Door lock furniture

A door lock for use with a door having a through bore and an intermediate transverse aperture connecting said bore with an edge of the door, into which through bore actuator portions of the lock are inserted, and through which transverse aperture a latch portion of the lock is inserted; the lock having an outer first portion insertable into an outer portion of the through bore, an inner second lock portion insertable into an inner portion of the through bore, the lock first portion having at its inner end a laterally extending slot to receive the latch portion in entered relation therein, the lock second portion having a threaded cylindrical portion at its inner end, the lock first portion having a threaded inner end portion to make threaded engagement with the lock second portion, enabling rapid mounting of a lock within a door. Alternative embodiments of rapid-mounting door locks may include a bayonet fitting, or the use of adjustable screws with latch-head fittings, both embodiments of which permit raped installation of the door lock furniture. A novel latchplate arrangement includes a base portion and a clip-on cover portion, suitable for use with existing lock arrangements, and the subject locks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 This invention is directed to security hardware, and in particular to a
 door lock furniture system, including lock and jamb fittings and their
 method of installation.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 Conventional lock furniture for doors consists of the hardware that is
 fitted to the door for securing it, and comprises a latch assembly
 containing a movable latch portion within an elongated housing, which
 assembly is inserted into a recess in the door edge; and outer and inner
 actuator portions secured to the outer and inner faces of the door, which
 are assembled to the door, by insertion into respective outer and inner
 portions of a through-bore located adjacent the door edge, and which
 intercepts the latch assembly. A pair of elongated securing screws,
 inserted form the door inner side through the inner actuator portion, are
 screwed into projecting post portions of the outer actuator portion,
 serving to draw the two actuator portions together in mutually securing,
 aligned relation. In the case of a door furniture assembly having two door
 handles, the actuator portions each includes a handle portion, the handle
 of the outer actuator portion including a keyhole to receive a door key;
 the inner handle portion being axally movable, or possessing a relatively
 rotatable handle portion, by means of which respective movements the lock
 can be engaged or disengaged by a user located inside the door.
 The door key usually serves only to unlock the latch, thus permitting the
 opening of the door by way of either of the two handles.
 In the case of a deadbolt installation, the lock outer actuator portion
 usually consists of a key boss, having a keyhole to receive a door key;
 the inner actuator portion consisting of a boss having a rotatable latch
 handle, to operate the deadbolt from inside the door.
 With a deadbolt type lock, the key is operable to unlock, and also to apply
 the lock. The reliance upon a pair of screws to hold door lock furniture
 in secure assembled relation represents a point of weakness in the system,
 because such screws are subject to backing off, i.e. to unscrew
 themselves, so as to become slack. In some instances this has even led to
 complete disengagement of one or both of the screws, with the door handle
 pulling free from off the door.
 In the matter of installation, the securing screws present two problems.
 First, it is most difficult to align the elongated securing screws with
 the internally threaded bossed into which they must be threaded, due to
 their length and an absence of visual alignment, and any slackness in fit
 of the furniture within the through bore of the door. Also, in the case of
 a door handle assembly, the inner door handle usually overlies the
 securing screws, thus denying unobstucted, aligned access to the screw
 heads, which further impedes alignment of the screws, while also making it
 necessary to tighten the screws from an awkward, off-centre, misaligned
 position.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention provides a first embodiment door lock for use with a
 door having a through bore and an intermediate transverse aperture
 connecting the bore with an edge of the door, through which bore actuator
 portions of the lock are inserted, and through which transverse aperture a
 latch portion of the lock is inserted; the lock having an outer first
 portion insertable into an outer portion of the bore, an inner second
 portion insertable into an inner portion of the bore, the lock first
 portion having at its inner end a laterally extending slot to receive the
 latch portion in entered relation therein, the lock second portion having
 a threaded cylindrical portion at its inner end; the lock first portion
 having a threaded inner end portion to make threaded engagement with the
 lock second portion. Thus there is provided a door lock for use in locking
 and unlocking a door, the lock having an outer first portion for
 installation at an outer face of the door, an inner second portion for
 installation at an inner face of the door, one lock portion including
 first securing means located at its inner end, the other lock portion
 incorporating receiving means adapted to receive the first securing means
 in secured relation therewith, in use to enable the first and the second
 lock portions to be secured in mutual positioning relation on opposite
 sides of the door.
 In a first embodiment of the aforesaid door lock, the first securing means
 and the receiving means have threaded cylindrical portions in readly
 centered mutually engaging relation.
 In another embodiment the door lock first securing means and the receiving
 means consist of two complementary halves of a bayonet fitting comprising
 at least one projecting lug, and at least one recess to receive the lug in
 entered, locking relation therewith.
 In a further embodiment of the lock, the first securing means comprises a
 pair of post portions each having a turnbuckle at its end; the receiving
 means comprising a pair of slots in the other lock portion, each of the
 slots receiving a respective one of the turnbuckles in entered, externally
 accessible engaged relation therewith.
 In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the lock outer portion has a
 transversely extending aperture therethrough to receive a latch portion of
 the lock in inserted relation therein, with the threaded cylindrical
 portions adjoining the side edges of the aperture. The aperture consists
 of a transverse slot, which enables the outer portion to be inserted in
 straddling relation with the latch portion of the lock, and the square
 section actuator bar to penetrate the square aperture within the latch.
 Thus, the open end of the slot enables the lock outer portion to be
 inserted past the already installed latch portion. The threads of the lock
 inner portion can then engage the cylindrical threaded portion of the lock
 outer portion, for tightening into mutual securing relation.
 An elastomeric gasket may be interposed between one of the lock portion and
 the adjoining door surface, such that the door surface is protected; while
 the gasket also becomes compressed as the lock inner portion is rotated in
 tightening relation with the lock outer portion, to serve as a frictional
 retaining device and diminish the likelihood of loosening of the door lock
 furniture. The gasket, if used is preferably located on the inside. In the
 first embodiment a complementary cylindrical ring may be provided, in
 coaxial relation with the threaded inner lock portion, to support and
 stablize the two cylindrical threaded segments of the lock outer portion,
 such that these two segments are received in sliding, supported relation
 between a pair of coaxial cylinders, to sustain the threaded engagement
 between inner and outer lock portions as the threads are tightened.
 It will be understod that locks in accordance with the present invention
 may incorporate one or more handles, and the latching provisions may be of
 the spring latch or the deadbolt variety, with the respective associated
 interior and exterior fitting of well known type.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 Referring to FIG. 1, The disassembled lock furniture 10 comprises a first,
 outer lock portion 12, for installation on the outside of a door, having a
 handle portion 14 with a key 16 shown in inserted relation therein. An
 outer boss portion 17 has an inwardly projecting cylindrical portion 20,
 illustrated as being externally threaded at 22, and sized to fit within
 the through-bore of a door lock aperture.
 A transverse slot 24 accepts a latch mechanism (not shown), which does not
 form a part of the present invention, although being a necessary integer
 in the functioning of the lock 10. The latch may be of the spring latch or
 of the deadbolt type. A square section actuator bar 26 projects centrally
 of the outer lock portion 12, being operably connected with the mechanism
 of the key 16, in known fashion, and connecting the key 16 with the usual
 associated parts of the unlocking mechanism (not shown). An inner lock
 portion 30, for installation on the inner side of the door, has a handle
 portion 34 rotatably mounted on an inner boss portion 36. The inner boss
 portion 36 has a projecting cylindrical portion 37 that is sized to fit
 within the door through-bore.
 An internally threaded portion 40 of the portion 37 engages the two halves
 of threaded portion 22 of the outer lock portion 12, upon rotation of the
 boss portion 36, drawing the outer lock portion 12 and the inner lock
 portion 30 towards each other and into pressing relation with the door,
 which is sandwiched between the outer boss portion 17 and the inner boss
 portion 36.
 A recess 42 in the boss 36 may be engaged, as seen in FIG. 2, by a
 projecting tooth portion 44 of an installation tool 46, such that angular
 rotation of the tool 46 in a clockwise direction, about the main axis of
 the lock 10 will rotate the boss portion 36, drawing it tight to the door
 face.
 Referring to the FIG. 3 embodiment, an inner door portion 30' with handle
 portion 34 and boss portion 36 has a complementary cylindrical ring 47
 within the annular portion 37. The annular recess 49 between the threaded
 portion 37 and the ring 47 is sized to receive the two threaded portions
 22 of the outer lock portion 12 in snugly supported, threaded engagement
 therein, to preclude any tendency of the portions 22 to deflect inwardly,
 with consequent disengagement of the threads.
 Turning to FIG. 4, the deadbolt installation 50 is shown in a partially
 rotated position to reveal the internal surface 23 of one of the two
 threaded portion 22. An external boss portion 54 has a key 16 shown in
 inserted relation. It will be understood that the deadbolt per se is not
 shown, and conforms with standard practice.
 An internal boss portion 56 has an internally threaded cylindrical portion
 57 to receive the threaded portion 22, in the fashion of the FIG. 1
 embodiment. A latch handle 59 is rotatably mounted on the boss portion 56,
 to enable engagement and disengagement of the deadbolt from inside the
 door, in the usual fashion.
 Turning to FIG. 5, this shows a standard spring latch mechanism 60 for use
 with embodiments of FIGS. 1, 8 and 9.
 FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a novel latch plate embodiment for installation in
 a door jamb, and suitable for use with the present lock embodiments, and
 with standard existing locks. A base plate portion 62 having attachment
 holes 64 and bolt aperture 66 is provided with top and bottom inclined
 flanges 67. A plastic cover plate 68 clip within the flanges 67, while the
 detent 69 engages the corresponding edge of the bolt apertuture 66.
 Referring to the FIG. 8 embodiment, a standard lock outer portion 70 has
 the usual pair of projecting, internally threaded posts 72. Bolts 74 in
 accordance with the invention each have a turnbuckle 75 mounted on their
 ends, being screwed to the posts 72.
 An elastomeric gasket 76 may be interposed between the inner surface of the
 door and lock inner portion 77.
 The inner portion 77 of the lock has slots 79 in its inner boss portion 90,
 to receive the respective turnbuckles 75 in entered relation therethrough,
 when in a disengaged, raised position. The turnbuckles may be adjusted for
 their effective length by rotation of the repective bolt 74 in the
 corresponding post 72. Also, the turnbuckles 75 may have cam portion such
 that upon operation to a closed position, the cam portions apply closing
 force, to tension the bolts 74 and compress the gasket 76.
 An elastomeric gasket 76 may be used with any of the embodiments, serving
 as a compression spring to maintain compressive force between the opposed
 lock portions, and protecting the adjoining door surface, while also
 generating frictional force to resist rotational back-off in the case of
 the FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 embodiments.
 While illustrated with handles 14, a deadbolt 91 is shown (in end view) as
 the bolting means. A deadbolt usually incorporates hardware of the type as
 shown in FIG. 4.
 Referring to FIG. 9, this shows the elements of FIG. 1 in mutually
 assembled relation, including a portion of a latch mechanism 60.
 Turning to FIG. 10, this shows an external lock portion 12' having an
 adjustable mounting arrangement for use with doors of different thickness.
 Thus, two standard doors, such as two and threequarters inch thickness or
 two and three eighths inch thickness can be accommodated. A mounting
 cylinder 92 is illustrated as having two sets of two holes, 94 arranged so
 that the cylindrical portion 20' can occupy either of two positions,
 having retaining pins inserted through the respective aligned holes 94.
 FIG. 11 shows one half of a two-slot bayonet fitting 95, forming a portion
 of the cylindrical portion 20". The axial spacing between the two slots 96
 makes provision for two thicknesses of door. The mating peg portion of the
 bayonet fitting, which inserts into one or other of the slots 95, is
 mounted on the interior of the inner lock portion 37'.