US2104661A - Safety locking and operating system for cell doors - Google Patents

Description

H. P. MANLY 2,104,661

SAFETY LOCKING AND OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CELL DOORS Jan. 4, 1938.

Filed March 24, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet l H. P. MANLY 2,104,661

SAFETY LOCKING AND OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CELL DOORS Jan. 4, 1938.

Filed March 24, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. P. MANLY Jan. 4, 1938.

SAFETY LOCKING AND OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CELL DOORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 wuc nfo'o Filed March 24, 1937 Strum;

Jan. 4, 1938.

H. P. MANLY SAFETY LQCKING AND OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CELL DOORS Filed March 24, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 H. P. MANLY 2,104,661

AFETY LOCKING AND OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CELL DOORS Jan. 4, 1938.

Filed March 24, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNlTED s'rn'rss PATENT OFFIE SAFETY LOCKING AND OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CELL DOORS W; Judson Manly Application March 24, 1937, Serial No. 132,852

14 Claims.

This invention relates to locking and operating mechanism for a plurality of cell doors arranged in a row and, among other objects, aims to provide greatly improved selecting and locking mechanism adapted to be operated from a central or remote control box. The main idea is to provide novel safety locking means automatically operable to lock the doors the instant they are fully opened or closed and thereby prevent the prisoners from moving them. Another aim is to provide auxiliary locks for the hangers of sliding doors to lock them before they are disconnected from the master operating means and locked by the main locks, thereby preventing the doors from being moved before the main locks are operated. Still another aim is to provide novel safety or auxiliary locking means connected to be actuated by the initia. and final movements of a master door propelling bar or member, whereby the doors are locked automatically in either open or closed position independently of any main locks.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of mechanism embodying the invention and showing a cell dcror in closed and locked position;

.Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the door in closed position and selected to be opened;

3 is a similar viewshowing the door unlocked and ready to be opened; 7 I

Fig. 4 is a similar viewshowing the door moving toward open position;

Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the door locked in open position;

6 is a similar View showing the door locked in open position and disconnected by its selector from the travel bar;

Fig. '7 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1, but showing the door unlocked; I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. l;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line l0-lfl of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 2; r

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line I3-l3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line l4- -l i of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the 7 illustrative embodiment of the invention is applied to a cell door operating. and locking system wherein any number of a series of doors are adapted to be selected and operated. In this instance, the doors have individual main locks adapted to be operated by separate combined lock-operating and selector levers or members arranged in the usual master control box (not shown). are adapted to be actuated by a single master operating member or travel bar to which the doors are selectively connected by the individual levers. This general type of operating mechanism is well known in the art. vention provides safety locks'forthe individual doors arranged to be actuated incident to the initial and final movements of the travel bar to unlock and lock the selected doors either in opened or closed positions. This arrangement assures that all fully opened or fully closed doors will be locked automatically by the safety looks, even though a keeper mayfail to operate the main locks.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the mechanism for locking and operating a single sliding door of a series of cell doors is shown in several different positions. The door is suspended by the usual type of hanger 2| from a carriage 22having rollers 23 which ride on a track 24. All of the All of the doors in a groupor series The present in- N doors are adapted to be actuated by the usual type of. master propelling member, shown as being a travel bar 25 extending the full length of the row of cells above the doorcarriages and mounted for reciprocating movement in suitable rollerguides 26 secured to the rear wall of an ordinary track box or casing 21. The travel bar is shown as having a notched plate or member 28 for each door adapted to be engaged by a lateral flange or lug 29 on the free end of a door actuating link 30 which is pivotally connected at its opposite end to the door carriage through the safety locking mechanism hereinafter described.

The door operating link is adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the notch of the travel bar by any well known selector mechanism. Herein, the selector mechanism is utilized to operate a main lock for each door. An individual selector rod 3|, conveniently operated by the usual selector lever (not shown), actuates L door carriage. The other end of the link is mounted to reciprocate in a guide bracket 31 and has a cam slot 38 which is guided on a pin 39 to raise and lower this end of the link simultaneously with the other end. The free end of the operating link 30 is shown as having an upstanding hanger or bracket 40 carrying a grooved roller 4| riding on the link 36. The arrangement is such that when the link is raised, it lifts the flange or lug 29 out of the notch on the travel bar and, when it is lowered, the lug is free to drop by gravity into the notch.

It will be understood that such selector mech anism is arranged over each door and th'at'individual levers for operating the several selectors are arranged in the usual control box at the end of a row of cells, each lever being connected to a rod 3 I. This type of operating meansis well known in the art and requires no detailed illustration.

In this example, the parallel selector link 36 is connected to operate a main lock in the form of a knife-blade 42 pivoted at its lower end on 'a pin 43 in a vertical channel frame 44 defining the rear jamb of the door. This channel regislters with simil'archannels '45 and 46 on the rear and 'front edges of the door when the door is closed and opened, respectively. A clip' or bracket 41 is secured to the link 36 and operates a bellcrank '48 pivoted in a bracket 49 secured to the rear wall of the track box. The clip is shown as having a pin or bolt 50 connected to one arm of the bell-crank and of sufficient-length to permit the necessary-raising and lowering movement of the link '36. The bolt opening in the bell-crank arm is elongated 'to permit'arcuate actuating movement of the bell-crank, as the link 36 reciprocates. The other arm of the bell-crank is loosely and pivotally'connected by a clip 5| to the upper endof the locking blade or bar 42. Incidentally, the upper end portion of the locking blade is reduced in width within the track box to clear the mechanism therein when it is moved to its locking position. e

'In Fig. 1, the selector link 36 has been moved to the right to raise and disengage the operating link 30 from the travel bar and, at the same time, the locking blade is swung into its locking posi- 'tion in the rear door frame channel 45 (see Figs.

9 and 1 In Fig. 2, the selector link 36 has been moved to the left, permitting the operating link'30 to drop into engagement with the travel bar and the locking blade is simultaneously swung out of its locking engagement with the door channel 45, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. When the door is moved from either open'or closed position,

the operating link 30 cannot be disengaged from the travel bar because the locking-blade is prevented from swinging outwardly by engagement with the top rail of the door and its bell-crank connection prevents the selector link 36 from being raised. Hence, a keeper cannot operate the main lock untilthe door isfully opened or closed.

Referring now to the safety locking means, it isshown as being directly connected to the door operating link so so that it is actuatedby the travel bar. In this example, the link 30 is pivotally connected to a rocker member in the form of a plate 52 which is pivoted at its lower end to the door carriage 22 near its lower edge. It has integral outwardly; extending ears or locking lugs 53 and 54 onop'positesides of the pivot with their lower edges substantially in line with the pivot axis. These lugs are adapted to swing downwardly behind the opposite ends of a flange 55 of a'structural angle, the length of which is determined by the door travel and the distance between the lugs. The top edge of the flange 55 is approximately on the same level as the pivot on plate 52, so that the lower edges of the locking lugs just clear it when thedoor is in any intermediate position andthe rocker member 52 is upright as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Also, a slight tilting or rocking movement of the plate will cause the respective lugs to drop behind the ends of the flange 55 when the door is fully opened or closed. The lugs are so engaged in Figs. and 6.

I In this instance, the opening and closing movement is imparted to the door carriage through the rocker plate 52 and a pair of weighted pawls or pi oted tripping dogs 56 and 5! on the door carriage havingnotches 58 and 58 in their upperends adapted to engage an inverted, trapezoidal shapedlug 60 .on the plate, the upper ends of the dogs being sufilciently long to prevent them from dropping below the lug when the plate is swung to the right or left. The arrangement plate into a rigid connecting member for operating the door in either direction.

The dogs or pawls 56 and51 are adapted to be tripped automatically as the door reaches its open or closed position. In this instance, they have downwardly projecting trip arms 6| and '62 presenting lateral ears 63 and 64 adapted to engage adjustable stops in the form of set'screws 65 and 66 mounted on angle brackets 61 and 68 secured to the bott'om'of the track box and spaced from the opposite ends of the angle flange. It will be noted that the trip arms and plate will assume the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 6 when the'door'is fully closed and fully opened, respectively.

In Fig. 1, itwill be noted that the right hand tripping arm 6 |'has struck the stop member or set screw 65 androcked the pawl 56 upwardly out of engagement with the lug 60, thereby'permitting the rocker plate 52 "to swing to the right and engage the locking lug 53 behindthe end of the flange 55. During thetripping and locking operation, the door remains stationary in its closed position and very'little movement of the travel bar is required to operatethe safety lock. It will be understood that the stops for the tripping arms "are so adjusted astotrip the respective pawls the instant when the door'strikes its jambs 61 and 68 in its opening and closing movements.

Referring to theoperation of the mechanism to unlock, open and lock open the door, the parts'are initiallyin theposition shown in Fig. 1 with the door closed and locked by both the safety lock and the main lock. In'Fig. 2, the parallel link or selector bar 36 has been moved to the left and lowered by the selector rod 3|, so that the operating link 30 is connected to'the notched .in its tripped position.

grocker plate 52 to the left and bring it to its upright position as shown in Fig. 3, with' the lug 60 engaging the bottom of the notch in the pawl 59. In this position, the lug 53 on the rocker plate is raised to clear the end of the flange, 55. It will be noted that the right hand pawl 56 remains Further movement of the travel bar to the left imparts opening movement to the door. As soon as the tripping arm of the pawl 56 moves away from its tripped engagement With the set screw t5, it will drop into engagement withthe lug so as shown in Fig. 4 and as previously explained.

When the door approaches its fully opened position and just before it strikes the left hand 'jamb 68, the tripping ear M on the tripping arm 62 of the left hand pawl 51 strikes the sets'crew 66 and fully releases the notch 59 of the pawl from the lug til the instant the door strikes the jamb. Final movement of the travel bar is then utilized to impart rocking movement to the plate and swing the left hand lockinglug 54 behind the left hand end of the flange. 55. The door is thus automatically locked open by the safety lock without requiring actuation of any other locking means. If it is desired to leave this door open and/ or operate other doors, the keeper will again operate the selector member by moving the link or selector bar back to the right, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby raising the operating link 30 out of engagement with the notched member 28 on the travel bar. At the same time, the selector bar 36 operates the master look through the bellcrank 48 to swing the locking blade d2 into the position corresponding to that shown in Figs. 9 and 10, except that it engages the right hand channel 46 of the door. When the parts are in this position, the door is locked open both by the safety lock and the main lock and thereby provides double security against unauthorized movement.

When it is desired to close and lock the door,

the selector is again operated to connect the door operating link to the travel bar, as explained in connection with Fig. 1, and the whole operation is repeated by moving the travel bar to the right instead of to the left. The safety look again serves to keep the door locked in the interval that elapses between the actuation of the master operating member in the control box and the selector member for this particular door. Moreover, it will keep the door locked, even thoughthe keeper fails to operate the selector.

From the foregoing descriptiomit will be seen that the safety locking mechanism is entirely automatic in its operation and not'only serves to prevent unauthorized movement of the doors by prisoners but also provides a separate lock for the door carriage which can be used independently of any other lock. In some instances, main locks, such as are ordinarily used for cell doors, may be dispensed with. Moreover, any other suitable type of main locks may be employed in connection with the improved safety locking system. Also, the safety locking mechanism may be directly connected to actuate main locks for the doors. The mechanism is greatly simplified and is reliable in its operation. There are no delicate parts requiring frequent repairs or replacement and the system may be operated by any unskilled mechanic or keeper who might have diificulty in understanding and following more or less complicated instructions.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown'and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinations.

What is claimed is:

1. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member, selector means for connecting any selected door to be operated by said propelling member; and automatic safety locking means associated with the door carriage operated by said propelling member both during its initial and final opening and closing movements.

2. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member, combined locking and door propelling means pivotally mounted on the door; an individual door propelling link connected to said means; and means selectively to connect said link to said master propelling member to impart unlocking and locking movements to the locking means and propelling movement to the door in proper sequence, during the continuous movement of the master door propelling bar in one direction.

3. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member, selector means for connecting any selected door to be operated by said propelling member; and a combined locking and door propelling member on the door to unlock or look "1e door and also impart opening or closing movements to the door as the master door propelling member is operated in one direction,

4. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member, selector means for connecting said master propelling member to any selected door; a movable locking device connected to the door and forming a part of the connection between the door and the master door propelling member; and means cooperating with said locking device automatically to lock the door when it reaches its fully opened or closed position, said locking device being positively operable by the initial and final movements of the door propelling member.

5. In an operating and locking'system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member, selector means for connecting any door to be operated by said propelling member; and combined, individual locking and propelling mechanism associated with the door operable by said propelling member when it is moved in either direction to unlock the door, propel the door to opened or closed position and lock the door, said locking mechanism including a member positively actuated by said propelling member during its initial and final movements.

6. In a master operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors, selector means for connecting any selected door to be operated ing plate when the door reaches eitherits opened or closed position. 7

'7. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member, selector means for connecting any selected door to be operated by said propelling member; a main lock for the door operated by said selector means; and automatic safety locking means associated with the door carriage operable by said propelling member both during its initial and final opening and closing movements to unlock and lock the door carriage before and after the door has been moved to its fully opened or closed position,

8. In an operating and locking system for a vplurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member and individual main locks, selector means for connecting any selected door to be operated by said propelling member and to unlock the mainlock of said door; and an automatic auxiliaiy lock associated with the door carriage operable by said propelling member both door propelling member and individual main locks, selector means -for connecting any selected door to'be operated by said propelling member and connected to unlock the main lock; an automatic auxiliary lock mounted on the door movable to lock the door in either opened orclosed position; and a door propelling link connected to said auxiliary'lock providing the operating'connection between said master door propelling member and the door to impart positive unlocking and locking .movement to said auxiliary lock during the initial and final opening or closing movement of said master'propelling member, whereby the door is kept locked in either position at all times when its main lock is unlocked.

10. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master propelling member and individual main locks, selector means for connecting any selected door to be operated by said propelling member; means to actuate the main lock; and automatic auxiliary locking means connected to the door carriage and forming a part of the door propelling means positively operable by said master propelling member both during its initial and final opening and closing movements to look the door open or closed and keep itlocked while the main lock is unlocked.

11. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member and individual main. locks, selector means for connecting any selected door to be operated by said door propelling member; means connecting the selector means to actuate the main lock; and automatic auxili iary locking means on the door carriage actuated by said door propelling member to lock the door either open orclosed and thereby prevent a prisoner from movingthe door while the main selector bar; means connecting the selector bar to'operate the main lock; a door operating link having means to connect it to and disconnect it from said door propelling member controlled by the actuation of said selector bar; and an auxiliary locking member pivotally connected to the top of the door positively operable by said li'nkduring theinitial'and final opening or closing movement of said master door propelling member to unlock and lock the door in either open or closed position.

.13. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding 'cell doors having a master propelling member, main locks for each door including a pivoted vertical blade member; a channel jamb member for the door opening Within which said blade member is mountedto swing outwardly; channel side frame members on the door adapted to register with said channel jamb when the door is either opened or closed; selector means including a selector bar:

above the door; a bell-crank connecting the selector bar to the main locking blade; an auxiliary locking member pivotally mounted on the top of the door; an operating link selectively to connect the auxiliary locking member to the master door propelling member; and means cooperating .with the auxiliary locking member to lock the top of the doorautomatically in either opened or closed position and to unlock and impart operating movement through the operating link to the door, in proper-sequence.

14. In an operating and locking system for a plurality of sliding cell doors having a master door propelling member, selector means for connecting any selecteddoor to be operated by said initial and final opening or closing movements imparted to'said-master door propelling member.

HOWARD P. MANLY.

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