Abstract:
Working trim for a lock including an adapter plate mounted on a door. A noncircular spindle extends from the door through the adapter plate. A shank adapter is slidably received on the spindle for rotation therewith and retaining means is provided for axially retaining the shank adapter on the spindle in one direction with the adapter plate retaining the spindle in the other direction. A door operator, such as a knob, is mounted on the shank adapter for rotation therewith.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to working trim for use with locks and more particularly to working trim for use with mortise locks. 
     In the past, one embodiment of working trim utilized a threaded square spindle which extended out from an adapter plate having a bushing portion thereon which was attached to the door. An internally threaded adjustable shank, on which the door knob was mounted and retained thereon by a knob retainer, was threaded on the spindle until it fit snugly in the bushing. A set screw threadly extended through the shank and was tightened against the spindle with the set screw bottoming against one of the flat sides of the square spindle. In use, by turning the door knob the latch bolt of the mortise lock could be operated due to the interconnection of the knob, adjustable shank, and spindle. 
     The threaded spindle and shank provided a means for adjusting for various door thicknesses. However, the torque, by repeated turning of the door knob, could result in the set screw damaging the spindle and the knob and shank adapter might loosen up. This problem could be compounded if the set screw was not bottomed on a flat side of the spindle, but rather, bottomed on one of the corners of the square spindle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of this invention to provide an improved working trim for locks. 
     More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide working trim for a lock which does not rely on a set screw to fasten the operator to the spindle. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide working trim for a lock which is less susceptable to wear and the operator becoming loose. 
     These and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished through the provision of working trim for a lock which includes an adapter plate mounted on a door. A noncircular spindle extends from the door through the adapter plate. A shank adapter is slidably received on the spindle for rotation therewith and retaining means is provided for axially retaining the shank adapter on the spindle in one direction, with the adapter plate retaining the shank adapter in the other direction. The lock operating means is mounted on the shank adapter for rotation therewith. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical side view, partially in section, of the working trim constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing it in relationship to a door and mortise lock. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the working trim partially in section. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the adjustable lock nut. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, a mortise lock 2 is mounted in a suitable cutout in a door 4. An adapter plate 6 is mounted against the outside face of the door 4 and includes an externally threaded bushing portion (not shown). An adapter plate 8 is mounted against the inside face of the door 4 and also has an externally threaded bushing portion 10. 
     The right-hand portion of the working trim, as shown in FIG. 1 is conventional and will not be described in great detail. However, it may include a rose or escutcheon plate 12 mounted on the door 4 by means of a sleeve 14 threaded on the bushing portion of the adapter plate 6. A shank adapter 16 is pinned to a swivel spindle assembly 18 by means of a roll pin 20. The outside knob 22 is mounted on the shank adapter 16 by suitable conventional mounting means. 
     The swivel spindle assembly 18 includes an inside spindle 24 which has a reduced male portion 26 threaded into a threaded bore in the inner end of the outside spindle 28 to which the shank adapter 16 is attached. A gap 30 is provided between the heads 32 and 34 of the two spindles 24 and 28 respectively, to permit one spindle to rotate with respect to the other without binding. The inside spindle 24 has a noncircular cross-section and, in the preferred embodiment, is square with the corners of the spindle 18 from the head portion 32 to the opposite end having threads 35 formed therein to form a threaded, noncircular spindle 24. 
     An adjustable shank adapter 36 which is slidably mounted on the spindle 24 includes a bore 38 and an enlarged counterbore 40. The bore 38 in the adjustable shank adapter 36 has a cross-sectional configuration to mate with the cross-sectional configuration of the inside spindle 24 to be rotatable therewith, and in the case of the preferred embodiment, is square-shaped. A knob retainer 42 is mounted in the enlarged counterbore 40 of the adjustable shank adapter 36 and includes a catch 44 which is spring biased radially outwardly through an opening in the side wall of the adjustable shank adapter 36 by a spring member 46. The adjustable shank adapter 36 is inserted on the inside spindle 24 until its forward end portion 48 is snuggly received in the bushing portion 10 of the inside adapter plate 8 with the enlarged counterbore 40 facing away from the door 4. 
     An adjustable lock nut 50 is provided which includes an enlongated body portion 52 having a forward bore 54, a rearward enlarged counterbore 56, and a head portion 58 at the rear provided with a slot 60 therein as shown in FIG. 2 and 4. Two diametrically opposed portions of the body portion 52 are cut away to form openings 62 and 64 in the wall of the body portion 52 as shown in FIG. 4. 
     A generally U-shaped spring clip 66 is mounted on the body portion 52 of the lock nut 50 with the side portions 68 and 70 thereof being positioned within the openings 62 and 64, respectively. The spring clip 66 has ears 72 and 74 at the lower end of each side portion 68 and 70 which engage the body portion 52 as shown in FIG. 3. When the adjustable lock nut 50 is threaded onto the spindle 24, the side portions 68 and 70 engage the flat portions of the spindle 24 as shown in FIG. 3. As the adjustable lock nut 50 is rotated, the corners of the spindle 24 engage the side portions 68 and 70 of the spring clip and move the side portions 68 and 70 thereof outwardly against the spring force thus providing a spring detent for the adjustable locking nut 50. 
     The top portion of the spring clip 66 includes an upwardly extending peak 76 which may engage the wall of the counterbore 40 in the adjustable shank adapter 36 during rotation of the lock nut 50. The peak 76 will prevent the spring clip 66 from riding up on the body portion 52 of the adjustable lock nut 50 during rotation thereof caused by the engagement of the corners of the spindle 24 with the side portions 68 and 70 of the spring clip 66 which could result in the ears 72 or 74 riding up into the openings 62 and 64. 
     With proper openings cut in the door and the lock 2 inserted, the adapter plates 6 and 8 and the outer rose or escutcheon plate 12 and sleeve 14 may be installed. After ensuring that the proper gap 30 is provided between the head portions 32 and 34 of the inside and outside spindle 24 and 28, the spindle assembly 18 may be inserted through the outside adapter 6 through the door until forward portion 78 of the shank adapter 16 is received within the bushing portion of the outside adapter plate 6. The adjustable shank adapter 36 may then be slid onto the inside spindle 24 until its forward portion 48 is received within the bushing portion 10 of the inside adapter plate 8. The lock nut 50 may then be applied and hand tightened onto the inside spindle 24 against the bottom of the counterbore 40 of the shank adapter 36, making sure that both shank adpaters 16 and 36 fit snuggly in the bushing portion of their respective adapter plates 6 and 8. The lock nut 50 may then back off a quarter or a half a turn to prevent binding. 
     A rose or escutcheon plate 80 may then be placed over the inside adapter plate 8 against the inner surface of the door 4 and a sleeve 82 threaded onto the bushing portion 10 of the inside adapter plate 8. An inside knob 84 can be slipped onto the shank adapter 36 until it reaches the catch 44 of the knob retainer 42. The catch 44 may then be depressed and the knob 84 be pushed thereover until the catch 44 engages an opening 86 in the knob 84. With this arrangement, operation of either knob 22 or 84 will cause rotation of its respective shank adapter 16 or 36, which in turn will cause rotation of its respective spindle 28 or 24 to operate the latch bolt of the locks depending upon the setting of the lock. 
     While reference has been made above to a specific embodiment, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of this invention be ascertained by reference to the following claims.