Latch mechanism for an exit device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017964-B2
Application number	US-201514749810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A latch assembly is configured to be operable within a door latch system where the door latch system releasably secures a door in a door frame. The latch assembly comprises a housing and a latch pivotally mounted in the housing. The latch includes a lock-out feature. A translating bar is connected to the latch and is moveable by at least one actuation mechanism to selectively pivot the latch from an extended position wherein the door is secured in the door frame to a retracted position wherein the door is released from the door frame. A deadlatch is coupled to the latch. A bracket assembly is coupled to the latch and deadlatch, wherein the bracket assembly engages the lock-out feature when the deadlatch is in an engaged position to prevent pivoting of the latch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A latch assembly configured to be operable within a door latch system, the door latch system releasably securing a door in a door frame, the latch assembly comprising:
a) a housing;
b) a latch pivotally mounted in the housing and moveable in a latch unlocking direction between a latch extended position and a latch retracted position, the latch including a lock-out feature;
c) a deadlatch pivotally mounted in the housing and movable between a deadlatch extended position and a deadlatch retracted position;
d) a translating bar operably engaged with said latch and linearly moveable by at least one actuating mechanism to selectively pivot the latch from the latch extended position when the door is secured in the door frame to the latch retracted position so that the door is releasable from the door frame, wherein said linear movement of said translating bar is parallel with said latch unlocking direction of said latch; and
e) a bracket assembly operatively coupled to the latch and deadlatch, wherein the bracket assembly engages the lock-out feature when the deadlatch is in an engaged position to prevent pivoting of the latch from the latch extended position when said door is secured in said door frame.

2. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the bracket assembly includes a deadlatch arm to capture the deadlatch when the latch pivots from the latch retracted position to the latch extended position so as to place the deadlatch in the engaged position.

3. The latch assembly of claim 1 and further including a bar biasing member connected to the housing and the translating bar to bias the translating bar to place the latch in the latch extended position.

4. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuating mechanism is a panic bar.

5. The latch assembly of claim 4 wherein the panic bar includes a bar position sensor.

6. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuating mechanism includes a rotatable drive member.

7. The latch assembly of claim 6 wherein the rotatable drive member includes a head portion configured to engage a drive shaft of the at least one actuating mechanism and a finger portion configured to engage a drive pin on the translating bar to move the translating bar upon actuation of the drive shaft.

8. The latch assembly of claim 6 and further including a mounting plate wherein handedness of actuation of the drive shaft is configured for being reversed by inverting the drive member and mounting plate end over end.

9. The latch assembly of claim 6 wherein the rotatable drive member is configured to engage a drive shaft and said drive shaft includes one or more external annular grooves so as to enable shortening of the drive shaft to accommodate doors of differing thickness.

10. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the translating bar includes a ramp engageable with said bracket assembly and configured to disengage the deadlatch from the engaged position upon actuation of the at least one actuating member wherein, when said bracket assembly engages said ramp, said bracket assembly is misaligned with said lock-out feature and said latch is permitted to disengage from an associated strike.

11. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein said lock-out feature is a latch pin.

12. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the translating bar includes a ramp, wherein the bracket assembly includes a plate, and wherein, when the linear movement of the translation bar causes engagement between the ramp and the plate, the latch is permitted to pivot from the latch extended position to the latch retracted position.

13. A latch mechanism configured to be operable within a door latch system, the door latch system releasably securing a door closed in a door frame, the latch assembly comprising:
a) a housing;
b) a latch having a lock-out feature, wherein said latch is pivotally connected to said housing and moveable in a latch unlocking direction between a latch extended position and a latch retracted position, and wherein, when said latch is in said latch extended position and said door is closed, said door is secured in said door frame;
c) a deadlatch pivotally connected to said housing and movable between a deadlatch engaged position and a deadlatch disengaged position, wherein, when said deadlatch is in said deadlatch engaged position, said latch is prevented from movement away from said latch extended position;
d) a translating bar movably attached to said housing and operatively engaged with said latch, wherein said translating bar is linearly moveable by at least one actuating mechanism in a first direction to selectively pivot said latch from said latch extended position to said latch retracted position, and wherein said linear movement of said translating bar is parallel with said latch unlocking direction; and
e) a bracket assembly having a first arm selectively engageable with said lock-out feature and movable by said translating bar between a bracket assembly engaged position and a bracket assembly disengaged position, wherein, when said bracket assembly is in said bracket assembly engaged position, said first arm engages said lock-out feature to prevent movement of said latch away from said latch extended position.

14. The latch mechanism in accordance with claim 13 wherein said translating bar includes a ramp and said bracket assembly includes a second arm, and wherein, when said translating bar is moved in said first direction, said ramp contacts said second arm and said first arm disengages from said lock-out feature to permit movement of said latch away from said latch extended position.

Assignees

• Hanchett Entry Systems Inc

Inventors

• Corwin Jr Larry Gene

Classifications

• E05B17/20

  Means independent of the locking mechanism for preventing unauthorised opening, e.g. for securing the bolt in the fastening position {(locks with means carried by the bolt for interlocking with the keeper E05B63/12)} · CPC title

• E05B65/10 Primary

  for panic or emergency doors · CPC title

• E05B47/02

  Movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means}; Adaptation of locks, latches, or parts thereof, for movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means {(by means in the striker E05B63/248) · CPC title

• E05B65/1053 Primary

  sliding towards and away form the door · CPC title