US 12,227,975 B1
System and method for sheltering in place with advanced responder notification and ready access
Bruce Schmutter, Long Island City, NY (US)
Filed by Bruce Schmutter, Long Island City, NY (US)
Filed on Jul. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/777,125.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/528,503, filed on Jul. 24, 2023.
Int. Cl. E05B 53/00 (2006.01); E05C 19/00 (2006.01); E05C 19/18 (2006.01)
CPC E05C 19/005 (2013.01) [E05B 53/001 (2013.01); E05C 19/188 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shelter-in-place door locking apparatus that can be releasably coupled to a door of a room on a floor at a moment's notice by persons sheltering in place and which accommodates for varying door undercuts and wherein said apparatus is in total control by those persons sheltering in place in the room, said apparatus comprising:
a locking pin carrier comprising a plurality of locking pins whose lower ends are configured to be positioned in a floor strike located in the floor, said locking pin carrier being slideable on support rods fixed between an upper flange and a lower flange both of which are fixedly secured to a body plate that is configured for releasable coupling to the door, said locking pin carrier comprising a projection, said locking pin carrier being biased upward in an unlocked position by springs coupled between said locking pin carrier and said body plate;
a releaseable brake positioned between said upper flange and said lower flange, said releasable brake comprising a plurality of teeth over which said projection slides when said locking pin carrier slides on said support rods away from said upper flange against said bias and towards said lower flange, said teeth forming a plurality of locked positions to accommodate the varying door undercuts, said projection releasably locking into one of said plurality of teeth when said locking pin carrier stops sliding;
said locking pin carrier comprising an upper member and a lower member, each of said locking pins slideable through said lower member and said lower flange and wherein an upper end of each locking pin is biased against said lower member by a spring positioned between said upper member and said upper end of said locking pin, said upper end of each locking pin prevented from passing through said lower member; and
a release member movably coupled to said locking pin carrier that can be activated by the persons to release said locking pin carrier from said one of said plurality of locked positions to automatically return said locking pin carrier to said unlocked position.