Gliding door latch assembly
First Claim
1. A lock for a gliding door unit of a type having at least one operating panel that is horizontally moveable relative to a vertical receiving jamb, the lock comprising:
- a reach out latch portion configured for mounting to the operating panel, wherein said reach out latch portion includes;
a housing; and
a latch operatively connected to said housing and having a hook-like engaging member that is moveable between an unlatched position substantially within said housing, a keeper engaging position at a first distance outside said housing, and a latched position at a second, relatively lesser distance outside said housing;
a keeper portion configured for mounting to the receiving jamb, said keeper portion having a keeper configured to be selectively engaged by said hook-like engaging member; and
a moving means for moving said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position to said latched position, wherein in a first phase of operation, said moving means rotates said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position, and in a second phase of operation, said moving means moves said latch linearly from said keeper engaging position to said latched position and causes said latch portion to move toward said keeper portion, thereby causing the operating panel to move toward the receiving jamb, wherein said moving means includes a slot in said housing, and a peg on said latch protrudes through said slot, and said slot includes an arcuate portion through which said peg travels in said first phase of operation, and linear portion through which said peg travels in said second phase of operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an assembly for latching a moving panel relative to a frame in which the moving panel slides or glides. A keeper is secured to the frame, and a latch is secured to the moving panel in such a manner that the keeper and latch are adjacent one another when the moving panel is moved to a closed position within the frame. Rotation of a key or handle on the moving panel causes the latch to extend and capture the keeper and pull the moving panel toward the frame as it latches. The latch cannot capture the keeper until a spike extending from the frame deflects a button on the moving panel. When the moving panel is latched, the spike provides resistance to vertical movement of the moving panel relative to the frame.
114 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A lock for a gliding door unit of a type having at least one operating panel that is horizontally moveable relative to a vertical receiving jamb, the lock comprising:
a reach out latch portion configured for mounting to the operating panel, wherein said reach out latch portion includes; a housing; and a latch operatively connected to said housing and having a hook-like engaging member that is moveable between an unlatched position substantially within said housing, a keeper engaging position at a first distance outside said housing, and a latched position at a second, relatively lesser distance outside said housing; a keeper portion configured for mounting to the receiving jamb, said keeper portion having a keeper configured to be selectively engaged by said hook-like engaging member; and a moving means for moving said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position to said latched position, wherein in a first phase of operation, said moving means rotates said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position, and in a second phase of operation, said moving means moves said latch linearly from said keeper engaging position to said latched position and causes said latch portion to move toward said keeper portion, thereby causing the operating panel to move toward the receiving jamb, wherein said moving means includes a slot in said housing, and a peg on said latch protrudes through said slot, and said slot includes an arcuate portion through which said peg travels in said first phase of operation, and linear portion through which said peg travels in said second phase of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A lock for a gliding door unit of a type having at least one operating panel that is horizontally moveable relative to a vertical receiving jamb, the lock comprising:
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a reach out latch portion configured for mounting to the operating panel, wherein said reach out latch portion includes; a housing; and a latch operatively connected to said housing and having a hook-like engaging member that is moveable between an unlatched position substantially within said housing, a keeper engaging position at a first distance outside said housing, and a latched position at a second, relatively lesser distance outside said housing; a keeper portion configured for mounting to the receiving jamb, said keeper portion having a keeper configured to be selectively engaged by said hook-like engaging member, said keeper portion further comprising; a strike plate having an opening formed therein and having an outer side and an inner side; a keeper housing connected to said inner side proximate said opening, wherein said keeper is connected to said housing proximate said opening; and side members pivotally mounted to said keeper housing and positioned substantially within said keeper housing, and said keeper extends transversely between said side members; and an eccentric moving means for moving said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position to said latched position, wherein movement of said latch from said keeper engaging position to said latched position is generally horizontal and causes said latch portion to move toward said keeper portion, thereby causing the operating panel to move toward the receiving jamb. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. A lock for a gliding door unit of a type having at least one operating panel that is horizontally moveable relative to a vertical receiving lamb, the lock comprising:
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a reach out latch portion configured for mounting to the operating panel, wherein said reach out latch portion includes; a housing; and a latch operatively connected to said housing and having a hook-like enqaging member that is moveable between an unlatched position substantially within said housing, a keeper engaging position at a first distance outside said housing, and a latched position at a second, relatively lesser distance outside said housing; a keeper portion configured for mounting to the receiving jamb, said keeper portion having a keeper configured to be selectively engaged by said hook-like engaging member; and an eccentric moving means for moving said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position to said latched position, wherein movement of said latch from said keeper engaging position to said latched position is generally horizontal and causes said latch portion to move toward said keeper portion, thereby causing the operating panel to move toward the receiving jamb, said moving means comprising; an operating means for operating the lock; a first gear linked to rotate together with said operating means; and a second gear linked to rotate in response to rotation of said first gear, wherein a nub projects from said second gear into an L-shaped slot in said latch, and rotation of said first gear in a first direction causes said latch to move from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position to said latched position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 21, 25)
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10. A gliding panel unit, comprising:
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a frame including a pair of parallel vertical jambs, a horizontal sill jamb extending between lower ends of said vertical jambs, and a horizontal head jamb extending between upper ends of said vertical jambs; at least one panel movably mounted within said frame in such a manner that said panel glides horizontally between said vertical jambs; a keeper secured relative to one of said vertical jambs; a latch secured relative to a side of said panel proximate said one of said vertical jambs in such a manner that said latch is proximate said keeper when said side of said panel is proximate said one of said vertical jambs, and said latch is selectively moveable between an unlatched position and a discrete latched position, wherein in said latched position, said latch engages said keeper to prevent movement of said panel away from said one of said vertical jambs; a face plate secured relative to said side of said panel and facing toward said one of said vertical jambs, and a hole formed through said face plate; a button movably secured relative to said side of said panel and accessible via said hole, wherein said button is operatively connected to said latch in such a manner that when said button occupies a first position, said latch is barred against movement to said latched position, and when said button occupies a second position, said latch is free to move to said latched position; and a spike secured relative to said one of said vertical jambs, aligned with said hole, and extending toward said face plate, wherein said spike enters said hole when said side of said panel is proximate said one of said vertical jambs, moving said button from said first position to said second position and also providing resistance to vertical movement of said panel relative to said one of said vertical jambs. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 22)
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11. A gliding panel unit, comprising:
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a frame including a pair of parallel vertical jambs, a horizontal sill jamb extending between lower ends of said vertical jambs, and a horizontal head jamb extending between upper ends of said vertical jambs; at least one panel movably mounted within said frame in such a manner that said panel glides horizontally between said vertical jambs; a keeper secured relative to one of said vertical jambs; a latch secured relative to a side of said panel proximate said one of said vertical jambs in such a manner that said latch is proximate said keeper when said side of said panel is proximate said one of said vertical jambs, and said latch is selectively moveable between an unlatched position and a discrete latched position, wherein in said latched position, said latch engages said keeper to prevent movement of said panel away from said one of said vertical jambs; a face plate secured relative to said side of said panel and facing toward said one of said vertical jambs, and a hole formed through said face plate; a strike plate secured to said one of said vertical jambs and facing toward said face plate, wherein said keeper is secured relative to said one of said vertical jambs on a side of said strike plate opposite said face plate, and said latch accesses said keeper by projecting through an opening through said face plate and another opening through said strike plate; a button movably secured relative to said side of said panel and accessible via said hole, wherein said button is operatively connected to said latch in such a manner that said button must be deflected away from said one of said vertical jambs before said latch can be moved to said latched position; and a spike secured relative to said one of said vertical jambs, aligned with said hole, and extending toward said face plate, wherein said spike enters said hole when said side of said panel is proximate said one of said vertical jambs, thereby deflecting said button away from said one of said vertical jambs and also providing resistance to vertical movement of said panel relative to said one of said vertical jambs. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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16. A latch assembly of a type that secures a sliding member relative to a frame in which the sliding member slides, comprising:
a latch portion secured to the sliding member, said latch portion including; a plate having a hole and a groove formed therein, said groove having an arcuate portion centered about said hole, and a linear portion extending from an end of said arcuate portion away from said hole; a latch extending lengthwise between a keeper engaging end and an opposite end and having an L-shaped slot formed therein, wherein a first segment of said L-shaped slot extends substantially lengthwise, and a second segment of said L-shaped slot extends substantially perpendicular to said first segment, and said latch is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to said plate from an unlatched position to a keeper engaging position to a latched position, and a peg projects from said opposite end into said groove in a direction substantially perpendicular to said plane; and a latch gear having a boss that inserts through said L-shaped slot and into said hole to rotatably mount said latch gear relative to said plate, wherein a nub extends radially from said boss, and said nub occupies said second segment of said L-shaped slot and extends away from said hole substantially diametrically across from said linear portion of said groove when said latch is in said unlatched position, and said nub occupies said second segment of said L-shaped slot and extends away from said hole substantially perpendicularly to said linear portion of said groove when said latch is in said keeper engaging position, and said boss occupies said first segment of said L-shaped slot, and said nub extends away from said hole in a direction substantially similar to said linear portion of said groove when said latch is in said latched position; and a keeper secured to a side of the frame facing toward the sliding member and configured to be engaged by said keeper engaging end of said latch. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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23. A lock for a gliding door unit of a type having at least one operating panel that is horizontally moveable relative to a vertical receiving jamb, the lock comprising:
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a reach out latch portion configured for mounting to the operating panel, wherein said reach out latch portion includes; a housing; and a latch operatively connected to said housing and having a hook-like engaging member that is moveable between an unlatched position substantially within said housing, a keeper engaging position at a first distance outside said housing, and a latched position at a second, relatively lesser distance outside said housing; a keeper portion configured for mounting to the receiving jamb, said keeper portion having a keeper configured to be selectively engaged by said hook-like engaging member; and a moving means for moving said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position to said latched position, wherein in a first phase of operation, said moving means rotates said latch from said unlatched position to said keeper engaging position, and in a second phase of operation, said moving means moves said latch linearly from said keeper engaging position to said latched position and causes said latch portion to move toward said keeper portion, thereby causing the operating panel to move toward the receiving jamb, wherein said moving means includes a rotating member, and said rotating member and said latch rotate together about a common axis of rotation in said first phase of operation. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification