GB2465835A

GB2465835A - Spindle for an escape lock

Info

Publication number: GB2465835A
Application number: GB0822193A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive James Smith
Original assignee: HOPPE
Current assignee: HOPPE
Priority date: 2008-12-05
Filing date: 2008-12-05
Publication date: 2010-06-09
Also published as: GB0822193D0

Abstract

An escape lock for a closure (1 Fig 1) has a split in line follower (two followers - 4, 6) arranged coaxially on a spindle that projects from the closure for mounting a handle (16) on the inside of the closure for operating the escape lock. The spindle has a first part 20 and a second part 22 that are connected together via a coupling bolt 24. The spindle is axially retained by an abutment 28 on the second part 22 that prevents the spindle being withdrawn. The bolt 24 may have a shank 38 which engages with the internally threaded bore 30 of the second part 22. The bolt 24 is concealed by the handle and held in place with a grub screw (18). Also claimed is an escape lock using a three part spindle and a method for retrofitting a lock by replacing the existing spindle with a new spindle. In an emergency, for example a fire, the escape lock allows the lock and latch to be operated from inside without having to unlock the lock mechanism.

Description

ESCAPE LOCK

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to escape locks.

Escape locks are commonly provided at an exit point of a building, usually in a door or possibly a window, to enable the occupants to escape in an emergency, for example in the event of a fire. Typically, escape locks provided in a door are operable by means of a key from the outside of the door to lock the door and from the inside by an actuator such as a lever handle that can be operated to unlock and open the door in an emergency without the key.

The known escape locks of this type generally have two followers, often referred to as a "split" follower, where one of the followers operates a latch and the other operates a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism may be a single point lock such as a deadbolt or a multi-point locking mechanism such as an espagnolette or a combination thereof.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of the known escape locks and preferably seeks to provide an escape lock in which the operation is altered compared to existing escape locks as well as to parts for use in such an escape lock and a method of adapting an escape lock using such parts.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a spindle for an escape lock having a split in-line follower for operating a locking means and a latch means, in which the spindle comprises a first part, a second part, and coupling means connecting the first and second parts, the first part being connectable to an operating means for rotating the spindle, and the second part being adapted to locate the spindle relative to the escape lock mechanism wherein, the follower is responsive to rotation of the spindle to operate the escape lock.

The spindle in accordance with the first aspect of the invention enables a standard escape lock to be adapted for operation from one side of a closure only. Thus simply by changing the spindle, the escape lock may be adapted for operation from an inside of the closure.

The coupling means enables the first part of the spindle to be connected to the second part once the escape lock has been fitted in the closure and the second part axially retains the spindle in position until the coupling means is released.

Preferably, the first part has an axial bore and the coupling means comprises a fastener, for example a bolt, having a threaded shank that extends through the bore to engage a tapped bore in the second part such that tightening the fastener secures the first part to the second part.

Preferably, the second part is provided with an abutment means for locating the spindle relative to the escape lock mechanism. The abutment means may comprise an enlarged head arranged on the side of the follower remote from the operating means. In this way, the spindle cannot be pulled out of the escape lock mechanism when the first and second parts are connected by the coupling means.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an escape lock for a closure having an inside and an outside, the lock comprising: a locking means; a latch means; a split in-line follower for operating the locking means and latch means; a spindle comprising a first part, a second part and a coupling means connecting the first and second parts; wherein the first part is connectable to an internal operating means on the inside of the closure and the second part is adapted to locate the spindle relative to the follower; and wherein the follower is responsive to rotation of the spindle by the internal operating means to operate the escape lock.

The escape lock in accordance with the second aspect of the invention can be located within the closure for operation from the inside of the closure such that no door furniture is located on an outside of the closure.

According to a third aspect there is provided a closure incorporating an escape lock according to the second aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of converting a key operated escape lock mechanism comprising a locking means, a latch means, a split in-line follower and a first spindle operable by means of a key from the outside of a closure and by an internal operating means from the inside of the closure to be operable only from the inside of the door, the method comprising replacing the first spindle with a second spindle having a first part connectable to the internal operating means, and a second part connected to the first part by coupling means such that both first and second parts of the spindle are rotatable by the internal operating means to operate the locking means and the latch means, and wherein the first part is adapted to locate the spindle relative to the escape lock mechanism such that the spindle is axially retained in position until the coupling means is released.

The invention will now be described by way of example Only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross section through a door incorporating an escape lock and spindle in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the spindle shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section through a door incorporating an escape lock and spindle in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is an exploded view of the spindle shown in Figure 3.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, Figure 1 shows part of a final exit closure such as a door 1 provided with an escape lock according to a first embodiment of the invention for opening the closure in an emergency.

The escape lock has a pair of followers 4 and 6 for operating a locking means and a latch means respectively (not shown). The followers 4 and 6 are arranged coaxially within a lock casing 2 between opposed walls of the casing 2 on a spindle generally indicated at 8.

Confronting faces of the followers 4 and 6 define a split line 10 located centrally within the casing 2. In this embodiment the locking means is a deadlock but this is not essential and any type of locking mechanism may be employed as will be familiar to those skilled in the art.

The door 1 has an inside 12 and an outside 14 and the escape lock is operable from the inside 12 only by a lever handle 16 mounted on the spindle 8 and secured by a grub screw 18. The escape lock is not operable from the outside 14 and, as shown, no part of the escape lock is accessible from the outside 14 of the door.

As can be more clearly seen in Figure 2, the spindle 8 has a first part 20, a second part 22 and a bolt 24. The first part 20 comprises an elongate body of square cross-section having an axial through bore 26. The second part 22 comprises a shorter body of square cross-section matching that of the first part 20 and an enlarged annular head 28. The second part 22 has an internally threaded axial through bore 30.

The followers 4, 6 have respective axially aligned through holes 32, 34 complementary to the square-section of the bodies of the first and second parts 20, 22 of the spindle 8. The holes 32, 34 are aligned with clearance openings in the inner and outer side walls 2a, 2b of the lock casing 2.

The body of the second part 22 is a push-fit through the clearance opening in the outer side wall 2b to locate the body in the through hole 34 of the follower 6 and to seat the enlarged head 28 against the outer side wall 2b of the lock casing 2. The side wall 2b may be recessed so that the head 28 of the second part 22 is flush with the outer surface of the side wall 2b.

The lock casing 2 can then be inserted into a suitable opening cut in the side edge of the door 1 between the inside 12 and the outside 14 to align the clearance opening in the inner side wall 2a with a hole 36 in the door through which the first part 20 of the spindle 8 can be inserted to locate in the through hole 32 of the follower 4.

The first part 20 can be inserted until the end face of the body abuts the end face of the body of the second part 22. As shown in Figure 1, the end faces meet at the split line 10 of the followers 4, 6 but this is not essential and the end faces could meet at other positions within the followers 4, 6.

The bolt 24 has a square head 36 matching the cross-section of the body of the first part 20 of the spindle 8 and an externally threaded shank 38 that is a clearance fit in the bore 26 of the first part and is complementary to the internally threaded bore 30 of the second part 22.

The first part 20 of the spindle is secured to the second part 22 by inserting the shank 38 of the bolt 24 through the oversize bore 26 of the first part to engage the internally threaded bore 30 of the second part.

The axial length of the shank 38 is the same or slightly less than the combined axial length of the bores 26 and 30. Thus, when the bolt 24 is tightened to secure the spindle parts 20, 22 together, the head 36 engages the end of the first part 20 of the spindle and the end of the shank 38 is flush with or recessed within the end of the bore 30 in the second part 22 of the spindle as shown in Figure 1. As a result, the spindle 8 is anchored in position and cannot be axially withdrawn from the escape lock without releasing the bolt 24.

To assist tightening the bolt 24, the head 36 has a slot 40 for engagement by a flat blade screwdriver. In a modification, the cross-slot may be replaced or incorporated in a cross-slot for a "posi-drive" screwdriver.

In another modification, the head 36 of the bolt may be of annular shape smaller than the square-section of the first part 20 of the spindle 8. In this way, alignment of the head 36 with the first part 20 of the spindle in the tightened condition is not required.

After the first part of the spindle 20 has been secured to the second part 22, the end of the spindle 8 projecting from the inside of the door can be inserted in an axial bore 42 of complementary cross-section in the handle 16 and grub screw 18 located in a transverse bore 44 in the handle 16 tightened to engage the first part 20 of the spindle 8 and secure the handle 16 to the door.

In this embodiment, a face plate 46 is provided to conceal the opening in the door and the handle 16 is rotatable relative to the face plate 46 to rotate the spindle 8 which in turn rotates the followers 4, 6 to operate the locking means and latch means and allow the door to be opened. The handle 16 may be a lever or a knob or any other suitable operating member.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, there is shown an escape lock according to a second embodiment of the invention in which like reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts.

In this embodiment, the head 28 of the second part 22 is of increased diameter and is provided with a pair of internally threaded bosses 48, 50.

The bosses 48, 50 are positioned on opposite sides of the body of the spindle and are arranged to receive bolts (not shown) inserted from the inside of the door to secure the second part in position. In other respects the construction and operation of the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment and will be understood from the description of the first embodiment.

As will be appreciated, the two-part Construction of the spindle with the bolt connecting the parts enables the spindle to be assembled after the lock casing has been inserted in the door so as to axially retain the spindle in position for mounting the handle on the inside of the door. In this way a conventional escape lock suitable for use with a key mechanism on the outside of the door may be adapted and utiliseci in a door for operation from the inside of the door only by employing the spindle above-described in place of a conventional spindle. No other modifications need be made, thus providing a simple adaptation of the escape lock.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A spindle for an escape lock having a split in-line follower for operating a locking means and a latch means, in which the spindle comprises a first part, a second part, and coupling means connecting the first and second parts, the first part being connectable to an operating means for rotating the spindle, and the second part being adapted to locate the spindle relative to the escape lock mechanism wherein, the follower is responsive to rotation of the spindle to operate the escape lock.
2. A spindle according to claim 1 wherein, the coupling means enables the first part of the spindle to be connected to the second part once the escape lock has been fitted in the closure and the second part axially retains the spindle in position until the coupling means is released.
3. A spindle according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein, the first part has an axial bore and the coupling means comprises a fastener having a threaded shank that extends through the bore to engage the second part such that tightening the fastener secures the first part to the second part.20. . .
4. A spindle according to claim 3 wherein, the fastener comprises a threaded bolt engageable with a tapped bore of the second part.S * S S * S.
5. A spindle according to any preceding claim wherein, the second part is provided with an abutment means for locating the spindle relative to the escape lock mechanism.
6. A spindle according to claim 5 wherein, the abutment means retains the spindle in the escape lock mechanism when the first and second parts are connected by the coupling means.
7. A spindle according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein, the abutment means comprises an enlarged head arranged on the side of the follower remote from the operating means.
8. A spindle for an escape lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
9. A spindle for an escape lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
10. An escape lock provided with a spindle according to any of the preceding claims.
11. An escape lock for a closure having an inside and an outside, the lock comprising: a locking means; a latch means; a follower for operating the locking means and latch means; a spindle comprising a first part, a second part and a coupling ::::. means connecting the first and second parts; wherein the first part is connectable to an internal operating means *:*. on the inside of the closure and the second part is adapted to locate the spindle relative to the follower; and wherein the follower is responsive to rotation of the spindle by the internal operating means to operate the escape lock.
12. An escape lock according to claim 11 wherein the follower has a first part for operating the locking means and a second part for operating the latch means.
13. An escape lock according to claim 12 wherein the first and second parts are arranged coaxially on the spindle.
14. An escape lock according to any of claims 10 to 12 wherein, in use, the escape lock is operable from the inside of the closure only.
15. A closure incorporating an escape lock according to any of claims 10 to 14.
16. A method of converting a key operated escape lock mechanism comprising a locking means, a latch means, a split in-line follower and a first spindle operable by means of a key from the outside of a closure and by an internal operating means from the inside of the closure to be operable only from the inside of the door, the method comprising replacing the first spindle with a second spindle having a first part connectable to the internal operating means, and a second part connected to the first part by coupling means such that both first and second parts of the spindle are rotatable by the internal operating means to operate the locking means and the latch means, and wherein the first part is adapted *:: to locate the spindle relative to the escape lock mechanism such that the spindle is axially retained in position until the coupling means is released. * . * . S S.*:*
17. A method according to claim 16 wherein, the spindle is located relative to the escape lock mechanism on that side of the escape lock *..: mechanism remote from the internal operating means.
18. A method according to claim 16 or claim 7 wherein the split in-line follower comprises a first part for operating the locking means and a second part for operating the latch means.
19. A method of converting a key operated escape lock mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
20. A method of converting a key operated escape lock mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. 0* * * . * * S * *I * * S S * 0SS*S..S* * S 5..S S...