Inside door lock

Claim 1

Apparatus for locking a door against a door jamb and comprising: a. an elongated longitudinal blade having a lug projecting laterally therefrom adjacent a forward end of said blade, said blade having a row of ratchet teeth along at least part of a first longitudinal edge, each of said ratchet teeth having a forward face lying in a transverse plane which is generally at right angles to said first longitudinal edge; b. a body member adapted to slideably receive said blade, said body member having a shoulder projecting laterally therefrom adjacent a forward end of said body member, said lug and said shoulder extending at substantially right angles and in opposite directions so that when said body member is connected to said blade and the locking apparatus is in place, the lug bears against the jamb and the shoulder bears against the door to hold the door closed; c. a ratchet pawl having a plurality of teeth adjacent a rear end of said pawl for engaging the said ratchet teeth, said pawl being pivotally connected to said body member adjacent said body member forward end and said pawl extending rearwardly from said pivotal connection to said pawl rear end such that a rearward force on the shoulder tends to rotate the ratchet pawl into tighter engagement with the ratchet teeth on the blade, and a forward force moves the pawl teeth over the ratchet teeth to position the blade against the door; d. spring means attached to the body member and adapted to bias said ratchet pawl for maintaining said ratchet pawl teeth in engagement with said ratchet teeth; and e. a handle pivotally attached to said body member and extending rearwardly from said body member, said handle being pivotally attached to the body member rearwardly of the ratchet pawl and comprising; a front end; a projection extending forwardly from the front end of the handle and engaged in the ratchet pawl recess; and a rear end portion, whereby upon moving the rear end portion of said handle towards said blade, said projection and said rear end of the pawl move away from the blade to move the ratchet pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth on said blade to permit the body member to be moved rearwardly on the blade.