French door lock
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping keep a pair of French doors that include a passive door and an active door closed comprisinga substantially rectangular plate of a width from side to side mounted on a trim at the top of a French door and a length between two ends of the substantially rectangular plate substantially longer than the width, the substantially rectangular plate having a perpendicular flange at one of the sides, the flange being unitary with the substantially rectangular plate and extending from the substantially rectangular plate at least ½
- inch, the flange having a length in a direction parallel to the length of the substantially rectangular plate that is shorter than the substantially rectangular plate and positioned centered along the length of the substantially rectangular plate,a hole in the substantially rectangular plate near each end of the substantially rectangular plate, the holes being further from the side having the flange than the other side,the substantially rectangular plate being configured in a size and shape that enables the substantially rectangular plate to be affixed to the inside face of a trim in the gap above French doors at a location where the flange prevents opening the passive door but not the active door and each hole in the substantially rectangular plate is located above each one of the French doors by screws through the holes into the trim, keeping the substantially rectangular plate in place and its flange retaining the passive French door in place, but the screw in the hole above the active door can be removed to allow the substantially rectangular plate to pivot about the remaining screw in the hole above the passive door so the substantially rectangular plate can be bent upward above the top edge of the passive door to allow the passive door to open under the flange.
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Accused Products
Abstract
French doors that include a passive door and an active door are kept closed by a plate on a trim over a French door jamb having a flange at one of the sides. Holes in the plate allow it to be screwed into the trim. The flange retains the passive French door in place, but the screw in the hole over the active door can be removed to allow the plate to pivot about the remaining screw so the plate can be bent upward to allow the passive door to open under the flange.
76 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for helping keep a pair of French doors that include a passive door and an active door closed comprising
a substantially rectangular plate of a width from side to side mounted on a trim at the top of a French door and a length between two ends of the substantially rectangular plate substantially longer than the width, the substantially rectangular plate having a perpendicular flange at one of the sides, the flange being unitary with the substantially rectangular plate and extending from the substantially rectangular plate at least ½ - inch, the flange having a length in a direction parallel to the length of the substantially rectangular plate that is shorter than the substantially rectangular plate and positioned centered along the length of the substantially rectangular plate,
a hole in the substantially rectangular plate near each end of the substantially rectangular plate, the holes being further from the side having the flange than the other side, the substantially rectangular plate being configured in a size and shape that enables the substantially rectangular plate to be affixed to the inside face of a trim in the gap above French doors at a location where the flange prevents opening the passive door but not the active door and each hole in the substantially rectangular plate is located above each one of the French doors by screws through the holes into the trim, keeping the substantially rectangular plate in place and its flange retaining the passive French door in place, but the screw in the hole above the active door can be removed to allow the substantially rectangular plate to pivot about the remaining screw in the hole above the passive door so the substantially rectangular plate can be bent upward above the top edge of the passive door to allow the passive door to open under the flange. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18)
- inch, the flange having a length in a direction parallel to the length of the substantially rectangular plate that is shorter than the substantially rectangular plate and positioned centered along the length of the substantially rectangular plate,
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11. A method of helping keep a pair of French doors that include a passive door and an active door closed comprising
fastening an end of a substantially rectangular plate on the inside face of a trim in the gap above each French door so that a flange on the substantially rectangular plate extends down from the trim by at least ½ - inch at a location where the flange prevents opening the passive door but not the active door,
closing the passive door while bending the substantially rectangular plate upward so the closing passive door passes under the flange, allowing the substantially rectangular plate to resiliently return toward its unbent position, pivoting the substantially rectangular plate about the fastener of the substantially rectangular plate to the trim until the flange contacts the passive door and a hole in the substantially rectangular plate is adjacent the trim, passing a screw through the hole into the trim, whereby the active door can be opened and closed without interaction with the substantially rectangular plate and the screw over the active door can be removed to allow the substantially rectangular plate to pivot about the fastener in the hole above the passive door and bent upward above the top edge of the passive door to allow the passive door to open under the flange. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19)
- inch at a location where the flange prevents opening the passive door but not the active door,
Specification