Abstract:
A template assembly for locating required mounting holes for door lock has a generally U-shaped flexible end template, support clips pivotably attached to free ends of the end template, and side templates attached to the support clips. The end template has a center hole locating mark, and the side templates have lock cylinder hole locating marks and a strike plate hole locating mark. Alternatively, the side templates are pivotably attachable directly to the free ends of the end template. Alternatively, the template assembly is a one-piece construction, having integrated end template and side templates, the side templates not being pivotable relative the end template.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/359,454 filed on Feb. 26, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to tool kits for specific tasks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool kit for lock installation, having all necessary tools for the task in one convenient kit, and especially to a template assembly for marking the proper place to drill holes in a door for the lock installation.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Lock installation kits are used to mark the locations of the holes to be drilled on a door that requires cylinder locks, double-cylinder locks, deadbolts, and latch bolts. Doors, depending on whether they are interior or exterior doors, have different thicknesses (typically 1.375″ for interior doors, and 1.750″ for exterior) and the height of the lock, relative to the bottom of the door, is set at a standard distance (typically 40″).  
           [0004]    There are various guides and templates currently being used to mark the locations of these holes, but they differ considerably, depending on the scope of the job and the end user&#39;s capabilities. In the case of a large construction, where repetitive installations are required, a contractor uses a complicated and expensive jig. The jig is located over the position at which the lock has to be installed, clamped in place, and the holes drilled, using the jig as a drill guide. Holes for the cylinders are made using a hole saw/mandrel combination, and the holes for the latch bolts made by a spade/wood bit. The jig is then removed and the lock installed. However, a do-it-yourself person installs locks on a very infrequent basis, and would not invest in a rarely used and expensive jig.  
           [0005]    Locks that are sold in the retail business are individually packaged, and contain a paper/cardboard template showing the location of the holes, instructions for placement, and the installation of the locks. Traditionally, the paper piece is placed at the location and taped in place. This process requires the assistance of a further person and can be very frustrating as the tape has a tendency of lifting, resulting in the re-placement of the template, and re-affixing, sometimes inaccurately. In addition, the paper template must often be folded along lines to adjust to the different door widths and lock-set locations. The holes are then drilled through the paper, then into the door, making the template a single-use device.  
           [0006]    Thus, it is desirable to provide a template assembly for lock installation that is accurate, simple to use, re-usable, easy to attach to a door, and that remains in place once applied.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of previous lock installation kits and lock installation templates.  
           [0008]    In a first aspect, there is provided a lock template assembly. The lock template assembly comprises a generally U-shaped spring clip, preferably formed of spring metal. The spring clip forms an end template having a base portion with a center hole for aligning with a center line of a door edge when positioned on a door. Two jaws depend from the base portion, and are biased towards each other. Side templates are connected to the jaws such that they can provide suitable leverage to force the jaws away from each other when manipulated. This permits the jaws to engage the door edge and to hold the side templates substantially flush to respective door surfaces. Guide holes are disposed in the side templates to provide cylinder hole locating marks when the side templates are substantially flush to the respective door surfaces, and to provide a striker plate locating mark when swung adjacent to a door jamb.  
           [0009]    In presently preferred embodiments, the side templates are connected to the jaws by way of support clips having ends for a pivoting connection. The support clips are received within complementary grooves in the side templates. Alternatively, the side templates and the spring clip can be integrally formed. Optional protective caps can be provided to shroud sharp edges of the spring clip.  
           [0010]    In a further aspect, there is provided a lock installation kit. The kit includes at least one hole saw, chisel, spade drill bit, standard drill bit, set-depth drill bit and/or pencil, in combination with the above-described lock template assembly. The tool(s) and the template assembly are arranged in a tool box.  
           [0011]    Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a lock installation kit according to the invention, showing the tools in place in a tool case;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an elevational side view of a template assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention, showing the support clips and side templates folded to the operating/storage position;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the template assembly of FIG. 3;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a plan side view of the template assembly of FIG. 3;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is an elevated side view of the side template according to the first embodiment of the invention, seen from the outside of the template;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a plan side view of a support clip according to the first embodiment of the invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the template assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention, showing the flexible opening of the end template using the side templates/support clips when attaching the template assembly to a door edge;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is an elevational side view of the template assembly according to the second embodiment of the invention, showing the side templates removed from the support clips and some support clips removed from the end template;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a plan side view of a third embodiment of the template assembly of the invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is a plan side view of a side template according to the fourth embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a template assembly according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]    Generally, the present invention provides a method and system for marking locations on a door where holes have to be drilled for installing a lock on the door.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an installation kit  1  according to the invention. A plurality of tools are contained in a tool box  2 , advantageously having a hanging tab  3 , or other display means. A template assembly  4  according to the invention is one of the preferred tools, examples of other tools are hole saw  5 , chisel  6 , spade drill bit  7 , ordinary drill bit  8 , set-depth drill bit  9  and pencil  10 . Any other tool, which would be necessary for a particular hole-making project, can be included in the tool kit. All the components necessary for lock installations can thus be stored in one convenient carrying case.  
         [0026]    A first embodiment of a template assembly  4  according to the invention is shown in FIGS.  2  to  6 . The assembly has an end template  11 , which is a generally U-shaped spring clip with a base portion  12  and two jaws  13 . Holders  14  are provided at free ends of the jaws  13  to hold ends  16  of support clips  15 , by the ends being slid or snapped into the holder. The support clips  15  are shaped to correspond to grooves  17  of side templates  18 , so that the support clips securely hold the side templates when snapped into the grooves  17 . The side templates  18  have guide holes  19 , which are used by an operator as a jig to mark desired drill hole locations, or to act as a drill guide. For example, a slot is advantageously used to mark the location of the striker plate on the door jamb and a plurality of holes are used to locate the hole for the lock cylinder depending upon what type of lock is desired to be installed. Tabs  20  on the holders  14  bias the support clips to either an operating position, in which the template assembly is used on the door for marking the hole (or stored in the tool case), or a door attaching position, in which the jaws  13  can be biased away from each other, using the support clips  15  as levers and the junction between base  12  and jaws  13  as the fulcrum, to secure the template assembly on a door edge. The base portion  12  preferably has a center hole or other marker, which can be aligned with the center line of the door edge when the template assembly is attached to a door edge. The center hole  21  can also be used to mark the location of the latch bolt hole.  
         [0027]    The support clips  15  are advantageously formed from rigid but bendable wire, and conform to a predetermined shape. The end template  11  is preferably made of spring steel, or other material having the desirable properties (strong and not brittle). The location hole  21  is centrally punched into the back surface of the end template and the edges are rolled to accept bent portions of the support clips  15 . The rolled sections advantageously have a raised ridge on the edges closest the center line. This acts as a cam detent that prevents the support clip  15  from remaining in a “neutral” position, but urges it to a full-closed, or a fully-open position.  
         [0028]    The side templates  18  can be made out of sheet metal, molded plastic, or a flat plastic sheet. They either have a recess to accept the support clips  15 , clips into which the support clips  15  snap, or have the support clips insert-molded into the side templates.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 shows the method of attachment of template assembly  4  to a door edge. The side templates  18 , attached to the support clips  15 , are pivoted towards the door attachment position, and the ends of the support clips are pressed towards each other to open up the end template  11 , by biasing the jaws  13  apart. The template assembly  4  is then slid over the door edge D, by fitting the door edge between the jaws  13 . The side templates  18  are thereafter pivoted to the operating position, i.e. flush with the door sides, and the required hole positions can be marked on the door, or the holes can be directly drilled.  
         [0030]    Each side template  18  has holes on the sides that are spaced for different applications. To use the lock installation kit and its template assembly, the side templates  18  (with the embedded support clips  15 ), are bent backwards (to the back of the end template  11 ). The side templates  18  and support clips  15  provide the leverage required to open the template assembly to facilitate installation on the edge of the door. The template assembly is placed at the required location on the door and the support clips  15  released such that the spring clip biases inwardly to secure the assembly to the door.  
         [0031]    The side templates  18  are then folded out to lay flat on the surface of the door, and the hole locations marked. The punched hole at the back of the end template is positioned at the center-line of the door to ensure that the assembly is not askew. The side templates  18  are then folded out, and the door swung adjacent to the jamb. A mark can then be placed thru one of the guide holes  19  for the location of the striker plate (on the door jamb). The template can then be removed, and the holes drilled. An optional plastic liner can be used between the open ends of the end template and the door.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of a template assembly according to the invention. The end template  11  is identical to the first embodiment described above, all reference numbers are retained. The primary differences are in the configuration of the support clips  15 ′ and the side templates  22 ,  23 . A pair of support clips  15 ′ are used at each free end of the jaw  13 , to hold a first side template  22 , and a second side template  23 . The support clips are securely attached, into grooves  17 ′ of the side templates, and are also attached to the holders  14 . Guide holes  19  are provided on the side templates, and are used as described above for the first embodiment.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of a template assembly  24  according to the invention. A one-piece construction is used, having an end template  12 ′, from which two jaws  13 ′ emanate and which have side templates  25  extending from each of the jaws. The side templates  25  advantageously have flared ends  26 , to facilitate the application of the template over a door edge (not shown). Guide holes are provided in the side templates, as described earlier, and the end template has a center hole, also as previously described. The template assembly  24  according to the third embodiment thus does not have folding side templates with support clips. Instead, it is one piece spring clip assembly that is clamped over the door edge by forcing the template over the door edge (flared ends first) to lever the jaws  13 ′ apart, and retained by spring tension. The gap between the side templates  25  is smaller than the thickness of any door for which the template is intended to be used.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment of a side template according to the invention. The end template is identical to that described in relation to the first and second embodiments (sec e.g. reference number  11 , FIG. 2). The side templates  28  are of a one-piece construction, having attachment connectors  29  formed at one end. The connectors are attachable to the holders  14  of the end template, in the same manner as the support clips are attached in the first embodiment. Guide holes  19  are arranged in the side templates  28 , and used as described above. This embodiment permits simple, one-piece construction of the side templates, which can be manufactured of a hard plastic or metal.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment of a template assembly according to the present invention. Spring clip  11  is as described above. However, side templates  30  are formed of plastic and attached to support clips  15  by engagement with groove  31  formed in an extruded channel. Preferably, support clip  15  snaps into groove  31  and is retained therein. Guide holes  19  are provided in side templates  30  for marking or drilling, as described above. To shield a user from the sharp edges of spring clip  11 , which is preferably formed of metal, protection caps  33  can be secured along the edges of jaws  13 . This embodiment permits an ergonomic design of the plastic side templates, while retaining the strength of the spring clip/support clip combination.  
         [0036]    The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.