Abstract:
An anti-panic bar comprises a fixed part ( 3 ) with a lock controlling element ( 5 ), and a support bar ( 4 ) mounted to pivot on the fixed part ( 3 ) about a longitudinal axis. In an inactive position, the support bar ( 4 ) takes up a position spaced apart from the fixed part ( 3 ), and in an active position, the support bar ( 4 ) takes up a position closer to the fixed part ( 3 ) and also activates the lock controlling element ( 5 ). The support bar ( 4 ) is an extruded profile binged about the longitudinal axis through a pivot point ( 40 ).

Description:
The invention relates to a panic bolt and a door equipped there with. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Prior art panic bolts require many production process steps, which tends to increase their unit cost. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The components used also impose a fairly small internal space. 
     A standard type of panic bolt used on panic doors has a crash bar articulated to a crash bar support. 
     There are two standard configuration types for articulated panic bolts: a working position and an idle position. In the idle position, the crash bar is in a position remote from the crash bar support. In the working position, which corresponds to opening the door, the crash bar is pushed toward the crash bar support when it is pushed downwardly. Returning it to the idle position necessitates return means to raise the crash bar. 
     In a different, push-in type of panic bolt, dedicated means are necessary to return the crash bar to a projecting position. This leads to panic bolts of the above kinds being complex and costly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention consists in a panic bolt that is simple to fabricate and offers greater reliability and a lower production cost. 
     To this end, the invention proposes a panic bolt including a fixed part having a bolt operating member and a crash bar that is mounted on said fixed part to pivot about a longitudinal axis between an idle position in which said crash bar occupies a position remote from said fixed part and a working position in which said crash bar occupies a position close to said fixed part and in which said crash bar activates said bolt operating member, characterized in that said crash bar comprises a member of profiled section articulated about said longitudinal axis by means of an articulation portion. 
     Thus the invention proposes an articulated panic bolt whose crash bar comprises a member of profiled section articulated about a longitudinal axis of a fixed part forming the crash bar support. This panic bolt has the advantage of using a crash bar in the form of a member of profiled section, which makes it simple to produce at extremely low cost. Also, using a member of profiled section frees up the space between the crash bar and the crash bar support, which simplifies the panic bolt and also simplifies fitting it. 
     According to a preferred feature of the invention, the panic bolt includes at least one abutment carried by said fixed part cooperating with at least one stop portion carried by said crash bar, their cooperation delimiting the range of movement in articulation of said crash bar. This limited range of movement controls the cooperation between the crash bar and the bolt operating member, which makes the panic bolt more reliable at the same time as preserving great simplicity of fabrication and fitting. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said articulation portion is situated in a lower portion of said crash bar and cooperates with an articulation portion of said fixed part to articulate the member of profiled section constituting said crash bar about said longitudinal axis and said crash bar includes a stop portion situated in an upper portion of said crash bar. Thus the invention proposes an articulated panic bolt whose mechanism is advantageously inverted compared to that of the articulated panic bolts cited above, i.e. a panic bolt in which an upward push is required to move it from the working position to the idle position. 
     Eliminating the return means produces a panic bolt that is simpler to fit, more economic to produce and more reliable; the return movement may be obtained simply by the effect of gravity. 
     In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the fixed part is a member of profiled section extending in the same direction as said crash bar. Using a member of profiled section to form the crash bar support further reduces production costs and further simplifies the fabrication and fitting of this kind of panic bolt. 
     According to an advantageous feature of the invention, in this first embodiment, said fixed part includes a longitudinal housing which is entered with clearance by a longitudinal edge of the member of profiled section of said crash bar. This feature makes the relationship between the crash bar and the crash bar support more efficient and more reliable. 
     Said longitudinal housing preferably includes at least one abutment carried by said fixed part cooperating with at least one stop portion carried by said crash bar, their cooperation delimiting the range of movement in articulation of said crash bar. Thus a panic bolt of this kind is easy to fit and extremely easy to manipulate. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, a plurality of abutments cooperate with one stop portion or one abutment cooperates with a plurality of stop portions. These two features may be combined. There is therefore a real delimitation of the angular freedom of movement at both ends. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said crash bar has a curved portion that enters said longitudinal housing via an opening at which is situated an abutment formed by a free end of said housing, and said stop portion is a rim at the end of said curved portion. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said fixed part includes longitudinal ribs adapted to receive said bolt operating member. The bolt operating member is therefore held optimally at the level of the crash bar support, at the same time as remaining very easy to fit. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said crash bar has a longitudinal articulation bead in the vicinity of a longitudinal edge of the member of profiled section that cooperates with a slotted tube of the member of profiled section constituting said fixed part to articulate said crash bar about said longitudinal axis. The crash bar is therefore effectively articulated to the crash bar support and the resulting panic bolt is easy to manipulate. 
     According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, said fixed part includes two lateral plates between which said crash bar is situated. Using two plates to form the crash bar support minimizes the space used by the crash bar support and the material used to produce it. 
     According to an advantageous feature of this other embodiment of the invention, each of said plates includes at least one abutment cooperating with at least one stop portion of said crash bar, their cooperation delimiting the range of movement in articulation of said crash bar. The panic bolt according to the invention is therefore simple to fit and provides good control of the cooperation of the crash bar with the plate. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, one abutment cooperates with a plurality of stop portions or a plurality of abutments cooperate with one stop portion. There is therefore a real limitation of the angular freedom of movement at both ends. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said crash bar has on the member of profiled section a lateral projection that forms said stop portion, said abutments being formed by edges of a window that is formed in one of said plates and which said lateral projection enters. 
     Alternatively, the member of profiled section constituting said crash bar has two longitudinal ends each of which includes a lateral projection forming a stop portion and said abutments are formed by edges of a window that is formed in each of said plates and which one of said two lateral projections enters. The crash bar can therefore move without being distorted by excessive torsion. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, at the end of one longitudinal edge of the member of profiled section constituting said crash bar, said crash bar has a curvature in the shape of a longitudinal hollow cylinder and said crash bar is placed between said plates so that, at each end of said crash bar, said cylinder faces an opening formed in the respective plate, a pin entering said cylinder and said opening at each of said plates to articulate said crash bar about said longitudinal axis. The crash bar is therefore articulated to the crash bar support effectively and the resulting panic bolt is easy to manipulate. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, each of said plates is substantially symmetrical with respect to a median longitudinal plane of the panic bolt. According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said plates are substantially symmetrical to each other with respect to a median transverse plane of the panic bolt. These features greatly facilitate the fabrication of the plates and reduce costs by offering the possibility of economies of scale and by delaying the differentiation of the plates on the production line. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said plates include fixing means for fixing them to a support. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the panic bolt includes lateral shells adapted to be fixed to said fixed part. These lateral shells are situated at the ends of the crash bar and provide a pleasing esthetic appearance at the same time as protecting the mechanisms that connect the crash bar to the crash bar support. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, each of said lateral shells is substantially symmetrical with respect to a median longitudinal plane of the panic bolt. According to another advantageous feature of the invention, said lateral shells are substantially symmetrical to each other with respect to a median transverse plane of the panic bolt. These features greatly facilitate the fabrication of the shells and reduce costs by offering the possibility of economies of scale and by delaying the differentiation of the plates on the production line. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the panic bolt includes a bolt on which said bolt operating member acts. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the panic bolt includes lateral shells and said bolt passes through one of said lateral shells. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The explanation of the invention continues next with the following description of one embodiment of the invention, which is given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view in section of a panic bolt in which the fixed part is a member of profiled section, showing the panic bolt in an idle position; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view in section of the  FIG. 1  panic bolt in a working position; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another panic bolt of the invention in which the fixed part includes two lateral plates; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the crash bar and of one plate of the  FIG. 3  panic bolt; and 
         FIG. 5  is a view in section and in elevation of the  FIG. 3  panic bolt at the level of a lateral plate that carries a bolt operating member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the panic bolt  1  is fixed to a door  2  and includes a fixed part  3  to which a crash bar  4  is articulated. 
     The fixed part  3  is a metal member of profiled section that extends longitudinally on the door  2 . 
     The fixed part  3  receives a bolt operating member  5  and lateral shells (not shown). 
     The fixed part  3  is also provided with any appropriate means (not shown) for fixing it to the door  2 . 
     A lower portion of the fixed part  3  includes a slotted tube  30  at the edge of a lower wall  31  that extends the length of the member of profiled section of the fixed part  3 . The slotted tube  30  forms a lower longitudinal edge of the fixed part  3 . 
     An upper portion of the fixed part  3  includes a longitudinal upper wall  36 . This wall is substantially orthogonal to a bottom  35  of the fixed part  3 . The bottom  35  is a longitudinal portion of the section that extends over the door  2  and is connected to the lower wall  31  and to the upper wall  36 . 
     An L-shaped wall orthogonal to the bottom  35  terminates at a rim forming an abutment  37 . The bottom  35  forms an abutment  38  facing the abutment  37 . 
     The free space between the L-shaped wall, the abutments  37  and  38  and the upper wall  36  defines a longitudinal housing  34  extending the length of the member of profiled section of the fixed part  3 . 
     Here the crash bar  4  comprises a C-shaped metal member of profiled section extending in a longitudinal direction. 
     A lower portion of the crash bar  4  includes an articulation bead  40  that forms a longitudinal lower edge of the member of profiled section of the crash bar  4 . The articulation bead  40  forms an articulation portion of the crash bar  4  and cooperates with the slotted tube  30 . 
     The section constituting the crash bar  4  also includes an upper portion  42  extended by a rim that forms a stop portion  43  and a maneuvering portion  44  between this upper portion  42  and the articulation bead  40 . 
     The maneuvering portion  44  is a curved longitudinal portion of the member of profiled section of the crash bar  4 . This portion  44  is adapted to assume positions in which it is substantially parallel to or at a small angle to the door  2 . 
     As indicated above, the crash bar  4  is articulated to the fixed part  3  by the cooperation of the slotted tube  30  and the articulation bead  40  that enters it. 
     These two members  30  and  40 , which extend along their respective member of profiled sections, define a longitudinal articulation axis about which the crash bar  4  can pivot. 
     The range of movement of the crash bar  4  is limited by the cooperation of the stop portion  43  with the abutments  37  and  38 . To this end, the upper portion  42  enters the longitudinal housing  34  via a slot between the upper wall  36  and the abutment  37 . The width of this slot is slightly greater than the thickness of the upper portion  42 . 
     The stop portion  43 , which forms a rim, is therefore mobile only between the abutment  37  and the abutment  38 . The restricted freedom of movement of the stop portion  43  limits the range of movement of this portion of the crash bar  4 . 
     The bolt operating member  5  is mounted in the fixed part  3  by means of longitudinal ribs  39   a ,  39   b ,  39   c  and  39   d  and is connected to the crash bar  4  by appropriate means known in the art, such as a link shown diagrammatically by the line  45 . 
     The crash bar  4  represented in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is mounted so that, regardless of its position, the force of gravity tends to move the crash bar  4  away from the bottom  35  of the fixed part  3 . 
     When the panic bolt  1  is in the idle position ( FIG. 1 ), the stop portion  42  of the crash bar  4  is at a position farthest away from the bottom  35 . In this position, the stop portion  43  is butted up against the abutment  37  because of the weight of the crash bar  4 . 
     The panic bolt  1  assumes its working position if a user applies sufficient pressure to the maneuvering portion  44  in the direction of the arrow F to overcome the weight of the crash bar  4 . 
     When the panic bolt  1  is in its working position ( FIG. 2 ), the stop portion  43  of the crash bar  4  is in a position closest to the bottom  35 . In this position, the stop portion  43  is abutted against the abutment  38 . 
     Because of the connection between the bolt operating member  5  and the crash bar  4 , the movement from the idle position to the working position activates the bolt operating member  5 . 
     Activation of the bolt operating member  5  actuates a bolt which passes through one of the two lateral shells and cooperates with a keeper. 
     The bolt, the keeper and the lateral shells are not shown here to simplify the drawings. 
     The return movement from the working position to the idle position is effected by releasing the pressure on the crash bar  4 . Gravity is then the only force acting on the crash bar  4 , which resumes the idle position. 
     Another embodiment of the panic bolt  1  described above is described next with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 . Components similar to those described above are designated by the same reference numbers increased by 100. 
     As is apparent in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , the panic bolt  101  is fixed to a door  102  and includes fixed parts  103   a  and  103   b  and a crash bar  104 . 
     Here the fixed part  103  includes two plates  103   a  and  103   b.    
     Each plate  103   a ,  103   b  includes two openings  130  and two windows  134  symmetrical with respect to a median longitudinal plane AA of the panic bolt  101 . Each plate also includes means  107  for fixing it to the door  102 . 
     Each window  134  has two lateral edges forming abutments  137  and  138  and, in this embodiment, a lug  161  situated on a transverse rim. 
     Here the crash bar  104  is a C-shaped metal member of profiled section. This member of profiled section has a curved longitudinal articulation edge  140 , an upper portion  142  extended by a tube portion, and a maneuvering portion  144  between the curved longitudinal edge  140  and the upper portion  142 . 
     The longitudinal edge  140  is curved to form a tube that forms an articulation portion of the crash bar  104 . 
     A projection at each longitudinal end of the tube portion of the crash bar  104  forms a stop portion  143 . 
     The tube portion has a U-shaped portion  143   a  connected by the branches of the U-shape to a hollow cylindrical portion  143   b . A pin  143   c  extends partially into the hollow cylindrical portion  143   b . The pin  143   c  forms the projection from the tube portion that forms the stop portion  143  at each end of the crash bar  104 . Here the hollow cylindrical portion  143   b  and the articulation edge  140  have the same inside diameter. 
     A transfer member  145  is formed by an arm positioned along an external face of the plate  103   a.    
     The transfer member  145  has a portion accessible through one of the windows  134  in the plate  103   a . The transfer member  145  has an opening here of the same diameter as the openings  130 . The stop portion  143  enters this opening through the window  134  and thus connects the crash bar  104  to the transfer member  145 . On the opposite side, the transfer member  145  is connected to a bolt operating member  105  mounted on the plate  103   a.    
     The crash bar  104  is articulated between the two plates  103   a  and  103   b . To this end, a pin  140   a  in a lower portion of each plate  103   a  and  103   b  penetrates the curved edge  140  and the opening  130 . 
     The crash bar  104  is therefore articulated about a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the curved edge  140  and passes through the center of the two openings  130  that the pins  140   a  enter. 
     The range of movement in articulation of the crash bar  104  is limited by the cooperation of the stop portion  143  with the edges of the window  134  in the upper portion of each of the plates  103   a ,  103   b.    
     More precisely, it is the stopping of the movement of the stop portion  143  by the abutments  137  and  138  that limits the range of movement of the crash bar  104 . 
     In a simplified variant, not shown, there is only one projection cooperating with only one window at only one end of the crash bar. 
     Each plate  103   a  and  103   b  can receive a lateral shell  106  that is fixed to the plate  103   a ,  103   b  by the lug  161  with which each window  134  is provided. 
     The shell  106  that is carried by the plate  103   a  is pierced so that a bolt  151  is able to cooperate with an exterior keeper  152  when acted on by the bolt operating member  105 . 
     The two plates  103   a ,  103   b  are symmetrical with respect to a median longitudinal plane AA of the panic bolt  101 . The plates  103   a ,  103   b  are also symmetrical to each other with respect to a median transverse plane of the panic bolt. The shells  106  have the same features of symmetry as the plates  103   a ,  103   b.    
     The panic bolt  101  is secured to the door  102  by fixing means  107  that include rods  171  and  172 . 
     This embodiment of the invention operates in substantially the same way as the first embodiment described above. 
     When the panic bolt  101  is idle, the crash bar  104  is fully retracted by the force of gravity and is held in position by virtue of the stop portion  143  bearing on the abutment  137 . 
     Sufficient pressure on the maneuvering portion  144  and directed toward the door  102  causes the crash bar  104  to pivot about the articulation formed by the pin  140   a , the opening  130  and the edge  140 . This pivoting causes the stop portion  143  to move relative to the window  134 . 
     The stop portion  143  is attached to the transfer member  145  and therefore entrains the transfer member  145  with it when it moves, until it comes into contact with the abutment  138 . The movement of the transfer member  145  activates the bolt operating member  105 . 
     When the pressure on the crash bar  104  is released, its weight causes the panic bolt to return to its idle position. 
     The invention should not be regarded as limited to the embodiments described above. 
     In particular a variant of either embodiment may be envisaged in which the articulation of the crash bar to the fixed part is in an upper portion of the panic bolt, the return movement from the working position to the idle position being achieved by conventional means (in particular by springs). 
     Embodiments may also be envisaged in which an abutment on the fixed part cooperates with a plurality of stop portions of the crash bar. For example, one such portion could be situated at the end of the upper portion of the crash bar. The other portion could be formed by a longitudinal rib of the maneuvering portion and limit the stroke of the crash bar by virtue of being stopped by the abutment. 
     Other embodiments may be considered in which the stop portion is a rib situated substantially in the middle of the maneuvering portion and abutting against an extension of the bolt operating member. 
     Note that the member of profiled sections are of metal or of synthetic material, such as PVC, aluminum, polymethylmethacrylate, polyamides or any other material suitable for producing profiled-section members.