US2798754A - Adjustable strike plate - Google Patents

Description

F. J. RUSSELL ADJUSTABLE STRIKE PLATE July 9, 1957 Filed April l. 1955 2 ASheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Otice 2,798,754 Patented `lluly 9, 1957Y ADJUSTABLE STRIKE PLATE Fred J; Russell, Los Angeles, Calif. Application April 1, 1955, Serial No. 498,727 3 Claims. (Cl. 292--341.18)

'I'he invention relates to door hardware and has particular reference to a strike plate so constructed that it can be adjusted to vary the size of the opening in the strike plate which is adapted to receive the latch bolt.

Strike plates have been so constantly -inuse for a great many years that their general form and conguration has commonly been accepted as conventionalized. They are regularly made of sheet material stamped to a rather simple acceptable form and apertured to receive the latch bolt when the door is closed. Usual forms of strike plate have one or two holes frequently rectangular, the holes being made to fit the latch bolt. The adjustment is usually made on the door frame when the strike plate is installed. Some adjustment is usually necessary so that the latch bolt will fit neatly into the strike plate and hold the `door innly -in closed position without such freedom as will allow undesirable rattling. Limitations ordinarily present in conditioning the wooden frame for reception of the strike plate render it likely that relatively few strike plates will be positioned to best advantage on thel door frame without careful and expert attention. Should a mistake be made in the locating of the strike plate, the mistakes are usually a matter of fractions of an inch and it becomes extremely difiicult to reset the screws the necessary small fraction of an inch from the original screw holes without leaving undesirable looseness in the screw setting which may ultimately permit the strike plate to be dislodged and misaligned.

`It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved adjustable strike plate wherein the aperture which is adapted to receive the latch bolt can be varied as to its breadth in order to properly accommodate the latch bolt.

Another object of the invention is to provideta new and improved adjustable strike plate which permits adjustment of the `deflecting side of the latch bolt Without it being necessary to reset the screws which are designed `to hold the strike plate on the door frame.

i Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable strike plate which permits of very easy adjustment of the side of the strike plate designed toengagethe latch bolt after the screws which hold the strike plate in position have been partially set.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable strike plate which is simple in its design though composed of two parts, the parts `being so constructed that they can be set in a great number of diliferent positions of adjustment by being shifted only slightly with respect to ea-ch -other and thereafter firmly `anchored in the selected position of adjustment without likelihood of dislodgment under virtually any and all conditions of operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and ycombination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofthe with a strike plate installed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the two portions of the adjustable strike plate of Figure l.

1 Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modilied form of the device.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary exploded View of the modied form of the device shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of a second Vmodiied form of the inventionshowing the strike plate attached to a door frame.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7.

l In the form of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration there ispictured a conventional door frame 10 having an edge 11 exposed to view. A latch bolt recess 12 extends inwardly from the edge of the frame and surrounding the latch bolt recess is a mortised area 13 of such depth as to normally permit a strike plate, indicated generally by the reference character 14, to be set therein and finished flush with the edge of the frame.

The strike plate herein described comprises two separate members adapted to cooperate one with another. Ardeilecting member 15 is located on one side and lies beneath a containing member 16. More particularly the deilecting member consists of a pair of` upper and lower ` arms 17 and 18, respectively, which are joined at one end of each edge of a door by a ldeflecting element 19. Thus constructed the arms and the deecting element encompass a laterally open aperture 20. The deilecting member is further provided with a deiiecting lip 21, ordinarily turned over in an arc so as to receive the impact of the bevelled face of a conventional latch bolt.

Each arm is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 22 of suicient breadth to easily accommodate one of the screws 23.

Moreover, on the outside edges 24 of the arms 17 and 18 are a series of serrations, inside edges 25 being provided with similar serrations.

The restraining member 16 also includes a pair of spaced upper and lower legs 26 and 27, respectively. These legs are similar in breadth and length to the legs 17 and 18 of the deecting member and are adapted to underlie the legs 17 and 18. A restraining element 28 connects ends of the legs 261and 27 and assists in forming a laterally open recess 29. The recess 29 as to its upper and lower edges is adapted to coincide with the corresponding upper and lower edges of the recess 20.` i

On each outside edge of the respective arms 26 and 27 is a straight flange 30 provided on its inside face With serrations 31. A shorter straight flange 32 forms part of each inside edge 33 of each of the legs 26 and 27. Each of the legs has a screw hole 34 and around the edgeof each of the screw holes is a bevelled portion 35 adapted on the concave side to receive the head of the respective screw 23 in countersunk position and adapted to extend outwardly on the opposite side into the respective slot 22. Engagement -of the bevelled portion 25 -in the slot in each case assists in maintaining a snug contact between them when the parts of the strike plate are installed on a door frame.

When the strike plate is to be installed on a door frame, the dellecting member isplaced with xed legs 17 and 18 between the legs 26 and 27, respectively, of the restraining member. No special adjustment need be made 3 initially while the members together are applied to 4the largest .area 13 .and the screws 23 started into the frame. It is necessary at this point only to have the screws in reasonably neat alignment in a vertical direction.

Once this initial step has been accomplishedthe deiiecting .member can be `pressed against the bottom of the mortised recess and the restraining member .held up against theheads of the :screws 'to a position y,where the serrations are out of engagement. T hedetlecting member can then be lmoved .in or out so as to 'enlarge or xijrninish the breadth of the space formed bythe iatcra'lly opened recesses. When the-proper position has been reached Within the limit permitted l.by the size of the serrations, the .deflecting :member is held in the selected .position and the restraining member pushed .against it iso as to engage recesses on the respective .sides 'of the arms. The slots 22. permit the desired movement. ".Gnce iin position the screws 23 are .driven .snugly into the fram-e' and the adjustable strike plate .has been permanently set. Should readjustment be necessary, the screws 23 can be partly Withdrawn, the restraining member lifted outwardly, and the :striking member reset to a preferred new position of adjustment, after which the screws are lagain :driven into the frame. Engagement of the serrations prevents movement of the stri-ke 'member relative to the restraining member regardless of 'the character of impact against the lip of the strike member or movement in the opposite direction of a latch bolt against the 4deflect-ing member.

To improve a neatness of appearance the legs 17 and 1'8 may be bent slightly inwardly and the deflecting -element 19 bent slightly outwardly in order `that the exposed surface of vthe element 19 be lflush with the visible faces of the legs 26 and 27 when the strike plate is in position on a door frame.

In a 'modified form of 'the invention illustrated in Figures and 6 legs 4) .of a restraining member 41 have smooth louter edges and on inner edges 42 are provided with bent anges comprising a horizontal leg 43 and a vertical leg 44. The leg 43 is of such depth that the vertical leg 44 is spaced va Jdistance from the arm 40 to provide :a space in excess of double the thickness -of an arm 4S of a dellecti-ng member 46. lt will be noted that an inside edge 47 of yeach arm 45 has serrations whereas an outside edge 48 is smooth. The Voutside edge corresponds approximately with an outside edge 49 of each ofthe legs 40.

O11 the inside face of the horizontal leg 43 there is provided a row of Aserrations Sli having a breadth substantially 'equal to the thickness of the arm 45. A clear recess 51 makes up the remainder of the inside face of the leg 43.

Accordingly when the modified. form of the device is to be mounted on a door frame, the screws 23 are started as vpreviously described with the restraining member 41 in its proper position. Screw holes 52 in the restraining member match slots 53 in the deilecting member 46. With the screws Z3 only partly driven, the striking member 'can be held outwardly against the heads of the screws in which position the vertical legs 44 of the bent flange move into engagement with the arms 45 at which point the serrations are out of engagement, the serrations 47 of the legs 45 being at that time within the clear recesses 51.L This relative arrangement of parts permits the defleeting member Vto be .moved in or out to a desired position of adjustment after which the restraining member is pushed against the dellecting member and against the door frame and the screws 23 driven into the frame. Because of the fact that the legs 44- .fall within the latch bolt recess 12, pressure of the heads of the screws 23 against the restraining member legs 40 force the legs into engagement with the corresponding legs 45 of the deecting member and .both parts are anchored together and to the door frame. Any necessary readjustment can be made vas .described in connection with the form of the invention 4initially referred to.

In the modified form of the device the overlying character of the vertical legs 44 serve to hold the separate members of the adjustable strike plate together so that they can be more easily handled as a unit especially in those instances where one or another of the screws 23 are inserted through the appropriate openings designed to receive them.

Either form of the invention is equal in its effectiveness in that it can be easily applied in a semi-adjusted position to the door frame with screws started in the positions which they will ultimately occupy. Adjustment can then be made in that side of the strike plate which is the critical side, namely, the side Whichis engaged by the .latch bolt in the opening and shutting .of the door and the parts anchored permanently with respect Vto each other and the door frame after the proper position of adjustment has been determined.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 8 a .delico-ting member indicated ygenerally by the reference character 6.0 .is provided as previously suggested with ha dellecting element 61 connected .between arms 62a1'nd 63. At the outer end of 'the deilecting element is va smooth-ly .curved lip 64, the `curvature of which is capable of receiving the yimpact of the latch bolt and to :smoothly -slide the latch bolt into the `latch as V.the door Vis closed. Ift will be noted that at .the base of the Vlip the deliecting element lis offset with respect to the surface of the delico-ting member so tir-atan inner rounded edge 16'5 is tiush with the outer sunfa'ce of y:the containing membery 16. v

.A dat portion 66 at the lbase of Vthe delecting telemen extends in la direction perpendicular to the ysurfaces of the faces fof the adjustable members and extends a Idistance equal to several times the thickness of the members ina Idirection such that it would normallyenter the V'latch bolt 4recess 12. The -at portion 66 is 1especially advantageous in an adjustable stri-ke plate :of the kindherein described where a recess 67 ischiseled relatively deeply into the edge of the door frame `without vthere being ieft any portion 5of the rwood for resisting a shifting "of the strike plate. inasmuch .as a clear recess 67 is ldesirable `to permit free adjustment of the defiecting member, it becomes advantageous to be able to locate the'deliect'ing member approximately before the -screws are driven to the locationfo'f Figure 9, preferably leaving -a slight vclearance between the flat portion 66 Aand a wall 68 lof the latch bolt recess. The slight clearance will permit `of some adjustment of the ldeflectin-g member outwardly as well a's it bei-ng possible 'to adjust the deecting member inwardly. After lthe screws have been driven andthe strike plate set, should there be an loccasion lwhere exceptional strain is put upon the strike plate forcing it toward Athe left, as viewed in Figure 7, the a't portion 66 will then fall into position against the wall 68 of the latch bolt recess and prevent the strike plate from being Itorn loose.

The device is simple in its construction which facilitates inexpensive manufacture and rugged by reason of portions being bent at 4angles suitable for reinforcement while also serving to adapt the plate to its use. Because of its versatility only one size Vwill be adapted to accommodate many different circumstances by reason of the fact that the iinal adjustment can be made after 'the strike plate has been applied to t-he millwork where it is to be ultimately used. n

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may .be made therefrom within Vthe scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of .the claims ,so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure nby Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable strike plate for installation .in a .door frame wherein a latch bolt recess 'has'been formed, said strike plate comprising a bolt deiiecting member and a containing member, said bolt deflecting member including spaced arms adapted to extend transversely of the edge of the door and a strike lip element extending between ends of said arms to form a laterally open aperture adapted to overlie the bolt recess, said lip being deiiected from the plane of the arms and said arms having longitudinally extending screw receiving slots therein, said containing member including arms in overlapped relation with the iirst identified arms and a containing element extending between ends of said containing member to form a laterally open aperture adapted to overlie the bolt recess, serrations on oppositely positioned edges of the arms of one said member which underlie the other arms when installed, said serrations extending in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces of said one member, anges on the arms which are in overlying position when installed, said flanges being of thickness not greater thanA the thickness of the arms in underlying position and facing the serrated edges of the arms in underlying position and serrations on said flanges adapted to engage said serrations on the arms in underlying position at selected positions of one set of arms upon the other whereby to vary the location of a latch retaining edge of a common recess between elements connecting said arms, the arms of said containing member having countersunk depressions insertable in said slots and in engagement with the edges thereof, and means forming screw receiving holes in said depressions adapted for alignment with said slots at different positions of adjustment.

2. An adjustable strike plate for installation in a door frame comprising a bolt detiecting member and a containing member, said bolt deflecting member including spaced arms having opposite smooth surfaces adapted to extend transversely of the edge of the door and a strike lip element extending between ends of said arms to form one side of a strike bolt aperture, and serrations on edges of said arms, said containing member including arms having opposite smooth surfaces and adapted to overlie the first identified arms and a containing element extending between ends of said containing member to form another side of said strike bolt aperture, said last identified arms each having on the inside edge a bent ange, one leg of said flange having an inner portion thereof including serrations of length comparable to the thickness of the arms of the deecting member and adapted to engage serrations of the adjacent edge of the corresponding arm of the deiiecting member and an unserrated recessed portion adapted to clear said last identified serrations, another leg of said flange at the free end of said first leg having a position overlying the face of said corresponding arm whereby to prevent complete separation of said members during adjustment, the arms of one of said members having slots therein and the arms of the other member having screw receiving holes adapted for adjustable alignment with said slots.

3. An adjustable strike plate for installation in a door frame comprising a bolt deflecting member and a containing member, said bolt deflecting member including spaced arms and a strike-lip element extending between ends of said arms to form a latch bolt aperture, serrations on opposite edges of said arms, said containing member including arms adapted to overlie the rst identified arms and a containing element extending between ends of said containing member to form a latch bolt aperture, said arms on one of said members having flanges of depth substantially equal to the thickness of the arms of the other member and overlying edges of said arms on the other member, serrations respectively on the flanges and the edges extending normal to the faces of the members adapted to engage at selected positions of one set of arms upon the other, whereby to vary the location of a latch bolt retaining edge of a common aperture between elements connecting said arms, said bolt deflecting member having a Hat portion at the base of the strike lip element turned toward the under side of the lip to a position adapted to engage a portion of the door frame when the strike plate is in a position of relatively wide adjustment, the arms of one of said members having slots and the corresponding arms of the other member having screw receiving holes adapted for alignment with said slots at different positions of adjustment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 872,053 Christy Nov. 26, 1907 1,214,227 Schwenk Jan. 30, 1917 2,127,891 Starling Aug. 23, 1938 2,695,807 Bissot Nov. 30, 1954 2,713,506 Wichstrom July 19, 1955

Images