Patent Publication Number: US-9890556-B2

Title: Lever action security handle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to security handle assemblies. More specifically, the invention relates to security handle assemblies that open in a single motion. 
     Most of the security swing handle assemblies include a housing mounted to an enclosure door. The housing has a recess over which a swing lever, pivotally mounted to the housing, is retained in a closed position. A hasp mounted in the recess extends through an opening in the lever to receive a padlock for locking the lever in the closed position. In order to open the enclosure door, the padlock is removed and a tool is inserted into a key plug and rotated releasing the lever to an open position. The lever, which is operatively connected to a door latch mechanism in the interior of the cabinet enclosure, is manually pivoted to open the door. 
     Such security swing handle assemblies are used on electrical enclosure doors of electrical enclosures for cell phone towers. Unfortunately, thieves often break into these electrical enclosures to steal copper wiring which can also result in damage to electrical component in the enclosures. The problem with these existing security swing handle assemblies is that thieves smash the padlock with a large implement to break the padlock from the assembly. In doing so, the hasp and lever are broken so the thieves are then able to access the enclosures. Even if the hasp and lever are not broken from the assembly, the thief will still be able to open the lever by using a tool, which can be found at virtually any hardware store, to insert into the key plug and rotate it to release the lever to the open position. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved security swing handle assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is explained in the following description in view of the drawings that show: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of the handle in a closed position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 1  in the open position. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional side view along line A-A of the example embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate example embodiment of the handle in the closed position. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 8   
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional side view of the alternate example embodiment of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is rear view of the alternate example embodiment of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 13  shows an alternate assembly of the handle of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present inventors have devised an innovative security handle assembly (“handle”) that provides several advantages over the prior art handle assemblies. The handle provides single action locking and unlocking of the electrical panel door. Specifically, in a closed position the handle secures the panel door in a respective closed position. A lever can be locked into the closed position via a locking assembly. In one opening motion from the closed position to the open position the lever unlocks the panel door and enables the user to open the panel door. Likewise, in one closing motion from the open position to the closed position the lever enables the user to close the panel door and the lever then locks the closed panel door. This eliminates any rotation associated with prior art levers and any guesswork about which way to rotate the lever. In addition, when closed the lever is fully surrounded by an escutcheon, thereby mitigating any snag hazard it poses. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of the handle  100  in a lever closed position  102 . The handle  100  includes a lever  104  pivotally mounted to an escutcheon  106  at a lever pivot  108 . The escutcheon  106  includes a top end  120 , a bottom end  122 , a first side wall  124 , a second side wall  126 , a front  128 , and a back  130 . In the example embodiment shown, the first side wall  124  and the second side wall  126  are parallel, but this is not mandatory. In the lever closed position  102 , a cam latch  140  is in a cam closed position  142  via a cam surface  144  that locks the handle  100  to the panel door (not shown). The handle  100  optionally includes a lock assembly  146  that locks the lever  104  into the lever closed position  102 . 
     In the example embodiment shown, the cam latch  140  is part of a rotating structure  150 . The rotating structure  150  further includes a first stud  152  and a second stud  154  (visible in  FIG. 2 ). In an example embodiment, the first stud  152  and the second stud  154  are connected to another engagement means for securing the panel door in the closed position. For example, the first stud  150  may be secured to an end of a first rod  160  that extends upward (in  FIG. 1 ) and passes through a catch  162  of the door frame (not shown). In such a configuration, when the cam latch  140  is in the closed position  142 , the first stud  152  holds the first rod upward so that the first rod engages the catch  162 , thereby holding the panel door in the door frame. Rotating the cam latch  140  to the open position  206  drops the first rod  160 , thereby disengaging the first rod  162  from the catch  162  and freeing the panel door to open (as seen in  FIG. 2 ). 
     Similarly, the second stud  154  may be secured to a second rod (not shown) that extends downward through the panel door and into a respective catch  126  when the cam latch  140  is in the closed position  142 . Rotating the cam latch  140  to the open position  206  lifts the second rod, thereby disengaging the second rod from the catch  126 , freeing the panel door to open. This is only one of many possible configurations whereby the first stud  152  and the second stud  154  can be used to bolster the security of the panel door. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the handle  100  of  FIG. 1  in a lever open position  200 . Lifting a bottom end  202  of the lever  104  out of the escutcheon  106  rotates the cam latch  140  in direction  204  to a cam open position  206  such that the cam latch  140  disengages from a cam catch in the door frame (not shown) and allows the panel door to open. Continued application of the lifting force serves to open the panel door once the cam latch  140  has disengaged from the panel. Accordingly, one motion unlocks and opens the panel door. From in the lever open position  200 , pushing on the bottom end  202  of the lever  104  first closes the panel door. Continued pushing lowers the bottom end  202  of the lever  104 , which rotates the cam latch  140  in direction  208  to the cam closed position  142 , causing the cam latch  140  to engage the panel and lock the panel door in place. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the example embodiment of  FIG. 1 . The top end  120 , the bottom end  122 , the first side wall  124 , and the second side wall  126  of the escutcheon  106  define a recessed area  300  inside which at least a portion of the lever  104  resides when in the lever closed position  102 . In the example embodiment shown, a majority of the lever  104  is disposed within the recessed area  300 . In an example embodiment, a hinge pin  302  defines the lever pivot  108  and a first axis of rotation  304  about which the lever  104  pivots. Rotation of the lever  104  defines a first plane of rotation that is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation  304 . (Planes of rotation are visible in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .) 
     A main gear drive  310  (i.e. a first gear) is operatively associated with the lever  104  so that the main gear drive  310  moves when the lever  104  moves. In the example embodiment shown, the main gear drive  310  is secured to the hinge pin  302  and to a top end  312  of the lever  104 . A main gear interlocking feature  314  and a lever interlocking feature  316  cooperate to ensure there is no relative rotational movement between the lever  104  and the main gear drive  310 . As a result, when the lever  104  is rotated the main gear drive  310  rotates about a third axis of rotation  318  and in a third plane of rotation that is perpendicular to the third axis of rotation  318 . In the example embodiment shown, the first axis of rotation  304  and the third axis of rotation  318  are the same, and the first rotation plane and the third plane of rotation are parallel to each other. 
     Gear teeth  320  extending toward and through the back  130  of the escutcheon  106  engage cam teeth  322  and cause cam teeth  322  to rotate when gear teeth  320  rotate. The cam teeth  322  extend toward the front  128  of the escutcheon, transverse to a cam gear  324  (i.e. a second gear), to engage with the gear teeth  320 . In the example embodiment shown, the cam teeth  322  extend toward the front  128  of the escutcheon, perpendicular to a cam gear  324 , to engage with the gear teeth  320 . 
     Rotating the main drive gear  310  rotates the cam gear  324  about a fourth axis of rotation  330  and the rotation defines a fourth plane of rotation perpendicular to the fourth axis of rotation  330 . The cam gear  324  is secured to the cam latch  140  so that rotation of the cam gear  324  rotates the cam latch  140  about a second axis of rotation  332  in directions  204  and  208 , where directions  204  and  208  define a second plane of rotation. that is perpendicular to the second axis of rotation  332 . In the embodiment shown, the axis of rotation  330  and the second axis of rotation  332  are the same axis. In the example embodiment shown, the fourth plane of rotation and the second plane of rotation are parallel to each other. 
     The first plane of rotation (of the lever  104  and the second plane of rotation (of the cam latch  140 ) are transverse to each other. In the example embodiment shown, the first plane of rotation and the second plane of rotation are perpendicular to each other. In this way, moving the lever  104  between the lever closed position  102  and the lever open position  200  in one plane is effective to rotate the cam latch  140  between the cam closed position  142  and the cam open position  206  in a transverse plane, even when the transverse plane is perpendicular to the one plane. Consequently, there is no need to rotate the lever  104  to release the panel door from the panel; the panel door releases with a single movement. 
     The lock assembly  146  secured the lever  104  in the lever closed position  102 . In this example embodiment, the lock assembly  146  fits into a lock recess  340 . A lock element  342 , shown in a locked orientation  344 , engages the escutcheon  106 , thereby locking the bottom end  202  of the lever  104  into the escutcheon  106 . To unlock the lock assembly  146 , a key (not shown) rotates the lock element  342  so that the lock element  342  no longer engages the escutcheon  106 , thereby freeing the bottom end  202 . 
     In the example embodiment shown, cam cover fasteners  350  secure a cam cover  352  over the cam gear  324 . A cam retention fastener  354  secures the cam latch  140  to the cam gear  324 . The cam teeth  324  extend through opening  360 A in the back  130  of the escutcheon. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the handle  100  of  FIG. 1 . Visible are the first plane of rotation  400  in which, for example, a longitudinal axis  404  of the lever  104  rotates, and the third plane of rotation  402  in which, for example, a point of a gear tooth  320  of the main drive gear  310  rotates. Also visible is a cam catch  170  that is part of the door frame (not shown) and against which the cam latch  140  rests when the lever is in the closed position  102 . This interaction locks the door panel in place in the door frame. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the handle  100  of  FIG. 1 . To install the handle  100 , the back  130  is inserted through a slot (not shown) in a panel such that a surface  500  of the handle  100  rests on an outside surface  180  of the panel  182 . The cam cover  352  over the gears as well as the lock assembly  146  protrude into the panel. An upper retainer  504  and a lower retaining clip  506  sandwich and hold the panel  182  between the surface  500  and the upper retainer  504  and a lower retaining clip  506 . In this example embodiment, no tools are needed to install the handle  100 . 
     Visible are the second plane of rotation  510  in which, for example, a longitudinal axis  512  the cam latch  140  rotates, and the fourth plane of rotation  514  in which, for example, a point of a cam tooth  322  of the cam gear  324  rotates. 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional side view along line A-A of the handle  100  of  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 7  is a rear view of the handle  100  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate example embodiment of the handle  800  in the closed position. In this example embodiment, the lower retaining clip  506  of  FIG. 5  is replaced with a lock cover  802  that covers the lock assembly  146  and sandwiches the panel door. 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the example embodiment of the handle  800  of  FIG. 8 . Here it can be seen that lock cover fasteners  900  secure the lock cover  802  in position, thereby also sandwiching the panel door between the lock cover and the surface  500 .  FIG. 10  is a side view of the example embodiment of the handle  800  of  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 11  is a sectional side view of the handle  800  of  FIG. 8 . A gap  1100  is formed between the surface  500  and the lock cover  802  in which the panel door is sandwiched when the handle  800  is installed.  FIG. 12  is rear view of the alternate example embodiment of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 13  shows an alternate assembly of the handle  100 . Components of the handle are reversible, meaning that they can be installed as shown in  FIG. 3 , or installed as shown in  FIG. 10 . These components include the main drive gear  310 , and rotating structure  150  and its associated elements. As can be seen in  FIG. 13 , instead of being installed on the right side as is shown in  FIG. 3 , the main drive gear  310  can be installed on the left side of the handle (closer to the second side wall  126 ) and protrude through opening  360 B. 
     Switching the main drive gear  310  to the left side changes the direction of rotation of the rotating mechanism  150  when the lever  104  is moved. When moving the lever  104  from the closed position  102  to the open position  206 , the gear teeth  320  of the main drive gear  310  lower, thereby turning the cam gear  324  in a counter clockwise direction  1000 . When moving the lever  104  from the open position  206  to the closed position  102 , the gear teeth  320  of the main drive gear  310  raise, thereby turning the cam gear  324  in a clockwise direction  1002 . This is the opposite of what happens when the main drive gear  310  is installed on the right side as shown in  FIG. 3 . This reversibility of the main drive gear  310  allows for the cam latch  140  to be pointed either up or down when the lever  104  is in the open position  206 . Such versatility may be useful for situations where clearance for the cam latch  140  exists in one position but not the other. In addition, the rotating structure  150  may be flipped 180 degrees so that the cam latch  140  points to the left as in  FIG. 13  instead of to the right as in  FIG. 3 . This provides the flexibility to accommodate handles positioned on the right side of a left-hinged door ( FIG. 3 ) or the left side of a right-hinged door ( FIG. 13 ). 
     From the foregoing it can be seen that the Inventors have devised a handle that enables unlocking and opening of a panel door using a single motion, and which likewise enables closing and locking of the panel door using another single, opposite motion. Accordingly, the handle represents an improvement in the art. 
     While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.