Lock assembly

A lock assembly comprising:

• an interior escutcheon having an inner facing, an exterior protective facing and an access opening on said exterior facing providing access to said lock assembly for operating said lock assembly;
• an exterior escutcheon having an interior facing, an exterior facing and a key cylinder access opening, said interior escutcheon and said exterior escutcheon being connectable;
• a mortise lock assembly securable to said interior escutcheon and comprising a substantially rectangular-shaped mortise lock housing having an accessible opening, a rotatable, retractable locking element rotatable between an unlocking position wherein said locking element is retracted into said accessible opening, and a locking position wherein said locking element is extending outwardly from said accessible opening for entry into a keeper, and a drive assembly operatively connected to said rotatable, retractable locking element for operating said locking element;
• and
• an apparatus operatively connected to said mortise lock assembly for controlled movement of said locking element from said locking position in the keeper to said unlocking position and from said unlocking position to said locking position, said apparatus for controlled movement of said locking element comprising:
• a rotatable spindle operatively connected to said drive assembly of said mortise lock assembly;
• a slidable device in mechanical communication with said rotatable spindle, said slidable device including a track for enabling sliding of said slidable device for sliding with respect to said rotatable spindle for effecting movement of said locking element;
• and
• at least one accessible control device operatively connected with said slidable device for sliding said slidable device.