly extending pivot axis at a substantially central location behind the recess, a connection plate having a central portion that pivots about the pivot axis and that extends in a plane that intersects the pivot axis at a right angle, wherein said plane contains first and second imaginary axes that intersect at right angles at the pivot axis and extend away from the opposed ends and the opposed sides of the housing substantially at right angles thereto, an operating arm movably connected to the housing, pivotally connected to the connection plate and drivingly connected to the handle so as to pivot the connection plate about the pivot axis between a non-operated orientation and an operated orientation in response to movement of the handle from the non-operated position to the operated position, and a plurality of link connection formations arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the pivot axis for connection with at least one opposed pair of links extending in opposite directions from the pivot axis for concurrently operating latches connected to the links, with at least one of the pairs of link connection formations being located closer to the pivot axis than at least one other of the pairs of link connection formations so as to provide alternate locations where the links of said one opposed pair can connect with different ones of the link connection formations to change the distances the links move, measured along their lengths, in response to identical angular movements of the connection plate about the pivot axis.

A flush-mountable handle mechanism capable of being connected to a plurality of elongate links for concurrently moving the links along their lengths to operate latches connected to the links at locations spaced from the mechanism, comprising a generally rectangular pan-shaped housing having opposed ends and opposed sides that cooperate to define a forwardly facing recess wherein a handle is supported for movement about a handle pivot axis that extends across the recess between a selected one of the opposed sides of the housing and the opposed ends of the housing, with the handle being movable about the handle pivot axis between a normal non-operated position substantially nested within the recess and an operated position projecting from the recess;

• a connection plate connected to the housing for pivotal movement about a pivot axis that extends rearwardly with respect to the housing at a location situated behind the recess;
• a plurality of outer link connection points defined by corner regions of the connection plate;
• a plurality of inner link connection points defined by portions of the connection plate situated between the pivot axis and the corner regions;
• means for drivingly interconnecting the handle and the connection plate for pivoting the connection plate about the pivot axis between a non-operated orientation and an operated orientation in response to movement of the handle from the non-operated position to the operated position;
• and, wherein a range of angular movement executed by the connection plate in pivoting about the pivot axis from the non-operated orientation to the operated orientation is less than about thirty degrees.

A flush-mountable paddle handle operating mechanism including a generally rectangular pan-shaped housing having opposed ends and opposed sides that cooperate to define a forwardly facing recess wherein a handle is supported for movement about a handle pivot axis that extends across the recess between a selected one of the opposed sides of the housing and the opposed ends of the housing, with the handle being movable about the handle pivot axis between a normal non-operated position substantially nested within the recess and an extended position projecting from the recess, and a connection plate drivingly connected to the handle and being pivotal about a pivot axis extending rearwardly with respect to the housing from a non-operated orientation to an operated orientation in response to movement of the handle from a non-operated position to an operated position, wherein the connecting plate defines first, second, third and fourth connection formations adapted to be connected, respectively, to first, second, third and fourth elongate links for operating, respectively, first, second, third and fourth latches, with the first and second connection formations being located on opposite sides of the pivot axis, at an equal distance from the pivot axis, and along an imaginary first line that intersects the pivot axis, with the third connection formation being located along an imaginary second line that intersects the first line at right angles at the pivot axis, and at said equal distance from the pivot axis, and with the fourth connection formation being located on an opposite side of the pivot axis from the third connection formation and offset from the second line along an imaginary third line that intersects the second line at said equal distance from the pivot axis and in a direction that parallels a direction in which the third and fourth links will extend when connected to the third and fourth connection formations and to the third and fourth latches.

A flush-mountable paddle handle operating mechanism including a generally rectangular pan-shaped housing having opposed ends and opposed sides that cooperate to define a forwardly facing recess wherein a handle is supported for movement about a handle pivot axis that extends across the recess between a selected one of the opposed sides of the housing and the opposed ends of the housing, with the handle being movable about the handle pivot axis between a normal non-operated position substantially nested within the recess and an operated position projecting from the recess, and a connection plate drivingly connected to the handle and being pivotal about a pivot axis extending rearwardly with respect to the housing from a non-operated orientation to an operated orientation in response to movement of the handle from a non-operated position to an operated position;

• wherein the connecting plate defines first, second, third and fourth connection formations adapted to be connected, respectively, to first, second, third and fourth elongate links for operating, respectively, first, second, third and fourth latches;
• wherein the first and second latches are located on opposite sides of the pivot axis along an imaginary first axis that intersects the pivot axis;
• wherein the third and fourth latches are located on opposite sides of the pivot axis along an imaginary second axis that intersects the pivot axis;
• wherein the first and second connection formations are located on opposite sides of the pivot axis for oppositely moving the first and second links when the first and second links extend along opposite sides of and substantially parallel to the imaginary first axis;
• wherein the third and fourth connection formations are located on opposite sides of the pivot axis for oppositely moving the third and fourth links when the third and fourth links extend along opposite sides of and substantially parallel to the imaginary second axis;
• wherein the first and second connection formations are located at equal distances from the imaginary first axis;
• wherein the third and fourth connection formations are located at equal distances from the imaginary second axis;
• and, wherein at least one of the first, second, third and fourth connection formations fails to reside along a set of right angle lines that intersect at the pivot axis and with all others of the first, second, third and fourth connection formations.