AU676172B2 - Lock with hand-slidable bolt - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 32

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

e o Name of Applicant: Gainsborough Hardware Industries Limited Actual Inventor(s): Otto Gunther Sprekeler Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

o Invention Title: Lock with Hand-Slidable Bolt Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): PL3911/92 filed 3 August 1992 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -1la- LOCK WITH HAND-SLIDABLE BOLT This invention relates to locks of the general kind in which an elongate bolt extends through a housing so as to protrude from the housing in opposite directions. The bolt is slidable and in situ one protruding end engages a complementary cavity in a latching engagement, while the other end protrudes for manual operation of the bolt.

A separate key-actuated lock is typically provided for selectively locking the bolt at its latched position.

One form of lock of the aforementioned kind is commonly known as a patio lock because it is used to latch and lock double doors opening from a fmily or living room onto a patio. In a typical arrangement, there is a lock at bottom and top of each door. Each lock may be latched by hand movement of the bolt and locked at the latched position by use of a key. The intention is to provide a form of deadbolt for double doors. Examples of patio locks are to be found in Australian patent S605970 and 576972.

Locks of a similar configuration are provided for windows, except that in the window case the bolt typically extends transversely of the elongate cuboid housing rather than longitudinally, as in the case of the patio lcck.

S Locks of the kind in question are presently mounted in position by applying screws through two or more transverse bores passing through the housing. The usual practice, to prevent easy defeat of the lock by simple removal, is to use anti-theft screws, ie screws which have a spiral ramp to the driver slot and may thereby only S be ro:ated in one direction. The use of anti-theft screws is not popular with householders since it is then very difficult to legitimately remove the lock housing when such may be necessary or desirable.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a patio lock or lock of similar kind in which there is provision for an improved secure mounting of the lock.

930803,p: Aper\gjngain3.coam1 The present invention entails an appreciation that, because the bolt extends right through the housing, it can be employed to maintain an assembly of a two part housing, whereby the inner part can be mounted in a manner hidden by the outer part.

The invention therefore provides a lock comprising a housing, a bolt which extends through the housing so as to protrude from the ho.using in opposite directions respectively for latchably engaging a complementary cavity and for operative manipulation of the bolt. and means in the housing for locking the bolt at a predetermined longitudinal position, wherein the housing comprises a body and outer casing partially open to receive the body, the body including means to receive fastening means for securing the body to a surface, and wherein, in the assembled condition of the body, casing and bolt, the assembly of the body and casing is maintained by the bolt, and operative access to said fastening means is prevented by said casing.

In a preferred embodiment, the casing comprises a hollow rectangular cuboid box, with one side at least pa-tially open to receive the body. The body may be a !complementary solid body of a broadly cuboid form but with cavities for fasteners, for the bolt and for locking means.

Preferably, the arrangement is such that the bolt must be rotated about its longitudinal axis through a predetermined angle between its latching/locking position and a position in which it may be withdrawn wholly from the body and casing, whereby to disassemble the casing, and body.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of a casement window lock in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; 930803,p:\oper\gingaif3.coan.2 -3- Figure 2 is a cross-section of the assembled lock, in a plane containing the pin and key cylinder axes; Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the assembled lock shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line 4-4 in Figure 2, but showing the bolt lug in the arcuate rebate; Figure 5 is an isometric view of an assembled patio lock in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is an exploded view of the lock shown in Figure 5, depicting the lock disassembled into its three principal components; and Figure 7 is a fragmentary enlarged view of part of the body component of the second "embodiment.

The lock 10 as shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises a housing 12 and an elongate generally cylindrical bolt or pin 14 which extends transversely through the housing 20 so as to protrude from the housing in opposite directions, ie from the front and rear 0 0 of the housing. The protrusion at the rear, 15a, is for engaging a complementary cavity in situ, while the protrusion from the front, 15b, is for hand manipulation of the bolt. The lock also carries a conventional key cylinder 16 which provides means for locking the bolt at its normal latching position, using a key 17 and by means of a mechanism to be described.

THousing 12 is in two parts and comprises specifically an outer casing 20 and an inner substantially solid body 22. Casing 20 is of generally hollow rectangular box-like or cuboid configuration and is wholly open at the rear of the housing and partially open at one side so as to receive body 22 in a sliding engagement. This engagement is a firm sliding fit, enhanced by rear centre panel 21 and top and bottom lips 24a, 24b which depend frcm the top and bottom walls of the casing on the partially open side 930803,p:\operkg&4ain3.COm3 -4and engage a centre recess 23 and complementary corner recesses 25a, 25b in body 22.

Body 22 is formed with several openings. Respective transverse bores 26 adjacent the top and bottom of the body are intended to receive counter-sunk screws passed through the body from the side at which the bolt protrudes for manipulation.

Typically, the assembly would be mounted at a side edge of a casement frame so that the bolt engages an adjacent cavity in the window frame.

The body further has passages 30, 32 respectively mounting the key cylinder 16 and the bolt 14. The key cylinder is a firm fit in its passage and its keyhole is in register with a circular opening 33 in the front wall 20a of casing 20 so that a key 17 may be inserted and withdrawn. At the rear, the cylinder lock is covered over by centre casing panel 21, which also has an aperture 31 in register with body passage 32. A cross-passage 34 joining passages 30, 32 houses a solid latch member 36 which is of generally cylindrical form but has a rounded end 38 protruding into passage 32.

Latch member 34 is spring-loaded forwardly by a helical compression spring 40 so that, when bolt 14 is pushed fully in, latch member 34 seats in a complementary •notch 42 in the bolt. Cylinder lock 16 locks the bolt by rotating to position a detent (not shown) so that the latch member 36 cannot retract on attempted withdrawal of the bolt. If this detent is not engaged, the latch member will, on attempted sliding movement of bolt 14 and by virtue of the rounded surfaces of the latch member and notch, retract against the spring and allow release of the bolt.

As thus far described, therefore, the lock is generally conventional, with a longitudinal bolt which may be manually pushed in to latch the casement window, and positively locked by actuation of the key cylinder 16. However, in this case, the bolt serves the further purpose of maintaining the assembly of casing 20 and body 22. At the front of casing 20, the bolt extends through an integral frustoconical bearing 43 for the bolt and terminates in a peripheral flange 44 and a flat disc-like grip 46 in which the plane of the grip contains the axis of the bolt. The opening through frustoconical bearing 43 and the casing wall behind has at one side a 930803p:oper\gjngain3.a=4 rectangular slot or groove 48 which slidably receives a complementary lug 50 at the side of bolt 14. In body passage 32 for bolt 14, there is a similar rectangular slot or groove 52 along the top of the passage, peripherally displaced by 90 from slot 48.

Provision is made for the lug to pass between slot 48 and slot 52 along an arcuate rebate 54 at the front opening of passage 32.

The lock is mounted in situ from the three principal dissembled components, casing body 22 and bolt 14, by first engaging counter-sunk screws with bores 26 to mount body 22 to the casement frame. Casing 22 is then slid onto the body until the body is fully received in the casing. At this point, bolt 14 is inserted through frustoconical bearing 43 and into passage 32 with lug 50 engaging slot 48. The lug is located so that when the lug is fully passed along slot 48 and engages the back of rebate 54, the latching end 15a of the bolt lies just inside the passage 32 and thus this is the fully released position of the lock. If the bolt is now rotated through to move lug 50 along rebate 54, the bolt can be pushed further through as the lug travels along groove 52 until flange 44 strikes the front of frustoconical housing 43.

This is the latching position of the bolt, in which latch member 34 is received in notch 42 and lug 50 lies near the other end of slot 52. If desired, the assembly may !"be locked by actuation of the key cylinder 16 to prevent retraction of latch member 34.

It will be appreciated that the whole lock now presents a substantially tamper-proof SaQembly. The screws which have been used to mount the lock to the casement frame are completely hidden by casing 20 and cannot be accessed. The casing cannot be removed from the body because the assembly is firmly maintained by the boit 14, which itself is locked against withdrawal.

Figures 5 to 7 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention comprising a patio lock. Like parts are depicted with like primed reference numerals. This embodiment differs from the first in that the bolt passes longitudinally through the assembly rather than transversely but the principles of operation are very similar.

In this case, the arcuate transfer of the lug 50' from the initial access slot 48a' in 930803,p:\oper\gjngain3.coa,5 the body to the slot 52' is via a groove 54' in the side of passage 32' rather than by a rebate at the end of the passage. The slot 52' is closed at both ends.

In a modification, which may be especially applicable to the embodiment of Figures 5 to 7, the relationship and arrangement between the components may be such as to allow the bolt to be inserted from either end, thus affording greater flexibility in relation to left-hand or right-hand installation. Thus, in the embodiment of Figure to 7, there may be access or inlet slots 48' at both ends communicating with separate and respective arcuate grooves 54' to a single slot 52' joining these grooves. In this way, the bolt can be inserted from either end, the single lug engaging either inlet slot and being rotatable to slot 52' for further travel. For such a modified embodiment, the bolt would be typically fitted with a waisted portion to receive the latch associated with the cylinder lock in either configuration.

e* 930803.p:\oper\gjngain3corm6

Claims (8)

1. A lock comprising a housing, a bolt which extends through the housing so as to protrude from the housing in opposite directions respectively for latchably engaging a complementary cavity and for operative manipulation of the bolt, and means in the housing for locking the bolt at a predetermined longitudinal position, wherein the housing comprises a body and outer casing partially open to receive the body, the body including means to receive fastening means for securing the body to a surface, and wherein, in the assembled condition of the body, casing and bolt, the assembly of the body and casing is maintained by the bolt, and operative access to said fastening means is prevented by said casing.

2. A lock according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a hollow rectangular cuboid box, with one side at least partially open to receive the body. 2. A lock according to claim 2, wherein said solid body is of a broadly cuboid form complementary to said box but with cavities for fasteners, for the bolt and for locking means.

4. A lock according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said lock is a patio lock, in which the bolt extends and is slidable longitudinally with respect to said rectangular cuboid casing.

5. A lock according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said lock is a window lock, in which the bolh extends and is slidable transversely with respect to said rectangular cuboid casing.

6. A lock according to any preceding claim, wherein said bolt is longitudinally slidable between respective locking/latching and release positions.

7. A lock according to any preceding claim, wherein the arrangement is such that the bolt must be rotated about its longitudinal axis through a predetermined angle 930803p:\Aper\gjingainJ.com.7 between its latching/ locking position and a position in which it may be withdrawn wholly from the body and casing, whereby to disassemble the casing and body.

8. A lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

9. :Me steps or featurcs disclosed hereino: n obnaintoct Dated this 3rd day of August, 1993 GAINSBOROUGH HARDWARE INDUSTRIES LIMITED By its Patent Attorneys Davies Collison Cave Z-4U NI .483poek~gi~or ABSTRACT A lock includes a housing (12) and a bolt (14) which extends through the housing so as to protrude (15a,46) from the housing in opposite directions respectively for latchably engaging a complementary cavity and for operative manipulation of the bolt. Means (16) is provided in the housing for locking the bolt at a predetermined longitudinal position. The housing comprises a body (22) and outer casing partially open to receive the body. The body includes means (26) to receive fastening means for securing the body to a surface. In the assembled condition of the body, casing and bolt, the assembly of the body and casing is maintained by the bolt, and operative access to the fastening means is prevented by the casing. S e 93G803.p:\oper\gjin~ain3.cau.9