Importance

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Abstract

A latch guard for protecting a door latch installed in a door comprises a removable cover plate with a cylinder pivot hole and two mounting holes located generally above and below the cylinder pivot hole. Adjacent to each mounting hole are two slots that extend from the mounting hole. When installed, the cover plate extends over the space between the door and an adjacent door frame in the area of the latch to protect the latch. The cover plate is mounted to the door by first and second mounting bolts that extend through the slots in the cover plate and completely through the door. Each mounting bolt includes a spacer that spaces the enlarged head of the respective mounting bolt so that the cover plate can rotate about the cylinder pivot hole to allow easy installation and removal of the cover plate. The cover plate may also include anti-spread pins. When the door is closed, the anti-spread pins extend into holes in the adjacent door to prevent spreading of the doors and also to prevent rotation of and thus, removal of the latch cover. The cover plate may also have 90.degree. bends at selected locations that provide added structural strength to the cover plate and provide a space to accommodate a strike plate. The cover plate may be permanently installed on door merely by using a slug placed in the respective mounting hole to prevent rotation of the cover plate.

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First Claim