Right-line movement panic exit device

Claim 2

A latch and actuator assembly comprising a housing means, a latch bolt movable between a projected position and a retracted position, an actuator element, means supporting said actuator element for movement within said housing means, a push bar having a portion disposed outside said housing means, means within said housing means for supporting and guiding said push bar for rectilinear movement toward and away from said actuator element, means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt to move said latch bolt toward its retracted position in response to movement of said actuator element in one direction, and means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element to move said actuator element in said one direction in response to movement of said push bar toward said actuator element, resiliently yieldable means resisting movement of said actuator element in said one direction, said means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt including a lost-motion connection permitting movement of said latch bolt toward its retracted position without resistance by said yieldable means.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1 including means in said lost-motion connection yieldably resisting retractive movement of said latch bolt relative to said actuator element.

Claim 4

A latch and actuator assembly comprising a housing means, a latch bolt movable between a projected position and a retracted position, an actuator element, means supporting said actuator element for movement within said housing means, a push bar having a portion disposed outside said housing means, means within said housing means for supporting and guiding said push bar for rectilinear movement toward and away from said actuator element, means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt to move said latch bolt toward its retracted position in response to movement of said actuator element in one direction and means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element to move said actuator element in said one direction in response to movement of said push bar toward said actuator element, said actuator element being guided for substantially rectilinear movement in a path substantially perpendicular to the line of movement of said push bar, resiliently yieldable means resisting movement of said actuator element in said one direction, said means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element comprising a first link having one end pivoted for oscillation about a first axis transverse relative to the line of movement of said actuator element and transverse relative to the line of movement of said push bar and fixed relative to said housing means, a second link having one end pivoted for oscillation about a second axis parallel with said first axis and fixed relative to sAid actuator element, pivot means connecting together the other ends of said links upon a third axis parallel with said first and second axes, and a roller journalled on said pivot means and bearing on said push bar.

Claim 5

A latch and actuator assembly comprising a housing means, a latch bolt movable between a projected position and a retracted position, an actuator element, means supporting said actuator element for movement within said housing means, a push bar having a portion disposed outside said housing means, means within said housing means for supporting and guiding said push bar for rectilinear movement toward and away from said actuator element, means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt to move said latch bolt toward its retracted position in response to movement of said actuator element in one direction and means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element to move said actuator element in said one direction in response to movement of said push bar toward said actuator element, said actuator element being guided for substantially rectilinear movement in a path substantially perpendicular to the line of movement of said push bar, resiliently yieldable means resisting movement of said actuator element in said one direction, said means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element comprising a first link having one end pivoted for oscillation about a first axis transverse relative to the line of movement of said actuator element and transverse relative to the line of movement of said push bar and fixed relative to said housing means, a second link having one end pivoted for oscillation about a second axis parallel with said first axis and fixed relative to sAid actuator element, pivot means connecting together the other ends of said links upon a third axis parallel with said first and second axes, and a roller journalled on said pivot means and bearing on said push bar.

Claim 6

A latch and actuator assembly comprising an elongated housing means having a rear surface adapted to be secured in transverse relation to the inner surface of a hinged closure and having an opposite front surface, a latch bolt movable between a projected position and a retracted position, two guide units fixed relative to said housing means, at points spaced longitudinally of said housing means, each guide unit being formed to provide a first guiding surface elongated longitudinally of said housing means and a second guiding surface elongated in a common direction perpendicular to the length of said housing means and toward the front surface of said housing means, an actuator element supported from said first guiding surfaces by telescopic association therewith for rectilinear reciprocation longitudinally of said housing means, a push bar penetrating the front surface of said housing means, means fixed relative to said push bar and supported from said guide units by telescopic association with both of said second guide surfaces for rectilinear reciprocation toward and away from the rear surface of said housing means, means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt to move said latch bolt toward its retracted position in response to movement of said actuator element in one direction, spring means biasing said actuator element in the opposite direction, and means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element to move said actuator in said one direction in response to movement of said push bar toward said rear surface of said housing means.

Claim 7

A latch and actuator assembly comprising an elongated housing means having a rear surface adapted to be secured in transverse relation to the inner surface of a hinged closure and having an opposite front surface, a latch bolt movable between a projected position and a retracted position, two guide units fixed relative to said housing means, at points spaced longitudinally of said housing means, each guide unit being formed to provide a first guiding surface elongated longitudinally of said housing means and a second guiding surface elongated in a common direction perpendicular to the length of said housing means and toward the front surface of said housing means, an actuator element supported from said first guiding surfaces by telescopic association therewith for rectilinear reciprocation longitudinally of said housing means, a push bar penetrating the front surface of said housing means, means fixed relative to said push bar and supported from said guide units by telescopic association with both of said second guide surfaces for rectilinear reciprocation toward and away from the rear surface of said housing means, means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt to move said latch bolt toward its retracted position in response to movement of said actuator element in one direction, spring means biasing said actuator element in the opposite direction, and means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element to move said actuator in said one direction in response to movement of said push bar toward said rear surface of said housing means.

Claim 8

The assembly of claim 4 in which said means providing the operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element is a one-way connection, and cooperating means on said housing means and on said push bar for limiting movement of said push bar away from said rear surface of said housing means.

Claim 9

The assembly of claim 4 in which said means providing the operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element is a two-way connection.

Claim 10

The assembly of claim 4 in which said means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt includes a lost-motion connection permitting movement of said latch bolt toward its retracted position without affecting said actuator element.

Claim 11

The assembly of claim 4 in which said means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element comprises a first link having one end pivoted for oscillation about a first axis transverse relative to the line of movement of said actuator element and transverse relative to the line of movement of said push bar and fixed relative to said housing means, a second link having one end pivoted for oscillation about a second axis parallel with said first axis and fixed relative to said actuator element, pivot means connecting together the other ends of said links upon a third axis parallel with said first and second axes, and friction-reducing means mounted to move with said pivot means and bearing on said push bar.

Claim 12

The assembly of claim 8 in which said friction-reducing means is a roller journalled on said pivot means.

Claim 13

The assembly of claim 9 including a guide lip fixed relative to said push bar and bearing upon said roller in a region substantially diametrically opposite the point at which the roller bears on said push bar.

Claim 14

The assembly of claim 4 in which said means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element comprises, for each guide unit, a first link, first pivot means carried by said guide unit and supporting one end of said first link for oscillation about a fixed axis transverse relative to the lines of movement of said actuator and of said push bar, a second link, a second pivot means fixed relative to said actuator element at a point more remote from said latch bolt than is the corresponding first pivot means and supporting one end of said second link for oscillation about a second axis parallel with said first axis, third pivot means connecting together the other ends of said links upon a third axis parallel with said first and second axes, and friction-reducing means mounted to move with each of said third pivot means and bearing on said push bar.

Claim 15

The assembly of claim 11 including means moving with said push bar and engaging each of said friction-reducing means to prevent significant separation between said friction-reducing means and said push bar.

Claim 16

The assembly of claim 11 including an element fixed relative to said housing means and formed to define a shoulder facing the rear surface of said housing means, and a member adjustably carried by said push bar and extending toward the rear surface of said housing means in cooperative registry with said last-named element, said last-named member being provided with means engageable, at times, with said shoulder to hold said push bar in latch bolt-retracted position and being accessible for adjustment from outside said push bar.

Claim 17

The assembly of claim 3 including longitudinally-extending floor means in said housing, said roller means bearing on said floor means.

Claim 18

The assembly of claim 11 including longitudinally extending floor means in said housing, and roller means journalled on each second pivot means and bearing on said floor means.

Claim 19

The assembly of claim 11 including means providing a rigid connection between the third pivot means associated with one of said guide units, and the third pivot means associated with the other of said guide units.

Claim 20

An actuating mechanism for a retractable latch comprising a rectilinearly movable retractor element, means yieldably biasing said element toward latch-projected position, guide means for said element, a push bar elongated in the direction of movement of said element, means guiding said push bar for rectilinear bodily movement in a direction perpendicular to the line of movement of said element, at least two toggle-like assemblies arranged between said push bar and said element, each such assembly comprising a first lever having one end pivoted upon a first axis transverse to the lines of movement of said element and said push bar and fixed relative to said guide means, a second lever having one end pivoted upon a second axis parallel with said first axis and fixed relative to said element, the other ends of said levers being pivoted together upon an axis parallel with and between said first and second axes, roller means journalled on said third axis, and means affirmatively holding said roller means always in operative engagement with said push bar.

Claim 21

An actuating mechanism for a retractable latch comprising a rectilinearly movable retractor element, means yieldably biasing said element toward latch-projected position, guide means for said element, a push bar elongated in the direction of movement of said element, means guiding said push bar for rectilinear bodily movement in a direction perpendicular to the line of movement of said element, at least two toggle-like assemblies arranged between said push bar and said element, each such assembly comprising a first lever having one end pivoted upon a first axis transverse to the lines of movement of said element and said push bar and fixed relative to said guide means, a second lever having one end pivoted upon a second axis parallel with said first axis and fixed relative to said element, the other ends of said levers being pivoted together upon an axis parallel with and between said first and second axes, roller means journalled on said third axis, and means affirmatively holding said roller means always in operative engagement with said push bar.

Claim 22

A latch and actuator assembly comprising a housing means, a latch bolt movable between a projected position and a retracted position, an actuator element, means supporting said actuator element for movement within said housing means, a push bar having a portion disposed outside said housing means, means within said housing means for supporting and guiding said push bar for rectilinear movement toward and away from said actuator element, means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt to move said latch bolt toward its retracted position in response to movement of said actuator element in one direction, and means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element to move said actuator element in said one direction in response to movement of said push bar toward said actuator element, a second latch bolt, a rod for each latch bolt, said rods being substantially coaxially arranged with their remote ends operatively connected to said latch bolts respectively and their adjacent ends in confronting relation to each other, said rods being reciprocabLe toward each other to retract their respective bolts and away from each other upon projection of their respective bolts, the means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolts including said rods.

Claim 23

A latch and actuator assembly comprising a housing means, a latch bolt movable between a projected position and a retracted position, an actuator element, means supporting said actuator element for movement within said housing means, a push bar having a portion disposed outside said housing means, means within said housing means for supporting and guiding said push bar for rectilinear movement toward and away from said actuator element, means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolt to move said latch bolt toward its retracted position in response to movement of said actuator element in one direction, and means providing an operative connection between said push bar and said actuator element to move said actuator element in said one direction in response to movement of said push bar toward said actuator element, a second latch bolt, a rod for each latch bolt, said rods being substantially coaxially arranged with their remote ends operatively connected to said latch bolts respectively and their adjacent ends in confronting relation to each other, said rods being reciprocabLe toward each other to retract their respective bolts and away from each other upon projection of their respective bolts, the means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolts including said rods.

Claim 24

The assembly of claim 18 in which said means providing an operative connection between said actuator element and said latch bolts further includes a pair of crossed levers pivoted, at their region of intersection, to oscillate about a fixed axis perpendicular to the line of movement of said actuator element, the distal end regions of said levers being operatively engaged with the adjacent ends of said rods respectively, link means connected to the proximal end of each of said levers, pivot means connecting said link means together, and means operatively connecting said actuator element to said pivot means.

Claim 25

The assembly of claim 19 in which said means operatively connecting said actuator element to said pivot means affirmatively entrains said pivot means upon latch-retracting movement of said actuator element but permits latch retraction under external influences without affecting said actuator element.

Claim 26

The assembly of claim 19 in which said means operatively connecting said actuator element to said pivot means comprises a sleeve longitudinally slidably mounted on said actuator element and formed with a radially opening, longitudinally extending slot therein, a fixed protuberance extending radially from said actuator element and confined in said slot, and means yieldably urging said sleeve, relative to said actuator element, toward said fixed axis, said pivot means being fixed relative to said sleeve.