Closure fasteners – Cross bars – Vehicle door latches
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-12
2003-11-11
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3677)
Closure fasteners
Cross bars
Vehicle door latches
C292S289000, C292S288000, C292S338000, C292S339000, C292S291000, C292SDIG004
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644698
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locks for folding doors and, in particular, to a bar lock having two interconnected steel bars for engaging handles on folding doors and extending across the folding doors to prevent the simultaneous outward and lateral opening movement of the doors to bar children from being able to open them, especially applicable to folding fireplace doors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Folding doors are used for many purposes such as fireplace doors, closet doors, appliance area doors, and other applications employing folding doors. The use of glass fireplace doors has become relatively common. These generally take the form of two pairs of folding doors for a total of four glass panels with a relatively flimsy frame thereabout and a damper at the bottom to allow air from inside the house to feed the fire for combustion purposes when the doors are closed.
Young children opening and closing folding doors can often get their fingers caught in the door seams if any pressure is exerted on any part of the door while the child's fingers or hand is present in the seam, causing pain and injuries. Furthermore, it is often desirable to limit young children's access to certain areas enclosed by folding doors to prevent injury to the children or any disturbance or damage to whatever is enclosed by the doors. Children playing in fireplaces is especially undesirable since they may be injured by the folding doors, by hot embers, by grates or logs, the ingestion of ashes or creation of messes to clean up from the ashes.
Several prior art attempts have been made to solve the problem of barring locking or securing folding doors, but none have provided a simple inexpensive retrofit means for securing folding doors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,032, issued Nov. 20, 1990 to Gardner, provides a fireplace shield held in either its first position, that is, in its extended position or its second position, that is, its storage position or folded position by means of a locking bar. In the preferred, the locking bar comprises an elongated U-shaped channel which is of sufficient length to engage all four of the panels when in their extended or first position. The U-shaped locking bar is formed of a material which is flexible in nature, such as spring steel or the like, so that the legs of the U-shaped locking bar can clamp the four panels when in their first extended position and may be readily resiliently expanded to lock the four panels together when the panels are in their folded position. Thus, the locking bar is capable of firmly holding the fireplace shield in either its operative position wherein the panels are extended in a side by side relationship or in its storage position wherein the panels lie one on the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,091, issued Feb. 23, 1993 to Gardner, shows a fireplace enclosure comprising a plurality of glass panels and a plurality of screen panels, with the screen panels being positioned exteriorly of the glass panels. The glass panels are maintained within a frame which is integrally connected to the screen panels. At least one of the screen panels is pivotable to an open position, which permits access to the glass doors, and into the fireplace. The glass doors are also movable relative to the frame, to permit access to the fireplace. A latching mechanism maintains the screen panels in a closed position, which prevents ready access to the fireplace. A removable arch plate is releasably secured to the interior of the frame for the glass panels, and provides a decorative arch, which is seen through the glass panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,365, issued Nov. 29, 1988 to Coleman, claims a double walled fireplace insert shown with an inner firebox and an outer shell to provide convection air channels between the parallel walls of the inner and outer units. A front panel is integral with the outer shell, and it covers the front of the insert. This front panel has room air intake vents that open into the said air channels, and warmed air outlet vents that open into the room to be heated by this fireplace. There is a circulating fan positioned within the convection air channels for governing the air movement through the said channels. Each of the rear walls of the insert has a pivoted heavy metal door to accommodate the rear loading of the interior firebox when there is a vertical masonry chimney built on the outside of the residence over the fireplace insert installed through the outer wall with a door opening in the lower portion thereof for gaining access to the two rear doors of the fireplace insert so that firewood may be loaded from the outside into the firebox through the open rear doors, and ashes and cinders may be collected and removed through these two rear door openings from the outside after the fire has subsided. A lock mechanism is provided for the outer rear door to prevent unauthorized entry by unknown persons.
U.S. Pat No. 6,386,194, issued May 14, 2002 to Christman, describes a masonry fireplace and a masonry fireplace log box fitted with a door (interior or exterior) or doors (both interior and exterior) that permits firewood to be loaded into the log box without need to carry wood through the interior of the home. Many masonry fireplaces that are constructed in new homes include a built-in log box (or firewood box) as part of the masonry structure. The log box consists of a recessed chamber with sufficient depth to allow a supply of firewood to be stored convenient to the fireplace without need to stack the wood on the hearth or the floor near the fireplace (or stove insert). With the present invention, the firewood is stocked into the log box from the exterior of the home and removed as needed from the interior opening of the log box. In the case of the single interior or exterior door, the door is insulated for energy efficiency and fitted with a locking mechanism to prevent entry by an intruder. For the case where both interior and exterior doors are provided, one door would be insulated and that door or the other would be provided with a locking mechanism. Hinge locations and bolts that attach the door(s) to the masonry structure are also designed to prevent intruder entry. A second embodiment is disclosed wherein the fireplace and the log box are non-masonry, pre-assembled units providing the same advantages as the masonry embodiment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,005, issued Aug. 26, 1980 to Boahn, discloses an improved fireplace heat exchanger in the form of an integral heat exchange system, fireplace closure, air tight glass doors and an outside air introduction system. The unit is built as a single unit and is installed as such either in new construction or preexisting fireplaces. The invention also includes a unique door locking system to assure air tight integrity between the interior of the house and the fire in the fireplace.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,098, issued Apr. 2, 1985 to Scheler, indicates a fireplace cap including a pair of hinged doors supported by a rectangular framework of first and second side rails, a header section, and a damper section. The components forming the framework are formed with flanges positioned at the rear of the cap for reinforcing purposes and to act as heat exchangers, picking up heat from a fire within the fire box of the fireplace. This cap can be easily custom fit to fireplaces having fire boxes of various sizes by selecting appropriate components for the framework. A top piece mounted to the header section may serve as a cooking surface. The doors may include optional glass plates supported for easy removal by angle members mounted to the back side of the doors. A latching mechanism, including eccentrically mounted latching arms, holds the doors tightly closed when latched. The top piece and side rails define sealing material receiving pockets and include retainers for holding sealing material to seal the cap against the front of the fireplace. Adjustable damper controls, together with an external lever actuated control for the existing damper of the firepl
Ho Thomas
Mecker Donald W.
Sandy Robert J.
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