WO2005121478A1

WO2005121478A1 - Fire sensitive deadlocking apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2005121478A1
Application number: PCT/AU2005/000823
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gary Lee Bebbington; Ronald George Markey
Original assignee: Gary Lee Bebbington; Ronald George Markey
Priority date: 2004-06-14
Filing date: 2005-06-09
Publication date: 2005-12-22

Abstract

There is a fire sensitive security apparatus for protecting an enclosed area from unauthorised intrusion. The apparatus includes at least one deadlock fitted to an openable access barrier for said area and a smoke detector for said area in operative communication with the deadlock. In the event of a fire the smoke detector converts a locked exit blocking status of the deadlock to an unlocked status allowing area occupants to open the barrier for fire escape.

Description

FIRE SENSITIVE DEADLOCKING APPARATUS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to security equipment. More specifically, although not exclusively, it discloses an improved apparatus for deadlocking doors, windows or other access points to buildings and restricted areas. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION As is well known deadlocks are lockable on both the interior and exterior of the door or barrier to which they are fitted. The locking means is commonly, although not exclusively, by use of a key operated barrel in each side of the lock. Deadlocks provide increased security against intruders as even if the exterior barrel is picked or forced the mechanism still remains locked by the second barrel which is only accessible from the inside. Deadlocks are therefore commonly fitted by the elderly, single females and other persons in the community who feel vulnerable. Their use is also encouraged or even required in some cases by insurance companies. A major disadvantage with existing deadlocks however is that they also prevent occupants from exiting a building unless the inside tumbler is first unlocked. As many people for security reasons remove the inside key after lockup the door can become an impenetrable barrier against emergency exit during a fire. Indeed, There are a number of documented tragedies in which persons have died in house fires when they were unable to quickly retrieve the key to their own deadlocked door. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object on this invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages and accordingly a fire sensitive security apparatus for protecting an enclosed area from unauthorised intrusion is disclosed, said apparatus when in a configuration of use including at least one deadlock of the type described fitted to an openable access barrier for said area and fire detection means for said area in operative communication with said deadlock whereby in the event of a fire said detection means converts a locked exit blocking status of said deadlock to an unlocked status allowing area occupants to open said barrier for fire escape.

Preferably said fire detection means comprises a smoke detector.

It is further preferred that said radio transmitting and receiving means are associated respectively with said smoke detector and deadlock and said operative communication comprises ultrasonic radio waves.

It is further preferred that said deadlock includes a motorised drive mechanism adapted upon activation to rotate the deadlock mechanism from a said locked to unlocked status.

If is further preferred that the power supply for said motorised drive and radio receiving means comprises replaceable batteries.

It is further preferred that the power supplies for the radio transmitting means, radio receiving means and said motorised drive comprise replaceable batteries located in or adjacent said fire detection means and deadlock.

It is further preferred that the fire detector means comprises a smoke detector with audio alarm circuit and said radio transmitting means is activated by said alarm circuit.

It is further preferred that said smoke detector includes a test circuit for trial ing the operation of said deadlock.

It is further preferred that said smoke detector includes a counter for indicating the number of times said test circuit is activated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Two currently preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached representations in which:- figures 1 and 1A are schematic diagrams of the transmitter and receiver circuits, figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional drawing of part of a deadlock housing showing the motorised drive according to a first embodiment of the invention, figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the motorised drive along lines A-A of figure 2, figure 4 is a cross-sectional schematic drawing of part of another deadlock showing a motorised drive according to a second embodiment of the invention, figure 5 is an elevation view of the slide bolt for the deadlock of figure 4, figure 6 is an elevation view of the key barrel and motorised drive of figure 4, and figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the door showing the position of the battery pack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to figures 1 and 1A the smoke detector portion of the apparatus is preferably fitted with an ultrasonic radio transmitter chip 1, three volt lithium battery power supply 2 and switch 3. Although the invention is not restricted to any specific type of transmitter chip and smoke detector it is currently proposed to use a chip

No. W926T1A as obtained from Arlec of Lillydale, Victoria,

Australia. This chip may be fitted to a detector such as that manufactured by Kidde Australia Pty. Ltd. of Scoresby

Victoria 3179 Australia under the brand name/model No.

0915AUS. The transmitter chip is wired into the existing detector alarm circuit in a manner such that when the alarm is triggered in the normal fashion by the presence of smoke the switch 3 is closed to activate the transmitter chip 1.

Figure 1A shows the schematic arrangement of a receiver chip 4, battery supply 5, digital relay 6 and low battery indicator 6A which are fitted into the door adjacent the deadlock. Upon receiving an ultrasonic radio signal from the transmitter 1 the receiver chip closes the digital relay 6 which provides power to a deadlock disengagement mechanism as described hereunder. Although the invention is not restricted to any specific type of receiving chip it is currently preferred to use a chip No. W926A as obtained from Arlec of Lillydale, Victoria, Australia.

In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, as shown in figures 2 and 3 there is a double keyed deadlock such as that manufactured by Lane security of Smithfield

NSW Australia under the brand name 007 DEADLATCH which includes a keyed handle 7 on the inside of the door. There is a 3-6 volt DC electric motor 8 which is mounted within the lock housing 9 adjacent the key barrel 10. The motor currently proposed for this embodiment preferably has the following specifications:- Rate Voltage 3-6 Volt Direction Of Rotation Clockwise when viewed from output side of shaft Operating Temperature -15 degrees C to 60 Degrees C No Load Current 40mA max No Load Speed 54+4 rpm

The motor when energised via the aforementioned relay 6 from a battery power supply within the door rotates the barrel 10 by means of wings 11 extending radially out from a drive shaft 12 orientated parallel to said barrel. Preferably this shaft is driven from the motor 8 through a step-down gear box 13 of any suitable design. The wings engage a tapered shoulder 13A formed around the periphery of the key barrel. With this embodiment rotation of the radial wings in the anticlockwise direction shown drives the barrel 9 in the opposite direction to release the lock. This action overrides the normal key operation of the deadlock which nevertheless remains available to the user for normal working of the lock.

In the case of a deadlocked door, even if the inside key is unavailable during a fire emergency, the lock mechanism is immediately released by signal from the smoke detector to allow escape without any action being required from the occupants.

The second embodiment of the invention shown in figures 4 to 7 relates to a different design of double keyed deadlock such as that manufactured by Lane security of Smithfield NSW Australia under the brand name PRO-SERIES DEADBOLT. In this case the outside key barrel 14 is located within a cowling 15 protruding from the exterior surface of the door 16. A DC motor 17 of preferably six volts with a gear drive wheels 18, 18A connecting directly to the key barrel lock actuation shaft 19 is also mounted inside this cowling. The shaft 19 extends into the door and through a socket 20 in a slide bolt housing 21 within the door. Upon receiving power via the digital relay 6 from a six volt battery supply 22 also located within the door just above the lock (see figure 7) the shaft 19 and socket 20 are rotated to withdraw the bolt 23 and release the deadlock without a key being required. A safe exit during a fire emergency is thus provided in a manner similar to that of the first embodiment.

Preferably as best shown in figure 6 the gear wheels 18, 18A for the motor drive are segmented at 22, 23 so as to limit the available rotation of the key barrel to that required only for lock disengagement.

Although not shown in the drawings a test circuit is preferably incorporated into the smoke detector in order to periodically trial the system for correct operation. To disclose misuse of the test circuit as a substitute for normal manual lock operation a counter is preferably also built into the detector which displays the number of times the test circuit is activated. Frequent non-emergency use of the apparatus is to be discouraged as it wears components designed only for infrequent operation and depletes battery power.

It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiments disclosed provides a novel and improved deadlocking system which reduces risk of entrapment during fires. Clearly however the examples described are only the currently preferred forms of the invention and a wide variety of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example the type and operating frequency of radio tramsmitter/receiver used, the electromechanical drive for disengaging the deadlock and the size, voltage and mounting arrangement for the power supplies may all be changed according to the type of deadlock being fitted, installation requirements and design preference.

Claims

The c l aims :

1. A fire sensitive security apparatus for protecting an enclosed area from unauthorised intrusion, said apparatus when in a configuration of use including at least one deadlock fitted to an openable access barrier for said area and fire detection means for said area in operative communication with said deadlock whereby in the event of a fire said detection means converts a locked exit blocking status of said deadlock to an unlocked status allowing area occupants to open said barrier for fire escape.

2. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said operative communication comprises ultrasonic radio waves.

3. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said detection means includes an ultrasonic radio transmitting device and said deadlock includes an ultrasonic radio receiving device.

4. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said detection means comprises a smoke detector with audio alarm circuit and said ultrasonic radio transmitting device is adapted to be activated by said alarm circuit.

5. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said ultrasonic radio transmitting device and receiving device are powered by replaceable batteries located in or adjacent said detector means and deadlock.

6. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said locked exit blocking status of the deadlock is converted to said unlocked status by a motorised drive adapted to be activated by said ultrasonic radio receiving device.

7. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said motorised drive comprises a set of shaft mounted radial wings which upon rotation by a motor engage a shoulder formed on the periphery of a key barrel of said deadlock.

8. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said motorised drive comprises a set of gear wheels connecting a motor to a key barrel shaft of said deadlock.

9. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said gear wheels are segmented to limit the available rotation of the key barrel to that required only for obtaining said unlocked status.

10. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the smoke detector includes a test circuit for trial ing said apparatus.