Barn door with privacy lock

A locking system includes a lockcase which can be embedded within a recess in a jamb of a doorway. A barn door mounted outside of the doorway can be locked in the closed position by actuation of a lock mechanism within the lockcase. The handle interacts with the lockcase, causing a bolt to be translated out of the lockcase and into a strike in the barn door. The strike preferably passes entirely through the barn door, the strike including an outer entry which can be accessed via a key to push back the bolt and defeat the lock for emergency access. Cover plates and handles of different types can be provided for optimal performance. Lock mechanisms within the lockcase convert handle actuation into bolt translation between a collapsed orientation and a deployed orientation for locking the barn door.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The following invention relates to barn doors and locks for barn doors. More particularly, this invention relates to privacy locks for barn doors, and most particularly those types of barn doors utilized within a building interior to provide a privacy lock therewith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Of the many styles of doors, one type of door is referred to as a “barn door.” A barn door is provided directly outside of (or inside of) a doorway opening surrounded by a frame including a pair of opposing jambs below a lintel. The barn door is mounted on a sliding track or other support, typically above the opening and with the door suspended from this track or other sliding support. This track is over the door opening and also to a lateral side of the door opening. The barn door slides on the track between an open position (where it is suspended from the track portions which are laterally spaced to the side of the door opening) to a closed position (where the door is suspended from the track where it is located directly above the door opening). Barn doors are particularly useful when space is not available for a pivoting door and where a wall in which the door is located is too thin to accommodate a pocket door or a pocket door is otherwise undesirable. Barn doors can also be selected for aesthetic reasons or for financial reasons, in that the barn door is a rather simple overall style of door.

One problem with such barn doors is that they typically do not include locks associated therewith. Many doorways benefit from having a door which is lockable, at least for privacy purposes, if not for full security purposes. Accordingly, a need exists for a lockset to facilitate the locking of a barn door. Such a lock should beneficially include some form of emergency entry key to defeat the lock from the outside.

Privacy locks are known for pivoting doors and pocket doors which include a handle or knob which rotates and causes a bolt to translate the engage/disengage and lock/unlock the door. However, such known locks have the handle/knob mounted to the door with the bolt engaging/disengaging the doorway jamb. With a barn door, such a known prior art lock is not effective because the door is not aligned coplanar with the wall plane, but rather is offset from the wall plane. Thus, some other solution is needed to the problem of providing a privacy lock on a barn door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With this invention, a lock is provided for a barn door in the form of a lockset which is mountable to a face of a jamb of a doorway, typically on a side of the doorway adjacent to a leading edge (the edge that leads when the barn door is closing) of the barn door when the door is in an open position, but the lock could be on either opposing face of either of the door jambs. The barn door preferably is suspended from above on a sliding (or rolling) rail, but also preferably includes some form of guideway (such as a track element), which is provided on the floor to keep a lower edge of the barn door substantially within a vertical plane while sliding between an open and a closed position. Such track for alignment of the barn door could be provided directly below the rail from which the barn door is suspended and on one or both lateral sides of the frame surrounding the doorway.

The barn door is modified to include a strike therein which receives a bolt of the lockset when the barn door is locked. The strike preferably has a cylindrical shape with a hollow central core. In one embodiment, the strike can be provided from a combination of inner and outer cylindrical pieces which nest together on a common central axis and each include a beveled head on outer ends thereof and with one piece threading into the other so that they can be coaxially brought together from opposite sides of the barn door and threaded one into the other until they tightly attach to the barn door. The barn door would first have a hole drilled therethrough which would receive these inner and outer pieces of the strike.

As an alternative, the barn door could merely have a hole drilled (or otherwise formed) therein at a strategic location to allow for the bolt to be selectively inserted or removed for locking or unlocking of the barn door. The hollow core of the strike can be perfectly cylindrical or could taper at least adjacent to a side thereof facing the passage making up the doorway, or otherwise be slightly oversized so that less than perfect alignment between the lockset and the strike would still facilitate receipt of the bolt into the strike for locking of the barn door.

The lockset of one embodiment of this invention generally includes two major parts including a lockcase and a handling assembly, in addition to the strike. The lockcase includes a body housing a lock mechanism which receives input from a shaft and output to the bolt, and is mounted within a recess in the face of the jamb, on one side of the wall passage adjacent to where the barn door is located and aligned with the strike when the barn door is closed. A second part of the lockset is in the form of a handling assembly which is mounted to the face of the jamb adjacent to the recess and on the face of the jamb which faces into the passage of the doorway. This handling assembly acts as both trim and also supports a handle through which the lockcase can be actuated. In particular, the lockcase includes the body which receives the shaft which is coupled to the handle of the handling assembly. When the handle is rotated, the shaft is also rotated about its long axis and causes an input into the locking mechanism within the body which causes the bolt of the lockset to translate linearly into or out of the strike to lock or unlock the barn door.

The jamb is either entirely hollow or at least includes a sufficient recess within an interior thereof to allow the lockcase to be located therein. In one embodiment, this recess is in the form of a cylindrical hole which extends into the face of the jamb, with this hole located at a height above ground matching a height of the strike in the barn door. The hole is sufficiently large so that it also extends out of an exterior side of the jamb and the entire body and other portions of the lockcase can fit into this hole and for the bolt to be able to extend out of an exterior side of the jamb. The cylindrical hole is covered by portions of the handling assembly at the opening through the face of the jamb and covered by a rim with an annular flair surrounding the body adjacent where the bolt protrudes from the body at the exterior side of the jamb, with this flair, abutting against the exterior surface of the jamb.

A portion of the hole at the inwardly facing face of the jamb receives the handling assembly therein and the handling assembly is appropriately coupled to the lockcase, which typically is inserted through the portion of the hole at the exterior side of the jamb and accessing the common recess, so that the lockcase and handling assembly, when attached together, securely hold each other within the recess. Preferably frame screws are also utilized to directly fasten the handling assembly (and hence also the lockcase) to the frame.

Details of the lockcase and locking mechanism within the body can be taken from lockcase arts where such locking mechanisms are provided for translating a bolt, such as a deadbolt, into and out of a strike on a door jamb from an edge of a standard pivoting door. Other forms of lockcase locking mechanisms could alternatively be utilized known in the prior art or hereafter discovered. While the bolt is preferably of round cross-section and about one centimeter in diameter, it could be larger (or smaller) and non-circular, such as to match known deadbolt cross-sections.

As one example of such a locking mechanism for the lockcase, the shaft coupled to the handle could have a spur gear thereon which interacts with a rack gear coupled to the bolt, so that when the shaft is rotated it causes the rack gear to translate. A size of the spur gear and size of teeth on the rack gear can be selected to control a ratio of shaft turning to bolt translation to match a desired design. In more complex mechanisms, a multi-gear drive train could be interposed between the shaft and post, such as so that a relatively small amount of handle rotation (i.e. 90° of rotation) causes the bolt to translate approximately two centimeters or more, so that a secure locking action can be achieved. The bolt can have a tip threaded to a trunk, both of similar diameter, with the tip threaded concentrically into a threaded bore in the trunk, so that the bolt can be extended and have its length fine tuned by rotating the tip relative to the trunk, and so that bolt length is optimized.

A key is also provided with the overall lockset in a preferred form of the invention. The strike preferably passes entirely through the barn door in this preferred embodiment, so that the key can be placed from outside of the barn door into the strike and push back the post into the body, so that emergency access from an exterior of the barn door can be achieved. The hole on an exterior of the strike can be shaped with a unique shape which will only receive a key of a corresponding shape if desired. As another alternative, the strike could have a blind hollow core which is not accessible from the exterior, such as to provide added security.

The handling assembly generally includes three parts including a base plate, a cover plate and handle. The base plate mounts to the body of the lockcase and the cover plate mounts to the base plate. Furthermore, the base plate preferably has frame screws which fasten directly to the jamb, so that the entire lockcase can be held securely to the jamb through the frame screws holding the base plate to the jamb and with the base plate securely attached to the lockcase.

Attachment of the base plate to the body of the lockcase occurs through two mount screws which thread into mount holes in the body (or into standoffs associated with the body). The base plate has a contour which includes an annular floor with a central hole passing therethrough and with a perimeter edge of the floor having a collar extending perpendicularly therefrom, and with a flange extending radially outwardly from a portion of the collar spaced from the annular floor. This flange and annular floor are preferably in parallel planes offset from each other by a width of the collar.

The hole in a center of the annular floor allows the shaft to pass therethrough and couple to the handle and to the body of the lockcase. Smaller holes in the floor and spaced from the central hole (through which the shaft passes) accommodate the mount screws which pass through the annular surface and then into the mount holes or standoffs associated with the body (or otherwise the base plate is fastened to the body of the lockcase).

Heads of these mount screws are recessed within the base plate in that these heads have a lesser height than a depth of the collar, preferably with over half of a depth of the collar left open, without the mount screw heads extending appreciably into this collar space. Frame screws are preferably provided passing through the flange of the base plate. In the embodiment depicted, four such frame screws are provided which secure the flange of the base plate directly to the face of the jamb around the cylindrical hole forming and/or accessing the recess in the jamb. The frame screws preferably have flat heads and holes in the flange taper as do undersides of the frame screw heads so that the frame screw heads are substantially flush with the flange outer surface when tightened. Alternatively, a shoulder of the cover plate (described below) can be recessed to accommodate the heads of the frame screws.

The cover plate has a contour which matches outer portions of the base plate and the cover plate is attachable to the base plate. In particular, the cover plate also includes a circular flat shroud surface similar in size to the annular floor and oriented to be parallel with the annular floor of the base plate. A ring extends perpendicularly from a perimeter of the shroud surface of the cover plate with an outer portion of this collar having a shoulder extending radially therefrom and in a plane parallel with the shroud surface. The ring of the cover plate has a lesser depth than the collar of the base plate, so that when the circular flat shroud surface is nested within the recess inboard of the collar of the base plate, a spacing still exists between the circular shroud surface of the cover plate and the annular floor of the base plate which accommodates the heads of the mount screws.

The collar of the base plate includes female threads formed thereon and the ring of the cover plate includes male threads formed thereon. Thus, the cover plate is attachable to the base plate by threadable attachment and rotation of the cover plate to cause engagement of the threads of the ring with the threads of the collar. In this manner, the cover plate can cover all of the frame screws and mount screws and leave a clean exterior finish for the lockset, according to one embodiment of the invention.

A center of the circular flat shroud surface of the cover plate has a hole therein through which the shaft extends and supports a lever or other user engaging portions of the handle. The handle is recessed within the ring sufficiently so that the handle does not extend into the doorway (or only slightly extends into the doorway). Fingers of a user can reach into this recess in the ring to grip the handle and rotate the handle to cause translation of the bolt for locking or unlocking of the barn door. The handle of the embodiment shown is a basic bar handle fixed to the shaft at its center. Other forms of handles known in the prior art could be used as well with appropriate user engaging portions. The handle typically rotates to cause bolt translation, but could be a sliding or otherwise translating handle leading to bolt translation.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a privacy lock for a barn door.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a barn door for a doorway passage which includes a privacy lock.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for locking a barn door.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for providing emergency access through a locked barn door.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for installing a lockset into a barn door.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a barn door lock which can be disabled from an outer side thereof in an emergency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a barn door lock which can be used by a disabled individual.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a privacy lock for a barn door which has a recessed handle to prevent significant blocking of the doorway.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a privacy lock for a barn door which is easy to use and which has a desirable aesthetic appearance, such as an appearance with no fasteners showing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the various drawing figures, reference numeral10,110is directed to a lockset (FIGS. 1-3) that can be mounted within a jamb J adjacent to a doorway passage P passing through a wall W, with a barn door D for closing of the doorway passage P having a strike80,180therein for receiving a bolt70,170for selectively locking the barn door D. The locks10,110are configured to be mounted so that a handle40,140,240thereof is accessible through a face F of the jamb J.

In essence, and with particular reference toFIGS. 7 and 8, basic details of the lockset10are described, according to a first embodiment. The lockset10includes a lockcase50which supports a bolt70in a manner allowing the bolt70to translate relative to a body60of the lockcase50(along arrow B) between a retracted position and a deployed position. The lockcase50is mounted into a face F of a jamb J adjacent to a doorway passage P (FIGS. 1-3, 4 and 6), that is selectively opened/closed by the barn door D. The lockcase50is oriented so that the bolt70translates through and away from an exterior E of the jamb J.

A handle40is coupled to the lockcase50, so that when the handle40is actuated, such as by rotation (along arrow A ofFIGS. 7 and 8), the lockcase50causes the bolt70to translate. In this embodiment, a base plate20and cover plate30are mounted into the face F of the jamb J, supporting the handle40and securing the lockcase50within an interior of the jamb J precisely where desired (and to preferably conceal screws used to mount the handle assembly and lockcase50).

A strike80is also preferably provided as part of the system of this invention for use with the lockset10. The strike80provides, at a minimum, a hole passing into the barn door D at an appropriate location so that when the bolt70moves to its deployed orientation it extends into the strike80. The strike80most preferably passes entirely through the barn door D and includes an outer entry through which a key200or other structure can be placed to push back the bolt70away from its deployed orientation and out of the strike80, and so that emergency access can be gained through the barn door D in the doorway passage P.

More specifically, and with particular reference toFIGS. 1-8, particular details of the lockset10and related privacy lock system are described, according to this first embodiment. In this embodiment, a base plate20and cover plate30are provided separate from each other. However, it is conceivable that a single plate could be provided which merges some or all of the features of the baseplate20and cover plate30. It is also conceivable that the lockcase50could be held in place within the jamb J without requiring any base plate20or cover plate30. In this preferred embodiment, the baseplate20acts to secure the lockcase50and other portions of the lockset10in the desired position within a recess formed into the jamb J and inboard of the face E The cover plate30attaches to the baseplate20and provides a clean outer appearance surrounding the handle40.

The baseplate20is preferably a rigid monolithic structure, typically formed of a machinable metal, but conceivably formable from casting or injection molded (such as from plastic), or formed of wood, metal or other materials, either molded or machined or otherwise formed. The baseplate20includes a flange22which preferably resides adjacent to the face F and in a plane parallel with a longest dimension of the lockcase of the jamb J. The flange22preferably includes holes which receive frame screws23which pass through the holes in the flange22and then embed into material of the face F of the jamb J adjacent to the recess into which the lockset10is placed.

The baseplate20includes a collar24extending inwardly from the flange22to a floor26. The floor26is preferably planar in form and parallel with the flange end perpendicular to the collar. Mount screws25pass through holes in the floor26and thread into standoffs27or other portions of the lockcase50to secure the baseplate20to the lockcase50. Thus, the base plate20is held in position relative to the jamb J by the frame screws23and the base plate20holds the lockcase50to the baseplate20through the mount screws25.

Preferably standoffs are provided associated with these mount holes so that the mount screws can either thread into the standoffs rather than into the mount holes directly, or the standoffs can merely act as alignment structures with the mount screws sufficiently long that they pass through the standoffs and into the mount holes of the lockcase for threadable attachment. In one embodiment, the standoffs are two part standoffs with a central cylinder and an outer cylinder for each of the standoffs. The central cylinders have a smaller diameter and are pressfit into the body and extending perpendicularly away from the body and toward the base plate. The outer cylinder standoff portions fit over the central cylinder standoff portions for alignment of the base plate with the body. Then, the mount screws pass through or into the standoffs and threadably attach the base plate securely to the body of the lockcase. In embodiments shown, the standoffs are female threaded elongate cylindrical structures held to the body by fastening to the body or by action of the mount screws passing through the floor of the base plate and into the standoffs, so that the standoffs are configured as she bolts.

A hole28is formed in the center of the floor26which allows portions of the handle40to pass through the baseplate20and engage with a lock mechanism within the lockcase54, for actuation of the lockset10and movement of the bolt70between its retracted orientation and its deployed orientation. The collar24is a cylindrical ring shaped structure defining a depth by which the floor26is spaced from the flange22, with the floor26preferably parallel with the flange22. The collar24in this embodiment also includes female threads thereon which allow for attachment of the cover plate30(described below) to the baseplate20without requiring separate fasteners. However, the cover plate30could be attached to the base plate20by other means, or the cover plate30could be dispensed with entirely.

In this embodiment, the cover plate30includes an annular shoulder32which overlies the flange22of the baseplate20. Inboard of the shoulder32, a ring34extends cylindrically and generally perpendicular to the shoulder32. A shroud36surface is located on an inboard end of the ring34opposite the shoulder32, with the shroud36preferably parallel with the shoulder32. An outer surface of the ring34preferably includes male threads thereon which match the female threads on the collar24. Thus, the ring30can thread into the collar24so the cover plate30attaches to the baseplate20. A hole passes through a center of the shroud36of the cover plate30, which is aligned with the hole28in the baseplate20and facilitates portions of the handle40passing through the cover plate30for engagement with the lock mechanism within the lockcase50and for actuation of the bolt70.

In this embodiment, the handle40is configured to be a recessed handle. In other embodiments this recessed handle40is replaced with a handle140(FIGS. 1, 3, 11 and 13) which is disabled accessible but extends somewhat into the doorway passage P in the wall W which is selectively covered by the barn door D (FIGS. 1-3). The handle40includes a lever42which acts as a preferred form of user engaging portion for the handle40. This lever42is fixed to a shaft44. The lever42is preferably linear and elongate and oriented perpendicular to the shaft44, with the shaft44joined to a midpoint of the lever42. The lever42is sufficiently low profile that it is recessed at least partially (and preferably entirely) within the ring34of the cover plate30, inboard of the shoulder32. In this way, nothing can easily catch up on the handle40when one is walking through the doorway passage P, past the face F jamb J.

The shaft44is preferably linear and extends along a rotational axis centerline. The shaft44preferably includes facets46thereon which can assist in having the shaft44of the handle40engage with a lock mechanism within the lockcase50. Alternatively, the shaft44can be otherwise affixed to structures within the lockcase50. In this preferred embodiment, the shaft has a square cross-section with four flat faceted sides making up the facets46. While the handle40of this preferred embodiment is shown as a rotating handle which causes the shaft44to rotate, it is conceivable that the handle40could be replaced with a slide handle which would merely be slid (such as toward or away from the barn door D), and with such a slide handle having a shaft which does not rotate, but rather a shaft that translates linearly (at least somewhat) and with a portion of such a translating shaft most distant from such a sliding handle engaging with the bolt70to move the bolt70between its retracted and deployed orientations.

With particular reference toFIGS. 3-5, details of the lockcase50are described, according to this first embodiment. The lockcase50acts as a lock mechanism between the handle40and the bolt70to cause the bolt70to move between its retracted orientation and its deployed orientation under action of the handle40. Because the shaft44of the handle40is not parallel with the elongate bolt70, the lockcase50needs to transfer action between the handle40and the bold70about an angle (typically 90°).

The lockcase50can have any of a variety of interior configurations to cause rotating motion of the shaft44of the handle40(arrow A ofFIGS. 5, 7 and 8) to be converted into translating linear motion of the bolt70(arrow B ofFIGS. 5-8). One particular embodiment of such a lockcase50is disclosed in detail hereinbelow with respect to a second embodiment alternate lockset110(FIGS. 9-17). The lock mechanism for transmitting rotating shaft44motion into translating bolt70motion, according to this first embodiment (FIGS. 1-8) would be to include a spur gear on a distal end of the shaft44and to include a rack gear on a proximal end of the bolt70. The spur gear and rack gear would be enmeshed together, so that when the shaft44rotates (about arrow A), the spur gear also rotates and causes translation of the rack gear, which in turn causes the bolt70to translate (along arrow B). Other lock mechanisms could be similar to those of the second embodiment (FIGS. 9-17) described in detail below.

The bolt70is a rigid structure of hard material, typically steel, which is caused to translate linearly from a deployed orientation to a retracted orientation, and vice versa, by action of the lock mechanism within the lockcase50, which is actuated by the handle40. The bolt70can include an optional extension72with a threaded post74which threads into a threaded hole at an end of the bolt70(or vice versa). Such an extension72can be added if needed to accommodate thicker jambs J with a greater distance to an exterior E of the jamb J. Similarly, the extension72on the bolt70can be provided if a larger than typical gap exists between the barn door D and the wall W. The extensions can be rotated to provide adjustable bolt length as well. The bolt70could have any of a variety of different cross-sectional shapes. In this embodiment, the bolt is shown with a circular cross-section and a cylindrical form having a constant cross-section along its length. Such a contour for the bolt70allows it to easily pass into a cylindrical central bore within the strike80.

The strike80could in a simplest form of the invention merely be a hole formed in the barn door D. Most typically, this hole would be cylindrical and having a circular cross-section, similar to a size of the bolt70, but typically slightly larger so that alignment of this hole with the bolt70can be accommodated. Most preferably, the strike80is provided as a hardened structure which supplies this hole for the bolt70. The strike80at a minimum is a bore extending into an inside of the barn door D. Most preferably this bore passes entirely through the barn door D and out to the outside of the barn door D, so that the bore is in the form of a through bore. In the most preferred embodiment for this strike80, an outer sleeve82and inner sleeve84are provided which threadably attach together and define this through bore passing through the barn door D when the sleeves82,83are attached together. Lips83,85on the sleeves82,84act as stops which abut the outside O and inside I of the barn door D after the sleeves82,84have been fully threaded together. In one embodiment, these sleeves82,84have a substantially constant circular cross-section, but can be tapered slightly near the lips83,85, and in particular adjacent to the lip85on the inner sleeve84. Such a taper can cause a diameter of the door to be slightly greater at the lip85, and help to align the bolt70with the strike80, especially if the strike80is slightly out of alignment with the bolt70. In one embodiment, the through bore is not circular cross-section but is taller than it is wide, so that the strike80can be more easily placed without requiring precise vertical positioning relative to the bolt70, but still providing a tight lock on the bolt70in its deployed orientation extending into the strike80(to resist door opening motion, such as along arrow C ofFIGS. 1-4).

With particular reference toFIGS. 9-17, details of an alternative lockset110according to a second embodiment of this invention are described. The alternative lockset110is similar to the lockset10described above, except where specifically distinctly described herein. Also, the lockset110acts as a privacy door lock mounted at a similar position within a face F of a jamb J of a doorway passage P at a wall W, which is selectively opened/closed by a barn door D (by motion/sliding, along arrow C (FIGS. 1-3)).

While the barn door D could be carried in a variety of different ways, most typically hangers H (FIGS. 1-3) ride on a rail R above the doorway passage P, with the barn door D suspended from these hangers H. A series of tracks T (or a continuous track) are placed on the floor, in a preferred embodiment, which ride within a groove G in a lower surface of the barn door D, so the barn door D remains parallel with the wall W. The barn door D could be opened either to the left or to the right relative to an exterior of the doorway passage P (see both options together inFIG. 1, while typically only one or the other barn door D would be provided and the rail R correspondingly shortened).

Typically the barn door D is on an exterior of a room where privacy is desired and outside of where the handle140(for the privacy lock associated with the lockset110) is located. Typically, a basic pull is attached to the barn door D (on the inside I, outside O or both), so that the barn door D can be most easily slid upon the rail R (along arrow C ofFIGS. 1-4). The lockset110can be provided on either a left or right jamb J (viewing the doorway passage P from the outside of the room in which security is desired), and the lockset110can engage a strike80in the barn door D which is either adjacent to a leading edge or a trailing edge of the barn door D, depending on whether the lockset110is mounted into the left jamb J or right jamb J.

A bracket120(FIGS. 9-11, 13 and 14) is provided (in place of the baseplate20) which supports a lockcase150within a recess inboard of the face F of the jamb J. The bracket120preferably includes frame screws121which pass through frame holes124and secure the bracket120in position within this recess. The bracket120includes a front wall122and rear wall123which preferably have a perimeter shape matching that of the recess (e.g. circular/cylindrical), so that the bracket120is further held tightly in position. Most preferably, these walls122,23are circular in form so that the recess can be formed by drilling a circular hole into the face F of the jamb J where the lockset110is to be accessed by a user.

Mount bores receive mount screws125which also pass through mount holes132in an annular cover plate130to allow the annular cover plate130to be securely attached to the bracket120. A slot126is provided between the front wall122and rear wall123of the bracket120. This slot126is sized to receive a lockcase150therein extending in a lateral direction generally perpendicular to surfaces of the front wall122and rear wall123, so that the lockcase150can be securely held relative to the bracket120. The bracket120would typically be placed into the recess in the jamb J by passing through the face F of the jamb J, while the lockcase150would extend through the exterior E (FIGS. 1, 4 and 6) of the jamb J in a direction extending generally parallel with the face F and inserted into the slot126in the bracket120. A web127spans the slot126and joins the front wall122to the rear wall123so that the bracket120is a single rigid construction. A hole128passes through the front wall122and accommodates a shaft144of the handle140passing through the front wall122of the bracket120and to a location in the slot126where the shaft144can access a lock mechanism within the lockcase150.

The annular cover plate130is similar in many respects to the cover plate30, and with screw holes132passing therethrough which allows the mount screws125to pass through the screw holes132and then into the mount screws125for the bracket120. The mount screws125can be tightened to removably secure the cover plate130to the bracket120. The cover plate130is preferably substantially flat and facilitates a handle140which is disabled accessible (or, as an alternative, a recessed handle240(FIG. 12) can be provided similar to the handle40(FIGS. 4-8) including a lever242). The handle140includes a lever142extending from an outer hub143. The shaft144extends perpendicularly away from the lever142at the hub143and sufficiently to pass into the lockcase150for engagement of a lock mechanism, in a manner causing the bolt170to translate (arrow B ofFIGS. 9 and 15) relative to the lockcase150when the handle140rotates (along arrow A ofFIGS. 9 and 15).

The lockcase150preferably includes a body160which contains at least portions of the lockcase150therein. The bolt170portion of the lockset110is preferably contained within a barrel core152and barrel cover153which also form portions of the lockcase150. The body160includes port162which can receive the shaft145of the handle140passing into an interior of the lockcase150. A pair of housing plates164on opposite sides of the body160encapsulate the lock mechanism within the lockcase150with the port160passing into (or through) the housing plates164.

In this particular embodiment of the lock mechanism of the lockcase150, a hub165is located within the body160and adjacent to the port162which has a bore166passing therethrough (or just thereinto) which can receive the shaft144of the handle140therein. This bore166has facets which accommodate facets on the shaft144so that when the handle140rotates, the hub165is caused to rotate along with the shaft144and handle140(along arrow A).

The hub165preferably has a cam surface167on outer portions thereof. This cam surface167interacts with a leaf spring169adjacent to the hub165, so that when prominences on the cam surface167pass the spring169, some resistance to hub165rotation is encountered, and when low portions of the cam surface167are adjacent to the spring169, little or no resistance to hub165rotation is encountered.

Furthermore, the hub165includes a finger168extending radially therefrom. The finger168passes through a pocket178in an arm174which is coupled to the bolt170. When the hub165rotates, the finger168also rotates (arrow A) and, residing within this pocket178, causes the arm174to translate (arrow B), and to translate the bolt170linearly along a central axis of the bolt170. A proximal tip172of the bolt170preferably is recessed in size and resides within a seat175in a distal end of the arm174. A setscrew176joins the proximal tip172of the bolt170to the arm174. Bolts170having different lengths can be selected so that the bolt170travel distance is in an amount desired. Alternatively, or in addition, the barrel core152and barrel cover153can be threadably attached together at various different positions amounts to alter a length of the combined barrel core152and barrel cover153and to further allow for adjusting of the position of the bolt170. An annular flange on the barrel cover153typically resides against the exterior E of the jamb J and helps to securely hold the lockcase150and associated bolt170precisely and solidly where desired.

Most preferably in this embodiment, strike assembly180is provided within the barn door D for receipt of the bolt170when it is in its deployed orientation. The strike assembly180includes a hollow cylinder182with an annular flare183on an inner portion thereof adjacent to an inside I of a barn door D (or spaced away by a spacer197). An outer cap184preferably attaches to the cylinder182(through intermediate structures) and is adjacent to the outside O of the barn door D. A shaft185preferably threadably attaches to the outer cap184through threads on a head187or nut196of the shaft185which cooperate with threads on an interior of the outer cap184to hold the head187to the cap. A spring190is interposed between a dust cap192and a base194(to which the shaft185can threadably attach in a central collared hole therein), with the base194adjacent to the shaft185and the dust cap192adjacent to the barrel core152and barrel cover153of the lockcase150. Spring190causes the dust cap192to close off the cylinder182within the strike assembly180. However, when the bolt170strikes the dust cap192, the spring190is compressed and the bolt170is allowed to pass into the cylinder182. A key200or other elongate structure can pass into the shaft through the outer cap184and pass through a central hole in the bolt185and abut against the dust cap192to push the bolt170from its deployed orientation back toward its retracted orientation, such as for emergency access through the doorway passage P after the door D has been opened by sliding (along arrow C).

This disclosure is provided to reveal a preferred embodiment of the invention and a best mode for practicing the invention. Having thus described the invention in this way, it should be apparent that various different modifications can be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention disclosure. When structures are identified as a means to perform a function, the identification is intended to include all structures which can perform the function specified. When structures of this invention are identified as being coupled together, such language should be interpreted broadly to include the structures being coupled directly together or coupled together through intervening structures. Such coupling could be permanent or temporary and either in a rigid fashion or in a fashion which allows pivoting, sliding or other relative motion while still providing some form of attachment, unless specifically restricted.