EP1583878A1

EP1583878A1 - Burglar-proof cylinder lock

Info

Publication number: EP1583878A1
Application number: EP04702378A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Deo Errani
Original assignee: CISA SpA
Current assignee: CISA SpA
Priority date: 2003-01-16
Filing date: 2004-01-15
Publication date: 2005-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-15
Also published as: ES2318265T3; WO2004063499A1; ZA200504956B; ATE419443T1; RU2005125920A; RU2361989C2; ITBO20030006U1; EP1583878B1; DE602004018744D1

Abstract

An anti-lock-picking or burglar-proof cylinder lock, of the type that comprises a body that is composed of two mutually coaxial cylindrical 5 bushes (6, 7) divided by a gap (4) and provided with respective radial expansions (10, 11) that lie on a radial plane with respect to the bushes (6, 7), respective plugs (8, 9) for actuating a bit (5) that rotates in the gap (4) being accommodated rotatably in the bushes (6, 7), the radial expansions (10, 11) being connected by a bridge-like portion (15); the lock further 10 comprises a receptacle (25) that is provided in the radial expansions (10, 11) and in which the longitudinal central plane is co-planar with respect to the radial plane, a plurality of laminations (20) being rigidly coupled by way of their opposite ends in the receptacle (25), each one of the laminations (20) that belong to the set of multiple laminations being made of a respective 15 material that has a specific mechanical strength and a specific behavior with respect to elastic and plastic deformation, each one of the sets of multiple laminations (20) being constituted by one of the possible combinations of laminations (20) of different materials.

Description

BURGLAR- PROOF CYLINDER LOCK

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an anti-lock-picking or burglar-proof cylinder lock, the body of which incorporates a f ame for reinforcement against break-in attempts performed by forcing. Background Art

As it is known, a cylinder lock is used to operate the latch and/or bolt of the actual lock. For this purpose, the cylinder lock is inserted in a receptacle that passes through the door and the actual lock, and is fixed so that the bit can actuate the latch and/or the bolt either directly or by means of appropriate lever systems.

The lock is fixed in the receptacle by means of a screw that engages a threaded hole formed in the radial expansion of the body of the cylinder lock at the bit and is driven through the front edge of the door. Since this hole is located in a bridge-shaped region of the radial expansion that is already inherently weakened by the milling required to apply the bit, there is the drawback that if the lock is gripped with a suitable break-in tool and a flexural and torsional force is applied, it is possible to break the lock in half and extract the corresponding fragment. In this manner, it is possible to access the latch and the bolt and therefore open the door fraudulently.

In order to obviate this drawback, various solutions have been proposed, including German patent 2210717 and German patent OS3817940. German patent 2210717 provides for the insertion of a reinforcement in a receptacle provided in the central region of the bridge on the opposite side with respect to the bit; said reinforcement surrounds at a distance the hole in which the lock is fixed. Despite this precaution, the bridge region that is directed toward the bit is not adequately reinforced to withstand traction and torsional stresses and therefore is subject to breakage. This problem is solved partially by German patent OS3817940, which provides for a seat that accommodates a reinforcement frame. This solution, in addition to having a considerable constructive complexity, has proved to be inadequate for effective protection against break-in attempts. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to obviate the cited drawbacks and meet the mentioned requirements of known cylinder locks, by providing a burglar-proof cylinder lock that is capable of withstanding break-in attempts effectively. Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a structure that is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost.

This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present burglar-proof cylinder lock, of the type that comprises a body that is composed of two mutually coaxial cylindrical bushes divided by a gap and provided with respective radial expansions that lie on a radial plane with respect to said bushes, respective plugs for actuating a bit that rotates in said gap being accommodated rotatably in said bushes, said radial expansions being connected by a bridge- like portion, characterized in that it comprises a receptacle that is provided in said radial expansions and in which the longitudinal central plane is co- planar with respect to said radial plane, a plurality of laminations being rigidly coupled by means of their opposite ends in said receptacle, and in that each one of the laminations that belong to said set of multiple laminations is made of a respective material that has a specific mechanical strength and a specific behavior with respect to elastic and plastic deformation, each one of said sets of multiple laminations being constituted by one of the possible combinations of laminations of different materials. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a burglar-proof cylinder lock according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional view, taken along a central longitudinal radial plane of said lock according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of said lock, showing the receptacle of said set of multiple laminations; Figure 4 is a front view of one of said sets of multiple laminations;

Figure 5 is a side view of said set of multiple laminations of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of a second embodiment of said set of multiple laminations of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a front view of a third embodiment of said set of multiple laminations of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a sectional view of a cylinder lock, taken along a transverse central plane, in which a fourth embodiment of said set of multiple laminations closed by a reinforcement element is inserted;

Figure 9 is a sectional view, taken along the line IX-IX of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a sectional view, taken along the line X-X of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a sectional view, taken along the line XI-XI of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a bottom view of Figure 9;

Figure 13 is a view of the fourth embodiment of the set of multiple laminations to be inserted in the receptacle of Figure 9; Figure 14 is a front view of the reinforcement element inserted in the receptacle of Figure 9;

Figure 15 is a top view of the reinforcement element. Ways of carrying out the Invention

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a burglar-proof cylinder lock according to the invention. The lock 1 is constituted by two halves 2 and 3 that are arranged so that a gap 4 remains between them; a bit 5 is arranged rotatably in the gap.

Each half 2 and 3 comprises a bush, designated by the reference numerals 6 and 7 respectively, inside which plugs 8 and 9 are accommodated rotatably.

The bushes 6 and 7 are mutually coaxial, and respective radial expansions 10 and 11 protrude from them and lie on the same longitudinal radial plane as the bushes 6 and 7.

The mutually opposite ends of the plugs 8 and 9 protrude into the gap 4, and the bit 5 is rotatably coupled thereto by means of an annular portion 5a.

Top pins 13 and bottom pins 14 are arranged in the plugs 8 and 9 and in the radial expansions 10 and 11; when they are mutually aligned by the key inserted in the channels formed in the plugs 8 and 9, said top and bottom pins allow the rotation of said plugs and therefore allow the movement of the bit 5. The components of the lock that relate to the mechanism for actuating the bit 5 are not described further, since they are fully conventional and not related to the inventive concept of the present invention. In accordance with the present invention, the inventive concept in fact relates to the reinforcement of the radial expansions and particularly of a bridge-like portion 15 that rigidly connects the two halves 2 and 3 at the distance that defines the gap 4 and on which, in the central region, a hole 16 for fixing to the door is provided. The reinforcement is provided by a set of multiple laminations 20 arranged in a pack. The set of multiple laminations 20, as shown in Figure 4, has a rectangular flat shape and is made of a material that withstands torsion and traction mechanical stresses, as might occur in case of break-in attempts. More precisely, the laminations can be made of different materials with different mechanical properties: materials that are highly resistant and nondeformable (and therefore break above their maximum stress level) and materials that have a lower mechanical strength but are plastically deformable (i.e., undergo deformation when they are subjected to stresses without breaking within the range of the stresses to which they can be subjected inside the lock).

The combination of the various types of lamination to constitute a single lamination pack provides an extremely effective reinforcement, since it combines the properties of the various materials, making it extremely difficult to break the lamination pack and accordingly extract the half (2 or 3) on which the burglar is working.

Preferably, the pack-like arrangement of the set of multiple laminations 20 is provided by combining a part constituted by tempered steel laminations 20, suitable to respond effectively to traction stresses, with other laminations made of stainless steel, suitable to respond in an optimum manner to torsional stresses.

The set of multiple laminations 20 arranged in a pack is inserted in a receptacle 25 that is rectangular, is formed at the radial expansions 10 and 11, and has a central longitudinal plane that is co-planar with respect to the longitudinal radial plane of the bushes 6 and 7. Retention of the set of multiple laminations 20 in the receptacle 25 is ensured by means of pins 26 and 27 that are inserted in holes 28 and 29 that are formed in the expansions 10 and 11 and pass through the opposite ends 21a and 21b of a slot 21. Conveniently, the pins 26 and 27 also are made of a material that is particularly resistant to traction and torsional stresses. The radial expansions 10 and 11 have, at the bridge-like portion 15, a hole 16 through which the through screw for fixing to the door is inserted.

It has thus been shown that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects. In particular, the fact is stressed that the set of multiple laminations 20 provides a qualitatively substantial reinforcement frame that rigidly connects the two halves 2 and 3 and further provides a considerable reinforcement at the bridge-like portion 15, which is the most fragile region of the lock 1.

An advantage of the present invention in the composition of the laminations 20 in a pack is the possibility to alternate laminations 20 made of tempered steel (or other material having similar mechanical characteristics) with other laminations 20 made of stainless steel (or other material having similar mechanical characteristics), so that the former respond effectively to traction stresses and the latter respond to torsional stresses. Another advantage of the present invention is that the plurality of laminations 20 arranged in a pack act as an abutment for the springs that actuate the bottom pins 14 and the top pins 13.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

A second embodiment and a third embodiment relate to the set of multiple laminations 20 described in the respective Figures 6 and 7.

In particular, Figure 6 illustrates a lamination 28 made of tempered steel that has, at its opposite ends with respect to the set of multiple laminations 20 of Figure 5, two recesses 29 and 30 that form respective steps 31 and 32; Figure 7 instead illustrates a lamination 33 that is longer than the lamination 28. The lamination 33 is made of stainless steel and has eyes 34 and 35 at its two ends.

One or more of the laminations 28 and 33 are arranged in a pack and are inserted in the receptacle 25 and fixed therein not only by means of the pins 26 and 27 but also by using other pins 37 and 38 that are inserted in respective holes formed in the expansions 10 and 11 that pass through the eyes 34 and 35 and through the recesses 29 and 30.

Advantageously, this embodiment of the laminations 28 and 33, thanks to their different length, allows to better distribute the forces produced by stresses among a plurality of pins and a plurality of laminations.

A fourth embodiment, described in Figures 8 to 15, consists of a set of multiple laminations 40 made of tempered steel and stainless steel that are I-shaped, are formed at the radial expansions 10 and 11, and have a longitudinal central plane that is co-planar with respect to the longitudinal radial plane of the bushes 6 and 7.

Retention of the set of multiple laminations 40 in a receptacle 42 is ensured by way of an I-shaped reinforcement 43, shown in Figures 14 and 15, which is inserted with an interlocking coupling in the receptacle 42. The reinforcement 43 is conveniently made of strong material and has, in the central region, a hole 44 that in the interlocking coupling with the receptacle 42 mates perfectly with the hole 16 of the radial expansions so as to allow the passage of the screw for fixing to the door. In this embodiment, the packed laminations 40 provide an excellent reinforcement at the bridge-like portion 15 that is directed toward the bit 5, said portion being one of the most fragile points of the lock 1. Likewise, the reinforcement 43 and the set of multiple laminations 40, in addition to constituting a qualitatively substantial protection of the radial expansions against stresses, helps to keep them connected if the bridge-like portion, being very fragile, breaks during a break-in attempt.

An advantage of the fourth embodiment according to the invention is constituted by the fact that the set of multiple laminations 40 acts as an abutment for the springs that actuate the bottom pins 14 and the top pins 13. All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.

In the embodiments cited above, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other embodiments. In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the protective scope of the appended claims.

The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. BO2003U000006, from which this application claims priority, are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A burglar-proof cylinder lock, of the type that comprises a body that is composed of two mutually coaxial cylindrical bushes (6, 7) divided by a gap (4) and provided with respective radial expansions (10, 11) that lie on a radial plane with respect to said bushes (6, 7), respective plugs (8, 9) for actuating a bit (5) that rotates in said gap (4) being accommodated rotatably in said bushes (6, 7), said radial expansions (10, 11) being connected by a bridge-like portion (15), characterized in that it comprises a receptacle (25) that is provided in said radial expansions (10, 11) and in which the longitudinal central plane is co-planar with respect to said radial plane, a plurality of laminations (20) being rigidly coupled by way of their opposite ends in said receptacle (25), and in that each one of the laminations (20) that belong to said set of multiple laminations is made of a respective material that has a specific mechanical strength and a specific behavior with respect to elastic and plastic deformation, each one of said sets of multiple laminations (20) being constituted by one of the possible combinations of laminations (20) of different materials.

2. The lock according to claim 1, characterized in that a fraction of said set of multiple laminations (20) is made of a material such as tempered steel and a second fraction is made of a material such as stainless steel.

3. The lock according to claim 1, characterized in that said set of multiple laminations (20) arranged in a pack is substantially rectangular and has a slot (21) that runs longitudinally and has mutually opposite engagement ends for fixing pins (26, 27), said slot (21) being provided, in a central region, with an expansion (21c) for the engagement of the fixing screw of said lock.

4. The lock according to claim 1, characterized in that said set of multiple laminations (20) arranged in a pack is substantially rectangular and is provided with three holes (16, 28, 29) that are longitudinally aligned, the two lateral holes (28, 29) being provided for engagement by locking pins (26, 27), the central hole (16) being provided for the engagement of the fixing screw of said lock.

5. The lock according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said laminations (20) made of tempered steel have, at their opposite ends, recesses (29, 30) that are suitable to receive fixing pins (26, 27).

6. The lock according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said laminations (20) made of stainless steel have, at their opposite ends, eyes (34, 35) that are designed to be crossed by pins (26, 27).

7. The lock according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said laminations (20) made of stainless steel are longer than said laminations (20) made of tempered steel.

8. The lock according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seat (25) is rectangular.

9. The lock according to claim 1, characterized in that said laminations (20) are substantially I-shaped and can be made of a material such as tempered steel and of a material such as stainless steel.

10. The lock according to claims 1 and 9, characterized in that said laminations (20) are accommodated in said receptacle (25) on the side directed toward said gap (4).

11. The lock according to claims 1 and 9, characterized in that said receptacle (25) is substantially I-shaped.

12. The lock according to claims 1, 9 and 10, characterized in that said laminations (20) are coupled in said receptacle (25) by a reinforcement

(43) that is applied in said receptacle (25) and is substantially I-shaped.