Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
S P E C I F I_C A T I 0 N
The inven-tion relates to locking devices for door
panels and the like, and in a preferred embodiment refers more
specifically to a lock bar including a pair of horizontally
aligned and spaced apart holding brackets secured to a pair of
door panels adjacent lock edges thereof, a cross bolt positioned
therein and extending therebetween which is of a distinctive
color, and means ~or locking the cross bolt in a locking position
within the holding brackets wherein only the portion of the cross
bolt extending between the holding brackets is visible, and in an
unlocking position wherein a substantial portion of the cross bolt
is visible extending out of one of the holding brackets whereby
a visual indication of the locked or unlocked condition of the
door is provided.
In the past, locking devices for doors have included -~
various bolts, bars and the like, which have provided little ~ --
or no visual indication of the locked or unlocked condition
thereof. Further, such devices have in the past been opened,
broken or otherwise circumvented with relative ease by criminals,
so that security with prior devices has been questionable.
The invention in the preferred embodiment is a posi-
tive, heavy-duty lock bar for a pair of door panels having hinge
edges and aajacent lock edges, including a pair of hollow hold-
ing brackets having a rectangular cross section, stud and washer
means ~or securing the brackets in horizontal spaced apart
alignment to the door panels adjacent the lock edges of the
panels, a hollow rectangular cross bolt adapted to extend
through and between the holding brackets, pin means for pre-
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venting movement of the cross bolt out of the hinge edge end
of one of the holding brackets, and releasable locking means
for selectively preventing movement of the cross bolt out of
the hinge edge end of the other of the holding brackets and
locking the cross bolt in a position extending out of the
hinge edge end of the other holding bracket.
The cross bolt of the lock bar of the invention is
given a distinctive, highly visible color so that it can
readily be seen extending between the holding brackets when
the door panels are in a locked condition, and can readily be
seen extending out of the hinge edge end of the other bracket
when the door panels are in an unlocked condition.
~n a modification of the lock bar of the invention,
the lock bar may be used in a horizontal position with a single
holding bracket with a single door panel, or in a vertical
position with a single bracket for a sliding door panel, to
lock the single door panel or the sliding door panel in a manner
similar to the locking of the pair of door panels and again
provide visual indication of both the locked and unlocked con-
dition of the door panels in these applications of the lock bar.
Figure l is an elevation view of a pair of door panels
including lock bar structure constructed in accordance with the
invention secured thereto and locked in a visible locking con-
dition.
Figure 2 illustrates the lock bar structure of Fig-
ure 1 locked in a visible unlocking condition.
Figure 3 is an enlarged e~ploded isometric view of
the lock bar structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 in a
locklng condition as shswn in Figure 1.
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Figure 4 is an enlarged top view of the lock bar
structure as illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a cross section view of the lock bar
structure illustrated in Figure 4, taken substantially in the
direction of arrows 5--5, Figure 4. - -
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section view of the lock --
bar structure illustrated in Figure 4, taken substantially on
the line 6--6, Figure 4.
Figure 7 is an enlarged top view of the lock bar
structure as illustrated in Figure 2.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section view of the lock
bar structure illustrated in Figure 7, taken substantially on
the line 8--8, Figure 4.
Figure 9 is an enlarged cross section view of a por-
tion of the lock bar structure as illustrated in Figure 7
showing modified ~eans for securing the holding brackets to
the door panels.
Figure 10 is an elevation ~iew of the structure for
securing the holding brackets to the door panels illustrated
in Figure 9, taken substantially in the direction of arrow 10
in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a top view of modified lock bar struc-
ture for a single door panel, constructed in accordance with
the invention, with the lock bar structure in an unlocking
condition.
Figure 12 is a top view of the modified lock bar
structure shown in Figure 11, with the lock bar structure in
a locking condition.
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i2~7
The lock bar of the invention 10, as shown best in
Figure 3, is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 in conjunction
with a pair o~ door panels 12 and 14. The door panel 12 has
a lock edge 16 and a hinge edge 18, while the door panel 14
has a lock edge 20 and a hinge edge 22. As shown in Figure 1,
the lock bar 10 is in a locking condition, while the lock bar
10 as shown in Figure 2 is in an unlocking condition. As
shown in Figures 1 and 2, the door panels 12 and 14 are pro-
vided with the usual closers 24 and 28.
The lock bar 10 includes the holding brackets 30 and
32, the cross bolt 34 and the hasp 36. Means 38 and 40 are
provided for securing the holding brackets 30 and 32 to the
door panels 12 and 14, respectively.
In more detail, the holding bracket 30 is an elongated
hollow member o~ structural steel having a rectangular cross - ~
section. Threaded studs 42 and 44 are welded to one side of ~ -
the holding bracket 30 and in installation extend through the
door panel 12 for engagement with the means 3~ for securing
the holding bracket 30 to the aoor panel 12, as will be con-
sidered subsequently.
The holding bracket 30 is further provided with the
vertically aligned rectangular slots 46 and 48 in the hinge
edge end 50 thereo~ for receiving the hasp 36 with the lock
bar 10 in a locking condition, as will be considered subse-
quently. Similar slots 52 and 54 are provided in tha lockedge end 56 of the holding bracket 30, as shown best in Fig-
ure 3, to receive the hasp 36 with the lock bar 10 in an un-
locking condition.
The holding bracket 32 is provided with threaded
studs 58 and 60 welded thereto which are similar to the studs
42 and 44 and which cooperate with the means 40 for retaining
the holding bracket 32 on the door panel 14, as will be con- -
sidered subsequently.
A roll pin 62 extends across the hinge edge end 64 of
the holding bracket 32, as shown in Figure 3 r Roll pin 62 is
constructed to roll if sawing of the pin is attempted and is
positioned to prevent movement of the cross bolt 34 through the
end 64 of the holding bracket 32.
The means 38 and 40 for securing the holding brackets
30 and 32 to the door panels 12 and 14 are similar. Therefore,
Gnly one of the means 38 will be considered in detail. The
means 38 for securing the holding bracket 30 to the door panel
12 includes a separate large diameter washer 82 having an off-
set screw opening 84 therein and a dual diameter retaining mem-
ber 86 having a threaded bore 88 therethrough. A screw having
a one-way slotted head 90 is provided in conjunction with
washer 82. A separate washer, retaining member and screw are
included in each means 38 and 40 for securing the holding
brackets to the door panels 12 and 14.
The cross bolt 34 is also an elongated hollow struc-
tural steel member having a rectangular cross section. The
rectangular cross section of the cross bolt 34 is smaller in
both dimensions than the holding brackets 30 and 32, as shown
in Figure 5, to permit movement of the cross bolt 34 longitud-
inally of ~he holding brackets 30 and 32 within the holding
brackets. The cross bolt 34 is shorter than the combined
holding brackets 30 and 32 and the distance between the lock
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3~5;~LZ7
edge ends 56 and 66 thereof by the distance the slots 46 and
48 and the roll pin 62 are set in from the lock edge ends 50
and 64 of the holding brackets 30 and 32, respectively.
Accordingly, the cross bolt 34 substantially fills the brackets
30 and 32 when the lock bar 10 is in a locked configuration.
A hardened steel roller 68 having a diameter only
slightly smaller than the inside rectangular di~ension of the
cross bolt 34 is provided centrally of the cross bolt and in -
particular extends across the lock edges of the door panels 12
and 14 with the lock bar 10 in a locking condition, as shown
in Figures 1 and 3 through 6. The hardened steel bar 68 is
maintained in axial position within the cross bolt 34 by means
of pop rivets 70 and 72 or the li~e extending transversely
through the cross bolt adjacent the ends of the hardened steel
bar 68.
Accordingly, sawing or cutting o~ the cross bolt
through a slot 73 between the door panels 12 and 14, as shown
in Figure 4, or at any place between khe lock edge ends of the
holding brackets 30 and 32, is inhibited. This is particularly
true, since the bar 68 will roll if sawing thereo~ is attempted.
Vertically aligned slots 92 and 94 are provided in
one end of the cross bolt 34 as shown in Figures 3, 7 and 8
for securing the cross bolt 34 in an unlocking position, as
will be considered subsequently.
The hasp 36, as shown, is a generally flat hasp of
hardened steel having a generally rectangular cross section.
The end 74 thereof is bent so as to prevent passage of the
hasp 36 through the slots 46 and 48. ~ hole 76 is provided
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through the othe~ end o~ the hasp 36 to accommodate the shackle
78 of a padlock 80, as desired.
In assembly, the holding brackets 30 and 32 are
aligned horizontally on the door panels 12 and 14 with the bolts
42 and 44 and 58 and 60 extending through pre-drilled openings
through the door panels 12 and 14. Washers, such as washers 38,
are slipped over the bolts, after which retaining members such
as members 88 are threaded onto the bolts to draw the holding
brackets tight against the door panels, and one-way slotted
screws are passed through opening 84 in the washers and into
the door panels. The washers 82 and/or the retaining members
86 may be welded or otherwise secured to each other and/or to
the bolt 42 as at 83 and 84 to pre~ent removal thereof. That is,
in accordance with whether the side of the door panels 12 and 14
on which the wash0rs, retaining members and screws are positioned,
are exposed to tampering.
Alternativel~, the retaining members 86, as shown in
Figures 9 and 10, are open on only one end to receive stud 42.
~ith retaining members 86 shaped as shown in Figures 9 and 10,
welding of the stud 42 and/or washer 82 to retaining member 86
lS not necessary.
With the holding brackets thus secured to the door
panels 12 and 14, when it is desired to lock the door panels 12
and 14 in a closed position, the door panels are closed, the
cross bolt is passed into the hinge edge end and out of the
lock edge end of the holding bracket 30 and into the lock edge
end of the holding bracket 32 into engagement with the roll
pin 62 so as to place the steel bar 68 across the lock edges
2~
of the door panels 12 and 14. The hasp 36 is then inserted
through the slots 46 and 48 and the shackle 78 of the padlock
80 is passed through the opening 76 in the hasp 36 to retain
the cross bolt in a locking position.
The cross bolt 34 is painted a readily visible color
in accordance with the invention and is painted a color which
contrasts wikh the door panels 12 and 14 and the holding
brackets 30 and 32. Accordingly, the locking condition of the
lock bar 10 is readily visible from a substantial distance on
viewing that portion of the cross bol~ between the lock edge
ends of the holding brackets 30 and 32 which are in a~ial spaced
apart relation as shown, for example, in Figure 1.
When it is desired to secure the lock bar 10 in an
unlocking condition, as particularly shown in Figures 2, 7 and
8, the padlock 80 is unlocked, the shackle 78 is withdrawn from
the opening 76, and the hasp then withdrawn from the slots 46
and 48. The cross bolt 34 is then withdrawn to allgn the slots
92 and 94 in the end thereof with the slots 52 and 54 in the
holding bracket 30. The hasp 36 is then passed through the
aligned slots 52, 92, 54 and 94 and the shackle 78 of the pad-
lock 80 is again passed through the opening 76 in the hasp 36
to secure the cross bolt in a position wherein the end 98 thereof
sticks out of the holding bracket 30 a considerable distance, as
shown in Figures 2, 7 and 8. Thus, the unlocking condition of
the lock bar 10 is also readily visible on casual inspection.
In the modified lock bar construction 100 shown in
Figures 11 and 12, a single holding bracket 102 is secured
adjacent the lock edge 104 of a single door panel 106 by means 108
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similar to the means 38 and 40 for securing the holding brackets
30 and 32 to the door panels 12 and 14. As shown, the holding
bracket 102 is similar to the holding bracket 30 in that it has
pairs of vertically aligned slots 110 and ~2 at the opposite
ends thereof which match a similar pair of vertically aligned
slots 114 in the end 118 of the cross bolt 120. In the single
panel lock bar construction 100, the steel rod 122 is positioned
between pins 124 and 125 as shown. The cross bolt 120 extends
into and out of the holding bracket 102 and into and out of an
opening 126 in a wall 128 or the like adjacent the lock edge 104
of the door panel 106. The cross bolt is locked in a locking or
unlocking condition by the hasp L32 and associated padlock (not
shown) as before.
Again, the locking or unlocking condition of the lock
bar 100 may be determined by viewing the portion of the cross
bolt extending between the holding bracket 102 and the wall 128
or the portion o~ the cross bolt 120 extending out of the hinge
edge end 130 of the holding bracket 102.
While embodiment of the present invention and modifi~
cations thereof have been considered herein ln detail, it will
be understood that other embodiments and modifications of the
lock bar structure 10 are contemplated. Thus, for example, the
single lock bar modification 100 of the lock bar 10 may be used
in a vertical configuration in conjunction with sliding doors
such as boxcar doors and the like, if desired~ It is intended
to include all such embodiments and modifications as are defined
by the appended claims within the scope of the invention.
