Patent Abstract:
A door handle system for a door employing a plurality of door handles that operate in unison. Each door handle comprised of a lever with a perpendicular shaft, and the shaft extending through sequentially and securing together the following additional elements of the door handle to insure that the latch mechanism rotates together with the lever: a sealing washer, snap bushing, handle opening through the door, second bushing, collar and latch mechanism. An arm provided on each latch mechanism that attaches to a common bus bar. An outwardly extending tongue provided on each latch mechanism for engaging either a door facing or a tongue receiving bracket attached to the door facing to latch the door in a closed position. A lock bracket on the door with a lock opening to align with a lock opening provided the lever for padlocking the lever closed.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a door handle system that employs a plurality of levers for simultaneously latching and unlatching a plurality of associated latch mechanisms provided on a door. This door handle system employs varying numbers and placement of levers and associated latch mechanisms, can be installed on doors that open to the inside or on doors that open to the outside, can be used on either left or right hand opening doors, can be operated from either side of the door, and can be locked by employing a single padlock in association with only one of the levers of the system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Most of the door handle systems that are currently employed utilize only one latch mechanism to hold the door shut. One latch mechanism holds the door to the door frame in only one location. For use with doors that are flexible and can be easily warped, such as metal doors, it is desirable to employ door handle systems with more than one latch mechanism so that various points on the door can be held to the door frame. 
     Various multiple latch door handle systems have been proposed. However, each of these multiple latch door handle systems has one or more problems associated with its installation or use. 
     Some of the multiple latch door handle systems have a number of latch mechanisms that work independently. These systems are time consuming to open and close because each latch mechanism must be operated individually in order to open or close the door. 
     Other multiple latch door handle systems employ latch mechanisms that work in conjunction with each other, but are designed so that the latch mechanisms must be located at a certain point and distance from the other latch mechanisms in the system. Installation of these systems can be time consuming, and often the locations of the latch mechanisms are not convenient for the door onto which they are to be installed. 
     Still other multiple latch door handle systems are complicated in operation and may employ latch mechanisms that are directed in opposite directions from each other. Again, installation for these types of systems is complicated and time consuming. The systems are not flexible enough for installation on different types or sizes of doors, on both left and right hand opening doors, or for inside and outside opening doors without making major modifications to the hardware. These systems often employ complicated linking mechanisms with numerous parts that can break. Once a part is broken on one of these systems, they are often hard to repair. 
     Some multiple latch door handle systems are designed for installation on only one side of a door, i.e. either a right handed opening door or a left handed opening door. And most of these multiple latch door handle systems can not be opened from both sides of the door, i.e. opened from both the front side and back side of the door and can not be used on both inside opening doors and on outside opening doors. 
     Also, many of these multiple latch door handle systems are difficult or impossible to lock so that all of the latch mechanisms of the system remain locked in a latched position. 
     The present invention addresses all of these problems by providing a simple, multiple latch door handle system for simultaneously latching and unlatching a plurality of associated latch mechanisms provided on a door. The present door handle system is easy to install, allows flexibility in the number of levers and latch mechanisms employed, and allows flexibility in the distance that the levers and latch mechanisms are spaced apart from each other. This system can be installed either an inside opening door or on an outside opening door, can be used on either a left hand opening door or a right hand opening door, and can be operated from either side of the door. Also, all of the latch mechanisms of this door handle system can be locked in a latched position by employing a single padlock in association with the distal end on just one of the levers of the system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a door handle system that employs a plurality of levers for simultaneously latching and unlatching a plurality of associated latch mechanisms provided on a door. This system is mounted externally on the door to the surface of the door and to the surface of the door frame so that the entire system is readily visible and accessible for operation and repair. 
     Each lever is paired with and attached to an associated latch mechanism so that the latch mechanism rotates in conjunction with its associated lever. Each lever is provided with a shaft that is provided on a proximal end of the lever. The shaft extends outward from the lever so that a longitudinal axis of the shaft is approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the lever. Two opposite sides of the shaft are flattened along the length of the shaft so that items that are fitted to the shaft, i.e. are provided with openings therein having two flattened sides to the opening, and are slipped over a distal end of the shaft will not be able to rotate relative to the shaft, but those items will rotate in conjunction with rotation of the shaft and its associated lever. 
     A groove is provided in the proximal end of the lever so that the groove surrounds the shaft. A compressible washer slips over the distal end of the shaft and is received in the groove to seal the lever to the door in order to prevent air leakage between the door and the lever. 
     Next, a hollow snap bushing is placed over the distal end of the shaft so that a cylindrical end of the snap bushing faces away from the lever. The opposite end of the snap bushing is provided with a shoulder which has a larger diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical end. Then the shaft is inserted through an opening provided in a door for this purpose, and the cylindrical end of the snap bushing enters the opening and is secured therein by wings that are provided on the cylindrical end, with the shoulder resting against the front surface of the door. 
     After the shaft has been inserted through the opening in the door, a hollow second bushing inserts over the distal end of the shaft so that a cylindrical portion of the second bushing extends through the opening in the door. The second bushing is provided with a shoulder that is larger in diameter than its cylindrical portion, and this shoulder engages the back surface of the door. The shoulder of the second bushing rests against the back surface of the door. 
     Next a collar with a shaft opening therein is slipped, via its shaft opening, over the distal end of the shaft and is secured to the shaft by a screw that inserts into a screw opening that is provided in the collar approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A shaft opening in the collar is fitted to the shaft, i.e. it is provided with two flattened sides to the shaft opening. The collar is provided with a second groove similar to the groove provided in the proximal end of the lever. The second groove receives the shoulder of the second bushing. The screw is threaded into the screw opening until a tip of the screw engages the shaft, thereby securing the collar to the shaft and capturing the second bushing, door, snap bushing, and washer between the collar and the lever. 
     A latch mechanism with a shaft opening therein is next slipped onto the shaft, via its shaft opening, and is secured to the shaft by a second screw that inserts into a second screw opening provided in the latch mechanism approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A shaft opening in the latch mechanism is also fitted to the shaft, i.e. it is provided with two flattened sides to the latch mechanism opening. The second screw is threaded into the second screw opening until a tip of the second screw engages the shaft, thereby securing the latch mechanism to the shaft. 
     The latch mechanism has a circular protrusion on a back or rear side of the latch mechanism by which the latch mechanism attaches to a bus bar. The circular protrusion is provided with a third screw opening that is provided approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft but is offset therefrom because the circular protrusion is provided on a distal end of an arm that extends outward approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The circular protrusion is first inserted through a protrusion opening provided in the bus bar for this purpose, and then a third screw is first inserted through a large diameter second washer and bar bushing and then threaded into the third screw opening to secure the latch mechanism to the bus bar. The bar bushing is provided with a cylindrical end that enters the protrusion opening and with a shoulder that abuts the bar. 
     When inserting the latch mechanism onto the shaft and before the latch mechanism is attached to the bus bar, either a front side of the latch mechanism can face the shaft when the latch mechanism is inserted onto the shaft, as illustrated in FIGS. 2,  3  and  3 A, or alternately, a rear side of the latch mechanism can face the shaft, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, when the latch mechanism is inserted onto the shaft. The circular protrusion is provided on the rear side of the latch mechanism and it attaches to the bus bar to operationally link this latch mechanism with other identical latch mechanisms to form the door handle system. 
     The shaft opening in the latch mechanism is provided with two flattened sides that can align with the two flattened sides of the shaft in two different ways simply by rotating the latch mechanism while keeping the front side of the latch mechanism facing the door. Therefore, when the latch mechanism is facing the door, it can be inserted on the shaft in one of two ways so that the latch mechanism can be employed to fit either right or left hand doors, i.e. it can be inserted directly so that the flattened sides of the latch mechanism coincide with the flattened sides of the shaft or it can be rotated 180 degrees before inserting it on the shaft. In addition, the latch mechanism can be flipped over 180 degrees so that the rear side of the latch mechanism faces the door, as previously described. In this orientation, i.e. with the rear side of the latch mechanism facing the door, the latch mechanism can also be inserted on the shaft in one of two ways, similar to the two different ways the latch mechanism could be inserted on the shaft when the front side of the latch mechanism faced the door. 
     The latch mechanism is provided with a wedge shaped tongue that extends outward perpendicular from the longitudinal axis of the shaft and is located in a plane that is parallel to a plane in which the arm is located. A longitudinal axis of the tongue forms an obtuse angle of approximately 140 degrees with a longitudinal axis of the arm, with a pointed edge of the wedge facing away from the arm. 
     A plurality of door handles comprised of lever, and associated latch mechanism pairs along with associated washers bushings and collar, that are all identical to those previously described are secured to the door so that all the door handles are aligned with each other and are attached to the same bus bar which is provided with a protrusion openings therethrough for this purpose. Protrusion openings can easily be made in the bus bar so that the door handles can be spaced apart as desired. 
     When the door handle system is thus installed in the door, for outward opening doors, the tongue will engage the door frame, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, a tongue receiving bracket is needed for inwardly opening doors, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 3A. The tongue receiving bracket is attached to the door frame in association with and for the purpose of being removably engaged by its associated tongue. The tongue receiving bracket is secured to the door frame on the side of the door frame where the latch mechanism is positioned when the door is closed. If the receiving bracket is made of sheet metal for mounting on the back side of the door facing, a reinforcing flange is provided on the receiving bracket to give it extra strength. Because the tongue and receiving bracket are both surface mounted to the inside of the door and door frame, respectively, the latch mechanism can be operated from either side of the door unless the door handle system has been locked in a closed position. 
     An L-shaped lock bracket with a lock opening provided extending through one leg of the bracket is secured to the front side of the door via a screw in association with one or more of the levers. The lock bracket is preferably provided with a counter-bored hole in its second leg into which a screw inserts to secure the lock bracket to the door facing. The hole is preferably counter-bored so that the head of the screw does not interfere with movement of the lever. Each lock bracket is secured to the door on the same side as the levers and is positioned so that the lock opening provided in the lock bracket is aligned with an associated lock opening provided in a distal end of the lever. When the two lock openings are aligned with each other, i.e. the two lock openings are aligned with each other only when the tongue is in its latched position, a link of a padlock can be insert through the two aligned lock openings, thereby locking the door handle system in its closed or latched position. In order to unlock the door handle system, the padlock is removed and then the levers are free to rotate to unlatch the tongues from their associated receiving brackets or door frames, thereby unlatching the door from its door frame. It should be obvious that because all of the levers and latch mechanisms of a given door handle system operated in conjunction with each other, all levers and latch mechanisms are rendered inoperative when any one of the levers is locked. 
     The arm of each latch mechanism is provided with an ear to prevent the latch mechanism from overextending when it is opened. The ear has an ear surface that positioned approximately perpendicular to a vertical lip provided on the bus bar whenever the latch mechanism is in its latched position. The ear surface engages the vertical lip when the latch is in its fully opened position, thereby preventing the latch mechanism from accidentally being rotated further than its fully opened position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective rear view of a door handle system constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in use on an outwardly swinging door. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 showing the door handle system in use with an outwardly swinging door. 
     FIG. 2A is a rear view of the same door handle system in use on an inwardly swinging door that is swung from the same side of the door frame as the door illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view similar to FIG. 2 showing the door handle system in use on an outwardly swinging door that opens in a direction opposite to the direction of opening of the door illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 3A is a rear view of the same door handle system in use on an inwardly swinging door this is swung from the same side of the door frame as the door illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  2 A. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 A. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a single door handle of the door handle system shown in association with a door. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of a lever of the door handle system. 
     FIG. 8 is a rear view taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of a first washer of the door handle system. 
     FIG. 10 is a rear view taken along line  10 — 10  of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of a second bushing of the door handle system. 
     FIG. 12 is a front view taken along line  12 — 12  of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 13 is a side view of a collar of the door handle system. 
     FIG. 14 is a front view taken along line  14 — 14  of FIG.  13 . 
     FIG. 15 is a rear view of a latch mechanism of the door handle system. 
     FIG. 16 is a side view taken along line  16 — 16  of FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 17 is an opposite side view taken along line  17 — 17  of FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 18 is a top plan taken along line  18 — 18  of FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 19 is a bottom plan taken along line  19 — 19  of FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 20 is a side view of a snap bushing of the door handle system. 
     FIG. 21 is a rear view taken along line  21 — 21  of FIG.  20 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Invention 
     Referring now to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a door handle system  10  that is constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Although for ease of illustration and description, only two door handles  12  are illustrated in the door handle system  10  shown in FIG. 1, the invention is not so limited. The door handle system  10  attaches to a door  14  and employs a plurality of handles in the form of levers  16  for simultaneously latching and unlatching a plurality of associated latch mechanisms  18 . This system  10  is mounted externally to the front and back surfaces  20  and  21 , respectively, of the door  14  and the back surface  23 , respectively, of the door frame  24  so that the entire system  10  is readily visible and accessible for repair. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, each lever  16  is paired with and attached to an associated latch mechanism  18  so that the latch mechanism  18  rotates in conjunction with its associated lever  16 . Each door handle  12  for the present system  10  is comprised of a lever  16 , its associated latch mechanism  18 , associated washers  56  and  100 , associated bushings  51 ,  60 , and  101 , associated collar  40 , and associated screws  74 ,  80 , and  98 , as will be more fully described hereafter. 
     As shown in more detail in FIGS. 7 and 8, each lever  16  is provided with a shaft  26  that attaches on a proximal end  28  of the lever  16 . The shaft  26  extends outward from the lever  16  so that a longitudinal axis  30  of the shaft  26  is approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis  32  of the lever  16 . Two opposite sides  34  and  36  of the shaft  26  are flattened along the length  38  of the shaft  26 . The purpose of the flattened sides  34  and  36  is so that the collar  40  and latch mechanism  18 , both of which are provided with shaft openings,  42  and  44  respectively, therein that are fitted to the shape of the shaft  26 . This means that each opening  42  and  44  has two flattened sides  46  and  48 , and therefore, neither the collar  40  or the latch mechanism  18  will rotate relative to the shaft  26  when they are slipped over the distal end  50  of the shaft  26 , but they will instead rotate in conjunction with rotation of the shaft  26  and its attached lever  16 . 
     A groove  52  is provided in the proximal end  28  of the lever  16  so that the groove  52  surrounds the proximal end  54  of the shaft  26 . A first washer  56  slips over the distal end  50  of the shaft  26  and is partially received within the groove  52 . The first washer  56  is preferably compressible so that it seals to the lever  16  and the door  14  to prevent air leakage between the door  14  and the lever  16 . The first washer  56  is shown in detail in FIGS. 9 and 10. 
     Next, a hollow snap bushing  51  is placed over the distal end  50  of the shaft  26  so that a cylindrical end  53  of the snap bushing  51  faces away from the lever  16 . The snap bushing  51  is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 20 and 21. An opposite end  55  of the snap bushing  51  is provided with a shoulder  57  which has a larger diameter  59  than a diameter  61  of the cylindrical end  53 . Then the shaft  26  is inserted through a handle opening  58  provided in the door  14  for this purpose, and the cylindrical end  53  of the snap bushing  51  enters the handle opening  58  and is secured therein by wings  63  that are provided on the cylindrical end  53 , with the shoulder  57  resting against the front surface  20  of the door  14 . 
     After the shaft  26  has been inserted through the handle opening  58  in the door  14 , a hollow second bushing  60  inserts over the distal end  50  of the shaft  26  so that a cylindrical portion  62  of the second bushing  60  extends through the handle opening  58  in the door  14 . The second bushing  60 , as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, is provided with a shoulder  64  that has a larger diameter  66  than the diameter  68  of the cylindrical portion  62 , and this shoulder  64  engages the back surface  21  of the door  14 . Thus, the shaft  26  extends from a front side  72  of the door  14  to a back side  70  of the door  14  via handle opening  58 . 
     Next, the collar  40 , illustrated in detail in FIGS. 13 and 14, is slipped over the distal end  50  of the shaft  26  via its shaft opening  42  and is secured to the shaft  26  by a first screw  74  that inserts into a first screw opening  76  provided in the collar  40  approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  30  of the shaft  26 . As previously described, the shaft opening  42  in the collar  40  is fitted to the shaft  26 , i.e. it is provided with two flattened sides  46  and  48  that engage the two flattened sides  34  and  36  of the shaft  26  as the collar  40  is slipped onto the distal end  50  of the shaft  26 . The collar  40  is provided with a second groove  77  similar to the groove  52  provided in the proximal end  28  of the lever  16 . The second groove  77  receives the shoulder  64  of the second bushing  60 . The first screw  74  is threaded into the first screw opening  76  until a tip  78  of the first screw  74  engages the shaft  26 , thereby securing the collar  40  to the shaft  26  and capturing the second bushing  60 , the door  14 , the snap bushing  51 , and the first washer  56  between the collar  40  and the lever  16 . 
     The shaft opening  44  of the latch mechanism  18  is next slipped onto the distal end  50  of the shaft  26 . The latch mechanism  18  is illustrated in FIGS. 15-19. The latch mechanism  18  is secured to the shaft  26  by a second screw  80  that inserts into a second screw opening  82  provided in the latch mechanism  18  approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  30  of the shaft  26 . 
     Because the latch mechanism  18  is secured to the shaft  26  with the second screw  80  that can engage the shaft  26  anywhere along the length of the shaft  26  and because the shaft  26  can be made so that it is several inches in length, by simply adjusting the position of the latch mechanism  18  along the shaft  26  the door handle  12  can be used to accommodate doors  14  that are very thin or very thick. 
     As also previously described, the shaft opening  44  in the latch mechanism  18  is fitted to the shaft  26 , i.e. it is provided with two flattened sides  46  and  48  that engage the flattened sides  34  and  36  of the shaft  26  when the latch mechanism  18  is slipped onto the distal end  50  of the shaft  26 . The second screw  80  is threaded into the second screw opening  82  until a tip  84  of the second screw  80  engages the shaft  26 , thereby securing the latch mechanism  18  to the shaft  26 . 
     The latch mechanism  18  has a circular protrusion  86  provided on and extending outward from a rear side  87  of the latch mechanism  18  by which the latch mechanism  18  is attached to a bus bar  88 . The circular protrusion  86  is provided with a third screw opening  90  therein that is approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis  30  of the shaft  26  but is offset therefrom because the circular protrusion  86  is provided on a distal end  92  of an arm  94  of the latch mechanism  18  that extends outward approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  30  of the shaft  26 . 
     As shown in the drawings, the arm  94  is offset from the tongue  104 . This offset positioning is important because it allows the latch mechanism  18  to be used with its front side  102  facing the door  14 , or alternately, flipped over so that its rear side  87  faces the door  14 . 
     The circular protrusion  86  is first inserted through a protrusion opening  96  created in the bus bar  88  for this purpose. Then a third screw  98  is first inserted through a large diameter second washer  100 , next through a bar bushing  101 , and then threaded into the third screw opening  90  to secure the latch mechanism  18  to the bus bar  88 . The bar bushing  101  is provided with a cylindrical end  103  that enters the protrusion opening  96  and receives internally the circular protrusion  86 , and the bar bushing  101  is provided with a shoulder  105  on an opposite end  107  that abuts the bus bar  88 . 
     When inserting the latch mechanism  18  onto the shaft  26  and before the latch mechanism  18  is attached to the bus bar  88 , either a front side  102  of the latch mechanism  18  can face faces the shaft  26  when the latch mechanism  18  is inserted onto the shaft  26 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2,  3  and  3 A, or alternately, a rear side  87  of the latch mechanism  18  can face the shaft  26 , as illustrated in FIG. 2A, when the latch mechanism  18  is inserted onto the shaft  26 . The circular protrusion  96  is provided on the rear side  87  of the latch mechanism  18  and it attaches to the bus bar  88  to operationally link the latch mechanism  18  of this door handle  12  to the latch mechanisms  18  of all of the other identical door handles  12  of the door handle system  10 . 
     The shaft opening  44  in the latch mechanism  18  is provided with two flattened sides  46  and  48  that can align with the two flattened sides  34  and  36  of the shaft  26  in two different ways simply by rotating the latch mechanism  18  while keeping the front side  102  of the latch mechanism  18  facing the door  14 . Therefore, when the latch mechanism  18  is facing the door  14 , it can be inserted on the shaft  26  in one of two ways so that the latch mechanism  18  can be employed to fit either right or left hand doors  14 , i.e. it can be inserted directly so that the flattened sides  46  and  48  of the shaft opening  44  of the latch mechanism  18  coincide with the flattened sides  34  and  36 , respectively, of the shaft  26 . Alternately, the latch mechanism  18  can be rotated 180 degrees before inserting it on the shaft  26  so that flattened sides  46  and  48  align, respectively, with sides  36  and  34 , respectively. In addition, the latch mechanism  18  can be flipped over 180 degrees so that the rear side  87  of the latch mechanism  18  faces the door  14 , as previously described. In this orientation, i.e. with the rear side  87  of the latch mechanism  18  facing the door  14 , the latch mechanism  18  can also be inserted on the shaft  26  in one of two ways, similar to the two different ways the latch mechanism  18  could be inserted on the shaft  26  when the front side  102  of the latch mechanism  18  faced the door  14 . 
     The latch mechanism  18  is provided with a wedge shaped tongue  104  that extends outward approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  30  of the shaft  26  and is located in a plane parallel to a plane in which the arm  94  is located. A longitudinal axis  106  of the tongue  104  forms an obtuse angle, identified on the drawing as angle “A”, of approximately 140 degrees with a longitudinal axis  108  of the arm  94 . A pointed edge  110  of the wedge-shaped tongue  104  points away from the arm  94 . 
     A plurality of door handles  12 , each identical to door handle  12  previously described herein, are secured to the door  14  so that all the door handles  12  are aligned with each other and are attached to the same bus bar  88  into which properly spaced protrusion openings  96  have been created for this purpose. Protrusion openings  96  are drilled into the bus bar  88  so that the door handles  12  can be spaced apart as desired. 
     When the door handle system  10  is thus installed in the door  12 , for outward opening doors  12 , the tongue  104  will engage the door frame  24 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, a tongue receiving bracket  112  is needed for inwardly opening doors  12 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 3A. A tongue receiving bracket  112  is not necessary on outwardly opening doors  14  as the tongue  104  simply engages the door frame  24  to latch the door  14  closed. The tongue receiving bracket  112  is attached to the door frame  24  in association with and for the purpose of being removably engaged by its associated tongue  104 . The tongue receiving bracket  112  is secured to the door frame  24  via screws  114  or other suitable fasteners so that the tongue receiving bracket  112  is on the back surface  23  of the back side  116  of the door frame  24  where the latch mechanism  18  is positioned when the door  14  is closed. If the tongue receiving bracket  112  is made of sheet metal, an outwardly extending flange  113  is provided on the tongue receiving bracket  112  to strengthen it against bending. Because the tongue  104  and the tongue receiving bracket  112  are both surface mounted, i.e. surface mounted respectively to the back side  70  of the door  14  and to the back side  116  of the door frame  24 , the latch mechanism  18  can be operated from either side of the door  14 , i.e. the front side  72  or the back side  70 , unless, of course, the door handle system  10  has been locked in a closed position  118 . Also, employing this door handle system  10 , the door  14  can be opened either inwardly or outwardly and can be opened from either the left or right side. 
     An L-shaped lock bracket  120  with a lock opening  122  provided extending through one leg  123  of the lock bracket  120  is secured to the front side  72  of the door  14  via a lock screw  124  or other suitable fastener in association with at least one of the levers  16 . The lock bracket  120  is preferably provided with a counterbored hole  125  in its second leg  127  into which the lock screw  124  inserts to secure the lock bracket  120  to the door  14 . The hole  125  is preferably counterbored so that a head  129  of the lock screw  124  is recessed within the lock bracket  120  and does not interfere with movement of the lever  16 . 
     Each lock bracket  120  is secured to the door  14  on the same side of the door  14 , i.e. the front side  72 , where the levers  16  are located when the door  14  is in its closed position  118 . Each lock bracket  120  is positioned so that the lock opening  122  provided in the lock bracket  120  is aligned with an associated lock opening  126  provided in a distal end  128  of the lever  16 . When the two associated lock openings  122  and  126  are aligned with each other, i.e. when the tongue  104  is in its closed or latched position  118 , a link of a padlock (not illustrated) can be inserted through the two aligned lock openings  122  and  126 , thereby locking the door handle system  10  in its closed or latched position  118 . Also, when the lever  16  is in its locked position, the lever  16  covers the lock screw  124 , thereby preventing the lock bracket  120  from being removed from the door  14  in an effort to unlock the door handle system  10  without removing the padlock from the two aligned lock openings  122  and  126 . 
     In order to unlock the door handle system  10 , the padlock is removed from the lock openings  122  and  126  and then the levers  16  are free to rotate to thereby unlatch the tongues  104  from their associated tongue receiving brackets  112 , thereby unlatching the door  14  from its door frame  24 . It should be obvious that because all of the levers  16  and latch mechanisms  18  of a given door handle system  10  operated in conjunction with each other, all levers  16  and latch mechanisms  18  are rendered inoperative when any one of the levers  16  is locked. 
     The arm  94  of each latch mechanism  18  is provided with an ear  130  to prevent the latch mechanism  18  from overextending or rotating too far when it is opened. The ear has  130  an ear surface  132  that is approximately perpendicular to a vertical lip  134  provided on the bus bar  88  when the latch mechanism  18  is in its latched position  118 . The ear surface  132  engages the vertical lip  134  when the latch mechanism  18  is fully opened; thereby preventing the latch mechanism  18  from accidentally being rotated further than it&#39;s fully opened position. 
     While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for the purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8