AU2014256412A1

AU2014256412A1 - Lock assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2014256412A1
Application number: AU2014256412A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Maher; Aleksandar Manojlovic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-11-15
Filing date: 2014-10-31
Publication date: 2015-06-04
Also published as: AU2019201305B2; AU2019201305A1

Abstract

H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014 A lock assembly including a housing adapted to be fixed relative to a doorway, a bar moveable externally of the housing between a locked position across one or more doors and an unlocked position in which the one or more doors are free to move, a linkage coupling the bar into the housing and a keeper inside the housing to engage the linkage and lock the bar against movement. -,VA-

Description

H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014 LOCK ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a lock assembly for a door particularly but not exclusively a cage door of a hoist for men and/or materials. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] A hoist is used to service levels of a scaffold structure. Doors at each level of the construction are generally locked until the hoist has arrived at the level, for the safety of personnel and equipment. [0003] When a hoist has arrived at a level, a trigger is activated on the scaffold structure to unlock a latch associated with the doors, to enable the doors to be opened. An existing form of latch includes a slide bolt that connects the doors at about waist height to personnel. [0004] A problem with such a latch is the bolt is open to tampering and unauthorized opening. The latch components also need to be mounted to the each of the doors and accurately aligned for proper operation. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention seeks to provide an alternative lock mechanism.

H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014 -2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lock assembly including a housing adapted to be fixed relative to a doorway, a bar moveable externally of the housing between a locked position across one or more doors and an unlocked position in which the one or more doors are free to move, a linkage coupling the bar into the housing and a keeper inside the housing to engage the linkage and lock the bar against movement. [0007] Preferably, the housing is arranged to extend across a head of a doorway. [0008] Preferably, the bar is arranged to hinge about the housing, to engage a top of a door in the locked position and pivot upwardly into the unlocked position to allow the door to swing open. [0009] Preferably, the linkage is in the form of an arm that pivots into the housing, through an opening in an external wall of the housing, when the bar pivots upwardly. [0010] Preferably, the keeper is a bolt arranged to extend across the path of the linkage and prevent the bar from pivoting in through the opening, thereby locking the bar in a downward position. [0011] Preferably, the assembly includes a trigger device mounted externally of the doorway to control movement of the keeper, when a hoist cage is adjacent the doorway. [0012] Preferably, the assembly is adapted to be retrofitted to a doorway. [0013] Preferably, the bar includes a curved lip along a lower edge, adapted to ride along a top of the door in order for the bar to move smoothly between a raised and lowered position as the door closes.

H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014 -3 [0014] In another aspect, there is provided a doorway with a lock assembly, as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a test rig of a lock assembly on a doorway; Figure 2 is a view of an upper region of the doorway; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the upper region of the doorway; Figure 4 is a rear view of the upper region of the doorway; Figure 5 is a rear view of the assembly, with a keeper engaged; Figure 6 is a rear view of the assembly, with the keeper disengaged; Figure 7 is a rear view of the assembly, showing an actuator coupled to the keeper; Figure 8 is a rear view of the assembly, showing an alternative form of actuator; Figure 9 illustrates doors being opened; Figure 10 shows a curved lip on a bottom of a bar of the assembly; Figure 11 shows one of the doors in a fully opened condition; and H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014 -4 Figure 12 shows both doors fully opened. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] Referring firstly to Figure 1, a lock assembly 1 is shown fitted to a test rig 2 that includes a doorway 3. The doorway 3 has a frame 4formed of two side members 5and a head 6. Two doors 7 are mounted in the frame 4. [0017] The lock assembly 1 includes an enclosed housing 8 that forms the head 6. Alternatively, the housing 8 is fitted onto a pre-existing head of the doorway 3. A bar 9 is connected across the top 10 of both doors 7 to hold the doors 7 in a closed position. [0018] A trigger device 11, in the form of a mechanical switch 12, is used to control operation of the bar 9. The trigger device 11 is connected into the housing 8 by a cable 13. The trigger device 11 is designed to be fitted to a scaffold structure (not shown) and be activated by a hoist cage (also not shown) arriving at a location adjacent the doorway 3. [0019] Referring to Figure 2, the assembly 1 also includes a linkage 14 that couples the bar 9 into the housing 8. The linkage 14 extends internally of the housing 8, through an opening 15 in the exterior 16 of the housing 8. [0020] Referring to Figure 3, the bar 9 is shown as being constructed of a front skirt 16 that extends down over the top 10 of the doors 7 and a lateral ledge 17 with a pivot mount 18 to allow the bar to hinge around the pivot mount 18. The cable 13 is shown entering the housing 8 between a front wall 19 and a rear panel 20 of the housing 8, so as to be enclosed by the housing 8. [0021] Referring to Figure 4, the rear panel 20 has been removed to show the cable 13 terminating at an actuator 21. As shown in Figure 5, the actuator 21 is connected to a keeper 22 in the form of a bolt 23. In the extended position shown, the bolt 23 engages the linkage 14 to prevent the linkage 14 pivoting further into the housing 8 through the H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014 -5 opening 15. In that position, the keeper 22 locks the bar 9 in a downward position, against pivotal movement relative to the housing 8, to thereby hold the doors 7 in a closed condition. [0022] In Figure 6, the actuator 21 has been activated, such as by the arrival of a hoist cage adjacent the doors, to move the keeper 22 to a retracted position, which clears the path of travel of the linkage 14, to free the bar 9 to pivot upwards. [0023] Figure 7 shows a switch 24 adjacent another opening 25 in the housing 8. The switch serves as a security measure to disable operation of the hoist once the doors are opened. [0024] With reference to Figure 8, the switch 24 is a solenoid actuator with a mechanical sensor 26 in the form of a bolt 27 with a roller that travels in and out of the path of the linkage 28. [0025] With regard to Figure 9, the keeper 22 of the actuator 21 is in a retracted position, which has allowed the respective linkages 14, 28 to move in through the associated openings 15, 29 simultaneously with the bar 9 pivoting upward under action of the doors 7 being pushed open. With the bar 9 in that position, the mechanical sensor 26 is forced into a retracted position by the linkage 28, which causes the switch 24 to disable the hoist, so that the hoist is unable to move while the doors are open. [0026] The doors 7 are provided with handles 30 only on the inside of the doors 7, to restrict unauthorized opening of the doors 7 from outside. [0027] With regard to Figure 10, the bar 9 has a lip 31 along a lower edge 32. The lip 31 extends along the length of the bar 9 to ensure continual contact with the top 10 of the door 7 as it opens and closes and smooth return to the locked position. [0028] With regard to Figure 11, the door 7 is shown in the fully opened position, with H:\cab\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014 -6 the lip 31 still resting on top of the door 7. When the door 7 is moved back toward the closed position, the weight-load of the bar 9 will act on the top 10 of the door 7 so as effectively bias the door 7 into a closed condition. [0029] Referring now to Figure 12, both doors 7 are shown in the fully opened condition. The rear panel 20 is also shown fitted to the housing 8. The actuators 21, 24 and keepers 22, 26 are thereby housed in a secure environment, clear of tampering. The housing 8 is in a modular form that allows the assembly 1 to be readily fitted or retro-fitted to an existing doorway 3. [0030] Since the bar 9 sits in front of the doors 7 in the downward, locked position and then simply pivots upward and out of the path of the doors 7 in the unlocked position, there is no need to have separate latch fittings mounted and aligned on the doors, as required with the prior art. [0031] As such, the lock assembly 1 is secure and unobtrusive. The assembly 1 can be quickly and reliably installed across the head 6 of the doorway 3 and no additional locking structure is required.

Claims

1. A lock assembly including a housing adapted to be fixed relative to a doorway, a bar moveable externally of the housing between a locked position across one or more doors and an unlocked position in which the one or more doors are free to move, a linkage coupling the bar into the housing and a keeper inside the housing to engage the linkage and lock the bar against movement.

2. The lock assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is arranged to extend across a head of a doorway.

3. The lock assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the bar is arranged to hinge about the housing, to engage a top of a door in the locked position and pivot upwardly into the unlocked position to allow the door to swing open.

4. The lock assembly of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the linkage is in the form of an arm that pivots into the housing, through an opening in an external wall of the housing, when the bar pivots upwardly.

5. The lock assembly of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the keeper is a bolt arranged to extend across the path of the linkage and prevent the bar from pivoting in through the opening, thereby locking the bar in a downward position.

6. The lock assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the assembly includes a trigger device mounted externally of the doorway to control movement of the keeper, when a hoist cage is adjacent the doorway.

7. The lock assembly of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the assembly is adapted to be retrofitted to a doorway. H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\582215II.doc-30/10/2014

8. The lock assembly of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bar includes a curved lip along a lower edge, adapted to ride along a top of the door in order for the bar to move smoothly between a raised and lowered position as the door closes.

9. A doorway with the lock assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.