Patent · US Expired

Mortise latch vertical rod exit device

US6120071A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
33References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 22, 1999
Grant dateSep 19, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T292/0971
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A mortise latch and vertical rod exit device latches at a center point between two doors and at top points between each door and the door frame. Optionally vertical rods may also be used to latch at bottom points between the doors and the floor. The latch includes an active and a passive latch mechanism operated by corresponding operating mechanisms. The mortise latch mechanisms cooperatively interact so that either door may be opened first, and either door may be closed first, without regard to the position of the other door. The active mortise latch mechanism includes a latch bolt and an activation bolt arranged so that one bolt is retracted when the other is extended, except when the doors are being opened or closed, when both bolts are retracted. The active mortise latch mechanism automatically retracts the latch bolt when the doors are not aligned and automatically extends the latch bolt when the doors are aligned. The passive mortise latch mechanism ejects the latch bolt as needed to allow the passive door to be opened first.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.