Door latch set

Claim 2

In a manually operated door latch set; a manually rotatable rotor means for retracting a latch and formed and mounted for latch retracting manual rotation in either of two opposite directions from its normal latching position; a latch sub-assembly formed as a complete sub-assembly with all parts thereof having formations for mutually cooperating with one another to hold one another together to form such subassembly; with said parts comprising: a guide; a compression spring means contained within said guide and operable to normally maintain said rotor means and latch in their normal latching positions; and a latch actuator also in said guide and having on an outer end a latch and an abutment for said spring means, and having on its inner end a connection formation for connecting the actuator to the rotor means, whereby rotation of such rotor means in either of said two directions causes the actuator to be pulled into latch retracted position; with the actuator being flexible enough so that as it is pulled for latch retraction it can flex and be wound upon the rotor means; the location and formation of the connection between the actuator and the rotor means being at that part of the rotor means nearest the latch when the rotor means and thE actuator and latch are in their normal latching position, whereby rotation of the rotor means in either direction directly and immediately causes winding up of the actuator and retraction of the latch; said rotor means also having a connection formation; with said connection formation being male and female members formed on the actuator and rotor, respectively, said female member opening in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor and receiving said male member so as to enable coupling, gripping and holding of the actuator and rotor with each other directly and automatically, merely upon complete insertion of the actuator and rotor, in proper sequence in their respective locations in a door, at right angles to each other; with the actuator being rigid enough at the time the latch subassembly is inserted into the bore to enable the actuator to maintain its rigidity and stability sufficient to insure the connection formation of the actuator finding and maintaining its proper location in the rotor means receiving hole for automatic connection cooperation of the actuator connection formation and the connection formation of the rotor means when the rotor means is inserted in the rotor means receiving hole.

Claim 3

In a door latch set according to claim 1, the improved actuator comprising a one-piece flexible strap having the latch and spring means abutment formed integrally on one end of the strap, and the connection formation also formed integrally on the other end of the strap; with the strap portion between such formations being flexible for winding up.

Claim 4

In a door latch set according to claim 1, a unitary self-contained subassembly assemblable as a complete unit with respect to the manually rotatable rotor means; said subassembly comprising a sleeve as said guide, the spring means and actuator therein; with he latch projecting out of one end of the guide and the connection formation of the actuator projecting out of the other end of the guide; said subassembly being insertable as a unit into a normally provided bore of a door edge, with the connection formation being the leading part of the subassembly during its insertion into said blind bore.

Claim 5

In a door latch set according to claim 3, the improved actuator comprising a one-piece flexible strap having the latch and spring means abutment formed integrally on one end of the strap, and the connection formation also formed integrally on the other end of the strap; with the strap portion between such formations being flexible for winding up.

Claim 6

For use with a door having the conventional edge-opening blind bore and face opening hole intersecting it: an improved latch assembly for the blind bore and rotor means for the face opening hole, which comprises: a rotor means formed to be insertable into the face opening hole and having an exposed manually accessible outer part and an inner part; and a latch subassembly formed as a complete and unitary subassembly to be insertable as a complete subassembly into said blind bore, with said latch subassembly comprising three parts, namely, a sleeve-like guide having restricted openings at its inner and outer ends, a compression spring means, and an elongated substantially rigid and alignment holding and stable latch actuator therein, and with all three parts so formed and located relatively as to be mutually holding for forming the complete and unitary subassembly; the actuator having at its outer end a latch projecting through and out of the outer opening of the guide and having at its inner end a connection formation projecting through and out of the inner end opening of the guide, and also having a flexible windable portion between its ends and with the latch having a spring means abutting and abutted portions; said rotor means having on its inner portion a holding and gripping and coupling formation located at that part of the rotor means directly in line with and nearest the axis of insertion of the actuator in the bore for Cooperating directly with the inner end connection formation of the actuator and formed for coupling automatically to and gripping and holding such connection formation firmly and for operatively relatively connecting said rotor means and actuator as a result of nothing more than relative movement in a predetermined assembly sequence of the subassembly and rotor means along the bore and the hole axes respectively for mutual coupling automatically and mutual holding of the latch subassembly and particularly the actuator in the blind bore, ad for enabling manual rotation of the rotor means to exert a winding pull on the actuator for latch retraction and for spring compression by flexing the flexible part of the actuator; and for enabling release of the rotor means to permit the spring means to expand for latch extension and to cause return unwind of the actuator; with said connection formation being male and female members formed on the actuator and rotor, respectively, said female member opening in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor and receiving said male member; the actuator being rigid enough at the time the latch subassembly is inserted into the bore to enable the actuator to maintain its rigidity and stability sufficient to insure the connection formation of the actuator finding and maintaining its proper location in the rotor means receiving hole for automatic connection cooperation of the actuator connection formation and the connection formation of the rotor means when the rotor means is inserted in the rotor means receiving hole.

Claim 7

For use with a door having the conventional edge-opening blind bore and face opening hole intersecting it: an improved latch assembly for the blind bore and rotor means for the face opening hole, which comprises: a rotor means formed to be insertable into the face opening hole and having an exposed manually accessible outer part and an inner part; and a latch subassembly formed as a complete and unitary subassembly to be insertable as a complete subassembly into said blind bore, with said latch subassembly comprising three parts, namely, a sleeve-like guide having restricted openings at its inner and outer ends, a compression spring means, and an elongated substantially rigid and alignment holding and stable latch actuator therein, and with all three parts so formed and located relatively as to be mutually holding for forming the complete and unitary subassembly; the actuator having at its outer end a latch projecting through and out of the outer opening of the guide and having at its inner end a connection formation projecting through and out of the inner end opening of the guide, and also having a flexible windable portion between its ends and with the latch having a spring means abutting and abutted portions; said rotor means having on its inner portion a holding and gripping and coupling formation located at that part of the rotor means directly in line with and nearest the axis of insertion of the actuator in the bore for Cooperating directly with the inner end connection formation of the actuator and formed for coupling automatically to and gripping and holding such connection formation firmly and for operatively relatively connecting said rotor means and actuator as a result of nothing more than relative movement in a predetermined assembly sequence of the subassembly and rotor means along the bore and the hole axes respectively for mutual coupling automatically and mutual holding of the latch subassembly and particularly the actuator in the blind bore, ad for enabling manual rotation of the rotor means to exert a winding pull on the actuator for latch retraction and for spring compression by flexing the flexible part of the actuator; and for enabling release of the rotor means to permit the spring means to expand for latch extension and to cause return unwind of the actuator; with said connection formation being male and female members formed on the actuator and rotor, respectively, said female member opening in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor and receiving said male member; the actuator being rigid enough at the time the latch subassembly is inserted into the bore to enable the actuator to maintain its rigidity and stability sufficient to insure the connection formation of the actuator finding and maintaining its proper location in the rotor means receiving hole for automatic connection cooperation of the actuator connection formation and the connection formation of the rotor means when the rotor means is inserted in the rotor means receiving hole.

Claim 8

The latch assembly of claim 5, wherein the rotor means is so formed and mounted that it can be freely rotated manually for latch retraction in either of two opposite directions from normal, with the actuator and the connection and holding formations being so formed and located that wind pull on the actuator will be exercised at once as the rotor means is rotated manually in either direction.

Claim 9

The latch assembly of claim 5, wherein the actuator is of one molded plastic piece having the central flexible part, and with the two end portions thereof being enlarged, relatively inelastic, integral parts of the actuator.

Claim 10

An improved latch assembly and rotor means according to claim 5, wherein the actuator, though flexible, is rigid enough and non-limp enough to maintain itself in stable condition during assembly of the latch assembly and the rotor means even though assembly insertion is exercised in a horizontal direction, whereby the inner end of the actuator will position itself properly with respect to a rotor means later to be inserted into the face hole for mutual cooperation and holding with said rotor means.

Claim 11

An improved latch assembly and rotor means according to claim 7, wherein the actuator is of one piece having the central flexible part, and with the two end portions thereof being enlarged, relatively inelastic, integral parts of the actuator, and wherein the improved actuator, though flexible, is rigid enough and non-limp enough to maintain itself in stable condition during assembly of the latch assembly and the rotor means, even though assembly insertion is exercised in a horizontal direction, whereby the inner end of the actuator will position itself properly with respect to a rotor means later to be inserted into the face hole for mutual cooperation and holding with said rotor means.

Claim 12

For use with a door having an edge-opening blind bore and a face-opening hole intersecting the bore, an improved latch set comprising: a rotor means formed for insertion into the face-opening hole and having a manually accessible outer part and an inner part; and a three-piece latch sub-assembly formed as a complete subassembly with all parts thereof having formations for mutually cooperating with one another to hold one another together to form such subassembly; and to be insertable as a complete subassembly into the blind bore and comprising: a one-piece sleeve-like guide, an elongated one-piece latch actuator mounted for axial movement within said guide, and a compression spring means retained within said guide; said latch actuator having a latch formed integrally on its outer end and normally projecting out of a restricted opening in the outer end of said guide, and also having an enlarged spring abuttment portion adjacent the latch and positioned axially inwardly of said restricted opening and providing a bearing surface against which said spring means acts to bias said latch actuator axially outwardly to its normal latching position; said latch actuator also having a connection formation formed integrally at its inner end and a flexible intermediate portion between said latch and said connection formation; said latch actuator being rigid enough and stable enough to maintain its normal position during insertion of the subassembly into the blind bore to insure said connection formation of said latch actuator being normally maintained in stable position substantially on the longitudinal axis of said guide, even during axial insertion of the latch subassembly into the bore in a horizontal position, thereby to assure proper alignment of said connection formation with said rotor means at the intersection of the door bore and door hole during final assembly; said rotor means having on its inner portion a holding and gripping and coupling formation located at that part of the rotor means nearest and in line with the axis of insertion of the actuator in the bore and so formed that it automatically and directly provides a gripping and coupling connection to said connection formation of said latch subassembly upon insertion of said rotor means and latch subassembly in proper sequence into the hole and bore, respectively, said coupling and gripping connection enabling rotation of the rotor means from its normal latching position to exert a latch retracting pull on said latch actuator, against the force of said spring means, with the flexible portion of said latch actuator winding upon said rotor means during such retraction and with the inner end of the actuator gripped and held and coupled by the rotor means holding formation; with said connection formation being male and female members formed on the actuator and rotor, respectively, said female member opening in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor and receiving said male member; with the actuator being rigid enough at the time the latch subassembly is inserted into the bore to enable the actuator to maintain its rigidity and stability sufficient to insure the connection formation of the acutator finding and maintaining its proper location in the rotor means receiving hole for automatic connection cooperation of the actuator connection formation and the connection formation of the rotor means when the rotor means is inserted in the rotor means receiving hole.

Claim 13

For use with a door having an edge-opening blind bore and a face-opening hole intersecting the bore, an improved latch set comprising: a rotor means formed for insertion into the face-opening hole and having a manually accessible outer part and an inner part; and a three-piece latch sub-assembly formed as a complete subassembly with all parts thereof having formations for mutually cooperating with one another to hold one another together to form such subassembly; and to be insertable as a complete subassembly into the blind bore and comprising: a one-piece sleeve-like guide, an elongated one-piece latch actuator mounted for axial movement within said guide, and a compression spring means retained within said guide; said latch actuator having a latch formed integrally on its outer end and normally projecting out of a restricted opening in the outer end of said guide, and also having an enlarged spring abuttment portion adjacent the latch and positioned axially inwardly of said restricted opening and providing a bearing surface against which said spring means acts to bias said latch actuator axially outwardly to its normal latching position; said latch actuator also having a connection formation formed integrally at its inner end and a flexible intermediate portion between said latch and said connection formation; said latch actuator being rigid enough and stable enough to maintain its normal position during insertion of the subassembly into the blind bore to insure said connection formation of said latch actuator being normally maintained in stable position substantially on the longitudinal axis of said guide, even during axial insertion of the latch subassembly into the bore in a horizontal position, thereby to assure proper alignment of said connection formation with said rotor means at the intersection of the door bore and door hole during final assembly; said rotor means having on its inner portion a holding and gripping and coupling formation located at that part of the rotor means nearest and in line with the axis of insertion of the actuator in the bore and so formed that it automatically and directly provides a gripping and coupling connection to said connection formation of said latch subassembly upon insertion of said rotor means and latch subassembly in proper sequence into the hole and bore, respectively, said coupling and gripping connection enabling rotation of the rotor means from its normal latching position to exert a latch retracting pull on said latch actuator, against the force of said spring means, with the flexible portion of said latch actuator winding upon said rotor means during such retraction and with the inner end of the actuator gripped and held and coupled by the rotor means holding formation; with said connection formation being male and female members formed on the actuator and rotor, respectively, said female member opening in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor and receiving said male member; with the actuator being rigid enough at the time the latch subassembly is inserted into the bore to enable the actuator to maintain its rigidity and stability sufficient to insure the connection formation of the acutator finding and maintaining its proper location in the rotor means receiving hole for automatic connection cooperation of the actuator connection formation and the connection formation of the rotor means when the rotor means is inserted in the rotor means receiving hole.

Claim 14

The latch set of claim 10, whrein the rotor means is so formed and mounted that it can be freely rotated in either of two opposite directions from its normal latched position to produce latch retraction.

Claim 15

The latch set of claim 11, wherein the location and formation of the connection between said latch actuator and said rotor means are such that a winding pull on said latch actuator will be induced immediately upon initial rotation of said rotor means in either direction from its normal latching position.

Claim 16

The latch assembly of claim 10, wherein the actuator is of one molded plastic piece having the central flexible part, and with the two end portions thereof being enlarged, relatively inelastic, integral parts of the actuator.

Claim 17

A door latch set according to claim 1, wherein the connection formations of the actuator and rotor means are formed for interlocking the actuator and rotor means relatively, automatically, upon their relative assembly.

Claim 18

A door latch set according to claim 14, wherein said connection formations are so formed that assembly is effected and complEted by insertion of the rotor means in its door hole after insertion of the latch assembly in its door bore.

Claim 19

A door latch set according to claim 5, wherein the connection formations of the actuator and rotor means are formed for interlocking the actuator and rotor means relatively, automatically, upon their relative assembly.

Claim 20

A door latch set according to claim 10, wherein the connection formations of the actuator and rotor means are formed for interlocking the actuator and rotor means relatively, automatically, upon their relative assembly.