Electric strikes have been in existence for a century or more. The basic reason for inventing an electric strike was to remotely release the door. It is said that the first electric strikes were used in New York City apartment buildings so tenants did not have to walk down several flights of stairs to let guests enter.
Electric strikes primarily operate in conjunction with mechanical door locks which have spring latches. There are many electric strike designs, but basically the strike releases the mechanical latch so the door can be opened. Electric strikes are generally designed to prevent access to an area, while still allowing full egress.
Electric strikes have become much more specialized as they are required to operate in conjunction with a widening variety of mechanical locks. Specialty electric strikes can now operate with exit locks and deadbolts. There are air-operated strikes to be used where explosions may occur if electricity causes a spark. Other options include fail-safe, fail-secure, varied voltage, AC or DC, latch indicators, heavy or light duty, to name just a few. The following manufacturers display a small sample of the wide range available in specialty electric strikes.
Dynalock
DynaLock's 1661 Series fail-secure electric rim strikes are universally adaptable to suit all door and frame types and accommodate rim exit devices with ½" to ¾" latch projection. Models feature horizontal adjustability, AC or DC operation (specify 12 or 24V), screw terminal wire connections, are reversible for left or right hand doors and are UL Listed Burglary Resistant.
For more information contact DynaLock Corp., telephone 877-DYNALOCK, E-mail: [email protected] or web site www.dynalock.com.
Securitron
The Mortise UnLatch® from Securitron is designed for both new construction and retrofit installations. With it, you have the ability to electrify any mortise lock, without running power to or through a door. This represents a significant savings in both hardware requirements and installation time. For more information, visit www.securitron.com.
Trine
The 4801 surface mount strike was designed for the Yale Squarebolt and Corbin Russwin Securebolt. Features include built-in electronics that automatically allow 12 through 24 AC/DC with kick-back and surge protection, 3000+ lbs. holding force, 1,500,000+ lifecycles, field selectable fail safe/fail secure, one solenoid mechanism, unique four-point anchoring system. Spacer plate included.
Trine offers a largest selection of electric strikes, including the 3234 model, which is the smallest electric strike in the world. At the heart of the product line are the UL listed Premium Electric Strikes, the EN Series. Accessories such as wireless remotes, low voltage transformers, door chimes and push buttons compliment Trine's extensive line of electric strikes. For more information, visit www.trineonline.com.
