GB2240355A

GB2240355A - A security door

Info

Publication number: GB2240355A
Application number: GB9001958A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Francis Edward James Toomey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-01-29
Filing date: 1990-01-29
Publication date: 1991-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2010-01-29
Also published as: GB9001958D0; GB2240355B

Abstract

A security door (2) which is made in the form of an open metal framework (4), the framework (4) being adjustable along at least one of its edge portions (6, 8, 10, 12) so that the door (2) can be adjusted to fit a door opening. The door may be formed with an area of weakness designed to break under a predetermined force so that the door can be smashed open in an emergency situation. <IMAGE>

Description

A SECURITY DOOR This invention relates to a security door.

With the increasing advent of crime, many persons are beginning to feel unsafe even in their own homes. Such persons are often reluctant to open their front door to a caller in case the caller should be a violent criminal who will push his or her way into the home, intent of committing a theft, a personal assault or other criminal deeds.

Home security, for example in houses and flats, has been increased in recent times with the fitting of security doors which are intended to supplement existing doors, and also with security grills which are intended to supplement existing windows. The security doors and security grills provide another barrier for the potential criminal to overcome. In the case of a security door, providing the security door is locked, a person such as a housewife can open their normal front door without fear of an intruder pushing his or her way into the home because the security door will still be in position and locked.

The security doors are usually made of metal and they are also usually in the form of an open framework.

Thus a person opening their normal front door can talk quite easily through the open framework security door.

If it is necessary to allow the caller to have entrance into the home, then the security door will only be opened after the caller has been recognised or has provided appropriate identity.

The security doors are fitted to various premises such for example as various houses and flats. The security doors are fitted in door openings which vary in size. This can present a problem in that the door openings need first to be measured before a security door can be produced and fitted. The measurement in itself takes time and adds to the cost of installation.

Furthermore, the manufacture of custom made doors is not as conducive to cheap manufacturing costs as doors that can be made to one standard measurement.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, this invention provides a security door which is made in the form of an open metal framework, the framework being adjustable along at least one of its edge portions so that the door can be adjusted to fit a door opening.

The security door of the present invention can be mass produced and it can be adjusted on site as appropriate to fit a door opening. Once the security door has been adjusted to the correct size, it can be secured to that size in any desired and appropriate manner such for example as by rivets, screws or welding.

Preferably, the framework is adjustable by a sliding action of the said at least one edge portion.

The sliding action is preferably such that the parts of the framework telescope together. An alternative sliding action may be employed in which parts of the framework slide in brackets. Any other sliding action may be employed and the framework may be adjustable by means other than sliding.

Preferably, the framework is adjustable along its free side edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in width to fit the door opening. Alternatively or in addition, the framework may be adjustable along its hinged side edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in width to fit the door opening.

The security door may be one in which the framework is adjustable along its topside edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in height to fit the door opening.

Alternatively or in addition, the framework may be adjustable along its bottom side edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in height to fit the door opening.

Generally, the security door can be such that the framework is adjustable to adjust the width and/or the height of the door, the adjustment being effected by alterations as appropriate and desired to any one or more of the edge portions of the framework.

The security door may include at least one hinge for hinging the door to a door frame.

Preferably, there is a single hinge which extends substantially the entire length of the door for hinging the door to the door frame.

The security door may be one in which the framework is made of solid metal rod, with the or each adjustable edge portion including metal tube for giving a telescopic sliding arrangement.

The metal for the security door is preferably steel but other metals may be employed if desired.

The security door may be such that the open metal framework is provided with at least one area of weakness which is designed to break under a predetermined force so that the door can be smashed open in an emergency situation.

A security door with an open metal framework having the said at least one area of weakness is described and claimed in my United Kingdom patent application No. 2217370.

The security door of the present invention may have two or three areas of weakness. When the security door has three areas of weakness, then the security door may be one in which there is a first area of weakness adjacent the lock part of the door, in which there is a second area of weakness on the hinged side edge portion of the door, and in which there is a third area of weakness on the bottom edge portion of the door.

The security door may be provided with a container for a lock as described and claimed in my United Kingdom patent application No. 2204090.

Thus the security door of the present invention may be provided with a container for a lock, which container comprises a housing having a finger-operated locking bolt, a space for the lock and a closure member, the closure member being moveable from a first position in which it prevents operation of the locking bolt to a second position in which it enables operation of the locking bolt, and the housing being such that it allows the lock to be locked only from the outside of an establishment and the locking bolt to be operated only from the inside of the establishment.

The housing may have a first compartment in which the locking bolt is positioned, and in which the housing has a second compartment which defines the space for the lock. The first compartment may be positioned on top of the second compartment, and the locking bolt may be a sliding locking bolt. The sliding locking bolt may be provided with abutment means to stop the sliding locking bolt sliding out of the housing. The abutment means may be a pin extending outwardly from the sliding locking bolt.

The sliding locking bolt may be provided with an aperture for receiving a finger or thumb for sliding the locking bolt backwards or forwards.

The closure means may be a hinged closure means which pivots about a hinge. The closure means may be, for example, a closure flap. The closure flap may have a main portion which extends over a major part of a rear face of the housing, and a side portion which extends around a side of the housing, the main portion being connected at its upper edge to the hinge, and the side portion being such as to extend from the upper edge of the main portion downwardly for a length which is not as long as the length of the main portion. In this case, the lower edge of the main portion of the closure flap preferably extends at an angle to the remainder of the main portion to provide a single lever portion which can be gripped during raising and lowering of the flap.

The container for the lock is fully described and illustrated in my said United Kingdom patent application No. 2204090.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first security door in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 shows a second security door in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a security door 2 which is in the form of an open metal framework 4 The framework 4 has a free side edge portion 6, a hinged side edge portion 8, a top side edge portion 10 and a bottom side edge portion 12.

The security door 2 is such that the framework 4 is adjustable along the free side edge portion 6. Thus the security door 2 can be adjusted to fit a door opening (not shown).

The free side edge portion 6 is adjustable by a sliding action. More specifically, the free side edge portion 6 has tubular parts 14, 16 which slide over solid frame parts 18, 20 as shown in Figure 1. Usually, but not essentially, the free side edge portion 6 has spigots 22 which slide in corresponding tubular portions 24 of the framework 2. The free side edge portion 6 may enable the door to be adjusted in width, for example up to six inches (15cm).

The security door 2 is provided with a single hinge 26 which extends substantially the entire length of the security door 2 for hinging the security door 2 to a door frame. In the case shown in Figure 1, the door frame will usually be a wooden existing door frame of a house, flat or other premises.

The security door 2 is provided with a letterbox 28. By providing the security door 2 with the letterbox 28, problems of letterboxes being in existing doors at differing positions are avoided. Once the security door 2 is fitted, the letterbox 28 is used and any letterbox in an existing wooden or glass door then becomes redundant.

As shown in Figure 1, the security door 2 is fitted with a lock 30. The lock 30 is preferably housed in a container 2 of the type described and claimed in my said United Kingdom patent application No. 2204090.

The security door 2 shown in Figure 1 is also preferably provided with a first area of weakness 32 adjacent the lock part, a second area of weakness 34 along the hinged side edge portion 8 opposite the lock 30, and a third area of weakness 36 along the bottom side edge portion 12 of the security door 2. A security door having such areas of weakness is described and claimed in my said United Kingdom patent application No. 2217370. The areas of weakness enable the security door 2 to break under a predetermined force so that the security door 2 can be smashed open in an emergency situation. Thus, for example, the predetermined force may be chosen such that the security door can only be broken with heavy equipment such for example as heavy axes and hammers as used by fire brigades.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a security door 2 which is similar to the security door 2 shown in Figure 1 and similar parts have been given the same reference numerals and their precise construction and operation will not again be given. In Figure 2, the security door 2 is shown combined with a metal frame 38. The metal frame 38 is also adjustable in a similar manner to the free side edge portion 6. Thus the metal frame 38 has tubular parts 40, 42 which slide over frame parts 44, 46 of the metal frame 38. The metal frame 38 is used where the security door 2 is to be fixed in its own metal frame, in contrast to the situation in Figure 1 where the security door 2 is fitted to an existing wooden frame.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the security doors 2 may be adjustable along any one or more of the side edge portions 6, 8, 10, 12. Also, the design of the security doors 2 may be varied so that the illustrated arrow-type design for the infill portions 48 may be varied. The infill portions 48 may be made to be adjustable in width and/or height so that they can be adjusted as appropriate as necessary depending upon the precise adjustment made to the width and height of the security door 2, in order to ensure that the infill portions 48 are symmetrically disposed within the security door 2 irrespective of the adjustment made.

With a large adjustment to the security door, the infill portions could be non-symmetrical if they were not adjustable0 With non-adjustable infill portions, then an extra frame member may be inserted if necessary to ensure that the security doors look symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing. Adjustable infill portions 48 are however presently preferred.

Claims

1. A security door which is made in the form of an open metal framework, the framework being adjustable along at least one of its edge portions so that the door can be adjusted to fit a door opening.

2. A security door according to claim 1 in which the framework is adjustable by a sliding action of the said at least one edge portion.

3. A security door according to claim 2 in which the sliding action is such that parts of the framework telescope together.

4. A security door according to claim 2 in which the sliding action is such that parts of the framework slide in brackets.

5. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims in which the framework is adjustable along its free side edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in width to fit the door opening.

6. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims in which the framework is adjustable along its hinged side edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in width to fit the door opening.

7. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims in which the framework is adjustable along its top side edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in height to fit the door opening.

8. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims in which the framework is adjustable along its bottom side edge portion so that the door can be adjusted in height to fit the door opening.

9. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims and including at least one hinge for hinging the door to a door frame.

10. A security door according to claim 9 in which the hinge is a single hinge which extends substantially the entire length of the door for hinging the door to the door frame.

11. A security door according to claim 3 or to claim 3 and any claim when appendent to claim 3 in which the framework is made of solid metal rods, with the or each adjustable edge portion including metal tube for giving a telescopic sliding arrangement.

12. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims in which the framework is provided with at least one area of weakness which is designed to break under a predetermined force so that the door can be smashed open in an emergency situation.

13. A security door according to claim 12 and which has two or three of the areas of weakness.

14. A security door according to claim 13 which has three of the areas of weakness, and in which there is a first area of weakness adjacent the lock part of the door, in which there is a second area of weakness on the hinged side edge portion of the door, and in which there is a third area of weakness on the bottom edge portion of the door.

15. A security door according to any one of the preceding claims and including a container for a lock.

16. A security door according to claim 15 in which the container comprises a housing having a fingeroperated locking bolt, a space for the lock and a closure member, the closure member being moveable from a first position in which it prevents operation of the locking bolt to a second position in which it enables operation of the locking bolt, and the housing being such that it allows the lock to be locked only from the outside of an establishment and the locking bolt to be operated only from the inside of the establishment.

17. A security door according to claim 16 in which the housing has a first compartment in which the locking bolt is positioned, and in which the housing has a second compartment which defines the space for the lock.

18. A security door according to claim 17 in which the first compartment is positioned on top of the second compartment, and in which the locking bolt is a sliding locking bolt.

19. A security door according to any one of claims 16 to 18 in which the closure member is a hinged closure member which pivots about a hinge.

20. A security door according to claim 19 in which the closure member is a closure flap.

21. A security door substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.