US-12624575-B2 - Multi-point exit device

US12624575B2US 12624575 B2US12624575 B2US 12624575B2US-12624575-B2

Abstract

A center slide assembly for a multi-point exit device. Upper and lower spool assemblies may be displaced from first positions to second positions along an inner region of a center slide. The displacement of the spool assemblies may displace upper and lower pull cables so as to retract latch mechanisms from extended positions to retracted positions. A first latching pin may be displaced, along with the displacement of the upper spool assembly, along an abutment surface of a tilting link so as to pivotally displace the tilting link from an unlocked position to a locked position. Displacement of the lower spool assembly may displace a second latching pin to a position wherein the second latching pin may be received and retained within a jog of the tilting link when the tilting link is in the locked position, which may thereby retain the associated latch mechanism in the retracted position.

Inventors

Sushanth Anand Rao Kondi
Mohammed Maksood Ali
Kemparaju Putaswamy
Michael D. Coleman
Matthew S. Graham

Assignees

SCHLAGE LOCK COMPANY LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230307

Claims (14)

1 . A system, comprising: a first spool assembly adapted to be coupled to a first latch device such that actuation of the first spool assembly causes a corresponding actuation of the first latch device, the first spool assembly having a first actuated state and a first deactuated state; a second spool assembly adapted to be coupled to a second latch device such that actuation of the second spool assembly causes a corresponding actuation of the second latch device, the second spool assembly having a second actuated state and a second deactuated state; and a link engaged with the first spool assembly and the second spool assembly, the link having a holding position and a releasing position; wherein when the link is in the holding position, the link retains the second spool assembly in the second actuated state; wherein when the link is in the releasing position, the link permits the second spool assembly to transition from the second actuated state to the second deactuated state; and wherein the first spool assembly is configured to transition the link from the holding position to the releasing position as the first spool assembly transitions from the first actuated state to the first deactuated state.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the link is configured to pivot between the holding position and the releasing position.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein transition of the second spool assembly to the second deactuated state does not occur before transition of the first spool assembly to the first deactuated state.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a spring urging the link toward the holding position; and wherein the link is configured to transition from the holding position to the releasing position against the force of the spring in response to transitioning of the first spool assembly from the first actuated state to the first deactuated state.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first spool assembly is engaged with the link via a first interface, the first interface comprising a ramp and a first pin configured to engage the ramp and urge the link toward the releasing position during transitioning of the first spool assembly toward the first deactuated state.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the second spool assembly is engaged with the link via a second interface, the second interface comprising a second pin and a jog, the jog configured to engage the second pin to retain the second spool assembly in the second deactuated state while the link is in the holding position.
7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a center slide; and wherein the first spool assembly and the second spool assembly are each configured for displacement along at least a portion of the center slide.
8 . The system of claim 1 in combination with an exit device, comprising the first latch device and the second latch device; wherein a first cable wound on the first spool assembly extends to the first latch device; and wherein a second cable wound on the second spool assembly extends to the second latch device.
9 . The system in combination with the exit device of claim 8 , wherein the first spool assembly further comprises a first adjustment mechanism operable to adjust a first effective length of the first cable; and wherein the second spool assembly further comprises a second adjustment mechanism operable to adjust a second effective length of the second cable.
10 . A system, comprising: a first spool assembly adapted to be coupled to a first latch device such that actuation of the first spool assembly causes a corresponding actuation of the first latch device, the first spool assembly having a first actuated state and a first deactuated state; a second spool assembly adapted to be coupled to a second latch device such that actuation of the second spool assembly causes a corresponding actuation of the second latch device, the second spool assembly having a second actuated state and a second deactuated state; and a link engaged with the first spool assembly and the second spool assembly, the link having a holding position and a releasing position; and wherein when the first spool assembly is in the first actuated state and the link is in the holding position, the link retains the second spool assembly in the second actuated state.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the link is configured to pivot between the holding position and the releasing position.
12 . A system, comprising: a first spool assembly adapted to be coupled to a first latch device such that actuation of the first spool assembly causes a corresponding actuation of the first latch device, the first spool assembly having a first actuated state and a first deactuated state; a second spool assembly adapted to be coupled to a second latch device such that actuation of the second spool assembly causes a corresponding actuation of the second latch device, the second spool assembly having a second actuated state and a second deactuated state; and a link engaged with the first spool assembly and the second spool assembly, the link having a holding position and a releasing position; and wherein when the first spool assembly is transitioned from the first actuated state to the first deactuated state, the link is correspondingly transitioned from the holding position to the releasing position to permit the second spool assembly to transition from the second actuated state to the second deactuated state.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein when the first spool assembly transitions from the first actuated state to the first deactuated state, the first spool assembly engages the link and drives the link from the holding position to the releasing position.
14 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a spring urging the link toward the holding position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/279,589 filed Feb. 19, 2019 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,598,123, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/791,798 filed Jul. 6, 2015 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,208,507, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/020,785 filed Jul. 3, 2014, the contents of each application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND Multi-point exit devices often provide a relatively high degree of strength due to the multiple latching points of the exit device. During operation, when a closed door is to be displaced to an open position, a push bar of the multi-point exit device is typically depressed so that the top and bottom latch bolts are retracted away from or out of a mating recess, and into or toward the door. The latch bolts are also often maintained in retracted positions as the door is displaced from the closed position so as to prevent the latch bolts from dragging across an adjacent surface as the door is moved between open and closed positions. For example, by retaining a bottom latch bolt in a retracted position, the bottom latch bolt may not be dragged across the floor as the door is displaced from and subsequently returned to the closed position. Traditionally, multi-point exit devices utilize hold-open mechanisms to retain both the top and bottom latches in the retracted position until the door is returned to the closed position. Such hold open-mechanisms typically utilize a direct connection between the top latch and the bottom latch to control when the bottom latch is released from the retracted position. For example, the top latch is often connected to the bottom latch by one or more rods that exert pulling forces on the top and bottom latches to retract the latch bolts from the adjacent recess when the door is to be opened. When the door is displaced from the closed position, the rods may remain in the pulled position so as to assist in holding the latches in the retracted position. Often, when the door is returned to the closed position, a release mechanism may contact the top latch in a manner that allows a spring to push the top latch back to the extended position, wherein the top latch bolt may again be extended into a locking engagement with the adjacent recess. The release of the top latch from the retracted position also releases one or more of the rods from the pull position, which may result in a spring associated with the bottom latch providing a force to push the bottom latch back to the extended position, as well as assist with displacing one or more of the rods from the pull position. The connection between the top latch and the bottom latch of such hold-open mechanisms often requires relatively complex linkages. Further, the springs that displace the latches from the retracted positions typically need sufficient size to provide the requisite force needed to not only at least assist in displacing the top and bottom latches and the associated latch bolts to the extended position, but to also displace the relatively heavy rods that exert the pulling force on the top and bottom latches. For example, in at least some applications, the springs may need to be of sufficient size to displace rods that are six feet in length from the pull position. Further, besides increasing the complexity and associated costs of the multi-point exit lock device, such linkages, springs, and rods increase the weight of the door, which may in turn increase the difficulty of operation of the exit device and/or the ability to displace the door between the open and closed positions. Additionally, the physical size of the components of concealed exit devices and/or the size of the space needed to accommodate operation of the concealed components may require the removal or a relatively large portion of the interior core material of the door. Yet, the removal of such core materials, particularly from doors constructed of materials such as wood, may relatively substantially weaken the strength of the door. Prior attempts to address such weakening of doors due to accommodating concealed components of exit devices, particularly for wood doors, has included securing a metal wrap or bracket to the door to at least attempt to strength the weakened areas of the door. Yet, such metal wraps or brackets add an additional component and increase associated costs of the door. Further, such metal wraps or brackets may not be aesthetically pleasing, particularly when applied to ornate wood doors. BRIEF SUMMARY An aspect of the present invention is a center slide assembly for use with an exit device to control the displacement of a latch mechanism. The center slide assembly includes a center slide having a sidewall that generally defines an inner region. The center slide assembly also includes one or more spool assemblies that are confi