EP0256430A1 - Device for cancelling the preset barring of operating a lock in case of failure - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism of this lock comprises a bar (8) which slides in a corridor (18) which, according to a predetermined time program, can be obstructed by an electromechanical locking device comprising a slide (11). The device described makes it possible to cancel this obstruction thanks to the presence of two pivoting members (43, 52) normally not coupled and one of which can be placed in the path of the bar (8) of the lock mechanism in order to be moved when the latter is actuated in the opening direction. The two pivoting members are associated with an irreversible coupling device (50, 57) which is triggered when a failure is detected to secure the two rotating members. The electromechanical locking device can then be manually rendered inoperative by an action in the direction of opening on the mechanism of the lock.

Description

The present invention relates to locks with a high degree of security, used in particular for closing protected enclosures such as safes and vaults of bank branches, for example.

To ensure greater security of protected enclosures whose content is of high value and also of the personnel responsible for using them, it is already known to add to code or high security key locks, devices which make it possible to open these locks only for periods of time programmed in advance, even if you have the code or the key (Anglo-Saxon name "Time Lock").

Thus, in European patent application no. 86 810 154.8 filed on March 8, 1986, a lock with conditional opening has been described, the operation of which is subject to a weekly program preferably stored in the memory of a microprocessor. This program defines time windows during which the opening ban is lifted. To this end, the lock mechanism can be locked or unlocked by means of an electromagnetically controlled locking member which receives its orders from the microprocessor. By blocking the operation of the lock mechanism, this body therefore imposes a ban which can only be lifted if the microprocessor finds that the current time coincides with a time window of the program fixed in advance.

The assembly of the electronics and the electromagnetic part of this lock is designed in such a way that the risk of breakdown is minimized, since a breakdown can have extremely annoying effects. For obvious reasons, the entire lock is mounted on the inside of the enclosure door so that if the failure occurs when the locking member blocks the lock mechanism, it will no longer be possible to open the door and to access the contents of the enclosure, you must then practice a breach by "violent" means which partially destroy it. It is an excessively expensive and dangerous operation, because the contents of the enclosure are then at least temporarily unprotected.

The object of the invention is to provide a coded lock with conditional opening which is free from this drawback.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for canceling, in the event of a breakdown, the prohibition on opening a code lock and with conditional opening, this lock comprising a lock mechanism, an electromagnetic blocking device of this lock mechanism and electronic control means capable of activating and deactivating the electromagnetic blocking device according to a predetermined time program, in order to authorize or prohibit the operation of the lock, this device being characterized in that it comprises detection means sensitive to a failure in said lock and means controlled by the detection means for, in response to the detection of a failure, establishing an irreversible mechanical coupling between said lock mechanism and said electromagnetic locking device, so that the operation of said locking mechanism makes it possible to render said electromagnetic locking device inoperative whatever its operating state at the time of detection of the fault.

Thus, thanks to the device according to the invention, the prohibition on opening disturbed by the failure is completely inhibited, while the unlocking can, if necessary, be carried out manually by actuation of the lock mechanism itself. However, the opening of the door of the protected enclosure remains subject to knowledge of the lock code or possession of the key so that the security of the content remains preserved although it is accessible at any time by authorized persons. However, the latter, aware of the malfunction, can remedy it as quickly as possible without having to partially destroy the walls or the enclosure door.

• - la figure 1 est une représentation schématique générale d'une serrure à code et à autorisation d'ouverture conditionnelle munie, selon l'invention, d'un dispositif manuel d'ouverture de secours;
• - la figure 2 est une représentation schématique, à plus grande échelle, des détails de la serrure importants pour la description de l'invention;
• - la figure 3 représente par une vue partielle en élévation le dispositif manuel d'ouverture de secours;
• - la figure 4 est une vue en coupe de ce dispositif de secours prise selon la ligne brisée IV - IV de la figure 3;
• - la figure 5 est une vue en coupe prise selon la ligne V - V de la figure 4;
• - la figure 6 est un schéma du circuit de déclenchement et de commande du dispositif de secours;
• - les figures 7a à 7f représentent d'une façon simplifiée plusieurs configurations possibles du dispositif de secours afin d'en illustrer le fonctionnement;
• - la figure 8 représente par une vue analogue à celle de la figure 4 une variante du dispositif de secours; et
• - la figure 9 est une vue en élévation de cette variante.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• - Figure 1 is a general schematic representation of a code lock and conditional opening authorization provided, according to the invention, a manual emergency opening device;
• - Figure 2 is a schematic representation, on a larger scale, of the details of the lock important for the description of the invention;
• - Figure 3 shows a partial elevational view of the manual emergency opening device;
• - Figure 4 is a sectional view of this backup device taken along the broken line IV - IV of Figure 3;
• - Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line V - V of Figure 4;
• - Figure 6 is a diagram of the tripping and control circuit of the backup device;
• - Figures 7a to 7f show in a simplified manner several possible configurations of the backup device to illustrate the operation;
• - Figure 8 shows a view similar to that of Figure 4 a variant of the backup device; and
• - Figure 9 is an elevational view of this variant.

Figure 1 to which we will now refer very schematically shows the interior fac of the door of a protected enclosure such as a safe, an armored room of bank branch or the like. The lock assembly of this enclosure being conventional, it is not useful to give here a detailed description or a complete representation. It suffices to note that this lock assembly 1 comprises a linkage 2 provided with bolts 3 and which can be moved from a locking position to an unlocking position and vice versa using a handwheel 4. A lock including the housing is shown in 5 and whose bolt is shown in 6 can be actuated using a conventional key through a keyhole 7, this lock can of course be provided with other coding means than a key also complex as we can wish in the context of security to ensure vis-à-vis the contents of the safe.

The bolt 6 cooperates with a bar 8 of the linkage 2, this bar being here slidably mounted in the horizontal direction and comprising a rack 9 with which a pinion 10 mounted on the flywheel 4 cooperates.

It is understood that the operation of the linkage 2 using the steering wheel 4 is prohibited when the lock is closed (bolt 6 in its high position, as shown).

As described in the aforementioned European patent application, the operation of this linkage 2 can be thwarted by a second locking element 11, the control of which determines the lifting of the ban on condition that the lock of the safe is opened. Indeed, although this is only shown very briefly in Figure 1, we see that the locking element 11 can move vertically and thus prevent sliding in the direction of opening of the linkage 2 by placing in front the end face 12 of the bar 8. The second locking element 11 is motorized and controlled by an electronic circuit 13 to which are connected on the one hand a control keyboard 14 and on the other hand a display device 15, the keyboard located inside the door, while the display device comprises two display fields appearing respectively on either side of the latter.

The locking element 11 is produced in the form of a slide mounted axially movable in a guide 16 of a frame 17 formed on the door of the safe (FIG. 2). This slide comprises two members mounted telescopically with respect to each other, namely a locking block 11a and a pusher 11b. The frame 17 also has a corridor 18 in which the bar 8 of the linkage 2 slides and on which the guide 16 opens so that the slide 11 can oppose the recoil movement of the bar 8 when leaving the guide 16 , it is placed across corridor 18.

This movement is controlled by an engine assembly 19 comprising an actual engine 20, a lever 21 articulated on the frame 17 and a cam 22 mounted on the output shaft of the engine 20 and provided an eccentric guide groove 23 in the form of an arc of a circle, groove in which slides a pin 24 integral with the lever 21. The lever 21 is attached by its free end to the lower end of the pusher 11b and like the pin 24 is located at half of the lever 21, it is understood that if the motor 20 is actuated, the lever can raise the slide 11 while the pin moves in the guide groove 23 and that the reverse movement causes the descent of this slide . It should be noted that when the bar 8 is in a position in which it closes the guide 16, the slide 11 can be urged towards its blocking position thanks to the presence of a spring 25 which is mounted around the pusher 11b and which normally keeps the slide in extension. However, in the case examined here, the spring 25 is compressed by the temporary shortening of the slide 11 when the motor 20 is driven in the direction of lifting of the latter. Consequently, when under these conditions, the bar returns to its closed position (to the right in the figure), the locking block 11a is immediately caused to be placed across the passage 18 to oppose any new movement in the direction of the opening of the bar 8, thanks to the relaxation of the spring 25.

The assembly just described further comprises four switches 26 to 29 which have the following functions:
- switch 26: it is placed below the guide 16 to note that the slide 11 is in its lower position;
- switch 27: it cooperates with cam 22 to provide a signal indicating the extreme positions of motor 20; therefore, when the switches 26 and 27 are closed, the slider is at the bottom and when the switch 26 is open and the switch 27 is closed, the slider is at the top (unless temporarily the bar 8 l ' prevents it).
- switch 28: it notes a "desire to open", that is to say that it is actuated by the rear end of the bar 8 to note that the steering wheel 4 has been moved in the direction of the opening, while the slide 11 is still in its high position;
- switch 29: he finds that the bar 8 is effectively in its rear position (boot open).

Figure 1 also very schematically shows the main components of the electronic control circuit 13. The keyboard 14 and the display device 15 form peripherals of a microprocessor 30A cooperating with a RAM / ROM memory 30B. The microprocessor generates, from the program stored in the latter, control signals which pass through an amplifier 31 to the motor 20.

The description which has just been given summarizes that of the aforementioned European patent application which can be referred to in order to understand how the microprocessor operates in order to carry out the hourly program for lifting the opening prohibition applied to lock 1.

It is understood that if a failure impedes the smooth running of the program and the lock is closed and blocked by the lock 11, there would be total impossibility of accessing the protected enclosure unless there is a violent fracture thereof.

Such a failure can be caused in particular by a malfunction of the microprocessor 30A, or by a deterioration of the electromechanical or mechanical components of the assembly represented in FIG. 2.

According to the invention, to remedy this problem, there is provided a device making it possible, in the event of a breakdown, to cancel the opening ban imposed by the slide 11. This device, which will now be described in detail by making reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, essentially comprises irreversible coupling means 32 (FIGS. 3 to 5) as well as a tripping and control circuit 33 which appears more particularly in FIG. 6.

The irreversible coupling means 32 are mounted between two plates 34 and 35 which are integral with the frame 17 (Figure 4). An electric drive motor 36 is mounted on the plate 34. It is coupled to a reduction gear train 37 mounted between the plates 34 and 35, the last mobile 38 of which is provided with a ratchet wheel 39. The latter cooperates with an anchor 40 pivotally mounted on the plate 35 and provided with two pins 41.

The mobile 38 is mounted for rotation on a first bearing 42 of a barrel 43, which is pivotally mounted in the plates 34 and 35.

The barrel 43 is mechanically connected to the mobile 38 by means of a helical spring 44 which is disposed in an annular housing 45 formed in this barrel coaxially with its pivot axis. This spring is attached to the mobile 38 at 46, on the one hand, and to the barrel 43 at 47, on the other hand.

The barrel also includes a spout 48 intended to be placed in the passage passage 18 of the bar 8 under certain operating conditions. This spout projects laterally from the body of the barrel 43. The latter also has a blind hole 49 whose axis is parallel to its axis of rotation and which opens at its upper end face. In this hole is mounted a coupling pin 50 urged outwards by a helical spring 51.

The barrel 43 also includes a second bearing which extends from the face to which the hole 49 opens. Around this second bearing is pivotally mounted an actuating lever 52 provided with an arm 53 which is intended to cooperate with a stud 54 fixed laterally in the latch 11.

A boss 55 formed on the plate 34 normally maintains this actuating lever 52 in a rest position thanks to a recess 56 provided opposite this boss in the lever. The latter also includes a notch 57 at the periphery of the part situated above the barrel 43, this notch being intended to cooperate with the coupling pin 50.

A stop 58 is provided on the plate 34 in order to limit the pivot angle of the barrel 43, when the latter is made to pivot under the action of the spring 44. This stop then cooperates with the spout 48.

FIG. 6 represents the electrical diagram of the circuit 33 for detecting failure and controlling the motor 36.

This circuit includes an oscillator 60 providing an output signal at a frequency of 16 kHz, for example, at the counting input 61 of a counter 62. The oscillator is permanently supplied by the power supply terminal 63 , through a conductor 64 which is also connected to the motor 36. The terminal 63 is connected to the batteries also supplying the microprocessor 30A, the memories 30B, the amplifier 31 and the motor 20. If however these batteries are at the end of their life, the terminal 63 is then connected to backup batteries, advantageously of the lithium type. The input 65 for resetting the counter 62 to zero is connected to a diode 66 in turn connected to an input terminal 67 of the circuit through a capacitor 68. This input terminal 67 is connected to the microprocessor 30A (FIG. 1 ).

The reset terminal 65 of the counter 62 is also connected at the junction between a capacitor 69 and a resistor 70, these components ensuring the initial reset of the counter when a new set of batteries is inserted in the lock.

The output terminal 71 of the counter is connected to a current regulator 72 which is connected to the motor 36 to limit the current to an acceptable value.

In the example shown, the current regulator 72 is triggered when the terminal 71 supplies a pulse of a predetermined duration, preferably chosen at two minutes.

The microprocessor 30A periodically emits a monitoring pulse, for example every minute, and applies it to the input terminal of the assembly 67. This results in each time the reset of the counter 62. If due to a failure , the microprocessor stops transmitting the monitoring pulses, the counter 62 is no longer reset to zero before the output terminal 71 delivers a pulse. In other words, in the example described here, after two minutes, the current regulator 72 is triggered and the motor 36 powered.

Referring to FIG. 7, the operation of the irreversible coupling means described above will be described below, it being understood that the diagrams are simplified in particular as regards the slide 11.

Figures 7a and 7b show the configuration of these coupling means in the absence of a breakdown, respectively when the lock is blocked during an opening prohibition window and unlocked during a lifting window. opening ban. These time windows are determined in accordance with the procedures described in the aforementioned European patent application.

In the case of FIG. 7a, the slider 11 maintained in its high position by the lever 21 (FIG. 2) opposes the sliding of the bar 8 in the direction of the opening (that is to say towards the left in the figure). On the other hand, in FIG. 7b, the motor 20 has been controlled by the microprocessor 30A, which allows the descent of the slide 11 to its erased position away from the corridor 18. The bar 8 can then freely slide to the left to allow the opening of the lock, after actuation, by an authorized person, of the lock 7. It will be noted that the barrel 43 and the lever 52 remain stationary and keep a well defined relative position in which they are not integral in rotation l from one another, the pin 50 being in abutment on the face of the lever 52 contiguous to the barrel 43, away from the notch 57.

There are basically two ways to break down.

First, it can occur at the microprocessor 30A. It may be, for example, that due to a deterioration of its circuit, it permanently executes the same subroutine without being able to return to the main program. In this case, the monitoring pulse normally emitted every minute and applied to terminal 67 disappears, which triggers the operation of circuit 33 as described above.

Furthermore, normally the microprocessor receives from switches 26 to 29 a receipt for the proper execution of the operations that they are responsible for monitoring. They can therefore indicate to the microprocessor 30A that a mechanical part is not in its correct position, for example. This is the case with the switch 26, which informs the microprocessor 30A of the low position of the slide 11. If the downward movement of the latter does not occur, for example due to a jamming in the corridor 16, the microprocessor 30A observes the absence of the appropriate signal from the switch 26 and its program then causes it to interrupt the application of the monitoring pulses at terminal 67.

In both cases of failure, this results in the irreversible coupling of the bar 8 and the slider 11 whatever the position of the bar 8 in the corridor 18.

In FIG. 7c, it has been assumed that the bar 8 is in a position in which an opening request is made by the operator. This request was noted by the closing of the switch 28 (FIG. 3) and was recorded by the microprocessor 30A. It is assumed that when the request is made, the opening authorization window has not yet started. The slide 11 therefore prohibits the opening of the lock.

If, under these conditions, the microprocessor fails, the slide 11 remains in its high position even if the normal time is at the start of the opening window or for the duration thereof.

However, due to its malfunction, the microprocessor stops supplying its monitoring pulses, so that during the period of maximum two minutes after the start of the fault, the trigger and control circuit 33 begins to power the motor 36, because the counter 62 will manage to reach a position in which it supplies a pulse on its output terminal 71.

The motor 36 drives the train 37, the mobile 38 and the barrel 43 by means of the spring 44. Consequently, the barrel makes a slight pivoting movement until the spout 48 comes up against the bar 8, as shown at 73 in Figure 7c. However, the motor 36 continuing to be supplied, it tends the spring 44 which accumulates energy thanks to the cooperation between the pawl wheel 39 and the anchor 40.

The assembly is then awaiting operator intervention.

If, under these conditions, the operator attempts to open by acting on the steering wheel 4 (it is assumed that the bolt 6 is lowered), he will notice that the linkage 2 is blocked despite the fact that standard time falls in the corresponding opening authorization window. Indeed, the slider 11 was not controlled at the desired time by the microprocessor 30A. Furthermore, by observing the external field of the display 15, the operator can see that something abnormal is happening.

It must then move the bar 8 back, that is to say turn the handwheel 4 in the closing direction.

This operation results in the spring 44, thanks to the energy it has accumulated, can drive the barrel 43 up to that the spout 48 strikes the fixed stop 58. However, during this pivoting movement, the pin 50 comes into coincidence with the notch 57 of the lever 52 thereby making an irreversible coupling of the latter with the barrel 43 (FIG. 7d ).

If the operator now turns the handwheel 4 in the direction of the opening of the lock, the bar 8 comes to separate the spout 48 from the passage 18 by pivoting the barrel 43 and the lever 52, now secured. The latter then pushes the slide 11 downwards to free the passage in the corridor 18 (FIGS. 7e and 7f). It is therefore found that, thanks to the coupling of the barrel and the lever, the slide 11 is moved away from the passage 18 by the manual force of the operator. The emergency opening operation is therefore independent of the state of the batteries which power the lock.

It is also noted that the locking by the slide 11 can no longer occur, even if the bar 8 is again brought back. To restore the normal functioning of the lock, it is therefore necessary to repair the fault, return the pin 50 to the hole 49 of the barrel 43.

If the failure occurs on a mechanical part of the assembly, for example if the slider 11 remains stuck in the guide 16, the switches 26 and 27, will provide an appropriate signal to the microprocessor 30A which, noting that this signal does not agree with the program which it must execute, suppresses the monitoring pulses, which results in the operation which has just been described.

It is of course also possible that a breakdown occurs when the lock is fully open or completely closed. However, in such a case, the coupling between the barrel 43 and the lever 52 will also take place as a result of the suppression of the monitoring pulses and the subsequent energization of the motor 36 causing the rotation of the barrel until the stop 58 43.

Figures 8 and 9 show a variant of the device according to the invention. The difference between this variant and the embodiment which has just been described lies in the fact that the spring 44 is pre-armed as soon as the device is assembled, the barrel 43 being retained by a locking lever 74 articulated on the plate 35 around 'a pivot 75. The lever 74 comprises a stop finger 76 at one of these ends which cooperates with a notch 77 formed in the barrel 43. The other end of the lever 74 is fixed to the core 78 of an electromagnet 79 which is normally de-energized and which is supplied under the same conditions as the motor 36. Apart from these differences, this variant operates in the same way as the first embodiment. The latter solution, technically simpler than that described above, however offers less security. It cannot be completely excluded that the device for canceling the opening ban may be activated in an untimely manner, under the effect of a shock for example. It suffices that the part formed by the lever 74 and the core 78 toggles to release the barrel 43 and thereby the potential energy accumulated in the spring 44 which is pre-armed. On the contrary, in the first device described, it is not possible to activate it thus, the winding of the spring 44 only taking place in the event of a breakdown.

Claims (8)

1. Device for canceling, in the event of a breakdown, the prohibition of opening a code lock and conditional opening, this lock comprising a lock mechanism (2 to 8), an electromagnetic blocking device (11, 19 ) of this lock mechanism and electronic control means (14, 15, 30A, 30B, 31) capable of activating and deactivating the electromagnetic blocking device (11, 19) according to a predetermined time program, in order authorize or prohibit the operation of the lock, this device being characterized in that it comprises detection means (26 to 29, 30A, 33) sensitive to a failure in said lock and means (32) controlled by the detection means for, in response to the detection of a fault, establishing an irreversible mechanical coupling between said lock mechanism (2 to 8) and said electromagnetic blocking device (11 to 19) so that the operation of said mechanism lock (2 to 8) makes it inoperable nt the electromagnetic blocking device (11 to 19) whatever its operating state until the detection of the fault. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (32) for establishing an irreversible coupling comprise:
- a first movable member, normally spaced from the opening path of said lock mechanism (2 to 8) and mounted so as to be able to be placed on this path in the event of a breakdown and, in this case, to be driven by this mechanism when this the latter is actuated in the direction of opening the lock;
- a second movable member (52) capable, by its movement, of bringing the electromechanical blocking device (11, 19) into its inoperative state than, if necessary, maintaining it in this state;
- a coupling device (50) associated with said first and second members (43, 52) and capable of securing the latter following a movement relative to each other; and
- motor means (36, 37, 38, 44; 44, 74 to 79) coupled to said first displaceable member (43) and connected to said means of detection (26 to 29, 30A, 33) for, in response to the detection of a failure, causing the displacement of said first movable member so as to ensure the joining with the second movable member (52) as well as the positioning of said first member (43) on the path of said lock mechanism (2 to 8). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said motor means (36, 37, 38, 44; 44, 74 to 79) comprise a mechanical device for accumulating energy to delay the joining of said movable members (43, 52) and the positioning of the first movable member (43) on the path of said lock mechanism (2 to 8) until the latter is placed for the first time in its closed configuration after the detection of a failure. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said motor means (36, 37, 38, 44) comprise a motor (36) intended to be supplied under the control of said detection means (26 to 29, 30A, 33) and connected to said energy storage device (44) via an irreversible transmission (37, 38) to charge this energy storage device as soon as a failure is detected by said detection means. 5. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said energy storage device (44) is designed to be loaded when mounting said storage device and in that said motor means comprise a blocking device (74, 77) normally preventing the movement of said first movable member (43), this blocking device (74, 77) being associated with an electromechanical device (79) for releasing the accumulated energy, connected to said detection means (26 to 29, 30A, 33) for releasing said first movable member when a failure is detected. 6. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said first and second movable members (43, 52) are pivotally mounted about a common axis. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said displaceable members (43, 52) have respective contiguous radial surfaces, and in that the first displaceable member (43) has a blind hole (51) in which is mounted a pin (50) urged elastically outwards and in this that said second movable member (52) comprises a notch (57) normally spaced angularly from said group (50) which is intended to penetrate therein during the relative pivoting of said members to achieve irreversible coupling therebetween. 8. Device according to claims 3 and 6 taken together, characterized in that said energy storage device is a helical spring (44) mounted in said first movable member coaxially with the pivot axis thereof.

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