Door latch set

Claim 2

In a door latch set for use in a door having a face-to-face rotor receiving through hole and an edge-opening latch bolt receiving blind hole perpendicularly intersecting said rotor hole, and wherein a latching element reciprocates within the latch hole between latched and unlatched positions upon rotation of either of two rotors rotably mounted in and at opposite ends of the rotor hole; the improved means for keying said two rotors for simultaneous rotation and for interlockingly coupling said latching element to said rotors so that it will respond to such rotation; comprising: an elongated shaft extending coaxially from a first of said rotors for rotation therewith and adapted to extend at least halfway through the rotor hole, said shaft being provided with an elongated exposed open ended side slot extending longitudinally from its inner end towards said rotor, at least a portion of the length of said slot being undercut so that the side opening of said slot is narrower than the base thereof; the second rotor having a coaxial bore at its inner end adapted to receive said shaft when the latch set is assembled, said second rotor further having a longitudinally extending key-like rib projecting into said bore and adapted to enter and fit snugly in said shaft slot on axial assembly movement of the shaft and second rotor relatively; the innermost tip of said latching element being enlarged and shaped so as to enter and be received in said undercut portion of said shaft slot when the shaft is slid axially in a relative longitudinal direction towards said second rotor, the enlarged tip of said latching element within the undercut slot preventing its withdrawal from said undercut portion of said shaft slot when the shaft is rotated; said interconnection of said rib and said shaft causing said rotors to be keyed and to rotate together upon rotation of either one, and such rotation causing longitudinal movement of said latching element within the latch hole of the door.

Claim 3

A door latch set according to claim 1 wherein at least the intermediate portion of the latching element is sufficiently flexible to enable the latching element to wind about said shaft in response to said tip portion thereof being carried around said shaft axis within said shaft slot.

Claim 4

In a door latch set for use in a door having a face-to-face through hole and an edge-opening blind hole perpendicularly intersecting said through hole, and wherein said latch set comprises two plate knob pairs, each pair having a knob rotatably mounted in an associated door plate, and interlocked thereto against axial separation; with the two pairs being located in axial alignment on opposite sides of the door through hole; and a latch member operatively connected to the plate-knob pairs to reciprocate between latched and unlatched positions, the latch member being slidably mounted in a guide means adapted to be inserted in the blind hole of the door; the improved means for assembling and retaining these elements within the door, comprising: knob retaining means integrally formed on each knob and its associated door plate axially to interlock each knob to its plate, and normally prevent withdrawal of each knob from its associated door plate axially; each door plate having elongated interlocking resilient toothed fingers integrally formed therewith and so dimensioned and positioned that the interlocking toothed resilient fingers of one door plate automatically engage and interlock with those of the other door plate within the door through hole at the time of assembly to a door axially to interlock the two pairs automatically and normally prevent axial withdrawal of said door plates from each other and from the door through hole; and elongated pins integrally formed on one of the door plates and adapted to engage and retain the guide means within the door blind hole; whereby the mere insertion of the two knob and door plate pairs as subassemblies into opposite ends of the door through hole following insertion of the guide means into the door blind hole effects an operaTive assembly and retention of the two pairs and the guide means to one another, without the need for any supplementary non-integral fastening elements.

Claim 5

In a door latch set for use in a door having a face-to-face through hole and an edge-opening blind hole perpendicularly intersecting said through hole, and wherein said latch set comprises two plate knob pairs, each pair having a knob rotatably mounted in an associated door plate, and interlocked thereto against axial separation; with the two pairs being located in axial alignment on opposite sides of the door through hole; and a latch member operatively connected to the plate-knob pairs to reciprocate between latched and unlatched positions, the latch member being slidably mounted in a guide means adapted to be inserted in the blind hole of the door; the improved means for assembling and retaining these elements within the door, comprising: knob retaining means integrally formed on each knob and its associated door plate axially to interlock each knob to its plate, and normally prevent withdrawal of each knob from its associated door plate axially; each door plate having elongated interlocking resilient toothed fingers integrally formed therewith and so dimensioned and positioned that the interlocking toothed resilient fingers of one door plate automatically engage and interlock with those of the other door plate within the door through hole at the time of assembly to a door axially to interlock the two pairs automatically and normally prevent axial withdrawal of said door plates from each other and from the door through hole; and elongated pins integrally formed on one of the door plates and adapted to engage and retain the guide means within the door blind hole; whereby the mere insertion of the two knob and door plate pairs as subassemblies into opposite ends of the door through hole following insertion of the guide means into the door blind hole effects an operaTive assembly and retention of the two pairs and the guide means to one another, without the need for any supplementary non-integral fastening elements.

Claim 6

In a door latch set for use in a door having a face-to-face through hole and an edge-opening blind hole perpendicularly intersecting said through hole, and wherein said latch set comprises a pair of door knobs each rotatably mounted in an associated door plate located in axial alignment on opposite sides of the door through hole and a latch member operatively connected to the door knobs to reciprocate between latched and unlatched positions; the improved means for assembling and retaining these elements within the door, comprising: an elongated shaft extending coaxially from a first of said knobs for rotation therewith and adapted to extend at least halfway through the door through hole, said shaft being provided with an end opening exposed elongated side slot extending longitudinally from its inner end towards said first knob, at least a portion of the length of said slot being undercut so that the side opening of said slot is narrower than the base thereof; the second knob having a coaxial bore at its inner end adapted to receive said shaft when the latch set is assembled, said second knob further having a longitudinally extending key-like rib projecting into said bore and adapted to enter and snugly fit into said shaft slot on assembly for keying the shaft and bore relatively; the innermost tip of said latching element being enlarged and shaped so as to enter and be received in said undercut portion of said shaft slot when the shaft is slid in a relative longitudinal direction towards said second knob, the enlarged tip of said latching element preventing its withdrawal from said undercut portion of said shaft slot when the shaft is rotated; said interconnection of said rib and said shaft causing said knobs to rotate together upon rotation of either one, and such rotation causing longitudinal movement of said latching element within the blind hole of the door; knob retaining means integrally formed on each knob and its associated door plate axially to interlock each knob to its plate and normally prevent withdrawal of each knob from its associated door plate axially; each door plate having elongated resilient toothed fingers integrally formed therewith and so dimensioned and positioned that the toothed resilient fingers of one door plate automatically engage and interlock with those of the other door plate within the door through hole at the time of assembly to a door, axially to interlock the two plates automatically and normally prevent axial withdrawal of said door plates from each other and from the door through hole; whereby the mere insertion of the two knob and door plate pairs as subassemblies into opposite ends of the door through hole following insertion of the guide means into the door blind hole effects an operative assembly and retention of the two pairs and the latch element to one another, and a rotation keying of the two knobs to each other, all without the need for any supplemental nonintegral fastening elements.

Claim 7

In a door latch set for use in a door having a face-to-face through hole and an edge-opening blind hole perpendicularly intersecting said through hole, and wherein said latch set comprises a pair of door knobs each rotatably mounted in an associated door plate located in axial alignment on opposite sides of the door through hole and a latch member operatively connected to the door knobs to reciprocate between latched and unlatched positions; the improved means for assembling and retaining these elements within the door, comprising: an elongated shaft extending coaxially from a first of said knobs for rotation therewith and adapted to extend at least halfway through the door through hole, said shaft being provided with an end opening exposed elongated side slot extending longitudinally from its inner end towards said first knob, at least a portion of the length of said slot being undercut so that the side opening of said slot is narrower than the base thereof; the second knob having a coaxial bore at its inner end adapted to receive said shaft when the latch set is assembled, said second knob further having a longitudinally extending key-like rib projecting into said bore and adapted to enter and snugly fit into said shaft slot on assembly for keying the shaft and bore relatively; the innermost tip of said latching element being enlarged and shaped so as to enter and be received in said undercut portion of said shaft slot when the shaft is slid in a relative longitudinal direction towards said second knob, the enlarged tip of said latching element preventing its withdrawal from said undercut portion of said shaft slot when the shaft is rotated; said interconnection of said rib and said shaft causing said knobs to rotate together upon rotation of either one, and such rotation causing longitudinal movement of said latching element within the blind hole of the door; knob retaining means integrally formed on each knob and its associated door plate axially to interlock each knob to its plate and normally prevent withdrawal of each knob from its associated door plate axially; each door plate having elongated resilient toothed fingers integrally formed therewith and so dimensioned and positioned that the toothed resilient fingers of one door plate automatically engage and interlock with those of the other door plate within the door through hole at the time of assembly to a door, axially to interlock the two plates automatically and normally prevent axial withdrawal of said door plates from each other and from the door through hole; whereby the mere insertion of the two knob and door plate pairs as subassemblies into opposite ends of the door through hole following insertion of the guide means into the door blind hole effects an operative assembly and retention of the two pairs and the latch element to one another, and a rotation keying of the two knobs to each other, all without the need for any supplemental nonintegral fastening elements.

Claim 8

A door latch set according to claim 4, wherein at least the intermediate portion of the latching element is sufficiently flexible to enable the latching element to wind about said shaft in response to said tip portion thereof being carried around said shaft axis within said shaft slot.

Claim 9

An improved door latch set including a latch actuator and two opposed rotors; cooperating formations on the inner parts of the two rotors for keying them relatively to rotate together, such formations so functioning by axial movement of the two rotors towards each other, to key the two rotors together against relative rotation when they have been interkeyed; cooperating formations on the inner part of a first one of the rotors and the inner end of the latch actuator for coupling such first rotor and the latch actuator to each other by axial movement of such first rotor, i.e. the same axial movement that keys the rotors to each other against relative rotation; such last named coupling formations comprising an enlarged male end on the actuator and a female formation on the first rotor, opening in the direction of movement of such first rotor towards the other rotor to which it moves for keying; whereby keying of the two rotors relatively, and coupling of the first rotor to the actuator, are performed simultaneously, and merely by movement of the two rotors towards each other axially, after the latch actuator has been properly positioned, transverse to the axis of the rotors, with its male end in the path of movement of the female formation of such first rotor towards the other rotor to be accepted by such female formation.

Claim 10

An improved door latch set including a latch actuator and two opposed rotors; cooperating formations on the inner parts of the two rotors for keying them relatively to rotate together, such formations so functioning by axial movement of the two rotors towards each other, to key the two rotors together against relative rotation when they have been interkeyed; cooperating formations on the inner part of a first one of the rotors and the inner end of the latch actuator for coupling such first rotor and the latch actuator to each other by axial movement of such first rotor, i.e. the same axial movement that keys the rotors to each other against relative rotation; such last named coupling formations comprising an enlarged male end on the actuator and a female formation on the first rotor, opening in the direction of movement of such first rotor towards the other rotor to which it moves for keying; whereby keying of the two rotors relatively, and coupling of the first rotor to the actuator, are performed simultaneously, and merely by movement of the two rotors towards each other axially, after the latch actuator has been properly positioned, transverse to the axis of the rotors, with its male end in the path of movement of the female formation of such first rotor towards the other rotor to be accepted by such female formation.

Claim 11

A door latch set according to claim 6 wherein the female formation on the first rotor is formed and positioned to receive, in one axial motion first the male end of the actuator for coupling and then the keying formation of the other rotor for keying.

Claim 12

An improved door latch set according to claim 6 including also two opposed annular door plates; with each rotor having on its outer end a knob, and each rotor telescoped into and journalled in a plate to form with it a preassembled operating pair; cooperating formations on the rotor and plate of each pair for detachably connecting such parts to each other by axial insertion of a rotor into a plate and interlocking such parts to each other against axial separation when they have been so interconnected; cooperating formations on the two plates for detachably connecting such plates to each other by axial movement of the two plates towards each other and thus interlocking the two plates to each other against axial separation when they have been so interconnected, with the rotors previously mounted and journalled in the plates; whereby pair-to-pair assembly and axial interlocking of the two pairs, and keying of the two rotors relatively, and coupling of the first rotor to the actuator, all are performed simultaneously, and merely by movement of the two pairs towards each other axially, after the latch actuator has been properly positioned, transverse to the axis of the rotors, with its male end in the path of movement of the female formation of such first rotor towards the other rotor to be accepted by such female formation.

Claim 13

A door latch set according to claim 8 wherein the interlocking formations of the two plates are axially extending elongated spring fingers with ratchet teeth.