US3580622A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Door latch
Assignee: Acme Appliance Manufacturing Co
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Filing: 1969-05-12
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Granted: 1971-05-25
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Expires: 1989-05-12
Abstract
Abstract A door latch or lock to be mounted on a door having an opening therethrough adjacent one edge and having a hole in such edge into the opening, comprising two escutcheon members respectively insertable into and adapted to overlie the ends of the opening through the door, two knobs respectively mounted on the escutcheon members, a latchbolt housing insertable into the hole in the door edge and containing a latchbolt, and means connected to the knobs for retracting the latchbolt. The latchbolt housing and the escutcheon members interlock, and a single screw coaxial with the knob axis interconnects the escutcheon members to secure the escutcheon members and the latchbolt housing in assembled relation. The knobs are merely snapped into place in rotatably mounting them on the excutcheon members. The device may be used either as a simple door latch capable of being opened by rotating either knob, or it may be used as a door lock which can be locked from one side and which can be unlocked from the other side in an emergency. With two or three exceptions, all of the parts of the device are made of plastic materials, the external surfaces of the exposed parts being suitably finished.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip R Morgan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 02:16
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05C; E05C1/00; E05C1/08; E05C1/12; E05C1/16; E05C1/163; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T292/00; Y10T292/08; Y10T292/096; Y10T292/0969; Y10T292/097; Y10T292/0977; Y10T292/57; Y10T292/85; Y10T292/869; Y10T292/91; Y10T292/96
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
In a door latch to be mounted on a door having an opening therethrough adjacent one edge and having a hole in such edge into the opening, the combination of: a. two escutcheon members respectively insertable into and adapted to overlie the ends of the opening through the door and providing a knob axis; b. a single connecting means coaxial with said knob axis for interconnecting said escutcheon members; c. a latchbolt housing containing a latchbolt and insertable into the hole in the door edge; d. two knobs respectively mounted on said escutcheon members for rotation about said knob axis; e. means connected to said knobs for retracting said latchbolt; and f. said latchbolt having an elongated opening through which said single connecting means extends.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a door latch to be mounted on a door having an opening therethrough adjacent one edge and having a hole in such edge into the opening, the combination of: a. two escutcheon members respectively insertable into and adapted to overlie the ends of the opening through the door and providing a knob axis; b. a single connecting means coaxial with said knob axis for interconnecting said escutcheon members; c. a latchbolt housing containing a latchbolt and insertable into the hole in the door edge; d. two knobs respectively mounted on said escutcheon members for rotation about said knob axis; e. means connected to said knobs for retracting said latchbolt; and f. said latchbolt having an elongated opening through which said single connecting means extends.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A door latch as defined in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a single screw coaxial with said knob axis and carried by one of said escutcheon members and threadable into the other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A door latch according to claim 2 wherein said escutcheon members are provided with central bosses coaxial with said knob axis and facing each other and through which said screw extends, said latchbolt having a slot receiving said facing bosses therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A door latch as set forth in claim 2 including interengageable means on said escutcheon members and said latchbolt housing for interlocking same so that said single screw holds said escutcheon members and said latchbolt housing in assembled relation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A door latch according to claim 1 for use with a doorjamb having a cavity aligned with the hole in the door edge when the door is closed, including a latch plate driven into said cavity with no separate securing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a door latch to be mounted on a door having an opening therethrough adjacent one edge and having a hole in such edge into the opening, the combination of: a. two escutcheon members respectively insertable into and adapted to overlie the ends of the opening through the door and providing a knob axis; b. means for interconnecting said escutcheon members; c. a latchbolt housing containing a latchbolt and insertable into the hole in the door edge; d. two knobs respectively mounted on said esCutcheon members for rotation about said knob axis; e. means connected to said knobs for retracting said latchbolt; f. snap-acting latching means integral with said escutcheon members and said knobs for rotatably connecting said knobs to said escutcheon members; g. said snap-acting latching means including integral, shouldered, flexible latching tongues on said knobs paralleling said knob axis and engageable with complementary, integral shoulders on said escutcheon members; and h. said latchbolt-retracting means including a pin paralleling said knob axis and extending through a closely fitting bore in one latching tongue of each of said knobs thus rigidifying these latching tongues.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a door latch to be mounted on a door having an opening therethrough adjacent one edge and having a hole in such edge into the opening, the combination of: a. two escutcheon members respectively insertable into and adapted to overlie the ends of the opening through the door and providing a knob axis; b. means for interconnecting said escutcheon members; c. a latchbolt housing containing a latchbolt and insertable into the hole in the door edge; d. two knobs respectively mounted on said esCutcheon members for rotation about said knob axis; e. means connected to said knobs for retracting said latchbolt; f. snap-acting latching means integral with said escutcheon members and said knobs for rotatably connecting said knobs to said escutcheon members; g. said snap-acting latching means including integral, shouldered, flexible latching tongues on said knobs paralleling said knob axis and engageable with complementary, integral shoulders on said escutcheon members; and h. said latchbolt-retracting means including a pin paralleling said knob axis and extending through a closely fitting bore in one latching tongue of each of said knobs thus rigidifying these latching tongues.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
180 words
In a door latch to be mounted on a door having an opening therethrough adjacent one edge and having a hole in such edge into the opening, the combination of: a. two escutcheon members respectively insertable into and adapted to overlie the ends of the opening through the door and providing a knob axis; b. means for interconnecting said escutcheon members; c. a latchbolt housing containing a latchbolt and insertable into the hole in the door edge; d. two knobs respectively mounted on said escutcheon members for rotation about said knob axis; e. means interconnecting said knobs for retracting said latchbolt, comprising a pin parallel to and spaced from said knob axis; f. locking means responsive to movement of one of said knobs toward the other along said knob axis from a nonlocking position to a locking position; g. said pin being rigidly connected to said one knob and being longitudinally slidable relative to the other; and h. means for displacing said pin longitudinally thereof in a direction to cause it to move said one knob into its nonlocking position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
180 words
In a door latch to be mounted on a door having an opening therethrough adjacent one edge and having a hole in such edge into the opening, the combination of: a. two escutcheon members respectively insertable into and adapted to overlie the ends of the opening through the door and providing a knob axis; b. means for interconnecting said escutcheon members; c. a latchbolt housing containing a latchbolt and insertable into the hole in the door edge; d. two knobs respectively mounted on said escutcheon members for rotation about said knob axis; e. means interconnecting said knobs for retracting said latchbolt, comprising a pin parallel to and spaced from said knob axis; f. locking means responsive to movement of one of said knobs toward the other along said knob axis from a nonlocking position to a locking position; g. said pin being rigidly connected to said one knob and being longitudinally slidable relative to the other; and h. means for displacing said pin longitudinally thereof in a direction to cause it to move said one knob into its nonlocking position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A door latch according to claim 7 wherein said unlocking means comprises cam means on said latchbolt and said pin and responsive to retraction of said latchbolt.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-24 | 1974-11-23 | 1975-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-24 | 1978-11-23 | 1979-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-24 | 1982-11-23 | 1983-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |