Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKG~OUND OF INVENTION:
.
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an improved
striker plate for use in a bolt activated lock assembly
wherein the bolt is moved in and out of the striker plate
cavity by the use oE a key, from the exterior side of
a door closure, and by the use of a finger-engaging knob
from the interior side of the door closure.
Description of Prior Art
In order to provide added security to prevent
entry through a door closure~ there is cOmmonly provided
a bolt activated lock assembly wherein the bolt meChanism
is secured to a door and a striker plate secured to the
frame of the door whereby a large bolt may be moved in
and out of the striker plate to provide a rigid attachment
of the door to the frame. Such locks are commonly referred
to as "dead bolt" locks. A disadvantage of such locks
is that it is often difficult to properly fit the striker
plate in alignment with the lock bolt activating housing
for the reason that it is necessary to chisel out a portion
of the door frame to install the striker plate. Conse-
quently, if the striker plate is not properly aligned
with the bolt activating housing, it is necessary to either
readjust the position of the bolt activating housing or
the striker plate housing. Seeing such adjustment is
often only a minor displacement, then when new holes are
bored into the frame or door to readjust the position
of the housing, such new holes are often bored in contact
with the previous holes made. Accordingly, it is not
then possible to obtain a solid securement of the fastener
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within the holes. In order to do so, the previously bored
hole must be filled with a compound, and this compound
usually does not provide as much adherence as the original
wood. Thus, the installation of such locks is often time
consuming and an improper installation is made.
A further disadvantage of these types of dead
bolt locks is that, because the bolt receiving cavity
in the striker plate is made larger than the cross-section
of the bolt, to compensate for slight improper alignment
which may result from improper installation or warping
of the door frame, the bolt is not located in tight fit
within the bolt cavity. The result is that the door has
a small amount of "play" within the frame. This small
"play" causes rattle when the door is subjected to air
pressure caused by opening other doors in an enclosure.
This rattling noise is also undesirable. Furthermore,
if an intended burglar verifies the securement of the
door from the outside thereof, he will have a sensation
that the door is not well secured inside because of the
play in the door and he will attempt to force the door
open thinking it is not fully secured and often succeed
in entry to cause a theft.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION:
It is a feature of the present invention to
provide an improved striker plate for use with a bolt
activated lock assembly and which substantially overcomes
all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the existing
locks of the above-mentioned type.
According to a further feature of the present
invention there is provided an improved striker plate
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for use with a bolt activated lock assembly and wherein
the striker plate housing is provided with an adjustable
element which is positionable in contact with a bolt
located within the bolt cavity of the striker plate to
eliminate the play or movement of the bolt within the
cavity so that there is provided a rigid connection of
the bolt activating assembly with the striker plate.
Another feature of the present invention is to
provide an improved striker plate for use with a bolt
activated lock assembly and having an adjustable element
provided in the housing of the striker plate to provide
a secure connection of the bolt within the bolt receiving
cavity of the striker plate and wherein the adjustable
element is easy to adjust.
Another feature of the present invention is to
provide an improved striker plate for use in a bolt
activated lock assembly and which striker plate is easy
to install and further provides for later adjustment if
a misadjustment occurs during or after installation.
According to the above features, from a broad
aspect, the present invention provides a striker plate
for use in a bolt activated lock assembly. The striker
plate comprises a housing having means to secure the
housing to a frame of an opening having a closure member.
The housing has a bolt receiving cavity larger in cross-
section than the cross-sectional area of a bolt end to be
received therein. The improvement comprises adjustable
means secured to the housing of the striker plate and
having a bolt contact face adjustably movable from an
inside wall of the bolt receiving cavity whereby the
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associated bolt end is closely fitted between the contact
face and an opposed wall region of the cavity. The
adjustable means has a tool engaging end accessible from
an exterior face of the housing to effect adjustment of
the position of the contact face within the cavity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS-
_ _
A preferred embodiment of the present invention
will now be described with reference to the example
thereof as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIGURE 1 is a front elevation showing the
improved construction of the striker plate of the present
invention as used in a bolt activated lock assembly;
FIGURE 2 is a fragmented side view, partly
exploded, showing the construction of the adjustable
element associated with the striker plate;
FIG~RE 3 is an enlarged view, partly exploded,
of the striker plate as seen from the front face thereof,
and showing the disposition of the adjustable element in
relation to the bolt receiving cavity;
FIGURE 4 is a front view of the striker plate
anchor wall; and
FIGURE 5 is a front view showing the lock
assembly secured to a door closure and door frame.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown
generally at 10 the improved striker plate of the present
invention as used in a bolt activated lock assembly which
comprises a bolt activated housing 11 and the striker
plate 10, and wherein a bolt 12 associated with the
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housing ll has a locking end movable in and out of the
housing 11 for location into a bolt receiving cavity 14
provided in the striker plate housing 15.
As more clearly shown in Figure 4, the bolt
receiving cavity 14 is of rectangular cross-section and
defines a top and bottom wall, 16 and 17, and opposed end
walls 18. As shown in Figure 3, the end of the bolt 12
is also of rectangular cross-section and of smaller cross-
sectional area than the cross-section of the cavity 14
whereby to facilitate alignment and installation of the
striker plate on a door frame 19, such as shown in Figure
5. The free end of the bolt 12 is also usually wedge shape
to facilitate entry into the cavity 14.
The improvement in the striker plate 10 of the
present invention is the provision of an adjustment means,
herein in the form of an adjustable threaded screw member
20, which is engaged in a threaded bore 21 disposed through
the top wall 22 of the striker plate housing 15 and termi-
nating in the top wall 16 of the cavity 14.
The threaded member 20 has a bolt contact end face
23 which is preferably flat, and a tool engaging opposed
outer end 24 having a recess 25 therein configured for
engagement by a tool, such as a screwdriver or Allen key
(not shown), whereby to impart axial rotation to the
threaded member 20 to thread same within the threaded bore
21 whereby to locate the bolt contact face 23 in close
frictional contact with the adjacent face 26 of the bolt
12 positionable thereagainst in the cavity 14. Accordingly,
the bolt 12 can no longer be displaced within the space
"X" which existed before between the top wall 16 of the
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cavity 14 and the adjacent face 26 of the bolt 12. Thus,
the bolt 12 is securely held within the cavity 14 and the
loose retention or "play" is eliminated.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the threaded bore
21 is located substantially mid-width of the cavity 14
to provide for good engagement with the surface of the
bolt 12. Also, as can be seen, the threaded bore has an
enlarged shallow cavity 27 defined in an outer end portion
thereof. This enlarged cavity 27 is for receiving a cap
or closure member 28 which is in the form of a flat plastic
disc whereby to conceal the tool engaging end 24 of the
threaded member. The outer edge of the shallow cavity 27
may have a slight chamfer 29 to facilitate the insertion
of a tool, such as a screwdriver, to remove the plastic
disc 28 which is in friction fit within the cavity 27 to
permit access to the threaded shaft to axially rotate
same for adjustment of the position of the contact face
with the surface of the bolt.
The striker plate 10 is provided with an anchor
wall 30 in a front face thereof for securement in a locating
cavity which is usually chiselled out of the door edge Erame
to place the striker cavity 14 flush with the inside surface
31 of the frame 19, as shown in Figure 5. Holes 32 are
provided in this anchor wall to receive fasteners therein
to secure the striker plate to the frame. At least one
additional securement hole 33 may be provided in the housing
15 and extending transverse to the axis of the hole 32 to
receive a further fastener to provide rigid securement of
the striker plate to the door frame 19. After the striker
plate is installed on the door frame 19, the bolt activated
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housing 11 is usually installed in alignment with the
striker plate with the bolt positioned within the bolt
receiving cavity 14. At this point, the threaded element
20 has its contact face 23 retracted from the cavity.
After the installation is completed, the threaded element
20 is then threaded into the threaded bore 21 until the
contact face 23 thereof abuts the outer face 26 of the
bolt 12. Thus, there is provided a secure interconnection
of the bolt within the cavity and the "play" has been
el minated.
It is within the ambit of the present invention
to cover any obvious modifications of the examp~e thereof
as illustrated in the accompaying drawings, provided
such modifications fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
