Mortice Lock Configuration via Removable Cylinder Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mortice locks are cumbersome to configure for different end-use requirements, such as enabling unrestricted access from either side of a door, holding back the latch for easy access, and providing an anti-lockout mode, particularly when installing multiple locks in large projects.
Innovation Solution
A mortice lock with an adjustable configuration system, including a housing, a lock cylinder, and adjustable componentry such as locking bars and a spindle, allowing for various settings like hold-back and anti-lockout modes, which can be adjusted by removing the cylinder to access internal components and using tools like a hockey stick-shaped tool for configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mortice locks are configured for different end-use requirements (unrestricted access, hold-back mode, anti-lockout mode), then the lock's adaptability and versatility are improved, but the time and effort required for installation and configuration increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The lock is delivered pre-configured with multiple locking bars (first, second, third locking bars) and their associated actuators already installed and positioned within the housing. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for installers to manually assemble these components during installation, significantly reducing configuration time while maintaining the ability to select different operational modes (unrestricted access, hold-back, anti-lockout) through simple selector mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock incorporates dynamic configuration capabilities through selectable locking bar arrangements. Users can choose between different operational modes by actuating selectors that reposition locking bars and their actuators. For example, in unrestricted access mode, all locking bars are disengaged; in hold-back mode, the first locking bar is engaged; in anti-lockout mode, the second locking bar is engaged. This dynamic reconfigurability allows a single lock to adapt to multiple end-use requirements without requiring physical replacement or complex assembly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple locking bars and actuators are included in the lock housing to provide various configurations, then the lock's functionality and adaptability are improved, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock employs a universal actuator design where the same actuator mechanism serves multiple functions depending on which locking bar it is connected to. The actuator can engage with the first locking bar for normal locking operations, the second locking bar for anti-lockout protection, or the third locking bar for hold-back functionality. This multi-functional approach allows the lock to provide diverse configurations without requiring entirely separate mechanisms for each function, thereby managing complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking bars and actuators are nested within the lock housing in a compact arrangement. The first, second, and third locking bars are positioned sequentially within the housing, each associated with its own actuator that can engage with it. The selectors and cam mechanisms are integrated into the existing structure, with cam grooves and engagement surfaces that guide the movement and positioning of multiple components in a space-efficient manner. This nested arrangement reduces the overall footprint and complexity compared to having separate external mechanisms for each locking function.
Data Source
AI summary
A lock including a housing having an aperture sized to receive a lock cylinder, and lock componentry positioned within the housing and being adjustable to alter a configuration of the lock, and wherein the lock cylinder is removable from the housing to expose the aperture to provide access to the lock componentry which may be adjusted to set the configuration of the lock. A method is also provided for adjusting a configuration of a lock, including removing a lock cylinder from an aperture in a lock housing to expose the aperture and provide access to lock componentry within the lock housing, adjusting the lock componentry in the lock housing via access provided by the aperture to permit alteration of a configuration of the lock, setting the configuration of the lock via the adjusting of the lock componentry, and reinserting the lock cylinder into the aperture in the lock housing.