EP0932739B1

EP0932739B1 - Locking device

Info

Publication number: EP0932739B1
Application number: EP97909787A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Torbjörn BLOMQVIST
Original assignee: Teknoskand Invent AB
Current assignee: Teknoskand Invent AB
Priority date: 1996-10-16
Filing date: 1997-10-06
Publication date: 2003-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-06
Also published as: EP0932739A1; NO991144L; AU4730997A; NO991144D0; NO311949B1; DK0932739T3; SE9603821L; DE69718660D1; WO1998016707A1; DE69718660T2; SE9603821D0; SE507528C2

Description

The present invention relates to a locking device of the type described in more detail in the preamble of patent claim 1.

Locking devices of this type, particularly called espagnolett locks, are known already through e g DK-B-161 393. A lock house is known through this document, having lock rods, which protrude from the lock house in mutually opposite directions and the ends of which, which are positioned in the lock house, cooperate with and are influenced by meshing means to be pushed outwards/pulled inwards, which means in their turn are influenced by a projection on a carrier, which is mounted on rotary shaft, which constitutes a portion of a handle. A similar device is shown in DE 2419653 A1.

Such a locking device lacks primarily a translational double action, known per se, namely an action in which the two lock rods are pulled inwards and are pulled outwards respectively simultaneously. The travelling distance for the locking device is relatively short, since the pivoting angle is limited to about 45° in order to attain a larger travelling distance for the lock de-vice the dimensions of the locking device must be increased. Also, the assembly of such a locking device, is complicated, since the carrier means do not permit the meshing means to be pushed past it.

Consequently, it is necessary to initially mount the meshing means and subsequently the carrier means, which means, that the house during the mounting has to be open in the translational direction. This obviously is a drawback as far as the manufacturing and mounting go and the manufacturing and mounting will be complicated and expensive and the modification possibilities are limited, e g as regards varying lengths. The conditions involved, when the meshing means are designed as a separate unit, also make the manufacturing and mounting complicated and expensive.

One object of the present invention is to improve and develop this already known locking device, primarily in the above-mentioned respects. Another object is to also generally and in additional respects contribute to the state of the art in this technical field.

These objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by designing a locking device of the type described in the introduction mainly in the way set forth in the characterizing clause of patent claim 1.

Additional characterizing features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following description, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, which show a few preferred but not limiting embodiments, in which drawing:

Fig 1: is a partially open partial lateral view of a complete locking device according to the present invention along line I-I in Fig 3;
Fig 2: is a view of the lock house from below in Fig 1;
Fig 3: is a view of the lock house from above in Fig 1;
Fig 4: is a cut open view of the lock house, corresponding to Fig 1, but the carrier means are in a position allowing the mounting of the lock rods;
Fig 5: is a view of the lock house from the left in Fig 4 without the carrier means;
Fig 6: is a view according to Fig 1 and 4 respectively, the carrier means being positioned in the locking position;
Fig 7: is a view, which corresponds to Fig 6 in a partially open position;
Fig 8: is a view, which corresponds to Fig 6 in a completely open position;
Fig 9: is a view from the right in Fig 7 without locking rods;
Fig 10: is a view from the left in Fig 7 without locking rods;
Fig 11: is a sectional view along line XI-XI in Fig 10;
Figs 12-22: are views, which correspond to Figs. 1-11, of a modified design of a locking device according to the invention;
Fig 23: is a view of the two lock rods seen from above in Fig 1; and
Fig 24: the two lock rods seen from above in Fig 23.

In the drawings a device 1 according to the present invention is shown in its entirety. It comprises seven main parts, namely a lock house 2 and two

carriers

3 and 4, which jointly constitute carrier means provided with two

lock rods

5 and 6, which protrude from the lock house in mutually opposite directions.

Lock house 2 suitable is made of thin sheet steel, which primarily as a flat work piece can be provided with necessary punchings, embossings etc and the work piece can then be bent to the final U-shape having softly rounded corners according to Fig 5. Thus, the house has a web 7 and two

opposite walls

8 and 9. Web 7 is in a central position in the longitudinal direction of the house provided with a plane-parallel bulging 10 having a depth, which roughly corresponds to the radius of carrier pins, which will be described in the following text. The purpose of the bulging is to utilize the length of the stroke of said lock rods as much as possible and achieve maximal movements with a dimensioning, which is as small as possible respectively.

The web sections outside the bulging are each provided with a

guide tongue

11 and 12 respectively, made by means of a longitudinal punch cut and transversal punch cuts, located at the end, which will allow the guide tongues, obtained in this way, to be pressed into and towards the interior of the house, the longitudinal punch cuts and consequently also the free end of the guide tongues forming a guide surface, designed to guide the respective lock rod in a lateral direction between itself and house wall 8. A guided motion from above is obtained in a similar way by means of

tongues

13, 14, 15 and 16, mounted in wall 9, the free end edges of which after bending or pressing are facing web 7. It is of course possible to obtain such guided motions also in other ways, e g solely by embossing.

Also, wall 8 suitably is provided with a stop tongue 17 close to one of the end areas of its free longitudinal edge. The free end edge of this stop tongue, which is pressed roughly in a direction towards the other wall 9, is designed to limit the pivoting movement of carrier means 3, 4 away from web 7 in order to with certainty prevent, that the carriers, which are provided with teeth only along a portion of their circumference, will get out of gear in relation to each other.

With the same purpose tongue 14 and/or tongue 15 can, alternatively or additionally, constitute stop or limitation means for the closest tooth on

carrier

3 and 4 respectively, which tooth then will hit the one of the lateral edges of the respective tongue (see the right portion in Fig 4).

Finally,

walls

8 and 9 are provided with three

concentric holes

18, 19 and 20. Hole 18 is designed to receive an anchor bolt (not shown) for a handle (not shown) and the lock house. The anchor bolt has a second function, namely to operate with its portion, which is positioned in the house, as a pivoting restriction for primarily carrier 4 and consequently also the whole carrier means 3, 4. Hole 19 is designed to mount shaft 22 of carrier 4, whereas hole 20 in a corresponding fashion constitutes a mounting for shaft 21 and carrier 3.

A mounting aid can be obtained by means of a temporary or in some other way provisional stop for e g a sensible indication of a certain definite insertion position for the lock rods in the lock house, web 7 and/or the one wall 8 and/or at least one of

tongues

14 and 15 respectively and 11 and 12 respectively according to a possible solution being provided with a projection or the like (not shown). The insertion movement of the respective lock rod is then sensibly limited by said projection, in which position the carriers are pivoted into a meshing with the lock rods, after which the temporary holding or stop action of the projection is overcome by a small increase in the insertion force.

Carriers

3, 4 mesh with each other by means of

teeth

25 and 26 respectively, which are positioned along e g one third of the periphery of a roughly circular-cylindric base 23 and 24 respectively, which concentrically surrounds the respective shaft.

The one shaft 21 has a centric axial circular-cylindric through hole 27, designed to receive a second transversal through anchor bolt (not shown), designed to fix the house against a frame (not shown), which receives the entire locking device. The second shaft 22 has a non-rotational-symmetrical, e g square, through hole 28, designed to receive a conic handle shaft (not shown).

From the bases, which are slightly shorter than the shafts and fill the space between

walls

8 and 9, carrier arms 29, 30 protrude radially, the one side of which lies in the same plane as the respective base end, whereas the other side lies roughly within a center plane in relation to the axial extension of the base. This latter side and house wall 9, positioned opposite it, are designed to encase between then and guide the specially designed

inner ends

31, 32 of

lock rods

5, 6, which thus extend further than arms 29, 30, the free ends of which each have its

carrier pin

33 and 34 respectively, which protrude in a transversal direction. These pins are circular-cylindric and guide, via vertical guide grooves 35 and 36 respectively in their respective lock rod end or lock rod (see Figs 7, 8, 23, 24). The end profile of the lock rods around the guide groove is C-shaped and the inlet to the C-leg along the side of the lock rod has a preferably V-shaped dent 37 and 38 respectively, in which the one

leg

39 and 40 respectively in its lock position (Fig 6) extend roughly with an angle of 90° in relation to the respective longitudinal axis of the carrier arm. The dent has the same depth as the adjacent guide groove.

As is explained in the description regarding the drawings, Fig 4 shows the mounting position of the lock rods. In this position no anchor bolt has yet been introduced into hole 18.

When the lock rods have been inserted (Fig 6), the carrier arms are turned to such an extent, that the carrier arms move towards each other. When the position shown in Fig 6 has been reached, the one arm 30 with a projection 41, which slips during this movement, has passed hole 18 and the entire device can now be inserted into a back arch or the like and be locked in a position by inserting anchor bolts in

holes

18 and 27, in addition to which a handle can be installed by inserting a square shaft in hole 28. The anchor bolt in hole 18 now definitely prevents a backward motion to an off position according to Fig 4, since projection 41, when such a torsional moment takes place, hits the bolt in hole 18. Alternatively other position locking means can be used according to the description above and in the following description. In this locking position the carrier pins tangentially bear against

dent legs

39, 40 and it is impossible to push the lock rods towards each other without using the handle.

If the handle now is turned from its position shown in Fig 6, the carrier arms approaching each other and subsequently paralleling each other (Fig 7), the pins during this movement travel downwards in their guide grooves, the lock rods being carried along, which are displaced towards each other to a partly open position. This movement can then be continued to a position according to Fig 8, which is a fully open position, in which the lock rods suitable bear against each other. During this described final movement the pins travel backwards and upwards a small distance in the guide grooves.

Lock rods

5, 6 have at their ends at the frame preferably special-type hardened cases 42, which can be fastened to the rods by means of bolts (not shown), slipped through transversal holes 43. The cases suitably have oblique ends 44 and are U-shaped in a cross-section. The fastening in a frame part can be done by means of angle irons or the like 45, fastened to the cases, having through holes 46 designed to insert screws or the like.

In Figs 12-22 a modified embodiment is shown, in which all the analogue parts have been provided with prime signs. This embodiment includes a wall 9', which in the longitudinal direction continuously is chamfered outwards (see Fig 16) and downwards all the way to web 7' and bulging 10' respectively, which latter possibly can be replaced by a hole (not shown). Bulging 47, which is continuous in the longitudinal direction is designed to be used as a guide means for the lock rods. In this case the carrier arms can have the same thickness as bases 23', 24'. The carrier pins can, between their locking position and off position, be received by

recesses

48, 49 in the upper wall of the bulging and an adjacent portion of wall 9 respectively, which recesses also limit the pivoting movement of the carrier arms in the same way as tongue 17 does.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments, which have been described above and shown in the drawings. These embodiments are to be considered non-limiting as far as the scope of the inventive idea goes, defined in the following patent claims.

Claims

A locking device (1; 1') including a lock house (2; 2') carrier means, mounted in the lock house and comprising two carriers (3, 4; 3', 4'), which via teeth mesh with each other and carry out translational movements, as well as including two lock rods (5, 6; 5', 6'), which protrude from the lock house in mutually opposite directions and are connected to said carrier means, characterized in that said lock house (2; 2') is provided with guide and stop or limiting elements (11-16; 11'-16') for the carrier means as well as lock rods, which are used when the locking device is assembled as well as used, and in that the ends of the lock rods (5, 6; 5', 6'), which ends are positioned in the lock house (2; 2'), are designed as elements of the carrier means having guide grooves (35, 36;35', 36'), which are open in lateral direction and designed to receive guide pins (33, 34; 33', 34'), which protrude in a lateral direction from pivoting arms (29, 30; 29', 30'), mounted on the carriers (3, 4; 3', 4'), which pivoting arms are designed to pivot in a plane on the one side of the lock rods (5, 6; 5, 6) and past them.
A locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the house is made of thin sheet steel, which as a flat work piece primarily is provided with necessary punchings, embossings, etc, the work piece subsequently being bent to a final U-shape having softly rounded corners as well as a web (7) and two opposite walls (8) and (9), and in that said web (7) is provided, in a central position as regards the longitudinal direction of the house, with a plane-parallel bulging (10) having a depth, which roughly corresponds to the radius of tho guide pins (33, 34) or in that the one wall (9') is continuously chamfered outwards and laterally in the longitudinal direction all the way down to the web (7').
A locking device according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the web sections at the ends each are provided with a guide tongue (11 and 12 respectively), obtained by a transversal punch cut and transversal punch cuts, positioned at the ends, which punch cuts allow the guide tongues, obtained in this way to be pressed against the interior of the house, the longitudinal punch cuts, and consequently also the free ends of the guide tongues, forming a guide surface designed to guide the respective lock rod in a lateral direction between them and the one house wall (8).
A locking device according to any of claims 1-3, characterized by a restricted guidance from above by means of tongues (13, 14, 15, 16), mounted in the other wall (9), the free end edges of which after bending or insertion facing the web (7) and/or in that the one wall (8) is provided with a stop tongue (17) close to the one end edge of its free longitudinal edge, the free end edge of this stop tongue, which is to some extent inser ted towards the other wall (9), being designed to limit the pivoting movement of the carrier means (3, 4) away from the web (7) in order to prevent in a secure way, that the carriers, which only along a portion of their circumference are provided with teeth, get out of order in relation to each other, and/or that at least one of the tongues (14 and/or 15) constitutes a stop or restriction element for the tooth of the carrier (3 and 4 respectively), which is closest and is designed to hit the one lateral edge of the respective tongue.
A locking device according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the walls (8 and 9) are provided with three concentric holes (18, 19 and 20), of which the one hole (18) is designed to receive an anchor bolt for a handle and the lock house, in that the anchor bolt is to, as a second function, with its portion positioned in the house, function as a pivoting restriction for primarily the second carrier (4) and consequently the entire carrier means (3, 4), and in that the second hole (19) is designed to mount the shaft (22) of the carrier (4), whereas the third hole (20) in a corresponding way constitutes a mounting for the shaft (21) of the carrier (3).
A locking device according to any of claims 1-5, characterized by a mounting aid designed as a temporary or in any other way auxiliary stop, designed to e g sensibly indicate a certain definite insertion position for the lock rods in the lock house, the web (7) of which and/or the one wall (B) and/or at least the one of the tongues (14 and 15 respectively) and (11 and 12 respectively) being provided with a projection or the like, designed to sensibly restrict the insertion movement of the respective lock rod, in which position the carriers are to be pivoted into engagement with the lock rods in order to overcome the temporary holding or stop action of the projection due to a smaller increase in the insertion force.
A locking device according to any of claims 1-6, characterized in that the carriers (3, 4) mutually mesh by means of teeth (25 and 26), which are positioned along e g one third of the circumference of a roughly circular-cylindric base (23 and 24 respectively), which concentrically surrounds the respective shaft, in that the one shaft (21) has a centric axial circular- cylindric through hole (27), designed to receive a second trans-versally through anchor bolt, designed to fix the house against an arch, which receives the entire locking device, and in that the second shaft (22) has a non-rotation-symmetric, e g square, through hole (28), designed to receive a conical handle shaft.
A locking device according to any of claims 1-7, characterized in that from the bases, which are slightly shorter than the shafts and fill the distance between the wall (8 and 9) carrier arms (29, 30) radially extend outwards the one side of which lies in the same plane as the respective base end, whereas the other side lies roughly within a central plane in relation to the axial extension of the base, said lateral side and the opposite house wall (9) being designed to include between them and guide the specially designed inner ends (31, 32) of the lock rods (5, 6), which ends have been extended past the arms (2,9, 30), the free ends of which each have its transversally extending carrier pin (33 and 34 respectively), which pins are circular- cylindric and guide via vertical guide grooves (35 and 36 respectively) in a respective lock rod respectively.
A locking device according to any of claims 1-8, characterized in that the lock rod end profile around the guide groove is C-shaped, in that the inlet to the C-leg, positioned along the lock rod, has a preferably V-shaped dent (37 and 38 respectively), in which the one leg (39 and 40 respectively) in its lock position extends with an angle of roughly 90° in relation to the longitudinal shaft of the carrier arm, and in that said dent has the same depth as the adjacent guide groove.
A locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral longitudinally through bulging (47) is designed as guide means for the lock rods, in which case the carrier arms preferably have the same thickness as the bases (23', 24') and in that the carrier pins between the lock position and the free position are received by recesses (48, 49) in the upper wall of the bulging and in an adjacent portion of the other wall (9) respectively, which recesses also are designed to restrict the pivoting movement of the carrier arms.