Patents Assigned to Stephen J. Suggs
  • Patent number: 5946955
    Abstract: A control system is provided to lock, unlock and/or unlatch a door's lock and/or latch mechanism(s) having a bolt(s) coupled to a shaft(s). In one embodiment, a clutch is coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith. The clutch includes a movable lever attached thereto with a bias that causes the lever to protrude axially from the clutch. A plate is mounted coaxially with the shaft for free rotation relative thereto. The plate is adjacent the clutch on a side thereof from which the lever protrudes. The plate includes a notch formed therein facing the clutch. The plate and clutch are biased toward one another so that the plate and lever contact one another as the bias between the plate and the clutch overcomes the bias of the lever. A remotely-activated motorized drive is coupled to the plate for rotating the plate relative to the shaft in a direction of rotation that allows the lever to engage the notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignees: Stephen J. Suggs, Arnold Eugene Frost
    Inventors: Stephen J. Suggs, Arnold E. Frost, Tony Chung