Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02835025 2013-12-02
TRI-SIDED LOCK AND LATCH MECHANISM
FOR A HINGED SWINGING DOOR
PRIOR APPLICATION
Priority of US Provisional Application No. 61/797,076 filed 11/30/2012 by
Alain
Gadoury is claimed.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to more securely locking hinged swinging doors. More
particularly
this invention relates to a locking latch mechanism which latches a hinged
swinging door not
only on the side of the door opposite the hinge but additionally on an upper
and lower side
portion of the door. The disclosed mechanism has particular applicability on
mail box doors as
well as on gun safes which secure firearms.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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The tri-sided lock and latch mechanism disclosed herein was initially
developed for
better securing locking mail box doors. Mail box doors typically cover an
exposed entire front
portion of a mail cubicle. The mail cubicle typically is typically one in a
bank of many mail
cubicles which is associated with a number identifying its matrix position in
the bank of mail
cubicles. Frequently it is only the front side portion and door of the mail
cubicle which is
accessible to the user, and all others, other than post office personnel.
Generally, in all cases it
is the front door of the mail cubicle which is most susceptible to forcible
removal as a first step
to unauthorized entry and the subsequent burglary of the mail in the cubicle.
Generally mail box doors are hinged on one side and latched on an opposite
side.
Typically mail box doors are latched using a keyed cylindrical lock mechanism
which requires a
quarter key turn to open the mail box. These mail box doors can be relatively
and quickly pried
open using a bar having a flat end portion which can be forcibly slipped
between an unlatched
side portion of the door and the mail box frame. To deter, and render burglary
much more
difficult, it is desirable to have the mail box door secured to the mail box
on all sides. It is also
practically necessary that an improved mail box door latch mechanism be simple
and
inexpensive to implement. This almost necessitates utilizing the generally
available and
inexpensive keyed cylindrical lock mechanism which requires a quarter key turn
to open the
mail box.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
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It is an object of this invention to disclose an improved locking latch
mechanism for a
mail box door which is simple to construct and inexpensive to construct. It is
an object of this
invention to disclose an improved locking latch mechanism for a mail box door
which utilizes a
keyed cylindrical lock mechanism which requires a quarter key turn to open the
mail box. It is
yet a further object of this invention to disclose an improved locking latch
mechanism which
latches a rectangular swinging door on three sides so that the swinging door
is thereby secured
to the frame of an enclosure on all four sides thereby resulting in
substantially improved
security of valuables therein because of substantially greater resistance of
the enclosure to
forcible entry. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose an
improved locking latch
mechanism which can be employed on any hinged swinging door.
One aspect of this invention provides for a a tri-sided lock and latch
mechanism for a
swinging rectangular door, mounted within a door frame on a hinge, said door
having a hinged
side and an opposite parallel side, as well as two other sides which extend
perpendicularly to the
hinged side and parallel to each other; said tri-sided lock mechanism for use
with a keyed
cylindrical lock of the type having an inner rotating cylinder which
longitudinally receives a key
on an outer end, and has an opposite rotating a non-circular inner end portion
which rotates
clockwise generally no more than 90 degrees from an initial position when the
key is turned,
said rotating inner cylinder positioned within an outer stationary cylinder
having an external
holding means, and a flat side portion positioned for non-rotatable mounting
within a hole
having a peripheral flat side portion which extends through a central portion
of the door; the
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imechanism comprising: a cam pivotably mounted on the stationary cylinder, on
an inside of
the door, said cam having three peripheral radially extending latch portions,
one of the latch
portions extending beyond the opposite parallel side of the door when said cam
is in the initial
position, and the other two of the three latch portions extending beyond the
two other sides of
the door which extend perpendicular to the hinged side thereof when said cam
is in the initial
position; a rotating lever having an inner end portion positioned around, and
driven by the non-
circular end portion of the rotating inner cylinder, and an outer end portion
carrying a
perpendicularly extending arm, an end portion of which extends through a
circular slot portion
in the cam, said slot configured to facilitate the outer end portion of the
arm of the lever rotating
the cam less than 90 degrees when the lever is rotated generally 90 degrees by
the rotating inner
cylinder of the lock when the key is turned generally 90 degrees; and,
wherein the door frame has three appropriately positioned latch receptor slots
which receive the
three latch portions of the cam when the cam is in the initial position, and
allow the latch
portions to rotate therefrom when the cam turns less than 90 degrees when the
key is turned
generally 90 degrees. The door which is thereby held on one side by the hinge,
is additionally
able to be latched and secured on each of all other three sides with a
generally available and
inexpensive keyed lock of the type that turns generally 90 degrees.
A method of better latching and locking a swinging rectangular door, mounted
within a
door frame on a hinge, said door having a hinged side and an opposite parallel
side, as well as
two other sides which extend perpendicularly to the hinged side and parallel
to each other;
comprises the steps of: a) providing a keyed cylindrical lock of the type
having an inner rotating
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cylinder which longitudinally receives a key on an outer end, and has an
opposite rotating a
non-circular inner end portion which rotates clockwise generally no more than
90 degrees from
an initial position when the key is turned, said rotating inner cylinder
positioned within an outer
stationary cylinder having an external thread, and a flat side portion for non-
rotatable mounting;
b) cutting a hole through a central portion of the swinging rectangular door,
said hole having a
peripheral flat side portion to matably receive the outer stationary cylinder
having a flat side
portion for positioned non-rotatable mounting; c) mounting the keyed
cylindrical lock within
the hole through the swinging rectangular door; providing the tri-sided lock
and latch
mechanism as specified in claim 1; and, d) providing three appropriately
positioned latch
receptor slots which receive the three latch portions of the cam when the cam
is in the initial
position, and allow the latch portions to rotate therefrom when the cam turns
less than 90
degrees when the key is turned generally 90 degrees. The door is thereby
secured on each of its
three unhinged sides with a generally available and inexpensive keyed lock of
the type that turns
generally 90 degrees.
Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become
apparent to
those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with
the accompanying
drawings.
FIGURES OF THE INVENTION
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Figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of a locking latch mechanism which
latches a
hinged swinging door not only on the side of the door opposite the hinge, but
additionally on
two other sides which extend perpendicularly to the hinged side and parallel
to each other.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a multiple mailbox unit.
Figure 3 is a front view of the swinging door and latch mechanism shown in
figure 1
positioned within a door frame.
Figure 4 is a lateral partial cross section of the door and door frame shown
in figure 2
as viewed along line 4-4.
Figure 5 is a lateral cross section of the door and door frame shown in figure
4 wherein
the latch is in an open position.
The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific
embodiments of
this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the
same reference
numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It
should be noted that
such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to figure 1 we have a
perspective
exploded view of a tri-sided locking latch mechanism 20 which latches a hinged
swinging door
18 not only on the side of the door opposite the hinge, but additionally on
two other sides which
extend perpendicularly to the hinged side and parallel to each other. Most
generally, the tri-
sided lock and latch mechanism 20 for a swinging rectangular door 18, mounted
within a door
frame 16 on a hinge 14, said door 18 having a hinged side and an opposite
parallel side, as well
as two other sides which extend perpendicularly to the hinged side and
parallel to each other;
said tri-sided lock mechanism 20 for use with a keyed cylindrical lock 12 of
the type having an
inner rotating cylinder 1 which longitudinally receives a key 9 on an outer
end, and has an
opposite rotating a non-circular inner end portion 8 which rotates clockwise
generally no more
than 90 degrees from an initial position when the key 9 is turned, said
rotating inner cylinder 10
positioned within an outer stationary cylinder 11 having an external holding
means 7, and a flat
side portion 6 positioned for non-rotatable mounting within a hole 5 having a
peripheral flat
side portion 4 which extends through a central portion of the door 18;
comprises: a cam 22
pivotably mounted on the stationary cylinder 11, on an inside of the door 18,
said cam 22
having three peripheral radially extending latch portions 24, one of the latch
portions 24
extending beyond the opposite parallel side of the door 18 when said cam 22 is
in the initial
position, and the other two of the three latch portions 24 extending beyond
the two other sides
of the door 18 which extend perpendicular to the hinged side thereof when said
cam 22 is in the
initial position; a rotating lever 26 having an inner end portion positioned
around, and driven
by the non-circular end portion of the rotating inner cylinder 10, and an
outer end portion
carrying a perpendicularly extending arm, which most preferentially comprises
a bolt 28, having
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an end portion which extends through a circular slot portion 30 in the cam 22,
said slot portion
30 configured to facilitate the outer end portion of the arm of the lever 26
rotating the cam 22
less than 90 degrees when the lever 26 is rotated generally 90 degrees by the
rotating inner
cylinder 10 of the lock 12 when the key 9 is turned generally 90 degrees; and,
wherein the door frame 16 has three appropriately positioned latch receptor
slots 32 which
receive the three latch portions 24 of the cam 22 when the cam is in the
initial position, and
allow the latch portions 24 to rotate therefrom when the cam 22 turns less
than 90 degrees when
the key 9 is turned generally 90 degrees. The door 18 is thereby held on one
side by the hinge
14, and is additionally able to be latched and secured on each of all other
three sides with a
generally available and inexpensive keyed lock 12 of the type that turns
generally 90 degrees.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a multiple mailbox unit. Figure 3 is a front
view of the
swinging door and latch mechanism shown in figure 1 positioned within a door
frame. In the
most preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the cam 22 and rotating
lever 26 comprise
stamped sheet metal, wherein the external holding means 7 on the stationary
cylinder 11
comprises an external thread 7B, and wherein the perpendicularly extending arm
28 carried by
the outer end portion of the rotating lever 26 comprises a threaded bolt 28
having a shaft end
which extends into the circular slot portion 30 in the cam 22. It is noted
that the external
holding means 7 is intended to include a keyed lock 12 having an external
holding means 7
which comprises a U shaped spring clip [not shown] rather than an sxternal
thread and a mating
nut. In one embodiment of the invention the two opposite of the three
peripheral radially
extending latch portions 24 extend generally equal distances from a center
line drawn through
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the rotating stationary cylinder 11, and wherein the hole 5 through the
swinging door 18 is
centered equally between the two other sides of the door 18 which extend
perpendicularly to the
hinged side of the door 24. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention
all three of the
peripheral radially extending latch portions 24 extend generally equal
distances from a center
line drawn through the rotating cylinder 10, and wherein the hole 5 through
the swinging door
18 is centered equal distances from all three unhinged sides of the door 24.
Figure 4 is a lateral partial cross section of the door 18 and door frame 16
shown in
figure 2 as viewed along line 4-4. Figure 5 is a lateral cross section of the
door and door frame
shown in figure 4 wherein the latch is in an open position. The circular slot
portion in the cam
22 may be dimensioned to result in a cam rotation between 40 and 75 degrees
when the cam 22
when the inner cylinder is rotated 90 degrees by the key. Most preferably the
circular slot
portion 30 in the cam has a length dimensioned to result in a 57 degree
rotation of the cam 22
when the inner cylinder is rotated 90 degrees by the key 9. In a preferred
embodiment of the
invention the door 18 is provided for a mailbox 19 and wherein the door 18
comprises an
extrusion. Most preferably the extruded mailbox door 18 has a vertical hinge
pin opening 40 on
an inner side of the door 18, and wherein a longitudinal opening along the
extruded hinge pin
opening 40, generally necessary in the extrusion process, runs along an inner
side of the vertical
opening 40, rather than a back side of the vertical opening [not shown], so
that it is more
difficult to pry the extruded door 18 off the vertical hinge pin 14.
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In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch portions 24 which
extend
through the two other sides which extend perpendicularly to the hinged side
and parallel to each
other, are in two different parallel planes, offset one from the other so that
the latch receptor
slots 30 for the latch portions 24 do not occur in the same portion of a door
frame, so that in an
arrangement having the same door frame for an upper mail box door 18, and a
lower mail box
door 18, the receiving door frame 16 is not unnecessarily weakened by an upper
and lower latch
receptor slots 32 for an upper and a lower door attaching to the portion of
the same door frame
16.
A method of better latching and locking a swinging rectangular door 18,
mounted
within a door frame 16 on a hinge 14, said door 18 having a hinged side and an
opposite parallel
side, as well as two other sides which extend perpendicularly to the hinged
side and parallel to
each other; comprises the steps of: providing a keyed cylindrical lock 12 of
the type having an
inner rotating cylinder 10 which longitudinally receives a key 9 on an outer
end, and has an
opposite rotating a non-circular inner end portion 8 which rotates clockwise
generally no more
than 90 degrees from an initial position when the key 9 is turned, said
rotating inner cylinder 10
positioned within an outer stationary cylinder 11 having an external holding
means, and a flat
side portion 6 for non-rotatable mounting; cutting a hole 5 through a central
portion of the
swinging rectangular door 18, said hole having a peripheral flat side portion
4 to matably
receive the outer stationary cylinder 12 having a flat side portion 6 for
positioned non-rotatable
mounting; mounting the keyed cylindrical lock 12 within the hole 5 through the
swinging
rectangular door 18 providing the tri-sided lock and latch mechanism 20 as
most generally
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specified above; providing three appropriately positioned latch receptor slots
32 which receive
the three latch portions 24 of the cam 22 when the cam 22 is in the initial
position, and allow the
latch portions 24 to rotate therefrom when the cam 22 turns less than 90
degrees when the key 9
is turned generally 90 degrees. The door 18 is thereby secured on each of its
three unhinged
sides with a generally available and inexpensive keyed lock 12 of the type
that turns generally
90 degrees.
When the door 18 is for a mailbox 19 and the method further comprises the
additional
steps of: extruding the door 18; and, providing a vertical hinge pin opening
40 on an inner side
of the door 18, and wherein a longitudinal opening 40 along the extruded hinge
pin 14 opening,
generally necessary in the extrusion process, runs along an inner side of the
longitudinal
opening, rather than a back side of the longitudinal opening 40, so that it is
more difficult to pry
the extruded door 18 off the vertical hinge pin 14.
While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments
thereof, it
will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to
limit the scope of the
invention, which is defined by the following claims.
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