Universal Partition-locking System

Abstract

A partition wall with a door, and a lock-receiving opening in the door. A mortise lock receivable in the opening, and having guide and pivot posts and apertures therein arranged for utilization in sliding or swinging doors, left-hand or right-hand opening, inswinging or outswinging, by choice of one or the other of two latches of special design, one pivotable and the other slidable. Accessory units and partition door edge and jamb features facilitating substitution of a padlock for the mortise lock in a slidable or swinging doors.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to means for locking doors of all types in partitions of all types, and particularly characterized by a minimum of components enabling universality of application.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A variety of prior art mortise locks is known. One common application of mortise locks is in wire mesh partitioning for securing together relatively movable portions thereof such as a stationary wall and a sliding or swinging gate. In such installations, it is common to employ a lock case having an inner wall or cover facing the secured area at one side of the partition (inside a tool crib, for example) and a mortise lock cylinder on the outside wall with a key way and key slot facing to the outside of the partition.

A typical shortcoming of mortise locks of the type just mentioned is the need for one lock construction in swingable or hinged gates, and a considerably different construction for slidable gates. A further problem is the need for additional variations to permit use for left-hand and right-hand opening gates and, in the case of swinging gates, provision for an inswinging gate, and another provision for an outswinging gate. The result is imposition of restrictions on partition design and arrangement, or cost penalties necessitated by inadequate standardization of lock construction.

The present invention overcomes these problems and enables complete flexibility of partition design and arrangement while providing a high degree of lock standardization.

SUMMARY

Described briefly, in a typical embodiment of the invention, the movable partition, or gate is provided with an opening therethrough adjacent a vertical edge thereof and sufficient in size to receive a mortise lock or a padlock. An opening is also provided in the gate edge, communicating with the lock-receiving opening and adapted to receive one of several types of locking tongues, depending on the installation. A corresponding edge opening is provided in the jamb bar of the stationary partition for reception of the tongue of a mortise lock assembly or a padlocking bolt, for a swinging gate installation. For a sliding gate installation, a slam guide is receiver mounted on the jamb bar and has an opening offset therefrom and aligned with the gate edge opening when the gate is shut. These openings in this instance receive an apertured fixed tongue mounted to the slam guide for padlock reception in the partition lock receiving opening, or for reception of a movable tongue of a mortise lock assembly mountable in the partition lock receiving opening and which tongue can be deadlocked.

The mortise lock housing and components are arranged to facilitate use of either a pivotable tongue for sliding gate application, or a slidable tongue for swinging gate application. Moreover the tongues are reversible for left-hand or right-hand gate mounting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a wire mesh partition assembly including a sliding gate, shown partially open.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a swinging gate partially open.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section on a horizontal plane through the sliding gate partition assembly with the gate closed.

FIG. 4 is a view shown principally in section taken on a vertical plane through the lock assembly of FIG. 3 viewed in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section through the lock assembly taken at line 5-5 in FIG. 4 viewed in the direction of the arrows and showing the operator knob mounting.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the operator knob.

FIG. 7 is a section like FIG. 4 but showing the lock as released by a key.

FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 4 except that in FIG. 4 the tongue is deadlocked whereas in FIG. 8 it is not deadlocked.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the novel actuator employed. FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section taken at line 10-10 in FIG. 8 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 11 is a view like FIG. 4 but showing a lock assembly embodiment with a sliding tongue for use with a swinging gate, in locked condition.

FIG. 12 is like FIG. 11 but in unlocked condition.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary section taken at line 13-13 in FIG. 11 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13, with only the jamb bar and edge post in section, illustrating inversion of the latch tongue for a door closing from the opposite side of the partition.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 and illustrating installation at the opposite edge of the door. FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a padlocking arrangement for the sliding gate.

FIG. 17 is an elevational view of the latch tongue of FIG. 16, the slam guide being shown in section.

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 16 but showing a padlocking arrangement for a swinging gate.

FIG. 19 is an elevational view of the bolt and mount of FIG. 18 but with the partition portions in section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a partition assembly 11 including a number of horizontal and vertical frame members with wire mesh closing the spaces therebetween. A slide track 12 is mounted on one of the horizontal members and a sliding door or gate 13 is suspended therefrom. This gate is slidable in the direction of the arrow 14 to close the doorway 16 when the edge bar 17 enters and stops against the upper and lower slam guides 18 and 19, respectively, mounted to the jamb bar 21. An L-shaped frame member 22 is affixed to the horizontal gate member 23 and the gate edge bar 17, cooperating therewith to provide a lock receiving opening through the partition and in which a mortise lock assembly 24 is secured. The member 22 has a longitudinally extending groove therein, better shown in FIG. 3 at 26. The vertically extending portion thereof receives the wire mesh 27 to the left of the lock-receiving opening and it is secured in place by suitable means such as a series of rivets 28, for example. The mesh below the horizontal leg of member 22 is received in a groove therein in like manner.

In FIG. 2, the partition construction is virtually the same but in this instance gate 29 is hinged at 31 to one of the jamb bars at the opening or doorway 32. The same L-shaped frame member 22 is secured to the gate edge bar 33 and horizontal frame member 34 to receive the wire mesh and provide a lock-receiving opening in the same manner as described for FIG. 1. Member 22 is typically referred to as a wire cover plate.

Although the edge bars of gates 17 and 33 may be identical, they are given different reference numerals to facilitate later description and quick reference. It may be noted, however, that the configuration of the latch tongues for the two gates is somewhat different not only externally as indicated at 36 and 37 in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, but also internally. Accordingly they will be described separately and in detail.

FIG. 4 illustrates interior details of the lock assembly for the sliding gate of FIG. 1. The lock case includes a front wall 38, upper and lower walls 39 and 41, edge walls 42 and 43, and a rear wall 44. In the illustrated embodiment, the aforementioned walls are integral portions of a casting, except for the rear wall 44 which is secured thereto by four screws 46 in the corners. The edge walls 42 and 43 have openings 47 and 48, respectively therein which are horizontally aligned. The case also has five circular posts 49, 51, 52, 53 and 54 therein, all integral with the casting and projecting from the wall 38 toward the cover 44, terminating at the plane 56 (FIGS. 3, 10,5) of the interior face of the cover 44. A portion of post 52 can be seen in FIG. 5. The latch member has a semicircular recess or notch 57 whereby the latch is pivotally mounted in the case for pivoting on the axis of post 53 which, of course, is perpendicular to the walls 38 and 44. The posts are located symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane 58 perpendicular to wall 38 and equidistant between the edge walls 42 and 43. Similarly, as indicated in FIG. 10, the latch member is symmetrical with respect to the vertical plane 59 parallel to wall 38. Therefore the latch member can be reversed so the bearing recess 57 thereof is mounted on post 51 and the tongue extends through edge wall opening 48. This is one feature of the construction which enables the use of the lock at the left-hand edge or right-hand edge of a sliding gate, making it possible to easily provide a gate opening to the right, or opening to the left as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the upper edge 61 of the latch tongue engages post 49 which provides a limit on the rotation of the tongue in the direction of the arrow 62 which would otherwise occur as the result of a return spring 63 wound on post 57 (FIG. 10) and having one end 64 engaging case wall 43 and the other end engaging the lower edge of the latch tongue. Similarly post 52 can serve the same function if the latch is pivoted on post 51.

The case is provided with two bosses 67 and two bosses 68 located respectively below and above a plane 69 perpendicular to wall 38 and equidistant between the upper and lower case walls 39 and 41. The case is secured to the vertical edge bar 17 of the door by screws 71 received through the bosses and threadedly received in the edge bar. Similarly screws 72 secure the case to the wire cover plate 22, not shown in FIG. 4. It might be helpful to note that at this point the jamb bar 21 is formed of two vertically extending members of C-shaped cross section welded together. The jamb bar 21 is constructed of one channel member with an edge piece welded to it. Other constructions can be used just as well.

Because the screw-receiving bosses 67 and 68 are equidistant from the plane 69 and because four of the five posts and the two openings 47 and 48 are also symmetrically located with respect to the plane 69, the case can be mounted in the lock receiving opening of the gate with the bosses 67 above the plane 69. In that event post 52 will be below post 53 and will prevent the latch from dropping away from its pivot post 53. Similarly post 49 will be under the latch and prevent its rotation in the direction of the arrow 62. This relationship can be best appreciated by simply turning the drawing upside down. It will be apparent, in that event, the spring 63 can be omitted. The advantage of being able to turn the whole lock assembly upside down is that by so doing the installer can easily choose whether the key operation will be available from one side or the other of the partition. This will be better appreciated as the description proceeds.

An actuator 73 is pivotally mounted in the case on post 54, details of the actuator being more readily apparent in FIG. 9. The actuator includes a generally L-shaped arm 74 extending upwardly therefrom and across over the upper edge of the latch tongue. A spring 76 wrapped around post 54 and having one end engaging a circular boss 77 and the other end 78 engaging the actuator normally urges the actuator in the direction of the arrow 79. Movement of the actuator in that direction is limited by a boss 81 (better shown in FIG. 10) extending rearwardly from front wall 38 a short distance. Boss 81 is a portion of a general support surface which is actually an X-shaped boss with the four posts at the ends of it. This boss serves to locate the latch and actuator at a suitable spacing between the front and rear walls.

An arm 82 has a yoke 83 receiving the end 84 (FIG. 10) of actuator arm 74. This arm 82 is apertured at the other end and is pivotally received on a circular boss 85 on the case wall 38. Arm 82 is also received in a groove 86 (FIGS. 5 and 6) in the concealed end of a circular operator knob unit, the knob portion 87 being exposed in a recess 88 in the rear wall or cover plate of the case. The circular bearing surface 89 of the knob unit is received in an appropriate aperture in the cover and the knob is retained in place by the retainer ring 91. By rotation of the knob in the direction of the arrow 92 (FIG. 4) the actuator can be pivoted in the direction of the arrow 93 against the urging of return spring 76.

The boss 77, referred to above and which is an integral part of the case, projecting rearwardly from the wall 38, receives a lock cylinder 94 having longitudinally extending locater grooves therein receiving longitudinally extending locater ribs 96 in the boss. The lock cylinder is typically externally threaded at 97 and can be retained securely in the case by a suitable nut (not shown). The lock has a key plug of typical construction with an arm 98 affixed to the inner end thereof by screws 99. The inner end of a key 101 is visible in the key slot in the key plug. Insertion of the appropriate key and rotation of the key plug thereby in the direction of the arrow 102 about the key plug axis at 103 enables turning the arm around to the position shown at FIG. 7 to operate the actuator in the direction of the arrow 93 as described above with reference to the operator knob. Typically the operator knob is provided at the inside of a secured area while the key slot faces the outside of the secured area. However, as mentioned above, because of the symmetrical arrangement of case features, this single lock assembly can be used to provide the key slot access on whichever side of the partition is desired.

As shown in FIG. 4, the latch tongue extends through opening 47 in the case, the aligned openings 104 in the gate edge bar and which communicate with the lock receiving opening in the gate, and through an opening 106 provided in the slam guide 18. If desired, a receiver 107 can be secured to the slam guide by suitable screws 108. Because of a deadlocking feature of this invention, this cover is not essential for security, but may be considered desirable by some users for purposes of appearance.

OPERATION OF MORTISE LOCK FOR SLIDING GATE

With the latch tongue disposed as shown in FIG. 4, the edge 109 thereof facing slam guide face 18a adjacent the opening 106 therein will prevent the edge bar 17 and therefore the gate from moving away from the slam guide. The tongue cannot be pushed down from this position sufficiently to open the gate because of a deadlocking feature according to this invention. It includes a lug 110 on the lower edge of the tongue and an abutment 111 on the actuator member. A slight downward movement of the latch tongue will place the lug in engagement with the abutment and, because the abutment is located between pivot post 54 and lug 110, it is impossible for the tongue to move further downward. Because of the notch 112 provided in the abutment, it is impossible to jostle the assembly externally and cause the lug 110 to slip off or otherwise bypass the abutment. Spring 76 of course is adequate to avoid any possibility of the actuator being pivoted off the deadlock position. Accordingly, in order to release the latch tongue, it is necessary either to operate the actuator by the key or by the operator knob.

Operation by the key is indicated in FIG. 7 wherein the key has moved the key cam arm 98 into engagement with the actuator and has pivoted the actuator in the direction of the arrow 93. This has caused the actuator arm and particularly the cam portion 113 thereof to engage the lug surface 114 of the actuator and move it downwardly to release the latch tongue so the gate can be opened. In so moving the actuator, the cam 113 thereof slides over the top of the lug 114 and engages the lug 116, thus holding the tongue in the release position so long as the key 101 is being urged in the direction of the arrow 102. If the key is released so that the key plug can return to the initial position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the actuator return spring will urge the actuator back toward deadlocking position. However the latch return spring urges the latch toward latching position and the outer edge 115 of the lug 114 intercepts the cam portion 113 of the actuator arm and stops the actuator at the intermediate position shown in FIG. 8. Notice that in this position the lug 110 of the tongue is not faced by the abutment detent 112 on the actuator. Therefore, an external downward force in the direction of the arrow 117 on the latch tongue can move it downwardly to the unlocking position. This permits sliding the gate closed again whereupon the upper edge 118 of the slam guide opening 106 will cam the tongue downwardly and admit it into the receiver whereupon latch return spring 63 will snap the latch up into locking position. As the tongue is depressed during entry, the actuator arm cam surface 113 is able to slip back over the top of lug 114 so the actuator returns to deadlocking position shown in FIG. 4. Operation of the latch using the operator knob is essentially the same but, of course, the key cam never moves. On the other hand, because the operator knob arm 82 yoke is always engaged with the actuator arm portion 84, operation of the actuator by the key will naturally turn the knob proportionally.

One additional feature of the latch which has not been mentioned is the lug 119 thereon. As indicated in FIGS. 4 and 8, this lug is disposed between the actuator arm and abutment and the case opening portion below the latch tongue. It prevents entry of wires, files or other lock comprising tools which might be attempted if the receiver 107 were not used. It thus assures that no such tool can be effective to work the actuator for movement thereof from the deadlocking position.

Although it has not heretofore been mentioned, the actuator itself is symmetrical with respect to a plane containing the pivotal axis thereof and bisecting the actuator arm. Accordingly the additional abutment 121 is provided. This serves the same purpose as abutment 112 when the actuator tongue is pivoted on post 51 rather than post 53. In that event, of course, the tongue projects through the case edge opening 48 rather than opening 47. Again, operation is the same.

SWINGING GATE LATCH

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 11, the assembly for the swinging gate will be described. The lock assembly is given the reference numeral 122 to distinguish it from assembly 24 used with the sliding gate, although only one part is different. The lock case, operator knob, key lock cylinder, operator arm, actuator, and actuator return spring are identical to those described for the sliding gate lock assembly. However, to demonstrate the versatility of the unit, the case is shown with the key cylinder lock disposed near the top and the operator knob near the bottom.

As shown in FIG. 11, the latch tongue 37 is symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane 123 extending through the openings 124 and 126 in the opposite edge walls of the case and equidistant between the top and bottom of the case. The surfaces 125 and 127 of the latch tongue face posts 128 and 129, respectively, and are guided thereby. Faces 131 and 132 are disposed in facing relationship to the upper and lower edges of the opening 126 and are guided thereby. Accordingly the tongue is slidable from its latching position shown in FIGS. 2 and 11 to an unlatching position shown in FIG. 12. This can be accomplished either by slamming the gate shut or by operation of the actuator, which will now be described.

A tooth or lug 133 is provided on the tongue 37 and has a surface 134 facing a surface 136, with a recess 137 therebetween. The surface 136 of the tongue engages surface 138 of the actuator and, because of the latch return spring 139 urging the tongue in the direction of the arrow 141, the actuator is urged in the direction of the arrow 142. It is stopped by abutment of the end portion 84 referred to above with reference to FIG. 10 engaging the X-shaped boss surface 143. This limits the travel of the tongue in the direction of the arrow 141 at the point shown in FIG. 12 where the end portion thereof at 144 projects through the opening 146 in jamb bar 147, this being aligned with the openings 148 in the door edge bar 33. This may also be seen in FIG. 13.

Release of the gate from the jamb bar is accomplished by rotation of the operator knob in the direction of the arrow 149 or rotation of the key plug in the direction of the arrow 151. In either event, the actuator is pivoted as described above with reference to the other embodiment of the lock assembly. This causes the cam face 152 of the actuator to engage the surface 153 of lug 133 whereupon the tongue is moved in a direction opposite the arrow 141 and against the urging of the spring 139 to the position of FIG. 12 whereupon the gate can be swung open, the tongue portion 144 being withdrawn from the opening 146 in the jamb bar. Upon release of the operator key or the operator knob, as the case may be, spring 139 returns the latch tongue to the position shown in FIG. 11. Then, when the gate is shut in the direction of the arrow 156 in FIG. 13 the edge 157 of the jamb bar will operate against the inclined cam face 158 of the latch tongue to momentarily move it opposite direction of arrow 141 and the gate slams against the stop 159 affixed to the jamb bar. As the latch tongue registers with opening 146, it moves into the opening in the direction of the arrow 141 to again secure the gate.

Another feature of the versatility of the invention will be appreciated by recalling that the latch tongue is symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane 123 (FIG. 11). This means that by simply inverting the latch tongue, the jamb engaging cam edge 158 thereof will be faced in the opposite direction. This would enable location of the slam stop 159A on the other side of the jamb bar and permit swinging the gate closed in the direction of the arrow 161. So it is, that by simply inverting the latch tongue, without making any other change to the lock assembly, it is adapted to installation on either an inswinging or outswinging gate. Similarly, because of the symmetry of the housing with respect to a vertical plane 162 and symmetry of the actuator and operator arm, as discussed above with respect to the other embodiment of the lock for the sliding gate, the lock assembly for the swinging gate is easily adapted to mounting at the opposite edge of a gate for a left-hand opening door, for example. This is done by simply locating the return spring 139 at the other end or edge wall of the case and projecting the latch through the edge opening 124. This is shown in FIG. 15. Also will be readily recognized that the operator knob can be disposed inside or outside the partition, and below the tongue as shown, or above the tongue as shown and described with reference to the other embodiment of the lock.

In the lock embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 for the swinging gate, the latch return spring 139 has one end thereof received in the end recess 163 of the latch tongue. The other end of the spring is normally engaged with the inner face 164 of the wire cover plate 22. This arrangement will prevail regardless of whether the operator knob is near the top or bottom, and regardless of whether the lock assembly is at the left-hand swinging edge or right-hand swinging edge of the gate. As an alternative, spring 139 can be replaced by a torsion springlike spring 63 or 76 (FIG. 4) urging the actuator according to arrow 142 (FIG. 11).

PADLOCKING EMBODIMENTS

There might be instances when a lock assembly of the type above described is not immediately available for installation. According to another feature of the present invention padlocking means are provided for securing a sliding gate as illustrated in FIG. 16, for example. In this embodiment, the jamb bar, the slam guide, the gate edge member, the wire cover plate and lock-receiving opening 166 are identical to those of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. However, instead of mounting a receiver box 107 to the slam guide 18 as in FIG. 4, the base portion 167 of a tongue member is mounted to the slam guide as better shown in FIG. 17. The tongue portion 168 of this member projects through the opening 106 in the slam guide and through the opening 104 and 105 in the gate edge member, the tongue portion with the aperture 169 therein projecting well into the lock receiver opening where it receives the shackle 171 of padlock 172. So long as the shackle is received by the aperture 169, the gate cannot be opened. Upon removal of the shackle from the tongue aperture 169, the gate can be slided open as usual.

For padlocking the swinging gate, apparatus shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 is employed according to this invention. In these figures, the jamb bar, gate edge bar, lock-receiving opening, wire cover plate and slam stop 159 are all the same as in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13. A mounting member 174 is provided with a lug 176 thereon received in the opening 148 in the gate edge member 33. This member 174 also has an aperture therethrough near the lower end thereof which receives a rivet 177 or other suitable fastener affixing the member to the member 33. The lug 176 prevents pivoting on the axis of the rivet.

A bolt or tongue member 178 has an apertured tab portion 179 thereon received between the apertured tab 181 of member 174 and the guide flange 182 of member 174. Tabs 179 and 181 are disposed therefore in face-to-face relationship with the apertures thereof aligned and receiving the shackle 183 of the padlock 184. The tongue portion of the member 178 is received in opening 146 in the jamb bar and prevents the gate from swinging away from the stationary partition. The tongue has a lug 187 thereon at the outer end thereof for a purpose which will be described hereinafter.

When the shackle is released and removed from the aligned apertures in the bolt mount member 174 and bolt 178, the bolt can be slided in the direction of arrow 189 a distance sufficient to move the tab 179 away from the flange 182 and permit rotation of the bolt 90 degrees in a clockwise direction as viewed in the direction of the arrow 192. This will permit the tab 187 of the bolt to clear the edge of the opening 146 and accommodate withdrawal of the bolt to a point where the lug 187 engages the front end edge 193 of the bolt mount lug 176 and prevent the bolt from sliding all the way out of the opening 148. The gate can thereupon be swung open in the direction of the arrow 194 (FIG. 18).

The location of the aperture 196 with respect to the opening 148 in the gate edge bar is the same as the distance of the mounting screws of the lock case of the other embodiments of the invention so that this gate edge bar need not be modified in any respect. Accordingly upon removal of the member 174 and member 178 from the gate by removal of the fastener 177, the lock assembly of FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 can be immediately installed.

From the foregoing description, it is undoubtedly now apparent that the present invention provides an extremely versatile arrangement for securing relatively movable partition portions regardless of whether they are solid doors, wire mesh partitions, folding doors, or whatever configuration they might take. Now that the invention has been disclosed, various alternatives might occur to those skilled in the art. For example, a lock assembly for a sliding gate might employ only three posts, with a latch tongue pivoting on one post, the actuator pivoting on the other post, and a slot in the latch tongue received on the third post for guidance purposes. Similarly, the same three-post case might be employed with a slidable tongue for a swinging gate wherein the tongue would have elongated slots received on two of the posts located on plane 123, and the actuator on the third post in the same position shown in FIG. 11. Such an arrangement is entirely operable as might be a number of other variations. Therefore, while the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention.

Claims

The invention I claim is:

1. A lock comprising:

a case having front and rear walls and opposite edge walls, each edge wall having an opening therein aligned with an opening in the other edge wall;

a first pivot post in said case and having an axis perpendicular to said front wall and offset from a line through said openings;

a latching tongue extending through one of said edge openings said tongue having a cam surface on the portion thereof extending through said one opening to the exterior of said case and engageable with a tongue receiver for temporary displacement of said tongue by such receiver during a partition closing operation and having a first transverse lug thereon,

an actuator pivotally mounted to said post, said actuator having cam means thereon including a first cam engageable with said first lug and operable thereon upon pivoting of said actuator to move said tongue from a locking position to an unlocking position,

said cam means including a second cam, one of said cams being between said first post and said line and operable to actuate a tongue reciprocably mountable in said case, and said line being between said post and the other of said cams for operation by said other cam of a tongue pivotably mountable in said case.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein:

said case includes a second post operable as a guide for a reciprocably mountable tongue and as a pivot for a pivotably mountable tongue.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein:

said case includes a third post horizontally spaced from said second post and operable as an alternate guide for a reciprocably mountable tongue and as an alternate pivot for a pivotably mountable tongue.

4. A lock comprising:

a case having front and rear walls and opposite edge walls, each edge wall having an opening therein aligned with an opening in the other edge wall;

a first pivot post in said case and having an axis perpendicular to said front wall and offset from a line through said openings;

a latching tongue extending through one of said edge openings and having a first transverse lug thereon,

an actuator pivotally mounted to said post, said actuator having cam means thereon including a first cam engageable with said first lug and operable thereon upon pivoting of said actuator to move said tongue from a locking position to an unlocking position,

said tongue being reciprocably mounted in said case and having a longitudinal centerline, said tongue having a second transverse lug thereon like said first lug and disposed on the opposite side of said centerline therefrom, said first lug projecting toward said first post and said second lug projecting in the opposite direction, whereby said tongue is invertable with respect to said case for engagement of said second lug and operation of said tongue by said cam means upon pivoting of said actuator.

5. A lock comprising:

a case having front and rear walls and opposite edge walls, each edge wall having an opening therein aligned with an opening in the other edge wall;

a first pivot post in said case and having an axis perpendicular to said front wall and offset from a line through said openings;

a latching tongue extending through one of said edge openings and having a first transverse lug thereon,

an actuator pivotally mounted to said post, said actuator having cam means thereon including a first cam engageable with said first lug and operable thereon upon pivoting of said actuator to move said tongue from a locking position to an unlocking position,

said cam means including a second cam engageable by said first lug, said cams forming a yoke symmetrical with respect to a centerline of said actuator perpendicular to said first post axis, said first lug being fittingly disposed between said cams during pivoting of said actuator.

6. A lock comprising:

a case having front and rear walls and opposite edge walls, each edge wall having an opening therein aligned with an opening in the other edge wall;

a first pivot post in said case and having an axis perpendicular to said front wall and offset from a line through said openings;

a latching tongue extending through one of said edge openings and having a first transverse lug thereon,

an actuator pivotally mounted to said post, said actuator having cam means thereon including a first cam engageable with said first lug and operable thereon upon pivoting of said actuator to move said tongue from a locking position to an unlocking position,

said tongue being pivotably mounted in said case, said tongue having a second transverse lug thereon, said first and second lugs being on opposite sides of said tongue, and said second lug projecting toward said first post, said actuator having a first abutment thereon disposed between said second lug and said first post when said actuator is in a deadlocking position and thereby normally preventing movement of said tongue to said unlocking position, the relationship between said first and second lugs and said cam and said abutment being such that said first abutment is movable out from between said second lug and said first post during pivoting of said actuator in a first direction to position engaging said first cam with said first lug to enable said cam to move said tongue to said unlocking position.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein:

said actuator has a second abutment, said abutments being spaced apart a distance accommodating movement of said second lug into the space therebetween as said actuator is pivoted, to move said tongue to unlocking position, said abutments being located symmetrically with respect to a plane containing the pivotal axis of said actuator.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein:

said tongue has a third lug thereon spaced from said first lug, said third lug being engageable by said first cam after engagement of said first lug thereby during further pivoting of said actuator in said first direction to thereby enable said first cam to hold said tongue in said unlocking position by engagement of said third lug.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein:

the space between said first and third lugs is adequate to enable return of said tongue to locking position by reception of said first cam therebetween when said actuator is in an intermediate position, said space, said second lug and said first post being thereupon aligned and said first abutment being offset from alignment therewith to enable movement of said tongue to unlocking position by application of force thereto external to said housing.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein:

said lock means includes a first resilient member in said housing biasing said tongue toward locking position, and a second resilient member in said housing biasing said actuator toward deadlocking position.

11. A lock comprising:

a case having front and rear walls and opposite edge walls, with an opening in one of said edge walls;

first pivot means in said case having a pivot axis perpendicular to said front wall;

a latching tongue extending through said opening and having means thereon engageable by a cam inside said case for actuation of said tongue; and

an actuator pivotally mounted to said pivot means, said actuator having first and second cams thereon, disposed in the same direction from said pivot axis at two different distances from said pivot axis and on opposite sides of said latching tongue.

12. In a lock including a case having front and rear walls and opposite edge walls, the improvement comprising:

alignment means in said case and providing latch tongue aligning surfaces on two horizontal vertically spaced parallel lines, said alignment means being thereby adapted to guide horizontal sliding movement of a slidable latch tongue in said case for use with a swingable door to be latched, at least one of said alignment means being circular with an axis normal to said front wall for pivotal mounting of a pivotal latch tongue in said case for use with a slidable door;

first pivot means in said case having a pivot axis parallel to said normal axis;

an actuator in said case pivoting on said pivot means and having cam means thereon;

a latching tongue in said case and having means thereon engageable by said actuator for operation of said tongue thereby;

said first pivot means being a pivot post affixed to said case, and

a second post affixed to said case and located therein such as to be operable as a guide for a reciprocably mountable tongue and as a pivot for a pivotably mountable tongue.