Patent ID: 8292336
Filing Date: 2012-10-23
Classification: E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A mortise lockset comprising: a mortise lockset case configured for insertion into a door mortise; a latchbolt enclosed at least partially within the mortise lockset case and guided for movement between positions in which the latchbolt extends out of the case and in which the latchbolt is substantially retracted within the case; a latch retractor, enclosed within the mortise lockset case, operable to retract the latchbolt; a hub assembly, enclosed within the mortise lockset case, operable to drive the latch retractor into a latchbolt-retracting position; opposite first and second handle-operated spindles engaging the hub assembly; a lock-handing selector operable to be assembled to the lockset to enable a selected one of the first and second handle-operated spindles to operate the hub assembly to drive the latch retractor into the latchbolt-retracting position; wherein the lock-handing selector is operable to be changed from a first selectable configuration operatively enabling the first handle-operated spindle to retract the latchbolt to a second selectable configuration, distinct from the first selectable configuration, enabling the second handle-operated spindle to retract the latchbolt, and vice versa, without opening the mortise lockset case; and a user-actuated clutch enclosed within the mortise lockset case operative between engaged and disengaged positions in accordance with a user-selectable setting; wherein the clutch, when engaged, rotationally interlocks a non-selected one of the first and second handle-operated spindles, opposite the selected handle-operated spindle, with a latch-retracting actuating portion of the hub assembly, thereby operatively enabling the non-selected spindle to retract the latchbolt; wherein the clutch, when disengaged, rotationally decouples the non-selected spindle from the latch-retracting actuating portion of the hub assembly, thereby allowing the non-selected spindle to turn without retracting the latchbolt; and wherein operative rotation of either handle-operated spindle does not rotate the opposite handle-operated spindle, even when the user-actuated clutch is engaged.