Patent Document

REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/753,725, filed on Dec. 27, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally to mechanical security devices for openings in building structures. More specifically, the present security device comprises at least two opposed door bar keepers or retainers adapted for attachment to the opposite hinges of a double door system, and removably retaining at least one door bar thereacross to secure the double doors as desired.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Door bars are well known for preventing the opening of a door. Such bars were the first security system developed for doorway entrances into structures, with keyed locks and the like not being developed, or at least not being economically available to most persons, until later times. While the door bar principle has its disadvantages, e.g. the structure must be occupied or at least accessible from inside in order to install and remove the door bar, it is nevertheless still the strongest doorway security system possible.  
         [0006]     Conventionally, door bars have required brackets or retainers secured into the wall structure to each side of the door. The need for a solid anchor or attachment for the brackets requires that the brackets be attached to some solid structure to each side of the doorway, e.g. to the door frame, etc. Simple drywall anchors or the like threaded into the relatively fragile wall paneling conventionally used to finish the interior of a structure, do not provide nearly enough strength to resist tearing out in the event of strong forces applied to the door from the opposite side. As a result, the effort involved in the proper installation of the door bar retaining brackets to each side of a doorway, can be considerable.  
         [0007]     Double doors, i.e. door sets having opposite hinged edges secured to the opposite sides of the door frame opening, are particularly vulnerable to breakdown from outside, whether from forced entry or from extreme weather conditions. This is due to the relatively weak central security between the two doors, with there generally being relatively small upper and lower pins extending from one door and a conventional latch and striker assembly between the doors. Relatively little force is required to break such a system, in comparison to a single hinged door having a latch engaging a striker receptacle in the door frame.  
         [0008]     However, all hinged doors, whether single or double, are provided with anchors which are solidly attached to the adjacent door opening, in the form of their hinges. The hinges are attached to the door frame structure, and their attachment screws in both the door frame and the door are placed in shear when force is applied to push the door into the door opening. This results in an extremely strong attachment which is already in place in all hinged doors. In the case of double doors, such hinge attachments are provided on each side of the door opening. The present invention provides a means of using the existing hinges in a double door installation for securing door bar retaining brackets thereto, thus avoiding need for extensive labor and effort in anchoring additional retainer brackets adjacent the door opening.  
         [0009]     The present inventors are aware of various door bar security systems which have been developed in the past. An example of such is found in French Patent Publication No. 2,554,495, published on May 10, 1985 to Laurent Reichenecker. According to the drawings and English abstract, the device comprises a bar pivotally attached to the door with a keeper or retainer anchored to each side of the door opening and engaging the ends of the bar when the bar is pivoted to a horizontal position. No means for securing the retainers to the existing hinges is disclosed.  
         [0010]     Another example is found in German Patent Publication No. 4,237,061 published on Jan. 5, 1994 to Harry Schmidt et al. According to the drawings and English abstract, the device comprises a bar having at least one threaded end which engages a retainer. Two opposed retainers are positioned to opposite sides of the door opening, and the bar is installed therebetween. The bar is rotated to advance it away from the threaded retainer, thereby wedging the bar and retainers across the span of the doorway. No permanent mechanical attachment either to the hinges or to any other structure is provided for the bar retainers in this device.  
         [0011]     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a double door security device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The double door security device comprises at least a pair of opposed door bar retainers or brackets which are anchored to corresponding pairs or sets of hinges in a double door installation. The brackets are secured to the hinges by hinge pins which secure the two leaves of each hinge together and also hold each bracket in place on the corresponding hinge. The brackets extend outwardly from the hinges to define door bar passages between the brackets and corresponding hinges. A door bar is removably installed through the door bar passages and across the double doors, to secure the doors against inward opening against the bar. The brackets or retainers may be configured for any practicable cross sectional bar shape, and brackets may be secured across more than one hinge set for additional security, if so desired. The brackets are preferably beveled at their hinge pin attachment ends, in order to reduce marring of the door and trim surfaces adjacent the hinges and further to serve as a stop to limit the swing of the door to a predetermined opening.  
         [0013]     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a double door security device according to the present invention, showing its installation across a pair of double doors.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded detail perspective view showing the assembly of a door bar retainer of the present invention to a door hinge, with alternative hinge pins being shown.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a detailed top plan view of a single hinge and retainer installation according to the present invention, showing the beveled hinge pin attachment ends of the retainer and the door swing opening limit provided thereby.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of a pair of door bar retainers having different configurations installed upon the first and second hinges of a door installation.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is another side elevation view of another pair of door bar retainers having different configurations from one another, installed upon the first and second hinges of a door installation.  
         [0019]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     The present invention comprises various embodiments of a security device or assembly for securing a bar across the span or width of a set of double doors, generally as shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. Double door sets by definition include opposed first and second doors, e.g. doors D 1  and D 2  of  FIG. 1 , hingedly secured to the sides of the door frame F by a series of hinge assemblies, e.g. hinge assemblies H 1 , H 2 , H 3 , H 4 , etc. In an exterior doorway having double doors, a series of three such hinge assemblies is typically used to attach each door D 1  and D 2  to opposite sides of the door frame F. The central hinge assemblies are concealed by the present invention and by a door bar B 1  secured therein, in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]     The present invention includes at least one first door bar retainer and at least one second door bar retainer, with each first and second door bar retainer comprising a pair of identical retainers in any given installation. The door bar retainers of  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 , and the upper retainer of the two retainers shown in  FIG. 4 . are identical in configuration, and are all designated by the reference numeral  10  throughout the drawings. A door bar retainer  10  (and/or other door bar retainer configuration shown in the drawings and discussed further below) is removably secured to the corresponding hinge assembly to each side of the double door installation, and a door bar B 1  of appropriate configuration and length L sufficient to extend at least slightly beyond the span defined by the opposed door bar retainers is removably installed through the door bar passages defined by the door bar retainers and their hinges.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  provides a detailed exploded perspective view of the installation of a door bar retainer  10  to a door hinge assembly H, as would be used in any of the hinge installations H 1 , H 2 , H 3 , etc. of  FIG. 1 . Each door hinge assembly H comprises a door frame hinge element HF for attaching to the door frame and a door edge hinge element HE which is attached to the edge of the door. The two hinge elements HF and HE are interposed with one another and are secured together by a hinge pin, e.g. headed pin P 1  of  FIG. 2 , or alternatively a pin P 2  having a diametric passage formed therethrough with a stop pin S (cotter pin, roll pin, wire, small diameter bolt or screw, etc.) installed therein. The integral head of the pin P 1  and the stop pin S of the pin P 2  serve as stop means to prevent the hinge pins P 1  or P 2  from falling through the hinge passage defined by the two interposed hinge elements HF and HE.  
         [0023]     The door bar retainer  10  is formed of an elongate flat strip of metal and bent for installation on the corresponding hinge assembly, generally as shown in  FIG. 2 . Each door bar retainer  10  includes opposite first and second attachment end portions, respectively  12  and  14 , which are bent to lie parallel to one another and which define a door bar channel C therebetween. Each of the two attachment end portions  12  and  14  includes a distal hinge pin passage, respectively  16  and  18 , formed therethrough, with the hinge pin P 1  or P 2  passing through the hinge pin passage  16  and  18  and through the interposed hinge elements HE, HF to secure the door bar retainer  10  to the hinge assembly H. Each door bar retainer  10  includes a medial portion  20  having a span or length essentially equal to the height of the hinge assembly H. The two attachment end portions  12  and  14  of the door bar retainer  10  span the interposed portions of the hinge elements HE and HF, with the hinge pin P 1  or P 2  having sufficient length to pass through the interposed hinge elements and through the two hinge pin passages  16  and  18  of the attachment end portions  12  and  14  of the door bar retainer  10  when installed. The medial portion  20  and opposite attachment end portions  12  and  14  of the door bar retainer  10 , along with the interposed portions of the hinge assembly H, define a door bar passage A for the removable installation of a door bar, e.g. door bar B 1 , therein, as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0024]     It will be noted that the corners  22  of the distal ends of the end attachment portions  12  and  14  of the door bar retainer  10  are beveled. This provides certain advantages and benefits in an installation, as shown in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  provides a top plan view of an exemplary door bar retainer installation to a hinge assembly H, with the hinge assembly having a door frame hinge element HF secured to the door frame F and a door edge hinge element HE attached to the edge of the door D. The assembly is secured together by a hinge pin P 1 , with the head of the pin being visible in the top plan view of  FIG. 3 . It will be noted that the beveled corners  22  of the end attachment portions, e.g. the upper attachment portion  12  shown in  FIG. 3 , provide clearance for the door D to swing open, and also serve as a stop means to prevent excessive opening of the door. The beveled flats also spread the contact pressure of the door surface against the door bar retainer  10  and pressure of the retainer against the door frame F, thereby minimizing marring of those surfaces.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  provides an end elevation view of two exemplary door bar retainer installations to vertically adjacent hinge assemblies in a door installation. While normally it is anticipated that only a single door bar would be installed across two horizontally opposed door bar retainers installed upon corresponding horizontally opposed hinges,  FIG. 4  illustrates the concept of multiple retainers installed upon each side of the door, and also illustrates different configurations or embodiments of door bar retainers as well.  
         [0026]     The upper hinge assembly H 1  includes a generally rectangular door bar retainer  10  installed thereon, with the medial portion  20  of the retainer having a height or span essentially equal to the height or span of the hinge assembly H and the two substantially equal length arms or end portions  12  and  14  defining a generally rectangular door bar passage A, suitable for a door bar B 1  comprising a conventional “two by four” or “two by six” wood stud or the like.  
         [0027]     The lower hinge H 3  of  FIG. 4  includes an alternate embodiment door bar retainer  10   a  installed thereon. The door bar retainer  10   a  includes a somewhat longer lower or second attachment end portion  14   a , and a somewhat shorter intermediate portion  20   a . The first or upper end portion  12   a  includes an offset portion  13   a  therein, to allow for the difference in span between the two distal ends of the attachment portions  12   a  and  14   a  and the shorter span of the intermediate portion  20   a . This configuration defines a lower but wider rectangular door bar passage A 1  therein, providing for the installation of a rectangular door bar B 1  with its major width or thickness oriented horizontally and its minor width or thickness oriented vertically, i.e. ninety degrees to the orientation shown with the door bar retainer  10  installation on the upper hinge assembly H 1  in  FIG. 4 . The greater horizontal thickness of the door bar B 1  in the lower portion of  FIG. 4  provides greatly increased resistance to bending and shear, and thus a stronger installation, in comparison to the configuration of the door bar retainer  10  of the upper portion of  FIG. 4 . While the lower or second attachment end portion  14   a  is straight and the upper or first attachment end portion  12   a  has an offset portion  13   a , it will be seen that the retainer  10   a  may be inverted from the orientation shown in the lower portion of  FIG. 4 , if so desired. This may allow the location of the door bar B 1  to be adjusted slightly to clear any door hardware, etc. which may protrude from the door and into the path of the door bar B 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  provides an end elevation view of two additional door bar retainer embodiments installed upon vertically adjacent hinge assemblies H 1  and H 3  on a door frame F. The door bar retainer  10   b  of the upper portion of  FIG. 5  includes offsets, respectively  13   b  and  15   b , in both the first or upper and second or lower attachment ends  12   b  and  14   b . The medial portion  20   b  of the retainer  10   b  is shortened correspondingly. This configuration provides a somewhat smaller door bar passage A 2 , configured to hold a door bar B 2  of square section steel pipe or tube, or perhaps a solid bar, of somewhat smaller cross sectional dimensions than the wood bar B 1  of  FIGS. 1 and 4 . The steel door bar B 2  can still provide at least the same strength as the wood bar B 1 , even with the smaller cross sectional dimensions of the steel bar B 2 , depending upon its size relative to the wood bar B 1 .  
         [0029]     The door bar retainer  10   c  shown installed upon the lower hinge assembly H 3  in the lower portion of  FIG. 5  illustrates still another configuration or embodiment. The door bar retainer  10   c  includes first and second offset portions, respectively  13   c  and  15   c , formed in the corresponding first and second hinge attachment ends  12   c  and  14   c . The medial portion  20   c  has a semicircular shape, connecting the two offset portions  13   c  and  15   c  of the device and defining a semicircular door bar passage A 3 . This configuration is suited for the use of a door bar B 3  comprising a length of steel pipe or the like having a circular cross section. Again, the steel pipe door bar B 3  may have a smaller cross sectional dimension or diameter than a wood bar of equivalent strength, depending upon the wall thickness or schedule of the pipe.  
         [0030]     In conclusion, the present double door security device provides a much needed means of positively securing both doors of a double door installation against unwanted entry, etc. The present security device makes use of the existing conventional hinge installation to each side of the door frame opening and to each of the doors, requiring only a slightly longer hinge pin at each door bar retainer to secure the retainer to the hinge assembly. Not only is this installation generally superior in strength to many other door bar retainer installations, but it is also considerably faster and easier to install. A number of different retainer configurations may be provided, corresponding to different cross sectional dimensions and shapes for the door bar to be used. Additional strength and security may be provided by installing multiple door bar retainers along each side of the door opening, and using multiple door bars. It will also be recognized that the present security device is readily adaptable to virtually any form of panels installed upon opposed hinges, e.g. window shutters, etc. Accordingly, the present double door security device will prove to be a most welcome accessory wherever double doors, shutters, etc. are installed.  
         [0031]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 4