U.S. patent application number 10/372896 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-05 for lock installation kit.
Invention is credited to Allan, Scott W., Hasan, Maz A., Lu, Zhonghua.
Application Number | 20040020809 10/372896 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27805002 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040020809 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Allan, Scott W. ; et
al. |
February 5, 2004 |
Lock installation kit
Abstract
A template assembly for locating required mounting holes for
door lock has a generally U-shaped flexible end template, support
clips pivotably attached to free ends of the end template, and side
templates attached to the support clips. The end template has a
center hole locating mark, and the side templates have lock
cylinder hole locating marks and a strike plate hole locating mark.
Alternatively, the side templates are pivotably attachable directly
to the free ends of the end template. Alternatively, the template
assembly is a one-piece construction, having integrated end
template and side templates, the side templates not being pivotable
relative the end template.
Inventors: |
Allan, Scott W.; (Kitchener,
CA) ; Lu, Zhonghua; (Kitchener, CA) ; Hasan,
Maz A.; (Kitchener, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP
WORLD EXCHANGE PLAZA
100 QUEEN STREET SUITE 1100
OTTAWA
ON
K1P 1J9
CA
|
Family ID: |
27805002 |
Appl. No.: |
10/372896 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60359454 |
Feb 26, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/371 ;
206/379 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25H 3/003 20130101;
E05B 17/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/371 ;
206/379 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/28 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lock template assembly, comprising: a generally U-shaped
spring clip forming an end template, the spring clip having a base
portion with a center hole for aligning with a center line of a
door edge when positioned on a door, and two jaws depending from
the base portion, the jaws being biased towards each other; side
templates in leveraged connection with the jaws such that
manipulation of the side templates forces the jaws away from each
other to permit the jaws to engage the door edge to hold the side
templates substantially flush to respective door surfaces; and
guide holes disposed in the side templates for providing cylinder
hole locating marks when the side templates are substantially flush
to the respective door surfaces, and for providing a striker plate
locating mark when swung adjacent to a door jamb.
2. The lock template assembly of claim 1, wherein the spring clip
is formed of metal.
3. The lock template assembly of claim 1, wherein the side
templates are pivotably connected to the jaws.
4. The lock template assembly of claim 3, further including support
clips having ends for pivotably connecting to the jaws, the support
clips being received within complementary grooves in the side
templates.
5. The lock template assembly of claim 1, wherein the side
templates and the spring clip are integrally formed.
6. The lock template assembly of claim 1, further including
protective caps to shroud sharp edges of the spring clip.
7. A lock installation kit, comprising: at least one of a hole saw,
a chisel, a spade drill bit, a standard drill bit, a set-depth
drill bit and a pencil; a lock template assembly having a generally
U-shaped spring clip forming an end template, the spring clip
having a base portion with a center hole for aligning with a center
line of a door edge when positioned on a door, and two jaws
depending from the base portion, the jaws being biased towards each
other; side templates in leveraged connection with the jaws such
that manipulation of the side templates forces the jaws away from
each other to permit the jaws to engage the door edge to hold the
side templates substantially flush to respective door surfaces; and
guide holes disposed in the side templates for providing cylinder
hole locating marks when the side templates are substantially flush
to the respective door surfaces, and for providing a striker plate
locating mark when swung adjacent to a door jamb; and a tool box in
which are arranged the at least one hole saw, chisel, spade drill
bit, standard drill bit, set-depth drill bit and pencil, and the
lock template assembly.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/359,454 filed on Feb. 26, 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to tool kits for
specific tasks. More particularly, the present invention relates to
a tool kit for lock installation, having all necessary tools for
the task in one convenient kit, and especially to a template
assembly for marking the proper place to drill holes in a door for
the lock installation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Lock installation kits are used to mark the locations of the
holes to be drilled on a door that requires cylinder locks,
double-cylinder locks, deadbolts, and latch bolts. Doors, depending
on whether they are interior or exterior doors, have different
thicknesses (typically 1.375" for interior doors, and 1.750" for
exterior) and the height of the lock, relative to the bottom of the
door, is set at a standard distance (typically 40").
[0004] There are various guides and templates currently being used
to mark the locations of these holes, but they differ considerably,
depending on the scope of the job and the end user's capabilities.
In the case of a large construction, where repetitive installations
are required, a contractor uses a complicated and expensive jig.
The jig is located over the position at which the lock has to be
installed, clamped in place, and the holes drilled, using the jig
as a drill guide. Holes for the cylinders are made using a hole
saw/mandrel combination, and the holes for the latch bolts made by
a spade/wood bit. The jig is then removed and the lock installed.
However, a do-it-yourself person installs locks on a very
infrequent basis, and would not invest in a rarely used and
expensive jig.
[0005] Locks that are sold in the retail business are individually
packaged, and contain a paper/cardboard template showing the
location of the holes, instructions for placement, and the
installation of the locks. Traditionally, the paper piece is placed
at the location and taped in place. This process requires the
assistance of a further person and can be very frustrating as the
tape has a tendency of lifting, resulting in the re-placement of
the template, and re-affixing, sometimes inaccurately. In addition,
the paper template must often be folded along lines to adjust to
the different door widths and lock-set locations. The holes are
then drilled through the paper, then into the door, making the
template a single-use device.
[0006] Thus, it is desirable to provide a template assembly for
lock installation that is accurate, simple to use, re-usable, easy
to attach to a door, and that remains in place once applied.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to obviate or
mitigate at least one disadvantage of previous lock installation
kits and lock installation templates.
[0008] In a first aspect, there is provided a lock template
assembly. The lock template assembly comprises a generally U-shaped
spring clip, preferably formed of spring metal. The spring clip
forms an end template having a base portion with a center hole for
aligning with a center line of a door edge when positioned on a
door. Two jaws depend from the base portion, and are biased towards
each other. Side templates are connected to the jaws such that they
can provide suitable leverage to force the jaws away from each
other when manipulated. This permits the jaws to engage the door
edge and to hold the side templates substantially flush to
respective door surfaces. Guide holes are disposed in the side
templates to provide cylinder hole locating marks when the side
templates are substantially flush to the respective door surfaces,
and to provide a striker plate locating mark when swung adjacent to
a door jamb.
[0009] In presently preferred embodiments, the side templates are
connected to the jaws by way of support clips having ends for a
pivoting connection. The support clips are received within
complementary grooves in the side templates. Alternatively, the
side templates and the spring clip can be integrally formed.
Optional protective caps can be provided to shroud sharp edges of
the spring clip.
[0010] In a further aspect, there is provided a lock installation
kit. The kit includes at least one hole saw, chisel, spade drill
bit, standard drill bit, set-depth drill bit and/or pencil, in
combination with the above-described lock template assembly. The
tool(s) and the template assembly are arranged in a tool box.
[0011] Other aspects and features of the present invention will
become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review
of the following description of specific embodiments of the
invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described,
by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures,
wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a lock installation kit
according to the invention, showing the tools in place in a tool
case;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an elevational side view of a template assembly
according to a first embodiment of the invention, showing the
support clips and side templates folded to the operating/storage
position;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the template assembly of FIG.
3;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a plan side view of the template assembly of FIG.
3;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an elevated side view of the side template
according to the first embodiment of the invention, seen from the
outside of the template;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a plan side view of a support clip according to
the first embodiment of the invention;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the template assembly according
to the first embodiment of the invention, showing the flexible
opening of the end template using the side templates/support clips
when attaching the template assembly to a door edge;
[0020] FIG. 8 is an elevational side view of the template assembly
according to the second embodiment of the invention, showing the
side templates removed from the support clips and some support
clips removed from the end template;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a plan side view of a third embodiment of the
template assembly of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a plan side view of a side template according to
the fourth embodiment of the invention; and
[0023] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a
template assembly according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] Generally, the present invention provides a method and
system for marking locations on a door where holes have to be
drilled for installing a lock on the door.
[0025] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an installation kit 1
according to the invention. A plurality of tools are contained in a
tool box 2, advantageously having a hanging tab 3, or other display
means. A template assembly 4 according to the invention is one of
the preferred tools, examples of other tools are hole saw 5, chisel
6, spade drill bit 7, ordinary drill bit 8, set-depth drill bit 9
and pencil 10. Any other tool, which would be necessary for a
particular hole-making project, can be included in the tool kit.
All the components necessary for lock installations can thus be
stored in one convenient carrying case.
[0026] A first embodiment of a template assembly 4 according to the
invention is shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. The assembly has an end
template 11, which is a generally U-shaped spring clip with a base
portion 12 and two jaws 13. Holders 14 are provided at free ends of
the jaws 13 to hold ends 16 of support clips 15, by the ends being
slid or snapped into the holder. The support clips 15 are shaped to
correspond to grooves 17 of side templates 18, so that the support
clips securely hold the side templates when snapped into the
grooves 17. The side templates 18 have guide holes 19, which are
used by an operator as a jig to mark desired drill hole locations,
or to act as a drill guide. For example, a slot is advantageously
used to mark the location of the striker plate on the door jamb and
a plurality of holes are used to locate the hole for the lock
cylinder depending upon what type of lock is desired to be
installed. Tabs 20 on the holders 14 bias the support clips to
either an operating position, in which the template assembly is
used on the door for marking the hole (or stored in the tool case),
or a door attaching position, in which the jaws 13 can be biased
away from each other, using the support clips 15 as levers and the
junction between base 12 and jaws 13 as the fulcrum, to secure the
template assembly on a door edge. The base portion 12 preferably
has a center hole or other marker, which can be aligned with the
center line of the door edge when the template assembly is attached
to a door edge. The center hole 21 can also be used to mark the
location of the latch bolt hole.
[0027] The support clips 15 are advantageously formed from rigid
but bendable wire, and conform to a predetermined shape. The end
template 11 is preferably made of spring steel, or other material
having the desirable properties (strong and not brittle). The
location hole 21 is centrally punched into the back surface of the
end template and the edges are rolled to accept bent portions of
the support clips 15. The rolled sections advantageously have a
raised ridge on the edges closest the center line. This acts as a
cam detent that prevents the support clip 15 from remaining in a
"neutral" position, but urges it to a full-closed, or a fully-open
position.
[0028] The side templates 18 can be made out of sheet metal, molded
plastic, or a flat plastic sheet. They either have a recess to
accept the support clips 15, clips into which the support clips 15
snap, or have the support clips insert-molded into the side
templates.
[0029] FIG. 7 shows the method of attachment of template assembly 4
to a door edge. The side templates 18, attached to the support
clips 15, are pivoted towards the door attachment position, and the
ends of the support clips are pressed towards each other to open up
the end template 11, by biasing the jaws 13 apart. The template
assembly 4 is then slid over the door edge D, by fitting the door
edge between the jaws 13. The side templates 18 are thereafter
pivoted to the operating position, i.e. flush with the door sides,
and the required hole positions can be marked on the door, or the
holes can be directly drilled.
[0030] Each side template 18 has holes on the sides that are spaced
for different applications. To use the lock installation kit and
its template assembly, the side templates 18 (with the embedded
support clips 15), are bent backwards (to the back of the end
template 11). The side templates 18 and support clips 15 provide
the leverage required to open the template assembly to facilitate
installation on the edge of the door. The template assembly is
placed at the required location on the door and the support clips
15 released such that the spring clip biases inwardly to secure the
assembly to the door.
[0031] The side templates 18 are then folded out to lay flat on the
surface of the door, and the hole locations marked. The punched
hole at the back of the end template is positioned at the
center-line of the door to ensure that the assembly is not askew.
The side templates 18 are then folded out, and the door swung
adjacent to the jamb. A mark can then be placed thru one of the
guide holes 19 for the location of the striker plate (on the door
jamb). The template can then be removed, and the holes drilled. An
optional plastic liner can be used between the open ends of the end
template and the door.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of a template assembly
according to the invention. The end template 11 is identical to the
first embodiment described above, all reference numbers are
retained. The primary differences are in the configuration of the
support clips 15' and the side templates 22, 23. A pair of support
clips 15' are used at each free end of the jaw 13, to hold a first
side template 22, and a second side template 23. The support clips
are securely attached, into grooves 17' of the side templates, and
are also attached to the holders 14. Guide holes 19 are provided on
the side templates, and are used as described above for the first
embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of a template assembly 24
according to the invention. A one-piece construction is used,
having an end template 12', from which two jaws 13' emanate and
which have side templates 25 extending from each of the jaws. The
side templates 25 advantageously have flared ends 26, to facilitate
the application of the template over a door edge (not shown). Guide
holes are provided in the side templates, as described earlier, and
the end template has a center hole, also as previously described.
The template assembly 24 according to the third embodiment thus
does not have folding side templates with support clips. Instead,
it is one piece spring clip assembly that is clamped over the door
edge by forcing the template over the door edge (flared ends first)
to lever the jaws 13' apart, and retained by spring tension. The
gap between the side templates 25 is smaller than the thickness of
any door for which the template is intended to be used.
[0034] FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment of a side template
according to the invention. The end template is identical to that
described in relation to the first and second embodiments (sec e.g.
reference number 11, FIG. 2). The side templates 28 are of a
one-piece construction, having attachment connectors 29 formed at
one end. The connectors are attachable to the holders 14 of the end
template, in the same manner as the support clips are attached in
the first embodiment. Guide holes 19 are arranged in the side
templates 28, and used as described above. This embodiment permits
simple, one-piece construction of the side templates, which can be
manufactured of a hard plastic or metal.
[0035] FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment of a template assembly
according to the present invention. Spring clip 11 is as described
above. However, side templates 30 are formed of plastic and
attached to support clips 15 by engagement with groove 31 formed in
an extruded channel. Preferably, support clip 15 snaps into groove
31 and is retained therein. Guide holes 19 are provided in side
templates 30 for marking or drilling, as described above. To shield
a user from the sharp edges of spring clip 11, which is preferably
formed of metal, protection caps 33 can be secured along the edges
of jaws 13. This embodiment permits an ergonomic design of the
plastic side templates, while retaining the strength of the spring
clip/support clip combination.
[0036] The above-described embodiments of the present invention are
intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and
variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those
of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the
invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended
hereto.
* * * * *