Push pad exit device for emergency door egress
A push pad exit device comprising a horizontal push bar actuator mechanically linked to a vertical door handle assembly, for use on the interior side of entrance doors where a means of emergency egress is desired, is presented. The operating mechanisms of the push bar actuator and vertical door handle assembly are concealed presenting a smooth uncluttered appearance. In one mode of operation, the push pad actuator may be moved inwards towards the door face causing the door to unlatch. The push pad exit device may also be equipped with a “dogging feature” which locks the push bar actuator in the unlatched position. In this mode of operation the door is unlatched and the push pad actuator may be used as a fixed door handle. The push pad exit device may also be equipped with a keyed lock on an external face of the door.
1 . An exit device for mounting on a door, comprising:
an actuator arm oriented horizontally and parallel to a door; means for moving the actuator arm from a door locked position to a door unlocked position, wherein the actuator arm moves inwardly towards a surface of the door, while maintaining a parallel orientation, when moving from the door locked to the door unlocked position;
a latch having a door locked and a door unlocked position, the latch oriented vertically on the surface of the door;
the latch including a transfer link that interconnects the latch at an end of the actuator arm, wherein the transfer link converts horizontal motion from the actuator arm into vertical motion in the latch;
a latch bolt, the latch bolt including a biasing spring that biases the actuator arm and the latch to their door locked positions; and
wherein the application of a horizontally directed force to the actuator arm overcomes the biasing force applied by the latch bolt to move the actuator arm and the latch to their door unlocked positions.
2 . The exit device of claim 1 , wherein the latch includes a lever arm and an over-center link, the transfer link and lever arm having lower and upper ends and the over-center link having three connection points, the lower end of the transfer link engaging the actuator arm and the upper end of the transfer link engaging the lower end of the lever arm by means of sliding or rolling engagement, the lower end of the lever arm having an angled surface, the upper end of the lever arm connected to a first connection point of the over-center link; the second connection point of the over-center link connected to the latch bolt assembly and the third connection point of the over-center link engaging an interior wall surface of a door handle by means of sliding or rolling engagement.
3 . The exit device of claim 1 , wherein the latch is concealed within a door handle vertically mounted to the door.
4 . The exit device of claim 1 , wherein the latch bolt is partially concealed within a door handle vertically mounted to the door.
5 . The exit device of claim 1 , further including a lock, the lock having operating means to operate a push rod, the push rod being engageable with the upper link end of the transfer link, wherein action of the push rod biases the transfer link, lever arm, over-center link and latch bolt to their unlocked positions.
6 . The exit device of claim 1 , further including a manual catch wherein when the actuator arm has been depressed causing the latch to unlatch, the manual catch is operable to hold the actuator arm and the latch in the unlatched position.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the means for moving the actuator arm from the door locked to the door unlocked position is a parallel linkage assembly, comprising first and second parallel links having first and second ends, the second end of the first parallel link connected to a first end of a connecting rod, and the second end of the second parallel link connected to a second end of the connecting rod, wherein the first ends of the first and second parallel links are connected to the door.
8 . The exit device of claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is a pivoting link, pivotable between its first latched position and its second unlatched position.
9 . The exit device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator arm is marked with indicia indicating a preferred position where a user should push on the arm.