RETROFIT LATCH ADAPTER

• US 20200131816A1
• Filed: 07/24/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASSA ABLOY Accessories and Door Controls Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rockwood Manufacturing Company (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Baker, Vincent, Thompson, Douglas, Connell, Michael, Herman, Catelyn
• Granted Patent: US 11,214,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 1/0015 Knobs or handles which do not operate the bolt or lock, e.g. non-movable; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/0205 Striking-plates, keepers, staples means for reducing friction E05B17/007; electric strikers E05B47/0046; staples for padlocks E05B67/383; strikers for espagnolettes E05C9/1808
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/10 Bolts of locks or night latches made of hard materials, e.g. to prevent sawing E05B15/1614; lengthwise adjustable E05B63/06
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/107 Roller bolt, i.e. a slidable main latch-piece with a roller-, ball- or barrel-shaped rotating element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0046 Electric or magnetic means in the striker or on the frame; Operating or controlling the striker plate E05B47/0696, E05B63/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0025 for glass wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 1/14 the handle or member moving essentially towards or away from the plane of the wing or frame
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/007 Latches with wedging action wedges between wing itself and fixed surface E05C17/54
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 2003/126 Only part of the latch movable for latching
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 9/008 mounted in an elongate casing on the surface of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/60 Mounting or coupling members devices for fastening or securing constructional elements or machine parts together, e.g. nails, bolts, in general F16B; Accessories therefore

Abstract

A retrofit latch adapter is configured to replace a pre-existing roller head latch assembly of a pre-existing exit device. The retrofit latch adapter may include a flat latch head that may provide additional security for a door compared with the pre-existing roller head pre-existing latch assembly.

Claims

1. A method of installing a retrofit latch adapter in a pre-existing exit device, the retrofit latch adapter having a flat latch head, the method comprising:

rotationally releasing a pre-existing latch assembly having a roller latch head from the pre-existing exit device;

rotating the pre-existing latch assembly to linearly decouple the pre-existing latch assembly from a transmission of the pre-existing exit device;

removing the pre-existing latch assembly from the pre-existing exit device;

rotating the retrofit latch adapter to linearly couple the retrofit latch adapter to the transmission of the pre-existing exit device;

inserting the retrofit latch adapter at least partially into a housing of the pre-existing exit device;

aligning the flat latch head with an uppermost portion of the housing of the pre-existing exit device; and

rotationally securing the retrofit latch adapter to the pre-existing exit device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein rotationally releasing a pre-existing latch assembly from the pre-existing exit device comprises slidably releasing the transmission of the pre-existing exit device from the pre-existing exit device housing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein slidably releasing the transmission from the pre-existing exit device housing comprises unthreading a dog button from the transmission.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein slidably releasing the transmission from the pre-existing exit device housing comprises detaching a plate from the pre-existing exit device housing.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising sliding the transmission at least partially out of the pre-existing exit device housing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein inserting the retrofit latch adapter comprises moving the transmission fully into the pre-existing exit device housing.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising slidably securing the transmission of the pre-existing exit device to the pre-existing exit device housing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein slidably securing the transmission to the pre-existing exit device housing comprises threading a dog button into the transmission.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein slidably securing the transmission to the pre-existing exit device housing comprises reattaching the plate to the pre-existing exit device housing.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein rotationally releasing the pre-existing latch assembly comprises removing at least one insert fastener from the pre-existing exit device housing, wherein rotationally securing the retrofit latch adapter to the pre-existing exit device comprises replacing the at least one insert fastener in the pre-existing exit device housing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the pre-existing latch assembly comprises unthreading a latch rod of the pre-existing latch assembly from the transmission.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the retrofit latch adapter comprises threading a latch rod of the retrofit latch adapter into the transmission.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein threading the latch rod of the retrofit latch adapter includes threading the latch rod into the transmission between or approximately equal to 0.75″

and 1″

.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the retrofit latch adapter into the pre-existing exit device housing comprises attaching a latch insert to the retrofit latch adapter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein inserting the retrofit latch adapter into the pre-existing exit device housing further comprises aligning a hole in the pre-existing exit device housing with a hole in the latch insert.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the retrofit latch adapter into the pre-existing exit device housing comprises:

inserting the retrofit latch adapter at least partially into the pre-existing exit device housing;

rotating the retrofit latch adapter approximately 90 degrees in a first direction;

inserting the retrofit latch adapter further into the pre-existing exit device housing; and

rotating the retrofit latch adapter approximately 90 degrees in a second direction opposite the first direction.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotating the retrofit latch adapter to increase or reduce a distance between the distal most portion of the pre-existing exit device housing and the distal most portion of the retrofit latch adapter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein rotating the retrofit latch adapter adjusts the distance to approximately 0.75″

.

19. A retrofit latch adapter for a pre-existing exit device, the retrofit latch adapter comprising:

a latch body configured to be received in a pre-existing exit device housing;

a latch slide including a flat portion and a strike portion, wherein the latch slide is slidably secured to the latch body, and wherein the latch slide is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position;

a latch rod including a head portion configured to receive a pin and a male thread, wherein the latch rod is configured to move the latch slide to the disengaged position when tension is applied to the shaft portion; and

a biasing member configured to bias the latch slide toward the engaged position.

20. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 19, wherein the flat portion includes two beveled edge portions on opposite sides of the flat portion.

21. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 20, wherein the strike portion is curved and is arranged to contact the door strike to move the latch slide toward the disengaged position.

22. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 19, wherein the male thread is configured to thread into a transmission of the pre-existing exit device, wherein the latch body is rotatable to thread the shaft portion into the transmission.

23. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 22, wherein the shaft portion is threaded into the transmission of the pre-existing exit device a first distance, wherein when the male thread is threaded into the transmission of the pre-existing exit device a first distance a distal most portion of the retrofit latch adapter extends from a distal most portion of the pre-existing exit device housing by a second distance, wherein adjusting the first distance adjusts the second distance.

24. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 23, wherein the second distance is approximately equal to 0.75″

.

25. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 24, wherein the first distance is between or equal to approximately 0.75″

and 1″

.

26. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 19, further comprising a latch insert configured to rotationally secure the retrofit latch adapter to the pre-existing exit device housing when a fastener is received by the latch insert through the pre-existing exit device housing.

27. The retrofit latch adapter of claim 26, wherein the latch insert forms a semicircle with a continuous circumference.