Door security system

• US 5,065,136 A
• Filed: 11/19/1990
• Issued: 11/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1990
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Harrow Products (Delaware) LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Original Assignee: Harrow Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Scott, James J., Frolov, George, Lavelle, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ODA, CHRISTINE K
• Application Number:
  US07/615,128
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 292/251.5, 292/70, 340/545, 340/546, 340/547, 340/550, 70/91, 70/92, 70/276, 70/277
• US Class Current: 340/545.2
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0057 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 43/00 Time locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/06 Electric alarm locks E05B45/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/108 Electronically controlled emergency exits
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/166 electromagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic

Abstract

An exit door security system which employs an electromagnet and armature to lock an exit door comprises an electromagnetic housing and a frame assembly. The housing is pivotally mounted to the frame assembly. An attempt to exit the door causes the housing to pivot to thereby actuate a switch. The lock is automatically released after a pre-established time delay. An alarm at the door may also be actuated by the switch. The electronic circuitry is configured to allow for immediate authorized egress and to implement an immediate safety release of the lock. The lock may be operated in either a normally locked or normally unlocked mode.

Claims

1. A security system for a door comprising:

frame means adapted for mounting to a door frame;

housing means mounting an electromagnet defining an attraction surface at one side of said housing means;

pivot mounting means for pivotally mounting said housing means to said frame means;

armature means adapted for mounting to a door and attractable by said electromagnet for magnetic bonding therewith; and

switch means mounted at said housing means and actuatable in response to pivotal displacement of said housing means relative to said frame means for generating a first signal.

2. The security system of claim 1 wherein said pivot mounting means comprise a pair of co-axial pivot pins defining a pivot axis substantially co-planar with the attraction surface of said electromagnet.

3. The security system of claim 2 wherein said pivot axis is spaced from the center of gravity of said housing means.

4. The security system of claim 2 wherein when said frame means is mounted to said door frame and said pivot axis is substantially horizontal, said housing means is pivotal about said pivot axis in a generally upward and downward direction.

5. The security system of claim 4 further comprising first restriction means for restricting downward pivotal movement of said housing means relative to said frame means.

6. The security system of claim 5 wherein said frame means comprises a bottom plate and said first restriction means comprises said bottom plate.

7. The security system of claim 4 further comprising second restriction means for restricting upward pivotal movement of said housing means relative to said frame means.

8. The security system of claim 7 wherein said frame means comprises a base plate and said second restriction means comprises adjustable stop pins mounted to said housing means and engageable against said base plate.

9. The security system of claim 1 further comprising delay circuitry means mounted in said housing means, said delay circuitry means being responsive to said first signal for deactivating said electromagnet after a pre-established time interval.

10. The security system of claim 1 further comprising alarm means responsive to said first signal for activating a sensory perceivable alarm.

11. The security system of claim 10 wherein said alarm means comprises a horn mounted at said housing means.

12. The security system of claim 10 further comprising a keyway disposed in said housing means and a key receivable in said keyway and rotatable to a first position for terminating activation of said alarm.

13. The security system of claim 12 wherein said key is rotatable to a second position for deactivating said electromagnet.

14. The security system of claim 1 further comprising power supply means for selectively supplying electrical power to said electromagnet and safety means for automatically terminating power to said electromagnet in the event of an emergency.

15. The security system of claim 1 further comprising release circuitry means mounted in said housing means and responsive to said first signal for deactivating said electromagnet.

16. The security system of claim 15 wherein said switch means comprises an actuating arm and said housing means is pivotal between first and second pivotal positions, said actuating arm being unactuated in the first pivotal position and actuated in the second pivotal position.

17. A security system for a door comprising:

frame means comprising mounting means and laterally spaced end support means;

housing means mounting an electromagnet defining an attraction surface at one side of said housing means;

pivot mounting means pivotally mounting said housing means to said end support means, said housing means being received in an enclosure defined by said frame means and pivotal between first and second pivotal positions;

armature means attractable by said electromagnet for magnetic bonding therewith; and

switch means having an unactuated state at said first position and an actuated state at said second position for generating a first signal.

18. The security system of claim 17 wherein said frame means comprises a base plate and said switch means is mounted at said housing means and comprises an actuating arm engageable with said base plate at the second position.

19. The security system of claim 17 wherein said electromagnet and armature means are magnetically bondable at both the first and second positions.

20. An exit door security system comprising:

housing means mounting electromagnet means for generating a magnetic field;

armature means adapted for mounting to a door and attractable by said electromagnet means for magnetic bonding therewith;

switch means mounted at said housing means and actuatable in response to reactive movement of said housing means resulting from movement of said door for generating an egress request signal;

discriminator means for discriminating between door movement resulting from an internal force applied on one side of said door and an external force applied on the other side of said door and generating a discriminator signal indicative thereof; and

circuit means responsive to said egress request signal and said discriminator signal for selectively deactivating said electromagnet means.

21. The security system of claim 20 wherein said discriminator means further comprises a passive infrared sensor.

22. The security system of claim 20 wherein said discriminator means further comprises an auxiliary switch means actuatable in response to an attempt to open the door for generating an auxiliary signal, said request signal and said auxiliary signal being processed in series.

23. The security system of claim 20 further comprising legal entry means selectively activatable to substantially simultaneously deactivate said electromagnet means.

24. The security system of claim 23 wherein said legal entry means comprises a key switch mounted to said housing means and a corresponding key, said legal entry means being activatable in response to rotation of said key in said key switch.

25. The security system of claim 23 wherein said legal entry means further comprises a key pad.

26. The security system of claim 23 wherein said legal entry means further comprises a card reader.

27. An exit door security system comprising:

housing means mounting electromagnetic means activatable for generating a magnetic field;

armature means adapted for mounting to a door and attractable by said electromagnetic means for magnetic bonding therewith;

switch means mounted at said housing means and actuatable in response to reactive movement of said housing means resulting from movement of said door in an opening direction for generating a first signal;

mode means for selectively implementing either a normal activated magnetic bonding mode of said electromagnet means or a normal unactivated bonding mode of said electromagnet means; and

delay circuit means responsive to said mode means and said first signal for deactivating said electromagnet means after a pre-established delay interval.

28. The security system of claim 27 further comprising sensor means for detecting the presence of a magnetic element and transforming said mode means to an activated bonding mode.

29. The security system of claim 27 further comprising RF sensor means for detecting a selected radio frequency generated in the vicinity of said housing means and transforming said mode means to an activated bonding mode.

30. The security system of claim 27 further comprising sensor means for detecting the presence of an electromagnetic element and transforming said mode means to an activated bonding mode.

31. The security system of claim 27 further comprising legal egress means selectively actuatable for immediately deactivating said electromagnet means.

32. The security system of claim 27 further comprising safety means automatically actuatable in response to an emergency for immediately deactivating said electromagnet means.

33. A door security system comprising:

housing means mounting electromagnet means activatable for generating a magnetic field;

armature means adapted for mounting to a door and attractable by said electromagnet means for magnetic bonding therewith;

switch means mounted at said housing means and actuatable in responsive to reactive movement of said housing means in response to movement of said door in an opening direction for generating a first signal;

light emitting means mounted at said housing means for emitting a visible light; and

circuit means responsive to said first signal for deactivating said electromagnetic means after a pre-established delay interval, said circuit means comprising oscillation means for pulsing said light emitting means during said delay interval.

34. The security system of claim 33 further comprising latch means for transforming said light emitting means to a state of generally steady radiation after the time delay interval terminates.

35. The security system of claim 33 further comprising electronic message means for generating a voice message for transmittal from said housing means, said electronic message means being responsive to said switch means.

36. The security system of claim 33 wherein said circuit means further comprises nuisance delay means for preventing deactivation of said electromagnetic means in the event said switch means is not actuated for a time which exceeds a pre-established nuisance delay period.

37. The security system of claim 33 further comprising alarm means responsible to said first signal for generating an audible alarm at said housing means.

38. The security system of claim 37 wherein said oscillation means further pulses said alarm means to produce an oscillatory audible alarm during the time delay interval and said audible alarm transforms to a steady state after termination of the delay interval.