US2950615A - Door lock with button locking means - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 30, 1960 L. scH ETAL 2,950,615

DOOR LOCK WITH BUTTON LOCKING MEANS Filed June 18, 1959 ERNEST L. SCHLAGE BY ARM/N H GREEN 9 mm m wt m Q F DOOR LOCK WITH BUTTON LOCKING MEANS Ernest L. Schlage, Burlingame, and Armin H. Green, San Mateo, Calif., assignors to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation Filed June 18, 1959, Ser. No. 821,203

7 Claims. (Cl. 70-216) This invention relates to door locks and particularly to locking means carried by the inside knob for locking the outside knob.

in conventional locksets the inside spindle usually is provided with a push button or turn button which is actuated to lock the outside knob spindle or key spindle against rotation. In the case of the push button type, the outer spindle is locked against rotation when the button is in its inner or depressed position and is unlocked when the push button is in its outer or projected position. The operation of the inside spindle is not usually affected by the position of the push button thus providing the conventional panic proof feature.

The turn button type of lockset usually requires that the button be turned about a quarter turn to retain the button in locking position, In such a case the outside spindle usually remains locked until the button is manually restored to its unlocked position. This is unlike the normal push button type of lockset in which rotation of the inside spindle or closing of the door restores the button to unlocked or projected position. However, in some instances a nonrestoring push button is employed.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a push button type of locking means which is adapted to be moved to a locked position in which it is not automatically returned to projected or unlocked condition by closing the door and in which locked position it prevents unlocking the door in the usual manner.

In this connection it is advantageous in some instances to provide a push button type of lockset in which the push button may be moved to a special locked position in which the lockset may not be unlocked by means of the pass key which .is ordinarily employed under normal circumstances.

An example of such a use is in an hotel where the outside knob of the guests room is fixed relative to the door and rotation of the key plug by means of a key is required to retract the lacthbolt. In such a case it is desirable to be able to block the keyway against entrance of a pass key by depressing the push button on the inside knob and at the same time to automatically unblock the keyway when the door is closed as the guest leaves. Examples of key shut-out devices actuated in this manner are shown in US. Patent No. 2,738,666, issued March 20, 1956, No. 2,008,405, issued July 16, 1935; and No. 1,944,469 issued January 23, 1934.

In such a hotel lockset it is further desirable to provide a special locking function wherein the key shut-out device may be actuated and remain actuated after the door is closed. An example of such use would be on a hotel lockset for a room in which especially valuable articles such as salesmens samples are stored. In such a case the guest would be provided with a special or emergency key of the type shown in the above noted patents in order to gain entrance to his room. However, the maid or any one else having an ordinary change key or master key would be excluded.

atent O lQQ The same type of shut-out feature may also be employed by the management to shut out the guests own change key when desired.

The above noted maine object of the present invention is achieved by providing relatively great resistance to turning the button to a special locked position to which it may not be turned inadvertently or otherwise during normal use. 7

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for centering a universal button, that is, a button which may be employed both as a push button and a turn button.

In this connection it will be noted that it is preferable to retain such a universal button in a predetermined Vertical or horizontal. position so as to constitute a visual indication of the condition of the lockset. By the present invention means is provided for imposing a resistance to rotation of the button from the predetermined position in which it acts as a push button so that said button visually indicates the condition of the lockset at all times.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and the drawings.-

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective of the inner spindle of a lockset and its associated mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the face of the push button;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the inner spindle showing the push button in projected or unlocked position with the spanner key in actuating position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the push button turned by means of the spanner key to an intermediate position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the push button turned to its special locked position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified cam plate in-. corporating a button centering cam;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the inner spindle incorporating the modified cam plate of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal cross section through an inner spindle showing a modified form of the invention employing a torsion spring;

Fi 9 is a side elevation of the spindle of Fig. 8 showing the push button in its special locked position;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the spindle of Fig. 8 showing the button being turned towards its special locked position.

In detail, and with reference to Fig. l, the invention is adapted to be applied to an inner spindle generally de= signated 1 and to which the inner knob (not shown) is adapted to be releasably secured. The cylindrical shank portion of the knob slides over the spindle 1 and is provided with a rectangular opening into which a knob catch 2 is spring pressed by means of a flat spring, a portion of which is shown at 3 in Fig. 1. The knob catch 2 extends inwardly of the spindle to form a pair of ears 4 which are provided with lugs 5 reciprocably disposed in slots 6 formed in the sidewall of spindle 1. By this structure catch 2 and its associated ears 4 may be depressed to permit the knob to be secured to spindle 1 and spring 3 acts to project the catch 2 into the complementarily formed opening in the knob.

Spindle 1 is formed at its free end with a generally L-shaped slot 10 which includes a circumferentially extending portion 11 and an axially extending portion 12 opening outwardly of the end of the spindle 1. Slot 10 is adapted to receive therein a lug 13 formed on the base plate 14 ofrthe push button 15 (Fig. 1). Said base plate and button are rotatably received on one end of a locking bar 18 which is provided with a catch 19 adapted to engage the retractor (not shown) in the conventional manner when the push button is depressed so that retracof a compression spring 21 which urges .a cup member 22, slidably mounted in theouter key spindle (not 7 shown), against the inner end 23 of locking bar 18. 111' other words the spring 19 urges the'push button 15 out= wardly of the outer end of spindle 1 at all times.

The above describedpush button locking structure is conventional and no claim is made thereto except combina tionwith the other devices now to be described.

By the present invention a cam plate 25 is slidably disposed in spindle 1'in face to face engagement with the b21118. Th e opposite end of spring 26 may be conemployed sufficient torque may be developed by the user to overcome theresistance offered by cam plate 25.

From the above described structure it will be apparent that the lockset may be operated under normal conditions in the same manner as any push button lock with a key shut-out attachment so that the shut-out will be rendered inoperative when the guest leaves the room and closes the door behind V However, when it is desired to leave the room and at the same time retain the key shut-out in operative position the spanner key 40 may be employed to depress and rotate the button 15 to the special locked position of Fig. 5. In such a case even the gues'tjemploying the change key or the maid employing amaster key cannot open the door. 7 It is then nece'ssaryto employ a special key which is especially designed to enter the keyway despite the venientlypos'itioned against theear's. 4 of knob catch 2 without interfering ;with the proper functioning of the" latter. 1 v r M V V At this point it may be noted from Fig. 3 that the push button 15' may be depressed from the projected position shown without rotation of said button so that catch 19 on locking bar 18.is hooked to the retractor to lock the outer spindle or to shut out the change key depending on the type of lock employed. In such a case the lug 13 ofpush button 15 merely reciprocates along the axially depressing the push button 15 inwardly and then rotating the same so that lug 13 is received within a notch28 at the closed end of the circumferentially extending portion 11 of the L-shaped slot 10 (Fig. 3). However, in order to prevent inadvertent rotation of button 15 to the key shut out position a predetermined relatively great resistance must be offered to such rotation. Such resistance W is provided by the shape of cam plate 25.

.As best seen in Fig. l, cam plate is provided with a central aperture 29 sufliciently large to permit said plate 25 to engage base plate 14 of push button 15. Cam plate 25 is also formed with peripherally extending flanges V 30, 31 to permit'the plate to slide within spindle 1. An V integral lug 32 is' also formed on the cam plate to be received within the axially extending slot 33in spindle 1- soas to prevent. any relative rotation between the plate and the spindle.

Struck from the plate 25 and bent in the opposite direaction from flanges 39, 31 is a flange 35 which is pro= vrded with a slantingly disposed camming edge 36 for a 7 purpose now. to be described. Referring to Figs. 3-5 it is seen that the juncture of the L-shaped slot 10 between portions 31', 12 is enlarged to form'a slantingiy disposed edge38 which has the efiect of urging 'the lug 13 inwardly o f the spindle as the push button 15 is rotated in the direction indicated in Fig. 4. V

V A s'best seen in Fig. 4, as the lug 13 approaches the notch 28, it will be apparent that said'lug is required to' force the fiange35 of carnming plate 25 away against the resistance of spring '26 in order to enter notch 28.

Because of the presence of the opposed edges'36 and 38' and further because of thefact that. they are slantingly disposed relative to the direction of movement of lug 13 s' ufiicient resistance to rotation of button 15 is provided so that lug 13 cannot be made to enter notch 23 without special means for eifecting a relatively high torque. V i V i i V I 7 Such special means'may be a spanner key 40 ('Fig. 1)

provided with a pair of projections 41 adapted to be re ceived within complementarily:forined'holes 42 in the outer face of button'lfi (Fig. 2'). When key 41 is. thus presence of the key shut-out. V V I It is understood that the present invention maybe employed in conjunction with any conventional shut-out means and no claim is made herein to such means per se.

In order thatthe button 15 may act as a visual indication of the condition of the lock it is preferable that the button 15, while in its normal depressed position, be disposed with the holes 42-therein arranged horizontally or vertically and not in some intermediate position. Of course when the button is in its unlocked or projected position lug 13 is held in slot portion 12 against rotation.

For. the purpose of preventing button 15 from shifting while in its depressed position from a predetermined position relative to the orientation of holes 42 the cam plate may be modified as shown in Fig. 6.

In this case the cam plate 45 of Fig. "6 is the same in all respects as the cam plate 25 except that in addition to have a camming flange 46 corresponding to flange 35 of cam plate 25 it is also formed with a centering cam 47 providing a slanting edge 48 along which lug 13 of button 15 must slide to rotate said button from its normal depressed position. Thus, as best seen in Fig. 7, when the button 15 is in its' normal depressed position the slanting edge 48 of centering cam 47 prevents rotation of said button. However, when it is desired to rotaterthe button 15. to the special locked position corresponding to that shown-in'Fig. 5 it is a simple matter to overcome the resistanceoffered by cam 47 and spring 26 by means of:

spanner key 40.

Another method of oifering resistance to turning'button 15 is shown in Figs. 8-10 wherein the cam plate is omitted and reliance is made on only a torsion spring 50 .which is secured at one end to the knob catch 2 and its other'end to the base plate 14 of push button 15, By installing spring 50 in a wound up condition it serves to rotate button 15 in a direction such that it tends to stay V in the axiallyextending. portion 12' of slot 10. V In such a case it is seen that both the slanting edge 38 (Fig. 10) and the torsion of spring 26 cooperate to oppose movement of the button 15 toward'the special locked position of Fig. 9.

Although. the torsion spring employed in the structure shown in'Figs. 840 is suitable for the desired purpose under many conditions it'has the disadvantage of auto matically returning the button to the normal position from the shut-outposition if the knob is subjected to an abnormal shock. In the preferred structure of Figs. 1-7 the cam plate 25 directly engages the lug 13 and positively prevents return of the push button to its normal position except when .a strong torque may be exerted thereon as by spanner key 40. The invention herein disclosed is not to be taken as restricted to any particularkind of push button since it may be employed in connection with various functions. Nor should the detailed description'of the preferred forms of the invention be taken as restrictive thereof since minor variations indesign may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the followingclaitns; 1

We claim:

1. In a lockset having a reciprocably mounted locking element movable longitudinally of the inner spindle of said lockset between an outer projected position corresponding to an unlocked condition of said lockset to an inner depressed position corresponding to a locked condition of said lockset, a compression spring for urging said element to said outer position at all times, a button carried by said element at the outer end of said inner spindle, said button being rotatable relative to said spindle when said element is in said depressed position from a normal position to an angularly ofiset position, interengaging elements on said button and said spindle respectively for holding said button in said ofiset position, and means for imposing a relatively strong resistance to rotation of said button toward said offset position in addition to the resistance ofiered by said spring, said last mentioned means comprising a plate fixed against rotation relative to said spindle and provided with a cam portion adapted to be engaged by said button as the latter is rotated to said otiset position, said cam portion being formed to urge said button outwardly of said spindle during said rotation of said button to said ofiset position.

2. In a lockset having a reciprocably mounted locking element movable longitudinally of the inner spindle of said lockset between an outer projected position corresponding to an unlocked condition of said lockset to an inner depressed position corresponding to a locked condition of said lockset, a compression spring for urging said element to said outer position at all times, a button carried by said element at the outer end of said inner spindle, said button being rotatable relative to said spindle when said element is in said depressed position from a normal position to an angularly ofiset position, interengaging elements on said button and said spindle respectively for holding said button in said ofiset position, and means for imposing a relatively strong resistance to rotation of said button toward said ofiset position in addition to the resistance ofiered by said spring, said last mentioned means comprising a plate fixed against rotation relative to said spindle and provided with a cam portion adapted to be engaged by said button as the latter is rotated to said offset position, said cam portion being formed to urge said button outwardly of said spindle during said rotation of said button to said ofiset position, and a centering element on said plate for resisting angular movement of said button relative to said spindle when said button is in said normal position.

3. In a lock spindle adapted to receive the inner knob of a lockset thereon, a turn button mounted in said spindle and angularly movable relative thereto fi'om a normal position to a locked position, the sidewalls of said spindle being formed with a circumferentially extending slot, and said button being provided with a radially outwardly projecting lug received in said slot, a plate received in said spindle and held against rotation relative thereto, said plate being formed with a camming portion engageable by said lug upon movement of said button to said locked position for imposing a predetermined relatively great resistance to said movement.

4. In a lock spindle adapted to receive the inner knob of a lockset thereon, a turn button mounted in said spindle and angularly movable relative thereto from a normal position to a locked position, the sidewalls of said spindle being formed with a circumferentially extending slot, and said button being provided with a radially outwardly projecting lug received in said slot, a

plate received in said spindle and held against rotation relative thereto, said plate being formed with a camming portion engageable by said lug upon movement of said button to said locked position for imposing a predetermined relatively great resistance to said movement, said plate being positioned relative to said slot whereby said lug is engaged on opposite sides by said portion and an edge of said slot respectively during said movement for so imposing said resistance.

5. In a lock spindle adapted to receive the inner knob of a lockset thereon, a turn button mounted in said spindle and angularly movable relative thereto from a normal position to a locked position, the sidewalls of said spindle being formed with a circumterentially extending slot, and said button being provided with a radially outwardly projecting lug received in said slot, a plate received in said spindle and held against rotation relative thereto, said plate being formed with a camming portion engageable by said lug upon movement of said button to said locked position for imposing a predetermined relatively great resistance to said movement, and spring means engaging said plate for urging the latter outwardly of said spindle at all times.

6. In a lock spindle adapted to receive the inner knob of a lockset thereon, a turn button mounted in said spindle and movable longitudinally thereof between an outer projected position and an inner depressed position, said button being rotatable relative to said spindle from a normal position to a locked position, the sidewalls of said spindle being formed with a circumterentially ex tending slot, and said button being provided with a. radially outwardly projecting lug received in said slot and movable therealong during said rotation between the axially spaced inner and outer edges of said slot, the outer edge of said slot being slanted to urge said lug inwardly of said spindle upon said rotation of said button from said normal position to said locked position, means engaging said lug on the side of the latter opposite the side engaged by said slanted edge during said rotation, said last mentioned means including a camming edge urging said lug toward said slanted edge, and spring means urging said camming edge toward said slanted edge for providing a substantial resistance to said rotation.

7. In a lockset having a reciprocably mounted locking element movable longitudinally of the inner spindle of said lockset between an outer projected position corresponding to an unlocked condition of said lockset to an inner depressed position corresponding to a locked condition of said lockset, a compression spring for urging said element to said outer position at all times, a button carried by said element at the outer end of said inner spindle, said button being rotatable relative to said spindle when said element is in said depressed posi- .tion from a normal position to an angularly otfset posi tion, interengaging elements on said button and said spindle respectively for holding said button in said olfset position, and means for resisting rotation of said button from said depressed position, said last mentioned means comprising a plate fixed against rotation relative to said spindle and provided with a projection cooperating with said button for so resisting said rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,918,719 Schlage ---l--l----'-- July 18, 1933 1,991,031 Schlage Feb. 12, 1935 2,008,405 Schlage July 16, 1935

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