Abstract: In a high-security sliding-door apparatus for closing and opening a corridor, the door having (a) a door frame having a track and a bi-directional effector, (b) a carriage having track-engaging rollers, (c) a slide plate slidably secured to the carriage and driven by the effector, and (d) a controller controlling slide-plate movement and enabling the door to be continuously closed but not locked, the improvement comprising centering apparatus for relative positioning of the slide plate and carriage, the centering apparatus including (1) a yoke attached to the slide plate at a yoke pivot and having a yoke cam surface thereabove, (2) a carriage-attached yoke-cam follower, and (3) springs having proximal ends attached to the yoke spaced above the yoke pivot and distal ends each attached to the carriage at points offset from the yoke pivot in opposite lateral directions, centering the door with the slide plate when unlocked.

Abstract: A device for selectively controlling access to a plurality of secure areas includes a driver circuit including a plurality of drivers, and a plurality of access modules each assigned to a corresponding secure area of the plurality of secure areas. Each access module is operatively coupled to at least one actuator operative to grant or deny access to the corresponding secure area. Unused drivers provided to a first access module of the plurality of access modules are cascaded to a second access module of the plurality of access modules.

Abstract: A device for selectively controlling access to a plurality of secure areas includes a driver circuit including a plurality of drivers, and a plurality of access modules each assigned to a corresponding secure area of the plurality of secure areas. Each access module is operatively coupled to at least one actuator operative to grant or deny access to the corresponding secure area. Unused drivers provided to a first access module of the plurality of access modules are cascaded to a second access module of the plurality of access modules.

Abstract: A security bar providing improved security from breach is obtained with the use of a plurality of free rolling inner bars. Illustratively, three inner rolling bars, arranged in a triangular relationship, are provided inside a cylindrically hollowed out outer bar, thereby ensuring that no inner bar can be attacked simultaneously from opposing sides thereof. The inner bars may be surrounded with a ring of ball bearings to provide for their ability to roll freely in place with respect to the outer bar. Electronic monitoring of the security bar identifies attempts to breach the security bar.

Abstract: A symmetrical cell door and operating system comprises a vertically shiftable locking bar mounted in a center column of a cell opening. A cell door is movable in either direction relative to the central column and has upwardly facing locking notches in a lower horizontal frame element to receive the lower end of the locking bar to lock the cell door when moved either to the extreme right or to the extreme left of the center column. An elongated rack is secured to the top of the cell door by a lost motion connection and defines a cam slot engagable with a horizontally projecting actuator on the locking rod to cam the locking bar into and out of the respective locking notch. The rack is reciprocated by a pinion driven by a DC motor.

Abstract: A prison cell door locking device which responds to four locking modes of a prison cell locking system which uses a master bar assembly controllable from a central location to (1) release the locks of all cells, (2) lock all of the cells, (3) allow key operation of the locks at each individual cell, or (4) allow electric operation of the cell locks from the central location is provided. The device is fully assembled on a mounting plate which is provided with means for alignment with and securing onto the frame of a prison cell, and for connection to the cell door locking member. The assembled device contains mechanical and electrical components to operate the cell locks in all four modes. The device includes a master bar section which is permanently connectable into the master bar assembly, without further alignment, by long hollow channels of light weight metal.

Abstract: A security system for detention cells is described. Known means are provided or lock to unlock the doors of all cells in a cell block. In combination with these means the present invention provides improved means for selectively unlocking the doors for individual cells in the cell block by either an electrical or a manual, "key" mode of operation. In all modes of operation the cell doors are locked when drop bars are in their lower positions and unlocked when the drop bars are raised to an elevated position. The selective unlocking means are characterized by latching means which prevent the drop bars from being raised. In the electrical mode, a motor driven cam disables the lever and raises the latching means and raises a given drop bar. In the "key" mode manually actuated means disable the latch means and raise the drop bar of a selected cell. The selective unlocking means are disclosed in combination with both sliding and pivotally mounted cell doors.

Abstract: A locking assembly suitable for a plurality of sliding doors is disclosed. The assembly includes, at each door, a vertical drop bar in the door jamb with catches for engaging and locking the door at preferably two locations when the bar is lowered and the door is closed. The bar may be lifted by three different means: by a remotely operable motor which may be actuated to rotate a cam through one revolution, thereby lifting up on a rigid horizontal extension of the drop bar; by rotating a key in a key cylinder, which operates a similar rotatable cam to raise the bar; and by an emergency release mechanism including a manually slidable linkage member at the top of the frame, effective when its position is shifted to mechanically lift the drop bar. A deadlock is preferably provided to normally lock the bar in its lower, locking position, the deadlock being releasable upon actuation of any of the three drop bar lifting means.