Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~0(~90~
STRIRE WIT8 RECTILINEARLY MOVABLE REEPER ~OCRING MEM8ER
BACRGROUND OF T8E lNv~.,ION
The invention relates to a strike used to prevent the
opening of an associated acce~s obstructing member, such as a
door.
Electrically operable strikes are well known in the art, and
for example, they are used frequently in connection with the main
access door of an apartment building to prevent entry into the
building until a solenoid associated with the strike is
electrically energized to permit pivoting of the strike keeper.
See, for example, U.S. Patents Nos. 4,471,983; 3,638,984 and
3,749,435. Normally, the solenoid is energized by means of a
circuit completing switch remote from the strike.
It is also known in the art to prevent release of the latch
or keeper of the strike and opening of the door by electrically
energizing the solenoid. However, usually there are substantial
differences between the components of a strike which will release
the keeper with energization of the solenoid and the components
of a strike which will lock the keeper with energization of the
~olenoid.
In addition, the known strikes usually require several
components, such as pivotable levers, etc. which increases the
assembly problems and the likelihood of malfunctioning because of
misalignment, binding or corrosion. Also, if opening force is
being applied to the door, the solenoid generally will be unable
to cause release of the keeper and/or the components may be
unable to prevent opening of the door if a sufficient opening
force is applied to the door due to breaking or bending of the
locking components.
In general, prior art strikes comprise a single solenoid
which has a winding of a conductor which, when electrically
9~
energized, actuates a centrally disposed armature which has a
locking member connected thereto and biassed by a spring 80 that
the keeper prevents pivoting of the locking member unless
the solenoid is electrically energized. To keep the energizing
current low, the biassing spring usually has a force which is
onlv slightly more than the force required to return the locking
member and the armature to their locking or unlocking positions.
Such spring return force may, at times, such as with misalignment
of parts, accumulation of foreign matter, etc., be insufficient
to return them to their unlocking or locking positions.
It is also known in the art to use an air actuated piston
and cylinder assembly with the piston connected to the locking
member to actuate the locking member.
OBJECTS OF l~E INV~N'~ ION
One object of the invention i8 to provide a strike of
simplified construction.
Another object of the invention is to provide a strike
which, by simple replacement of the locking device or simple
modification of a single locking member, permits the strike to be
changed from locking of the keeper with energization of the
actuating means to unlocking of the keeper with energization of
the actuating means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a strike
construction which requires a force to break the locking member
which is greater than the force required to break prior art
locking mechanisms.
Another object of the invention is to provide a strike
construction in which the locking member can be moved by the
actuating means even if substantial force is applied to the
keeper.
A further object of the invention i8 to provide a strike
with an electromagnet and improved magnetic circuit for the
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electromagnet 80 that the locking member operating force for a
given amount of electrical current i~ greater than in prior art
strikes.
Other objects of the invention are to make assembly of the
strike less critical and to provide a strike which operates
equally as well in any orientation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INV~N'~ ION
The objects of the invention are attained in the preferred
embodiment of the invention by pivotally mounting a keeper on a
housing, such keeper having a pair of arms or lugs e~tending in
planes perpendicular to the pivot a~is, and by slidably mounting
a locking member of magnetic material and having arms engageable
with or spaced from the lugs on the keeper depending on the
position of the locking member. The keeper is urged into its
locking position by a spring, and the locking member is urged
into the desired position, locking or unlocking, by a spring.
The locking member bears against the housing so that any force
applied thereto by the keeper is transmitted to a wall of the
housing. A pair of electromagnet coils in the housing attract
the locking member, causing it to move rectilinearly, when the
coils are electrically energized.
In one embodiment of the invention, two locking members, one
having said arms differently positioned from the arms of the
other, are provided so that by the mere substitution of one
locking member for the other, the keeper is normally locked or is
free to pivot until the electromagnetic coils are energized.
In another embodiment of the invention, the locking member
has four arms, two of which can be removed to cause it normally
to lock or permit pivoting of the keeper until the coils are
energized.
In 8 further embodiment of the invention, the arms of the
locking member are ad~ustably mounted on the locking member 80
~ , 20n,,~-~G6 . "~
that by ad~ustlng the posltlons of the arms, the keeper ls
normally locked or free to plvot.
Accordlng to a broad aspect of the lnventlon there ls
provlded a strlke comprlslng.
a houslng wlth a plurallty of walls;
a keeper mounted on sald houslng for movement from a flrst
posltlon to a second posltlon for respectlvely engaglng a latch
and movlng away from the latch, sald keeper havlng at least one
lug extendlng therefrom toward a wall of sald houslng and
movable along a predetermlned path ln a plane wlth movement of
sald keeper;
a locklng member slldably mounted on sald houslng
lntermedlate sald keeper and sald wall of sald houslng and
movable rectlllnearly ln the directlon transverse to sald plane
and sald predetermlned path of movement of sald lug, sald
locklng member havlng at least one arm thereon extendlng toward
sald lug, transversely of and away from sald wall and
transversely to the dlrectlon of slldlng movement of sald
locklng member, sald arm belng engageable wlth sald lug ln one
posltlon of sald locklng member relatlve to sald keeper for
preventlng movement of sald keeper and sald arm belng out of
the path of movement of sald lug when sald locklng member ls ln
another posltlon relatlve to sald keeper;
blasslng means actlng between sald locklng member and said
houslng and urglng sald locklng member lnto one of the relative
posltlons thereof~ and
locklng member actuatlng mearls for movlng sald locklng
member from the last-mentloned sald one relatlve sald posltlon
thereof lnto the other relatlve pos~tlon thereof. '-
Accordlng to another broad aspect of the lnventlon
there ls provlded a strlke comprlslng:
a houslng;
~ 'J 0 5 ~
a keeper plvotally mounted on sald houslng for plvotal
movement around an axls from a flrst posltlon to a second
posltion for respectlvely engaglng a latch and movlng away from
the latch, sald keeper havlng two lugs extendlng therefrom
transversely to sald axls and spaced from each other in the
dlrectlon of sald axls by a predetermlned dlstance7
a locklng member mounted on sald houslng for rectlllnear
slidlng movement ln the dlrectlon substantlally parallel to
sald axls, sald locklng member havlng two arms thereon, each
arm extendlng, respectlvely, toward one of sald lugs and belng
engageable wlth the respectlve one of sald lugs ln one posltlon
of sald locklng member relatlve to sald keeper for preventlng
movement of sald keeper and belng out of the paths of movement
of sald lugs when sald locklng member ls ln another posltlon
relatlve to sald keeper, and one of sald arms belng spaced from t
the other of sald arms by sald predetermlned dlstance~
blasslng means actlng between sald locklng member and sald
houslng and urglng sald locklng member lnto one of the relatlve
posltlons thereof1 and
locklng member actuatlng means for movlng sald locklng
member from the last mentloned sald one relatlve sald po~ltlon
thereof lnto the other relatlve pO8 ltlon thereof.
Accordlng to another broad aspect of the lnventlon
there ls provlded a strlke comprlslng:
a houslng, sald houslng havlng a front wall, a rear wall
spaced from sald front wall and a top wall extendlng from sald
front wall to sald rear wall~
a keeper plvotally mounted at sald front wall for plvotal
movement around an axls substantlally parallel to sald rear
wall for movement from a flrst posltlon to a second posltlon
for respectlvely engaglng a latch and movlng away from the
latch, said keeper havlng two lugs thereon extendlng therefrom
4a
'~ '~' 5 5 ~b ~
toward sald rear wall but termlnatlng ln spaced relatlon to
sald rear wall, sald lugs belng spaced from each other ln the
dlrectlon of sald axls by a predetermlned dlstance;
a locklng member mounted ln sald houslng for rectlllr-ar
slldlng movement substantlally parallel to sald axls, sald
locklng member belng mounted lntermedlate sald front wall and
sald rear wall and slldably abuttlng sald rear wall, sald
locklng member havlng two arms spaced from each other by sald
predetermlned dlstance and extendlng, respectlvely, toward one
of sald lugs, sald locklng member belng slldable between one
posltlon and another posltlon, sald arms belng engageable wlth
sald lugs ln one posltlon of sald locklng member to prevent
plvotlng of sald keeper and belng out of the paths of movement
of sald lugs wlth plvotlng of sald keeper ln the other posltlon
of sald locklng member to permlt plvotlng of sald keeper;
blasslng means actlng between sald locklng member and'sald
houslng for urglng sald locklng member lnto a posltlon flxed ln
relatlon to sald top wallS and
locklng member actuatlng means mounted at the slde of sald
locklng member opposlte from sald top wall for pulllng sald
locklng member from sald posltlon thereof whlch ls flxed ln
relatlon to sald top wall toward sald locklng member actuatlng
means upon energlzatlon thereof.
Accordlng to another broad aspect of the lnventlon
there ls provlded a strlke comprlslng~
a houslng wlth a plurallty of walls;
a keeper mounted on sald houslng for movement from a flrst
positlon to a second posltlon for respectlvely engaglng a latch
and movlng away from the latch, sald keeper havlng at least one
lug extendlng therefrom toward a wall of sald houslng and
movable along a predetermlned path ln a plane wlth movement of
sald keeper~
4b
, ~
2 ,(~ JO~
~_ 67487-389 ~ -
a locklng member slldably mounted on sald houslng
lntermedlate sald keeper and sald wall of sald houslng and
movable rectlllnearly ln the dlrectlon transverse to sald plane
and sald predetermlned path of movement of sald lug, said
locklng member havlng means thereon extendlng transversely to
sald predetermlned path of movement of sald lug, sald means
belng engageable wlth sald lug ln one posltlon of sald locklng
member relatlve to sald keeper for preventlng movement of sald
keeper and sald means belng out of the path of movement of sald
lug when sald locklng member ls ln another posltlon relatlve to
sald keeper to permlt movement of sald keepert
blasalng means actlng between sald locklng member and sald
houslng and urglng sald locklng member lnto one of the rel tlve
posltlons thereof~ and
locklng member actuatlng means for movlng sald locklng
member from the last-mentloned sald one relatlve sald posltlon
thereof lnto the other relatlve posltlon thereof.
~RIBF DI~S~l~llON OF THF DRAWINGS
Other ob~ects and advantages of the present lnventlon
wlll be apparent from the followlng detalled descrlptlon of the
presently preferred embodlments thereof, whlch descrlptlon
should be consldered ln con~unctlon wlth the accompanylng
drawlngs ln whlch~
Flgure l ls a perspectlve vlew of an embodlment of
the electrlcally operable strlke mounted on a door frame an~ a
portlon of a door controlled thereby7
Flgures 2 and 3 are, respectlvely, front and slde
elevatlon vlews of the strlke shown ln Flgure 1, the strlke
cover belng omltted ln Flgure 3~ -~
Flgures 4 and 5 are, respectlvely, partly exploded
and exploded perspectlve vlews of the strlke shown ln Flgure 1,
the strlke cover belng omltted ln Flgure 57
4c
2~05~a~
~- 67487-389 . --
Flgures 6 and 8 are cross-sectlonal plsn vlews of the
strlke shown ln Flgure 1 lllustratlng locked and unlocked
posltlons of the locklng member and the keeper~
Flgure 7 18 a slde elevatlon vlew of the strlke shown
ln Flgure 1 wlth the locklng member ln lts unlocked posltlon~
Flgures 9 and 10 are slde elevatlon vlews of an
alternatlve embodlment of the locklng member wlth the locklng
member ln, respectlvely, unlocked and locked posltlonst
Flgure 11 18 a perspectlve vlew of the locklng member
shown in Flgures 9 and 10;
4d
200S906
._
Figs. 12, 13 and 14, are, respectively, perspective
front elevation and side elevation views of a further
embodiment of the locking member; and
Figs. 15 and 16 are, respectively, perspective
and side elevation views of a further embodiment of
the locking member.
With reference to Figs. 1-5, the preferred embodiment of the
electrically operable strike 1 of the invention is illustrated in
Fig. 1 as mounted in a recess ~of a door frame 11 associated with
a door 2 having a latch 3 engaging a keeper 4 of the strike 1.
The keeper 4 is pivotally mounted on the housing 5 by means of a
pin or rod 6 secured at one end to the top wall 7 and at its
opposite end to a tab 8 integral with the housing 5, the keeper 4
being pivotable around the pin 6. The housing 5 also has a pair
of tabs 9 and 10 integral therewith for securing it to the door
frame 11, such as by means of the screws 12.
The housing 5 has a side wall 13, a bottom wall 14, a rear
wall 15 and a cover 16. The bottom wall 14 has a pair of slots
17 and 18 (see Fig. 5) for receiving arms 19 and 20 (see ~ig. 4)
at one end of the cover 16 which with a tab 21 at the opposite
end of the cover 16 having a dimple 22 receivable in a recess 23
(see Fig. 4) in the top wall 7 releasably secure the cover 16 to
the housing 5.
As seen in Fig~. 3-5, the keeper 4 has, at the rear thereof,
a pair of lugs 24 and 25 extending perpendicularly to the axis of
the pin 6. The lugs 24 and 25 are spaced apart in the direction
of said axis by a predetermined distance, and although the end
faces of the lugs 24 and 25 can be in planes perpendicular to the
lengths of the lugs 24 and 25, for reasons set forth
hereinafter, the lugs 24 and 25 preferably have bevelled end
faces 24a and 25a (see Fig. 3).
A locking member 26 (see particularly Fig. 5) is slidably
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'_
mounted in the housing 5 and has a pair of wall sections 27 and
28 which bear against the rear wall 15 of the housing 5, a bottom
portion 29, a side wall 30 and a pair of arm~ 31 and 32 which
extend toward the lugs 24 and 25. Although the end faces of the
arms 31 and 32 can be in planes perpendicular to the lengths of
the arms 31 and 32, particularly if the end faces of the lugs 24
and 25 are not bevelled, preferably, the arms 31 and 32
have bevelled end faces 31a and 32a, the bevelling being opposite
to the bevelling of the end faces 24a and 25a of the lugs 24 and
25 for the reasons set forth hereinafter. Preferably, the
locking member 26 is entirely made of magnetic steel, but in any
event, at least the bottom portion 29 is made of a magnetic
material for completing the magnetic circuit of the remotely and
electrically energizable coils 33 and 34 and causing the
locking member 26 move toward the coils 33 and 34 when they
are energized. The coils 33 and 34 comprise windings or
coils of insulated wire covered by tape and cores 35 and 36 of
magnetic material (see Pigs. 3 and 5), and the cores 35 and 36
are secured to a plate 37 of magnetic material which has as pair
of ears, only one of which, 38, is shown in Figs. 2 and 5, which
fit into slots 39 and 40 (see Fig. 5) in the side wall 13 of the
housing 5. The plate 37 also has an ear 37a which fits into a
slot 40a in the rear wall 15. The cover 16 maintains such ears
in the slots 39 and 40 when it is in place, but with removal of
the cover 16, the coil assembly may be easily removed and
replaced.
Biassing means in the form of compression springs 41 and 42
encircling the core8 35 and 36 act between the locking member 26
and housing 5 through the coil assembly to urge the locking
member 26 upwardly, as viewed in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, and into the
position shown in these Figs. in which position the arms 31 and
32, which have the same spacing as the lugs 24 and 25, are
~ J
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'~......
engageable with the lugs 24 and 25 and prevent plvoting of the
keeper 4.
Biassing means in the form of a spring 43 (see ~i98. 6 and
8) acts between the keeper 4 and the housing side wall 13 to urge
the keeper 4 into its locking position shown in Figs. 1-5 and 6.
The embodiment of the strike illustrated in Figs. 1-7 is of
the normally locked type and i8 unlocked by electrical
energization of the coils 33 and 34, electrical energy being
supplied thereto by the wire leads 44 (see Figs. 3 and 4) which
pass through an aperture 45 in the bottom wall of the housing 5.
Accordingly, as long as the locking member 26 i8 in its
upper, keeper locking position, the door 2 is prevented from
opening, but when the coils 33 and 34 are electrically energized,
the locking member 26 slides rectilinearly in the downward
direction to a keeper unlocking position, as illustrated in Fig.
7. In the latter position, the keeper 4 is free to pivot because
the arms 31 and 32 are out of the paths of movement of the lug~
24 and 25, the movement of the keeper 4 and its lugs being shown
in Figs. 6 and 8. In Fig. 6, the keeper 4 is locked, and in Fig.
8, the keeper 4 is unlocked.
Of course, when energization of the coils 33 and 34 is
discontinued, the keeper 4 is moved into its locking position by
the spring 43 and the locking member 26 is moved into its locking
position by the springs 41 and 42.
It will be observed that when pressure is applied to the
door 2 to open it, the latch 3 applies a pivoting force to the
keeper 4 urging it toward its unlocking position. If the locking
member 26 i8 in its locking position, such force is applied to
the arms 31 and 32 by way of the lugs 24 and 25 and thence, to
the rear wall 15 of the housing 5. The arms 31 and 32 can be
relatively sturdy and are sub~ect to only small bending forces,
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'_,
and therefore, the locking member 26 can withstand relatively
high forces applied thereto by a person attempting to force the
door 2 open.
While the end faces 24a and 25a and the end faces 31a and
32a can be perpendicular to the lengths of the lugs 24 and 25 and
the arms 31 and 32, and hence, parallel to the pivot axis of the
keeper 4, if a relatively large force is applied to the door 2 in
the opening direction, the pulling force of the coils 33 and 34
can be insufficient to move the locking member 26. To aid in
causing the locking member 26 to move its unlocking position with
such a force, without significantly reducing the ability of the
locking member 26 to resist relatively large door forces, the end
faces 24a, 25a, 31a and 32a preferably are oppositely bevelled at
an angle, such as 10~, but not more than 15~, as indicated in the
drawings.
While a single coil could be used in the strike of the
invention, such as by omitting one of the coils 33 or 34 and
centering the remaining coil with respect to the magnetic
portion 29 of the locking member 26, the use of two coils 33
and 34 provides, in the arrangement shown, an improvement in the
pulling force exerted on the locking member 26 over what one
would expect from merely using two coils or increased
energization of a coil. This result is apparently due to the
magnetic circuit provided by the structure shown, it being
observed that the magnetic circuit is relatively short and is by
way of the plate 37 and the magnetic portion 29 and not solely by
way of the walls of the housing 5. Furthermore, since the
movement of the locking member 26 can be relatively small due to
the fact that the lugs 24 and 25 and the arms 31 and 32 can have
a small thickness, the magnetic portion 29 can be relatively
close to the ends of the cores 35 and 36 in the lockinq position
of the locking member 26.
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'~_
It w$11 be observed that the strike of the invention has
only one moving part for locking and unlocking the keeper 4.
Also, it will be observed that the upper end of the wall section
27 abuts the inner surface of the top wall 7 of the housing 5
(see particularly Fig. 3) and is maintained in such position, in
the absence of energization of the coils 33 and 34, by the
springs 41 and 42. Accordingly, gravity is not relied upon to
position the locking member 26 so that the strike of the invention
can be used in any desired orientation.
Since only one moving part is required for locking and
unlocking of the keeper 4 and whether the keeper 4 is normally
locked or unlocked depends upon the positions of the arms 31
and 32 on the locking member 26, it is a simple matter to change
the strike from one in which the keeper 4 is normally locked to
one in which the keeper 4 is normally unlocked by either
substituting a locking member with its arms differently
positioned or by making the arms adjustable.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate a locking member 26a having
arms 46 and 47 positioned thereon so that when the locking member
26a abuts the top wall 7, as shown in Fig. 9, the arms 46 and 47
are out of the path of movement of the lugs 24 and 25. When the
coils 33 and 34 are energized, the locking member 26a is pulled
into its locking position shown in Fig. 10, in which position, the
arms 46 and 47 can engage the lugs 24 and 25 and prevent pivoting
of the keeper 4.
It will be observed from a comparision of Figs. 5 and 11
that in addition to the positioning of the arms 46 and 47, the
locking member 26a differs from the lock~ng member 26 in other
features. ~owever, the locking member 26a can, except for the
positioning of the arms 46 and 47, be of the same structure as
the locking member 26 or the locking member 26 can be of the same
structure as the locking member 26a except for the positioning of
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..." ~
the arms 24 and 25 relative to the end of the locking member
which abuts the top wall 7.
Figs. 12-14 illustrate an embodiment of a locking member with
arms 48 and 49 which can be adjusted so that the keeper 4 is
either normally locked or normally unlocked. The locking member
26b shown in Figs. 12-14 has the arms 48 and 49 secured thereto,
such as by screws 50 and 51, which extend through ~lots 52 and 53
in the arms 48 and 49. Thus, the arms 48 and 49 can be held in
the positions shown in Figs. 12-14 by the screws 50 and 51, which
positions correspond to the normally unlocked condition of the
keeper 4. ~owever, by loosening the screws 50 and 51 and moving
the arms 48 and 49 downwardly, as viewed in Figs. 12-14, and
then, tightening the screws 50 and 51, the arms 48 and 49 can be
secured in positions which correspond to the positions of the
arms 31 and 32 and hence, the normally locked condition of the
keeper 4.
Another embodiment of a single locking member which can be
used for normally locking or unlocking the keeper 4 is
illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16. The locking member 26c shown in
these figures has four arms 54, 55, 56 and 57, arms 54 and 56
having positions corresponding to the positions of the arms 46
and 47 and arms 55 and 57 having positions corresponding to the
positions of the arms 31 and 32. Each of the arms 54-57 has a
line of weakening 58 (see Fig. 16) so that by bending an arm
tran~versely to its length and at the line 58, such as with
pliers, any arm can be removed. For example, if it is desired to
have the keeper 4 be normally unlocked, the arms 55 and 57 would
be removed leaving the arms 54 and 56 in place. Similarly, if it
is desired to have the keeper 4 normally locked, the arms 54 and
56 would be removed leaving the arms 55 and 57 in place.
Accordingly with the embodiments of the locking member
illustrated in Flgs. 12-16, it is necessary to manufacture only a
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single locking member which can be used to provide a strike with
a keeper which i8 either normally locked or normally unlocked.
If it is not known whether the strike will be installed with a
normally locked or a normally unlocked keeper, it is unnecessary
to supply a strike with two locking members 26a and 26b or to
stock two strikes, one with a locking member 26a and one with a
locking member 26b.
It will be apparent to those ~killed in the art that various
modifications of the invention may be made. For example, the
arms of the locking member may be held in a fixed position and
the keeper may be moved rectilinearly by the coil. Also, instead
of pivoting, the keeper can slide toward and away from the latch
and be permitted or prevented from so sliding by the arms of the
slidable locking member. In addition, although not preferred,
one of the arms on the locking member, e.g. 31 or 32 or 46 or 47,
and the corresponding lug on the keeper 4 may be omitted.
Furthermore, although the preferred embodiment comprises a
pair of coils 33 and 34 with fi~ed cores 35 and 36 which are
energizable from outside the housing for moving the locking
member, it will be apparent that such cores and coils can be
replaced by a different type of locking member actuating means
~uch as a solenoid with a movable armature pivotally connected to
the locking member or an air operable piston and cylinder
assembly with the piston pivotally connected to the locking
member. The coils 33 and 34 are preferred because of their
simplicity and because no mechanical connection to the locking
member is required.
Although preferred embodiments of the pre8ent invention have
been described and illustrated, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without
departing from the principles of the invention.
