Richard F Whatley

US Patent:

51848538, Feb 9, 1993

Filed:

Jul 1, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/907020

Inventors:

Richard F. Whatley - Suwanee GA

Assignee:

Northern Telecom Limited - Montreal

International Classification:

E05C 304

US Classification:

292205

Abstract:

A door lock mechanism that allows either tool operable locking or padlocking of a handle and escutcheon assembly. The lock includes a tool operable insert inset in the lock base and adapted to receive any one of number of standard tools. Such tools are used in industry to restrict access to specific groups of craft persons. For applications desiring padlock capability, the tool operable access can be disabled. A pawl coupled to the tool operable insert, is operable between first and second positions. When the pawl is biassed toward the first position, corresponding to the locked state, it will engage the latch, thereby effecting locking, whenever the latch is brought to the latched position, by turning the handle to a vertical position, and the use of the tool operable insert is enabled for disengaging the pawl from the latch and the pawl. When the pawl is biassed toward the second position the pawl is prevented from engaging the latch, thus disabling the tool operable lock to provide for padlocking. The escutcheon and the handle have openings aligned with each other when the latch is in the latched position for the use of a padlock.