US 7,452,012 B2 · Multi-functional mortise lock · patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A multi-functional mortise lock that can be rapidly converted between different functions without opening the mortise lock case by installing blocking screws that extend through threaded blocking openings in a sidewall of the case and into blocking interference with moving components inside the case. The moving components include a lock/unlock lever, a latch retract lever and a spindle hub. The blocking screws are stored in threaded storage openings in the sidewall of the case. The sidewall of the case is marked adjacent to the threaded blocking openings and storage openings to identify functions that will be performed when the blocking screws are installed in one or more of the blocking openings.

Drawings

Claims29

Dependent claims

A multi-functional mortise lock comprising:

a casing having a front plate for confronting a door frame, a first sidewall and an opposed second sidewall, at least one of the sidewalls having a lock cylinder opening for receiving a lock cylinder;
a latch bolt movable with respect to the casing between an extended position and a retracted position;
at least one spindle hub adapted for connection to a spindle projecting from a handle, the at least one spindle hub acting to move the latch bolt to the retracted position when rotated;
an interfering member movable between a locked position in which the interfering member interferingly engages the at least one spindle hub to prevent rotation thereof and an unlocked position in which the interfering member is disengaged from the at least one spindle hub;
a lock/unlock lever for moving the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions,
a latch retract lever for moving the latch bolt between the extended and retracted positions;
a control hub operable by the lock cylinder, the control hub being operably connected to the lock/unlock lever to move the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
the latch retract lever being operable by the lock cylinder to move the latch bolt between the extended and retracted positions;
at least one blocking element positionable through at least one blocking opening in the first sidewall to prevent the lock cylinder from operating the lock/unlock lever to move the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions, the at least one blocking element being positionable through the at least one blocking opening without removing the first or second sidewall from the mortise lock.

6 more elements

A multi-functional mortise lock comprising:

a casing having a front plate for confronting a door frame, a first sidewall and an opposed second sidewall, at least one of the sidewalls having a lock/unlock blocking opening and a lock cylinder opening for receiving a lock cylinder;
a latch bolt movable with respect to the casing between an extended position and a retracted position;
at least one spindle hub adapted for connection to a spindle projecting from a handle, the at least one spindle hub acting to move the latch bolt to the retracted position when rotated;
an interfering member movable between a locked position in which the interfering member interferingly engages the at least one spindle hub to prevent rotation thereof and an unlocked position in which the interfering member is disengaged from the at least one spindle hub;
a lock/unlock lever for moving the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
a control hub operable by the lock cylinder, the control hub being operably connected to the lock/unlock lever to move the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
and
a lock/unlock blocking element positionable to prevent motion of the lock/unlock lever between the locked and unlocked positions, the lock/unlock blocking element being positionable without removing the first or second sidewall from the mortise lock;
wherein the lock/unlock blocking element is inserted through the lock/unlock blocking opening to prevent the lock/unlock lever from moving the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions and the lock/unlock blocking element is removable from outside the multi-functional mortise lock without removing the first or second sidewall.

6 more elements

A multi-functional mortise lock comprising:

a casing having a front plate for confronting a door frame, a first sidewall and an opposed second sidewall, at least one of the sidewalls having a lock cylinder opening for receiving a lock cylinder;
a latch bolt movable with respect to the casing between an extended position and a retracted position;
at least one spindle hub adapted for connection to a spindle projecting from a handle, the at least one spindle hub acting to move the latch bolt to the retracted position when rotated;
an interfering member movable between a locked position in which the interfering member interferingly engages the at least one spindle hub to prevent rotation thereof and an unlocked position in which the interfering member is disengaged from the at least one spindle hub;
a lock/unlock lever for moving the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions,
a control hub operable by the lock cylinder, the control hub being operably connected to the lock/unlock lever to move the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
and
at least one blocking element positionable in alternative positions to block the at least one spindle hub to prevent rotation thereof or to prevent the lock/unlock lever from moving the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions, the at least one blocking element being positionable without removing the first or second sidewall from the mortise lock.

5 more elements

A multi-functional mortise lock comprising:

a casing having a front plate for confronting a door frame, a first sidewall and an opposed second sidewall, at least one of the sidewalls having a lock cylinder opening for receiving a lock cylinder operated by a key and at least two blocking openings;
a latch bolt movable with respect to the casing between an extended position and a retracted position;
at least one spindle hub adapted for connection to a spindle projecting from a handle, the at least one spindle hub acting to move the latch bolt to the retracted position when rotated;
a latch retract lever for moving the latch bolt between the extended and retracted positions;
an interfering member movable between a locked position in which the interfering member interferingly engages the at least one spindle hub to prevent rotation thereof and an unlocked position in which the interfering member is disengaged from the at least one spindle hub;
a lock/unlock lever for moving the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
a control hub operated by the lock cylinder and operably connected to the lock/unlock lever to move the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
at least one blocking element positionable through the at least two blocking openings without removing the first or second sidewall from the mortise lock, the at least one blocking element being positionable to block motion of at least two multi-functional lock components selected from the group consisting of the latch retract lever, the lock/unlock lever and the spindle hub.

5 more elements

A multi-functional mortise lock comprising:

a casing having a front plate for confronting a door frame, a first sidewall and an opposed second sidewall, at least one of the sidewalls having a lock cylinder opening for receiving a lock cylinder;
a latch bolt movable with respect to the casing between an extended position and a retracted position;
a first spindle hub adapted for connection to a spindle projecting from a first handle, the first spindle hub acting to move the latch bolt to the retracted position when rotated;
a second spindle hub adapted for connection to a spindle projecting from a second handle, the second spindle hub acting to move the latch bolt to the retracted position when rotated;
a latch retract lever for moving the latch bolt between the extended and retracted positions;
an interfering member movable between a locked position in which the interfering member interferingly engages at least one of the spindle hubs to prevent rotation thereof and an unlocked position in which the interfering member is disengaged from the spindle hubs;
a lock/unlock lever for moving the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
a control hub operable by the lock cylinder, the control hub being operably connected to the latch retract lever to move the latch bolt between the extended and retracted positions and operably connected to the lock/unlock lever to move the interfering member between the locked and unlocked positions;
a latch retract blocking screw removably mounted on the first sidewall and extending through the first sidewall, the latch retract blocking screw blocking the latch retract lever when mounted to the first sidewall to prevent the control hub from retracting the latch bolt, the latch retract blocking screw being removable from the first sidewall without removing the first or second sidewall from the mortise lock;
a lock/unlock blocking screw removably mounted on the first sidewall and extending through the first sidewall, the lock/unlock blocking screw blocking the lock/unlock lever to prevent the control hub from moving the lock/unlock lever between the locked and unlocked positions, the lock/unlock blocking screw being removable from the first sidewall without removing the first or second sidewall from the mortise lock;
and
a spindle hub blocking screw removably mounted on the first sidewall and extending through the first sidewall, the spindle hub blocking screw blocking the first spindle hub to prevent rotation thereof, the spindle hub blocking screw being removable from the first sidewall without removing the first or second sidewall from the mortise lock.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description3,123 words

Summary1,197 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to mortise locks with multiple functions in which the functions can be changed without opening the case.

#2. Description of Related Art

Brief description of the drawings4 figures

#The features of the invention believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a multi-functional mortise lock according to the present invention. The sidewall has been removed to expose the internal components of the mortise lock.

#FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the multi-functional mortise lock in FIG. 1 taken from the opposite side of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows function markings on the exterior of the mortise lock case sidewall.

Detailed description1,706 words

#In describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made herein to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings in which like numerals refer to like features of the invention.

#Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a mortise lock 10 having a casing 20 formed by a top wall 22, a back wall 24, a bottom wall 26, a front plate 28 and a pair of sidewalls 30. One sidewall is shown in the drawings. The opposite sidewall has been removed to show the internal components of the mortise lock and their relative positions and operation.

#Principal components inside the mortise lock include a control hub 32, a pair of spindle hubs 34, 36 (see FIG. 3), a latch bolt 42 having a latch bolt tail 40, an interfering member 44, a lock/unlock lever 52 and a latch retract lever 62.