Title of Invention

"A DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY"

Abstract

A door handle assembly 10 comprising at least one face plate 11 arranged to be secured to the face of a door, a handle 12 adapted to be mounted on the face plate to be axially rotatable thereto, the handle including a shank 17 that extends through the face plate, the face plate having a boss 21 adapted to support a bearing mounted on the shank to allow axial rotation thereto and holding means to hold the shank 17 against the face plate, wherein the bearing is accurately located in a recess in the boss 21 of the face plate 11 and the handle 12 and holding means engage opposite ends of the bearing so that the location of the handle against the face plate is independent of the thickness of the face plate.

Full Text

Field of Invention The present invention relates to a door handle assembly. This invention relates to improvements in or relating to door handles. Discussion of Prior Art A common form of door handle comprises a lever or knob that is mounted for axial rotation about a plate' that is screwed onto the face of the door. The plate is often cast in brass through a process known as sand casting and includes a projecting boss through which a hollow shank of the lever extends to be rotatable thereto. The interior of the shank is often a non-rotatable fit on a shaft that extends through the door and the associated lock/latch assembly so that rotation of the lever rotates the shaft to operate the lock/latch. It is common to use a nylon bush which acts as a bearing between the exterior of the shank and the interior of the boss. The part of the shank that extends inwardly of the plate sometimes supports a coil spring and an outer washer with a circlip holding the assembly together so that the handle can rotate relative to the plate against the coil spring. In another form there is no spring and a knob is free to axially rotate. A problem with these types of construction is that it is difficult to ensure uniformity of thickness in the casting process of the plate. It has thus proved necessary to use spacer washers between the circlip and the nylon bush to ensure that the handle is not a loose fit against the plate. It is these problems that have brought about the present invention. Summary of the Invention 1 According to the present invention/ there is provided a door handle assembly comprising at least one face plate arranged to be secured to the face of a door, a handle adapted to be mounted on the face plate to be axially rotatable thereto, the handle including a shank r that extends through the face plate, the face plate having a boss adapted to locate a bearing mounted on the shank to allow axial rotation thereto and holding means to axially hold the shank against the face plate characterised in that the bearing is located in a recess in the boss of the face plate and the handle and holding means engage opposite ends of the bearing so that the location of the handle against the face plate is independent of the thickness of the face plate. Accordingly to the present invention, there is provided a door handle assembly comprising at least one face plate arranged to be secured to the face of a door, the face plate including an aperture, a handle comprising a shoulder and a stepped down shank, the handle being adapted to be mounted to the face plate with the shank extending through the aperture with the shoulder adjacent the face plate, the face plate having a boss adapted to support a bearing, the bearing being mounted on the shank to allow axial rotation thereto, and holding means to hold the shank axially in position relative to the face plate, characterized in that the bearing comprises an outer race wholly located in a recess in the boss of the face place, the outer race being interconnected to an inner race by a plurality of balls, the inner race defining an inner cylindrical surface mounted as a force fit on the shank whereby the handle and the holding means engage opposite ends of the bearing so that the location of the handle relative to the face plate is independent of the thickness of the face plate. Description of the Accompanying drawings Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roller bearing assembly for use with a door handle assembly, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the door handle assembly showing the bearing assembly in position, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative form of door handle assembly. Description of the Preferred Embodiments A door handle assembly 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings comprises a face plate 11 that is secured to the face of the door (not shown), the face plate 11 in turn supporting a handle 12 that extends through the face plate 11 and the door to engage a locking and latching mechanism (not shown) via a spindle 13 which is driven by the handle 12. The handle 12 is secured to the face plate 11 to be pivotable relative to the face plate to drive the lock or latching mechanism. The face plate 11 is cast in brass usually by use of a sand casting technique. Alternatively the face plate could be forged. The plate 11 has a planar surface portion 20 that merges into a projecting hollow boss 21 through which the handle 12 is secured to be pivotable about the axis that extends through the centre of the boss 21. The interior surface 22 of the face plate 11 terminates in a peripheral border (not shown) that rests against the door surface. The interior surface 22 of the boss 21 includes a stepped recess 25 of circular cross-section which is adapted to locate the outer race 31 of a roller bearing assembly 30 that operates as a bearing between the handle 12 and the internal surface 24 of the boss 21 of the face plate 11. The handle 12 is usually also manufactured in brass and comprises a lever 16 that projects at right angles to a shank 17 that has a stepped down cylindrical portion 18 that extends into the boss 21 of the face plate 11. The shoulder 19 defined by the stepped down portion 18 of the shank 17 forms an abutment surface that prevents inward movement of the handle 12 relative to the face plate 11. The shank 17 is provided with an internal bore 28 of square cross-section which is adapted to slidingly support a squared spindle 13 that extends through the door and a suitable locking or latching mechanism, not shown, to engage a similar handle and face plate assembly on the other side of the door. The handle 12 is arranged to pivot relative to the face plate 11 about a spring 41 and the assembly is held together through use of a washer 42 and circlip 43 arrangement shown in Figure 2. The bearing assembly 30 that is located between the interior of the boss 21 of the face plate 11 and the shank 17 of the handle 12 comprises, as shown in Figure 1 an inner cylindrical sleeve 32 having axially inner and outer ends 33 and 34. The outer surface of the sleeve 32 defines an inner race 35 that supports a plurality of ball bearings 36 against an outer race 31. The balls 36 being held within the races 35 and 31 by a cage 37. The inner and outer races 35 and 31 define inner and outer faces 38 and 39. The inner surface of the sleeve 32 is a force fit on the stepped down portion 18 of the shank 17 of the handle and abuts the shoulder 19 defined by the stepped down portion 18. The axially inner face 38 of the races 35 and 31 abuts the wall of the recess 25 and the outer race 31 in a close fit within the recess 25. The outer end 34 of the sleeve 32 projects out of the boss of the handle and defines an annular shoulder 52 with the inner race 35. The location of the bearing assembly 30 ensures that the shank is a free rotating fit within the outer race 31 about the ball bearings 36. The outer end 34 of the sleeve 32 projects outwardly of the inner face of the face plate 11. The coil spring 41 is positioned on the end of the sleeve 32 on the annular shoulder 52. The coil spring 41 ends in a hook 48 that engages an projecting lug 45 that is formed integrally with the face plate 11. The location of the coil spring 41 is such that the coils are spaced from the inner surface of the face plate 11. The washer 42 holds the coil spring 41 against the shoulder 52 of the sleeve 32 and the circlip 43 is arranged to engage within an annular groove in the end of the shank 17 to hold the washer 42, spring 41, handle 12 and face plate 11 together. When the handle 12 is turned the coil spring 41 is tensioned which means that when the turning force is taken off thehandle it returns to a neutral horizontal position. It has proved difficult to accurately determine the thickness of the face plate during the casting process which means that the axial dimension tends to vary from face plate to face plate. Consequently, if the washer 42 that engages the spring 41 also engages and locates on the interior surface of the face plate 11 there is often a need to either insert packing washers to tension the assembly or sometimes a need to remove material from the inner surface of the face plate to ensure that the assembly is not too tight. It is important that there is not too much axial play in the assembly so that the handle is firmly supported yet free for axial rotation. The location and positioning of the bearing races/35 and 31 in the recess 25 and the engagement of the spring 41 on the shoulder 52 at the end of the sleeve ensures that the axial length of the assembly is determined by the dimensions of the bearing assembly 30 and not the dimensions of the face plate 11. Thus, since it is possible to produce the bearing assembly accurately dimensioned there is an opportunity to ensure that the assembly always has a good firm running fit. notwithstanding the fact that there may be fluctuations in the thickness of the face plate. In the embodiment of Figure 3 the handle is replaced by a knob 60 that is free to rotate and does not drive a spindle. The assembly is mucn cue same as that shown in Figure 2 except there is no coil spring and the circlip 43 holds a washer 42 against the outer end 34 of the bearing sleeve 32. CLAIM : A door handle assembly (10) comprising at least one face plate (11) arranged to be secured to the face of a door, the face plate (11) including an aperture, a handle (12) comprising a shoulder (19) and a stepped down shank (18), the handle (12) being adapted to be mounted to the face plate (11) with the shank (18) extending through the aperture with the shoulder (18) adjacent the face plate, the face plate having a boss (21) adapted to support a bearing (30), the bearing (30) being mounted on the shank (18) to allow axial rotation thereto, and holding means (43) to hold the shank (18) axially in position relative to the face plate (11), characterized in that the bearing (30) comprises an outer race (31) wholly located in a recess (25) in the boss (21) of the face place (11), the outer race (31) being interconnected to an inner race (35) by a plurality of balls (37), the inner race (35) defining an inner cylindrical surface (32) mounted as a force fit on the shank (18) whereby the handle (12) and the holding means (43) engage opposite ends of the bearing (30) so that the location of the handle (12) relative to the face plate (11) is independent of the thickness of the face plate (11). A door handle assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

3683-del-1998-abstract.pdf

3683-del-1998-claims.pdf

3683-del-1998-correspondence-others.pdf

3683-del-1998-correspondence-po.pdf

3683-del-1998-description (complete).pdf

3683-del-1998-drawings.pdf

3683-del-1998-form-1.pdf

3683-del-1998-form-13.pdf

3683-del-1998-form-19.pdf

3683-del-1998-form-2.pdf

3683-del-1998-form-3.pdf

3683-del-1998-form-4.pdf

3683-del-1998-form-6.pdf

3683-del-1998-gpa.pdf

3683-del-1998-petition-137.pdf

3683-del-1998-petition-138.pdf