Emergency exit latch and actuator assembly

Claim 2

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly comprising an elongated frame adapted to be secured to the inner face of an outwardly opening door to extend transversely thereof, a latch bolt supported on said frame for pivotal movement between projected and retracted positions, a retractor element supported on said frame for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of said latch bolt between first and second positions and including first and second parts, said first part being engageable with an associated part of said latch bolt to move said latch bolt from its projected to its retracted position in response to movement of said retractor element from its first position to its second position, said latch bolt being movable from its projected to its retracted position independently of said retractor element and with said associated part out of engagement with said first part, an elongated first actuating member having an actuator part engageable with said second part, links supporting said first actuating member for simultaneous arcuate movement toward and away from the door and translation in a generally longitudinal direction relative to said frame between an inactive and active position, said actuator part being engageable with said second part when said retractor element is in its first position to pivot said retractor element from its first to its second position in response to the movement of said first actuating member from its inactive to its active position.

Claim 3

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuator part comprises a retractor finger projecting from one end of said first actuating member.

Claim 4

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said assembly includes a second actuating member supported on said frame for movement relative thereto between first and second positions and engageable with a part of said retractor element when said retractor element is in its first position to pivot it to its second position in response to movement of said second actuating member from its first to its second position, said retractor element being pivotally movable from its first to its second position out of engagement with and independently of said second actuating member, and means for moving said second actuating member from its first to its second position.

Claim 5

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said retractor element includes a third part and said second actuating member is engageable with said third part.

Claim 6

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said retractor element comprises a lever and said first, second and third parts comprise angularly spaced and generally radially outwardly extending portions of said lever.

Claim 7

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second actuating member comprises a slide supported for sliding movement between its first and second positions and said means for moving said second operating member comprises a rotary plug journalled on said frame and engageable with a part of said slide member.

Claim 8

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said part of said slide member comprises a pin projecting from said slide member and received in a notch in said rotary plug.

Claim 9

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 6 including means for releasably retaining said second actuating member in its second position.

Claim 10

An emergency exit latch as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for releasably retaining said second actuating member comprises an eccentric pin carried by said plug and a generally hook shaped slot formed in said slide receiving said eccentric pin therein.

Claim 11

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 3 including means for biasing said second actuating member to its first position when said latch bolt is in its projected position.

Claim 12

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 10 including means for biasing said latch bolt toward its projected position, said means for biasing said latch bolt comprising said means for biasing said second actuating member.

Claim 13

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second actuating member comprises a lever supported for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of said latch bolt between first and second positions corresponding to said first and second positions of said retractor element.

Claim 14

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said lever is supported for coaxial pivotal movement relative to said retractor element.

Claim 15

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein one end of said lever is engageable with said second part of said retractor element.

Claim 16

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means for moving said second actuating member comprises a push button assembly adapted to be mounted on the outer face of the door and having a shank for extending inwardly through said door to engage the other end of said lever and a push button associated with the outer end of said shank.

Claim 17

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 15 including means for disabling said push button assembly.

Claim 18

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said means for disabling said push button assembly comprises a locking mechanism engageable with an associated portion of said shank for releasably retaining said shank in fixed position relative to said frame.

Claim 19

An emergency exit latch as set forth in claim 17 wherein said push button assembly includes a lost motion connection between said push button and said associated portion of said shank.

Claim 20

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame includes an elongated inwardly opening channel member and said first actuating member comprises an elongated outwardly opening channel member substantially equal in length to said inwardly opening channel member extending longitudinally of said inwardly opening channel member in telescopic relation thereto.

Claim 21

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said links comprise a pair of parallel links connecting said channel members, said links having axes generally parallel to the axis of said latch bolt.

Claim 22

An emergency exit latch and actuator mechanism as set forth in claim 1 including a dogging mechanism for moving said first actuating member to and releasably retaining said first actuating member in said active position.

Claim 23

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said dogging mechanism includes a rotary part supported for angular movement relative to said first actuating member and having an eccentric cam thereon for engaging an abutment on said frame to move said first actuating member to its active position in response to angular movement of said rotary part.

Claim 24

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 1 includingg a deadlocking mechanism comprising a deadlocking lever supported for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to the axis of said latch bolt between a locking position and a non-locking position and having a first cam surface thereon, said deadlocking lever having a blocker engageable with an associated portion of said latch bolt when said latch bolt is in its projected position and said deadlocking lever is in its locking position for deadlocking said latch bolt in its projected position, an auxiliary bolt supported for pivotal movement between projected and retracted positions and having a first cam for engaging said first cam surface to move said deadlocking lever to its non-locking position as said auxiliary bolt moves toward its projected position, said auxiliary bolt in its projected position maintaining said deadlocking lever in its non-locking position.

Claim 25

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 23 including means for biasing said deadlocking lever toward its locking position.

Claim 26

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein said deadlocking lever has a cam slot therein defining said first cam surface and said first cam comprises a pin carried by said auxiliary bolt and extending into said cam slot.

Claim 27

An emergency exit bolt as set forth in claim 23 wherein said latch bolt has an arcuate groove therein having a center of curvature on the axis thereof and said blocker is aligned with said groove when said deadlocking lever is in its non-locking position to permit movement of said latch bolt between its projected and retracted positions with said blocker disposed in said groove.

Claim 28

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein said deadlocking lever has a second cam surface thereon and said retractor element has a second cam thereon engageable with said second cam surface when said deadlocking lever is in its locking position and said retractor element is in its first position to move said deadlocking lever to its non-locking position in response to initial movement of said retractor element from its first toward its second position.

Claim 29

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 27 wherein said deAdlocking lever has a control slot therein defining said second cam surface and said second cam comprises a pin carried by said retractor element and extending into said control slot.

Claim 30

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 27 wherein said deadlocking lever is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, said first cam surface is associated with one end portion of said deadlocking lever, and said second cam surface is associated with the other end portion of said deadlocking lever.

Claim 31

An emergency exit latch and actuator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said latch bolt has an arcuate groove therein having its center of curvature on the axis thereof and said assembly includes a deadlocking mechanism comprising a deadlocking lever supported intermediate its ends for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to said latch bolt axis between a locking position and a non-locking position and having a cam slot in one end portion thereof defining a first cam surface and a control slot in the other end portion thereof defining a second cam surface, said deadlocking lever having a blocker thereon engageable with an associated portion of said latch bolt when said latch bolt is in its projected position and said deadlocking lever is in its deadlocking position to deadlock said latch bolt in its projected position, said deadlocking lever in its non-locking position maintaining said blocker in general alignment with said groove, means for biasing said deadlocking lever toward its locking position, an auxiliary bolt supported for coaxial pivotal movement relative to said latch bolt between projected and retracted positions and having a first cam extending into said cam slot for engaging said first cam surface to move said deadlocking lever to its non-deadlocking position in response to movement of said auxiliary bolt toward its projected position, said auxiliary bolt in its projected position maintaining said deadlocking lever in its non-locking position, and a second cam associated with said retractor element and extending into said control slot for engaging said second cam surface when said deadlocking lever is in its locking position and said retractor element is in its first position to move said deadlocking lever to its non-locking position in response to initial movement of said retractor element toward its second position.