Push Pad Exit Device for Emergency Door Egress and Vertical Latch Bolt Assembly

A push pad exit device for mounting on a door, comprising:

• a push pad actuator mounted horizontally on a surface of the door;
• a latching mechanism mounted vertically on the surface of the door;
• the latching mechanism operable to cause a latch bolt assembly having a latch bolt to engage and disengage with a latching recess in a door frame to transition the door between a first latched position and a second unlatched position;
• the latching mechanism comprising a motion transfer link, a lever arm, and an over-center link, the motion transfer link, lever arm and over-center link being in mechanical connection and having first positions corresponding to the first latched position and second positions corresponding to the second unlatched position;
• the push pad actuator having an actuator arm pivotally connected to a housing mounted on the door at one end and engageable at a free end with the motion transfer link of the latch assembly, the actuator arm having a first position corresponding to the first latched position and a second position corresponding to the first unlatched position;
• wherein the motion transfer link converts horizontal motion from the push pad actuator into vertical motion in the latching assembly;
• wherein the latch bolt assembly biases the actuator arm and latching mechanism to the first latched position;
• wherein the application of inwardly directed force to the actuator arm biases the actuator arm and the latching assembly to the second unlatched position;
• wherein the motion transfer link and lever arm have lower and upper link ends and the over-center link has three connection points, wherein the lower link end of the motion transfer link engages a connecting tongue of the actuator arm and wherein the upper link end of the motion transfer link engages the lower link end of the lever arm, wherein the upper link end of the lever arm engages a first connection point of the over-center link;
• a second connection point of the over-center link engaging the latch bolt assembly and wherein a third connection point of the over-center link engages a surface;
• and
• wherein the latch bolt is a roller latch bolt, comprising a latch bolt body having a roller support, a roller of the roller latch bolt being rotatably connected to the roller support.