Patent ID: 7051780

Claim:
A latch assembly for a bifold door assembly comprising: a deadbolt rod assembly; a first lock actuating means for moving the latch assembly between an unlocked position, wherein the deadbolt rod assembly is in a retracted position and a locked position, wherein the deadbolt rod assembly is in an extended position; and a second lock actuating means for moving the latch assembly between the unlocked position, the locked position, and a lockout position wherein the deadbolt rod assembly is extended but cannot be retracted by the first lock actuating means; wherein a slide assembly is connected to the deadbolt rod assembly for moving the deadbolt rod assembly between the retracted and extended positions, the slide assembly having a slot and a slide bolt that is moveable both with the slide assembly and within the slide assembly slot; wherein when the latch assembly is in either the unlocked or the locked position, actuation of the first lock actuating means causes the first lock actuating means to contact and move the slide bolt, which through the slide assembly causes a corresponding movement of the deadbolt rod assembly, and wherein when the latch assembly is in the lockout position, the slide bolt is retracted within the slide assembly slot in a direction away from the first lock actuating means such that the first lock actuating means does not contact the slide bolt during actuation of the first lock actuating means and therefore actuation of the first lock actuating means does not cause a movement of the deadbolt rod assembly; wherein the first lock actuating means is a rotatably key cylinder; and wherein the key cylinder is attached to a lock cam, such that rotation of the key cylinder causes a corresponding rotation of the lock cam, the lock cam having first and second arms, wherein when the latch assembly is in the unlocked position, a rotation of the key cylinder in a locking direction causes the first arm to contact and move the slide bolt, which in turn moves the slide assembly and thus the deadbolt rod assembly, and when the latch assembly is in the locked position, a rotation of the key cylinder in an unlocking direction causes the second arm to contact and move the slide bolt, which in turn moves the slide assembly and thus the deadbolt rod assembly.