US2886363A

US2886363A - Safety door lock

Info

Publication number: US2886363A
Application number: US564224A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur E Blumenthal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-02-08
Filing date: 1956-02-08
Publication date: 1959-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 1976-05-12

Description

May 12, 1959 A. E. BLUMENT'HAL 2,886,363

SAFETY DOOR LOCK Filed Feb. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. M W BY 1w ATTORNEYS.

y 1959 A. E. BLL JMENTHAL 2,886,363

SAFETY DOOR LOCK Filed Feb. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Shed 2 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent SAFETY DOOR LOCK Arthur E. Blumenthal, Chicago, Ill. 7 Application February 8, 1956, Serial No. 564,224

' 6 Claims. c1. 292-92 This invention relates to a door lock structure, and more especially to a safety release door lock. The door lock has utility in substantially any installation wherein it is desired to permit opening and closing of a door from both the inside and outside thereof, yet wherein it is desired on occasions to make the door lock inoperative from the outside but to provide a safety release on the inner side thereof.

There are numerous applications for a safety release lock of the type herein considered. Exemplary uses therefor are large walk-in refrigerators such as those used in meat packing plants and retail stores, and those that are mobile in character such as refrigerated railway cars and trucks. In structures of this type, it is necessary that the door lock device be operable from either side of the door. It is also necessary, however, that provision be made for rendering the door lock inoperative (that is, locking it) 'so that the door cannot be opened from the outer side thereof by unauthorized persons. However, this poses a problem in that, while infrequent, it does occasionally happen that someone is inadvertently locked inside -ofthe compartment; and since in lock devices of the past, rendering the lock inoperative from the outside also made it inoperative from the inside of the door, there was -no way such person could escape from the locked compartment.

1 There is and has long been a need for a door lock device which can be locked or made operative from the outer side of a closure door so as to prevent unauthorized.

persons from opening the door, but which at the same time permits the door to be opened at will from the inner side thereof, and it is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide such a lock device. Another object of'the invention is to provide a lock assembly useful in conjunction with relatively thick doors, such as the insulated doors of refrigerators, which ordinarily can be manipulated from either side of the door but which can be locked to prevent opening of the door from the outer i side thereof, and which is equippedwith means to permit the lock to be released, even though it is in locked condition, from the inner side of the door.

. .Yet another object of the invention is in the provision of a lock of the character described having a bolt manipulatable by an outer handle and having also an inner handle longitudinally movable into engagement with the outer handle to'push it into a position for releasing the bolt, and which is also rotatable and operative when rotated to draw the bolt to a retracted position even though the structure is locked, whereby manipulation of the outer handle is prevented. Yet another object is to provide a lock casing having a bolt longitudinally slidable therein, an outer handle for manipulating the bolt, and an inner handle engageable with the outer handle for moving the same, and wherein means are provided for insertion of a pin'through thelock casing (as, for example, by insert-- ing the'link of a padlock therethrough) to prevent movement of the bolt and thereby obviate normal operation of both the outer and inner handles, but wherein a structural Patented May 12, 1959 arrangement is provided Within the lock for by-passing such a pin when the inner handle is rotated, whereby the device even when locked can be opened from the inner side of a door by rotating the inner side of the handle. Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as the specification develops.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lock device positioned on the insulated closure door of a refrigerated compartment; Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the lock device; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the functional parts thereof in a different position; Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the lock device; and Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of certain of the components of the lock.

' As has been brought out hereinbefore, the lock is useful in a number of different applications; and in Figure 1 is shown mounted on the outer face or panel 10 of a closure door 11 having an inner face or panel 12 sepaparted from the outer panel by a body of insulating material 13. The closure door 11 is adapted to provide access to the interior of a refrigerated compartment through an access opening provided therefor in the forward wall 14 of the refrigerator. The safety lock device, which is designated generally with the numeral 15, is shown secured to the outer panel 10 of the closure door, and works in conjunction with a strike or catch 16 that is secured to the outer panel of the refrigerator wall 14. The strike 16 may be completely conventional and, as is usual, is provided with a roller 17 over which the bolt of the safety release device rolls when the closure door is swung to closed position. The abutment member 18 which provides a mounting for the roller 17 is adapted to engage the bolt of the safety lock to prevent outward movement of the closure door until the bolt is drawn to retracted position.

The safety lock device 15 and the strike 16 may be secured to the outer panels of the wall and closure door by any suitable means, and in the illustration given, a number of openings 19 are provided through the casing 20 of the safety lock device, and a plurality of openings 21 through the base 22 of the strike for passing bolts or screws therethrough which will be threaded into the outer panels of the door and Wall.

The casing 20 of the safety lock device has a base 23 and an elevated casing portion 24 disposed centrally thereon. The casing portion 24 has a pasage 25 extending longitudinally therein, and mounted in the passage 25 for slidable movement with respect thereto between extended and retracted positions is a bolt 26 hav- ",ing an arcuate outer surface 27 that permits it to glide wardly, and pivotally mounted therebetween on a pivot pin 30 is the head 31 of a draw arm 32. The pin 30 extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the bolt so as to permit the drawn arm 32 to pivot up and down, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3. It is seen in Figure 5 that the head 31 of the draw arm is spaced from the head 33 of the bolt so as to define a channel or open space 34 therebetween. Extending into the channel 34 is the actuating finger 35 of an outer handle 36 that is mounted for pivotal movement on the casing section 24, on a pivot pin 37 that extends between spaced apart and adjacent the base is provided with an enlarged end ."Thelouter handle 36 is generally arcuate and curves rearwardly toward the base 23 of the safety lock device,

portion or abutment member 38. Extending slidably through an opening provided therefor in the base 23, in line with the enlarged end portion 38 of the outer handle, is an inner handle 39 having at its inner end a notched or serrated grip 4%). As is apparent from Figure l, the inner handle 39 is adapted to extend through the door 11 with the grip 40 being positioned interiorly thereof. To facilitate sliding movement in a longitudinal direction of the inner handle 39, a bearing 41 is mounted in the inner panel 12 of the door and passes the handle 39 therethrough.

The handle 39 is polygonal in cross section, and in the illustration is substantially square. It passes freely through the opening provided in the base 23 of the casing 20, and passes freely through a retainer plate 42 secured by screws 43 to the base 23. The retainer plate in cooperation with the base 23 constrains movement of a connector member 44 when the inner handle 39 is moved longitudinally; but since the connector member snugly receives the polygonal inner handle 39 Within an opening provided for that purpose, the connector member 44 rotates with the handle. As is seen in Figure 4, the connector member 44 is provided with a connector arm 45 which extends outwardly therefrom, and the retainer plate 42 is semi-circular and is adapted at each end thereof to be abutted by the connector arm 45. Therefore, rotational movement of the connector plate and inner handle 33 is limited to an are slightly less than 180".

Since the inner handle 39 is freely movable along its longitudinal axis through the base 23 of the casing, it is desired to provide means to prevent the inner handle from being withdrawn inadvertently from the base and from the door 11; Therefore, the outer end of the inner handle is threaded, as shown at 46, and receives a lock nut 47 thereon which is adapted to seat within a recess 48 provided in the casing base when the inner handle is drawn to its most inward position. Preferably, the outer tip of the inner handle is provided with an abutn'ient boss 49 adapted to engage the enlarged end portion 38 of the outer handle (as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2) which, in providing a restricted area of engagement, minimizes frictional resistance developed between the inner and outer handles when the inner handle is pushed outwardly to move the outer handle into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

' Normally, the draw arm 32 extends along the longitudinal axis of the bolt 26, as is best seen in Figure 2, and a coil spring 56 surrounds the arm 32, and at one end seats against the head 31 thereof and at its other end seats against a stop wall 51 provided by the casing section 24 in alignment with the passage 25 therein. Adjacent the end of the arm 32 is an opening 52 that extends transversely through the casing section 24, and is' adapted to receive a stop pin such as the link of a padlock. The opening 52, and therefore a lock link passed therethrough, is adjacent the end of the draw arm, and is in alignment with the upper portion thereof. With this arrangement, movement of either the outer handle 36 or inner handle 39 in a direction tending to retract the bolt 26 would be inhibited by abutment of the draw arm 32 with such link or stop pin. Means are provided, however, for by-passing such stop pin when the inner handle 39 is rotated, and the structural arrangement affording this arrangement will now be described.

The end portion of the draw arm 32 is bifurcated, as is most apparent from Figure 5, to form spaced apart

arm portions

53 and 54 having a pivot pin 55 extending there:

through that pivotally receives one end of a link 56. The link 56 at its other end is adapted to extend through a longitudinal slot 57 formed in a connector coupling 58, and a pivot pin 59 then passed through an opening therefor in the link 56 constrains the same within the slot 57. The end portion 60-of the coupling connector 58 is turned downwardly, and a portion thereof is turned laterally so' as to extend in parallel relation with the slot 57. That portion of the coupling is designated with the numeral 61, and has a threaded aperture 62 therethrough adapted to receive a cap screw 63 which secures a lever 64 thereto. The lever 64 at its opposite end is also provided with an opening therethrough for receiving a cap screw 65 that anchors that end of the lever to the connector arm 45 (Figure 4) and thereby to the inner handle 39. The lever 64 intermediate the ends thereof may be provided with an apertured car 66 for receiving one end of a spring 67 having its other end fastened to the casing base 23.

The safety lock or latch device 15 when mounted as shown in Figure 1 functions from the outside in a substantially conventional manner. That is, to retract the bolt 26 to permit the door to be opened, the outer handle 36 is grasped and is moved into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. When that handle is released, the spring 56 which biases the bolt 26 in extended position is effective to move the bolt into such position and to return the outer handle 36 to its normal position, which is shown in Figures 1 through 3. Similarly, the inner handle 35 functions in a substantially conventional manner, and is normally in the position shown in Figure l and in full lines in Figure 2. It may be used to retract the bolt 26 simply by pushing outwardly against the grip 40 which then causes the handle to move along its longitudinal axis through the casing base 23, into engagement with the outer handle 36, and moves that outer handle into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 the same as if the outer handle had been grasped directly and moved into such position. Releasing the inner handle permits the spring 50 to return the bolt, outer handle and inner handle to the normal positions thereof shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Now, if a padlock link is inserted through the lock opening 52 in the casing section 24, the outer handle 36 cannot be moved nor can the inner handle 39 as a result be moved longitudinally, because the link of such a lock will be abutted by the draw arm 32, thereby immobilizing the bolt 26. If the inner handle 39, however, is rotated in the direction shown in Figure 3, the fastener member 44 is rotated as is its arm 45 and the lever arm 64 connected thereto. Longitudinal movement of the lever arm 64 imparts a downward and lateral force to the link 56 by its pivotal connection to the lever 64 through the coupling member 58.

This downward and lateral force will be transferred to' against the biasing action of the spring 50, also'as is shown in Figure 3. The channel 34 between the head 33 of the bolt and head 31 of the draw arm is sufficient in' length'to permit the bolt to be drawn to retracted position without engaging the finger 35 of the outer handle 36, as shown also in Figure 3, whereby the closure door can be opened even though manipulation of the outer handle 36 and normal'operation of the inner handle 39 is prevented by the padlock link which extends through the opening 52 of thesafety lock device. When the inner handle 39 has the grip 40 thereof released, the

springs

50 and 67 will return the bolt 26 to its extended position.

it should be noted that the safety release arrangement remains dormant until its use is necessitated. That is, ordinary operation or movement of the outer handle 36 and'inner handle 39 will not result in movement of the attachment member 44, the lever 64 nor the member 58, for' ordinary reciprocatory movement of the bolt 26 and" draw arm 32 will simply result in the link 56 pivoting about the pin 59. As a result, no energy is wasted in nor mal use of the safety lock device through necessity of manipulating these extra components, and of course there is no wear thereon. On the other hand, as has been brought out, when it is necessary to rely on the safety release, the lever 64, attachment member 44, etc. are rendered operative, and in their operative relation with the other components of the lock provide the safety release feature.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail for purposes of adequately describing the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in those details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a safety release lock structure, a lock casing providing a bolt passage therein, a bolt movable longitudinab ly within said passage between locked and unlocked positions, an outer handle connected with said bolt for moving the same from said locked position to said unlocked position, spring means associated with said bolt to bias said bolt to said locked position, an inner handle extending through said casing and being movable into engagement with said outer handle to push the same to retract said bolt to unlocked position, said inner handle being pivotally carried by said casing, a draw arm secured to said bolt for pivotal movement, a lever offset from said draw arm and connected adjacent an end thereof to said inner handle so as to be moved longitudinally upon rotation thereof, and linkage means connecting said drawn arm and lever, said casing being adapted to have a lock pin extended therethrough adjacent an end of said draw arm for abutment therewith to constrain movement of said outer handle and bolt, rotation of said inner handle being operative to pivot said draw arm to a position clearing such lock pin whereby rotation of that handle shifts said bolt to retracted position.

2. In a lock structure of the character described having a casing, a bolt movable longitudinally therein between extended and retracted positions, an end portion of said bolt extendable outward of said casing to engage catch means associated with said casing, an outer handle movable to retract said bolt, an inner handle movable axially with respect to said casing for engagement with said outer handle to move it in a direction retracting said bolt, said inner handle being also rotatable, a draw arm pivotally secured to said bolt and being movable along the longitudinal axis thereof when said outer handle is manipulated to retract the bolt, a lever oifset from the longitudinal axis of said bolt and coupled with said inner handle so as to be pulled generally along its length when the inner handle is rotated, link and coupling means extending between said draw arm and lever and being pivotally connected to each, said casing having an opening therethrough extending transversely of said draw arm adjacent the end of said bolt opposite said catch-engaging end and in alignment therewith for passing an abutment pin therethrough whereby such pin is abutted by said draw arm to prevent retraction of said bolt when said outer handle is manipulated, said draw arm being pivoted clear of such pin when said inner handle is rotated so as to retract said bolt.

3. In a lock structure of the character described having a casing, a bolt movable therein between extended and retracted positions, an outer handle movable to retract said bolt and an inner handle movable along the longitudinal axis thereof through said casing to engage said outer handle and move it in a direction to retract said bolt, a draw arm pivotally connected to said bolt for swinging movement about an axis transverse to the path of movement of said bolt, said draw arm being normally disposed in longitudinal alignment with said bolt and movable therewith in such alignment when said outer handle is moved in a direction to retract the bolt either directly or through said inner handle, said casing having an opening therethrough adapted to receive the link of a lock member, said opening being disposed adjacent an end of said draw arm and in alignment therewith whereby longitudinal movement of the draw arm is inhibited when such a lock link is in position thereby preventing movement or" said outer handle, a link connected to said draw arm, a lever at one end being operatively associated with said inner handle and provided at its other end with means coupling said lever to said link, said inner handle being rotatably carried by said casing operative upon rotation thereof to pivot said draw arm to a position remote from said casing.

4. In a structure of the character set forth in claim 3, spring means mounted at one end on said casing and having the other end thereof connected to said lever whereby when rotative force is released from said inner handle, said spring means urges said lever, said coupling means, said link and said draw arm to return said bolt to an extended position.

5. In a safety lock device adapted for use with the closure doors of a refrigerator structure, or the like, a casing adapted to be mounted on the outer side of such a door and being equipped with a bolt shiftable between extended and retracted positions, an outer handle connected with said bolt for retracting the same, an inner handle extending through said casing in alignment with a portion of said outer handle for engagement therewith to push the same outwardly to retract said bolt, spring means associated with said bolt for biasing said bolt into extended position, said inner handle being adapted to extend through the closure door of a refrigerator structure, lock means, when provided, being operative to normally inhibit movement of said bolt toward retracted position upon outward movement of said inner and outer handies, and means connecting the inner end of said bolt with said inner handle, said connecting means being operative to cause said bolt to avoid said lock means and to retract said bolt only upon rotation of said inner handle, said connecting means comprising a draw arm pivotally mounted in the inner end of said bolt, said draw arm being normally aligned with said bolt when retracted by outward movement of said handles, and further means connecting the end opposite the pivoted end of said draw arm with said inner handle, said further means being operative to pivot said draw arm out of alignment with said bolt to avoid said lock means.

6. In a door lock structure of the character described, a casing equipped with a bolt longitudinally movable therein between extended and retracted positions, inner and outer handles for moving said bolt to said retracted position, spring means associated with said bolt to bias said bolt to said extended position, said bolt having a draw arm pivotally mounted on the inner end thereof, said casing providing an opening therein adapted to receive a stop pin for inhibiting movement of said bolt and draw arm toward retracted position upon outward movement of said outer and inner handles, said inner handle being normally movable longitudinally outward to retract said bolt and draw arm, said inner handle being carried by said casing for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis thereof, and linkage means within said casing connecting said draw arm and inner handle for pivoting said draw arm upon its pivotal connection with said bolt and out of alignment therewith upon rotation of said inner handle, said linkage means, when so actuated, re tracting said bolt independently of said outer handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,617,287 Tobias Nov. 11, 1952 2,680,638 Groeger June 8, 1954 2,729,486 Evans Ian. 3, 1956