Patent Publication Number: US-6209612-B1

Title: Locking device for a door system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is based on a door system to move and lock at least two door leaves, which door system may be equipped with a drive device to move the leaves between a position that opens a passage and a position that closes the passage, as well as with a locking device. The locking device can have a motor-side drive unit which is attached to a door frame profile, and top and bottom locking elements, whereby the top locking elements can be actuated by the drive unit in the position of the leaves that closes the passage, and to create a substantially interlocking or form-fitting connection in the vicinity of the top of the leaves between the leaves and a stationary part of the doors, whereby there can be lower locking elements that can be actuated by the drive unit and are located in the vicinity of the bottom of the leaves to create an additional interlocking connection between the leaves and the stationary part of the door system, and whereby the drive unit can be effectively connected with the locking elements only when the leaves are closed for locking and unlocking. 
     2. Background Information 
     A similar locking device is described in European Patent No. 0685621 A1. The locking device has top and bottom locking elements on leaves of an automatically actuatable door system which, when the leaves are in the closed position, lock the top and bottom portions of the door leaves. The top and bottom locking elements are mechanically coupled by means of a rod, so that both locking elements are actuated when the drive unit is started by means of a pivoted lever. The top locking elements lock the neighboring leaves with respect to one another, while the bottom locking elements fix the respective leaf directly to the floor. The top and bottom locking elements are automatically moved into an interlocking connection by a single drive unit. The interlocking connection of the locking elements thereby acts in all directions, i.e., both in the direction of movement and also perpendicular to it. The door system can be operated fully automatically by means of a switch. The door system can be locked and unlocked manually in the event of the failure of the power supply system. 
     The type of conversion of the motor movement to the locking elements and their complex mechanical coupling system must be seen as a disadvantage, because complex and time-consuming adjustment measures on the entire system are necessary during the installation and as a result of the inevitable tolerances that occur during the operation of the door system. On account of the direct mechanical coupling of the locking elements, it may not be possible to compensate for differences in the distances traveled between the top and bottom locking element, e.g. differences that may be caused by dirt in the floor guide, which can lead to the failure of both locking mechanisms. The pivoted lever device that couples the locking element during the movement of the leaves also requires a high degree of precision of the movement process. Even minor deviations mean that the driver pin, provided for the purpose, on the pivoted lever does not come into engagement with the corresponding indentation of a locking bracket, because the plane of the indentation is perpendicular to the direction of movement, and the indentation in the direction of movement of the leaf must be guided by means of the driver pin. 
     An additional disadvantage of at least one locking device described in some publications is that the locking device of the leaves can be tampered with mechanically—that is, a pin-shaped tool can be pushed between the leaves, so that when the appropriate pressure is exerted against the locking bracket, the top and bottom locking elements can be moved from their position and the leaves can be displaced. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the present invention is to create a locking device, involving a slide attached to a beam, which is simple and easy to install, whereby the reliability of operation and security against tampering is increased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention teaches that this object may be achieved by means of a slide, to which top and bottom actuator elements of the locking device are attached, which slide may be attached to a beam and may be configured and disposed to be moved on the beam transverse to a sliding direction of the movement of door leaves. 
     One possible embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that separate actuator elements can be associated with both the top and the bottom locking elements. Consequently, there may be essentially no direct interactions between the top and bottom locking elements. The mechanical coupling of the top and bottom locking elements may be accomplished by means of a slide which actuates both actuator elements by means of a single drive unit. A dual function of an actuator element may be greatly avoided, however. Differences in travel between the top and bottom locking elements caused by installation or operating conditions can consequently be greatly minimized or equalized by simple interventions in the separate subsystems. Larger differences can easily be minimized or equalized by post-installation adjustments on account of the greatly simple construction of the system, in which case the top and bottom locking elements can be adjusted separately. The top locking element acts on the truck and thus may create a lock which, in the event of an attempted break-in, creates a barrier that may not act directly on the leaf or leaves. 
     The actuator elements and the corresponding locking elements may be realized so that when the leaves are moved into the closed position, they are essentially easily and reliably engaged with each other even if there are minor movement tolerances, fluctuations, discrepancies, or inequalities. For this purpose, in particular, in another possible embodiment of the present invention, the plane of the recesses in the actuator element for the lower locking element may be oriented in the direction of sliding of the door leaves, for example, so that there is a greatly simple seat for the vertically movable rods. Moreover, because of the actuator element for the bottom locking element, security against tampering or attempted forced entry can be increased, because it may not be possible to push the neighboring leaves at a right angle to the direction of displacement of the leaves. The vertical locking may be accomplished by rods which are located in the frame of the leaf and are preferably invisible. With the recess, the actuator element can enclose seating means on the upper end of the rod and push the lower locking element on the bottom end of the rod, which may be in the form of a pin, into a floor bushing or socket. To prevent the penetration or insertion of foreign objects and thus a malfunction of the lock, the floor bushing or socket can be covered with an internal or retracted spring-loaded plate, which spring-loaded plate is opened only by the vertical pressure of the bottom locking element. After the rod has been unlocked, the floor bushing or socket is again closed by the plate. The other actuator element—that is, the top actuator element-may have, as the top locking element, bent fingers or hooks which are lowered vertically and are engaged in an engagement opening of a locking tongue located on the truck. 
     The overall greatly simple construction of the locking device essentially guarantees the functional reliability of the door system and reduces the time and cost involved in manufacturing and installation. The drive unit and a slide are located by means of a mounting bracket on a beam that is fastened in an essentially stationary manner to the door frame profile of the door leaf drive unit or door system. The slide may be coupled by means of a toothed rack and a gear wheel to the drive unit and is movably fastened to the beam. The two actuator elements can be fastened to the slide in the form of a forked plate and a locking hook which, when the leaves are closed, interact with the top and bottom locking elements. 
     The drive unit may be operated centrally by a switch. In the unlocked state and in the locked state, limit switches may be actuated, and by means of the limit switches, the drive unit may be then turned off. The limit switches may be fastened to the beam, whereby the contacting lugs of the limit switches may be actuated by the top and bottom ends of the toothed rack or rod. The short effective connection between the electrical drive unit and the mechanical system essentially guarantees a correct positioning of the locking elements. The limit switches may be fastened to vertical slots, so that during the installation of the door system, in particular, the initial correspondence between the limit switches and the positioning of the locking elements can be determined quickly, easily, and economically. 
     As a safety measure, e.g., in the event of a failure of the electric power supply or in the event of a malfunction, the locking device can be actuated manually. For this purpose, the shaft of the drive unit can be elongated and for this purpose can be connected at a suitable point on the door system, by means of a device that converts motion with or by means of a linearly movable and possibly spring-mounted handle. To compensate for manufacturing or installation tolerances, fluctuations, discrepancies, imperfections, or inequalities, it is reasonable to integrate at least one universal-joint propeller shaft over the entire length of the shaft. 
     The manual actuation system that is coupled with the drive shaft of the drive unit makes it essentially necessary to have the ability to electrically disconnect, isolate, or activate the drive unit or arrangement. To essentially simplify this process, there may be a device that makes possible a simplified and advantageous intervention in the drive unit. A switch located on the manual actuation system can be actuated chronologically prior to the actual mechanical manual unlocking and switches the drive unit into the disconnected or deactivated status, so that the locking device can be mechanically unlocked with little or greatly reduced effort or force. 
     The locking device taught by the present invention may be protected against external tampering. For example, in one possible embodiment of the present invention, it may be impossible to glide the leaves in the opening direction, or to push the leaves apart in a direction at right angles to the direction in which the leaves slide. The spaces between the leaves and the spaces in the upper area between the leaves and the door frame profile, which are potential targets for tampering, can be protected by appropriate devices. For example, in another possible embodiment of the present invention, a protective element which can be fastened to the beam underneath the forked plate or bottom actuator element or arrangement effectively or essentially prevents the forked plate from being pushed up through the space between the leaves. The space between the leaves and the door frame profile, through which a tool could likewise be inserted into the locking device, may be covered by cover means on the door frame profile. 
     In other words, in one possible embodiment of the invention, it may be essentially impossible to manually push or slide the door leaves in a direction in which the door leaves slide upon opening of the door leaves or upon closing of the door leaves, or to push the door leaves in a direction transverse to a direction in which the door leaves slide upon opening of the door leaves or upon closing of the door leaves. 
     The above discussed embodiments of the present invention will be described further hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures. When the word “invention” is used in this specification, the word “invention” includes “inventions”, that is, the plural of “invention”. By stating “invention”, the Applicants do not in any way admit that the present application does not include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention, and Applicants maintain that this application may include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention. The Applicants hereby assert that the disclosure of this application may include more than one invention, and, in the event that there is more than one invention, that these inventions may be patentable and non-obvious one with respect to the other. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to one exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic outer view of a multi-leaf door system with a locking device; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of a door system along Line A—A in FIG. 1, shown in the unlocked position; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of a door system as illustrated in FIG. 2, shown in the locked position; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross section of a beam along line C—C in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of a beam from direction X in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a view of a beam from direction Y in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section through a manual actuation system of a door system along Line B—B in FIG. 1, shown in the locked position; 
     FIG. 8 is a vertical section through the manual actuation system along Line D—D in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section of a door system with an additional exemplary embodiment of a manual actuation system; 
     FIG. 10 is a vertical section through the manual actuation system along Line E—E in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a duplicate of FIG. 1 with additional information, specifically, the connection of a control system to the door system, as well as an illustration of glass door panels; and 
     FIG. 12 is a duplicate of FIG. 10 with additional information. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the figures, identical or equivalent components are identified by the same reference numbers. 
     The function of the locking device  1  of the present invention is described below on the basis of a multi-leaf sliding door system  2  which is illustrated schematically in FIG.  1 . However, the locking device  1  could also be used together with automatic door or gate systems that have single-leaf or multiple-leaf sliding doors or sliding gates or multiple-leaf folding-sliding doors or folding-sliding gates, and in systems in which there is at least one revolving door. In practical terms, the installation of the locking device  1  may be essentially equivalent in all of the door or gate systems described above. 
     The sliding door system  2  comprises two leaves  3  which are located so that they can slide between two stationary side parts  4 , i.e., between a closed position and a position that opens a passage between them. Each leaf is suspended on two trucks  5 , whereby the trucks  5  can be displaced along a runner rail  6  for the displacement of the leaves  3 . The drive mechanism can be one or more motor-driven toothed belts  7 , which are not described in any further detail, and are connected with the truck or trucks  5  in an appropriate manner. The drive units, the trucks and the runner rails  6  mentioned above are preferably installed in a door frame profile  8 , which can extend over the entire length of the door system on the upper side  9  of the leaves  3 . 
     The locking device  1  of the present invention is illustrated in detail in the other figures and is described in greater detail below. FIGS. 2 and 3 show longitudinal sections along Line A—A in FIG. 1, once in the unlocked position (FIG. 2) and once in the locked position (FIG.  3 ). FIG. 1 shows the leaves  3  and the side piece  4 , which are closed with a vertical profile  10  that extends essentially axially over the entire height of the system. The upper side  9  and the bottom side  11  of the leaf  3  and of the side piece  4  each comprise a top profile  12  that runs horizontally as well as a lower profile  13  that runs horizontally, both of which are mechanically connected to the vertical profiles  10 . Glass panels  14 , as shown in FIG. 11, are embedded between the horizontal and vertical profiles  12 ,  13 . Single-pane or multiple-pane glass panels can be used. The top horizontal profiles  12 , to which the trucks  5  are fastened, project into the door frame profile  8 . Visible on the bottom profile  13  of the side piece  4  is a floor guide bracket  15 , which projects into a floor groove  16  of the bottom profile  13  of the leaf  3 , to guide the leaf  3  during the sliding movement. 
     The locking device  1  comprises a drive unit  17  which is in the form of a geared motor, and which is fastened by means of a mounting bracket  18  to a beam  19  which is located in stationary fashion in the door frame profile  8 . The geared motor  17  has a shaft  20  on which a gear wheel  21  is located which is effectively connected with a toothed rack  22 . The toothed rack  22  is guided so that it can move vertically in an oblong opening  23  of the beam  10 , and is connected by means of a spacer piece  24  with a slide  25 , which is movably fastened on the side of the beam  19  opposite the mounting bracket  18 . Located on the slide  25  are two actuator elements  26 ,  27 . Fastened to the bottom of each actuator element is a forked plate  26  which projects downward at a right angle, and to the top is a locking hook  27  which is bent at two right angles. 
     FIGS. 4 to  6  show detailed views of the top and bottom locking elements  28 ,  29  and of the drive unit  17 . The forked plate  26  is bolted to the slide  25  and projects at a right angle. The forked plate  26  can be displaced in the vertical direction by the slide  25  and has two recesses  30  which are realized in mirror symmetry. The forked plate  26  interacts with vertically descending rods  31 , whereby the recesses  30  come into engagement with seating means  32  which are located on the top of the rods  31 . The bottom ends of the rods  31  are realized in the form of pins and represent the bottom locking elements  29  of the locking device  1 . The rod  31  extends along the inside of the vertical profile  10  of the leaf  3  and is not visible from the outside. When the sliding door system  2  is in the unlocked position, the bottom locking elements  29  are raised inside the vertical profile  10 , and in the locked position they are lowered so that they project into a floor bushing or socket  33 . In this floor bushing  33  there is a spring  34  which closes the floor bushing  33  with an internal or retracting or retracted plate  35 , and is pressed into the floor bushing  33  by the descent of the rod  31 . Thus foreign objects cannot penetrate into the floor bushing  33  when the leaves  3  are in the unlocked position. When the lower locking elements  29  are in the lowered position, the leaves  3  are interlocked in the lower area. As a result of an appropriately heavy-duty realization of the bottom locking element  29 , it is practically impossible to break through the leaves  3 , even with the application of a great deal of force. 
     The rod  31  is guided in the vertical profile  10  in bearings  36  made of plastic or aluminum. A restoring spring  37  which is stretched between an adjustment collar  38  on the rod  31  and an adjustment bracket  39  located on the vertical profile  10 , ensures that the bottom locking element  29  is held in the raised position. This is important primarily when the leaf  3  is not in the closed position, but is opened, or is just executing a sliding movement. The adjustment bracket  39  is accessible from above and can be displaced by means of a detachable threaded fastener, to adjust the correct restoration of the rod  31  during the initial installation or at any later time. 
     On each of the trucks  5  facing a main closing edge  41  there is a bent locking tongue  42 , in which there is an engagement opening  43 . The locking hook  27 , which is bent in a U-shape, functions as an actuator element for the top locking element  28  and is riveted to the slide  25 . On the front side, there are two fingers in the form of the top locking element  28 , which are designed to engage in the locking tongues  42  of the trucks  5  of the leaf  3  to be locked. The locking hook  27  can be lowered by the slide  25 . The fingers  28  are thereby engaged in the engagement openings  43  of the locking tongues  42  and block the respective truck in the direction of sliding of the leaf  3 . 
     The shaft  20  of the geared motor  17  can be moved either by means of the electrical actuation of the geared motor  17  or by a manual actuation system  44  which is described below. For the vertical movement of the slide  25  from the unlocked position into the locked position or vice versa, the shaft  20  is rotated by a defined or predetermined angle in either direction of rotation. The gear wheel  21  that is fastened to it describes the curve of a circular orbit. To lock the door, as a result of the movement of the gear wheel  21 , the toothed rack  22  and the slide  25  connected to it are lowered. The rotational movement of the shaft  20  and the vertical movement of the toothed rack  22  are coordinated with each other so that the toothed rack  22  can be moved back and forth between a lower position and an upper position. The lower position which corresponds to the locked position of the locking elements  28 ,  29  is thereby monitored by a limit switch  45  for the locked position, and the other position which corresponds to the unlocked position of the locking elements  28 ,  29  is monitored by an additional limit switch  46  for the unlocked position. The two limit switches  45 ,  46  are fastened to the beam  19  so that they can be adjusted by means of slots  47 ,  48 , so that an essentially correct coordination can be achieved. 
     The function of the locking device  1  is described below. The two leaves are pushed toward each other either manually or by a motor until they come into contact with each other on the main closing edges  41 , i.e. with the neighboring vertical profiles  10 . The restoring springs  37  located in the vertical profiles  10  hold the rods  31  in their retracted position. When the leaves  3  are moved, the seating means  32  on both sides slide into the recesses  30  in the forked plate  26 . Then the drive unit  17  is activated to lock the leaves  3 . This action can be carried out by a switch that must be actuated manually or by a sensor (not shown). The drive unit  17  sets the shaft  20  and thus also the gear wheel  21  located on it into rotation. The rotational movement is converted by the toothed rack  22  into a linear movement that is directed vertically downward. The slide  25 , which is in firm contact with the toothed rack  22  by means of the spacer piece  24 , also slides downward in the oblong opening  23  of the beam  19  and lowers the locking hook  27  as well as the forked plate  26 . The locking hook  27  is engaged with its fingers  28  in the respective locking tongue  42  of the truck  5 . The forked plate  26  pushes on the seating means  32  of each rod  31  and causes a lowering of these rods  31 , i.e. of the bottom locking element  29  into the corresponding floor bushing  33 . The spring-mounted plate  35  is thereby pressed into the floor bushing  33 . When the door is completely locked, the toothed rack  22  actuates the limit switch  45 , so that the feed of electrical current to the drive unit  17  is interrupted and the drive stops. Unlocking is performed in the reverse sequence. 
     The shaft  20  of the drive unit  17  is also coupled with the manual actuation system  44  (FIGS.  7  and  8 ), so that in the event of a malfunction or power failure, the shaft  20  can be rotated manually and thus the slide  25  can be moved from the locked position into the unlocked position or vice versa. Preferably, the manual actuation system  44  is located on the inside of a door system. If the manual actuation system  44  is located on the outside, there must also be a safety measure so that only authorized persons can actuate the doors. The manual actuation system  44  has a handle  49  with a connecting rod  50  which, when it is activated in either vertical direction, can rotate the shaft  20  to the right or to the left. For this purpose the connecting rod  50  is connected with a round toothed rack  51  which is guided in a seating bracket  52  that is fastened to the door frame profile  8 . The round toothed rack  51  works together with a gear wheel  53  which is located on the elongated shaft  20  of the drive unit  17  and thus acts on the locking elements  28 ,  29 . The shaft connection between the drive unit  17  and the manual actuation system  44  is achieved by means of a universal-joint propeller shaft  54  to make it possible to compensate for tolerances by means of the length of the shaft  20 . For guidance and stabilization, the shaft  20  runs in a guide bracket  55  in a plastic ring which is located on the door frame profile  8 . 
     The manual actuation system  44  which is coupled with the shaft  20  of the drive unit  17  offers the capability of the electrical isolation of the drive unit  17 . To simplify this process, the manual actuation system  44  is realized so that a simplified and advantageous intervention on the drive unit  17  is possible. By means of the manual actuation system  44 , a switch  57  is actuated chronologically before the actual mechanical locking/unlocking, and switches the drive unit  17  into the isolated state, so that the locking device  1  can be mechanically locked or unlocked with only a small application of force. 
     Such a manual actuation system  44  is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, which show a handle  69  connected by means of a connecting rod  70  with a helical spring mechanism  59 , which is movably mounted in the door frame profile  8 . In the helical spring mechanism  59  there is a guide sleeve  62  that is mounted between two compression springs  60 ,  61 , and in which a round toothed rack or cylindrical toothed rack or round or cylindrical toothed rack arrangement  71  is fastened, which extends out of the top of the helical spring mechanism  59 . The guide sleeve  62  can be moved over a defined distance up and down inside the helical spring mechanism  59 . The round toothed rack  71  is guided in a seating bracket  72 , as shown in FIG. 12, and acts as described above on the elongated shaft  20  and the locking elements  28 ,  29  by means of a gear wheel  73 . On the outside of the helical spring mechanism  59  there is a driver  63  which has a shift or shifting linkage or shifting linkage arrangement  64 . The shift linkage  64  is also guided in the seating bracket  72  and on the upper end has a cam  58  which is used to actuate the switch  57  that is fastened to the seating bracket  72 . As a result of the guide sleeve  62  which is spring-mounted and movable between the shifting linkage  64  and ultimately the round or cylindrical toothed rack  71 , there is an idle stroke when the manual actuation system  44  which is defined by the two compression springs  60 ,  61  is actuated, which idle stroke produces a lateral offset between the mechanical movement of the shifting linkage  64  and the round toothed rack  71 , while the switch  57  puts the drive unit  17  into the necessary electrical state. Only when there is subsequent direct contact between the helical spring mechanism  59  and the guide sleeve  62  does the actual mechanical actuation of the locking elements  28 ,  29  occur with the correspondingly reduced application of force, because there is no need to work against the electrically maintained state of the drive unit. 
     In other words, the handle  59 ,  69  and the connecting rod arrangement  70  may be acted upon by a helical spring arrangement or mechanism  59 , which helical spring mechanism  59  may be formed from a guide sleeve  62  to guide the connecting rod or connecting rod arrangement  70  and two compression springs  60 ,  61 . The compression springs  60 ,  61  may act against and bias the guide sleeve  62 . 
     The two leaves  3  may be interlocked in all directions by the locking device  1  described above. Additional security measures prevent direct tampering with the locking elements  28 ,  29 . The spaces  65 ,  66  between the leaves  3  and between the door frame profile  8  and the leaves  3 , which are potentially exposed to tampering, are covered by special measures. The space  65  at the door frame profile  8  is covered by cover means  67  which can be realized in one piece on the door frame profile  8  or can be fastened to it as a separate component. The insertion of a tool to activate the actuator element  27  is thereby effectively prevented. Tools inserted into the space  66  between the doors cannot be guided underneath the forked plate  26 , because a protective element  68  which is fastened to the stationary beam  19  covers the critical area of the forked plate  26 . 
     FIG. 11 is a duplicate of FIG. 1 with additional information. Specifically, FIG. 11 shows, according to at least one possible embodiment of the present invention, the connection of a control system  74  to the manual actuation system  44  and the locking device  1 . A control system may be used to control a drive device for moving at least two door leaves between an open position and a closed position, the locking device  1 , and the manual actuation system  44 . Additionally, FIG. 11 shows glass panels  14 , which, in at least one possible embodiment of the present invention, are embedded between the horizontal and vertical profiles  12 ,  13 . 
     FIG. 12 is a duplicate of FIG. 10 with additional information. Specifically, FIG. 12 shows, according to at least one possible embodiment of the present invention, the mounting or seating bracket  72  for the shifting linkage arrangement  64 , which seating bracket  72  guides the shifting linkage arrangement  64 . 
     One feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system with at least two leaves  3 , with a drive device to move the leaves  3  between a position that opens a passage and a position that closes the passage, as well as with a locking device  1 , whereby the locking device  1  has a motor-side drive unit  17  that is attached to a door frame profile  8  and top and bottom locking elements  28 ,  29 , whereby the top locking element  28  can be actuated by the drive unit  17  in the position of the leaves  3  that closes the passage, and to create an interlocking or form-fitting connection in the vicinity of the upper side  9  of the leaves  3  between the leaves and a stationary part of the door system  2 , whereby there are bottom locking elements  29  that can be actuated by the drive unit  17  and are located in the vicinity of the underside  11  of the leaves  3  to create an additional interlocking connection between the leaves  3  and the stationary part of the door system  2 , and whereby the drive unit  17  is effectively connected with the locking elements  28 ,  29  only when the leaves  3  are closed for locking and unlocking, characterized by the fact that actuator elements  26 ,  27  are associated with the top and the bottom locking elements  28 ,  29  respectively, whereby the actuator elements  26 ,  27  are fastened to a single slide  25  which is held so that it can be moved perpendicular to the sliding direction of the leaves  3  on a beam  19 , and which can be moved indirectly by the drive unit  17 . 
     Another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that a rotating shaft  20  extends out of the drive unit  17  and has a gear wheel  21  which is engaged with a toothed rack  22  which is fixed to the slide  25 . 
     Yet another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that two limit switches  45 ,  46  which are adjustably fastened to the beam  19  can be activated by the toothed rack  22 . 
     Still another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that the actuator element  27  has recesses  30  opposite one another, into which the seating means  32  of rods  31  can be inserted, which rods are mounted so that they can move vertically in the leaves  3  and which have the lower locking elements  29 . 
     A further feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that the leaves  3  can be locked in position by the actuator element  26  at a right angle to the sliding direction. 
     Another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that the bottom locking elements  29  can be inserted into at least one floor bushing  33  which is covered by a spring-loaded plate  35 . 
     Yet another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that the actuator element  27  has bent fingers as the top locking element  28 , which fingers can be inserted in locking tongues  42  of trucks  5 . 
     Still another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that a protective element  68  that surrounds the actuator element  26  is located on the beam  19 . 
     A further feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that located on the door frame profile  8  are cover means  67  which cover a slit  65  between the leaf  3  and the door frame profile  8 . 
     Another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that a manual locking/unlocking of the leaf  3  is performed by means of a manual actuation system  44  that is coupled with the shaft  20  of the drive unit  17 , whereby a handle  49 ,  69  is movable mounted on the door frame profile  8  and has a round toothed rack  51 ,  71  that interacts with a gear wheel  53 ,  73  which is also fastened to the shaft  20 . 
     Yet another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that the manual actuation system  44  has an electrical actuation system to isolate, deactivate, or disconnect the drive unit  17 , which can be activated by the manual actuation system  44  before the manual locking/unlocking of the leaf  3 . 
     Still another feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that the handle  49 ,  69  is connected in one piece and without any play with a shifting linkage  64  and is spring-mounted, realizing an idle stroke with the round toothed rack  71 . 
     A further feature of the invention resides broadly in the door system characterized by the fact that realized in one piece on a helical spring mechanism  59  are a handle  69  and a shifting linkage  64 , and a guide sleeve  62  is mounted in the helical spring mechanism  59  so that it can move between two compression springs  60 ,  61 , whereby the guide sleeve  62  has the round toothed rack  61  that extends out of the helical spring mechanism  59 . 
     One feature of the invention resides broadly in a door system configured to move and lock at least two door leaves, said door system comprising: a control system configured to drive said door system; a drive device configured and disposed to move at least two door leaves between an open position and a closed position; a locking device; and said locking device comprising: a motor-side drive unit configured to be attached to a door frame arrangement; a top locking element configured and disposed to be actuated by said drive unit in a closed position of connected door leaves; said top locking element being configured to form a connection generally at the upper side of at least two door leaves and between door leaves and a door frame arrangement; a bottom locking element configured and disposed to be actuated by said drive unit; said bottom locking element being configured to be disposed generally at the underside of door leaves; said bottom locking element being configured to be disposed to form an additional connection between door leaves and a door frame arrangement; said drive unit being configured to be disposed to effectively connect with said top locking element and said bottom locking element only upon door leaves, connected to said drive unit, being in a closed position for locking and unlocking connected door leaves; a top actuator element, said top actuator element being configured to be connected to said top locking element; a bottom actuator element, said bottom actuator element being configured to be connected to said bottom locking element upon connected leaves being in a closed position; said top actuator element and said bottom actuator element being attached to a single slide; said slide being configured and disposed to be driven indirectly by said drive unit; a beam; and said slide being configured and disposed to be moved on said beam and said slide also being configured and disposed to move transverse to a sliding direction of movement of door leaves. 
     Another feature of the invention resides broadly in a door system configured to move and lock at least two door leaves, said door system comprising: a control system configured to drive said door system; a drive device configured and disposed to move at least two door leaves between an open position and a closed position; a locking arrangement; and said locking arrangement comprising: a drive arrangement configured to be attached to a door frame arrangement; a top locking arrangement configured and disposed to be actuated by said drive arrangement in a closed position of connected door leaves; said top locking arrangement being configured to form a connection generally at the upper side of at least two door leaves and between door leaves and a door frame arrangement; a bottom locking arrangement configured and disposed to be actuated by said drive arrangement, said bottom locking arrangement being configured to be disposed generally at the underside of door leaves; said bottom locking arrangement being configured to be disposed to form an additional connection between door leaves and a door frame arrangement; said drive arrangement being configured to be disposed to effectively connect with said top locking arrangement and said bottom locking arrangement only upon door leaves, connected to said drive arrangement, being in a closed position for locking and unlocking connected door leaves; a top actuator arrangement, said top actuator arrangement being configured to be connected to said top locking arrangement; a bottom actuator arrangement, said bottom actuator arrangement being configured to be connected to said bottom locking arrangement upon connected door leaves being in a closed position; said top actuator arrangement and said bottom actuator arrangement being attached to a single slide arrangement; said slide arrangement being configured and disposed to be driven by said drive arrangement; a beam arrangement; and said slide arrangement being configured and disposed to be moved on said beam arrangement. 
     Yet another feature of the invention resides broadly in a door system  2  with a locking device  1  which has top and bottom locking elements  28 ,  29  which can be displaced by a drive unit  17  to realize a door system  2  which is essentially simple and easy to install, whereby the functional and operational reliability of the system are greatly increased. For this purpose, associated with each of the top and bottom locking elements  28 ,  29  is an actuator element  26 ,  27 ,,whereby the actuator elements  26 ,  27  are fastened to a single slide  25  which is held on a beam  19  so that it can move perpendicular to the sliding direction of the leaf  3  and which can be moved indirectly by the drive unit  17 . 
     Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. 
     The invention as described hereinabove in the context of the preferred embodiments is not to be taken as limited to all of the provided details thereof, since modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.