US3761119A

US3761119A - Door protector device

Info

Publication number: US3761119A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Bennett; S Bennett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-02-01
Filing date: 1972-02-01
Publication date: 1973-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-25

Abstract

A device for preventing forced entry through a door used in conjunction with a doorjamb and a lock with a bolt interconnecting the door and jamb in which a metal plate is bolted or otherwise secured to the door overlapping the doorjamb. One or more studs are used to interconnect the plate and the adjacent face of the doorjamb to prevent the doorjamb from being forced away from the door. The studs preferably are secured to the plate and project inwardly into holes in the doorjamb. A slot, preferably of an arcuate configuration, is provided in the vertical edge of the plate on the door for receiving the doorknob shaft and surrounding plate or fixtures thereof.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Bennett et a1.

l l DOOR PROTECTOR DEVICE [76] lnventors: Frederic C. Bennett; Sandra .1.

Bennett, both of 61647 Meadowlark Ln., South Bend, lnd.

[22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 222,556

[52] U.S. Cl. 292/346, 292/D1G. 41 [51] Int. Cl. .Q EOSc 1/06 [58] Field of Search 292/346, DIG. 40, 292/DIG. 41; 70/416, 418

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,612,480 12/1926 Wells 292/18 695.472 3/1902 Miller 292/346 1,428,367 9/1922 Forlander 292/346 2,144,075 1/1939 Mora 292/DIG. 4l

[451 Sept. 25, 1973 Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore Attorney-Marmaduke A. Hobbs [57] ABSTRACT A device for preventing forced entry through a door used in conjunction with a doorjamb and a lock with a bolt interconnecting the door and jamb in which a metal plate is bolted or otherwise secured to the door overlapping the doorjamb. One or more studs are used to interconnect the plate and the adjacent face of the doorjamb to prevent the doorjamb from being forced away from the door. The studs preferably are secured to the plate and project inwardly into holes in the doorjamb. A slot, preferably of an arcuate configuration, is provided in the vertical edge of the plate on the door for receiving the doorknob shaft and surrounding plate or fixtures thereof.

In opening doors having the conventional spring bolt lock, a burglar often can easily open the locked door merely by slipping a plastic card, such as a credit card, inwardly between the edge of the door and the doorjamb and then forcing the bolt out of the receiver slot. Since this practice will not open dead bolt locks, the burglar frequently uses a jimmy, wrecking bar, or other tool to pry the doorjamb away from the door, and thereby disengages the dead bolt from the receiver slot. This operation is performed by placing the end of the jimmy into the space between the edge of the door and the jamb at or immediately above or below the lock and forcing the jamb away from the door. This method can be practiced successfully on both wood and steel door frames, both of which will split, break, or yield sufficiently to permit the bolt to slip from the receiver slot and release the door so that it can be opened to gain entrance to the building. Various improvements have been made in the lock and catch for the bolt, and the doorjamb has often been strengthened, but these measures will merely resist the use of a jimmy or other pry bar to disengage the bolt from the catch. It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a device which can easily be installed and used in conjunction with the lock to prevent the use by a burglar of either a card or knife on a spring bolt lock and a jimmy or other pry bar on a dead bolt lock. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which when installed on a door firmly retains the door and doorjamb in proper spaced relation where the bolt will remain securely locked, and which will prevent the doorjamb from being pried away from the door to release the bolt from the receiver slot.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a door protector device which is simple in construction and design and will not interfere with the normal operation of the lock or door, and which can be installed without changing or removing the lock or appreciably altering the door and doorjamb.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a door and doorjamb and an elevational view of the present door protector device, showing the door in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the doorjamb and door protector device shown in FIG. 1, the section being taken on line 2 -2 of the latter figure, showing the door in closed and partially opened positions; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the door protector device shown in the preceding figures, removed from the door.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, numeral indicates generally a door protector device embodying the present invention and showing it mounted on and secured to a door 12 used in combination with a doorjamb 14. The door may be of any suitable construction, either wood or metal, and the doorjamb is shown as a metal doorjamb or frame. However, the device may be used in conjunction with a wood doorjamb or frame. The door and frame may be considered conventional for the purpose of the present invention.

A lock, indicated generally by numeral 20, is mounted on the door and includes inside knob 22 and outside knob 24, the. lock mechanism disposed in the door and having a spring bolt 26 shown seated in a receiver slot 28 in the inner face 30 of the doorjamb. A door stop 32 is secured to the inner face of the doorjamb by a plurality of screws 34. While the door is described as one which opens outwardly from the building, the present door protector device may be used on a door which swings inwardly.

The door protecting device shown in the drawing consists of a rigid metal plate 40, preferably of steel, secured to the door by a pair of

bolts

42 and 44 extending through slots 46 in plate 40. Holes are shown as square for receiving the square portion of the shank of a carriage bolt which has a round head -48 seating on the external surface of plate 40. The plate may be of various sizes, the one shown in the drawing being approximately 6 inches in height and 4% inches in width, and so positioned that the horizontal center of the plate is located on substantially the axis of bolt 26. In order to permit the plate to extend inwardly away from the edge of the door and form effective resistance to prying along the outer edge thereof, upper and

lower extensions

50 and 52 project inwardly beyond the axis of the two knobs, the two projections defining a slot 54 which surrounds the base of the knob and its fixtures. Since the door is often recessed slightly inwardly from the outer surface of the doorjamb, the two

sections

62 and 64 are offset at60 so that each section will lie flat against the surface of the door and the front surface of the doorjamb, respectively.

One of the important features of the present invention is the means whereby a jimmy or other prying tool cannoteffectively be used to separate the doorjamb from the door and thereby release the bolt from the security slot 28. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, two steel studs and 72 are secured in

holes

74 and 76 in section 64. When the door is closed these two studs extend into

holes

78 and 80 in the side of the doorjamb, holding the door and jamb in close proximity to one another and preventing the bolt from being disengaged from the slotted fixture in the inner surface of the jamb.

In the installation and use of the door protector device, two holes are drilled in the door for receiving

bolts

42 and 44, and two holes are drilled in the front face of the doorjamb or door frame for receiving

studs

70 and 72. After the plate has been mounted on the door and is rigidly secured thereto by

bolts

42 and 44, when the door is closed,

studs

70 and 72 seat in the two

holes

78 and 80. With the plate bolted firmly to the door and

studs

70 and 72 seated in

holes

78 and 80, the

doorjamb or door frame 14 cannot be pried away from the door in the vicinity of the lock, and hence the bolt 26 cannot be dislodged or disengaged from the lock portion in which the receiver slot 28 is located. While the frame may be distorted and bent away from the door above and below the plate 40, the plate, since it is held by the two bolts and the two studs above and below the position of the lock, the frame is held in close proximity to the door near the lock. The device does not interfere with the normal use of the door, since the two studs easily seat in and can be removed from

holes

78 and 80,-thus permitting the door to close and open freely.

While the present door protector device has been il lustrated in connection with an outwardly opening door, the structure of the device and the installation thereof are essentially the same for a door opening inwardly. However, with a door opening inwardly, the plate 40 does not prevent a card, knife or other thin instrument from being inserted between the door and the doorjamb to retract the spring type bolt. The device, however, prevents the doorjamb or frame from being pried away from the door sufficiently to disengage either a spring bolt or dead bolt from the lock portion having receiver slot 28 therein.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the door protector device to adapt it to different installations, without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device for preventing forced entry through a door used in conjunction with a doorjamb and a lock with a bolt interconnecting the door and jamb and with a doorknob projecting outwardly from the door, comprising a plate adapted to be mounted on the door and to overlap the face of the jamb, means for rigidly securing said plate to the door, a stud means removably interconnecting said plate and said jamb when the door is in its closed position, and a slot in one edge of said plate to permit the plate to partially surround the doorknob and extend beyond the edge thereof.

2. A device for preventing forced entry through a door as defined in claim 1 in which said stud means consists of a stud projecting inwardly from said plate for seating in a hole in the doorjamb.

3. A device for preventing forced entry through a door as defined in claim 1 in which said stud means consists of two studs spaced vertically from one another projecting inwardly from said plate for seating in corresponding holes in the doorjamb.

4. A device for preventing forced entry through a door used in conjunction with a doorjamb and a lock with a bolt interconnecting the door and jamb and with a doorknob projecting outwardly from the door, as defined in claim 3 in which a slot is provided in the edge of said plate to permit the plate to partially surround the doorknob and extend beyond the edge thereof.

5. A device for preventing forced entry through a door as defined in claim 1 in which said means for rigidly securing said plate to the door consists of a pair of bolts extending through holes in said plate and door and being spaced vertically from one another.

6. A device for preventing forced entry through a door as defined in claim 4 in which said means for rigidly securing said plate to the door consists of a pair of bolts extending through holes in said plate and door and being spaced vertically from one another.

7. A device for preventing forced entry through a door used in conjunction with a doorjamb and a lock with a bolt interconnecting the door and jamb, comprising a plate of rigid metal plate material adapted to be mounted on the door and to overlap the face of the jamb, means for rigidly securing said plate to the door, and a stud means removably interconnecting said plate and said jamb when the door is in its closed position, said plate having two sections,-one section seating on the door and the other section overlapping the doorjamb and being offset outwardly from the section on the door.

8. A device for preventing forced entry through a door as defined in claim 4 in which said plate has an offset defining two sections, one section seating on the door and the other section overlapping the doorjamb and being offset outwardly from the said section on the door.

Claims

7. A device for preventing forced entry through a door used in conjunction with a doorjamb and a lock with a bolt interconnecting the door and jamb, comprising a plate of rigid metal plate material adapted to be mounted on the door and to overlap the face of the jamb, means for rigidly securing said plate to the door, and a stud means removably interconnecting said plate and said jamb when the door is in its closed position, said plate having two sections, one section seating on the door and the other section overlapping the doorjamb and being offset outwardly from the section on the door.