US3011330A - Lock cylinder co-ordinator - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1961 c, s 3,011,330

LOCK CYLINDER CO-ORDINATOR Filed May 31, 1960 Z7 (Jar/Z5 Z. [005.

INVENTOR. H- L Wf/A/VN a McMAN/GAL Afformys for A a 011E401 3,011,330 LOCK CYLINDER CO-ORDINATOR Charles L. Eads, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Adams Rite Manufacturing Company, Glendale, Califi, a corporation of California Filed May 31, 1960, Ser. No. 33,045 1 Claim. (Cl. 70-100) The present invention relates generally to lock mechanisms such as utilized in sliding doors, and the like; and is more particularly concerned with means for co-ordinating actuation of the lock mechanism from two spaced apart points or locations.

Heretofore, the conventional utilization of hollow extmded door frame structures of aluminum or other suitable metallic material in which the frame side Wallsare closely spaced, has presented a perplexing problem due to the restricted and limited mounting space within which the lock mechanism and key cylinder mechanism may be mounted. I

This problem is greatly magnified in the case of installations employing by-passing door arrangements, and wherein it is desired to provide a key locking cylinder within the limits of the extruded frame structure. The conventional frames are so restricted as to space between the side walls that it becomes impossible to mount the lock mechanism and key cylinder in proximate side-byside relationship for the purpose of obtaining two points of operation, one of which is accessible from the forward side of the frame structure, while the other is accessible from the rear side of the frame structure.

With the foregoing in mind, the. herein described invention has for one object the provision of a lock cylinder co-ordinator which will enable two point operation, and wherein the key cylinder unit may be vertically positioned in spaced relation to the lock mechanism so as to permit mounting of the key cylinder within the limited space of the door frame.

It is one object of the herein described invention to provide a lock cylinder co-ordinator of such construction as to permit mounting of the key cylinder within the limited confines of the door frame.

A further object is to provide a lock cylinder co-ordina- I tor of unitary construction which may be mounted on an exterior surface of the door frame to change a lock having a single point ofoperation into a lock mechanism having two points of operations.

Another object resides in the provision of improved lock actuating means which enables a key cylinder on by-passing doors to be mounted in semi-flush position within the limits of the frame member.

It is also an object to provide a novel motion transmitting mechanism of simple construction for use in connection with lock mechanisms, which may be economically fabricated as a separate article of manufacture.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosingthe invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged edge elevational view of a sliding door frame having the lock cylinder co-ordinator of the present invention mounted thereon, portions being cut away to disclose structural details;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the door frame showing the lock cylinder unit applied thereto;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the co-ordinating unit, portions of the case being cut away to show the details of the motion transmitting parts and their cooperative relationship in the locking position of the lock;

'lock; and

3,011,330 Patented Dec. 5, 1961 "ice FIG. 4 is a similar view showing the cooperative rela-- tionship of the parts in the unlocked position of the FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the manner of mounting the cam plates, taken substantially on line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the lock cylinder co-ordinator of the present invention is illustrated in'FIG. l as being applied to a door frame 10 of aluminum or other suitable metal of tubular construction, which is fabricated or otherwise formed with spaced side walls 11 and 12 interconnected by a common edge wall 13.

Mounted within the door frame 10 is a locking mechanism unit 14 which may constitute any one of a number of commercially available units. For illustrative purposes, the unit in the present instance is disclosed as being contained within a casing 15 adapted to be mounted within an opening 16'fcrmed in the edge wall 13 of the door frame. The casing 15 containing the parts of the lock mechanism has an edge opening 17 through which a locking member 18 is movable to an extended locking position, as shown in FIG. 2, and a retracted unlocked position within the casing 15. Movement of the locking member is effected by means of a rotatable actuating member 19 which extends through an opening in the wall 2 so as to be accessible from this side of the door frame and provide one point of operation. If it is desired only to operate the lock mechanism from one operating point, the actuating member 19 may be fitted with a conventional knob or handle.

From a consideration of FIG. 1, it will be apparent that with a locking mechanism unit such as illustrated therein, it would not be possible to mount a key actuated cylinder in side-by-side relation to the locking unit due to the restricted space in the door frame between the side walls 11 and 12.'

It is a feature of the present invention that its utilization permits themounting' of the key cylinder, as indicated by the numeral 20 in a position which is vertically spaced from the unit 14, and in which position the full space between the side walls 11 and 12 is available for the mounting of the key cylinder. The key cylinder is mounted with one end, namely an end 21 in'a semi-flush position with respect to the side wall -11, while a rotatable actuating member 22 of the key cylinder mechanism projects through an opening 23 in the side wall 12. As thus arranged, the key cylinder mechanism may be actuated from the inside of the door frame by means of a suitable key 24, thus providing a second operating point. It will be appreciated that the semi-flush mounting of the end 21 of the key cylinder is an especially desirable feature in the case of by-passing sliding door arrangements.

According to the broad concepts of the present invention, the invention comprises motion transmitting means whereby the rotary motion of the actuating member 19 and the rotatable actuating member 22 may be coordinated for simultaneous rotation in the same directions. Obviously, various arrangements of elements may be used for this purpose. In the main, however, it is very desirable that the associated elements shall occupy and 26 for rotation about the axis of the openings 28-48, the cam plate having an upset central hub portion 31 which extends into one of the openings 28. This upset hub portion is provided with a rectangular opening 32 which is adapted to receive a rectangular end portion formed on the adjacent end of the actuating member 19.

At the opposite end of the unit, there is provided a similar cam plate 33 mounted in the same manner as just described above for the cam plate 30, for rotation about the axis of openings 2929. This cam plate has a rectangular opening 34 for receiving a rectangular end portion formed on the rotatable actuating member 22.

For co-ordinating the movement of the cam plates 30 and 33, a connecting linkage is provided, this linkage having parts so constituted that simultaneous rotation of the cam plates in the same direction will take place when either of the cam plates is rotated. More specifically, the linkage in this instance comprises a pair of elongate fiat push links 35 and 36 which are mounted for reciprocabl-e movement in the space between the two cam plates. The adjacent ends of the links 35 and 36 at the cam plate 30 are arranged to engage diametrically opposite points 37a and 37b of the cam plate 30, while the other ends of the links similarly engage diametrically opposite points 38a and 38b of the cam plate 33.

The push links :35 and 36 are mounted with their inner adjacent edges 39 and 40 in sliding engagement, and are further constrained against lateral separation by deflected finger portions 41 and 42 at the edges of the plate members 25 and 26. These finger portions further serve as stop members for limiting the re'ciprocable movement of the push links, and as a consequence the rotational movement of the cam plates 30 and 33.

Various arrangements of knobs, levers, etc. may be used to manually rotate the cam plate 30 to actuate the locking mechanism unit. In the present instance, the cam plate 30 is shown as having an integrally formed handle or lever 43 which extends laterally of the confines of the plate members 25 and 26, as best shown in FIG. 2. One feature of the link structure between the cam plates 30 and 3-3 resides in the fact that the push links 35 and 36 are subjected only to compressive forces, and provide simple means for accomplishing the purpose,

without the necessity of providing complex fastening means for connecting the push links with the cam plates.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the co-ordinating unit of the present invention may be mounted in a very small space and is easily concealed by a cover 44 which may be secured in position as by retaining screws 4545. Moreover, due to the compact size of the co-ordinating unit, this unit may be mounted between the brackets 46-47 which support a door sliding handle. 48. Thus, the lock actuating mechanism, on this side of the door, is in a conveniently accessible position, while the key cylinder in its semi-flush position is readily accessible for key control on the opposite side of the door.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claim.

Iclaim:

A look cylinder adapter mechanism for a sliding door lock having a rotatable actuator, said mechanism comprising: an elongate support structure; spaced apart cam members rotatably supported on said structure for rotation about parallel axes of'rotation, and each having a pair of 'camming arms positioned substantially on opposite sides of its axis of rotation, one of said members being adapted for connection with said actuator, and the other of said members being adapted for connection with said lock cylinder; and a pair of parallel reciprocably mounted push links extending between said cam members, one of said links having its ends respectively engaged by the camming arms of the cam members lying on one side of their axes of rotation, and the other of said links having its endssimilarly engaged by the other camming arms of the cam members.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 797,425 Haag Aug. 15, 1905 1,911,648 'Rightmyer May 30, 1933 2,736,185 Collar Feb. 28, 1956 H 2,862,750 Minke Dec. 2, 1958

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