Patent ID: 6880872

Claim:
A lever handle return spring assembly for a cylindrical lock of the type adapted for installation in a bored opening in a door, the lever handle return spring assembly comprising: a support plate including: an outer region for making supporting contact with a face of the door, the outer region having a diameter greater than a diameter of the bored opening in the door and at least one bolt hole located in the outer region; and an inner region having a diameter less than the diameter of the bored opening in the door, the inner region being cylindrically depressed relative to the outer region to extend at least partially into the bored opening in the door when the support plate is installed, the inner region including at least one spring stop tab extending axially away from the inner region; a pair of compression springs; a cylindrical spring housing having a diameter less than the diameter of the inner region of the support plate such that the spring housing extends at least partially into the cylindrically depressed inner region of the support plate, the spring housing being adapted to be driven by a lever handle and including: a pair of annular spring channels corresponding to and receiving the pair of compression springs, the spring channels opening towards the inner region of the support plate to hold the springs between the spring housing, the support plate and ends of the spring channels, the spring channels being connected together by at least one slot sized to receive the at least one spring stop tab whereby the at least one spring stop tab passes between the spring channels to alternately compress the compression springs as the spring housing is alternately rotated in opposite directions relative to the support plate; and at least one stop lug radially projecting from the spring housing; a cover plate including: an outer region connected to the outer region of the support plate, the outer region of the cover plate having at least one bolt hole for alignment with the bolt hole in the outer region of the support plate; and an inner region forming a cover to retain the spring housing and the compression springs in the cylindrically depressed inner region of the support plate; and at least one stop extending from the cover plate towards the support plate, the at least one stop on the cover plate providing interfering engagement with the at least one stop lug on the spring housing to limit rotation of the spring housing; and at least one through-bolt extending through the bolt holes in the cover plate and support plate.