Abstract:
An electrified mortise lock where the same method and articles can be used for electrifying the mortise locks of many manufacturers and styles. The electrified mortise lock includes a solenoid and a cradle. The cradle includes a frame for embracing the solenoid and cradle pins for fixing the solenoid to a housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to electrified mortise locks and more particularly to an electrified mortise lock having a solenoid cradle for enabling the same solenoid to be fixed into the housings of a multiplicity of styles of mortise locks. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A mortise lock is a lock fitting into a mortise of a door or the like so that the lock is covered on both sides by door material. Electrified mortise locks are well known for door hardware and usually include a solenoid or a motor for locking or unlocking a handle. When the handle is locked, a mechanism in the mortise lock drives a latch outward to engage a door strike. When the solenoid or motor unlocks the handle, the handle can be turned in order to retract the latch so that the door can be pushed or pulled open. Typically, the latch can also be retracted with a key override that operates through the mechanism. A standard mortise lock has a width to fit into a one and one quarter inch wide mortise hole in the edge of the door. However, within this standard there are many manufacturers and styles of such locks. 
     There is a need by manufacturers, installers and users of non-electrified mortise locks to convert non-electrified locks into electrified locks. Unfortunately, to date the schemes for making such conversions have required expensive manufactured articles and machine operations. Moreover, each one of such schemes has been limited to one or only a few manufacturers and styles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple method and an inexpensive solenoid cradle for electrifying mortise door locks where the same method and cradle can be used for mortise locks of many manufacturers and styles. 
     Briefly, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention is an electrified mortise lock kit including a solenoid cradle and a solenoid. In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is an electrified mortise lock including the solenoid cradle and the solenoid of the kit; and a mechanism, a handle, a latch, and a housing. The solenoid cradle includes a frame for embracing the solenoid and cradle pins for fixing the frame, and thereby fixing the solenoid, in the housing. The solenoid includes an armature for engaging the solenoid to the mechanism for alternatively unlocking or locking the handle. The solenoid is end-for-end reversible without removing the cradle from the housing for providing fail secure or fail non-secure operation. The same solenoid and cradle is used with the mechanisms, latches and housings for many manufacturers and styles. Conversion of a non-electrified mortise lock to an electrified mortise lock requires removing parts of the mechanism not needed for electrified operation and using a simple hand drill for drilling cradle mounting holes in the housing. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the various figures. 
    
    
     IN THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a solenoid cradle and solenoid of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2A-B are drawings of a mortise lock housing and cover, respectively, having a cradle mounting holes for holding the solenoid cradle of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 3A-D are drawings of electrified mortise locks of the present invention having the solenoid cradle and solenoid of FIG. 1; and 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate alternative embodiments of the solenoid cradle of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a universal electrified mortise lock kit solenoid cradle of the present invention referred to by the reference number  5 . The kit  5  includes a solenoid cradle  10  including a rectangular frame  12  having two or more, preferably three, cradle pins  14  projecting perpendicular to an inner rectangular opening  16  of the frame  12 . The kit also includes a solenoid  18 . The solenoid cradle  10  and the solenoid  18  are disposed in a mortise lock of the present invention having exemplary embodiments referred to with reference numbers  20 A-D (FIGS.  3 A-D). 
     The solenoid  18  has a cylindrical body  22  and an armature  24 . There is a threaded hole  26  in the front end of the armature  24 . The mortise locks  20 A-D are packaged in housings  36 A-D (FIGS.  3 A-D), respectively. The housings  36 A-D include housing covers  38 A-D (FIGS.  3 A-D), respectively. The solenoid body  22  is embraced by the cradle  10  in the rectangular opening  16 , and the cradle  10  and solenoid body  22  are pressed between the body of the housing  36 A-D and the cover  38 A-D. Cradle pin mounting holes  39  in the body of the housing  36 A-D or the cover  38 A-D have a pattern matching the pattern of the cradle pins  14 . The pins  14  are loosely fit into the pin holes  39  for fixing the cradle  10  in the housing  36 A-D and/preventing the solenoid  18  from moving side-to-side or forward-and-back. In a preferred embodiment, the solenoid body  22  has a length of about 1⅝ inches and a diameter slightly smaller than the inside width of 0.7 inches of the housing of a standard mortise lock. For the solenoid  18  having these dimensions, the dimensions of the inner rectangular opening  16  are about 0.6 inches by 1 and ⅝ inches. However, the key aspect of the cradle  10  is that it embrace the solenoid  18  and that the solenoid  18  and the cradle  10  are pressed between the body of the housing  36 A-D and the cover  38 A-D. The rectangular frame  12  and/or the inner opening  16  may be square. 
     FIG. 2A is a bottom view of the housing  36 A showing the cradle  10 , the cradle pins  14  and the cradle mounting holes  39  in an embodiment where the cradle  10  is fixed into body of the housing  36 A. FIG. 2B is a top view of the cover  38 A showing the cradle  10 , the cradle pins  14  and the cradle mounting holes  39  in an embodiment where the cradle  10  is fixed into the cover  38 A. The cradle mounting holes  39  may be drilled with an ordinary hand drill using an ordinary drill bit. A tool having guide holes positioned according to the cradle mounting hole pattern may be used for guiding the drill bit. In one embodiment, the pins  14  have diameters to fit into holes  39  drilled by a #50 drill bit. When one of the pins  14  is not needed or has interference, it can be cut off. 
     FIGS. 3A-D are drawings showing respective exemplary electrified mortise locks  20 A-D of the present invention. The mortise locks  20 A-D include the cradle  10 , the solenoid  18 , the housings  36 A-D, the covers  38 A-D, latches  44 A-D and mechanisms  46 A-D, respectively. The mechanisms  46 A-D and the latches  44 A-D are disposed in the housings  36 A-D, respectively. 
     The cradle  10  and the solenoid  18  are assembled into the housing  36 A-D for converting a non-electrified mortise lock to the mortise lock  20 A-D of the present invention. The mechanism  46 A-D includes a hub  48 A-D, respectively. A handle  52  (shown in FIG. 3C only) engages the hub  48 A-D for driving the mechanism  46 A-D. The mechanism  46 A-D couples the hub  48 A-D to the latch  44 A-D. Of course, the handle  52  can have various shapes. 
     The mechanism  46 A-D is biased so that unless some action is taken by the handle  52  (shown in FIG. 3C) or a key override, the latch  44 A-D is driven outward from the housing  36 A-D in order to hold a door closed. In the unlock condition, turning the handle  52  causes the mechanism  46 A-D to retract the latch  44 A-D, thereby allowing the door to be opened. In the lock condition, the handle  52  is locked by the mechanism  46 A-D so that it cannot turn. 
     Adapters  54 A-D couple the solenoid armature  24  into the mechanisms  46 A-D, respectively. The armature  24  has a pull end that pulls toward the solenoid body  22  and a push end, denoted by the reference number  24 C (shown in FIG.  3 C), that pushes away from the solenoid body  22  when the solenoid  18  is energized. The handle  52  is locked, thereby locking the mortise lock  20 A-D, when the adapter  54 A-D is engaged into the mechanism  46 A-D and unlocked, thereby unlocking the mortise lock  20 A-D, when the adapter  54 A-D is disengaged from the mechanism  46 A-D. 
     The mortise lock  20 A-D can be assembled for fail secure operation or fail non-secure operation. For fail secure operation the mortise lock  20 A-D is unlocked when the solenoid  18  is energized and locked when the solenoid  18  is not energized. For fail non-secure operation the mortise lock  20 A-D is locked when the solenoid  18  is energized and unlocked when the solenoid  18  is not energized. 
     The mortise locks  20 A,  20 B and  20 D are shown for fail secure operation with the adapters  54 A,  54 B and  54 D attached to the front (pull) end of the armature  24  using the screw hole  26 . The mortise lock  20 C is shown for fail non-secure operation with the adapter  54 C attached to a back (push) end  24 C of the armature  24 . However, it should be noted that any of the mortise locks  20 A-D can be setup as fail secure or fail non-secure by simply reversing the solenoid  18  in the cradle  10  and attaching the adapters  54 A-D to other end of the armature  24  without removing the cradle  10  from the housings  36 A-D. 
     The adapter  54 A includes a shaft  60 A in line with the armature  24  and an end fitting  62 A having a circular cross-section concentric with the shaft  60 A. The shaft  60 A may be a threaded machine screw. The end fitting  62 A attaches at the outboard end of the shaft  60 A away from the solenoid  18 . The inboard end of the shaft  60 A attaches to the armature  24 , preferably by threading into the hole  26 . The combination of the armature  24 , the shaft  60 A and the end fitting  62 A form a T-shaped latch piece  64 A where the end fitting  62 A forms the top-line of the “T” and the armature  24  and shaft  60 A form the center line. 
     For the mortise lock  20 A, in the non-energized state, for fail secure operation, the solenoid  18  drives the armature  24  so that the latch piece  64 A engages the mechanism  46 A to lock the mortise lock  20 A. When the solenoid  18  is energized it withdraws the latch piece  64 A from the mechanism  46 A so that the mortise lock  20 A is unlocked. 
     The adapters  54 B-D are bar shaped end fittings  62 B-D. The fittings  62 B-D are preferably about ¼ inches wide (perpendicular to the armature  24  when attached to the armature  24  and parallel to the plane of the inner rectangular opening  16  of the frame  12 ) by about 1⅛ inches high (perpendicular to the armature  24  when attached to the armature  24  and perpendicular to the inner rectangular opening  16  of the frame  12 ) by about a range of ⅛ to 1 inch, preferably about ¼ inches, long (in line with the armature  24  when attached to the armature  24 ). The height of the fitting  62 B-D is determined so that the ends of the fitting  62 B-D is guided in a slot  66  in the body of the housing  36 B-D and a similar opposed slot (not shown) in the cover  38 B-D. The combination of the armature  24  and the fittings  62 B-D form T-shaped latch pieces  64 B-D, respectively, where the fittings  62 B-D form the top line of the “T” and the armature  24  forms the center line. 
     For the mortise locks  20 B and  20 D in the non-energized state for fail secure operation, the solenoid  18  drives the armature  24  so that the latch pieces  64 B and  64 D engage jaws of the hubs  48 B and  48 D to lock the mortise locks  20 B and  20 D. When the solenoid  18  is energized it withdraws the latch pieces  64 B and  64 D from the hubs  48 B and  48 D to unlock the mortise locks  20 B and  20 D. 
     For the mortise lock  20 C in the non-energized state for fail non-secure operation, the solenoid  18  drives the armature  24  so that the latch piece  64 C withdraws from the jaws of the hub  48 C to unlock the mortise lock  20 C. When the solenoid is energized it drives the armature  24  so that the latch piece  64 C engages the jaws of the hub  48 C to lock the mortise lock  20 C. 
     The mechanism  46 A is representative of a mechanism in a mortise lock available from Schlage Lock Company of Security, Colorado, which is a subsidiary of IR (formerly Ingersoll-Rand) Safety and Security of Bermuda. Elements of the mechanism  46 A are described by Hull in U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,382 and by Hensley et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,966 both of which are incorporated herein by reference. The mechanism  46 B is representative of a mechanism in a mortise lock available from Baldwin Hardware Corporation of Reading, Pa. Elements of the mechanism  46 B are described by Gokcebay et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,730 incorporated herein by reference. The mechanism  46 C is representative of a mechanism in a mortise lock available from Cal-Royal-Products Inc. of City of Commerce, Calif. The mechanism  46 D is representative of a mechanism in a mortise lock available from Corbin Ruslin which is a subsidiary of Yale Security of Charlotte, N.C., which is a part of the Assa/Abloy Group of Sweden. Elements of the mechanisms  46 C and  46 D are described by Alexander in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,056 incorporated herein by reference. Even though the present invention is described in terms of four examples referenced as mortise locks  20 A-D, the idea of the present invention can be applied for electrifying other mortise locks as well, such as mortise locks available from OSI Security Devices of Chula Vista, Calif.; Security Door Controls of Westlake Village, Calif.; Architectural Control Systems, Inc. of Saint Louis, Mo.; Best Lock Corporation of Indianapolis, Ind.; and Yale Security Incorporated of Charlotte, N.C., and Sargent Lock Company both subsidiaries of the Assa/Abloy Group of Sweden. U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,348 by Palmer et al. incorporated herein by reference shows elements of a mortise lock from Best Lock that may be converted into an electrified mortise lock of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,005 by Cudd incorporated herein by reference shows elements of a mortise lock from Yale Security that may be converted into an electrified mortise lock of the present invention. 
     A non-electrified mortise lock is converted to an electrified mortise lock by removing parts of the mechanism that are replaced by the frame  10 , solenoid  18 , and adapter pieces where the adapter pieces are exemplified by pieces  64 A-D; drilling the cradle pin holes  39 ; installing the cradle  10 ; placing the solenoid  18  in the cradle; and engaging the armature  24  with an adapter piece in the mechanism. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the solenoid cradle  10  of the present invention referred to as a solenoid cradle  70 . The cradle  70  includes a rectangular frame  72  analogous to the frame  12  and cradle pins  74  analogous to the pins  14 . The frame  70  includes the inner rectangle  16 . The cradle pins  74  have axial center bores  76 . Cradle pin holes  39  can be drilled by placing the frame  72  in position in the housing  36 A-D and then using the center bores  76  as guides for a pilot drill bit for drilling pilot holes. The pilot holes are then drilled out to the full diameter for accepting the pins  74 . Preferably, the outside diameter of the pins  74  is about ⅛ inch diameter. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the solenoid cradle  10  of the present invention referred to as a solenoid cradle  80 . The cradle  80  includes a rectangular frame  82  analogous to the frame  12  and opposed fold pairs  84  analogous to pins  14 . The frame  82  includes the inner rectangle  16 . An opening  86  is formed between the folds of the fold pairs  84 . Preferably the opening  86  is approximately square. Cradle pin holes  39  can be drilled by placing the frame  82  in position in the housing  36 A-D and then using the openings  86  as guides for a pilot drill bit for drilling pilot holes. The pilot holes are then drilled out to the full diameter for accepting the fold pairs  84 . Preferably, the diagonal of the fold pairs  84  and the holes  88  are about ⅛ inch diameter. 
     Although the present invention has been described in terms of the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alterations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.