Anti-ligature turn piece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11156016-B2
Application number	US-201815994158-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

An anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism mountable on a door for operating a lock for securing the door. The mechanism comprises a handle movable between open and closed positions, the handle having a smoothly curved outer surface to prevent the attachment of a ligature thereto and comprising a pivot at a first end for rotating the handle between the open and closed positions to operate the lock. An escutcheon fixed relative to a backing plate is oriented for mounting parallel to the door when the mechanism is mounted on an outer surface of the door, wherein the escutcheon surrounds the handle and defines a recessed area within which the handle pivots. The handle further has a second end including a guide which is trapped beneath and slides along an arcuate edge of the recessed area of the escutcheon to maintain flush contact between a mating surface of the handle and the backing plate to prevent ligatures from being inserted therebetween as the handle rotates to operate the lock. The mechanism further comprises a mounting plate disposed between the backing plate and an inner surface of the door when the mechanism is mounted on the outer surface of the door, the mounting plate fixed relative to the escutcheon and backing plate.

First claim

Thus, having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism mountable on a door for operating a lock for securing the door, the anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism comprising:
a handle rotatable between an open position and a closed position, the handle having a smoothly curved outer surface to prevent the attachment of a ligature thereto, the handle comprising a pivot at a first end for rotating the handle between the open and closed positions to operate the lock;
an escutcheon oriented for mounting parallel to the door when the anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism is mounted on an outer surface of the door, the escutcheon shaped to hide the pivot, said escutcheon defining a recessed area such that the handle rotates within said recessed area;
a backing plate oriented for mounting parallel to the door when the anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism is mounted on the outer surface of the door, a mating surface of the handle being in flush contact with the backing plate as the handle rotates between the open and closed positions to operate the lock to prevent the ligature from being inserted between the handle and the backing plate, the backing plate fixed relative to the escutcheon to prevent the ligature from being inserted between the escutcheon and backing plate; and
a mounting plate for embedding within the door between the backing plate and an inner surface of the door when at least a portion of the anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism is mounted flush on the outer surface of the door, the mounting plate fixed relative to the escutcheon and backing plate.

2. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the mounting plate is offset a predetermined distance from the escutcheon and the backing plate such that at least a portion of the escutcheon can be mounted flush with the outer surface of the door.

3. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the mounting plate comprises at least one internally threaded post for receiving at least one fastener passing through the backing plate between the escutcheon and the mounting plate.

4. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the mounting plate further comprises an aperture for receiving a fastener inserted therein to secure the mounting plate to the inner surface of the door.

5. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the escutcheon surrounds at least a portion of the handle and comprises a covering for hiding the pivot.

6. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the handle has a substantially uniform width from the first end to a second end opposite the first end.

7. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the handle is smoothly curved and shaped to allow a user to grip within depressions on opposing sides of the handle, but without providing an opening within the handle.

8. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the handle includes at least a portion having a flattened surface to allow a user to press the flattened surface of the handle inwards toward the backing plate without gripping the handle to rotate the handle between the open and closed positions to operate the lock.

9. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the recessed area is shaped approximately as a segmental arch.

10. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 9 wherein the first end of the handle rotates from a point approximately opposite an apex of the recessed area.

11. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 9 wherein opposing edges of the recessed area are straight lines emanating from a center point of the first end of the handle.

12. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 9 wherein the second end of the handle moves from near a first edge of the arched recessed area to near a second edge of the recessed area as the handle rotates between the open and closed positions to operate the lock.

13. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the handle comprises substantially straight edges which abut opposing edges of the recessed area when the handle is in the closed position and the open position, respectively, as the handle rotates to operate the lock.

14. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the handle comprises a second end including a guide and the guide is trapped beneath and slides along an arcuate edge of the recessed area of the escutcheon as the handle is rotated between the open and closed positions to operate the lock.

15. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 14 wherein the arcuate edge of the recessed area of the escutcheon further comprises a lip extending along at least a portion thereof, the lip trapping the guide between an inside edge of the escutcheon and the backing plate to maintain flush contact between the mating surface of the handle and the backing plate as the handle is rotated between the open and closed positions to operate the lock, the flush contact between the mating surface of the handle and the backing plate preventing insertion of the ligature therebetween.

16. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the escutcheon is smoothly curved and provides no projections or hanging points.

17. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the backing plate comprises an aperture for receiving at least a portion of the pivot of the handle therethrough.

18. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the escutcheon has a back surface comprising a rear recessed portion and wherein the backing plate is positioned within the rear recessed portion of the escutcheon such that a periphery of the escutcheon is permitted to be in flush contact with the outer surface of the door when mounted thereon.

19. The anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism according to claim 18 wherein the back surface of the escutcheon further comprises a pair of studs extending therefrom and the backing plate comprises a pair of blind holes for receiving the studs to attach the backing plate to the escutcheon.

20. A method of operating a lock for securing a door, comprising:
providing an anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism mounted on an outer surface of the door, the anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism comprising: a handle rotatable between an open position and a closed position, the handle having a smoothly curved outer surface to prevent the attachment of a ligature thereto, and comprising a pivot at a first end for rotating the handle between the open and closed positions to operate the lock, and a second end including a guide; an escutcheon surrounding the handle and defining a recessed area within which the handle rotates, the escutcheon shaped to hide the pivot; a backing plate mounted parallel to the outer surface of the door, the backing plate fixed relative to the escutcheon to prevent the ligature from being inserted between the escutcheon and backing plate; and a mounting plate embedded within the door between the backing plate and an inner surface of the door such that at least a portion of the esc

Assignees

• Sargent Mfg Co
• Sargent Mfg Compay

Inventors

• Riley Daniel
• Palmieri Eric
• Fowler Tracy F
• Griswold Lee

Classifications

• E05B65/0017

  Jail locks · CPC title

• E05B15/02

  Striking-plates; Keepers; Bolt staples; Escutcheons {(keyhole finders E05B15/08; escutcheons made of hard materials E05B15/1614; finger-plates E06B7/285)} · CPC title

• E05B3/06 Primary

  by means arranged in or on the rose {or escutcheon} · CPC title

• E05B1/003 Primary

  Handles pivoted about an axis perpendicular to the wing (E05B3/00, E05B5/00, E05B13/106 take precedence) · CPC title