US2724258A - Fire-exit lock - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 22, 1955 F. J. McCoNNELL FIRE-EXIT LOCK Filed sept. 21, 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I.

FIG. 2.

Gttotnegs F. J. MCCONNELL FIRE-EXIT LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gtornegs Nov. 22, 1955 Filed sept. 21 195o FIG. 4.

Vll U Aly United States Patent Clitice 2,724,258 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 FIRE-EXIT LOCK Frankl. McConnell, New Britain, Conn., assigner to The American Hardware Corporation, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 21, 1950, Serial No. 185,953 `9 claims. (ci. 711-149) My invention relates to safety locks and in particular to so-called tire-exit locks.

In tire-exit locks, as used on doors in schools and in other public buildings, safety requires that the insideoperated manual actuating means for the lock shall always be directly associated `with the bolt retratcor, `so that, regardless ot' the locked or unlocked condition of the mechanism, the door may always be opened from the inside. In such locks, it is customary to provide a keyoperated means on the outside for `retracting the bolt independently of the inside-operated means; also, outside n manual-operating `means may be provided. When the `door is to be locked so as to bar entrance, it has been customary to dog the outside manual-operating means, but it has been a juvenile practice to attempt a manual actuation of the lock from the outside, even though the same is quite obviously dogged. Under certain circumstances, a repeated juggling of the outside manually actuated member may retract the bolt sufficiently to permit entry. Whether or not entry is achieved, such tampering may cause damage to the outside manually actuated member.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved lock construction of the character indicated. It is another object to provide an improved lock mechanism, which will not be subject to damage upon tampering `from the outside.

n It is a `further object to provide such a lock mechanism wherein key operation from the outside is the only means whereby entrance is possible when the mechanism is otherwise locked.

It is a specific object to `provide a means `for selectively disabling the outside manual-operating means of a re-exit lock of the character indicated.

It is a general object to meet the above objects with a relatively simple construction involving as little change as possible from existing arrangements.

Other objects and `various further features will be n pointed out or will become apparent to those skilled in the Fig. l, as seen from the back side, and with the coverplate and certain other parts removed;

Fig. 4 is a` sectional view, taken substantially in the plane 4 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, with the parts shown in a different relationship.

Briey stated, my invention contemplates a lock mecha` nism including a boltand means for retracting the same.

The retraction means may include a plurality of parts to A cooperate in driving one another when retracting the bolt. When it is desired that such retraction shall not be possible, as for example when itis desired that the lock shall not be manually actuated from the outside, then my mechanism makes possible the dislocation or removal of one of the parts in the retraction mechanism so that there is no longer the necessary cooperation between parts, and a manual actuation from the outside results in purely wasted motion, having no driving relationship with the bolt.

In the form to be described, the removable member is a pivoted lever having an enlarged end to be removably interposed between an outside driven member and some part directly related with the bolt. When thus interposed, a direct driving relationship is established between the outside actuating member and the bolt; but when the lever is cranked to its other position, the enlarged end thereof is no longer thus interposed, and outside actuation results merely in wasted motion involving no displacement of the bolt.

Referring to the drawings, my invention is shown in application to a so-called iire-exit lock, which may be mounted on the inside of a door 10. The lock may comprise a lock case 11 and a bracket 12, each formed with ears 13-14 carrying aligned pivot means 15-16 for a push-bar 17 pivoted thereon. Inside the lock case 11, the push-bar 17 may include a driving arm 13 (Fig. 3) for operating suitable retractor mechanism for the latch-bolt 19. The bolt 19 may be of the so-called Pullman type and pivoted inside the case 11, as on stulds 20. The retraction mechanism for the bolt 19 may include a tail member 21 connected to the bolt by means (not shown) and having an enlarged end 22 to be limited by abutment lugs 23, which may be formed in or carried by the case 11. Spring means 24 coiled in compression about the tail 21 may normally urge the bolt 19 to an outwardly extending position, as shown in the drawings. A washer 25 may receive spring thrust and directly abut the lugs 23.

Normal push-bar retraction of the bolt may be effected through two cooperating cranks or levers 26-27, both of which may be pivoted in the casing 11, as on a common pin 28. The crank member 26 may include a portion to receive the thrust of the push-bar lug 1S, and a driving projection 29 may strike the lug abutment 30 on the other crank member 27 in a retraction of the bolt. A torsion spring 31 may be coiled about the boss for one of the levers 26-27 and abut a lug 32 on the crank member 26 so as to urge the same at all times resiliently against the driving arm 18 of the push-bar 17. A stop member 33 may be carried by the casing 11 and threaded therein for adjustment to intercept arm 18 and thus to limit normal outward displacement of the push-bar 17; and, if it should be desired that the bolt 19 shall be retained in a retracted position, then the threaded stop member 33 may be advanced fully into the casing so as to drive the push-bar arm 1S against crank members 26-27 in a retained retraction of the bolt 19.

vAs indicated generally above, my lock mechanism may include outside keyoperated means such as a cylinder lock 35 to be actuated by a key 36 for retracting bolt 19, as well as outside manual-actuating means, such as a finger or thumb-piece 37. The linger-piece 37 may form part of the conventional outside trim, including a pull handle 38,

In accordance with the invention, both the outside keyoperated means 35 and the outside manually operated means 37 are independently and directly related to the retracting means for the bolt 19, and these relationships are also independent of the described push-bar retraction of the holt 19. Also in accordance with the invention, the outside operated manual means 37 may be disabled or effectively disconnected from its bolt-retraction -mechanism by means of an inside operation, and, for security against. tampering, the inside.means for .this .purpose may be key-operated; l have shown a cylinder lock 40 and key 41 to enable and to disable the outside manually operated-f means .37.

lAsexplained, normal outside key operation, such as avmanipulation of. the key 36,'may be etective directly to-:retractzth'e bolt 19. in ythe'form` shown, the lock 35' includes aspindle 42 passing through the door 1d and engagingfa suitable socketfin -adrive crank v43. When the-lock-35 vis set, as -when the key is removed, the crank 43i may beinl the generally horizontalposition shown in FigsfSrand 5. .Howeven uponkeyfoperation, the crank 43 may be moved counterclocktvise in the sense of Figs. 3 and5, and when substantially erect, the crank 43 will engage landdrive one `cnd44 of `a retractor-crank member-45',pivoted1to the case-1121, as on the pin 46. The otherwend of'the crank-45-may`directly engageftheenlargementZZ-at the lftailot the `bolt member 21, and it will'be'appreciated that such actuation Ais entirely independent'of'push-bar actuationfof the boltl 19.

Asrindicatemhoutside manual'actuation -is achieved by depressing'the thumb or finger-piece `r37. The piece 37 may be pivoted, as at 48, in a part of the escutcheon 49, andVy may include an inwardly projecting end 50 (Fig. 4) for engagement with the underside of a lug 51 on a verticallysreciprocable slide 52. Theffslide 52 may be guided between theback face of the cover-plate 53 for the lock case 11 and an outside retaining'plate 54 appropriately spaced from the plate 53, as by means of a boss E35. The slideSZ may be slotted at56 for guided retention by the boss l55, as will be clear. At its lower end, theslide 52 may receive or 'carry a transverse pin 57 connecting the same to a crank or actuatingfmember 58. The pin 57 maypass through the back cover-plate 53, as in a slot 59, so as to permit a full reciprocation of the slide 52. anda cranking of the member 58 about its pivot 6i). Thecrank member 53 may additionally include an actuating lug-61 to be used in retracting the bolt 19 when themechanism has been suitablyy enabled.

As indicated generallyabove, thel enabling mechanism for the outside manually actuated means may be keyoperatedfrom the inside, as byrotation of the key 41. ln the .form shown, the plugothe cylinder lock 40 carriesa .crank member or roll vbackf62 in suitablefactuating alignment with a movable-member'to be shifted into-and out of a position between the actuatingflug 61 and the bolt-retraction mechanism. This movable member may be a'lever 63, comprising twoarms 64-65 and pivoted on the same pin 46 as the'lever 45, but otherwise in no way related to the movement of the lever 45. The end of thel arm 64 may be so formed as to be interposed between the actuating lug 61 and the Ycrank 27'when in a rst position (sce Fig. but when in a second position, the said end of the crank arm 64 may be out of possible engagement with the actuating lug 61. The part of lever 63 which is to be selectively interposed between lug 61 and crank 27 is preferably of an effective thickness of substantially the full stroke of lug 61; thus7 when in the enablingposition (Fig. 5) substantially a full stroke of lug 61 may be translated into substantially a full stroke of the bolt 19, but when in the disabled position (Fig. 3) a full stroke of lug 6.1 results in wasted motion.

Theother arm 65 ofl the lever 63 may .form part of a suitable detent mechanism for holding one-or the other ofV two selected positions of lever-63. The detent mechanism may include a flat-spring 66archcd lbetween spaced corners of a recess 67 in the case 11, and a dimple or notch 68fin the spring 66 may provide the point about which detent action takes place. It is preferred that this point be located so that detentactionmay be eective when the lever 63 is substantially in the-described. second position (Fig. 31),; that is, detentretention-of the second or disabled position occurspreferably only lwhen the end ot arrn .6.4.may .not beengaged-.by the .actuatinglug 61.

The invention may perhaps be better understood from a description of severaloperations. If the door is to be locked, the key 41 will be actuated so as to set the lever 63 in the so-called second or disabled position, as in Fig. 3. Such actuation will call for a clockwise rotation of the key 41 in the sense of Figs. 3 and 5, and the disabled position will have been selected when the crank 62 engages the arm 65 to drive it to the right side (in the sense of Figs. 3 and 5) of the detent point 68. When the mechanism has thus been locked, it will be appreciated that there is no possible manual vactuation ot the bolt by the thumb piece 37 from the outside. Attempted manual actuation, as by depressing the thumb or fingerpiece 37 however many times, will only result in idle cranking of the member 58, and, if desired, this action may be opposed by a weak spring 69 twined about the hub or boss of member 58 and urging the same in the downward or counterclockwise direction. During such wasted finger actuation, the actuating lug 61 will merely move through space, as to the dotted position 61', shown in Fig. 3. Since such inger actuation is accompanied by relatively littleresistance, no damage tothe thumbpiece 37 can Vresult from the usual juvenile tampering with the mechanism. At the same time, itwill be appreciated that the mechanism may be operated from the-outside upon insertion of the proper key 36, so as to drive the actuating crank 45 in a retraction of the bolt 19; at the same time, unhampered exit is permitted upon depression of the push-bar 17--both functions being available without changing the locked settingfof crank- 63.

When it is desiredthat manual operationshall be permitted from the outside, the key -41 may again berplaced in the lock'40, but this time it shouldbe rotated counterclockwise so as to drive the crank 62 against the knee or the lowerarm 64 of lever-63. In this way, the lever 63 may be actuated counterclockwise soas to place the upper arm 65 to the left of the detent point 68, withthe enlarged end vof arm 64 interposed between the actuating lug61` and the crank 27. The mechanism will then be enabled for outside manual actuation by thumb piece 37 and the key 41 may be withdrawn and kept separately. With the mechanism thus enabled, actuation of the thumb-piece 37 willserve to drive the actuating lug 61 against the lower-end of arm 64, and arm 64 will bear against the upper end of crank 27 in a retraction of the latch-bolt 19. If for any reason the mechanism should be damaged when thus set, key operation from the outside, by way of the key 36, will at all times be possible because of the direct connection of lever 45 to the retraction mechanism. Also, free exit'byway of push-bar actuation will be permitted at all times for the same reason.

It will be appreciated thatl have described a simple and ingenious means for improvingk the function of' lock mechanisms, such as tire-exit locks. Not only may the functioning be improved, but the mechanism may be rendered less susceptible to malfunctioning in the presence of juvenile or other tampering. These results are achieved with a minimumf'ofmodiiication from generally conventional mechanisms.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail anda preferred form illustrated, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. In a door lock of the character indicated, a bolt including rollback-abutment means, key-operated rollback means movable into and out ofdriving relation with said abutment means, and manually movable means in aligned actuating abutment relation with said rollback means when said rollback means is in position for driving relationlwith said abutment means, said manuallymovable means clearing said rollback means whenthe latter is positioned out 'of driving relation with said vabutment means, said rollback-abutment means including separate and independent actuating means accessible for manual retracting actuation of said bolt at all times and regardless of the actuation of said manually movable means.

2. A door lock according to claim 1, and including inside accessible screw means selectively positionable in clogging relation with said rollback means to hold said bolt in open position.

3. ln a door lock of the character indicated, a bolt including rollback-abutment means, a first rollback in direct driving relation with said abutment means and manually actuable from one side of the door, a second rollback movable into and out of direct driving relation with said iirst rollback, separate manually actuable means for actuating said second rollback, whereby said separate manually actuable means may actuate said bolt, a third rollback in driving relation with said second rollback only when said second rollback is positioned in driving relation with said iirst rollback, and further manually actuable means for said third rollback.

4. A door lock according to claim 3, in which said `'separate manually actuable means is key-operated.

l 5. A door lock according to" claim 3, and including resilient detent means resiliently holding said second rollback when positioned out of driving relation with said rst rollback.

6. In a door lock of the character indicated, a bolt including retractor means therefor, inside-operated means including a rollback at all times aligned with and free to retract said retractor means upon actuation of said inside-operated means, outside-operated means including an actuating member for said `rollback and having a normal movement of stroke basically sucient to retract said bolt, said actuating member being out of engagement with said rollback for at least enough of said stroke, that direct contact of said member with said rollback will be insuicient to fully retract said bolt, whereby actuation of said outside-operated means` alone may be insuicient to retract said bolt, and independently manipulable means `including an enabling member movable to a rst position between and to a second position clear of the path of movement of said actuating member and of said rollback relatively to each other, said enabling member being of suicient width when in said rst position to permit bolt retraction upon an actuation of said outside-operated means.

7. A lock according to claim 6, in which the eiective width of said enabling member subtends a distance equivalent substantially to a full stroke of said actuating member, whereby when in said first position a stroke of said actuating member may be effective to retract said bolt.

8. In a door lock of the character indicated, a bolt including retractor means therefor, resilient means urging said bolt to an outwardly extended position, insideoperated means including a rollback at all times aligned with and free to retract said retractor means upon actuation of said inside-operated means, outside-operated means including an actuating member for said rollback and having a normal movement of stroke basically suicient to retract said bolt, said actuating member being out of engagement with said rollback for at least enough of said stroke, that direct contact of szaid member with said rollback will be insuliicient to fully retract said bolt, whereby actuation of said outside-operated means alone may be insufficient to retract said bolt, independently manipulable means including an enabling member movable to a rst position between and to a second position clear of the path of movement of said actuating member and of said rollback relatively to each other, said enabling member being of suflicient width when in said iirst position to permit bolt retraction upon an actuation of said outside-operated means, and inside-operated dogging means in actuating relation with said rollback and dogging said rollback in the actuated position thereof, whereby said bolt may be held in retracted position.

9. A lock according to claim 8, in which said insideoperated means includes a screw in driving relation with said rollback and having sucient threaded stroke to actuate said rollback.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATE-NTS 95,507 Petre Oct. 5, 1869 431,620 Pursel July 8, 1890 464,805 Taylor Dec. 8, 1891 1,357,007 Smith Oct. 26, 1920 1,500,168 Voight July 8, 1924 1,528,515 Taylor Mar. 3, "1925 2,582,924 Dall Jan. 15, 1952 2,603,963 Allen July 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 157,551 Austria Dec. 11, 1939 232,079 Great Britain Apr. 16, 1925

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