Patent Publication Number: US-6655178-B1

Title: Door lock and latch assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to combination door locks and latches and more particularly pertains to a new door lock and latch assembly for securely locking a door to prevent a person from using a tool to spread the door away from the door frame. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of combination door locks and latches is known in the prior art. More specifically, combination door locks and latches heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     The prior art includes inventions having deadbolt locks being mounted to doors and other inventions having latches for fences as such. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned prior art do not disclose a new door lock and latch assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new door lock and latch assembly which has many of the advantages of the combination door locks and latches mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new door lock and latch assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art combination door locks and latches, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a lock and latch support assembly being adapted to mount to a door and including a rotatable shaft; and also includes a deadbolt lock assembly being mounted to the rotatable shaft and being adapted to be disposed in the door; and further includes a latch assembly including a lever being mounted to the rotatable shaft and also including a catch being adapted to mount to a structure adjacent to the door. None of the prior art describes inventions having a combination latch assembly and deadbolt lock assembly to prevent unauthorized entry in building structures even with the deadbolt lock assembly being engaged. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the door lock and latch assembly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new door lock and latch assembly which has many of the advantages of the combination door locks and latches mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new door lock and latch assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art combination door locks and latches, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new door lock and latch assembly for securely locking a door to prevent a person from using a tool to spread the door away from the door frame. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new door lock and latch assembly that fully protects one&#39;s property by preventing the intruder from using a crowbar to spread the door away from the door frame thus removing the deadbolt from the door frame. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new door lock and latch assembly that is easy and convenient to use and can be implemented without having to do anything additional for locking and latching one&#39;s door. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new door lock and latch assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the present invention shown in use. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the deadbolt lock mechanism of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new door lock and latch assembly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the door lock and latch assembly  10  generally comprises a lock and latch support assembly being adapted to mount to a door  38  and including a rotatable shaft  13  having multiple sides  17 . The lock and latch support assembly includes a cover member  11  being adapted to mount to the door  38  and having a rim portion and also having a circumferential-extending slot  12  being disposed through a portion of the rim portion. The lock and latch support assembly also includes a housing/cover member  14  being adapted to mount to the door  38  and being fastened to the cover member  11  with fastening members  21 , and further includes elongate tubular support members  16  being conventionally attached to the housing/cover member  14  and receiving the fastening members  21  for securely mounting the cover member  11  and the housing/cover member  14  to opposite sides of the door  38 . The lock and latch support assembly further includes a key mechanism  15  being conventionally supported by the housing/cover member  14  and having a tumbler housing with a key slot  25  being disposed therein and also with a shaft-receiving slot being disposed therein. The lock and latch support assembly also includes a lock knob  40  being rotatably and conventionally mounted to a front side  19  of the cover member  11  for rotating the rotatable shaft  13 . 
     A conventional deadbolt lock assembly is conventionally mounted to the rotatable shaft  13  and is adapted to be disposed in the door  38 . The deadbolt lock assembly includes a support plate  31  being adapted to be fastened to the door  38 , and also includes a lock housing  30  being conventionally supported by the support plate  31 , and further includes a deadbolt member  32  being movably disposed in and extended from the lock housing  30 , and also includes a cam member  36  being rotatably and conventionally disposed in the lock housing  30  for moving the deadbolt member  32 , and further includes a cam catch member  35  being conventionally disposed in the lock housing  30 , and also includes a spring  37  for biasedly engaging the cam catch member  35  to engage the cam member  36  with the cam member  36  having a hole  34  being disposed therethrough with the hole  34  receiving the rotatable shaft  13  therethrough. 
     A latch assembly includes a lever  22  being conventionally mounted to the rotatable shaft  13  and also includes a catch  26  being adapted to fastenably mount to a structure  39  adjacent to the door. The lever  22  has an elongate main portion  23  having an end which is securely and conventionally attached to and about the rotatable shaft  13 , and also has an end portion  24  which is angled relative to the elongate main portion  23 . The lever  22  is movably extended through the circumferential-extending slot  12  and has a hole through which the rotatable shaft is extended  13 . The catch  26  includes a loop support having holes  27  therethrough and being adapted to securely fasten to the structure  39  such as a door frame, and also includes a loop member  28  having ends being securely and conventionally attached to the loop support and having a main portion being spaced from the loop support with the end portion  24  of the lever  22  being removably received between the loop member  28  and the loop support to prevent spreading of the door  38  away from the door frame  39  so that the door  38  cannot be opened even with the deadbolt member  32  being extended into the door frame  39 . 
     In use, the user locks and latches the door  38  by either turning the lock knob  40  or inserting a key into the key-receiving slot  25  of the key mechanism  15  and turning the rotatable shaft  13  which turns both the cam member  36  and the lever  22  to engage the deadbolt member  32  into the door frame  39  and to insert the end portion  24  of the lever  22  in the loop member  28 . To unlock and unlatch the door  38 , the user simply turns either the key or the lock knob  40  in the reverse direction. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the door lock and latch assembly. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.