Graf Hardware
This standard details performance requirements and test methods in relation to corrosion resistance, security and other aspects pertaining to the application of lock and latch furniture. Extracts reproduced with the permission of the DHF - Door and Hardware Federation, the British Standards Institution publications can be obtained from BSI Customer Services, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL Tel +44 (0)20 8996 9001 Email: cservices@bsi-global.com.
The European standard specifies the performance requirements and test methods (i.e. durability, static strength, operating torque, corrosion, safety, etc.) for sprung and unsprung lever handles and knobs for doors on backplates or roses. It applies only to lever handles and knobs that operate a lock or latch. The standard has 4 grades of performance. Compliance with the standard ensures a margin of strength in excess of that needed for normal operation. The standard has additional graded safety requirements where a high risk of falling exists.
BS EN 1906 classifies door furniture by using an 8 digit coding system. A similar classification applies to all building hardware product standards so that complementary items of hardware can be specified to, for instance, a common level of corrosion resistance, category of use, etc. Each digit refers to a particular feature of the product measured against the standard's performance requirements.
Category of use Four grades are identified:- - grade 1: medium frequency of use with a high incentive to exercise care and a small chance of misuse, e.g. internal residential doors; - grade 2: medium frequency of use by people with some incentive to exercise care but where there is some chance of misuse, e.g. internal office doors; - grade 3: high frequency of use by public or others with little incentive to exercise care and with a high chance of misuse, e.g. public office doors; - grade 4: high frequency of use on doors which are subject to frequent violent use, e.g. football stadiums, oil rigs, barracks, public toilets, etc.
Two grades of durability are identified:- Grade 6: medium use - 100 000 cycles Grade 7: high use - 200 000 cycles The tests undertaken to achieve these grades involve the application of additional forces to the door furniture in order to simulate the conditions of use likely to be experienced in the field.
No Requirements.
Two grades of fire resistance are identified:- - grade 0: not approved for use on fire/smoke door assemblies - grade 1: suitable for use on fire/smoke door assemblies. Note: A Grade 1 classification means only that the furniture has been designed for use on fire/smoke control doors; the actual fire performance achieved (e.g. fire integrity of 30 minutes on a partially glazed timber door etc.) will be contained in a separate fire test report.
Two grades of safety are identified:- - grade 0: normal use - grade 1: safety application - to qualify for this grade, handles must have high strength handle-to-plate and plate-to-door fixing and/or handle-to-spindle fixing, such that they would withstand a person grabbing in order to prevent falling. It is recommended that only Safety Grade 1 furniture is used at the top of cellar steps or other staircases.
Five grades are identified according to EN 1670:- - grade 0: no defined corrosion resistance - grade 1: mild resistance - minimum requirement for internal use - grade 2: moderate resistance - grade 3: high resistance - minimum requirement for external use - grade 4: very high resistance - recommended for use in exposed marine atmospheres or very polluted industrial environments. Note: Products intended to develop a natural patina (such as bronze or brass) are not required to comply with any requirements.
Security Four grades are identified:- Grade 0 : not approved for use on burglary resistant doors - grade 1: mild burglary resistance - grade 2: moderate burglary resistance - grade 3: high burglary resistance - grade 4: extra high burglary resistance Note: The main requirements include resistance to drilling, close fitting plates or escutcheons to help protect the lock and support the cylinder. They must be resistant to removal from the outside of the door and make provision to minimise the cylinder projection to a maximum of 3mm. Full details of the requirements can be found in BS EN 1906.
Type of operation Three operation types are identified:- - type A: spring assisted furniture - type B: spring loaded furniture - type U: unsprung furniture.
The following marking denotes a lever handle for high frequency use on a door that is also subject to frequent violent usage. There is no classification for door mass, but it is suitable for use on fire/smoke door assemblies, and for where safety is important. It has a very high corrosion resistance suitable for external doors. It has high burglary resistance and is of the unsprung type.
Packaging, labelling, or the product itself should be marked with the following information: (a) manufacturer's name or trademark or other means of positive identification (b) product model identification (c) classification as detailed above (d) the number of this European standard (e) the year and week of final assembly by manufacturer. Note: this information can be in coded form.
Lock and latch furniture for use on fire/smoke doors requires a set of lock and latch furniture to comply with appropriate requirements of the European standard. In addition - For lock and latch furniture to be declared suitable for use on fire/smoke door assemblies, a third set of lock or latch furniture should be incorporated in a door assembly that has satisfied the criteria of a fire test according to BS EN 1634-1. This furniture should be fitted only to an identical design, shape and size of door assemblies compliant with specific fire test requirements.
Security - Security lock furniture is one element of a burglary resistant door assembly that includes the door leaf and frame, lock, hinges and the method of fixing. Main design requirements include the use of at least two through-door fixings which cannot be detached from the outside. Requirements also include the use of an internal plate with a cylinder aperture that closely matches the cylinder profile and that the cylinder does not project more than 3mm from the face of the plate. Full details of the requirements can be found in BS EN 1906. Springing - Type A furniture has light springing only and is dependent upon the lock/latch springing to fully return the lever to the 'at rest' position. Type B furniture has integral springing capable of returning the lever to its rest position, whilst Type U is dependent wholly upon the the lock/latch to return it to its rest position. It is essential, therefore, to select the correct lock/latch to suit the associated furniture Application - It is most important to specify the correct grade of door furniture for the intended application. For example, Category of Use Grade1 levers are most suited for light residential use, whereas Grade 4 door furniture is the most appropriate choice for buildings such as schools and sports stadia where there will be a high level of use, and possible abuse.
BS EN 1906 has not been designated as a harmonised product standard under the Construction Products Directive and therefore CE marking of such lever handles and knobs is NOT permitted.