Temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing

A temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing. The door has a door lock cylinder opening and a door latch opening and the casing has a latch bolt opening. The device includes a female portion having a pair of opposed and spaced apart resilient fingers, each of said fingers having a plurality of inwardly extending teeth thereon. The female portion is receivable in the door lock cylinder opening and the door latch opening. The male portion has a pair of opposed and spaced apart fingers, each of the fingers having a plurality of teeth thereon. The male portion is receivable in the latch bolt opening and the door latch opening. The teeth on the female portion engage the teeth on the male portion in one orientation and are disengaged in another orientation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to a temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing, for retaining a door and casing in alignment during assembly, shipping and installation, and for installing of the pre-hung door and casing unit.

PRIOR ART

In the past, the standard way to install a door in either new or remodeled construction was to prepare and construct a doorway casing and jamb. The casing and jamb would have to be plumb and square. A door would then be sized and fitted to the opening constructed, recesses would be made for hinges, and the hinges would be attached to both the door casing and the door. An opening would be drilled or cut from one side of the door to the other for a door cylinder opening and another opening would be drilled or cut from an edge of the door to the door cylinder opening for a door latch opening. Finally, the door lock hardware would be installed.

Increasingly, pre-hung door units are utilized which are already built and assembled having a door casing with the door fitted thereto already assembled with hinges. A pre-drilled or pre-cut hole or opening is already supplied for a door cylinder and an opening from an edge of the door into the door cylinder opening is made for a latch bolt opening. An aligned opening is also made through the door casing adjacent the latch bolt opening.

Pre-hung door shops, millwork shops, and certain manufacturers supply these pre-hung door units with casing or jambs. The door jambs include two vertical, opposed side jambs and a header fitted across the top of the side jambs. A temporary strip or a permanent seal may also be fastened across the bottom of the jambs. The door and casing unit is prepared for installation of the handle and lock set but is not fitted with the knobs, striker plates, and latches since these are selected by the building owner or home owner and then installed later on site.

The door and casing assembly requires a fastener or fasteners to hold the door in a closed position relative to the door jamb during transportation, shipment and installation at the worksite. Finally, any fastener or fasteners must be removed prior to installation of the door hardware.

Straps or other packaging have been used in the past to hold the door and the door casing together. Alternatively, a nail will be driven through the casing into the edge of door to securely hold the door during shipping. The nail or nails deface the edge of the door and must be removed prior to installation.

Various other proposals have been made in the past. For example, Crane et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,245,448) discloses a door plug 40 for a pre-hung door having a bolt member 42 and a threaded fastener 44. The bolt member includes a collar 46 and a cylindrical shaft 48. FIG. 6A shows an alternate fastener 244′ with resilient pawls 270B on extending tip members 271B. The fastener is removed by counter-clockwise rotation of the fastener 244′. It is necessary to thread the fastener into the bore and, likewise unthread the fastener for removal. The fastener does not appear to be accessible once the casing has been placed over the door jambs.

MacDonald et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,052,178) discloses a temporary door lock assembly 20 having a rosette 34 with a base plate 36 which mates with an inside plate 112. A barrel 62 has a hollow interior to accept the bolt 58 telescopingly connected. A locking arm 84 moves the bolt between an extended and retracted position. The assembly 20 would be required to be removed prior to painting or staining of the door.

Lamore, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,639) discloses a door hanger bolt assembly with a stud element 19 received in a bolt 16. A shim 16 is placed between the door and the frame. A cycloid wedge 37 is inserted into the lockset hole and the stud with barbs 20 is driven into the door edge. The stud with barbs 20 would not appear to be accessible once any casing or frame has covered the jambs.

In addition, the pre-hung door and casing are typically stained or painted before the hardware, such as the door cylinder latches and handles, are installed.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to stain or paint the door and casing without interference from the door hardware and without interference from any temporary fastener or fasteners.

Additionally, during construction of the building or home, after installation of the door and casing, but before installation of the door lock hardware, the door will typically freely swing in the casing with no restraint or control.

It would also be desirable to provide a temporary door latch device which can be utilized to readily move between a locked position to retain the door to the casing and an unlocked position to permit opening of the door, but the device could be removed prior to final installation of the door hardware.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing which can be installed by simply inserting two component parts with no tools, and no damage to either the door or casing.

It would also be desirable to provide a temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing that may be used to secure an unlock and thereafter resecure the door to the frame after installation of the door and casing, but before installation of the final hardware.

It would also be desirable to provide a temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing having only two components wherein one component inserted through said latch bolt opening may be broken away after installation even if not accessible from the casing.

It would also be desirable to provide a temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing having two components wherein the components may disengage and later re-engage by simple rotation of one of the components.

It would also be desirable to provide a temporary door latch device for a pre-hung door and casing having interlocking components that are self-aligning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a temporary latch device for a pre-hung door and casing. The door includes a pre-drilled cylindrical opening for a door lock cylinder opening. The cylindrical door lock opening is in communication with a pre-drilled door latch opening which passes from the edge of the door into the door lock cylinder opening. A latch bolt opening passes through a side jamb and is aligned with a door latch opening.

A female portion has a pair of opposed and spaced apart resilient fingers with each of the fingers having a plurality of inwardly extending teeth thereon. The fingers, when installed, are receivable in the door lock cylinder opening and in the door latch opening.

A male portion has a pair of opposed and spaced apart fingers with each of the fingers having a plurality of outwardly facing teeth thereon. The male portion is receivable in the latch bolt opening and in the door latch opening. The teeth on the female portion engage the teeth on the male portion in a first rotational orientation so that the door is latched to the jamb of the casing.

The fingers of the female portion extend from an arcuate base which mates with the door lock cylinder opening.

In a preferred embodiment, the teeth on the fingers of the female portion each include an alignment groove. Each of the fingers of the male portion includes a tip or nose extending from the fingers which act to self-align the male and female portions with each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in detail,FIG. 1illustrates a perspective view of a pre-hung door unit30consisting of a door12and a casing with the door slightly open for ease of viewing. The unit30includes casing having a top14and extending side jambs16and18along with an optional base20. One side of the door12includes hinges22at a location near one edge of the door12. Opposite the hinges22, set back from the opposed edge, is a pre-drilled cylindrical opening for a door lock cylinder opening24.

Once the pre-assembled door and the accompanying casing have been transported to the work site and installed, the present invention will be removed and a cylindrical lock and hardware (not shown inFIG. 1) will be installed to complete the construction. The cylindrical door lock opening24is in communication with a pre-drilled door latch opening26which passes from the edge of the door into the door lock cylinder opening24.

In addition, a latch bolt opening28passes through the side jamb18and is aligned with the door latch opening26.

FIG. 2illustrates a perspective view,FIG. 3illustrates a side view,FIG. 4illustrates an end view andFIG. 5illustrates a top view of a door12with side jamb18with parts cut away for ease of viewing. A temporary door latch device40is shown in the engaged or latched position. A female portion32is shown inserted into the male portion34.

As will be described in detail, the female portion32has a pair of opposed and spaced apart resilient fingers, each of the fingers having a plurality of inwardly extending teeth thereon. The fingers of the female portion32, when installed, are receivable in the door lock cylinder opening24and in the door latch opening26.

As will be described in detail, the male portion34has a pair of opposed and spaced apart fingers with each of the fingers having a plurality of outwardly facing teeth thereon. The male portion is receivable in the latch bolt opening26and in the door latch opening26. The teeth on the female portion32engage the teeth on the male portion34in a first rotational orientation shown inFIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5. When the female portion and male portion are engaged, the door12is latched to the side jamb18of the casing.

FIG. 6illustrates a perspective view,FIG. 7illustrates a side view,FIG. 8illustrates a top view andFIG. 9illustrates an end view of the device40showing the female portion32engaged with the male portion34apart from the door and casing. The female portion32includes a pair of opposed and spaced apart resilient fingers36and38. The fingers36and38each have a plurality of inwardly extending teeth thereon. The fingers36and38extend from an arcuate base48, which mates with the door lock cylinder opening24.

The male portion34has a pair of opposed and spaced apart fingers42and44. The fingers42and44each have a plurality of outwardly extending teeth. The teeth on the fingers36and38of the female portion mate with the teeth on the fingers42and44when the portions32and34are engaged with each other. The fingers42and44of the female portion are slightly resilient and flex to receive the fingers of the male portion.

The opposed fingers36and38of the female portion extend from an arcuate base46. The male and female portions are shown engaged with each other inFIGS. 5 through 8, which latches or locks the door12to the casing.

FIG. 10illustrates a perspective view,FIG. 11illustrates a side view,FIG. 12illustrates a top view andFIG. 13illustrates an end view of the female portion32of the temporary door latch device40apart from the male portion34and apart from installation in the door12and casing.

In a preferred embodiment, the teeth on the fingers36and38of the female each include an alignment groove56and58.

FIG. 14illustrates a perspective view,FIG. 15illustrates a side view,FIG. 16illustrates a top view andFIG. 17illustrates an end view of the male portion34of the temporary door latch device40apart from the female portion32. Outwardly extending teeth on each of the fingers42and44are visible. The fingers42and44extend from a base46having a larger diameter than the latch bolt opening28. Accordingly, when the male portion is inserted into the latch bolt opening, the base acts as a stop against side18.

A block50, or a series of posts forming a block, between the fingers42and44of the male portion34and the base46form a rectangular projection. The block50is receivable in the opening through the side jamb casing or latch bolt opening28. A block50has a rectangular cross section. The dimension from one corner to the other corner of the block50is larger than the diameter opening of the latch bolt opening28. Accordingly, although the block50is receivable in the latch bolt opening rotation of the male portion34is prohibited.

Each of the fingers42and44also include a tip or nose52and54extending therefrom.

The tips or noses52and54are received in alignment grooves56and58in the teeth of the fingers36and38of the female portion. Accordingly, the male portion and the female portion are self-aligning with each other.

In order to temporarily latch the pre-hung door and casing, the female portion32is initially inserted into the door lock cylinder opening24and into the door latch opening26. The fingers36and38of the female portion extend into the door latch opening and the arcuate base48mates with the door lock cylinder opening24. Thereafter or before, the male portion34is inserted into the door bolt opening28and into the door latch opening26. The tips or noses52and54of the male portion34align with the alignment grooves56and58of the female portion32so that the portions self-align with each other. The teeth on the fingers of the female portion engage the teeth on the fingers of the male portion in one rotational orientation in order to latch the pre-hung door and casing together.

In order to disengage the female portion from the male portion, the female portion32is rotated approximately one quarter turn or ninety degrees (90°). Accordingly, the teeth are no longer engaged and the female portion may be retracted and removed.

In the event that the male portion34is accessible once installed, the male portion can be removed by withdrawing. If the male portion is not accessible, the fingers of the male portion34may be easily broken off so that they will fall away.

The present invention provides a self-aligning temporary door latch device40for a pre-hung door and casing which can easily be moved between a latched position and an unlatched position.

Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.