Abstract:
A rod casing for activating vertically arranged latch bolts, the casing and latch bolts arranged in an active stile of a door and engageable to a door frame. The rod casing provides a vertically slidable actuator cam engageable by both a lock/unlock actuator and a delatch or dogging actuator. The lock/unlock actuator and the delatch actuator are rotatably mounted upon a spindle piece which itself is rotatable by a user such as by a key-activated lock cylinder. The lock-unlock actuator when rotated, slidingly abuts the actuator cam and drives the actuator cam vertically upward to cause unlatching of the latch bolts. The delatch actuator, upon rotation of the spindle piece in an opposite direction underlies the actuator cam and dogs the actuator cam in its vertically risen position. A panic exit device is also provided which has a lift plate mounted fixedly to the rod slide, the lift plate liftable by a pivoting of a lift lever, the lift lever pivoted by a lateral thrusting of a push plate slidably held beneath a push pad of the panic exit device. When compressed by a user, the push pad compresses two motion actuators housed beneath the push pad which laterally translate the push plate toward the lift lever. A spring loaded panic exit device dogging mechanism is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 734,566, filed Jul. 23, 1991. 
    
    
     The present invention relates to a case assembly or mechanism for activating and deactivating vertically operating bolts extending from the top and bottom of a door stile and engageable with a door frame. In particular, the case assembly can be activated by a key and key cylinder or a panic exit bar or other device for raising a bottom bolt and retracting an upper bolt or disengaging an upper and lower latch to allow the door to freely swing open. The present invention particularly relates to a means of retracting the upper and lower latch bolts and a means for &#34;dogging&#34; or selectively holding the latch bolts or latches in their retracted or disengaged position. 
     The present invention also relates to a panic exit bar or panic exit device which utilizes a push bar for translating an inward thrust on the device to an actuation of a door latching mechanism which operates vertically arranged bolts extending from the top and bottom of a door stile engageable with a door frame. Examples of panic exit devices are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,335 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,988. 
     A variety of dogging devices are known in the prior art. These dogging devices selectively hold latches in a retracted position. Such dogging devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,335, U.S. Pat. No. 3,374,649, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,490. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, easily manufactured, rod and case assembly for both unlocking or disengaging the upper and lower latches from a door frame and also dogging the latches in their disengaged condition. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, smooth operating, rugged and cost effective panic exit device in mechanical communication with the rod and case assembly to disengage the upper and lower latches from a door frame and which can provide means for dogging the panic exit device in its actuated condition. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a rod and case assembly which can be dogged in the disengaged condition either by a key lock actuator or by an adjustment to the panic exit device, thus providing alternate means to dog open the latches from outside of the door or inside of the door. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide the rod and case assembly for installation in an active door stile of a door and provide key activation of both the unlocking feature and the dogging feature of the case and rod assembly. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a simple rod and case assembly having minimum of parts. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a rugged, durable rod and case assembly for unlocking and, additionally, dogging vertical latches. 
     The objects of the invention are inventively achieved in that a rod and case assembly is provided with a casing assembly engaged to vertically extending rods, the rods engaged to upper and lower latches for engaging and disengaging a door frame. The casing assembly provides a lock/unlock and retract cam fixed to a rod slide movable vertically within a housing. The housing is anchored within the door stile. The lock/unlock retract cam is activated by a lock/unlock actuator which can be key operated or mechanically operated, such as by a manual exit device. The lock/unlock retract cam is also engageable by a latch retract actuator which is engageable with the lock/unlock retract cam to dog the latches in a disengaged condition for convenient unlocked use of the otherwise automatically latching door. 
     The objects are inventively achieved in that both the latch retract actuator and the lock/unlock actuator can be engaged by a single cylinder hub for rotatable engagement and disengagement with the lock/latch retract cam. 
     The rod and case assembly achieves a compact and reliable configuration, easily installed, having a minimum of parts, while still being reliable and cost effective. 
     The panic exit device of the present invention provides a push bar which, through the use of a pair of lever devices, laterally thrusts a push plate having a forked end, toward the rod and case assembly. The push plate is laterally guided inside a channeled base. The forked end of the push plate engages a rotatable lift lever which causes the lift lever to pivot and extend upwardly its distal end to raise a lift plate which moves vertically in fixed relationship with the rod slide. Thus, inward thrusting of the panic exit push bar effects a lifting on the rod slide which itself is engaged to the upper and lower latches through the vertically extending rods. 
     The panic exit device is remarkably simple with a minimum of moving parts. 
     The panic exit device further provides an actuatable dogging latch which, when the panic exit device is fully compressed, can be actuated to lock the push bar to the base to dog the latches in a disengaged condition. The dogging latch is spring actuated to remain in the undogged condition until a user inserts a tool to displace the latch for hooking engagement with a pin fixed with respect to the base. 
     Conveniently utilized with the present invention is an upper latch assembly according to U.S. Ser. No. 664,797 filed Mar. 5, 1991 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,192, issued May 19, 1992, and a lower latch assembly such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,988, both of which disclosures are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the rod casing of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the rod casing shown in FIG. 1 with a cover partially removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the rod casing of FIG. 1 mounted inside an active door stile and having extending rods and latches; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the casing and rod assembly of FIG. 3 taken generally along IV--IV; 
     FIGS. 5-11 are front elevational views of the rod casing assembly in particular operational conditions, with a cover removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial front elevational view of the rod casing assembly of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the rod casing assembly of FIG. 11 taken generally along line XIII--XIII; and 
     FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of a combination rod and casing assembly and a panic exit device of the present invention with a push pad removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the assembly in the panic exit device of FIG. 14 taken generally along line XV--XV; 
     FIG. 16 is an enlarged partial elevational view of the panic exit device and rod and casing assembly of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken generally along line XVII--XVII of FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the panic exit device of FIG. 17, but in a depressed condition; 
     FIG. 19a-19c are sectional views taken generally along line XIXa--XIXa of FIG. 16 in three stages of compression. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the rod casing assembly 10 of the present invention. The casing assembly 10 comprises a chassis 20, a rod slide 24, and a cover 28. Also provided as part of the assembly is a lock/latch retract cam 30, a lock/unlock actuator 34, a latch retract actuator 38, and a cylinder hub 42, comprising in exploded form a left hub 42a, a right hub 42b, and a spindle piece 42c. 
     FIG. 2 shows the rod casing assembly 10 with portions of the cover 28 removed for clarity. The rod slide 24 fits within the chassis 20 and is held therein in axially sliding fashion. The chassis 20 is provided with axial mounting slots 46 which capture two bolts or pins 48 through the rod slide 24. Therefore, the rod slide 24 can move vertically or axially with respect to the chassis 20. The rod slide 24 mounts at a top end 24a a first latch rod 50, and at a bottom end 24b a second latch rod 52 for engaging and disengaging a first latch 56 (shown in FIG. 4) and a second latch 58 (shown in FIG. 3) for latching and delatching an active stile 70 of a door 72 to a door frame 74 (shown in FIG. 3). 
     Mounted in a fixed manner to the rod slide 24 is a lock/latch retract cam 62. The lock/latch retract cam 62 moves vertically with the rod slide 24 within the chassis 20. 
     Mounted to the cover 28 and the chassis 20 and penetrating an open space 66 at a back of the rod slide 24 is the cylinder hub 42. The cylinder hub 42 acts as an interface between a key cylinder 68 (shown schematically in FIG. 4) and the rod casing assembly 10. Rotation of a key in the key cylinder 68 would impart rotation to the cylinder hub 42 about an axis into the page of FIG. 2. 
     The cylinder hub 42, when assembled, captures the latch retract actuator 38 and the lock/unlock actuator 34 on its axis of rotation by piercing central apertures 38a, 34a of the latch retract actuator and the lock/unlock actuator respectively (shown in FIG. 1). These central apertures 34a, 38a are pierced by the spindle piece 42c and are fashioned to be selectively rotatable by the spindle piece 42c. Thus, when the cylinder hub 42 is assembled, rotation of the cylinder hub 42 along its axis imparts selective rotation to the latch retract actuator 38 and the lock/unlock actuator 34. However, rotation of the spindle piece 42c within the formed apertures 34a, 38a has sufficient degree of free rotational travel with respect to the latch retract actuator 38 and lock/unlock actuator 34 to selectively rotate the latch retract actuator 38 and the lock/unlock actuator 34 independently in order to perform the required functions. 
     FIG. 3 shows the rod casing assembly 10 mounted to the active stile 70 of the door 72 fit into the door frame 74. The upward latch 56 is of a type more fully described in pending application Ser. No. 664,797, filed Mar. 5, 1991 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,192, issued May 19, 1992, and the lower latch is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,988. A variety of known latches can be utilized with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows the casing assembly 10 mounted to the door stile 70 by two screws 80a, 80b. The cylinder hub 42 is shown in a position to be engaged by the lock cylinder 68. It is to be noted from FIGS. 3 and 4 that upward movement of the rods 50, 52 disengages the latches 50, 52. 
     FIGS. 5-11 show the rod casing assembly 10 in various stages of operation. In FIG. 5 the cylinder hub 42 is being rotated counter clockwise which causes the spindle piece 42c to rotate the lock/unlock actuator 34 counter clockwise. The spindle piece 42c abuts corners 34c, 34d to rotate the lock/unlock actuator 34 as can be derived from FIG. 12 for counter-clockwise rotation of the spindle piece 42c. The lock/unlock actuator 34 has extending horizontally therefrom a lock actuating pin 34b which slides along the cammed surface 30a of the cam 30, driving the cam 30 upward which drives the rod slide 24 upward, which drives the rods 50, 52 upward. 
     FIG. 6 shows the travel of the lock/unlock actuator 34 complete. The latches 56, 58 have been fully retracted (not shown) and the door can be opened. The cam 30 rests upon the actuating pin 34b. 
     FIG. 7 shows the cylinder hub 42 released such as when an operator of a key has released pressure on the key. By the weight of the rods 50, 52, the cam 30 has fallen down with the actuator pin 34b riding along the cam surface 30a and returning to its original position. This is an &#34;undogged&#34; or &#34;latch activated&#34; condition. 
     FIG. 8 shows the latch retract actuator 38 rotated clockwise with a dogging actuating pin 38b rotated beneath the cam 30 which had been in an elevated position. This positioning of the retract actuator 38 would generally follow the condition shown in FIG. 6 where clockwise rotation of the cylinder hub from the condition of FIG. 6 would permit the retract actuator 38 to displace the lock/unlock actuator 34 to underlie the cam 30. 
     FIG. 9 shows the retract actuator 38 rotated further still clockwise. This further rotation occurs against a resilient deformation force of the cam 30. An exemplary material chosen for the retract cam 30 is polycarb LNP-4010 white or natural as this material allows a small amount of resilient compression. As FIG. 12 shows, this resiliency allows for some deformation along an area of contact 30b at a trailing end of the cam 30. Additionally, a hole 30c is formed into the cam 30 near to the point of contact 30b with the retract actuating pin 38b which assists, by removing material from the retract cam 30, in this resilient compression of the retract cam 30. This resilient compression provides two benefits, first, it holds or grips the retract actuator firmly in the dogging position or the latch retract position even during the shock and impact that occurs as the door opens and closes to the door frame. Secondly, an additional benefit is that the resilient compression force to be overcome to dog the cam 30 prevents the cam 30 and the retract actuator 38 from accidentally engaging into a dogged or latch retract position at an incorrect time. 
     FIG. 10 shows the operation for removing the assembly from the dogged position or the latch retract position as shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 10, the lock/unlock actuator 34, which is arranged behind the latch retract actuator 38 on the cylinder hub 42, interferes with the latch retract actuator 38 by abutting the latch retract actuator 38 with the lock actuating pin 34b. This pushes the latch retract actuator counter clockwise past the spring-like resilient capture of the cam 30. After the latch retract actuator has passed the cam 30 the assembly reverts to the undogged or latch activated condition. FIG. 11 shows the assembly fully returned to this condition. 
     FIG. 12 explains the relationship between the spindle piece 42c and the latch retract actuator 38 and the lock/unlock actuator 34. Each of the latch retract actuator 38 and the lock/unlock actuator 34 comprises two corners formed into the interior of the respective apertures 34a, 34b. The apertures 34a, 34b are otherwise circular. These corners are arranged to allow approximately 90° of freedom for the spindle piece 42c within the apertures 34a, 34b. The latch retract actuator 38 provides corners 38c and 38d respectively and the lock/unlock actuator provides corners 34c, 34d respectively. The arrangement of these corners with the spindle piece 42c provides that each of the actuators 34, 38 has approximately 90° of rotational play with regard to the movement of the spindle 42c within the respective apertures 38a, 34a. 
     With regard to the movement of the mechanism from FIG. 6 to the condition of FIG. 8, when the spindle piece 42c is turned clockwise from the condition of FIG. 6 the latch retract actuator 38 moves clockwise before the lock/unlock actuator begins to move clockwise because of the 90° play of the spindle piece 42c and the arrangement of the corners 34c, 34d. Thus, the latch retract actuator 38 is able to underlie the cam surface 30a before the cam surface 30a proceeds downwardly to any great extent. 
     FIG. 13 shows in sectional view the casing assembly 10 including the arrangement of the actuators 34, 38 on the cylinder hub 42. The cover piece 28 is shown mounted to a top of the chassis 20. The cylinder hub 42 is shown mounted through the open back portion 66 of the rod slide 24. Thus, the rod slide 24 can proceed up and down axially without interfering with the cylinder hub 42. The pins 48 are shown in place through the cover 28 and chassis 20. 
     FIG. 14 shows an alternate assembly wherein the front of the door holds a panic exit device 150 for manually retracting the latch bolts 56, 58. In FIG. 14, the rod and casing assembly 10 has been reoriented for the key cylinder 68 to face a backside of the door, preferably an outside of the inside area from which egress is desired using a panic exit device 150. Mounted fixedly to a backside of the chassis 20 is a base 152 by the use of two spacer studs 154. The spacer studs 154 fixedly attach the base 152 to the housing 20, but at the same time allow a clearance therebetween. Mounted slidingly with respect to the base 152 is a lift plate 158 which has a first hole 160 and a second hole 162 therethrough. The first hole 160 carries a lift pin 166 therethrough and the second hole 162 holds a guidepin 168 therethrough. The lift plate 158 has a circular notch 170 arranged on a lateral side facing the panic exit device 150. The panic exit device has a pivoting lift lever 176 with a rounded end 176a interfitting into the rounded notch 170. The lifting lever is pivotally attached by a lift axle 178 to an outwardly extending tab 180 of the base 152. The base 152 thereby comprises generally a T shape turned on its side. The lifting lever 176 comprises a rounded collar portion 182 bounded by a lower shoulder 186 and an upper shoulder 188. The panic exit device has held slidingly therein a push plate 190 which has a forked end 194 which is sized to engage around the collar portion 182. 
     FIG. 14 shows the latches 56, 58 in an engaged condition with the door frame 74. 
     FIG. 15 shows in side view the panic exit device 150 and the rod and case assembly 10. The cylinder hub 42 is shown engaged to the lock cylinder 68. The interaction between the panic exit device and the rod and case assembly as previously described is explained in this figure. The base 152 is shown mounted to the chassis 20 using the spacer studs 154. The lift pin 166 is shown piercing the hole 160 of the lift plate, penetrating the base 152 through a slot 200 (shown in FIG. 16), penetrating the slot 46 of the chassis 20 (shown in FIG. 2) and engaged through the aperture 48&#39; of the rod slide (shown in FIG. 2). Thereby, an upward lifting force on the lift plate 152 translates the lift pin upwardly through the slots 200, 46, and by virtue of piercing the aperture 48&#39; of the rod slide 24 lifts the rod slide with the lift plate 152. A lock ring 166a can be used on the outward side of the lift pin 166 to lock the lift pin in place. Additionally, a threaded screw 166b can be used to lock the lift pin on the rod slide end. Above the lift pin 166, the guidepin 168 is shown guiding vertical movement of the lift plate 158 with respect to the base 152. The guidepin 168 is fitted through the aperture 162 and the lift plate 158 and resides in a second slot 206 in the base 152 (shown in FIG. 16). 
     The panic exit device 150 provides a push pad 210 compressively mounted to a base channel 214. 
     FIG. 16 shows in more detail the working of the panic exit device 150. The lifting lever 176 is shown in an orientation lifted from the orientation shown in FIG. 14. In this condition, the panic exit device 150 has been compressed by a user and the lift plate 158 has been raised by the lifting lever 176 which has lifted the rod slide 24 and retracted the latch bolts 56, 58. The lifting lever 176 is shown with its rounded end 176a interfit into the rounded notch 170 of the lift plate 158, as the lifting lever 176 is pivoted upward, the rounded end 176a pivots inside the rounded portion 170. The lifting lever 176 pivots about the lift axle 178. Translation of the push plate 190 in the direction of arrow A pushes the forked end 194 against the lower shoulder 186 of the lifting lever 176 until the upper shoulder 188 abuts the forked end 194. The push plate 190 is translated by two motion actuators 250a, 250b. 
     The motion actuators 250a, 250b transform the inward thrusting movement of the push pad 210 into a lateral translating movement in the direction of the arrow A. Each motion actuator comprises an assembly having a push pad base 254; a first axle 256, a second axle 258; and a third axle 260; all axles held by a lever arm 262, the lever arm 262 held by a push pad bracket 264 (shown in FIG. 19a). 
     The push plate 190 has formed thereon and extending outwardly, a discontinuous pair of flanges 190a, 190b which form, with a back surface 190c of the push plate 190 a C-shape or channeled cross section. The flanges 190a, 190b are discontinuous to form notches 190d, 190e for interfitting therein the first axle 256 of each actuator 250a, 250b. By fitting the first axles 256 into the notches 190d, 190e translation force of the axles in a direction A will push or translate the push plate 190 in a direction A. An additional set of notches 190f, 190g are provided to allow for noninterference between the second axle 258 and the push plate 190 as the push pad 194 is depressed and the motion actuator 250a is thereby compressed. The push plate 190 is sized in length to terminate at an end 190h so that additional notches are not required to allow for noninterference with the second axle 258 of the second motion actuator 250b. A further, wider notch 190i, 190j is provided adjacent to the notches 190f, 190g to allow for noninterference with the third axle 260 and associated parts during compression of the first actuator 250a. Because the push plate 190 is terminated at the end 190h, no such notches are needed for the second motion actuator 250b. 
     FIG. 17 shows some construction details for the present invention. The push pad 210 provides a channel 210a for holding on an underside thereof a mounting plate 300. The mounting plate 300 holds thereon the push pad base 264 such as by screws. The push pad bracket 264 comprises a bracket plate 264a for mounting to the plate 300 and an inwardly extending C-shaped journal 264b for holding the third axle 260 therethrough. A spring 302 is wound around the third axle 260 and is pressed at a central portion 304 against the bracket plate 264a. Opposite ends of the spring 302 are biased against a cross beam 262a of the lever arm 262 (see FIG. 19a). The base channel 214 has a pocket 214a formed on an inside thereof to hold a channel base plate 310 which mounts thereon the push pad base 254 which includes a pad baseplate 254a which extends into a C-shaped slot journal 254b described hereinafter. 
     FIG. 18 shows the panic exit device 150 in a compressed condition, wherein the bracket 264 has been brought close to the channel base plate 310 and the third axles 260 have been brought generally aligned with the first and second axle pairs 256, 258. 
     FIGS. 19a-19c show the progressive compression of the panic exit device 150 and the action of the various cooperating parts. When the push pad 210 is progressed toward the base channel 214 to compress the panic exit device 150, the lever arms 262 pivot about the third axle 260 at both the first motion actuator 250a, and the second motion actuator 250b. Each C-shaped slot journal 254b of the push pad base 254 is formed with first upper and lower congruent slots 254c, d and second upper and lower congruent slots 254e, f. The first slots 254c, d capture the first axle 256 therethrough and the second slots 254e, 254f capture the second axle 258 therethrough. The first slots 254c, d are arranged elongated in a lateral direction of the arrow A and the second slots 254e, f are elongated in a direction inclined to both the lateral direction arrow A and the direction arrow B with a vector component in the direction of arrow B and a vector component in the direction of arrow A as the second axles 258 progress through the slots 254e, f. As the push pad 210 is progressed inwardly, the second axles 258 progress through the slots 254e, f with also a freedom of axial rotation and the first axle 256 proceeds laterally through the slots 254c, d also with a freedom of axial rotation. The effect of this arrangement is that the motion in a direction of arrow B of the push pad creates a lateral translation of the first axle 256 which pushes the push plate 190 in a direction A. Because of the orientation and angularity of the slots 254c, d and 254e, f, the push pad B can proceed directly inwardly without shifting either to the left or right of FIG. 19a during inward progression. The springs 302 bias the push pad 210 outwardly, such bias overcome by a user when progressing the push pad 210 inwardly. 
     FIG. 19a also shows a dogging device shown generally at 400 for dogging the push pad 210 compressed with the channel 214. The dogging device comprises a lever 402 having a hook end 404 which is fashioned to be able to engage into a groove 178a of the lift axle 178. The lever 402 is attached by two pins 406a, 406b to the base 300 of the push pad 210. A pair of flanges 300a are provided inwardly of the mounting plate 300 for holding the pins in a journaled or trunnion-like arrangement, only the bottom flange 300a is shown in FIG. 19a for clarity. The lever 402 is fashioned with two slots. A first slot 408 is elongated in the direction of arrow A. A second slot 410 is elongated according to an L shape both in the direction of arrow A and in the direction of arrow B. In normal use, the hook end 404 is arranged to abut a top surface 178b of the lift axle 178, so that no hooking into the channel 178a occurs. A spring 414 located in the second slot 410 in the A direction biases the hook end 404 in this orientation. When the hook end 404 abuts the surface 178b, the second slot 410 having freedom of movement in the direction B because the shape of the second slot, the hook end can deflect upon interference in the direction of arrow B. 
     When dogging of the panic exit device 150 is desired, a screwdriver or other type tool is inserted into a slot 210a formed in the push pad 210 to abut an angled surface 420 of the lever 402 which thrusts the lever against the bias of spring 414 directly opposite to the pointing direction of arrow A. When this occurs, the hook end 404 moves past the surface 178b and is laterally positioned to be able to hook into the slot 178a as shown in FIG. 19c. When the tool is released from the angled surface 420, the hook end 404 can rebound slightly in the pointing direction of arrow A to complete engagement with the groove 178a which accomplishes dogging of the push pad 210 to the channel 214 as shown in FIG. 19c. 
     The rod slide, actuators and other hardware associated with the panic exit device and latching mechanisms are preferably made of steel or other known metals for door hardware applications. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, those of skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.