GB2146475A - Access and egress control devices for escape routes - Google Patents

Access and egress control devices for escape routes Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2146475A
GB2146475A GB08416998A GB8416998A GB2146475A GB 2146475 A GB2146475 A GB 2146475A GB 08416998 A GB08416998 A GB 08416998A GB 8416998 A GB8416998 A GB 8416998A GB 2146475 A GB2146475 A GB 2146475A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
handle
door
light source
light
access
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08416998A
Other versions
GB8416998D0 (en
Inventor
Neville Dearden
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SHEFFIELD BRICK GROUP PLC
Original Assignee
SHEFFIELD BRICK GROUP PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SHEFFIELD BRICK GROUP PLC filed Critical SHEFFIELD BRICK GROUP PLC
Publication of GB8416998D0 publication Critical patent/GB8416998D0/en
Publication of GB2146475A publication Critical patent/GB2146475A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B17/00—Accessories in connection with locks
    • E05B17/10—Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
    • G09F13/42—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising with light sources activated by non-visible radiation
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B1/00—Knobs or handles for wings; Knobs, handles, or press buttons for locks or latches on wings

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Securing Of Glass Panes Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

In normal natural or artificial light conditions, door handles, emergency exit bolts, lift operating switches, window stays and fastenings are clearly visible. As natural light fades or if artificial light fails or if a room is filled with smoke they are not, and it is the object of the invention to overcome this problem by providing a control device comprising a light source 6 illuminating the device 1, the light source being of a type (e.g. tritium) requiring neither mains nor battery power, and being permanently illuminated with an intensity such that under normal, ambient light or lighting conditions it is not visible but becomes visible as the ambient light or lighting intensity falls below that of the light source. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Access and egress control devices This invention relates to an access and egress control device such as a door handle; an emergency exit bolt; lift operating switches; window stays and fastenings etc.
For simplicity, comment is made below concerning doors and door handles but it will be understood that similar considerations apply to emergency exit bolts, lift operating switches, window stays or fastenings, and the like. The majority of doors are provided with a handle, either of the fixed type so that the door can be pulled open against the action of, e.g., a ball catch, or of the lever type where a catch is retracted from within a keeper on the door frame, to allow the door to be opened.
Under usual ambient light conditions, the position of a door and its handle is immediately apparent, but in darkened conditions it is not, and anyone unfamilarwith its location can spend several moments finding it. Ordinarily, that is no more than inconvenient, but in the event of an emergency, e.g., a fire and/or mains failure, it is most important that occupants particularly of public buildings can exit a room or building with minimum delay and any delay in finding a door and its handle can be critical, for significant delay in a smoke filled room, for example could be fatal.
The object of the present invention is to provide an access and egress control device which overcomes the problem referred to above.
According to the present invention, an access and egress control device comprises a light source illuminating the device, said light source being of a type requiring neither mains or battery power, and being permanently illuminated with an intensity such that under normal, ambient light or lighting conditions it is not visible but becomes visible as the ambient light or lighting intensity falls below that of the light source.
Thus, such a light source can for example be mounted on a door and positioned to illuminate a door handle, or can be mounted on the door handle itself. Equally, it can be mounted on the rearface of a handle to illuminate, e.g., a mounting plate for the handle, and silhouette the handle, and the handle may be slotted or the like so that in addition to silhouetting the handle, the light source is directly visible through the handle.
Preferably, the light source is tritium self-powering light, having a considerable life span e.g., fifteen years or more, without requiring any maintenance.
Thus, with such a light source on a door or handle, in the event of mains failure, or in the event of a room filling with smoke, the light source becomes visible, allowing an occupant to move immediately to the door and use the handle to open the door, thereby saving valuable and possibly critical moments in exiting a room or building.
One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door handle according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the door handle of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows the door handle of Figure 1 and an associated mounting plate attached to a door.
In the drawings, a door handle 1 has a recess 2 in its rearward face 3, in which is secured e.g. by an appropriate adhesive, a generally rectangulartritium self-powering light element 4. Extending from the recess 2 and emerging in the front face 5 of the handle is a slot 6.
As is shown particularly by Figure 3, the handle 1 is mounted on a mounting plate 7 itself secured to a door 8. In this embodiment, both the handle and the mounting plate are formed from a suitable aluminium alloy, with a satin our a bright finish. It will however be understood that other materials such as stainless steel, ferrous-based metals and plastics materials, can equally be used.
Under normal ambient light conditions, natural or artificial, the tritium light source is not visible, but the door and its handle is, allowing the door to be opened, either normally without any inconvenience or quickly in the case of an emergency. As natural light fades or if artificial light fails, the door and particularly the handle are not readily visible, causing some inconvenience to the user in normal conditions of use of the door, and possibly considerable danger to the user if there is any delay in finding the door and its handle in an emergency. However, the presence of the tritium light source is such that as natural light fades or artificial light fails, the light source becomes visible, with light reflected from the mounting plate 7 to silhouette the handle, and light being directly visible through the slot 6.The position of the door and its handle is then clearly apparent enabling a user to open the door without any inconvenience and quickly if the need arises.
1. An access and egress control device comprising a light source illuminating the device, said light source being of a type requiring neither mains nor battery power, and being permanently illuminated with an intensity such that under normal, ambient light or lighting conditions it is not visible but becomes visible as the ambient light or lighting intensity falls below that of the light source.
2. An access and egress control device as in Claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on a door and positioned to illuminate a door handle.
3. An access and egress control device as in Claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on the door handle.
4. An access and egress control device as in Claim 3, wherein the light source is mounted on the rearface of a handle to illuminate the door and silhouette the handle.
5. An access and egress control device as in Claim 4, wherein the handle is mounted on a mounting plate and when the light source illuminates the mounting plate and silhouettes the handle.
6. An access and egress control device as in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the handle is provided
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Access and egress control devices This invention relates to an access and egress control device such as a door handle; an emergency exit bolt; lift operating switches; window stays and fastenings etc. For simplicity, comment is made below concerning doors and door handles but it will be understood that similar considerations apply to emergency exit bolts, lift operating switches, window stays or fastenings, and the like. The majority of doors are provided with a handle, either of the fixed type so that the door can be pulled open against the action of, e.g., a ball catch, or of the lever type where a catch is retracted from within a keeper on the door frame, to allow the door to be opened. Under usual ambient light conditions, the position of a door and its handle is immediately apparent, but in darkened conditions it is not, and anyone unfamilarwith its location can spend several moments finding it. Ordinarily, that is no more than inconvenient, but in the event of an emergency, e.g., a fire and/or mains failure, it is most important that occupants particularly of public buildings can exit a room or building with minimum delay and any delay in finding a door and its handle can be critical, for significant delay in a smoke filled room, for example could be fatal. The object of the present invention is to provide an access and egress control device which overcomes the problem referred to above. According to the present invention, an access and egress control device comprises a light source illuminating the device, said light source being of a type requiring neither mains or battery power, and being permanently illuminated with an intensity such that under normal, ambient light or lighting conditions it is not visible but becomes visible as the ambient light or lighting intensity falls below that of the light source. Thus, such a light source can for example be mounted on a door and positioned to illuminate a door handle, or can be mounted on the door handle itself. Equally, it can be mounted on the rearface of a handle to illuminate, e.g., a mounting plate for the handle, and silhouette the handle, and the handle may be slotted or the like so that in addition to silhouetting the handle, the light source is directly visible through the handle. Preferably, the light source is tritium self-powering light, having a considerable life span e.g., fifteen years or more, without requiring any maintenance. Thus, with such a light source on a door or handle, in the event of mains failure, or in the event of a room filling with smoke, the light source becomes visible, allowing an occupant to move immediately to the door and use the handle to open the door, thereby saving valuable and possibly critical moments in exiting a room or building. One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door handle according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the door handle of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows the door handle of Figure 1 and an associated mounting plate attached to a door. In the drawings, a door handle 1 has a recess 2 in its rearward face 3, in which is secured e.g. by an appropriate adhesive, a generally rectangulartritium self-powering light element 4. Extending from the recess 2 and emerging in the front face 5 of the handle is a slot 6. As is shown particularly by Figure 3, the handle 1 is mounted on a mounting plate 7 itself secured to a door 8. In this embodiment, both the handle and the mounting plate are formed from a suitable aluminium alloy, with a satin our a bright finish. It will however be understood that other materials such as stainless steel, ferrous-based metals and plastics materials, can equally be used. Under normal ambient light conditions, natural or artificial, the tritium light source is not visible, but the door and its handle is, allowing the door to be opened, either normally without any inconvenience or quickly in the case of an emergency. As natural light fades or if artificial light fails, the door and particularly the handle are not readily visible, causing some inconvenience to the user in normal conditions of use of the door, and possibly considerable danger to the user if there is any delay in finding the door and its handle in an emergency. However, the presence of the tritium light source is such that as natural light fades or artificial light fails, the light source becomes visible, with light reflected from the mounting plate 7 to silhouette the handle, and light being directly visible through the slot 6.The position of the door and its handle is then clearly apparent enabling a user to open the door without any inconvenience and quickly if the need arises. CLAIMS
1. An access and egress control device comprising a light source illuminating the device, said light source being of a type requiring neither mains nor battery power, and being permanently illuminated with an intensity such that under normal, ambient light or lighting conditions it is not visible but becomes visible as the ambient light or lighting intensity falls below that of the light source.
2. An access and egress control device as in Claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on a door and positioned to illuminate a door handle.
3. An access and egress control device as in Claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on the door handle.
4. An access and egress control device as in Claim 3, wherein the light source is mounted on the rearface of a handle to illuminate the door and silhouette the handle.
5. An access and egress control device as in Claim 4, wherein the handle is mounted on a mounting plate and when the light source illuminates the mounting plate and silhouettes the handle.
6. An access and egress control device as in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the handle is provided with a slot or other through passage and whereby the light source is directly visible from the front of the handle.
7. An access and egress control device as in any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the light source is tritium self-powering light.
8. An access and egress control device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB08416998A 1983-07-09 1984-07-04 Access and egress control devices for escape routes Withdrawn GB2146475A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB838318632A GB8318632D0 (en) 1983-07-09 1983-07-09 Access and egress control devices

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8416998D0 GB8416998D0 (en) 1984-08-08
GB2146475A true GB2146475A (en) 1985-04-17

Family

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Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB838318632A Pending GB8318632D0 (en) 1983-07-09 1983-07-09 Access and egress control devices
GB08416998A Withdrawn GB2146475A (en) 1983-07-09 1984-07-04 Access and egress control devices for escape routes

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB838318632A Pending GB8318632D0 (en) 1983-07-09 1983-07-09 Access and egress control devices

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB8318632D0 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2264436A (en) * 1992-02-25 1993-09-01 Barry George Amey Luminescent door handles.
EP1110483A1 (en) * 1999-12-23 2001-06-27 Union Knopf GmbH Handle and a furniture part with a handle

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB249713A (en) * 1925-06-18 1926-04-01 Walter Morgenstern Luminous disk
GB861256A (en) * 1957-04-02 1961-02-15 United States Radium Corp Improvements in self luminous lamps
GB861790A (en) * 1957-06-20 1961-02-22 United States Radium Corp Improvements in self-luminous light sources
GB1072993A (en) * 1964-07-29 1967-06-21 Saint Gobain Techn Nouvelles Improvements in or relating to light beacons
GB1129981A (en) * 1964-10-13 1968-10-09 Saint Gobain Techn Nouvelles Improvements in or relating to illuminated signs
GB1197471A (en) * 1967-03-16 1970-07-08 Saunders Roe Dev Ltd Improvements in or Relating to Luminous Compounds
GB2034503A (en) * 1978-11-10 1980-06-04 Bahrton R Evacuation sign
GB2110864A (en) * 1981-09-30 1983-06-22 Laurence Donald Britt Phosphorescent escape route indicator

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB249713A (en) * 1925-06-18 1926-04-01 Walter Morgenstern Luminous disk
GB861256A (en) * 1957-04-02 1961-02-15 United States Radium Corp Improvements in self luminous lamps
GB861790A (en) * 1957-06-20 1961-02-22 United States Radium Corp Improvements in self-luminous light sources
GB1072993A (en) * 1964-07-29 1967-06-21 Saint Gobain Techn Nouvelles Improvements in or relating to light beacons
GB1129981A (en) * 1964-10-13 1968-10-09 Saint Gobain Techn Nouvelles Improvements in or relating to illuminated signs
GB1197471A (en) * 1967-03-16 1970-07-08 Saunders Roe Dev Ltd Improvements in or Relating to Luminous Compounds
GB2034503A (en) * 1978-11-10 1980-06-04 Bahrton R Evacuation sign
GB2110864A (en) * 1981-09-30 1983-06-22 Laurence Donald Britt Phosphorescent escape route indicator

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2264436A (en) * 1992-02-25 1993-09-01 Barry George Amey Luminescent door handles.
EP1110483A1 (en) * 1999-12-23 2001-06-27 Union Knopf GmbH Handle and a furniture part with a handle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8318632D0 (en) 1983-08-10
GB8416998D0 (en) 1984-08-08

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)