Patent Application
20200048945
This specification deals with a door rod assembly for multi-point latch uses. The desire in the use of this door rod assembly is to essentially air seal a cabinet or closing from exposure to the air. Such air can include dust, dirt, noxious chemical fumes and the like. The devices of this invention seal cabinets, rooms, or the like from such contaminants.
Door closing mechanisms have been developed for a variety of purposes. One such development can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,011 that issued to Meriwether on Oct. 29, 1991 in which there is disclosed a door closure arrangement for paint cabinets or enclosures containing combustible materials. A spring biased, lever actuated mechanism automatically latches or locks the doors when they are rotated into the closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,192 that issued May 19, 1992 to Toledo, et al deals with a latch assembly for use with a panic exit device. The latch member pivots downwardly upon opening pressure on the door and actuation of the panic exit device, to release the latch member from the receiving lug of the system.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,837 that issued Nov. 10, 1992 to O'Brien II, a rod casing for activating vertically arranged latch bolts.
A security door lock with remote control is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,977 that issued on Mar. 5, 2002 to Pedroso, et al. The device is electrically operates, strong, security system comprising a lock with remote control installed in a wall adjacent to a door frame or under a door. The device is capable of securing the door at the top and the bottom.
Hunt, et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,017, that issued Oct. 6, 1998 deals with a fire retardant door having a vertical latch stile extending the length of the stile for receiving the elements of a concealed vertical rod exit device along with an expanding, fire resistant material for sealing the opening when subjected to heat.
None of the prior art devices or systems deal with a ramp shoe configuration that provides glide action making the door close easily and providing maximum door pressure to maintain water and dust tight seals.
Thus, what is disclosed herein is a door rod assembly. The door rod assembly comprises in combination a latch base wherein the latch base comprises a flat metal elongated plate having two ends with edges. The elongated plate has a centered opening through it for insertion of a door opening handle. Each of the ends have second openings through them near an edge. There is a latch base having a locking bar integrally attached perpendicular to the latch base near a side edge.
Each second opening has a bolt through it, and each bolt rotatably secures a rod adapter to the latch base. Each rod adapter has an attachment end and a rod receptor end, there being an elongated rod inserted in each rod receptor end.
Each rod has a ramp shoe enclosing a rod end opposite the inserted rod end.
There are two rod guides. Each rod guide is mounted on a rod guide base, wherein each rod guide base is fixedly attachable to a fixed stud in a door. A portion of the rod guide is insertable in, and held by, the rod guide base, and each rod is slidable in a rod guide.
Turning now to
There is shown a latch base 8 which is comprised of a flat metal elongated plate 9 having a centered opening 10. This centered opening 10 is for the insertion of a door opening handle 11 (the tail end of which is shown), inserted into the opening 10 from the opposite side of the latch base 8. Use of this handle facilitates the locking, unlocking, and opening of the door (the door is not part of this invention).
Shown in dotted lines is a door frame 12, against which the locking bar 13 of the latch base 8 snugly rests when the door is locked.
On either end of the latch base 8 are openings 14 near the edge. The openings have bolts 15 inserted therein to rotatably couple the rod adapter 7 to the latch base 8. The rod adapter 7 contains a rod 5, which extends some length to accommodate the distance between the locked latch base 8 position and the frame of the door, taking into consideration the length of the ramp shoe 2. The ramp shoe 2 is configured such that when the assembly 1 is open (the door is latched and locked), the ramp shoe 2 fits over the edge 18 of the door frame 21 and secures the top of the door to the door frame.
In order to control and guide the rod 5, there is used a rod guide 3. The rod 5 slides through said rod guide 3. The rod guide 3 is attached to a rod guide base 4, which in turn is fastened to a door using a stud 16 (
It is believed by the inventor herein, that the rod guides 7 are critical to the successful operation of the door rod assembly 1, as they prevent the sideways movement of the rod 5 and, further, they present a low friction movement of the rod through them to facilitate the smooth movement of the rod. Nowhere in the prior art is there a disclosure of a door rod assembly attached to the door in which it is used in this manner.
It should be noted, that a duplicate assembly is attached to the bottom 19 of the latch base 8, and the rod adapter 7 and a portion of the rod 5 are shown in
When assembled on a door, the door rod assembly 1 operates by turning the outside handle 11. This in turn moves the latch base 8 horizontal, which causes the latch 13 to be vertical (out of the path of the door frame 12, and each rod adapter rotates such that the top rod assembly moves down and releases the ramp shoe 2 from the door frame and the bottom rod assembly moves upward and causes the ramp shoe 2 on the bottom to release from the door frame 21.
Upon closing and locking the door, the reverse operation ensues. This creates a seal for the door against the door frame.
