GB2217370A - A security door - Google Patents

Abstract

A security door (2) is made in the form of an open metal framework which is provided with at least one area of weakness (12, 14, 16) which is designed to break under a predetermined force so that the door (2) can be smashed open in an emergency situation. The predetermined force is chosen such that the door can only be broken with heavy equipment such as heavy axes and hammers used by the fire brigade. <IMAGE>

Description

A SECURITY DOOR This invention relates to a security door.

With the increasing advent of crime, many persons are beginning to feel unsafe even in their own homes. Such persons are often reluctant to open their front door to a caller in case the caller should be a violent criminal who will push his or her way into the home, intent on committing a theft, a personal assault or other criminal deeds.

Home security, for example in houses and flats, has been increased in recent times with the fitting of security doors which are intended to supplement existing doors, and also with security grills which are intended to supplement existing windows. The security doors and security grills provide anther barrier for the potential criminal to overcome. In the case of a security door, providing the security door is locked, a person such as a housewife can open their normal front door without fear of an intruder pushing his or her way into the home because the security door will still be in position and locked.

The security doors are usually made of metal and they are also usually in the form of an open framework. Thus a person opening their normal front door can talk quite easily through the open framework security door and, only when the caller has been recognised or has provided appropriate identity, then the security door can be opened if it is necessary to allow the caller to have entrance into the home.

The known security doors are locked with a key and a potential problem can occur due to the high level of security provided by the security doors. More specifically, in the event of a fire or other serious emergency situation, it may be that the security door is locked and difficulty and unnecessary delay may be involved in getting the security door open.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a security door which provides all the normal security of known security doors but which can be opened in an emergency situation.

Accordingly, this invention provides a security door which is made in the form of an open metal framework, the framework being provided with at least one area of weakness which is designed to break under a predetermined force so that the door can be smashed open in an emergency situation.

The predetermined force will be chosen such that the door cannot be smashed open during normal conditions of use, for example by a vandal kicking the security door or charging the security door with his or her shoulder. The predetermined force will be chosen such that the security door can only be opened using heavy equipment. A normal potential criminal will not arrive at a door with such heavy equipment.

However, in an extreme emergency situation such for example as a fire in a house or flat, fire brigade personnel using heavy axes and/or heavy hammers can smash open the door and gain entrance to the house or flat in order to deal with the fire. For example, the predetermined force may be such as to allow the fire brigade to break open the door using a heavy axe and/or a 141b hammer within 60 seconds. Thus the security door of the present invention provides all the security of known security doors and it also provides the further security that it will permit entrance to be gained through the security door by appropriate emergency personnel in an emergency situation.

The security door may be provided with two areas of weakness. Preferably, the security door is provided with three areas of weakness.

When the security door is provided with three areas of weakness, the security door may be one in which there is a first area of weakness adjacent the lock part of the door, in which there is a second area of weakness on the side of the door opposite the lock part, and in which there is a third area of weakness along a bottom part of the door.

The security door may include at least one hinge for hinging the door to a door frame.

There may be a single hinge which extends substantially the entire length of the door for hinging the door to the door frame.

The security door may be such that the framework is made of solid metal rod, with the or each area of weakness being made of metal tube.

The metal employed for the security door will usually be steel.

The present invention also extends to the combination of the security door and a metal frame.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a security door in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows in enlarged detail part of the security door shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows another security door in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a security door 2 which is made in the form of an open metal framework as shown. The open metal framework comprises vertically extending solid metal rods 4 and horizontally extending solid metal rods 6. Two areas 8,10 are provided with an open framework design which is not shown for simplicity of illustration.

The security door 2 is provided with three areas of weakness 12,14,16. The first area of weakness 12 is adjacent a lock part 80 of the security door 2 and this first area of weakness 12 is provided by two horizontally extending metal tubes 20,22. As can be seen most clearly from Figure 2, the metal tubes are welded to the remainder of the framework of the security door 2 such as to facilitate breakage under the action of a heavy breaking force such as would occur if the security door 2 were to be hit with heavy axes and/or heavy hammers by fire brigade personnel.

More specifically, the tubes 20,22 are welded to the extreme right hand vertical rod 4 as shown. The left hand ends of the tubes 20,22 are welded to the left hand rod 4 as shown in Figure 2. There is no welding on the back of the door part shown in Figure 2 so that there is no unnecessary extra welding to hold the tubes 20,22 in position.

The second area of weakness 14 is formed by a pair of tubes 24,26 and these tubes 24,26 are joined between one of the vertical rods 4 and a longitudinally extending hinge 28. The hinge 28 is for enabling the security door 2 to be attached to a metal door frame.

The third area of weakness 16 is formed by a tube 30 which extends along a bottom part of the door as shown between the hinge 28 and the extreme right hand rod 4.

A security door 2 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be smashed by the fire brigade within 60 seconds, using heavy axes and 14 lb hammers.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a security door 2 which is shown mounted in a metal frame 30. The security door 2 is provided with the three areas of weakness 12,14,16 and it basically just differs from the security door 2 shown in Figure in that the security door 2 shown in Figure 3 has been shown with more wrought iron work.

The rods 4,6 shown in the security door 2 of Figure 3 may be made of 1" by i" solid square section rod, whilst the wrought iron decorative parts 32 may be made from 9" by 9" solid square section rod. The tubes 20,22; 24,26; 30; will usually be of the same cross sectional size and shape as the rods 4,6 except that the tubes will be hollow instead of solid.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawing have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the security doors 2 shown in the drawings may be provided with more or less than the illustrated three areas of weakness 12,14,16. Also, the areas of weakness may be located at positions other than shown. The security doors 2 can be made in any desired size and of any desired design.

Claims (10)

1. A security door which is made in the form of an open metal framework, the framework being provided with at least one area of weakness which is designed to break under a predetermined force so that the door can be smashed open in an emergency situation.

2. A security door according to claim 1 and which is provided with two areas of weakness.

3. A security door according to claim 1 and which is provided with three areas of weakness.

4. A security door according to claim 3 in which there is a first area of weakness adjacent the lock part of the door, in which there is a second area of weakness on the side of the door opposite the lock part, and in which there is a third area of weakness along a bottom part of the door.

5. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims and including at least one hinge for hinging the door to a door frame.

6. A security door according to claim 5 in which there is a single hinge which extends substantially the entire length of the door for hinging the door to the door frame.

7. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims in which the framework is made of solid metal rod, with the or each area of weakness being made of metal tube.

8. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims in which the metal for the security door is steel.

9. A security door substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. The combination of a security door as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and a metal frame.