High security blast door lock and seal

• US 8,336,260 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArmorWorks Enterprises, LLC (ArmorWorks Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ArmorWorks Enterprises, LLC (ArmorWorks Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mandall, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Minter, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/007,339
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 52/64, 525/060.1, 527/413, 52/30, 52/1, 52/67, 521/691, 521/693, 52/29, 52D/IG.12, 493/60, 493/24, 494/25, 494/27
• US Class Current: 52/64
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 5/12 against air pressure, explosion, or gas

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for securely blocking and sealing an access corridor to a secure facility. The exemplary system includes a penetration resistant door disposed in a passage intersecting the access corridor, and dividing it into first and second sides. An actuating mechanism translates the door within the passage between an open position in which the corridor is unblocked, and a closed position in which the corridor is blocked by the door. A locking system is configured to push the door toward one side of the access corridor when the door is in the closed position, compressing a seal disposed between the door and the passage wall, and sealing the first side of the access corridor from the second side.

Claims

1. An apparatus for securing an access corridor to a high security facility, comprising:

a door passage intersecting the access corridor, and delineating a secure side of the access corridor on one side of the door passage, and a threat side of the access corridor on the other side of the door passage;

a penetration resistant door disposed within the passage, and oriented with a front surface of the door facing a front wall of the passage and the threat side of the access corridor, and a back side of the door facing a back wall of the passage and the secure side of the access corridor;

a system for translating the door within the door passage between an open position in which the access corridor is unblocked, and a closed position in which the door blocks the access corridor, the perimeter of the door extending into the passage beyond the walls of the corridor in the closed position; and

a locking system in the passage configured to push the door toward the front wall of the passage, the locking system comprising at least two actuated bolts, sockets in the door configured to receive an end of the bolts, and a shim stack between the ends of the bolts and the door.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the door translates vertically within the passage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the door is positioned beneath the access corridor in the open position such that the top of the door is generally flush with the floor of the corridor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the system for translating the door within the door passage comprises an extendable cylinder mounted in the passage beneath the door.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a pivot at each end of the cylinder.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a compressible seal disposed on the front wall of the passage around the corridor opening.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the compressible seal comprises at least one o-ring seated in a groove.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the compressible seal comprises two o-rings seated in grooves in the face of a seal carrier frame mounted in the wall of the passage.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the grooves are undercut to define a gap into which the seal can expand when compressed by the door.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising barbed studs in the bottom of the grooves for blind attachment of the o-rings to the seal carrier frame.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a conduit in fluid communication with a sealed space formed between the o-ring seals.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a pressure sensor and a pump connected to the conduit.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking system comprises a series of lower door locks located beneath the corridor, and a series of upper door locks located above the corridor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the door locks comprise a bolt, a bolt actuator configured to drive the bolt against the door, a locking block, and a locking actuator configured to move the locking block behind the bolt and brace the bolt in an extended position.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the direction of movement of the locking actuator is normal to the direction of movement of the bolt actuator.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bolt comprises a straight portion and a tapered end portion.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising compliant door guides extending from the door and configured to contact the walls of the passage.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the compliant door guides each comprise a rolling element biased against the wall of the passage.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the rolling element comprises a cylindrical roller supported on a shaft held in a bracket, and oriented to roll in a vertical direction along the walls of the passage.

20. An apparatus for securing an access corridor to a high security facility, comprising:

a door passage intersecting the access corridor, and delineating a secure side of the access corridor on one side of the door passage, and a threat side of the access corridor on the other side of the door passage;

a penetration resistant door disposed within the passage, and oriented with a front surface of the door facing a front wall of the passage and the threat side of the access corridor, and a back side of the door facing a back wall of the passage and the secure side of the access corridor;

a system for translating the door within the door passage between an open position in which the access corridor is unblocked, and a closed position in which the door blocks the access corridor, wherein the door translates vertically within the passage, and the perimeter of the door extends into the passage beyond the walls of the corridor in the closed position;

a locking system in the passage configured to push the door toward the front wall of the passage;

compliant door guides extending from the door and configured to contact the walls of the passage, the compliant door guides each comprising a rolling element biased against the wall of the passage, wherein the rolling element comprises a cylindrical roller supported on a shaft held in a bracket oriented to roll in a vertical direction along the walls of the passage; and

wherein the door guides in contact with the side walls of the passage comprise a bracket substantially wider than the cylindrical roller, and a spring disposed about the shaft between the roller and one side of the bracket biasing the roller to the other side of the bracket.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the spring biases the roller toward the front side of the door against a front side of the bracket.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a gap between the roller and a back side of the bracket is sufficient to accommodate door movement when the locking system pushes the door toward the front wall of the passage.

23. A method for securing and sealing an access corridor to a high security facility, comprising the steps of:

providing a passage that intersects the access corridor, delineating a first side of the access corridor on one side of the passage, and a second side of the access corridor on the other side of the passage;

blocking the passage with a penetration resistant door, wherein a front surface of the door faces a front wall of the passage and the first side of the access corridor, and a back side of the door faces a back wall of the passage and the second side of the access corridor;

pushing the door toward the front wall of the access corridor using a locking system that drives a bolt against the perimeter portion of the door, the bolt engaging a socket in the door;

bracing the bolt against the back wall of the passage; and

sealing the access corridor with a compressible seal disposed between the door and the front wall of the passage.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein blocking the passage with a penetration resistant door comprises translating the door from an open position in which the access corridor is unblocked, to a closed position in which the door blocks the access corridor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein translating the door comprises moving the door in a vertical direction.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein translating the door comprises operating a pressure cylinder mounted in the passage beneath the door.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the top of the door aligns with a floor of the access corridor when the door is in the open position.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the compressible seal comprises an o-ring seal partially embedded in the front wall of the passage.