Racking resistant door control mechanism and method of fabrication

Abstract

A racking resistant door control mechanism for securing a pivoted door employs an elongate lock rod that extends the height of the door and is journaled for pivotal movement by bearing assemblies having steel covers that enclose plastic bearing liners. The lock rod has upper and lower cam-type latch members welded to its opposite ends for engaging keeper members carried by upper and lower parts of a door frame for holding the door closed. The lock rod extends through and is welded to a steel sleeve at a location spaced a short distance upwardly from the lower latch member. If the lock rod is formed from two elongate elements instead of one, the sleeve is welded to both to aid in forming a connection therebetween. Racking resistance is provided by locating the sleeve and the bearing assemblies such that the steel covers of the bearing assemblies are held in engagement with the latch members and with opposite ends of the sleeve. The various metal components of the door control mechanism are protectively coated before being assembled and before being welded, with rigid assembly connections being formed by normally hidden welds of relatively small size that burn through the protective coatings and are, in turn, protectively coated by a zinc rich, polymer containing film applied as a 'touch-up' spray.