GB2252350A - Inward opening door security catch - Google Patents

Abstract

An inward opening door security catch 10 is comprised of two principal components, the bracket 11 which is fixedly attached to and recessed into the door frame and the base plate 16 which is fixedly attached and recessed into the vertical edge of the door. The catch 10 comprises a slotted plate 10 which is pivotally attached to bracket 11 via its slot 19 and pin 12. The main slot 17 has an opening 18 for the introduction of stud 15 on the door. The pivot pin 12 of the plate 10 is non circular in cross section and allows the catch plate to be parked vertically, when the non circular cross section acts to jam it in place. <IMAGE>

Description

INWARD OPENING DOOR SECURITY CATCH 'arm 'PARKING' FEATURE THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A SECURITY CATCH WHICH CAN BE FITTED TO INWARD OPENING DOORS OR WINDOWS. THE CATCH CAN BE 'PARKED' IN A v 1CAL 'OUT OF THE WAY' POSITION WHILE THE DOOR IS IN USE AND/OR WHEN THE PREMISES ARE UNDER SURVEILLANCE.

The degree to which persons will go to secure property is matched only by the degree of competence shown by those with an intent to overcome that security. It is important to indicate to insurance companies that every precaution is taken to prevent inadvertent entry into buildings or into rooms, safes or security vaults etc.

The customary padlock might be considered appropriate for outhouses, caravans and such like but these are no obstacle to perons with a 'boltcropper' or who might have the ability to "pick a lock". For the inward opening door of a dwelling a rim lock, Yale type lock or other more ornamental fitment is more desirable.

According to the present invention, the aesthetic aspect has been kept in mind, as also the inability of any person from without, gaining access to tamper with or to shear the catch by mechanical means. In fact there is no opportunity to apply even an oxy-acetylene cutting torch to cut through the catch.

The present invention comprises three principal components. The catch element is pivotal about a mounting bracket which is fitted neatly into the door frame and with the fulcrum portion extending at right angles.

The attachment for the inside of the free end of the door is a simple fixture with a headed pintle or post over which the catch can be releasably secured. When the catch is withdrawn from the door attachment, it can be 'parked' in a vertical mode quite unobtrusively and safely. when the catch is engaged on the pintle the door may be opened slightly to reveal any person.without.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a view of the catch in its engaged form.

Figure 2 shows the components isolated from one another for clarity.

Figure 3 shows the catch fitted to a door and a view with the catch'parked' clear of the door.

inward Opening Door Security Catch with 'Parking' Feature Figure 1 illustrates the catch 10 pivotal about a bracket 11 which is fixedly secured to any door frame. The pivotal fulcrum is a springloaded bolt 12 with an extended head 13 in front of which is a spring plate washer - unseen in the Figure 1 but can be seen in Figure 2 as numeral 14. The catch 10 is releasably captive beneath a two diameter flat-headed pintle 15 which is fixedly attached to a base plate 16.

This base plate 16 is of metal and is fixedly attached to the free end of a door by positive drive screws which can be tightened but not loosened.

The catch 10 is a flat metal strip with an elongate groove 17 extending almost the full length of the said catch. The groove 17 is opened at one end by a gap 18 which is sufficiently wide enough to accept the smaller diameter of the pintle 15.

The catch 10 has another elongate slot 19 which is less extensive and provides its attachment feature to the bracket 11. The elongation.

provides the means whereby the catch 10 may be turned through 90 degrees from a horizontal to a vertical position and 'parked' in that position against the shoulder 20 provided on the bracket 11.

This bracket 11 would be recessed into the door frame and fixedly secured there with screws or bolts which can be tightened but not loosened.

The operation of the catch 10 for the releasable securement of a door would be to lift the said catch from its 'parked' vertical position on bracket 11 and turn it downwards by rotating it through 90 degrees to engage with the pintle 15 on the base plate 16. The gap 18 should permit the catch 10 to encompass the smaller diameter of the pintle 15 and then to be slid horizontally to the extent permitted by the length of the elongate slot 19. The pintle will then be a short distance along the elongate groove 17 and the door can be opened to the full extent of the elongate slot 17 but no further.

Reference should now be made to Figure 2 which illustrates each of the component parts comprising the 'inward opening door security catch with parking feature'. The catch 10 [view 2a] is shown as a rectangular shaped flat link with the two elongate slots 17 and 19 cut through almost centrally along the long axis.

Inward Opening Door Security Catch with 'Parking' Feature The slot 19 is additionally cut through to the lower edge of the short axis to provide an entrance gap 18. This catch 10 may be constructed in steel which, after cutting the aforementioned elongate slots, can be hardened, ground and polished. The left edge of the short axis has a rounded corner 21, so provided to permit the catch 10 to rotate from a horizontal to a vertical position and vice-versa, on the bracket 11.

The opposite end is fully rounded for appearance purposes.

Figure 2 [view 2b] illustrates the door-frame bracket 11. The shoulder 20 against which the catch 10 would be 'parked' in a vertical mode is indicated to be formed from the solid block or bulk which would be inset into the woodwork comprising the door frame.

To reduce the extent of such inset from that required to accept the bracket as illustrated it could be constructed as indicated by the broken lines Such a modification would not change the purpose or concept of the specification. The two fixing holes 22 would accept either one direction countersunk screws or bolts. The spring-loaded fulcrum bolt 12 with the extended head 13 is illustrated in position within the door-frame bracket 11 and again separately shown as view [2c]. The extended head 13 is provided to enable the bolt 12 to be held within the fingers to reduce the lateral tension applied by the spring 14 and thereby easily lift the catch 10 from the bolt 12 to rotate the catch clear of the door frame. The other component illustrated on Figure 2 is the base plate 16 with the two diameter pintle 15 fixedly secured at the left extremity in this view [2d].This base plate 16 is fixedly secured to the end or closing edge of any door with one direction screws.

The holes for these screws 23 are indicated at the end opposite to the pintle 15.

In the operating mode the catch 10 projects horizontally into the room and will permit the door to be opened inwards to the extent of the elongate slot 17. When persons are within the room and the door is to be fully opened the catch 10 is lifted from the spring-loaded bolt 12 and 'parked' in a vertical position against shoulder 20.

It can thus be seen that the security catch 10 as herein described is simple to construct and to install. It requires no maintenance and can be linked to any alarm system likely to be installed in conjunction with the catch 10.

Inward Opening Door Security Catch with 'Parking' Feature Figure 3 shows the security catch 10 fitted to a door in its partially open mode and with the catch 10 in its 'parked' position. Further amplification would not seem to be necessary The view [3a] shows the catch 10 in a horizontal mode with the pintle 11 engaged within elongate slot or groove 19. It can be seen that the sliding door 18 is in a closed position but could be slid open to the extent of travel permitted by the length of the elongate slot or groove 19. The position is indicated by the broken vertical line.

In view [3b] the catch 10 is illustrated in a vertical position against the lip 21 of the angle mounting 15. The said catch is 'parked' vertically and secured releasable beneath the head 13 of guide pin 14.

The vertical position can be maintained as long as the catch 10 remains lowered to the full extent of the elongate slot 17 and as long as it abuts against the lip 21.

In. that position, the door can be opened or shut and the catch 10 offers no obstruction to movement in- or out because it is contained within the framework of the door.

Claims (5)

1. AN INWARD OPENING DOOR SECURITY CATCH which is an assembly of hardened steel components of which one principal element is fixedly attached to the vertical edge of the door and the other principal element is fixedly attached to the door frame.

This door frame fixture comprises an elongated and slotted link link which permits the door to be partially opened or when disengaged from the door element and placed in a 'parked' position permits the door to be opened fully.

2. AN INWARD OPENING DOOR SECURITY CATCH as claimed in 1 which includes a pivotal link which is slotted for almost its entire length the dimension of which represents the extent by which the door may be partially opened but at a specific position along the slot the link is cut through to provide exit and access for a spring-loaded pivotal pin. The pivot pin is so shaped as to permit slideability through the slot or to prevent exit or access to or from it.

3. AN INWARD OPENING DOOR SECURITY CATCH as claimed in 1 and 2 which provides for the elongate link to be 'parked' in a vertical mode within the confines of the door jamb and not to obstruct the free movement of the door during such a 'parked' position.

4. AN INWARD OPENING DOOR SECURITY CATCH as claimed in 1,2,and 3 which eliminates any possibility of 'bolt croppers' being used to shear through the components to gain unlawful access to the building as can occur with door chains.

5. AN INWARD OPENING DOOR SECURITY CATCH as claimed in the preceeding claims 1 to 4 and substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.