US3071958A

US3071958A - Protective device for doors

Info

Publication number: US3071958A
Application number: US134879A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert T Russo
Original assignee: TRUSON CORP
Current assignee: TRUSON CORP
Priority date: 1961-08-30
Filing date: 1961-08-30
Publication date: 1963-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1980-01-08

Description

Jan. 8, 1963 A. 'r. RUSSO 3,071,953

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR DOORS Filed Aug. 50, 1961 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. @5527 Z Basso BY q E Patented Jan. 8, 1963 3,071,?58 PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR DOORS Albert T. Russo, Levittown, N.Y., assignor to The Truson Corporation, Mineola, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 134,879 3 Claims. (Cl. 70--93) providing additional safety to the occupants of a building, room or compartment which usually require someone inside of the door to lock and unlock the protective device. Other types of protective devices are adapted to be unlocked from the outside by a person authorized to do so.

The prior art devices of this nature generally are of two types. One of these types requiresthat the occupant be on the inside of the door so as to undo the protective device from the inside. The protective device cannot be opened from the outside and this is desirable from a protective sense but is undesirable from a convenience standpoint, since should an authorized occupant desire to attain entrance through the door he cannot do so and therefore, for example, at night must awaken the occupant or occupants to have the protective device opened from the inside.

Another type of protective device has been devised which includes means for attaching the chain to a fixed member by means of a key actuated locking mechanism. However, in the past, these locking mechanisms have been in the form of a plug which extends into a vertical bore in a casing, the plug being locked to the casing by a key actuated latch. Since the latch provides the only means securing the plug to the casing and hence the entire device is only as strong as the latch which in actuality is of a relatively small size. Further, these types of devices are arranged so that the upper surface of the plug can function as an anvil against which a hammer or other striking tool may be struck breaking the latch whereby the plug can be forced downwardly through the bore of the casing and disengaged from the casing.

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art devices by providing means wherein the protective device may be unlocked by an authorized person from outside of the door yet which is so constucted as to prevent the shattering of the latch of the protective device by a hammer blow or the like due to the fact that the locking member is arranged to be supported at its bottom surface and the latch is not the only support for the locking member.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a locking arrangement for the protective device in which the locking member fits flush in the housing therefore and the fitting attached to one end of the chain conforms to the contour of the housing and fits snugly within a slot provided therefor so that when engaged by the locking member there are no protuberances from the housing for simplifying to an intruder the disengagement of the locking member from its secured position.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention there is provided a protective door arrangement including a chain with means for adjustably attaching one end of the chain to a door. A housing is fixed to the door frame. tion interconnected by an intermediate portion of reduced cross sectional dimensions to a lower housing portion having an opening therein. The upper portion and the lower housing portion form in conjunction with the intermediate portion, a slot which receives a fitting therein.

This housing has a hollow upper por- The fitting has its contour conforming to the shape of the housing. This is an important feature of the invention since the fitting thereby lies flush with the outside surface of the housing and this renders it more difficult for an unauthorized person to disengage the fitting. The fitting has an aperture therethrough and a locking member in the form of a barrel is received in the hollow upper portion and has a plunger which extends through the aperture in the fitting and into the opening in the lower housing portion so that the fitting may be locked in place. A spring is disposed between the barrel and the lower wall of the upper portion of the housing urging the barrel upwardly out of the upper portion of the housing so that when a key is inserted in the barrel, and the latching mechanism which holds the barrel to the housing is disengaged, the spring will raise the locking member disengaging the plunger from the fitting and permitting the fitting and the end of the chain to which it is attached to be disengaged from the housing.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are, attained by this protective device for a door, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, by way of example only, wherein:

FlG. l is a perspective view illustrating the protective device as installed on a door and door frame;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the housing and associated fitting and locking member;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane of line 3-3 in FIG. 2 illustrating the locking member in a latched position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but illustrating the locking member in a position raised by the spring from its latched position after a key has been in serted therein; and,

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane of line 55 in FIG. 3.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral10 generally designates a door of conventional construction such as is usually provided for entrance into a home, apartment, room or the like. The door 10 is mounted within a door frame 12. As is usual, the door is provided with a knob 14 and has any suitable locking device of conventional construction such as key actuated bolt or the like, not shown, for securing the door and locking it in a closed position. However, when it is desired to partially open the door for ventilation, or to permit the. occupant of the home, apartment or room, to observe and converse with others outside of the door while providing means for preventing the forceable opening of the door 10 by an unwelcome intruder, there is provided the protective device generally indicated at 16 and comprising the present invention.

The protective device for doors 16 is in the form of an auxiliary latch including a chain 18 having one end 20 provided with a slide 22 which is engaged within an elongated slot 24 in a conventional guide bracket 26 fixed to the door 10 by means of screws 28 or other suitable fasteners. The other end 30 of the chain 18 has a fitting 32 attached thereto which fitting is provided with an aperture 34 therethrough.

A housing 42 is fixed to the door frame 12 by means of screws 36 or other suitable fasteners extending through

flange portions

38 and 40. This housing 42 is preferably integrally cast in a single part and has an upper housing portion 44, a lower housing portion 46 and an intermediate portion 48 interconnecting the lower housing portion 44 and the upper housing portion 46. The intermediate portion 48 is of a reduced cross sectional dimension thereby forming a slot 50 defined by the lower wall 62 of the upper housing portion 44 and the upper wall of the lower housing portion 46. The fitting 32 is received in the slot 50. The outer configuration of the fitting conforms to the contours of the outer surfaces of the housing 42 whereby when the fitting 32 is positioned in the slot 50, the outer surfaces of the fitting 32 will lie flush with the outer surfaces of the casing 42. The lower housing portion 46 has an upper wall 54 as well as the lower wall 56. The lower wall 54 is provided with an opening 58 therein.

The upper housing portion 44 is provided with a recess or cavity 60 opening into the top thereof and the lower wall 62 is provided with an opening 64 therein in alignment with the opening 58. The upper housing portion 44 is also provided with a threaded opening 66 therethrough for reception of a set screw 68 which is designed to extend into a depression 70 formed in the peripheral wall 72 of a locking member in the form of a locking barrel 74. The upper portion 44 also is provided with a latch opening or slot 76 for reception of a latch 78 carried by the barrel 74 and adapted to be actuated m a conventional manner upon insertion of a key 80 to be withdrawn from the locking slot 76 to permit withdrawal of the barrel 74 from the housing 42. The locking barrel 74 has a plunger 82 attached thereto which plunger 82 is adapted to extend through the opening 64 and through the aperture 34 in the fitting 32 and then through the opening 58 into the interior of the lower housing portion 46. This will lock the fitting 32 and hence the chain 18 in its protective latched position. One link of the chain can be selected to serve as the fitting for insertion in the slot 50. The plunger 82 will extend through the selected link to adjustably lock the chain in position. This would eliminate the benefit of the flush arrangement of fitting and housing.

The helical coil spring 90 is disposed to bias the lower surface 92 of the locking barrel 74 and the upper surface 94 of the bottom wall 62 of the upper portion 44 of the housing 42. As soon as the latching member 78 has been disengaged from within the latching slot 76, the spring 90 will urge the locking barrel 74 to a raised position raised the plunger 82 out of the opening 58 and out of the aperture 34 whereby the fitting 32 may be removed, disengaging the chain 18 from the housing 42 and permitting the door to be fully opened. Of course, the upward movement of the barrel will be limited by the set screw 68 so that the barrel will not be completely disengaged from the housing 42.

It is to be readily understood that the slide bracket 26 can be secured to the door frame while the housing 42 can be secured to the door. Further, it is to be recognized that when the device is in its latched and protective position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the locking barrel 74 seats within the housing 42 and the bottom wall 62 provides a lowermost position to which the locking member 74 can possibly attain. Further, the spring 90 provides a cushion against blows being struck on its member and thereby safe-guarding the entire apparatus.

In use, when it is desired to lock the door against the possibility of an intruder entering, the fitting 32 is placed in the slot 50 and the locking barrel 74 is pressed downwardly compressing spring 90. The latch 78 extends into the slot 76 and the plunger will extend through aperture 34 and opening 58 locking the fitting and chain in closed position. Insertion of the key to release latch 78 from slot 76 will allow spring 90 to raise the barrel disengaging the plunger from within the aperture of the fitting 32.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

1. In achain lock for securement to a door and a door frame which may be opened from the outside of the door including a chain, a guide bracket, means for mounting said guide bracket on a door, an elongated slot formed in said guide bracket, and a slide on a first end of said chain for engagement with said bracket and within said elongated slot; the improvement comprising a lock housing, means for mounting said housing on a door frame, said housing formed at the upper end thereof with a vertically oriented cavity sized to receive a lock cylinder, a horizontal slot formed within said housing below said cavity, a vertical opening formed in said housing extending from said cavity into said slot and downwardly into the portion of said housing below said slot, a lock cylinder mounted within said cavity for vertical movement between a locked and an unlocked position above said locked position, said lock cylinder having a retractable latch and said housing having a cooperating latch opening formed within said cavity, said latch and said latch opening defining said locked position, spring means biasing said lock cylinder upwardly into said unlocked position, a vertically oriented plunger rigidly secured to said lock cylinder extending through said vertical opening and movable with said lock cylinder into and out of said slot, and a solid chain fitting secured to the second end of said chain and sized to be intimately received within said slot, said fitting having a plunger-receiving opening formed therein for releasably securing said chain to said housing, said first end of said chain being removable from said slide from the inside of the door and said second end of said chain detachable from said housing from the inside and from the outside of said door by unlocking said lock cylinder to withdraw said plunger from said slot and from said fitting.

2. In a chain lock for securement to a door and a door frame which may be opened from the outside of the door including a chain, a guide bracket, means for mounting said guide bracket on a door, an elongated slot formed in said guide bracket, and a slide on one end of said chain for engagement with said bracket; the improvement comprising a lock housing, means for mounting said housing on a door frame, said housing formed at one end thereof with a cavity sized to receive a lock cylinder, a transverse slot formed within said housing adjacent said cavity, a plunger-receiving opening formed in said housing extending from said cavity into said slot and into the portion of said housing on the other side of said slot, a lock cylinder mounted within said cavity for axial movement between a locked and an unlocked position, said cylinder having a retractable latch and said housing having a latch opening formed within said cavity, said latch and said latch opening defining said locked position, spring means biasing said lock cylinder into said unlocked position, a plunger rigidly secured to said lock cylinder extending through said opening and movable with said lock cylinder into and out of said slot, and a solid chain fitting secured to the other end of said chain and sized to be intimately received within said slot, said fitting having a plunger-receiving opening formed therein for releasably securing said chain to said housing, said one end of said chain being removable from said slide from the inside of the door and said other end being detachable from said housing from the inside and from the outside of said door by unlocking said lock cylinder to withdraw said plunger from said slot and from said fitting.

3. In a chain lock for securement to a door and a door frame which may be opened from the outside of the door including a chain, a guide bracket, means for mounting said guide bracket on a door, an elongated slot formed in said guide bracket, and a slide on one end of said chain for engagement with said bracket; the improvement comprising a lock housing, means for mounting said housing on a door frame, said housing formed at one end thereof with a cavity sized to receive a lock cylinder, a transverse slot formed within said housing adjacent said cavity, a plunger-receiving opening formed in said housing extending from said cavity into said slot, a lock cylinder mounted within said cavity for axial movement between a locked and an unlocked position, said cylinder having a retractable latch and said housing having a latch opening formed within said cavity, said latch and said latch opening defining said locked position, spring means biasing said lock cylinder into said unlocked position, a plunger rigidly secured to said lock cylinder extending through said opening and movable with said lock cylinder into and out of said slot, and a solid chain fitting secured to the other end of said chain and sized to be intimately received within said slot, said fitting having a plungerreceiving opening formed therein for releasably securing said chain to said housing, said one end of said chain being removable from said slide from the inside of the door and said other end being detachable from said housing from the inside and from the outside of said door by unlocking said lock cylinder to withdraw said plunger from said slot and from said fitting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS