Patent GB-1041147-A (GB)
Title: Panic exit door lock mechanism
IPC: E05C3/24
Filed: 1964-05-06
Abstract: 1,041,147. Door lock mechanisms. REPUBLIC INDUSTRIES Inc. May 6; 1964 [May 6, 1963], No. 18801/64. Heading E2A. A door lock mechanism adapted to be mounted on a panic door 10 for controlling latching bars 65, 70, which are each movable in one direction to a latching position to latch the door and in the opposite direction to an unlatching position to free the door from a door frame, comprises means for pivotally mounting a panic bar 32 and biasing means acting on the bar to permit the bar to be depressed and to reverse the movement of the bar when the depressing force is removed therefrom, a reciprocable element 58 adapted to be operated in one direction by the bar 32 when the panic bar is depressed, the reciprocable element being so coupled to the latching bars that these bars are movable to their unlatching positions by the panic bar being depressed, a movable rack 108 adjacent and movable relatively to the reciprocable element 58, a pinion 118 meshing with the rack and adapted to be coupled to a keyoperable cylinder lock 30 to provide for the pinion to be rotated by means of a key 31, means for enabling the rack to cause the reciprocable element and the latching bars to be moved to the unlatching positions by turning the pinion in one direction and for enabling the rack to be afterwards moved, by turning the pinion in the opposite direction, to free the reciprocable element and the latching bars for return to the latching position. As described latching bars 65, 70 actuate lower and upper latch means respectively and the panic bar 32 is pivoted on pins 42 and biased anti-clockwise by a spring-loaded sleeve 48. The lower latch means comprises a pivoted latch element 88 spring-urged into engagement with a recess 89 in a threshold 18, and the upper latch means comprises a pivoted latch element 96 with a V-shaped notch 103 which receives a striker 104 on the door jamb. The latch element 96 is held in engagement with the striker by a support finger 99 which is rotated clockwise to release the latch element. The released latch element engages by its corner 106 in a recess 107 in the support finger so that an extension 76 pivoted to the finger is held raised whilst the latch element 96 is released and the door is open. The reciprocable element 58 is a slide carrying a roller 56 which engages with the panic bar 32, so that depression of the bar raises the slide, which is connected to the latch means via bars 70, 65 and extensions 74, 76, and so releases the latch means. Rotation of the key 31 in the direction of the arrow 134 raises the rack 108 and slide 58 to the position of Fig. 9 so that the latch elements are held retracted irrespective of the action of the panic bar. Rotation of the key in the opposite direction lowers the rack and the slide 58 can then be operated by the panic bar. A slot 62 in the slide 58 permits relative motion between the slide and the rod 65 so that if when the door is being closed the recess 89 is not clear the latch element 88 remains in its retracted position and allows the door to be closed. The housings 34 for the panic bar are secured to the door by screwing set screws 38, Fig. 4, therein into peripheral recesses 37 in studs 36 secured to the door. The slide 58 may be held in latch retracted position by screwing a screw 52 by means of an Allen key 54, so that the screw turns the panic bar to its depressed position and holds it there.