AU657828B2 - Security apparatus - Google Patents

Description

1 "SECURITY APPARATUS" This invention relates to security apparatus.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to security apparatus suitable for use as a door lock/release for dementia wards, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application.

However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as providing low security detention of a penal nature or the like.

In general, the wards utilized for sufferers of senile dementia are of a kind with normal hospital wards.

However, due to the tendency for senile dementia patients to ,wander, it is deemed necessary to restrain the patient in some manner. Physical restraint is both ultimately 0 debilitating to the patient, as well as offending the sensitivities of the patient, family and staff. In the absence of restraint, the options have been constant supervision and/or locking the patient in the room or ward.

The disadvantage of constant supervision lies in the cost in paid man hours for such supervision. The disadvantage of locking in the patient is that it generally ci-ntravenes the fire code as applicable to the patient. Unless the patient has been committed, egress generally has to be a single handed operation.

It has been proposed to use emergency exit locks on doors to provide emergency exit in keeping with fire regulations. For example, the apparatus known generally as F_ 2 the GK Escape latch, where a glass break panel having a warning label provides for door unlocking, has been proposed for use.

This would comply with fire regulations if it were used for the present purpose, but fails to distinguish between "normal" exits, for example, staff and visitors, or "emergency" exits, for example, patient exiting whilst wandering or in response to fire or the like.

In recent times, it has also been proposed to combine the above touch sensitive emergency lock with a magnetic key apparatus to provide selective exit. This has the disadvantage that persons exiting must possess a key.

The present invention aims to substantially alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide lock apparatus which will obe reliable and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become apparent.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a lock assembly for securing a door or the like and including:emergency exit unlocking means operable to immediately open said door or the like in an emergency; alarm means responsive to operation of said emergency exit unlocking means; coded door lock releasing means operable to provide egress for authorised persons and having its operating code displayed in the region of the lock releasing means.

Preferably, the apparatus is suitable for use on the F 2A door of a senile dementia patient. The emergency-exit means may comprise for example a clearly indicated emergency touch or glass-break panel adapted to operate said lock assembly.

r i i 3 It has been determined that patients suffering from senile dementia are often capable of recognizing the signs of danger and will generally not activate the touch or frangible panel for the purposes of wandering.

Preferably, the only means of unlocking the door from the inside, apart from operation of the lock releasing means described hereinaf'-r, is by means of the touch or glass break operated emergency exit means. Manual or electrical operation may be provided for access from the outside.

Outside access may be controlled with a selectably engaceable keyed lock release to provide key only entry from the outside of the door when rjquired. Alternatively, access from the outside may be unrestricted by use of a normal access door handle.

The emergency exit means is preferably manually operable independent of any external power supply to ensure safety in conditions where power supply may be interrupted.

For example, the lock assembly may be provided with mechanical releasing means cooperable with a touch or franaible panel to effect release of the locking means in an emergency.

:i The exit alarm may take any form consistent with the function of indicating a breached status of the emergency exit unlocking means. Accordingly, t:he exit alarm may take the form of an audible alarm either local and/or in a monitoring station or broadcast, flashing lights or other signalling means, driven by control means adapted to be responsive to breaching of the emergency exit unlocking means. The exit alarm is preferably selected from electronic alarm means having sensor means responsive to the physical locked/unlocked status of the lock assembly. The alarm may be responsive to both exits by means of operation of the lock releasing means and exits by means of the emergency exit unlocking means, although it is preferably that the two modes of exit be alarmed separately such that the type of exit may be remot, ly distinguished.

The lock releasing means may take any form consistent with the function of being operable by a person of asound mind but to be substantially inoperable by a person a suffering from dementia. It has been found that the 0 interpretive faculty of senile dementia patients is one of the first to decline with the onset of the disease.

Accordingly, the lock releasing means may be adapted to rely on diminution of this faculty in achieving o selectivity of operation. For example, the lock releasing means may include a sequence of coloured or numbered buttons of a push-button combination lock-like releasing means, with the colour or number combination provided to the user in the 00 oform of indicia located on or near the releasing means. Of course, the lock releasing means may also be selected from any other type of "puzzle" like means capable of providing a level of difficulty that exceeds the capacity of at least a proportion of senile dementia patients, whilst allowing the public and staff relatively easy exit.

-ar~ O~nl~, B' c-Y Oorrn:a ii n u n Ou The operation of the emergency exit function of the lock may be indicated at a remote station, such as a nurses duty station. Preferably, the status of the door with respect to its locking is indicated for all operations of the door. For example there may be pro~tided a panel of lights and/or buzzers at the remote station.

The modes of operation of the door may be selectable, either at the door by, for example, use of a security card or the li2:e, or at the remote station. A security card may provide enable/disable facility tc the lock releasing means, or may have a more extended function. For ex=mple, the security card may place the apparatus in a program mode where the lock releasing means such as a keypad may be programmable at the door to change the status of the 15 lock in terms of levels of access allowed or provided for, so as to provide for added security during specific periods or to enforce non visitor periods or the like. However, it is preferable that the emergency egress function is permanently enabled in all modes such that at all times the door locking 20 complies with the relevant fire code.

The door may be, in the interests of safety, an outward opening door fitted with an hydraulic door closer.

Such doors may be double or single doors including rebated doors.

9 u, oeons~ D I onO~ 0009

DUCD~B

In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a 1 preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:- FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a lock assembly for use in conjunction with security apparatus in accordance with the nresent invention; FIG,. 2 is an illustration of the lock assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the lock assembly of 7IG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a remote station suitable for use in conjunction with the apparatus of FIG. 1.

In the figures there is provided a lock assembly adapted to be mounted on a door or the like and having a mounting plate 10 bearing an electric lock assembly 11. The loc]. assembly 11 includes a moveable engagement member 12 adapted to engage a corresponding jamb member 13 adapted to be affixed to the frame surrounding the door or the like.

Also assembled to the mounting plate 10 is a printed circuit board 14 affixed to a stand off portion 15 thereof.

The electric lock assembly 11 includes a housing portion 16 supporting a solenoid, not shown, for electric operation of the lock assembly 11. A mechanical lever 17 is S' pr'lvided for mechanical operation of the lock assembly 11. A microswitch 20 is associated with the lock assembly 11 for te sensing of emergency exit operation of the lock assembly 11.

A key pad assembly 21 js mounted to the mounting plate 10 and wired to the printed circuit board 14 which is in turn wired to the solenoid of the electric lock assembly 11. The key pad assembly also includes indicator lightemitting diodes for indicating outer lever locked/unlocked status 55, door lock status 54 [status 54, door locked status and door unlocked status 56. The printed circuit board 14 also supports a microswitch 24 adapted to be key turn operated by a key lock assembly 25 mounted to the stand off portion 15 of the assembly mounting plate 10. The purpose of the key lock 25 and switch 24 assembly may be selected to enable or disable operation of the electric lock assembly 11 by an outer handle 48(a) by enabling or disabling microswitch Alternatively, the keylock operated switch 24 may be utilized to operate the electric lock assembly 11 directly by way of alternative to the codepad entry method.

S On the outside of the door may be mounted an alternative handle assembly 48(b) [handle assembly 28(b)] adapted to operate the lock assembly 11 via an extension bar 36 cooperating with either the electric or manual operations of the lock assembly 11, in order to provide unrestricted access from the outside. Of course, access from the outside may be configured as desired, such as by the use of a key cylinder 49, illustrated in conjunction with the handle assembly 48(a) [handle assembly There may be two bw;zers in this housing as indicated in wiring schematic Fig 3. One may for example be pulsing for indication of operation of emergency exit breaking of glass and tripping of switch 20). This may be silenced by switch 23.

-9 7A The other may be a steady buzzer for sounding when code-pad has been correctly operated. This buzzer may be silenced by unplugging from circuit board as silent operation may be a set up option.

A continuous tone buzzer 47 is wired to the circuit board 14 by wire link 22 and is responsive to the status of the lock. A buzzer noise emanates from the buzzer/siren 47 whenever the lock is in the unlocked mode and switch 23 on the printed circuit board 14 can be used to silence this 0 0 C 000

C

0015 o0 0 a n 0 I _II_ _I~_r 8 buzzer for silent operation. The sensing of the lock status i- preferably indicated in terms of the door being open as sensed by a reed switch (indicated at 51 in the circuit diagram of FIG. 3) responsive to a magnet embedded in the frame of the door or the like (not shown). The switch 23 is preferably of the slide type and accessed through an aperture 31 in a housing 26 such that a tol must be inserted to change the status of the switch 23. A siren noise also emanates from a further buzzer/siren (indicated at 52 in the circuit diagram of FIG. 3) whenever the emergency exit frangible panel 32 is broken, mechanically releasing the lock. The mechanical disengagement of the lock triggers microswitch 20 the sound the buzzer/siren 52.

The housing 26 is provided to cover the assembly mounting plate 10 and its attached components to provide securing closure therefor, the housing 26 being provided with a key pad access aperture 27, a key lock access aperture 28, a lock slot 30 and the access aperture 31 for buzzer disabling switch 23. The housing 26 is further provided with a frangible panel aperture 33 located such that in use, disruption of the frangible panel 32 results in the triggering of the micro switch 20 to effect sounding of the siren 52 and mechanical unlocking of the movable engagement member 12 from the jamb member 13.

At a remote station (illustrated in FIG. 4 and interfacing at 44 with the door circuit) there is provided an ineicator panel including a circuit driving a locked i i 0 0 00 0 000 0 P *0OO o o

O

0 r 0o indicator light 40, a closed indicator light 41, an unlocked indicator light 42 and a panic indicator light 43. The locked 40 and unlocked 42 indicator lights are wired to the printed circuit board 14 to indicate the actual lock status.

A reed switch 51 associated with the door and operable by a magnet embedded or affixed to the door frame or jamb indicates when the door is actually closed via the closed indicator light 41. Operation of the microswitch 20 by means of disruption of the frangible panel 32 and manual disen7agement of the lock assembly 11 results in illumination of the panic indicator light 43.

In addition, the indicator panel assembly is provided with means to provide audible indication of change of dcor status, such as a continuous tone buzzer or bell 57 15 being selectively enabled by a buzzer off/buzzer on switch and serving primarily to indicate unlocked status of the door. Emergency exit is audibly signalled by a further, preferably pulsed-tone bell or buzzer 58.

In addition, the indicator panel is provided with 20 remote switch means 46 adapted to effect remote locking and unlocking of the moveable engagement member 12 with the jamb member 13 via operation of solenoid of the lock assembly 11.

In use, the apparatus may be operated from the outside by simple manipulation of the door release handle 48 or during what may be designated as normal "low security" periods. If the outer door release handle is locked by keylock 25, then the door may be opened from the ro oo o ii o co i.? ooruiu o

FOUJ

O

rovv ooo~ iv o o d ii ir ct outsi-'l only by operation of an outer door key if provided for, or by remote indicator panel switch means 46.

Door-locked indicator light 40 indicates that the door is in locked mode. Where exit is attained by pressing code number into the keypad 21, and then pushing the door, light will indicate unlock duration and buzzer will sound during this period. Preferably, the apparatus is configured to automatically re-lock after a few seconds and when door closes.

In the event of an emergency exit by pressing the frangible panel 32, door will open and si 4 .en or buzzer will sound.

r LO D

O

Il 00 n ucrr as ,~oe a LrlU

O

Ouu Apparatus in accordance with the above has the advantages of securing senile dementia patients while 15 complying with Fire Regulations, with simple operation, ease of exit in an emergency and the ability to be easily installed. greater safety and security than hitherto provided without increased staff is obtained. Greater staff efficiency is obtained due to less time having to be spent 20 watching 'he exit door, less time spent checking patients, and accordingly less stress and worry for staff.

It will of course be realised that while the above has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scopt and ambit of this invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

Claims (7)

1. A lock assembly for securing a door or the like and including:- emergency exit unlocking means operable to immediately open said door or the like in an emergency; alarm means responsive to operation of said emergency exit unlocking means; coded door lock releasing means operable to provide egress for authorised persons and having its operating code displayed in the region of the lock releasing means.

2. A lock assembly according to Claim 1 including a latch i assembly selected from manually operated or electrically operated locks.

3. A lock assembly according to Claim 2, wherein said latch assembly is electrically operated by means of said lock releasing means and wherein the latch assembly is configured for manual release by means of said emergency exit unlocking means.

4. A lock assembly according to Claim 3, wherein said emergency-exit unlocking means comprises a touch or glass-break operated unlocking means cooperable with the manual release configuration of said latch assembly.

A lock assembly according to any on( of the preceding 0/r i 'S. -A~ 41~T~U 12 Claims, wherein said lock combination comprises a sequence of colour coded or numbered buttons of a button operated combination lock means.

6. A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the operation of said emergency exit unlocking means and/or lock releasing means is indicated at a remote station.

7. Lock apparatus substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying drawings. oa o I D DATED THIS twenty-second DAY RICHARD DILLON BY PIZZEY COMPANY PATENT ATTORNEYS OF December, 1994. s~^t t r ABSTRACT There is provided security apparatus having an assembly mounting plate (10) and electric lock assembly (11) being operable by means of a solenoid under the control of a microswitch (20) and also being manually operable by breakage of a frangible panel (32) cooperating with a release lever A key pad assembly (21) is provided and wired to a printed circuit board (14) which is in turn wired to the electric solenoid of the electric lock assembly The printed circuit board (14) also supports a second micro- switch (24) adapted to be key turn operated to enable or disable operation. A siren/buzzer (47) is wired to the circuit board (14) and is responsive to the status of the S' lock. At a remote station there is an indicator panel having status indication lights (40, 41, 42 and 43). i ft l t da ~I-L LI