Disconnect Door Mechanism: An advanced locking mechanism

It is generally accepted by professional Locksmiths that all functioning locks can be picked or bypassed in some way. However, the Disconnect Door Mechanism uses an arrangement between the spindle and the handle that leaves the door locked without the need for exposed ‘pickable’ key locks or levers

The Disconnect Door Mechanism provides more security than current locking systems and can operate on external and internal door handles. It is straightforward and presents easy manufacture and fit at significantly lower cost than traditional locking mechanisms.

The door access industry has evolved from simple wooden locks into sophisticated access solutions, now also entailing different types of identification such as fingerprints and face recognition. The value of the global industry for access solutions and trusted identities is above $100bn annually, with good underlying drivers.

In a world with a high perception of uncertainty, the demand and need for convenient and efficient access solutions is increasing. Local standards have emerged, driven by local needs and lock companies. As a result, the market for access solutions is very fragmented, even more so in emerging markets. A changing regulative environment, with local regulations, applications and codes results in increasing demand for updated and compliant access solutions.

Few rules exist for internal door locks and handles, and they are generally purchased on their aesthetics, rather than their security features. Once an intruder has broken into a property, they are usually free to enter every internal room without further restriction.

A technologically advanced locking mechanism

Since it was first established in 1992, Rapierstar has been at the forefront of technologically advanced, specialist fastener solutions and has come to dominate the UK fenestration fastener and fixing market. This unique approach to product and market development has provided the springboard to design and develop innovative and effective patented products for building and manufacturing industries.

Rapierstar has sought to address the problem that any basic lock mechanism that involves a key can be relatively easily ‘picked’.

It has designed and patented a “disconnect” door handle product that addresses all the mechanical issues associated with securing the ubiquitous, locking multi-use door handle.

Smart locks whilst good products offering a security solution are often expensive to purchase, time-consuming and costly to fit.

The Disconnect Door Mechanism handle is a door handle that converts an existing lock and handle arrangement into a tamper-proof smart lock. The unique handle disengages the square drive spindle, preventing the outside handle from operating the locking mechanism.  This action makes it impossible to operate the locking mechanism even if the outside handle is removed. The door is locked as long as the door is pulled closed. The door is locked through a controlled movement of the spindle by either manual or mechanical control.

The Disconnect Door Mechanism handle, with its captive square spindle is installed in the same way as a conventional door handle and lock and is fitted from the side of the door required to be secure.

Outline installation and operation is as follows:

1. The mechanism is fitted through the latch mechanism
2. Lining up the spindle with the square receiving hole in the handle on the opposite side of the door.
3. The Disconnect Door Mechanism handle is now fitted.
4. The “locking” of the door requires a controlled movement of the spindle from secure side of the door into or out off the handle on the unsecure side of the door. The door becomes “locked” from the secure side once the spindle has been moved out of the other side of the door. This action leaves the only method of activating the latch to open the door on the secure side. The handle on the other side appears to operate normally without activating the latch to open the door.
5. The controlled movement could be achieved manually, motorised or by a battery-operated solenoid. Other than the manual operation, the controlled movement of the spindle could be triggered by a switch or internet generated signal from a connected devise, or any combination thereof.
6. When the spindle is in locked position it returns flush with the latch mechanism. Consequently, should the other handle be removed there is no area to gain purchase to open the latch.

Current smart locks control old lock technology via a motor, which simply operates the dead bolt when instructed by a computer or mobile ‘phone. However, this electrical communication can be “hacked”.

Such devices may also advise when someone has breached security and gained access, but then offer no further protection to prevent home or office invasion.

The Disconnect Door Mechanism in handle or lock form can offer:

1. The Disconnect Door Mechanism can be fitted with a standard latch and strike plate without a dead lock or any keys, making the Disconnect Door Mechanism the cheapest on the market as it also reduces dramatically the dead bolt mechanism as it is not required.
2. It can also be operated by any electrical device that is tuned independently to the sensor, a proximity switch, a smart phone or a bleeper
3. The Disconnect Door Mechanism is secure as it detaches the handle from the drive spindle.
4. If the door handle is forced off, the rest position of the spindle is designed to be flush with the door locking mechanism and retained inside the door, so nothing can be put on the spindle or the square drive hole minimising Picking, Drilling, Bumping and Snapping.
5. The Disconnect Door Mechanism spindle is non-magnetic and incredibly strong making drilling out very difficult, if not impossible.
6. The Disconnect Door Mechanism can be sold as a kit with any type of lock or it can be sold as a security device for after-market fit to any existing lock that is driven by a square spindle drive.
7. The Disconnect Door Mechanism can be electrically operated via an internal battery, which can be easily charged by induction coupling via the door frame.
8. In electrically operated option, the Disconnect Door Mechanism spindle is held in the rest position by a spring. The power is used momentarily to engage the spindle when the door is to be opened.
9. Because the Disconnect Door Mechanism is so robust it can be used on hotel doors as a high security lock.
10. The Disconnect Door Mechanism is so cheap to manufacture and fit, it can be used to isolate bedrooms, as a home security device, from access from other areas of a dwelling.
11. The Disconnect Door Mechanism can be used as a privacy handle for bathrooms.
12. The door handle is always in a position to be opened from the inside without the need to activate it
13. The Disconnect Door Mechanism does not require any extra effort to operate, it simply works as a normal door handle
14. The Disconnect Door Mechanism is easily fitted retrospectively, without the need for carpentry skills, as a first fit with an inexpensive locking mechanism would require.
15. The Disconnect Door Mechanism patent is that the spindle is removed from the handle until needed.
16. The Disconnect Door Mechanism cannot be detected as a security handle by its appearance. An intruder would simply think the handle was broken.
17. The Disconnect Door Mechanism is not limited to any type of door it can even be fitted on patio doors.
18. The Disconnect Door Mechanism could be developed for use in safes.

An affordable locking mechanism

Cost is often the main barrier to entry for the existing smart lock systems, along with the skill level often needed to install, operate and maintain them correctly.

The new Disconnect Door Mechanism stops intruders as the spring on the internal handle holds the spindle in the locking mechanism but is disconnected from the entry handle. Even if the handle is broken off you cannot access the spindle or the square driver hole in the locking mechanism. The Disconnect Door Mechanism handle is similar in cost to any other standard handle and can be easily fitted to either a new or existing installation. Therefore, the Disconnect Door Mechanism can not only be fitted to every entry point on a dwelling or office but also to all internal rooms, without much additional expenditure.