Abstract:
Apparatuses and methods for securing a door. The apparatuses including a door clamp having a stop, a base attached to the stop, a jamb bracket attached to the stop, and a fastener coupled to the jamb bracket. The methods including positioning a stop portion of a clamp horizontally, sliding the stop portion of the clamp under a door and past a far side of the door, rotating the clamp such that the stop portion is vertical, moving the clamp to adjacent a doorjamb, and placing a pin extending through the clamp into the door jamb.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    None. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    The present invention is concerned with securing a door. An embodiment of the invention secures a door against an intruder where the intruder can gain access to the doorknob or handle area on both sides of the door. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]    In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to have a locking mechanism that locks a door from the inside—that is from the side toward which the door closes, as opposed to the side toward which the door swings open—where a conventional door lock is not available or can be unlocked from the outside, for example, by use of a key or by breaking a window and reaching through the window to turn the inner doorknob or a lock near the inner doorknob. Such a locking mechanism may, for example, be beneficial in a school classroom setting when there is a lockdown situation where a teacher is instructed to safeguard students in the classroom when there is a disruption or dangerous situation existing elsewhere in or around the school. 
         [0004]    In a school classroom, doors typically swing out away from the classrooms and toward the hallway. Moreover, school classroom doors frequently have a locking mechanism that may be operated by key from the outside the classroom, but not from the inside the classroom. Such a door locking arrangement may be desirable to prevent access to the room when it is not to be occupied and to prevent a student or other person from entering the room and locking teachers, administration, or security out of the room. Such a school door locking arrangement may, however, be disadvantageous during, for example, a lockdown situation. 
         [0005]    School classroom doors also generally have a window that extends to near the knob. That window could be broken permitting a person outside the door to reach through the window and turn the knob from the inside to circumvent a knob based lock or a lock positioned near the knob. Deadbolts and other locking mechanisms are typically not used in classroom door applications, again, to prevent anyone inside the room from locking the door, such as a student locking a teacher, administrator, or security officer out of the classroom. Thus a door, such as the typical classroom door described hereinabove, may not be suited for a situation where the door is desired to be secured from the inside, for example when a lockdown situation arises. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, it may be desirable to have a locking or clamping mechanism that is separate from the door and may be applied to the door from the side on which the door closes to prevent the door from being opened by someone outside the door. Such a door clamp could be self-contained, portable, and able to be secured and accessed by a limited number of people. 
         [0007]    Such a door clamp may be used at schools, offices, post offices, hospitals, or any facility where doors open outward and are without a secure built in locking mechanism on the inside. The jamb lock door clamp described herein may thus provide security in situations, including lockdowns, where intruders must be prevented from entering a room. 
         [0008]    Certain embodiments of the present door clamping mechanism provide apparatuses and methods to prevent access to a room by preventing a person outside the room from unlocking a door from outside the door and from opening the door by either of its interior or exterior knobs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]    Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and apparatuses for securing doors. 
         [0010]    In accordance with one embodiment, the jamb lock door clamp includes a stop, a base attached to the stop, a jamb bracket attached to the base, and a fastener coupled to the jamb bracket. 
         [0011]    In accordance with another embodiment, a jamb lock door clamp includes a threaded, axially bored guide to be threaded through the jamb bracket and to hold the jamb lock door clamp in place while serving as a guide for forming a hole in a door frame. In that method of installing a door clamp, a hollow guide having an axial longitudinal bore through its length is placed in a pin orifice of a door clamp, the door clamp is positioned in relation to a door and door frame, the hollow guide is tightened against the door frame, and a hole is formed in the door frame through the hollow guide. 
         [0012]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method of securing a door is provided. The method includes positioning a stop portion of a clamp horizontally, sliding the stop portion of the clamp under a door and past a far side of the door, rotating the clamp such that the stop portion is vertical, moving the clamp to adjacent a door frame, and placing a pin extending through the clamp into the door frame. 
         [0013]    Accordingly, the present invention provides solutions to the shortcomings of prior door securing systems, apparatuses, and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, therefore, that those and other details, features, and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0014]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, include one or more embodiments of the invention, and together with a general description given above and a detailed description given below, serve to disclose principles of embodiments of jamb lock door clamping devices and methods of securing a door. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of a jamb lock door clamp; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a door and frame with the door clamp of  FIG. 1  applied thereto; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged top view of a portion of the door, frame, and door clamp depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of a hollow bolt guide; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  illustrates an isometric view of another embodiment of a jamb lock door clamp; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of the door clamp of  FIG. 5  positioned adjacent the door and frame of  FIG. 2  with the hollow guide of  FIG. 4  positioned for forming a fastener hole; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side view of a portion of the inner side of the door and frame of  FIG. 2  with the door clamp of  FIG. 5  and hollow guide of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  illustrates the portion of the inner side of the door and frame of  FIG. 7  with the door clamp of  FIG. 5  and a holding pin threaded into the pin orifice of the door clamp. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]    Jamb lock door clamping apparatuses and methods of securing a door are described herein. Reference will now be made to embodiments of those door clamping apparatuses and methods of securing a door, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Details, features, and advantages of the jamb lock door clamp will become further apparent in the following detailed description of embodiments thereof. It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions included herein illustrate and describe elements that are of particular relevance to jamb lock door clamping apparatuses and methods of securing a door while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements found in typical door systems. 
         [0024]    Any reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “a certain embodiment,” or any other reference to an embodiment is intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment and may be utilized in other embodiments as well. Moreover, the appearances of such terms in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. References to “or” are furthermore intended as inclusive so “or” may indicate one or another of the ored terms or more than one ored term. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of a jamb lock door clamp  100 . The jamb lock door clamp  100  includes a stop  110 , a base  120 , a jamb bracket  130 , and a fastener  140 . The door clamp  100  also has an inner side  150  and an outer side  152 . 
         [0026]    The stop  110  depicted in  FIG. 1  is arranged at a 90° or right angle to the base  120  such that the stop  110  may extend along or near an outer surface of a door while the base  120  is situated under the door. The jamb bracket  130  is also arranged at a 90° or right angle to the base  120  and perpendicular to the stop  110  such that the jamb bracket  130  may extend along an inner surface of a door jamb while the base  120  is situated under the door and the stop  110  extends along the door. Alternately, the stop  110  and the jamb bracket  130  may be configured in relation to the base  120  as desired to suit a desired door configuration. 
         [0027]    The base  120  illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes an angled portion  122  contoured to fit against certain doors. As will be seen in connection door clamp  400  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , such an angled portion is optional. 
         [0028]    A fastener orifice  160  may be created in the jamb bracket  130 . The fastener orifice  160  may be a threaded hole such that a threaded portion  178  of a holding pin  170  may be positioned through the fastener orifice  160 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The holding pin  170  may furthermore extend through the fastener orifice  160  and extend past the inner side  150  of the jamb bracket  130 . 
         [0029]    In an embodiment, the holding pin  170  is a threaded pin with a plunger  176  of the pull-ring, lever, T-handle or other desired type disposed therein. That type of holding pin  170  includes a spring-biased plunger  176  that extends through the threaded portion  178  of the holding pin  170 . In such an embodiment, the threaded portion  178  of the holding pin  170  may be threaded into the fastener orifice  160  but not through the inner side  150  of the door clamp  100 . The spring-biased plunger  176  may then be pulled against the bias of the spring so that the spring-biased plunger  176  does not extend through the inner side  150  of the door clamp  100  and, when the door clamp  100  is properly positioned, the spring-biased plunger  176  may be released so that the spring-loaded plunger  176  extends through the inner side  150  of the door clamp  100 . 
         [0030]    The holding pin  170  may have one or more portions formed for ease of turning the holding pin  170  and thereby threading the holding pin  170  through the fastener orifice  160 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the threaded portion  178  of the holding pin  170  may include a hex head  172  of the type that is frequently turned using a wrench. 
         [0031]    Also as shown in  FIG. 1 , the holding pin  170  may have one or more portions formed to facilitate pulling the spring-biased plunger  176  against the spring-bias, such as the ring  174 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a door  200  and frame  220  with a jamb lock door clamp  100  affixed thereto. The door  200  is attached to the frame  220  by hinges  224 . The door  200  may be attached by any desired number of hinges  224 , from 2 to 4 or more. The hinges  224  typically include two halves, a door side hinge  226  and a frame side hinge  228 , coupled by a hinge pin  230  such that the door side hinge  226  and the frame side hinge  228  rotate around the hinge pin  230 , permitting the door  200  to swing open in one direction and closed in the opposite direction. The hinges  224  are commonly attached to the door  200  and the frame  220  by screws, but may be attached in any way desired. 
         [0033]    The door  200  latches into a latch side jamb  232  portion of the frame  220 . A strip  232  extends from the frame  220  or is formed in the frame  220  to stop the door  200  when the door  200  is closed. The door frame  220  further includes a facing surface  236  adjacent the door  200  when the door  200  is closed, an inner surface  238 , and an outer surface  240 . 
         [0034]    The door  200  has an outer side  250  facing the direction in which the door swings open and an inner side  252  facing the direction toward which the door  200  swings closed. The edge  254  of the inner side  252  of the door  200  thus rests adjacent the strip  232  when the door is closed. 
         [0035]    A fastener hole  260  may be created in the door frame  220  for positive engagement of the door clamp  100  to the door frame  220 . The fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220  may be created in various ways. For example, the fastener hole  260  may be created by positioning the jamb lock door clamp  200  and marking the hole through the fastener orifice  160  with a scriber, pencil, or other marking instrument. Then the jamb lock door clamp  200  may be removed and a hole may be drilled or otherwise formed in the door frame  220  at the mark so that the holding pin  170  can extend into the door frame  220  when the jamb lock door clamp  100  is positioned in its locking position. It should be noted that the fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220  may be threaded, but need not necessarily be threaded to secure the jamb lock door clamp  100  in place by way of the holding pin  170  because movement of the jamb lock door clamp  100  lengthwise along the base  120  is limited by the stop  110  contacting the outer side  250  of the door  200 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion of the door  200  and frame  220  depicted in  FIG. 2  having the jamb lock door clamp  100  affixed thereto. The door clamp  100  may be shaped as desired to fit any desired door. For example, the door clamp  100  depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  has a bend  122  in the base  120  to fit around the strip  234  attached to a door frame  220 . In that embodiment, the bend  122  of the base  120  extends along the strip  234  and facing surface  236  of the frame  220 . The jamb bracket  130  turns perpendicular to the base  120  to extend along the inner surface  238  of the door frame  220 . In that embodiment, the holding pin  170  extends perpendicular to the inner side  252  and outer side  250  of the door  200  through the jamb bracket  130  and into the door frame  220 . In that embodiment, the holding pin  170 , when inserted into the fastener hole  260 , prevents the jamb lock door clamp  100  from moving away from the door frame  220 . 
         [0037]    The jamb lock door clamp  100  may be used to secure a door, such as the door  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , quickly and easily. In an embodiment of door clamp  100  operation, the door clamp  100  depicted in  FIG. 1  is positioned on the floor near the door  200 . The door clamp  100  is positioned such that the stop  110  of the door clamp  100  is horizontal. The stop  110  is then slid under the door  200  and past the outer side  250  of the door  200 . Once the stop  110  is extended past the outer side  250  of the door  200 , the door clamp  100  is rotated 90° so that the stop  110  is vertical. The door clamp  100  is then moved to adjacent the door frame  220 . As may be seen in  FIG. 2 , the stop  110  of the door clamp  100  may be positioned against the side of the door frame  220  opposite the hinges  224  that swings away from the door frame  220 . The holding pin  170  may then be placed against or extended into the door frame  220 . 
         [0038]    As may be seen in  FIG. 3 , the holding pin  170  may be placed through the door clamp  100  as desired, including by threading a portion  178  of the holding pin  170  into the door clamp  100 . The holding pin  170  may furthermore extend through the door clamp  100  into the door frame  220  by pulling the spring-biased plunger  176  of the holding pin  170  until the spring-biased plunger  176  of the holding pin  170  is nearly flush with the inner surface  150  of the door clamp  100 , moving the door clamp  100  toward or against the door frame  220  so that the holding pin  170  is aligned with the fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220 , and releasing the spring biased plunger  176  of the holding pin  170  such that the spring biased plunger  176  extends into the fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220 . 
         [0039]    Thus, the threaded portion  178  of the holding pin  170  may be screwed into the door clamp  100  by hand, wrench or as desired, and remain there when the door clamp  100  is not in use. Then, when the door clamp  100  is used, the person positioning the door clamp  100  may pull the spring-biased plunger  176  using the ring  174  or otherwise as desired, until the holding pin  170  is in contact with the door frame  220 . The user may then release the spring-biased plunger  176  and move the door clamp  100  until the holding pin  170  is aligned with the fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220  and the spring-biased plunger  176  extends into the fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  illustrates a hollow guide  300  that may be used when creating the fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220 . The hollow guide  300  may be a standard machine threaded bolt, axially bored through the hollow guide  300 . Thus the hollow guide  300  depicted in  FIG. 4  is, bored longitudinally through the center and for the length of the hollow guide  300 . The hollow guide  300  embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4  includes a hex head  304 , an externally threaded shaft  306 , and an axial bore  308  through the longitudinal length  310  of the hollow guide  300 . 
         [0041]    In operation, the hollow guide  300  may be threaded into the fastener orifice  160  of the jamb lock door clamp  100 . The door clamp  100  may then be positioned against a door  200  and door frame  220  and the hollow guide  300  may be tightened against the door frame  220 . Next, a fastener hole  260  may be bored into the door frame  220  through the hollow guide  300  by any means desired. In an embodiment, the fastener hole  260  is drilled into the door frame  220  using a drill having a bit that extends through the hollow guide  300 . After the fastener hole  260  has been formed in the door frame  220 , the hollow guide  300  may be removed from the door clamp  100  and the holding pin  170  may be threaded into the door clamp  100  in place of the hollow guide  300 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of the jamb lock door clamp  400  in the form of a hooked bracket. The hooked bracket type door clamp  400  includes a door hook portion  402  that slips under a door  200  and is turned to be positioned adjacent the outer side  250  of the door  200 . The hooked bracket type door clamp  400  illustrated in  FIG. 5  also includes a frame hook portion  404  that is placed adjacent the door frame  220 . The door hook portion  402  extends from a first end  408  of a central portion  406  and the frame hook portion  404  extends from an opposite second end  410  of the central portion  406  in the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 5 . A fastener  440 , such as the holding pin  170  described hereinabove, may be placed through an orifice  460  in the jamb lock door clamp  400 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the orifice  460  is located in the frame hook portion  404  of the jamb lock door clamp  400  such that the fastener  440  can extend into the inner surface  238  of the door frame  220 . It should be noted that the frame hook portion  404  may not be necessary in certain embodiments where the door clamp  400  may be pinned, attached, or otherwise secured to the facing surface  236  of the door frame  220  without turning along the inner surface  238  of the door frame  220 . Thus, the orifice  460  may be located in the jamb lock door clamp  400  such that the fastener  440  extends into the inner surface  238  of the door frame  220 . 
         [0043]    An embodiment of a method of installing the jamb lock door clamp  400  includes threading the hollow guide  300  depicted in  FIG. 4  into the jamb lock door clamp  400 . The jamb lock door clamp  400  is then positioned around the door  200  and against the door frame  220  as it is to be used. A fastener hole  260  is then created in the door frame  220  so that, when the hollow guide  300  is replaced with the fastener  440 , the fastener  440  can extend through the jamb lock door clamp  400  into a fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220 , thereby securing the jamb lock door clamp  400  in its locking position. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of the door clamp  400  positioned adjacent a door  200  and frame  220  with the hollow guide  300  positioned for forming a fastener hole  260  in the door frame  220 . As may be seen, the door clamp  400  is positioned adjacent the door frame  220  and the hollow guide  300  is threaded through the orifice  460  and tightened against the inner surface  238  of the door frame  220  to hold the door clamp  400  in place. The fastener hole  260  may then be formed through the hollow guide  300  by, for example, drilling through the hollow guide  300  into the door frame  220 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 7  illustrates a view of a portion of the inner side of the door  252  and frame  220  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . A jamb lock door clamp  400  is positioned adjacent the door  200  and frame  220  with the hollow guide  300  holding the door clamp  400  in place for drilling the fastener hole  260 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 8  illustrates the portion of the inner side of the door  252  illustrated in  FIG. 6  with the hollow guide  300  removed from the door clamp  400  and the fastener  440  threaded into the fastener orifice  160  of the door clamp  400  in place of the hollow guide  300 . As may be seen in  FIG. 8 , the door hook portion  402  of the door clamp  400  is positioned adjacent the outer side  250  of the door  200  and the frame hook portion  404  is fastened to the door frame  220  by the fastener  440 . 
         [0047]    Whether including or not including the frame hook portion  404 , the door clamp  400  can be attached to a door  200  and frame  220  by hand in seconds without tools or keys and is independent of a doorknob or handle assembly. The jamb lock door clamp  400  can furthermore be put in place and removed from inside a room without opening the door  200 . 
         [0048]    When operating the embodiment of the jamb lock door clamp  400  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a user may rotate the jamb lock door clamp  400  such that the door hook portion  402  extends parallel to the floor and the perpendicular frame hook portion  404  extends upward from the floor. The jamb lock door clamp  400  may then be slid under the door  200  and rotated so that the door hook portion  402  extends up along the outer side  250  of the door  200  and the perpendicular frame hook portion  404  of the jamb lock door clamp  400  extends along the inner side  238  of the frame  220 . The fastener  440  may then be placed through the jamb lock door clamp  400  such that the fastener  440  extends into the door frame  220 . 
         [0049]    The jamb lock door clamp  400 , when placed in its locking position, thus extends under the door  200 , clamping the outer side  250  of the door  200  against the door frame  220  inside the room. When positioned such, the jamb lock door clamp  400  secures a door  200  closed against the door frame  220 . When securing the door  200 , the door hook portion  402  extends along the outer side  250  of the door  200 , the central portion  400  extends under the door  200 , the frame hook portion  404  extends along the door frame  220  and the fastener  440  extends through the jamb lock door clamp  200  into the door frame  220 . 
         [0050]    While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it have the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.