WO1995013443A1

WO1995013443A1 - Door handle for opening a door locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO1995013443A1
Application number: PCT/FI1994/000501
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seppo Kankkunen
Original assignee: Oskar Suomi Oy
Current assignee: Oskar Suomi Oy
Priority date: 1993-11-09
Filing date: 1994-11-09
Publication date: 1995-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 1996-05-09
Also published as: NO961862L; NO961862D0; AU8108094A; FI94658B; FI934958L; FI94658C; FI934958A0; EP0728250A1

Abstract

A push-button (10) for unlocking a lock mechanism for a door, which lock mechanism comprises a latch mechanism (11) which is mounted in the door frame (32), for instance on its upper and/or lower edge, and in its locking position locks the door to the door frame. The lock mechanism comprises further a push-button (10) for unlocking the latch mechanism (11), and a rod (12, 14) which transmits the movement of the push-button (10) to the latch mechanism (11). In the push-button (10) there is disposed a lock (50), the latch (54) of which can be turned so that it prevents the movement of the push-button and locks the rod (12, 14) in the desired position. The rod is preferably a pull rod (12, 14) which is connected to the latch mechanism (11) so that in the active position of the push-button, when the push-button is depressed, it keeps the latch mechanism (11) in the unlatched position and, in the rest position of the push-button, allows the latch mechanism (11) to move freely from the unlatched to the latching position.

Description

DOOR HANDLE FOR OPENING A DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM.

The present invention relates to a push-button for unlocking a lock -mechanism for a door, which lock mechanism comprises a latch mechanism which is mounted in the door frame, for instance on its upper and/or lower edge, and in its latching position locks the door to the door frame, a push-button for unlocking the latch mechanism, and a rod which transmits the movement of the push-button to the latch mechanism.

Fire-proof entrance doors and other fire doors between separate compartments are usually divided into two parts, whereby the door consists of two halves. The first half is usually locked by a lock mechanism so as to be unopenable. The second door half, which is freely openable, is used as a through passage. The passage through the door can, however, be blocked by means of a lock mounted in the openable door half. When the lock is set in its locking position, it locks one of the door halves, i.e. the openable half, to the opposite door half, i.e. the unopenable half, whereby neither of the door halves can be opened without unlocking the lock.

In emergency exit situations one must, however, be able to open the doors from the inside. For this purpose a handle or a push-button is disposed on the inside of the first door half locked by the lock mechanism, by means of which the locking rods of the lock mechanism are moved and the lockings to the upper and lower frame are unlocked when the push-button/handle is turned/pressed. Then this first door half, and with it the whole door, can be opened in emergency situations irrespective of whether the lock of the second door half, i.e. the through passage door, is locked or unlocked. After the emergency exit situation, the fire door has to be closed and locked again for preventing the fire from spreading. To lock the lock mechanism after the above mentioned emergency exit situation, so called automatically locking doors have been used, which are provided with a sensing element which, when hitting the door frame when the door is closed, automatically triggers the lock mechanism and locks the door. This arrangement causes problems in situations in which there exists a need for temporarily keeping the door closed but not locked.

On the other hand, there may sometimes also exist a need for locking the lock mechanism so that the door can not be opened merely by turning the handle or pressing the push¬ button.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a push-button for a lock mechanism which does not have the above mentioned drawbacks. The invention is characterized by the features set forth in the appended claims.

In the arrangement according to the invention, a lock is disposed in the push-button the latch of which, when required, can be turned so that it prevents the movement of the push-button and locks the push-button and the rod in a desired position. The push-button can thus be locked, for instance, in a depressed position, whereby the push-button keeps the lock mechanism in the unlocked position. On the other hand, the push-button can also be locked in a rest position so that the push-button can not be depressed to unlock the lock mechanism. The lock can of course also be locked in a position in which the push-button is operative all the time, i.e. in a position in which the lock mechanism can be unlocked by the push-button and in which the lock mechanism is capable of locking automatically.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a latch mechanism is disposed in the upper and/or lower part of the door, which latch mechanism is connected by a pull rod to the push-button. When the door is opened, the command of the push-button, i.e. the pressing to unlock the lock mechanism is transformed in the push-button into a pulling movement of the pulling rod. The pulling rod transmits the command of the push-button as a pulling movement to the latch mechanism.

In fire door arrangements in which a latch mechanism is disposed both in the upper and lower parts of the door, the pull rods are preferably connected to the latch mechanism so that the unlocking of the lock mechanisms is effected in a centralized manner by pressing the push-button, but the latching of each latch mechanism is effected independently of the other. A return spring is preferably disposed in the push-button, which, once the latch mechanism has been unlatched, returns the push-button and the pull rods to their initial, i.e. rest positions.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the push-button comprises a push-button body, a push member, a cover for the push-button and a lock. The body of the push¬ button has a box-like shape, with the bottom partly open, and is attached to the frame of the door, for instance at the point where the handle is conventionally located. An opening for the push-button is formed in the surface of the door, so that the pulling mechanism of the pull rod can protrude from the body of the door through the opening into the body of the push-button. The push member, i.e. the active part of the push-button, is disposed in the body of the push-button, and the push member is protected by a cover.

The lock is disposed in connection with the push member below the cover of the push-button and attached to the push member and/or the cover so that the movements of the lock, the push member and the cover are dependent on each other. Thus all the parts mentioned move together towards the door frame when the push-button is pressed. An opening is formed in the cover, through which the lock can be turned by a key, if required.

In the rest position of the push-button, the latch of the lock can be pushed out and locked so that it immediately comes into contact with the body of the push-button, the body of the door or some other obstruction which prevents the push-button from being completely depressed. The lock mechanism can then not be unlocked by means of the push- button.

When the push-button is in the depressed position, the latch of the lock can, in a corresponding manner, be pushed out and locked so that, when the push-button tends to return to its rest position, the latch gets into contact with the inner side of the body of the door, the body of the push-button or some other obstruction which prevents the push-button from moving all the way to its rest position. Thus the lock mechanism remains in its unlocked position.

The latch of the lock can preferably be pushed out in two different directions, in one of which the latch restricts the movements of the push-button and in the other allows the movements of the push-button.

The invention is described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. la shows the lock mechanism schematically; FIG. lb shows schematically the push-button of the lock mechanism according to the invention and the pulling mechanism of the pull rods connected to it; FIG. 2 Shows a push-button according to FIG. 1, in which there is a lock which allows the push¬ button to move freely; FIG. 3 shows the push-button according to FIG. 2 in a condition in which the lock prevents the push- button from being depressed, and

FIG. 4 shows the push-button according to FIG. 2 in a condition in which the lock prevents the push¬ button from returning to its rest position.

FIG. la shows a loch mechanism comprising a push-button 10, a latch mechanism 11 and pull rods 12, 14. FIG. lb shows the push-button 10 disposed on the surface of the door for moving the pull rods 12, 14 located on the inside of the body of the door. The pull rods 12, 14 are operatively connected to the push-button by means of a pulling mechanism 16, which, when the bush-button is pressed, effects a pulling movement of the pull rods. The pulling mechanism 16 consists of levers 18, 20 connected to the pull rods and a turnable connecting piece 22 connecting the levers. The connecting piece is connected to the levers 18, 20 by means of pivot pins 24, 26. Turning of the connecting piece 22 around a pivot pin 28 causes movement of the levers 18, 20 and consequently also of the pull rods 12, 14.

The push-button 10 comprises a body 30 having a box-like shape, the bottom of which is partly open, and which is attached to the surface 32 of the door so that the pulling mechanism 16 going through an opening 34 in the surface of the door partly protrudes through the open base into the body of the push-button. A frame-like push member 36, i.e. the push-button key, is disposed in the body 30 of the push-button. The push-button is protected by a shell or cover 38.

The push member 36 is connected to the body 30 of the push¬ button by means of a pivot pin 40 so as to be partly turnable around said pin. A return spring 42 is additio- nally mounted on the pivot pin 40 to return the push-button to its rest position when the pressing has stopped. The turnable connecting piece 22 of the pulling mechanism 16 is connected to the body of the push-button 30 by means of the pivot pin 28 so as to be turnable around said pin.

The connecting piece 22 of the pulling mechanism 16 is connected to the push member 36 by means of a pin 44, which restricts the turning of the push member around the pivot pin 40. The pin 44 is disposed in elongated guiding openings 46 formed in the push-button key. The connecting piece 22 turns by means of the guiding openings into the desired direction when the push member 36 is being pressed towards the surface of the door and returns with the push member to its initial position when the pressing has stopped.

In FIG. 1 the push-button 10 disposed in the door frame 48 is shown in its rest position when the push member 36 and the cover 38 of the push-button are in their utmost positions and the levers 18, 20 of the pulling mechanism 16 are wide apart, the pull rods 12, 14 being pushed away from each other.

When the push-button is pressed, the push member 36 moves towards the surface of the door and turns the connecting piece 22 clockwise around the pivot pin 28. The connecting piece then pulls the levers 18, 20 and the pull rods 12, 14 closer against each other, unlocking the lock mechanism. When the pressing of the push-button stops, the spring 42 returns the push member 36 to its rest position, whereby also the connecting piece, the levers and the pull rods are returned to their rest positions.

A lock which, when desired, prevents the push-button from being depressed or from returning to its rest position can be disposed in the push-button shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows schematically the cover of the push-button according to FIG. 1, inside of which a lock 50 is disposed. The lock is preferably attached to the cover of the push-button and/or to the push member.

The lock 50 comprises a casing 52 of the lock and a latch 54 protruding from the lock. In the upper part of the lock there is an adjusting element 54 by means of which the latch can be locked in different positions. In FIG. 2, the latch 54 of the lock 50 is directed towards the centre of the opening 34 in the surface of the door, whereby the latch 54 can move freely without coming into contact with the push-button or the door frame, when the push-button is pressed.

FIG. 3 shows the push-button according to FIG. 1, in which the latch 54 of the lock has been turned 180 degrees compared with FIG. 1, i.e. so that the latch is directed towards the end 58 of the casing of the push-button so that the latch 54 extends partly over and above the bottom 60 of the body of the push-button and the edge 62 of the opening formed in the body of the door, whereby the lock can not move freely in the opening 34. When the push-button is pressed, the latch 54 of the lock immediately comes into contact with the bottom 60 of the body of the push-button, thereby preventing the movement of the push-button. Thus, the lock prevents the pulling mechanism and the pull rods from moving and the lock mechanism from being unlocked.

FIG. 4 shows the push-button according to FIG. 2 in its active state, i.e. in a depressed position, near the surface of the door. The latch 54 of the push-button lock is turned 180 degrees compared with FIG. 1, i.e. so that the latch is directed towards the end 58 of the casing of the push-button but so that the latch 54 extends partly over and beneath the bottom 60 of the body of the push¬ button and the edge 62 of the opening formed in the body of the door, whereby the latch of the lock is prevented from returning freely through the opening 34. When the push¬ button tends to return to its rest position, pushed by the springs 42, the latch of the lock immediately comes into contact with the body 62 of the door, which prevents the movement of the push-button. Thus, the lock prevents the pulling mechanism and the pull rods from moving and the lock mechanism from being unlocked.

By means of the arrangement according to the invention, using a lock disposed in the push-button, the locking of the lock mechanism can be controlled in various ways, the automatic function of the lock mechanism can be secured and the locking can be prevented if desired, or the lock mechanism can, on the contrary, be locked so that it is not possible to unlock it without a key.

The invention is not restricted to the preferred embodiment of the invention which has been shown and described above, but can be applied in various ways within the scope of the inventive idea which is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A push-button for unlocking a lock mechanism for a door, which lock mechanism comprises - a latch mechanism (11) which is mounted in the door frame (32) , for instance on its upper and/or lower edge, and in its locking position locks the door to the door frame,

- a push-button (10) for unlocking the latch mechanism (11) , and - a rod (12, 14) which transmits the movement of the push¬ button to the latch mechanism (11) , characterized in that

- in the moving part (36, 38) of the push-button (10) there is disposed a lock (50), the latch (54) of which can be turned so that it substantially prevents the movement of the moving parts of the push-button and locks the rod (12, 14) in the desired position.

2. The push-button according to claim l, characterized in that - the rod is a pull rod (12, 14) which is connected to the latch mechanism (11) so that it

- in the active position of the push-button, when the push¬ button is depressed, keeps the latch mechanism (11) in an unlatched position, and - in the rest position of the push-button (10) allows the latch mechanism (11) to move freely from the unlatched to the latching position.

3. The push-button according to claim 2, characterized in that the push-button (10) is connected to the two pull rods (12, 14) through a pulling mechanism (16) , which rods are operatively connected to the latch mechanism (11) either in the upper part or the lower part of the door for unlocking the door.

4. The push-button according to claim 1, characterized in that the push-button (10) comprises a push-button body (30) and a push member (36) turnable around a pivot pin (40) disposed in the body of the push-button, which push member transmits the pressing movement through the pulling mechanism (16) to the pull rod (12, 14), and that in the push-button (10) there is disposed a lock (50) , the latch (54) of which can be turned so that it prevents the movement of the push member (36) and locks the pull rod (12, 14) in the desired position.

5. The push-button according to claim 4, characterized in that the push-button (10) comprises

- a body (30) having a box-like shape, attached to the surface (32) of the door, and in the bottom of which there is an opening (34) through which the pulling mechanism (16) of the pull rod partly protrudes into the body, and

- a cover (38) for the push-button, which is attached to the push member (36) and substantially covers the body (30) of the push-button and the push member (36) , and that the pulling mechanism (16) comprises

- a connecting piece (22) operatively connected to the pull rod (12, 14) by levers (18, 20) and pivot pins (24, 26), the connecting piece being operatively connected through another pivot pin (28) to the push member (36) so that pressing of the push member effects a pulling movement of the pull rod through the connecting piece.

6. The push-button according to claim 4, characterized in that in the push-button (10) there is disposed a lock (50) , the latch (54) of which can be turned so that it prevents the movement of the connecting piece (22) and locks the pull rod (12, 14) in a desired position.

7. The push-button according to claim 4, characterized in that

- the push member (36) is at its one end connected to the body (30) of the push-button by means of a pivot pin 40, and that

- a spring (42) is disposed in connection with the pivot pin (40) , which tends to return the push-button (10) to its rest position after the pressing has stopped.

8. The push-button according to claim 4, characterized in that the lock (50) is attached to the push member (36) of the push-button and/or the cover (38) of the push-button in the moving end of the push-button.

9. The push-button according to claim 4, characterized in that an opening, through which the lock can be locked or unlocked by a key, is formed in the cover (38) at the point (56) where the lock (50) is located.

10. The push-button according to claim 4, characterized in that the latch (54) of the lock can be pushed out from the lock (50) and be locked in at least two optional directions by turning the key of the lock.

11. The push-button according to claim 10, characterized in that the latch (54) of the lock can be pushed out from the lock (50) in the rest position of the push-button so that the latch, when the push-button is pressed, comes into contact with the bottom of the body (32) of the push-button or the body (32) of the door so that the movement of the push-button is prevented,

12. The push-button according to claim 10, characterized in that the latch (54) of the lock can be pushed out from the lock, when the push-button (10) is in the depressed position, so that the latch, when the pressing stops and the push-button tends to move towards the rest position, comes into contact with the body (32, 30) of the door or the push-button so that the push-button is prevented from returning to its rest position.