Push-bar for doors in general

Abstract: A push-bar for doors in general, which comprises a bar element (2) provided, at its ends, with couplings for connection to a door; the particularity of said push-bar (2) is the fact that it is provided with a threaded bar (7) which is arranged inside the bar element (2), each end of said bar element (2) being connected to lever means (13, 14) which are in turn pivoted at one end to the bar element (2) and, at the other end, to a pusher (25) whose rotation as a consequence of a pressure applied to the bar element (2) causes the rotation of a pawl (40) which is adapted to engage the pivot of the lock of the door (5) in order to turn it for opening, an empty space being provided between the bar element (2) and the surface of the door (5) to which the bar element (2) is connected.

Description: The present invention relates to a push-bar for doors in general. More particularly, the invention relates to a push-bar for emergency doors and the like. It is known that push-bars are provided for doors in general and more particularly for emergency doors and the like, allowing to quickly open the emergency door without having to turn any handle. Said push-bars in fact have a transverse bar which, when pushed by the body of a person, allows the emergency door to open without said person having to use his hands to open it. As mentioned, conventional push-bars for emergency doors and the like are constituted by a transverse bar which can be connected to the door in different manners. In particular, a type of push-bar is known which cantilevers out from the door to which it is fixed but has the drawback of being considerably thick and of not being aesthetically pleasant. Another type of push-bar is constituted by a bar which is arranged transversely to the door and is connected thereto by insertion in a C-shaped profiled element having the same length as the bar. In this manner, the bar is operated by pushing since it is accommodated within the C-shaped profiled element along its entire length. The drawback of this conventional push-bar is that there is no space between the C-shaped profiled element and the bar accommodated therein and therefore the user cannot grip said bar with his hands and accordingly cannot open in a normal way the door to which the push-bar is connected. Moreover, the length of the bar element of the push- bar is determined by the length of the corresponding C- shaped profiled element and must therefore be preset. US-2 320 298 discloses an emergency release latch that is to be used in panic doors. The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a push-bar for doors in general in which there is a space between the push-bar and the surface of the door to which said push-bar is connected, so as to be able to grip said push-bar. Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a push-bar for doors in general in which the push-bar is operated by pushing and with a movement at right angles to the surface of the door to which said push-bar is connected. Another object of the present invention is to provide a push-bar for doors in general in which the length of the bar element can be easily determined at the time of installation according to the distance between the couplings of the push-bar. Another object of the present invention is to provide a push-bar for doors in general which also has an aesthetically pleasant appearance. Another object of the present invention is to provide a push-bar for doors in general which is highly reliable, relatively easy to manufacture and at competitive costs. This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a push-bar for doors in general, as defined in claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the push-bar according to the invention, illustrated by way of a non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the push-bar according to the invention, applied to a door; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of one of the ends of the push-bar according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the other end of the push-bar according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a partially sectional plan view of the push-bar according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of the push-bar according to the present invention; Figure 6 is a front view of the push-bar according to the present invention; Figure 7 is a sectional plan view of the push-bar according to the present invention, shown in the operated position; Figure 8 is a front view of the push-bar according to the present invention, illustrating the mechanism for engaging the pivot of the lock of the door to which the push-bar is connected. With reference to the above Figures, the push-bar according to the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, is formed by a bar element 2 which is supported by end couplings, shown in greater detail hereinafter, with enclosures 3 and 4 which give the push-bar 1 a pleasant appearance. In Figure 1, the push-bar 1 is shown connected to a door 5 which is only partially shown. The end couplings which allow the connection of the bar element 2 to the surface of the door 5 are now described with reference to Figures 2-8. The bar element 2 is provided with a through hole 6 in which there slides a bar 7 which is threaded at its ends. The bar 7 is straight and engages, at one end, a threaded hole provided in a first block 8, while its other end is slideable within a hole provided in a second block 9 arranged at the opposite end of the first block 8. The bar element 2 ends, at both ends, with a pair of shoulders 10 and 11, each one provided with a hole 12. A tab 44, protruding vertically with respect to the bar element 2, acts as a cover for the mechanism for coupling the bar element 2 to the door 5. Lever means are respectively connected to the shoulders 10 and 11 and are conveniently constituted by plates 13 and 14 provided with a first pair of holes 15 and 16, a second pair of holes 17 and 18 and a third pair of holes 19 and 20. A pusher, designated by the reference numeral 25, is provided as a part of the coupling of the bar element 2 to the door 5. Said element 25 in turn has two holes 26 and two holes 27 arranged on end portions of the element 25. The holes (corresponding to the holes 27) of the element 25 arranged at the end of the bar element 2 that lies opposite the end at which the door lock is located are oval, so as to form a pair of slots designated by the reference numerals 60. Finally, a plate-like element with raised edges and with a C-shaped profile, designated by the reference numeral 30, is provided for connecting the bar element 2 to the assembly for coupling to the door 5. In particular, the element 30 is fixed to the door 5 by means of the holes 31 and the raised walls of the element 30, which are in turn provided with holes 32, 33 and 34, allow to connect the other elements of the coupling of the bar element 2. The plate-like element with raised walls and a C-shaped profile, designated by the reference numeral 30, is provided, for one of the two ends of the bar element 2 which is meant to engage the lock of the door 5, with a pawl 40 which has a substantially square central hole 41, adapted to engage the pivot of the lock of the door 5. In particular, the element 30 that is meant to make contact with the pivot of the door 5 and is accordingly provided with the pawl 40 is provided with a perforated plate 42 acting as a stop element for the pawl 40, which engages in the hole of the plate 42. The other element 30, arranged at the opposite end, is therefore provided neither with the pawl 40 nor with the plate 42. The operation of the pawl 40 for opening the door 5 is described in detail hereinafter. The connection of the various elements that are part of the assembly for coupling the bar element 2 to the door 5 is now described with particular reference to Figure 2, which is an exploded view of said elements. The second block or fixing element 9 is accommodated between the plates 13 and 14 and is locked by means of a pivot which passes through the holes 19 and 20 of the plates 13 and 14. The threaded bar 7 then enters the hole of the fixing element 9 and is locked therein according to the user's requirements, as described in greater detail hereinafter. The plates 13 and 14 are in turn accommodated within the shoulders 10 and 11, while the pusher 25 is arranged so as to surround the shoulders 10 and 11, which accordingly rest within its vertical walls. The holes 26 of the pusher 25 therefore coincide with the holes 15-16 and 12-13 so that, by means of a pivot which passes through said holes, the pusher 25 and the plates 13 and 14 are rigidly coupled to the shoulders 10 and 11, in turn rigidly coupled to the bar element 2. In the non-actuated condition, the plates 13 and 14 assembled to the bar element 2 lie above the bottom surface of the pusher 25. The plates 13 and 14 are in turn connected, by way of the holes 17 and 18, to the holes 32 of the C-shaped plate-like element 30. It should be observed that the holes 15 and 16 of the plates 13 and 14 are substantially elliptical. The holes 27 of the pusher 25 instead coincide with the holes 34 of the C-shaped plate-like element and are locked thereat by a pivot 50 around which a coiled spring 51 is coupled which accordingly engages a locator 55 formed on the internal wall of the pusher 25. The spring 51 acts as a return element for returning the bar element 2 to the inactive position at the end of the pushing action, as described in detail hereinafter. As previously mentioned, the first block or fixing element 8 has a threaded hole which the threaded bar 7 enters and accordingly constitutes a fixed point for said bar 7. Vice versa, the second block or fixing element 9 has a hole whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the threaded bar 7 and accordingly allows to adjust, inside it, the position of the threaded bar 7, tightening it according to the user's requirements. In Figure 7, the spring 51 has been removed so as to illustrate the slots 60 in detail. With reference to the above Figures, the operation of the push-bar according to the present invention is as follows. First of all it should be observed that the push-bar according to the present invention allows to easily select the dimensions of the bar element 2 by cutting it according to the intended size and then inserting therein the threaded bar 7 to lock it in the fixing element 8 and then in the fixing element 9. When the user pushes on the bar element 2 so as to operate it, he triggers the operation of the coupling mechanism that connects the bar element 2 to the surface of the door 5. In detail, by pushing the bar element 2, as shown in Figure 7, said bar element 2 moves vertically with respect to the surface of the door 5: more specifically, the vertical translatory motion of the bar element 2 and therefore of the shoulders 10 and 11 rigidly coupled thereto is carried out, as well as a rotation of the plates 13 and 14 which entails a translatory motion of the threaded bar 7 within the hole of the bar element 2 away from one end of said bar element 2. Pushing the bar element 2 entails the movement of the coupling of one end of the bar element which leads to a converse movement of the coupling of the other end of the bar element. The pressure of the bar element further induces the translatory motion of the pusher 25 accommodated within the plate-like element 30 with walls and a C-shaped profile; said pusher whereby moves in pushing engagement with the pawl 40, which is thus induced to rotate in one direction or the other, according to its arrangement and, of course, according to the side of the door 5 on which the push-bar 1 is arranged. The rotation of the pawl 40 induces the rotation of the pivot of the lock (not shown in the Figures), which thus allows the door 5 to open. The return of the pawl 40 is produced by the opposite rotation of the pivot of the lock when it snaps closed again following the release of the pressure applied to the bar element 2. The plate-like element with vertical walls 30 is further provided with three elastic tabs 70, vertically arranged with respect to the base plate of said element and meant to allow the push-fit insertion of the enclosure 3 and 4 so as to avoid the need for fixing screws or similar means. The couplings arranged at each end of the bar element 2 are therefore exactly identical to each other except, as mentioned above, for the presence of the pawl 40 and of the oval holes 60 at one end. In practice it has been observed that the push-bar according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since a space is provided between the surface of the door and the bar element so that a user can easily grip the bar element without being forced, as occurs in conventional embodiments, to operate the push-bar by exclusively leaning with the hand or other body part against the bar. The spacing of the bar element from the surface of the door allows to use the push-bar also to pull the door, for example to close it; this is not allowed by push-bars according to the prior art, in which the bar element is accommodated in the profiled element for connection to the door. Moreover, the possibility to adjust the length of the bar element is considerably simplified, since said bar element can be cut to the chosen size, according to the requirements, and then be easily inserted, with its threaded bar, between the couplings which are meant to connect it to the surface of the door. The configuration of the couplings provided according to the present invention allows to use a same push-bar for both sides of a door: the only change is in fact constituted by the orientation of the pawl 40 which engages the pivot of the lock. This of course entails a saving on production costs, since it requires a single model of push-bar. The push-bar thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; furthermore all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI98A000492 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: A push-bar unit for doors in general, comprising: a bar element (2) extending between first and second ends thereof along a plane which is perpendicular to a surface plane of a door (5); couplings provided at the ends of said bar element for connection to the door; characterized in that it comprises a threaded bar (7) arranged inside said bar element (2), parallel to said bar element (2), each end of said bar element being connected to lever means (13, 14) which are in turn pivoted at one end to said bar element (2) and at the other end to a pusher (25) whose rotation, following pressure applied to said bar element (2) , causes the rotation of a pawl (40) which is adapted to engage the pivot of the lock of said door (5) to turn it for opening, a free space being provided between said bar element (2) and the surface of said door (5) to which said bar element (2) is connected. The push-bar according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said lever means provided at each end of said bar element comprises two mutually parallel plates (13, 14) which are pivoted to shoulders (10, 11) rigidly coupled to the ends of said bar element (2), fixing elements (8, 9) being provided which are connected between said plates (13, 14) and allow the insertion and locking of said threaded bar (7). The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a said fixing element (9) for fixing at least one of the ends of said bar element (2) has a passage hole for the insertion of said threaded bar (7), the diameter of said hole being larger than the diameter Qf said threaded bar (7). The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pusher (25) is pivoted to a plate-like element (30) with raised walls which is adapted to be connected to the surface of said door (5). The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a return spring (51) which is connected to said plate-like element (30) and to said pusher (25), for the return of said bar element (2) into the inactive position following a pushing action. The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at one end of said bar element (2) a said fixing element (8) is provided for said threaded bar (7) which is screwed therein. The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate-like element (30) with raised walls has a C-shaped profile. The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided with an enclosure (3, 4) for each one of said couplings of the bar element. The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided, for each end of said bar element (2), with a covering element (44) which is arranged vertically with respect to the surface of said door (5) and to said bar (2) for covering, together with each of said enclosures (3, 4), the coupling related to the end of said bar element (2). The push-bar according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate-like element (30) with raised walls and with a C-shaped profile is provided with three elastic tabs (70), which are arranged vertically with respect to the surface of said plate-like element (30), that is meant to be connected to said door (5) and allow a push-fit connection of said . covering enclosures (3, 4).

Inventors: LOCHER GEBHARD MEINRAD
Applicants: LOCHER GEBHARD MEINRAD
Application year: 1999
Main classification: E05B65
IPC codes: E05B65