Patent ID: 7100407

Claim:
A lock set for use in combination with a door latch, comprising: a handle assembly; a hollow outer spindle mounted inside said handle assembly for simultaneous rotation therewith; a key-operated lock mounted inside said handle assembly and having a tail end; a hollow intermediate spindle adapted to connect with the door latch and having one end connectable to said outer spindle to be driven by said outer spindle; a turning rod extending inside said outer and intermediate spindles; a coupler provided inside said outer spindle and including one end connected to one end of said turning rod so as to actuate said turning rod, and another end connected to said tall end so as to be rotated by said tail end, said tail end driving said coupler to rotate only after said tail end has turned idly by a predetermined angle; a first clutch plate fitted around said turning rod adjacent to said coupler for rotation together with said turning rod; a second clutch plate movably disposed around said turning rod for sliding along said turning rod in a direction away from or toward said first clutch plate; said first clutch plate having a cam surface that cams said second clutch plate to move in a direction away from said first clutch plate or permits said second clutch plate to move toward said first clutch plate; and a coiled spring sleeved around said turning rod and seated on said coupler, said second clutch plate being disposed between said coupler and said first clutch plate and biased by said spring toward said first clutch plate.