Lock assembly for a storage cabinet

A door assembly for a storage cabinet comprising:

• a door having a lock window therein within an interior portion thereof, which said window has an edge comprising crosswise spaced-apart edge portions, and at least one locking rod which is slidably supported by said door so as to be movable in a drive direction along a respective slide path, said at least one locking rod having a lock end disposed adjacent an edge of said door so as to be movable to an extended position to lock the door and a retracted position to permit opening of said door, said at least one locking rod further including a drive end disposed proximate said lock window;
• and
• a lock mechanism having a lock housing mounted to said door such that said lock mechanism is disposed within said lock window, said lock mechanism further including at least one lock rack which is slidable in a drive direction along a respective drive path and said lock mechanism further including an actuator accessible from an exterior of said door to effect selected displacement of said at least one lock rack along said respective drive path during operation of said lock mechanism, said at least one lock rack and said drive end of said at least one locking rod being transversely engagable with each other during assembly thereof such that displacement of said at least one lock rack along said respective drive path effects displacement of said at least one locking rod along said respective slide path during operation of said lock mechanism to effect locking and unlocking of said door, said drive end of said at least one locking rod and said at least one lock rack including cooperating engagement portions which define an engagement path extending in a transverse direction oriented transverse to said drive path and extending crosswise relative to said lock window, said engagement portions being inter-fitted with each other during assembly by displacement of said drive end in an engaging first direction along said engagement path to transversely engage said engagement portions with each other, said at least one lock rack including a transverse slot which has an open slot end that opens sidewardly transverse to said drive path and a closed slot end spaced transversely away from said open slot end wherein said slot defines said engagement path extending between said open and closed slot ends, said drive end being slidably insertable transversely into said transverse slot of said at least one lock rack in said first direction through said open slot end and being movable along said engagement path so as to be seated within said closed slot end to assemble said at least one locking rod with said at least one lock rack, said engagement portions being defined by transversely-extending edges of said slot and a narrowed portion of said drive end which interfit together, said interfitted engagement portions being interfit to permit reversible transverse displacement of said drive end relative to said at least one lock rack along said engagement path in said first direction and an opposite second direction to effect transverse engagement and disengagement of said engagement portions during assembly and disassembly while simultaneously preventing separating displacement of said drive end relative to said at least one lock rack in said drive direction such that said at least one locking rod is displaced along said respective slide path in unison with said at least one lock rack when moving along said respective drive path during operation of said at least one lock rack;
• and
• a lock mechanism cover which is releasably fixed to said door so as to overlie said lock mechanism, said cover including a rod guide for said at least one locking rod which defines a guide slot that opens into said lock window and receives said at least one locking rod after assembly of said at least one locking rod and said at least one lock rack, said guide slot limiting movement of said drive end crosswise to said lock window to restrain said reversible transverse displacement of said drive end of said at least one locking rod in said first and second directions along said engagement path which prevents transverse disengagement and disassembly of said at least one locking rod from said at least one lock rack in said second direction, said rod guide permitting longitudinal sliding of said at least one locking rod along said respective slide path when driven by said at least one lock rack during operation.