Patent Publication Number: US-2016244996-A1

Title: Panic actuator for a locking post on a closure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a panic actuator for installation on a locking post for a folding closure. The invention also relates to a locking post on a folding closure having the panic actuator. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The panic actuator is used, in an emergency, to quickly unlock the folding closure, without requiring the use of a key, so it can be opened. Panic actuators such as panic bars are well known for use with swinging closures to open the closures quickly in an emergency. The use of panic bars on folding closures is known as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,569 to Labelle but the installation is quite complicated in allowing the folding closure to fold. Panic actuators operated with a short paddle are also known for use on closures. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,159 to Charles L. Eads. The paddle in the example normally extends laterally from the post the actuator is installed on. If installed on a folding closure, the paddle can interfere with the folding of the closure. In addition, the paddle is exposed so it is more likely to be damaged. Being exposed, the paddle is also more likely to be inadvertently operated. Further, many of the known paddle panic actuators are quite complicated in construction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a panic actuator for use on a locking post on a folding closure which actuator is simple in construction and operation and which can be easily installed on the locking post while minimizing interference with the folding operation of the closure. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a simple panic actuator, with a single moving part, that can be easily and simply installed on the locking posts of folding closures already installed. 
     It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a locking post for a folding closure, the post incorporating the panic actuator. The panic actuator is simple in construction and easily installed. The actuator can be installed on a post having a channel in the side walls of the post, the actuator located in the channel, to minimize the chance of damaging the panic actuator and minimizing the chance of inadvertent operation of the post. 
     In one aspect of the invention, a panic actuator is provided for mounting on a locking post in a closure. The actuator has a base, with a top and bottom joined by a side, and an operator adjacent the side of the base. The operator is rotatably mounted, by a first section on the operator, on a pin projecting from the side of the base near the top of the base. The operator, in one position, has a second section spaced above the top of the base and spaced across the base from the first section. A third section of the operator is spaced below the bottom of the base and also spaced across the base from the first section. The three sections form the corners of a triangle. 
     In another aspect of the invention, there is a locking post for a folding closure having front and rear walls and side walls, a lock unit within the post, and a sliding latch within the lock unit movable through the front wall between a locked position outside the post and an unlocked position within the post. A panic actuator, having a base and an operator rotatably connected to the base, is mounted by its base on the lock unit within the post. When the latch is in the locked position, the operator projects out of the post through a post side wall and the operator extends into the lock unit to contact the latch. The operator is rotatable to move the latch from the locked position to the unlocked position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of the panic actuator in a first position; 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of the panic actuator in a second position; 
         FIG. 3  shows a rear view of the panic actuator in the first position; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of a typical locking post having a latch operated by a cylinder lock; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view, partly broken away, of a typical lock unit used with the post shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the latch in the lock unit; 
         FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  but with the top side wall of the lock unit removed; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 5 , but partly cut away and showing the panic actuator installed on the lock unit; 
         FIG. 9  is cross-section view of the post showing the actuator installed; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial cross-section view of the lock unit with the actuator installed; 
         FIG. 11  is a detail view showing a handle on the post to operate the actuator; 
         FIG. 12  shows the lock unit and actuator on a post with channels in the side walls of the post; 
         FIG. 13  shows an alternative construction of the base of the actuator; 
         FIG. 14  shows a side view of a modified operator for the panic actuator; and 
         FIG. 15  shows a side view of the operator in  FIG. 14 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The invention in one aspect, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , is directed toward a panic actuator  1  for mounting within the locking post of a folding closure. The actuator  1 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , has a base  3  with a top and bottom  5 ,  6  joined by a side  7 . The side  7  comprises a pair of opposed end walls  8 ,  9  and a pair of opposed side walls  10 ,  11  A cylindrical pin  13  is mounted on the base  3 , projecting transversely from end wall  8 , away from the other end wall  9 , and near both the top  5  and side wall  10 . The actuator  1  has an operator  17  rotatably mounted on the pin  13 . The operator  17  is generally in the shape of a thick, triangular plate which lies adjacent end wall  8  of the base  3 . The operator has first, second and third sections  19 ,  21  and  23  at the three corners respectively of the plate. The operator  17  has an opening  25  in the first section  19  through which the cylindrical pin  13  is passed to rotatably mount the operator  17  on the pin  13 . When mounted on the pin  13  the operator  17  extends transversely to the pin  13 , and is adjacent the end section  8  of the post. Suitable means (not shown) on the end of the pin  13  retain the operator  17  on the pin  13 . 
     In a first position of the operator  17 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , the operator  17  angles upwardly from the first section  19  to the second section  21  which second section is spaced above the top  5  of the base  3  and close to vertical alignment with the side wall  11  of the base. Still in the first position, the operator  17  also is angled downwardly from the first section  19  to the third section  23  which third section is spaced below the bottom  6  of the base  3  and close to vertical alignment with the side wall  11 . The third section  23  has a push element  27  extending laterally away from the operator  17  and from the base  3 . The push element  27  can be a push rod  28  which rod is generally parallel with the pin  13 . 
     The operator  17  can be rotated from the first position shown in  FIG. 1  to a second position as shown in  FIG. 2 . In the second position the second section  21  of the operator is now adjacent the top  5  of the base  3  and is now also close to the side wall  11 . The third section  23  has moved from near alignment with the side wall  11  of the base to near alignment with the other side wall  10 . The push rod  28  has also moved with the third section  23  to near the other side wall  10 . The actuator  1  has been described with it in the position shown in the drawings, but it can obviously be used in any position. 
     The actuator  1  operates to translate a force F 1 , applied to the operator  17  while in its first position, which force acts downwardly on the second section  21  of the operator in one direction nearly aligned with the side wall  11 , and toward the top  5  of the base  3 , to a force F 2  applied by the push rod  28  in a generally transverse direction to the one direction and generally following the bottom  6  of the base  3  opposite the top  5  toward the other side wall  10 . The transverse direction of force F 2  is also laterally spaced away from the force F 1  since the push rod  28  extends laterally from operator  3 . 
     The above actuator  1  can be installed in a typical locking post  31  on a folding closure, the post  31  having a standard, known, lock unit  33  installed within it as shown in  FIG. 4 . The post  31  has a front wall  35  and a rear wall  37 , parallel to the front wall  35 , the front and rear walls joined by two parallel post side walls  39 ,  41 . The post front and rear walls  35 ,  37  can be mounted on longitudinally spaced apart spacers  47  within the post. The post side walls  39 ,  41  can be detachably mounted to the sides of the front and rear walls  35 ,  37  or they can be integral with the front and rear walls as shown in  FIG. 4 . Preferably, the post side walls  39 ,  41  are detachable to make it easier to install lock units in the post. 
     The lock unit  33 , as shown in  FIGS. 4-5 , is preferably of a type known as a quarter turn lock unit and is well known. A typical unit is the  4530  Series Standard Duty Deadlatch sold by Adams Rite. The unit has a relatively flat casing  51  with spaced apart casing side walls  53 ,  54  which are parallel to the post side walls  39 ,  41  when the lock unit  33  is installed within the post  31  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The casing side walls  53 ,  54  are joined by casing front and rear walls  55 ,  56 . Rear wall  56  can be a partial wall providing some access to within the casing. End walls  57 ,  58  are joined to the side walls  53 ,  54  and front wall  55 . The casing side walls  53 ,  54  have aligned, cylindrical lock openings  60 ,  61  at one end of the casing  51 . The lock unit  33  carries a lock mechanism  62  which has a standard cylinder lock  63  which is threadably mounted at one end  64  within one lock opening  60  in one casing side wall  53 , the cylinder lock  63  projecting out of the casing  51  from opening  60  and out of the post  31  through an opening  64  in post side wall  39  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The cylinder lock  62  could alternatively be mounted in the other opening  61  in the other casing side wall  54  depending on how the lock unit  33  is to be used in the post  31 . 
     The lock unit  33  also carries a latch  67  which extends transversely across the casing  51 . The latch  67 , as shown n  FIGS. 6-9  has a latch body  69  extending rearwardly from the head  71  of the latch. The rear  72  of the latch body  69  is shaped to have a pair of top  73 ,  75  and bottom  73 ′,  75 ′ guide tabs respectively projecting from the rear of the latch body to slide in top slots  77 ,  79  and bottom slots  77 ′,  79 ′ respectively in the casing side walls  53 ,  54 . The tabs  73 ,  75  guide the latch  67  for movement between a locked position where the latch  67  projects out of openings  81 ,  82 , as is known, in the casing front wall  57  and the post front wall  35  respectively, and an unlocked position where the latch  67  is withdrawn within the post  31  and casing  51 . The latch  67  travels between the locked and unlocked positions in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the post  31 . A compression spring  85  is mounted between the rear  72  of the latch body  69  and the casing rear wall  59  to bias the latch  67  to its locked position. A circular depression  86  is provided in the rear  72  of the latch body  69  to receive and retain an end of the spring  83 . 
     The cylinder lock  62  can be operated with a key to rotate a finger  87  at its one end  64  about a quarter turn to move the latch  67  back within the post  31 , against the spring  83 , from its locked position to its unlocked position, as is known. The finger  87  would contact a short arm  89  on the rear  72  of the latch  67  as the finger  87  is rotated on the end  63  of the cylinder lock  62 . The arm  89  extends generally laterally from the latch  67  into the path of movement of the finger  87 . The construction and operation of the lock unit described above is known and is generally standard. It is understood that the construction of the latch and the casing, and the mounting of the latch in the casing can vary, but the latch is normally spring biased to project laterally from the casing to a locking position and operation of the cylinder lock can move the latch back into the casing to an unlocked position. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a panic actuator  1  can be installed on the post  31  to allow the latch  67  to be unlocked without the use of the cylinder lock  63  in an emergency. The installation would involve, as shown in  FIGS. 8-10  using the unused existing opening  61  in the casing side wall  54  near the other post side wall  41  opposite the cylinder lock  63 . An opening  95  would be provided in the other post side wall  41  aligned with the opening  61  in the casing side wall  54  to accommodate the actuator  1  as will be described. The panic actuator  1  would be mounted with the bottom  6  of its base  3  on the outside of the casing side wall  54 . The second section  21  of the operator  17  would extend up out of the post  31  through the opening  95  in the other post side wall  41 . The third section  23  of the operator  17  would extend through the opening  61  in the casing side wall  54  into the casing  51  and would be located adjacent the arm  89  of the latch  67  when the latch is in the locked position, as shown in  FIG. 10 . The push rod  28  on the third section  23  of the operator  17  would contact the arm  89  on the latch  67  above the finger  87  on the cylinder lock  63 . The arm  89  would be contacted on its surface which faces the front wall  35  of the post. The base  3  would be fastened in place by suitable fasteners such as screws (not shown) passing through the base  3  into and through the casing side wall  54 . The base  3  would be fastened to the casing side wall  54  before the casing was installed within the post. 
     In operation, in an emergency, a person would merely have to press the second section  21  of the operator  17  projecting from out the opening  95  inwardly toward the post side wall  41  to swing the push rod  28  on the third section  23  of the operator  17  in a direction against the arm  89  on the latch  67 . Continued pushing will move the latch  67  toward the side wall  37  of the post  31 , against the spring  85  to withdraw the latch  67  into the post, via the arm  89  being pushed. Withdrawal of the latch would unlock the post and thus the closure the post is on. After the closure has been unlocked and opened, and the operator  17  released, latch  67  is moved back to the lock position by the spring  85 , the arm  89  on the latch  67  returning the operator  17  to its locking position with the second section  21  of the operator  17  rising away from the side wall  41  of the post  31 . 
     Preferably, the actuator  1  would be provided with a handle  101  to make it easier to rotate the operator  17 . The handle  101 , as shown in  FIG. 11  would be pivotably mounted at one end  103  to the one post side wall  41  by a pivot pin  105  mounted in the one end  103  extending transverse to the handle and projecting from the sides of the handle. The pivot pin  105  would be mounted on a pivot pin mount  107  fixed to the post side wall  41 . The handle  101  would overlie the exposed second section  21  of the operator  17 , the handle aligned with the post  31 , the operator  17  extending up through an opening  95  in the side wall  41  of the post. A small ridge  109  on the underside of the handle  101  would overlie the second section  21  of the operator  17 . Pressing the free end  111  of the handle  101  down about its pivot pin  105  would press the second section  21  of the operator  17  down to rotate the operator  17  to withdraw the latch  67 . The actuator  1  employed allows its handle  101  to be mounted in a position aligned with the post so the handle will not interfere with folding of the closure. The handle  101  could be replace by a button (not shown) attached to the exposed second section  21  of the operator. 
     The post  31  could be provided with a channel  113  in each of the post side walls  39 ,  41  as shown in  FIG. 12 . The channel  113  would preferably extend the length of the post and, in side wall  39 , would be wide enough and deep enough to receive at least a major portion of the cylinder lock  63 , and, in opposite side wall  41 , to at least partly receive the handle  101  and its pivot pin mount  107 . The opening  95  in the post side wall  41 , for exposing the second section  21  of the operator  17 , would be in the channel bottom wall  115 . The base  3  (not shown) would also extend above the channel bottom wall  115  within the channel  113 , extending up through the opening  95  which would be enlarged to accommodate the base  3 . The pivot pin mounting  107  can be mounted on the bottom wall  115  transverse to the channel  113 . The channel side walls  117 ,  119  provide handles for pulling the post  31  and thus the attached closure in either direction. Locating the handle  101  and the cylinder lock  63  at least partly in the channels  113  would help protect both from damage. 
     The base  3  of the actuator  1  has been shown as a single member with the operator  17  mounted at one end of it. However the actuator  1   a  could have a base that is separated into two base members  3   a ,  3   b , as shown in  FIG. 13 , with the cylindrical pin  13   a  mounted in both members and extending across a gap  127  separating the members. The operator  17  would be rotatably mounted in the gap  127  on the pin  13   a , the operator adjacent an end surface  8   a ,  9   b  of each base member  3   a ,  3   b  respectively. The split base members  3   a ,  3   b , with the operator  17  between the base members, would provide a stronger actuator  1   a . The actuator  1   a  would span a side segment of the opening  61  in the casing  51 , when mounted on the casing wall  55  to partly overlie the opening. 
     The operator  17  of the actuator has been shown as a triangular member with three sections at the corners of the triangular member. The operator  17 ′ could comprise an angled, rigid, strap-like, member having two arms  131 ,  133  joined at their ends to form a corner  135  as shown in  FIGS. 14-15 . The arms  131 ,  133  extend radially outwardly from the corner  135  to define between them, very roughly, an angle β that is close to a right angle. The corner  135  forms the first section  19 ′ of the operator  17 ′ and is slightly enlarged and used to rotatably mount the operator  17 ′ on the cylindrical pin  13  mounted on the base  3 . The end of the first arm  131  can be slightly enlarged and rounded and forms the second section  21 ′ of the operator  17 ′. The end of the second arm  133  can also be slightly enlarged and rounded and forms the third section  23 ′ of the operator  17 ′. A push member  27  can extend from the third section  23 ′ transversely of the actuator  17 ′. The operator  17 ′ rotates in the same fashion as the operator  17 . When the operator  17 ′ is mounted on the pin  13 , it is parallel and adjacent the end wall  8  of the base  3  in the same manner as actuator  17 . The operation of actuator  17 ′ is the same as the operation of actuator  17 . 
     The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. Modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In light of a review of this disclosure, such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims.