US3796452A

US3796452A - Switch assembly for electric strike

Info

Publication number: US3796452A
Application number: US00255526A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Foster; L Hunt
Original assignee: Von Duprin LLC
Current assignee: Von Duprin LLC
Priority date: 1972-05-22
Filing date: 1972-05-22
Publication date: 1974-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-12
Also published as: CA988130A

Abstract

An improvement upon the disclosure of U. S. Pat. No. 3,640,560 which includes the provision of a switch assembly which may be integrated and wired in the open and may then be readily slipped into a compartment in a frame which supports the parts of the electrically-controlled strike mechanism of that patent to provide automatic control of signals or other electricallyactuated devices related to the operation of the patented strike mechanism.

Description

United States Patent Foster et a].

1451 Mar. 12, 1974 [54] SWITCH ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC 3,211,850 10/1965 Toepfer ZOO/61.64 STRIKE 3,640,560 2/1972 Zawadzki et al 292/34l.l6

75 l t hnR.Fst 'Lar R.Hntbth 1 nven Ors g z z? u 0 Primary ExaminerR1chard E. Moore Attorney, Agent, or FirmHood & Coffey [73] Assignee: Von Duprin, Inc., Indianapolis, lnd.

[22] Filed: May 22, 1972 57 ABSTRACT l 1 pp NOJ 255,526 An improvement upon the disclosure of U. S. Pat. No.

3,640,560 which includes the provision of a switch as- 52 U s clhmn 292 3 1 200 200 53 T sembly WhlCl'l may be integrated and wired in the open [5 I Int. Cl. EOSc 3/12 and may be readily Slipped into a compartment in [58] Field of Search ZOO/6'64v 153; 292/144, a frame which supports the parts of the electrically- 292 20 341.16 controlled strike mechanism of that patent to provide automatic control of signals or other electrically- [56] References Citd actuated devices related to the operation of the pa- UNITED STATES PATENTS tented strike mechanism.

3,207,273 9/1965 Jurin 292/34l.16 X 16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures l 24 I 1 )i 38 I I //I/ 22 D PAIENTEB I" I 2 I974 SHEET 1 OF 2 FigQS PATENTEB Ill 1 2 i974 SHEEIZBFZ 1 SWITCH ASSEIVIBLY FOR ELECTRIC STRIKE The present invention relates to a switch assembly for an electric strike; and the particular structure disclosed and claimed herein has been designed primarily for use with the electric strike disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,640,560, though it may, of course, be used in other environments.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a switch assembly which may be operatively preassembled and wired to cooperate in a desired manner with a strike assembly, and which may then be introduced, as an operative component, into a frame to cooperate in a desired manner with the parts of a preassembled strike mechanism. The switch assembly may comprise one or two switches, the switches may be normally open and/or normally closed, or one may be of the one type while the other is of the other type, or connections for normally-open and normally-closed may be on one switch or both switches, each may include an actuator biased to its normal" condition and each switch may be connected to dominate a visual or audible or otherwise-sensible signal or to dominate any desired kind of relay or device capable of being actuated by an electrical signal.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

ln the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal section through a fragmentof a door frame, a fragment of a door with a cooperating latch bolt therein and showing parts of the electricallyreleasable strike assembly of US. Pat. No. 3,640,560 with out switch assembly in cooperative association therewith;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the strike and switch mechanism of FIG. 1, viewed from the bottom of FIG. 1 and with parts broken away for clarity of illustration;

' FIG. 3 is a rear elevational of the mechanism turned clockwise 180 from the position of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective of the switch assembly showing one switch operatively assembled with the supporting bracket and another, similar switch and operating mechanism ready for wiring and assembly; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective of the strike housing showing a mounting stud for an operating level.

frame (not shown) with said surface 14 substantially flush. The housing is formed in one edge with an access opening 16 adapted to be entered by a latch bolt 18 mounted to oscillate upon a pivot pin 20 between pro- 5 jected position and retracted position in a recess in the adjacent edge of a door 28, a link 22 being pivotally connected to the latch bolt 18 by a pin 24. Spring means (not shown) acts upon the link 22 conventionally yieldably to bias the bolt 18 toward its illustrated, projected position.

A strike lip 30 is oscillably mounted upon a trunnion 34 and a trigger 36 is mounted to oscillate about the same trunnion means, spring means 38 being arranged to urge the lip 30 in a clockwise direction and the trigger 36 in a counterclockwise direction. A blocking cam 68 (see FIG. 4) is spring urged to retain the strike lip 30 against counterclockwise movement out of its illustrated position, and the plunger 78 of a solenoid 76 is connected to said cam 68 to withdraw the same from blocking position upon energization of the solenoid, all in accordance with the disclosure of said US. Pat. No. 3,640,560.

Reference numerals henceforth used for the first time herein designate elements which are new in the present disclosure. I

Our switch assembly is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 in FIG. 5. It comprises a base 11, preferably of electrical insulating material with an upstanding block 13, likewise preferably of such material, secured thereto preferably substantially midway between its lateral,

bevelled edges

15 and 17. Desirably, a narrowed, central ridge 19 constitutes the upper edge of the block and is formed, near its upper, rear corner with a transverse bore 23. Fixedly secured in said bore in a trunnion means 26 which is preferably a pin of such character that, when its mid region is driven into the bore 23, the pin will establish a non-rotating, movement-resisting fit in said bore, the end regions of said pin preferably being of reduced diameter.

A conventional microswitch 41 having an outwardlybiased actuator 29 near its rear end is secured to one upstanding face of the block 13 with one arm 25 of the trunnion means 26 overlying the rear end of said switch; and a rigid lever 27, the structural details of which will be more fully described hereinafter, is journalled on said arm 25 to extend forwardly over the switch 41 cooperatively to overlie the actuator 29. The

. distal end of the arm 25 may be peened over to retain thelever on the trunnion means. Rivets 21 penetrate the body of the switch 41 and the block 13, as shown,

to secure the switch 41 in place.

The access opening 16 in the edge of the frame 12 leads into a compartment 31; and a side opening 32 through a frame side contiguous to that edge likewise leads into said compartment. Opposite the opening 16, the frame provides a floor 33, and a frame wall 35 and a partition 37 extend forwardly from said floor 33 in parallelism. Guide grooves 39 and 40 open toward each other adjacent the junctures of the wall 35 and partition 37 with the floor 33.

It will be seen that the

bevelled edges

15 and 17 of the base 11 of the switch assembly 10 may be entered with a snug sliding fit in the

guide grooves

39 and 40 to position the switch assembly within the compartment 31.

It will be apparent that, while the guide grooves 39, 40 and the

bevelled bracket edges

15 and 17 constitute one good way of providing for easy insertion and removal'of a prewired switch assembly, there are many other structural expedients for accomplishing the same result. For instance, the base edges might be unbevelled, with one such edge bearing against the partition 37 and with one or more spring-pressed plungers bearing against and overlying the opposite base edge.

If desired, the assembly 10 may be used with a single switch body 41, or if desired a second, similar microswitch body 42 may be secured to the opposite upstanding face of the block 13, using longer rivets 21 to penetrate both switch.

bodies

41 and 42 and the block 13, the switch body 42 being provided with perforations 43 for the accommodation of such rivets. The second microswitch includes an outwardly-biased actuator 44 and a lever 45 identical with the lever 27 is oscillably supported from the other arm 52 of the trunnion means 26 operatively to overlie the actuator 44.

The lever 45, like the lever 27, may preferably be formed as a sheet metal stamping to provide downturned, lateral stiffening flanges 46 terminating rearwardly in cars 47 formed with aligned perforations 48 for the accommodation of the trunnion means. Each lever comprises a flat, proximal body portion'49 merging with an outwardly-inclined intermediate section 50 which merges, in turn, with a flattened distal region or toe 51.

conventionally, each switch body is provided with downwardly extending

terminals

53, 54 and 55 to which suitable leads 56, 57 and 58 may be electrically connected. When, for instance, leads 56 and 57 are connected to a signal or other electrically actuated device, the switch 42 will act as a normally-open switch; whereas if leads 56 and 58 are so connected the switch will act as a normally-closed switch.

It will be seen that the frame 12 is formed with a slot 59 opening outwardly through the wall 35 in the plane of the opening 32. The

leads

56, 57 and 58 for both switches, as well as the

leads

62 and 63 for the solenoid 76 may be gathered together and passed through a grommet 60 which can be entered in said slot 59 as the switch assembly l is moved into the compartment 31. As is most easily seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the

leads

62 and 63 may emerge from the chamber in which the solenoid 76 is disposed, run through the external groove 64,

then return to the compartment 31 and so be grouped with the other wires passing through the grommet 60. A cover plate 61 may then be applied to the frame to close the compartment 31 and retain the switch assembly against retrograde movement. A cast stop pad 65 limits the forward movement of the switch assembly.

It will be seen that, through this arrangement, one or two microswitches of desired characteristics can be prewired and preliminarily arranged upon a bracket 1 1, l3 and then can be readily slipped into place in the frame 12 without disturbing the strike 30 and trigger 36. When so in place, the

levers

27 and 45 will be automatically positioned in cooperative relation to that por tion 66 ofthe trigger which is already positioned within the compartment.

On that side of the frame 12 opposite the opening 32, a cast stud 67 provides a pivotal mounting for a lever 69. One end of the lever 69 is turned inwardly to provide a toe 71 received within the notch or hook 70 of the blocking cam 68 (see FIG. 4). The other end of said lever is similarly turned inwardly to provide a toe 72 which is interposed between the distal end 51 of one or the other of the

levers

27 and 45 and the portion 66 of the trigger 36.

OPERATION It will be perceived that, with the blocker cam 68 in position to prevent counterclockwise movement of the strike lip 30, and with the latch 18 interposed between the strike lip and the trigger 36, the parts will be held in the positions of FIG. 1 in which the actuators for the microswitches will be in their extended positions. Since the latch bolt 18 cannot move in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 20, the door 28 will be effectively latched against opening movement in a downward direction as viewed in FIG. 1.

Now, if the solenoid 76 is energized, its plunger 78 will be retracted to release the lip 30 for movement in a counterclockwise direction so that, if downward pres sure (as viewed in FIG. 1) is exerted against the door 28, the lip 30 will be rolled back to permit the latch 18 to pass it. In other words, energization of the solenoid 76 unlatches the door 28.

At the same time, the lever 69 will be rocked in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 to move its toe 72 to the right as viewed in FIG. 1 to shift the lever 27 to depress the actuator 29 of the microswitch 41. If said microswitch is connected to dominate a signal at a central control board, for instance, the operator will thereby be advised that the door with which the invention of the present disclosure is associated is in an unlatched condition.

If, now, someone opens the unlatched door, the strike 30 will be turned in a counterclockwise direction to permit the latch bolt 18 to pass and will then, under the influence of the spring means 38, be returned to its illustrated position. If, at this time, the solenoid 76 is deenergized, the blocking cam 68 will be moved back to blocking position and the lever 69 will return to its illustrated position. Meantime, however, when the latch bolt 18 was withdrawn from between the strike lip 30 and the trigger 36, the trigger arm, under the influence of the spring means 38, moved closer to the strike lip, thereby shifting the portion 66 in a counterclockwise direction to depress (or to hold down) the lever 27 and the switch actuator 29. Thus, the switch 41 is held closed so that the operator knows that the door is open.

When the door is permitted to close, the latch bolt encounters the strike lip 30 and is rolled back in a clockwise direction about its pivot 20 and against the tendency of the spring (not shown) which acts against the link 22. As the nose of the latch bolt 18 passes the lip 30, that same spring will project the latch bolt to interpose the same between the strike lip 30 and the trigger 36 to return the trigger to its illustrated position, permitting the switch actuator 29 to return to projected position, thereby extinguishing the above-mentioned signal to inform the control operator that the door is closed and latched.

It will be apparent, of course. that the second microswitch 42 may be a normally-closed switch dominating a second signal light. Thus, if only the lever 27 is actuated by the toe 72 while the trigger part 66 coacts with both

levers

27 and 45, then if the switch 42 is normally closed, the signal dominated by the switch 42 will be energized at all times except when the door is actually open.

Because of the'particular construction of the frame 12, the switch assembly and the associated parts, great versatility and facility of use are conferred upon the total unit. Each of the

switches

41 and 42 may be normally open and/or normally closed. The assembly 10 may include one switch only, or it may include two switches either or both of which may be of either type. The solenoid 76 may be of the intermediate duty type or of the continuous duty type. Each switch may be connected to dominate an electrically energized signal or other device. The toe 72 of the lever 69 may be proportioned and designed to cooperate with the lever associated with the actuator of either of the

switches

41 and 42; and levers 69 designed for various kinds of cooperation with the

respective levers

27 and 45 may be readily substituted for one another simply by removing the back cover plate, withdrawing one form of lever 69 from the stud 67 and replacing it with another form of lever 69, without disturbing the other parts of the total assembly.

Most particularly, however, upon removal of the front cover plate, the switch assembly 10, with all of its wiring, may be readily withdrawn from the compartment 31 without disturbing the other parts of the total assembly. After such withdrawal, any desired changes in the switch assembly 10 can be readily effected by removal and/or replacement of one or both of the

switches

41 and 42 with the respective wiring therefor, or by revising the wiring arrangement, without having to work in restricted space and without disturbing the associated parts of the strike mechanism.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination, a frame formed to provide a compartment and having an opening through an edge and an opening through a contiguous side into said compartment, a floor opposite one of said openings, guide means substantially parallel with and adjacent said floor, a switch assembly comprising a bracket formed to provide a base having opposed, parallel edges slidably receivable in said guide means and a block upstanding from said base, an electrical switch secured to one upstanding face of said block, said switch including an outwardly-biased actuator, trunnion means supported by said block and traversing said switch, a lever oscillably journalled on said trunnion means and overlying said actuator for cooperation therewith, and strike means including a strike lip mounted for oscillation, stop means for holding said strike lip against movement in one direction, electrically-energized means for retracting said stop means, trigger means mounted for oscillation, said strike lip and said trigger means having portions exposed outside said frame for interposition of a latch bolt therebetween and having portions reaching into said compartment through said one opening with said last-named portion of said trigger means arranged for cooperation with said lever, upon withdrawal of said latch bolt from such interposition, to move said actuator against its bias.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the guide means opens through the other of said frame openings, whereby said switch assembly may be entered into, or removed from, said compartment while said strike lip and trigger portions are in place in said compartment.

3. The combination of claim 2 including stop means in said compartment remote from said other opening to limit movement of said switch assembly into said compartment.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which said floor is formed with a slot opening through the other of said frame openings for accommodation of wires connected to said switch assembly.

5. The combination of claim 1 in which said block is substantially mid-way between said parallel edges of said base, a similar switch is secured to the opposite upstanding face of said block, said trunnion means traverses also said similar switch and a second lever is oscillably joumalled on said trunnion means to overlie the actuator of said similar switch for cooperation therewith.

6. The combination of claim 1 including a further lever having opposite arms, and means operatively connecting one of said arms to said electrically-energized means, the other of said arms being arranged to move .said first-named lever, upon energization of said electrically-energized means, to move said switch actuator against its bias.

7. In combination, a frame formed to provide a compartment and having an opening-through an edge and an opening through a contiguous side into said compartment, a floor opposite one of said openings, guide means substantially parallel with and adjacent said floor, a switch assembly comprising a bracket formed to provide a base having opposed, parallel edges slidably receivable in said guide means and a block upstanding from said base, an electrical switch secured to one upstanding face of said block, said switch including an outwardly-biased actuator, trunnion means supported by said block and traversing said switch, a lever oscillably joumalled on said trunnion means and overlying said actuator for cooperation therewith, and an electrically-releasable strike assembly having portions reaching into said compartment through one of said frame openings one of said strike assembly portions being spring urged to move said lever to shift said switch actuator against its bias after release of said assembly.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which the guide means opens through the otherof said frame openings, whereby said switch assembly may be entered into, or removed from, said compartment while said strike asembly portions are in place in said compartment.

9. The combination of claim 7 in which said strike assembly includes an electrically-energizable solenoid, a further lever having opposite arms, and means operatively connecting one of said-arms to said solenoid, the other of said arms being arranged to move said firstnamed lever, upon energization of saidsolenoid, to move said switch actuator against its bias.

10. For use with a frame formed to provide a floor, an upstanding wall and a partition substantially parallel with said wall, said wall and partition being formed with facing guide grooves substantially at their junctures with said floor, the invention which comprises a base formed at its lateral edges for sliding reception in such guide grooves, an upstanding block, said block being formed with a transverse perforation near its upper, rear corner, a microswitch secured to an upstanding face of said block and including an outwardly-biased actuator, trunnion means supported in said perforation and traversing and overlying said switch rearwardly of said actuator, and a lever oscillably supported on said trunnion means and extending forwardly therefrom to overlie said actuator.

g 11. The invention of claim 10 in which said block is located substantially mid-way between the lateral edges of said base, and including a second microswitch secured to the opposite upstanding face of said block and including an outwardly-biased actuator, said trunnion means also traversing and overlying said second switch rearwardly of the actuator of said second switch, and a second lever oscillably supported on said trunnion means and extending forwardly therefrom to overlie the actuator of said second switch,

12. A switch assembly comprising a base having opposite lateral edges, an upstanding block substantially parallel with said edges, said block being formed with a transverse perforation near its upper, rear corner, a microswitch secured to an upstanding face of said block and including an outwardly-biased actuator, trunnion means supported in said perforation and traversing and overlying said switch rearwardly of said actuator, and a lever oscillably supported on said trunnion means and extending forwardly therefrom to overlie said actuator.

13. In' combination, a frame formed to provide a compartment having an opening through one edge and a second opening through a contiguous side, an electrically-releasable strike assembly having portions reaching into said compartment through one of said frame openings, and a switch assembly comprising a bracket formed to provide a base and a block upstanding from said base, an electrical switch secured to one joumalled on said trunnion means and overlying said actuator for cooperation therewith, said switch assembly being enterable into said compartment through the other of said openings, while said strike assembly portions are in place, to present said lever for cooperative engagement by one of said strike assembly portions.

14. The combination of claim 13 including means for restraining movement of said switch assembly within said compartment once said lever has been so presented.

15. In combination, a frame formed to provide a compartment having an opening through one edge and a second opening through a contiguous side, an

electrically-releasable strike assembly having portions reaching into said compartment through one of said frame openings, a switch assembly comprising a bracket formed to provide a base, an electrical on-off switch secured to said base and including a reverselymovable actuator biased toward one extreme position, a lever journalled on said base for cooperative engagement with said actuator, and cooperating means on said frame and on said base for positioning said switch assembly within said frame compartment, said switch assembly being enterable into said compartment through the other of said openings, while said strike assembly portions are in place, to present said lever for cooperative engagement by one of said strike assembly portions.

' 16. The combination of .claim 15 in which said fram and said base are provided with cooperating means for readily releasably retaining said switch assembly in place for such cooperative engagement of said one strike assembly portion with said lever.

Claims

5. The combination of claim 1 in which said block is substantially mid-way between said parallel edges of said base, a similar switch is secured to the opposite upstanding face of said block, said trunnion means traverses also said similar switch and a second lever is oscillably journalled on said trunnion means to overlie the actuator of said similar switch for cooperation therewith.

6. The combination of claim 1 including a further lever having opposite arms, and means operatively connecting one of said arms to said electrically-energized means, the other of said arms being arranged to move said first-named lever, upon energization of said electrically-energized means, to move said switch actuator against its bias.

7. In combination, a frame formed to provide a compartment and having an opening through an edge and an opening through a contiguous side into said compartment, a floor opposite one of said openings, guide means substantially parallel with and adjacent said floor, a switch assembly comprising a bracket formed to provide a base having opposed, parallel edges slidably receivable in said guide means and a block upstanding from said base, an electrical switch secured to one upstanding face of said block, said switch including an outwardly-biased actuator, trunnion means supported by said block and traversing said switch, a lever oscillably journalled on said trunnion means and overlying said actuator for cooperation therewith, and an electrically-releasable strike assembly having portions reaching into said compartment through one of said frame openings, one of said strike assembly portions being spring urged to move said lever to shift said switch actuator against its bias after release of said assembly.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which the guide means opens through the other of said frame openings, whereby said switch assembly may be entered into, or removed from, said compartment while said strike asembly portions are in place in said compartment.

9. The combination of claim 7 in which said strike assembly includes an electrically-energizable solenoid, a further lever having opposite arms, and means operatively connecting one of said arms to said solenoid, the other of said arms being arranged to move said first-named lever, upon energization of said solenoid, to move said switch actuator against its bias.

11. The invention of claim 10 in which said block is located substantially mid-way between the lateral edges of said base, and including a second microswitch secured to the opposite upstanding face of said block and including an outwardly-biased actuator, said trunnion means also traversing and overlying said second switch rearwardly of the actuator of said second switch, and a second lever oscillably supported on said trunnion means and extending forwardly therefrom to overlie the actuator of said second switch.

13. In combination, a frame formed to provide a compartment having an opening through one edge and a second opening through a contiguous side, an electrically-releasable strike assembly having portions reaching into said compartment through one of said frame openings, and a switch assembly comprising a bracket formed to provide a base and a block upstanding from said base, an electrical switch secured to one upstanding face of said block and including an outwardly-biased actuator, trunnion means supported by said block and traversing said switch, a lever oscillably journalled on said trunnion means and overlying said actuator for cooperation therewith, said switch assembly being enterable into said compartment through the other of said openings, while said strike assembly portions are in place, to present said lever for cooperative engagement by one of said strike assembly portions.

15. In combination, a frame formed to provide a compartment having an opening through one edge and a second opening through a contiguous side, an electrically-releasable strike assembly having portions reaching into said compartment through one of said frame openings, a switch assembly comprising a bracket formed to provide a base, an electrical on-off switch secured to said base and including a reversely-movable actuator biased toward one extreme position, a lever journalled on said base for cooperative engagement with said actuator, and cooperating means on said frame and on said base for positioning said switch assembly within said frame compartment, said switch assembly being enterable into said compartment through the other of said openings, while said strike assEmbly portions are in place, to present said lever for cooperative engagement by one of said strike assembly portions.

16. The combination of claim 15 in which said frame and said base are provided with cooperating means for readily releasably retaining said switch assembly in place for such cooperative engagement of said one strike assembly portion with said lever.