Sargent Manufacturing Company

Sargent Manufacturing

Richard Hai Huang

Thomas A Pelletier

Darren C Eller

Paul Nunez

Ronald S Slusarski

A multi-functional mortise lock that can be rapidly converted between different functions without opening the mortise lock case by installing blocking screws that extend through threaded blocking openings in a sidewall of the case and into blocking interference with moving components inside the case. The moving components include a lock/unlock lever, a latch retract lever and a spindle hub. The blocking screws are stored in threaded storage openings in the sidewall of the case. The sidewall of the case is marked adjacent to the threaded blocking openings and storage openings to identify functions that will be performed when the blocking screws are installed in one or more of the blocking openings.

Multi-functional mortise lock

An integrated mortise lock trim mechanism is provided for mounting on the surface of a door and has a handle turning a spindle that extends into the door to operate a lock mechanism mounted therein. The trim assembly is pre-assembled and has a retracting spindle that extends between the trim mechanism and the lock mechanism to accommodate varying door thicknesses. The preferred assembly utilizes a cover plate, spring and mounting plate assembly holding a pair of alignment through bolts. This assembly is fit onto a door handle and secured to the door handle by a cap nut. An elongated spring is disposed in the handle and is secured to a spindle which axially extends from the handle. The spindle is automatically retracted or extended to optimally fit into the hub of a mortise lock.

Mortise lock integrated trim assembly with a retracting spindle

A conventional mortise lock is provided with a visual status indicator to show whether the room is occupied or vacant. The mortise lock output, which operates the deadbolt, is used to linearly move an indicator slide positioned on the outside of the door by a rotating indicator spindle which is in communication with the mortise lock output and indicator slide. The visual status indicator has an opening which is covered by a transparent high strength, impact resistant material such as LEXAN plastic. A preferred embodiment combines the outer lever door handle controller and visual status indicator in a single housing.

Mortise lock status indicator

A handle support mechanism is designed for attachment to a door lock, preferably the exterior of a mortise lock, that has two handles driven back to an initial position with a common return spring after either handle is used. The support mechanism prevents the unused handle from drooping or rotating when the common return spring is compressed as the opposite handle is turned. The support mechanism includes first and second friction discs trapped between the exterior of the mortise lock and the legs of a U-shaped spring bracket. The spring bracket applies an inward spring pressure to prevent a friction disc and its corresponding handle from turning when the other handle is in use. The handle support mechanism improves visual appearance and is particularly suitable for retrofit installations, lever handle designs and mortise locks with independent switch sensors on the two handles that notify a monitoring system as to which handle was turned to open a monitored door.

Lever handle support mechanism

A retracting spindle mechanism has a spindle that extends between a handle trim mechanism mounted on the face of a door and a mortised door lock. The spindle is rotated by the handle to operate the door lock and slides axially in a hub to accommodate doors of different thicknesses. A conical spring is used to urge the spindle to the extended position. The conical spring can be compressed until it is flat allowing the spindle mechanism to be used in trim mechanisms with paddle handles having limited space between the handle and the mortised lock mechanism. A pin extends transversely through the spindle and into a slot in the hub capturing the spring and holding the spindle mechanism together as an integral assembly.

Retracting spindle for mortise lock

A free-wheeling lock mechanism for operating a door latch includes a body, a handle, a lock and a split shaft having two halves rotationally connected together along the shaft axis. One half of the shaft is connected to the handle and one half extends from the body to operate the door latch. The two halves of the shaft may be coupled and uncoupled via a shaft lock movable perpendicular between locked and unlocked positions. In the unlocked position the shaft lock connects the two halves of the shaft to rotate together when the handle is turned. In the locked position the shaft lock disengages the two halves of the shaft to rotate separately and allow the handle to free-wheel without operating the door latch.

Lever handle controller

A free-wheeling lever handle controller for operating a mortise lock provides free-wheeling functionality while maintaining the full operational characteristics of various mortise lock functions. A lock mode receiving mechanism connectable to the lock output is used to detect the unlocked and locked conditions of the mortise lock, and correspondingly engage and disengage the free-wheeling mechanism. The free-wheeling mechanism has a split shaft connected between a handle on the controller and a handle input on the mortise lock. The two halves of the shaft may be coupled and uncoupled via a shaft lock movable perpendicular between locked and unlocked positions. In the unlocked position the shaft lock connects the two halves of the shaft to rotate together when the handle is turned. In the locked position the shaft lock disengages the two halves of the shaft to rotate separately and allow the handle to free-wheel with operating the door latch. The shaft lock is moved by the lock slide/cam coupler of the lock mode receiving mechanism, which converts the rotational motion of the lock output into linear motion the of lock slide, such that whenever the mortise lock is locked, the handle controller free-wheels.

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West Haven, CT, United States of America

Richard Hai Huang