Patents by Inventor Theodore H. Miller

Theodore H. Miller has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5020343
    Abstract: A lockset for a door comprising a latchbolt assembly movable between a partially extended latching position, a fully extended deadbolt position and a retracted position. A spindle extends through the latchbolt assembly in a direction transverse of the direction of movement of the bolt. The spindle is connected to the bolt for moving the bolt between its positions upon rotation of the spindle. An operating assembly includes a hand operator having a locking member therein, a first plate mounted for linear movement in a direction transverse to the axis of the spindle and having a pair of ears vertically spaced about and generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the spindle. A pivotally mounted actuator member is movable in response to the hand operator and has first and second surfaces vertically spaced about and generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the spindle and in engagement with the pair of ears such that pivotal movement of the actuator produces linear movement of the first plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: LeRoy Hart, Theodore H. Miller, deceased
  • Patent number: 4927193
    Abstract: A mounting cassette for an exit device includes a latch bolt assembly. Latch bolt assembly includes a rotatable member for causing retraction of the latch of said assembly. The cassette is used to mount the exit device on a first side of a door having on the opposite side thereof a cylinder lock. The cylinder lock includes an actuator member extending through the door. The mounting cassette has first motion transmitting member mounted for rotation therein. The first motion transmitting member receives the actuating member for rotation thereby. Second motion transmitting member is rotatably coupled with the first motion transmitting member and is connected to the rotatable member of the latch bolt assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Miller
  • Patent number: 4875722
    Abstract: An electrically operated exit device comprises a low powered dogging assembly for a pushbar and an electrical actuator for a latch bolt. A latching bracket is attached to the pushbar for movement inwardly and outwardly along a path. A dogging plate of the dogging element is pivotally moveable between a retracted position out of the path of the latching element and an extended position in the path of the latching element. The dogging plate is spring biased toward the extended position and has a protruding shoulder. When the dogging plate is extended and the pushbar moved inward manually, the latching bracket strikes the dogging plate, retracts it slightly against the force of the spring bias and then continues slightly beyond the shoulder of the dogging plate. Then, the dogging plate again extends fully under the influence of the spring bias such that a bearing surface on the far side of the shoulder catches the latching bracket and thereby dogs the pushbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore H. Miller, deceased, Ronald S. Slusarski
  • Patent number: 4801163
    Abstract: An electrically operated exit device comprises a low powered dogging assembly for a pushbar and an electrical actuator for a latch bolt. A latching bracket is attached to the pushbar for movement inwardly and outwardly along a path. A dogging plate of the dogging element is pivotally moveable between a retracted position out of the path of the latching element and an extended position in the path of the latching element. The dogging plate is spring biased toward the extended position and has a protruding shoulder. When the dogging plate is extended and the pushbar moved inward manually, the latching bracket strikes the dogging plate, retracts it slightly against the force of the spring bias and then continues slightly beyond the shoulder of the dogging plate. Then, the doggin plate again extends fully under the influence of the spring bias such that a bearing surface on the far side of the shoulder catches the latching bracket and thereby dogs the pushbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Emhart Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Miller
  • Patent number: 4747629
    Abstract: An exit device primarily designed for outwardly opening doors comprises a rigid plate member having mounted thereon a latch-bolt assembly anchored to a door member and a strike assembly mounted on a door frame member in operative association with the latch-bolt assembly, wherein the plate member includes projections positioned to be on each side of the latch bolt of the latch-bolt assembly, and wherein the strike assembly includes recesses for receiving such projections. The recesses in the strike assembly are configured in relation to the projections to allow limited vertical movement of the projections within the recesses. When the device is subjected to a major force such as in a fire the projections will restrict linear growth of the frame member in the latch area by engagement of the projections, with the walls of the recesses thereby preventing excessive strain from occurring on the latch bolt which can lead to disengagement of a latch bolt from the strike.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1988
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Miller
  • Patent number: 4741190
    Abstract: A lockset for a door comprising a latchbolt assembly including a bolt movable between a fully extended deadbolt locked position, and a retracted position. A spindle extends through the latch assembly in a direction transverse of the direction of movement of the bolt. Rotation of the spindle results in the bolt moving between its positions. The lockset further includes an operating assembly comprising a hand operator having a lock therein, a first plate mounted for linear movement in a direction transverse of the axis of the spindle, an actuating member connected to the hand operator for moving the first plate, a second plate having linear movement transverse to the axis of the spindle and adapted to be moved by the first plate, and rotatable drive member attached to the spindle and adapted to be rotated by the second plate. The second plate is movable between bolt retracted, and fully extended positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Miller
  • Patent number: 4624490
    Abstract: An exit device for a door includes a rear channel member, a latch bolt assembly at one end of the channel member, a pair of spaced rails mounted in the rear channel member, with the channel member including two sets of opposed longitudinally extending grooves in its interior forming tracks for the rails. The rails are mounted in the tracks. A path bar includes a portion extending outwardly of the channel member. At least one connecting link is pivotably attached at one end to the rails and pivotably attached at the other end to the push bar for mounting the push bar in the channel for movement between a retracted position and a depressed position. The push bar has tapered end portions tapering outwardly toward the latch bolt assembly. The exit device further includes a cover including an end portion adjacent the push bar and having a taper complementary to the taper on the adjacent end of the push bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Miller
  • Patent number: 4498319
    Abstract: An exit device including a latch bolt and an action lever. The action lever includes a cam lever pivotably connected thereto and having a first portion engaging a locking member and a second portion engaging the latch bolt the cause the retraction thereof as the action lever is pivoted into its open position when a locking member is in an unlocked position. When the locking member is in the locked position, the first portion of the cam lever is free of engagement of the locking member and a second portion is free to cam about the latch bolt upon pivoting of the action lever into its open position whereby the latch bolt is not retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter O. Balducci, Theodore H. Miller
  • Patent number: 4295673
    Abstract: An emergency exit device mounted on the inner face of an outwardly opening door includes top and bottom latches mounted near the beveled or free side edge of the door and connected to an operating unit by vertically extending rods. The operating unit is at all times operable to release the latches in response to pressure applied in a door opening direction to a push bar which extends across the inner face. The latches are released from the outer side of the door by a rotary operator operably connected to the operating unit and having a conventional backset. The vertical axis of the rods is horizontally offset from the axis of the rotary operator in the direction of the free side edge of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1981
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Miller
  • Patent number: D281573
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1985
    Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Miller