Door latch operator mount

A door latch for use with a door having first and second major surfaces and a transverse opening formed adjacent the free edge of the door, the latch comprising:

• a housing adapted to be disposed in the door for accommodating the latch components;
• a latch bolt disposed in the housing for movement between a projected position extending beyond the free edge of the door and a retracted position within the door;
• means for moving the latch bolt from the projected position to the retracted position upon actuation the latch bolt moving means;
• a coupling member having an inner surface and an outer surface and an opening, the coupling member adapted to be non-rotatably mounted relative to the door so that the inner surface is against a major surface of the door and the opening in the coupling member is in registry with the transverse opening in the door, the coupling member including
• a plurality of radial flanges supported a first distance transversely outwardly of the outer surface of the coupling member, and
• an integral resilient arcuate tab member projecting angularly outwardly of the outer surface of the coupling member, the tab member having at a distal end thereof a shoulder extending outwardly of the surface of the tab member;
• a latch operator having a shaft portion;
• a bearing member having an inner surface and an outer surface and an opening for rotatably receiving the shaft portion of the latch operator for supporting the rotation of the latch operator about the shaft axis, the bearing member including
• a plurality of radial flanges supported spaced from the inner surface of the bearing member so that when the inner surface of the bearing member is positioned against the outer surface of the mounting plate the distance of the bearing member flanges from the outer surface of the mounting plate is less than the first distance, and
• an arcuate channel formed in the inner surface of the bearing member which gradually tapers in depth from a first deeper portion to a second shallower portion and having a notch in the shallower portion,
• wherein, when the inner surface of the bearing member is positioned against the outer surface of the coupling member in a first position, the coupling member flanges are angularly spaced from the bearing member flanges and the tab member is received in the arcuate channel so that the distal end of the tab member is in the first deeper portion of the channel, and, when the so positioned coupling member and bearing member are rotated relative to one another in the direction of the decreasing depth of the channel to a second position where the shoulder on the tab member seats in the notch in the second shallower portion of the channel, the bearing member flanges are positioned between the outer surface of the coupling member and the coupling member flanges and the tab member is urged toward the outer surface of the coupling member creating a force biasing the bearing member outwardly away from the coupling member and forcing the bearing member flanges against the coupling member flanges whereby the bearing member is rotationally and axially secured relative to the coupling member and the latch operator is rigidly mounted to the door to the door and operably connected to the latch bolt moving means for retraction of the latch bolt upon rotation of the latch operator about the shaft axis.

A passageway comprising:

• a door having first and second major surfaces and a transverse opening formed adjacent the free edge of the door,
• a latch mechanism disposed in the door adjacent the free edge of the door, the latch mechanism including
• a housing for accommodating the components of the latch mechanism,
• a latch bolt disposed in the housing for movement between a projected position extending beyond the free edge of the door and a retracted position within the door, and
• means for moving the latch bolt from the projected position to the retracted position upon actuation of the latch bolt moving means, the latch bolt moving means being disposed in the housing and accessible through the transverse opening in the door;
• a coupling member having an inner surface and an outer surface and an opening, the coupling member adapted to be non-rotatably mounted relative to the door so that the inner surface is against a major surface of the door and the opening in the coupling member is in registry with the transverse opening in the door, the coupling member including
• a plurality of radial flanges supported a first distance transversely outwardly of the outer surface of the coupling member, and
• an integral resilient arcuate tab member projecting angularly outwardly of the outer surface of the coupling member, the tab member having at a distal end thereof a shoulder extending outwardly of the surface of the tab member;
• a latch operator having a shaft portion;
• a bearing member having an inner surface and an outer surface and an opening for rotatably receiving the shaft portion of the latch operator for supporting the rotation of the latch operator relative to the door about the shaft axis, the bearing member including
• a plurality of radial flanges supported spaced from the inner surface of the bearing member so that when the inner surface of the bearing member is positioned against the outer surface of the mounting plate the distance of the bearing member flanges from the outer surface of the mounting plate is less than the first distance, and
• an arcuate channel formed in the inner surface of the bearing member which gradually tapers in depth from a first deeper portion to a second shallower portion and having a notch in the shallower portion,
• wherein, when the inner surface of the bearing member is positioned against the outer surface of the coupling member in a first position, the coupling member flanges are angularly spaced from the bearing member flanges and the tab member is received in the arcuate channel so that the distal end of the tab member is in the first deeper portion of the channel, and, when the so positioned coupling member and bearing member are rotated relative to one another in the direction of the decreasing depth of the channel to a second position where the shoulder on the tab member seats in the notch in the second shallower portion of the channel, the bearing member flanges are positioned between the outer surface of the coupling member and the coupling member flanges and the tab member is urged toward the outer surface of the coupling member creating a force biasing the bearing member outwardly away from the coupling member and forcing the bearing member flanges against the coupling member flanges whereby the bearing member is rotationally and axially secured relative to the coupling member and the latch operator is rigidly mounted to the door and operably connected to the latch bolt moving means for retraction of the latch bolt upon rotation of the latch operator about the shaft axis.

A kit for mounting a door latch operator to a door for use with a door latch mounted within the door, the door latch including a latch bolt and a latch bolt retraction mechanism accessible through a transverse opening in the door, the latch operator having a shaft portion for operative connection to the latch bolt retraction mechanism for moving the latch bolt from a projected position extending beyond a free edge of the door to a retracted position within the door upon actuation of the latch retraction mechanism by the latch operator, the door latch operator mounting kit comprising:

• a coupling member having an inner surface and an outer surface and an opening, the coupling member adapted to be non-rotatably mounted relative to the door so that the inner surface is against the door and the opening in the coupling member is in registry with the transverse opening in the door, the coupling member including
• a plurality of radial flanges supported a first distance transversely outwardly of the outer surface of the coupling member, and
• an integral resilient arcuate tab member projecting angularly outwardly of the outer surface of the coupling member, the tab member having at a distal end thereof a shoulder extending outwardly of the surface of the tab member;
• a bearing member having an inner surface and an outer surface and an opening for rotatably receiving the shaft portion of the latch operator for supporting the rotation of the latch operator relative to the door about the shaft axis, the bearing member including
• a plurality of radial flanges supported spaced from the inner surface of the bearing member so that when the inner surface of the bearing member is positioned against the outer surface of the mounting plate the distance of the bearing member flanges from the outer surface of the mounting plate is less than the first distance, and
• an arcuate channel formed in the inner surface of the bearing member which tapers in depth from a first deeper portion to a second shallower portion and having a notch in the shallower portion;
• and
• a tool for releasably engaging the bearing member and, when engaged with the bearing member, enabling rotation of the bearing member relative to the coupling member so that, when the inner surface of the bearing member is positioned against the outer surface of the coupling member in a first position, the coupling member flanges are angularly spaced from the bearing member flanges and the tab member is received in the arcuate channel so that the distal end of the tab member is in the first deeper portion of the channel, and, when the so positioned coupling member and bearing member are rotated relative to one another by the tool in the direction of the decreasing depth of the channel to a second position where the shoulder on the tab member seats in the notch in the second shallower portion of the channel, the bearing member flanges are positioned between the outer surface of the coupling member and the coupling member flanges and the tab member is urged toward the outer surface of the coupling member creating a force biasing the bearing member outwardly away from the coupling member and forcing the bearing member flanges against the coupling member flanges whereby the bearing member is rotationally and axially secured relative to the coupling member and the latch operator is rigidly mounted to the door for operative connection to the latch retraction mechanism.