US4550581A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Break-away knob driver
Assignee: Stanley Security Solutions Inc
•
Filing: 1983-07-22
•
Granted: 1985-11-05
•
Expires: 2003-07-22
Abstract
Abstract A keyed lever handle for a cylindrical lock is rotatably mounted by its neck on the knob sleeve of the lock and is connected to rotate the sleeve by a driver having a drive lug which breaks away under a predetermined high torque so as to protect the lock mechanism from excess torque. The driver is mounted in two opposite slots in the sleeve and the drive lug projects radially through one of such slots into positive engagement with an inward-opening recess in the knob. The lug is preferably formed with an end recess which leaves two upstanding ears at the sides of the lug which are adapted to shear in the shear plane between the knob and sleeve under excess torque. The driver is preferably trapped in place in the sleeve by the knob, but for assembly and service purposes is also held by a resilient rubber ball or the like received in an opening in the driver and resiliently engaged with the edge of the opposite slot in the knob sleeve.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter E. Best
- 👤 William R. Foshee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:44
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05B; E05B17/00; E05B17/0054; E05B17/0058; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/70; Y10T70/7441; Y10T70/7915; Y10T70/7949
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
In a door lock mechanism having a cylindrical knob sleeve or the like on which a knob or handle is rotatably mounted, a retainer for retaining the knob or handle on the knob sleeve, the knob sleeve having an inner face, means for connecting the knob against rotation on the knob sleeve comprising a separate driver mounted transversely in the knob sleeve in a spaced-relation to the retainer, and a drive lug on the driver, the drive lug projecting radially from the knob sleeve into positive engagement with an inward-opening recess in the knob, the drive lug being formed with a weak section adapted to shear under a predetermined torque to release the torque-transmitting connection between the knob and knob sleeve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
In a door lock mechanism having a cylindrical knob sleeve or the like on which a knob or handle is rotatably mounted, a retainer for retaining the knob or handle on the knob sleeve, the knob sleeve having an inner face, means for connecting the knob against rotation on the knob sleeve comprising a separate driver mounted transversely in the knob sleeve in a spaced-relation to the retainer, and a drive lug on the driver, the drive lug projecting radially from the knob sleeve into positive engagement with an inward-opening recess in the knob, the drive lug being formed with a weak section adapted to shear under a predetermined torque to release the torque-transmitting connection between the knob and knob sleeve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The door lock mechanism of claim 1 wherein the driver includes a generally rectangular body portion, and the drive lug includes a proximal portion integrally fixed to one end of the body portion and a distal portion carrying said weak section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
The door lock mechanism of claim 2 wherein the driver is substantially flat and includes a pair of shoulders at opposite sides of the lug to engage the inner face at one side of the knob sleeve for positioning the driver in the knob sleeve, an opening in the driver intersecting the inner face at the opposite side of the knob sleeve, and a resilient retainer in said opening and projecting into engagement with the wall of the knob sleeve to retain the driver in place in the knob sleeve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
The door lock mechanism of claim 2 wherein the distal portion of the drive lug includes a plurality of break-away ears, said ears being of such cross section and material that the ears will shear in the shear plane between the knob and the knob sleeve under a predetermined torque so as to break away from the drive lug and permit the knob to rotate on the knob sleeve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The door lock mechanism of claim 4 wherein the driver is formed of sintered low-density powdered metal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The door lock mechanism of claim 4 wherein the driver is formed of steel sheet stock.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The door lock mechanism of claim 3 wherein the resilient retainer is a resilient ball of rubber or the like received in said opening to resiliently engage the knob sleeve to retain the driver in the knob sleeve.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
The door lock mechanism of claim 1 wherein the driver comprises a generally flat, rectangular body portion slidably received in a relatively wide slot at one side of the knob, said lug being narrower than said body portion and extending slidably through a relatively narrower slot at the opposite side of the knob sleeve, said body portion forming a shoulder at the side of the lug which engages the inner face of the knob sleeve adjacent the narrower slot to position the driver in the knob sleeve, the body portion having an opposite end face adapted to abut a surrounding knob portion so that the driver is trapped in place when the knob is mounted on the knob sleeve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The lock mechanism as in claim 8 with the addition of means acting between the driver and knob sleeve for releasably retaining the driver in place in the absence of a surrounding knob portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The lock mechanism as in claim 9 in which said driver retaining means comprises a resilient ball press-fitted in an opening in the driver and projecting therefrom into engagement with the inner edge of said relatively wide slot.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
Lock mechanism comprising knob sleeve or the like and a knob or the like rotatably mounted on the sleeve, a retainer for retaining the knob on the knob sleeve, a transverse opening in the sleeve to receive a separate driver in spaced-relation to the retainer, and an inward-opening recess in the knob to receive a drive lug on the driver for transmitting torque from the knob to the sleeve, a break-away driver having a body portion mounted on the transverse opening in the sleeve and having a drive lug extending through a close-fitting opening of the sleeve and into the recess of the knob to establish a torque-transmitting connection between the knob and sleeve, said lug being adapted to break away under a predetermined torque so as to release said torque-transmitting connection.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
132 words
Lock mechanism comprising knob sleeve or the like and a knob or the like rotatably mounted on the sleeve, a retainer for retaining the knob on the knob sleeve, a transverse opening in the sleeve to receive a separate driver in spaced-relation to the retainer, and an inward-opening recess in the knob to receive a drive lug on the driver for transmitting torque from the knob to the sleeve, a break-away driver having a body portion mounted on the transverse opening in the sleeve and having a drive lug extending through a close-fitting opening of the sleeve and into the recess of the knob to establish a torque-transmitting connection between the knob and sleeve, said lug being adapted to break away under a predetermined torque so as to release said torque-transmitting connection.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
Lock mechanism as in claim 11 in which said lug is formed of low-density powdered metal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
Lock mechanism as in claim 11 in which said lug is formed with a weak section adapted to shear at the shear plane between the knob and sleeve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
Lock mechanism as in claim 12 in which said lug is formed with a weak section adapted to shear at the shear plane between the knob and sleeve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
Lock mechanism as in claim 11 in which said lug is formed with an end recess and ears at the sides of the lug extending across the shear plane between the knob and sleeve and adapted to shear in such plane at said predetermined torque.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
Lock mechanism as in claim 12 in which said lug is formed with an end recess and ears at the sides of the lug extending across the shear plane between the knob and sleeve and adapted to shear in such plane at said predetermined torque.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
Lock mechanism as in claim 16 in which the end recess of the lug is in the form of an arcuate concavity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
142 words
Lock mechanism comprising a knob sleeve or the like and a knob or the like rotatably mounted on the sleeve, a transverse opening in the sleeve to receive a driver, and an inward-opening recess in the knob to receive a drive lug on the driver for transmitting torque from the knob to the sleeve, a driver having a body portion slidably received in one end of said transverse opening and having a shoulder to engage an inner surface of the sleeve to position the driver in the sleeve, said driver having a lug projecting therefrom to engage in the knob recess to establish a torque-transmitting connection between the knob and sleeve, and means to retain the driver in the recess comprising a resilient ball-like member mounted in a transverse hole in the driver and projecting therefrom into retaining engagement with the sleeve.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
142 words
Lock mechanism comprising a knob sleeve or the like and a knob or the like rotatably mounted on the sleeve, a transverse opening in the sleeve to receive a driver, and an inward-opening recess in the knob to receive a drive lug on the driver for transmitting torque from the knob to the sleeve, a driver having a body portion slidably received in one end of said transverse opening and having a shoulder to engage an inner surface of the sleeve to position the driver in the sleeve, said driver having a lug projecting therefrom to engage in the knob recess to establish a torque-transmitting connection between the knob and sleeve, and means to retain the driver in the recess comprising a resilient ball-like member mounted in a transverse hole in the driver and projecting therefrom into retaining engagement with the sleeve.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
83 words
Lock mechanism comprising a tubular sleeve having transverse slots in its opposite walls, a member mounted in said slots, said member being slidably inserted through one of said slots and extending into the opposite slot and having means to stop the member at a predetermined position in the sleeve, and means to retain said member in said position comprising a resilient ball-like member press-fitted in a transverse oepning in said member and protruding therefrom into engagement with an edge of said one slot.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
83 words
Lock mechanism comprising a tubular sleeve having transverse slots in its opposite walls, a member mounted in said slots, said member being slidably inserted through one of said slots and extending into the opposite slot and having means to stop the member at a predetermined position in the sleeve, and means to retain said member in said position comprising a resilient ball-like member press-fitted in a transverse oepning in said member and protruding therefrom into engagement with an edge of said one slot.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
115 words
In a door lock mechanism having a cylindrical knob sleeve or the like on which a knob or handle is rotatably mounted, the knob sleeve having an inner face, means for connecting the knob sleeve and the knob for torque transmission therebetween comprising a driver mounted transversely in the knob sleeve and having a ball-receiving opening in close proximity to the inner face of the knob sleeve, and a drive lug protruding from the driver to positively engage an inward-opening recess in the knob or the like, and a rubber ball received in the ball-receiving opening to resiliently engage the knob sleeve so that the driver is retained within the knob sleeve for rotation therewith.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
115 words
In a door lock mechanism having a cylindrical knob sleeve or the like on which a knob or handle is rotatably mounted, the knob sleeve having an inner face, means for connecting the knob sleeve and the knob for torque transmission therebetween comprising a driver mounted transversely in the knob sleeve and having a ball-receiving opening in close proximity to the inner face of the knob sleeve, and a drive lug protruding from the driver to positively engage an inward-opening recess in the knob or the like, and a rubber ball received in the ball-receiving opening to resiliently engage the knob sleeve so that the driver is retained within the knob sleeve for rotation therewith.
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) | 1988-11-04 | 1989-05-06 | 1989-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-11-04 | 1993-05-06 | 1993-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-11-04 | 1997-05-06 | 1997-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |