Emergency shelter with improved door latching assembly

An emergency shelter includes a number of reinforced walls that define a substantially enclosed interior space in which people can enter in emergencies; a doorway opening formed in at least one of the walls to permit entry into and exit from the interior space; a door mounted over that doorway opening; and a latching assembly for latching and locking the door in its closed position. The door is configured to slide horizontally relative to the doorway opening between an open position and a closed position so that it can be opened even when debris is blown up against it. The shelter also includes a door jamb adjacent the doorway opening for receiving and partially surrounding a leading edge of the door to prevent movement of the door along an axis transverse to the horizontal sliding direction of the door so that the door does not cave in when struck by debris. A flange on the trailing edge of the door overlaps a flange on the front wall when the door is closed to prevent movement of the door along an axis transverse to the horizontal sliding direction of the door so that the trailing edge of the door does not cave in when struck by debris. The latching assembly securely latches and locks the door in its closed position but permits the door to be opened even when portions of the latching assembly are damaged.

BACKGROUND

Emergency shelters are often installed in or near houses and other structures to protect occupants from tornadoes, storms, intruders, and other dangers. Emergency shelters can be installed either below ground or above ground. Below ground shelters provide excellent protection from storms and other dangers, but they suffer from several problems including being difficult and costly to install, difficult to quickly access in emergencies, more prone to flooding from heavy rains and/or broken water lines, and sometimes difficult to exit when debris is blown over their doors. Properly-anchored above ground shelters also provide excellent protection from storms and other dangers, but do not suffer from many of the above-mentioned problems. However, conventional above ground shelters suffer from several problems too, including having outwardly swinging doors that can become blocked by debris or inwardly swinging doors that can be blown open in severe storms. Moreover, conventional above ground shelters rely on hinges for mounting their doors and for locking the doors, but hinges can be sheared off during severe storms and/or pried off by intruders, and can fail if struck by debris and/or can become stuck in their locked positions and thus prevent opening of their associated doors.

SUMMARY

The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of emergency shelters. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide an above-ground emergency shelter with a door and a latching assembly that are less prone to blockage by debris during storms; less likely to be damaged by high winds, debris, or intruders; less likely to open inadvertently because of high winds; and less likely to become locked or jammed in their closed and locked positions.

An emergency shelter constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention broadly comprises a number of reinforced walls that define a substantially enclosed interior space in which people can enter in emergencies; a doorway opening formed in at least one of the walls to permit entry into and exit from the interior space; a door mounted over the doorway opening; a unique door jamb for supporting the door; and a latching assembly for latching and locking the door in its closed position.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the door is mounted so it slides horizontally relative to the doorway opening between an open position and a closed position. This configuration eliminates the need for door hinges that can break when subjected to extreme forces and ensures the door can be opened even when debris is blown up against it. The horizontal sliding movement of the door also reduces the likelihood that it will unintentionally open when subjected to high winds and eliminates any clearance issues associated with outward swinging doors.

In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, the door jamb surrounds the inside of the door when it is closed to support the door against high winds and debris. The door jamb also assists with latching and locking of the door and protects the latching assembly against damage.

The latching assembly is constructed and configured so that it securely latches and locks the door in its closed position. An embodiment of the latching assembly comprises a number of latch pins mounted in holes of the doorjamb; a latch bar mounted to the door for engaging the latch pins when the door is closed; a lock secured to the door for locking the latch in its latched position; and a secondary locking pin for locking the door from within the shelter and locking the latch in its latched position.

In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, the latch pins may be removed from the door jamb even when the latch is in its latched position and the lock is in its locked position. This permits an occupant of the shelter to remove the latch pins and the secondary locking pin and open the sliding door even when components of the latching assembly are jammed shut or otherwise damaged.

The lock and secondary locking pin lock the latch bar in its latched position. The secondary locking pin can only be accessed from inside the shelter and thus prevents an intruder or other person from opening the door from the exterior of the enclosure even with a key to the lock.

In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, the lock does not allow the door to open even if it is sheared off or otherwise rendered inoperable. This is because the purpose of the lock is to prevent the latch from shifting from its unlatched position, not to secure the door itself. In other words, the lock secures the latch and not the door itself.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An emergency shelter10constructed in accordance with various embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the attached drawing figures. The emergency shelter10provides protection from tornadoes, storms, intruders, and other dangers and may be installed anywhere such as in or near a house, office, or other building. The shelter may be constructed in any manner, formed in any size, and made from any suitable materials, but is preferably constructed of modular steel-reinforced components that may be shipped to an installation site and assembled in-place. As described in more detail below, the shelter10has an improved door assembly and latching assembly that are less prone to blockage by debris during storms; less likely to be damaged by high winds, debris, or intruders; less likely to open inadvertently because of high winds; and less likely to become locked or jammed shut.

Referring initially toFIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an embodiment of the emergency shelter10broadly comprises a number of walls12that define a substantially enclosed interior space14in which people can enter in emergencies; a doorway opening16formed in at least one of the walls to permit entry into and exit from the shelter; a door18mounted over that doorway opening; a door jamb20for protecting and ensuring proper closing of the door; and a latching assembly22for latching and locking the door in its closed position. Each of these components and assemblies are discussed in more detail below.

The walls12may be made of any suitable material, and in one embodiment, are made of reinforced steel or other metals. The shelter may include any number, size, and shape of walls to form a protected interior space of any size and shape. In one embodiment, the shelter is in the shape of a rectangular cube and includes a front wall panel24, a number of side wall panels26, a number of rear wall panels (not shown), a number of roof panels28, two front corner panels30,32, and two rear corner panels34,35that are interconnected by bolts or other fasteners and that are secured to a concrete pad or other support surface by anchor bolts or other suitable fasteners. In some embodiments of the invention, one or more of the wall panels, such as the panel26, has interconnected upper and lower sections26A,26B that can be disassembled from within the shelter so that both sections26A,26B can be removed to provide an emergency exit when the door18cannot be opened. Some of the panels, such as the side wall panels and/or rear wall panels, may be omitted when the shelter is installed against a reinforced wall and/or corner.

The doorway opening16provides access to the shelter and may be positioned in any of the walls of the shelter10. In one embodiment, the doorway opening16is defined by a gap between the front wall panel24and the left front corner panel30. The doorway opening16may be of any size and shape, and in one embodiment is large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. An upper doorway brace36spans the gap between the front wall panel24and the left front corner panel30to reinforce the doorway opening.

The door18is mounted adjacent the doorway opening16and is configured to slide horizontally between an open position shown inFIG. 2and a closed position shown inFIG. 1. The horizontal sliding movement of the door prevents it from slamming shut or blowing open when exposed to high winds and permits it to be opened even when debris is blown up against it. In one embodiment, the door is suspended over the doorway opening by roller mechanisms38attached to the top of the door that ride in a track40above the door. The horizontal sliding movement of the door and the roller mechanisms38eliminate the need for door hinges, which are prone to failure when exposed to extreme forces.

The door18may be formed by any suitable materials. As best shown inFIG. 3, an embodiment of the door18is formed from a steel skin42or panel welded to a reinforced steel frame44. The right edge of the panel when viewed from the perspective ofFIG. 3is folded to define a U-shaped channel46within a leading edge48of the door.

The door jamb20surrounds the leading edge of the door when its closed to support the door against high winds and debris. In one embodiment, the door jamb is formed in the corner wall30panel and includes a vertically extending plate50and five L-shaped metal flanges52,54,56,58,60that extend inwardly from the vertical plate50to define door pockets for receiving the leading edge48of the door18. When the door18is closed, the plate50prevents the door from moving out and away from the shelter, and the metal flanges52-60prevent the door from being pushed into the shelter. Several of the flanges54,58,60may be further supported by a horizontally extending corner jamb support plates62,64,66. An L-shaped door guide68is bolted or otherwise fastened to the lower inside edge of the front panel for guiding the sliding movement of the door18.

The trailing edge124of the door18is also folded to form a flange126as shown inFIG. 16. This door flange126interlocks with a corresponding flange128on the front wall panel to support the trailing edge of the door when it's closed. Thus, both the leading edge48and the trailing edge124of the door are fully supported when the door is closed to prevent the door from collapsing during extreme storms.

The latching assembly22securely latches and locks the door18in its closed position. An embodiment of the latching assembly is best shown inFIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6and broadly comprises a number of latch pins68,70,72; a latch bar74for engaging the latch pins; interior and exterior latch handles76,78for shifting the latch bar between its latched and unlatched positions; a lock80for locking the latch in its latched position; and a secondary locking pin82for further locking the latch in its latched position. Specific embodiments of these components are described in more detail below.

The latch pins68,70,72are integrated in the door jamb20and cooperate with the latch bar74to latch the door18in its closed position. The shelter10may include any number of latch pins, with one embodiment including three latch pins mounted horizontally in holes of the flanges54,58,60and the bar50. The latch pins68,70,72are secured within the holes by removable cotter pins84or similar mechanisms as best shown inFIG. 8. The latch pins68,70,72may be removed from the door jamb20by removing the cotter pins84and pulling the pins from the holes. This permits an occupant of the shelter to remove the latch pins and the secondary locking pin82to open the sliding door18even if the lock80or latch bar74become damaged or the door otherwise becomes jammed in its closed position.

The latch bar74is engaged and retained by the latch pins68,70,72when the door is closed. An embodiment of the latch bar74is best shown inFIGS. 11 and 12and may be formed from an elongated metal bar or rod with three latch pin openings86,88,90, each of which includes a ramped tooth92,94,96which slides over and engages one of the latch pins68,70,72when the door18is closed. An embodiment of the latch bar also includes a number of vertically extending slots98,100,102,104,106, for receiving bolts and bushings107for mounting the latch bar within the U-shaped channel46of the door as best shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. The slots98-106permit the latch bar74to be shifted vertically relative to the door between a raised, unlatched position shown inFIG. 6in which the teeth92,94,96of the latch pin openings disengage the latch pins68,70,72and a lowered, latched position shown inFIG. 5in which the teeth engage the latch pins to prevent sliding of the door. The latch bar74also includes an integral strike plate108for receiving a bolt of the lock80and a keyhole slot110for receiving the secondary locking pin82as described below.

The latch handles76,78are provided to shift the latch bar74between its latched and unlatched positions. The handles are pivotally mounted to the door18and the latch bar74by bolts and bushings. When the interior latch handle76is pivoted counter-clockwise from the perspective ofFIG. 3, it lifts the latch bar to its unlatched position, and when it is pivoted clockwise, it lowers the latch bar to its latched position. The exterior latch handle78works the same way except in the opposite directions (clockwise to unlatch, counter clockwise to latch from perspective ofFIG. 1).

The lock80prevents the door18from opening by locking the latch bar74in its latched position. In one embodiment, the lock80is a deadbolt lock with an extendable bolt that may be extended into the strike plate108in the latch bar74to prevent the latch bar from being lifted from its latched position and subsequently retracted out of the strike plate to allow vertical shifting of the latch bar74to its unlatched position to permit opening of the door.

The secondary locking pin82provides a back-up for the lock80and can be inserted through the key hole slot110and corresponding key holes112,114in the flange56and bar50and a key hole116in the door for further locking the latch and the door in its latched position. The secondary locking pin82can only be removed from within the shelter and therefore prevents an intruder from opening the door even if the intruder has a key to the lock80.

The lock80prevents the latch bar74from shifting from its latched position but does not directly hold the door18in its closed position. Thus, even if the lock80and secondary locking pin82both fail, the door18will not open unless the latch bar74is raised by one of the latch handles76,78. In other words, the lock80secures the latch bar74and not the door18itself. This is in contrast to a lock on an outwardly or inwardly swinging door, where the lock secures the door, and the door can open if the lock is ripped out of its socket or otherwise damaged.

To assist with opening and closing the door18, the shelter10may also include a vertically extending bar118bolted, welded, or otherwise attached between two of the corner jamb support plates62,64; another vertically extending bar120that is bolted, welded or otherwise attached to the inside of the door18; and another bar122that is bolted, welded, or otherwise attached to the outside of the door. The bars serve as handles that may be gripped by a user while opening or closing the door as described below.

Opening and closing of the door18will now be described in more detail. To close the door18from within the shelter10, an occupant of the shelter grasps the handle118on the door jamb and the handle120on the door and pulls the door to the right until the door closes and the latch bar74securely latches on all three latch pins68,70,72. The occupant may then rotate the interior door handle76clockwise to lower the latch bar74to its latched position so that the teeth92,94,96of the latch pin openings86,88,90trap the latch pins in the latch bar. The occupant may then rotate the lock80to its locked position and place the secondary locking pin82through the key hole slots in the door, latch bar, and door jamb and rotate it to its locked position. The door is now fully closed and locked. If the lock and secondary locking pin are damaged or otherwise disengaged, the door still won't open because the latch bar will still be in its latched position.

To open the door from within the shelter, the occupant rotates the secondary locking pin82and removes it from the doorjamb, unlocks the lock80, and rotates the interior latch handle76counterclockwise to lift the latch bar74to its unlatched position off the latch pins68,70,72. The occupant may then grasp the handle120on the door and slide the door to the left. If the latch bar74won't raise because the lock80or the latch bar74itself is jammed, the occupant can remove the cotter pins84from the latch pins68,70,72, pull the latch pins out of the doorjamb, and then remove the secondary locking pin from the door. This releases the latch bar74from the door jamb such that the door18may be freely opened even if the lock80is still in its locked positions.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. For example, the particular size and shape of the shelter described and illustrated herein may be altered without departing from the scope of the invention.