AU784503B2 - A lock having a self latching strike - Google Patents

Description

A LOCK HAVING A SELF LATCHING STRIKE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a lock, and particularly a lock for a sliding door or window and which has a rotating hook bolt which engages with a self-latching strike and which can be deadlocked.

BACKGROUND ART Locks for sliding doors and windows, which have a rotating hook bolt, and which usually have a pair of rotating hook bolts are well known. The hook bolts are rotatably mounted in the lock body and can rotate between an 10 extended locking position and a retracted free position. A handle or snib can be used to rotate the hook bolts.

The door or window jamb is provided with a striker or keeper.

e The hook bolts engage with the striker or keeper when the door is locked. A well-known arrangement has a bar in the keeper. When the door is closed, 15 the hook bolt is initially retracted such that it does not strike the bar. The hook bolt can then be rotated such that the hook portion of the bolt engages about the bar to lock the door to the jamb.

In order to prevent damage to the hook bolts should the door be slammed shut, it is also well known to provide the hook bolts with a ramped 20 nose portion and to have the hook bolts spring mounted in the lock body such that when the door is closed, the hook bolts will ride over the bar against the bias of the spring and will then engage with the bar. A disadvantage with this arrangement is that an intruder can open the door or by using a lever or similar instrument to push the hook bolts back into a disengaged position. In order to overcome this, it is known to use some form of deadlock to lock the hook bolts in the locked position. The deadlock typically engages with the hook bolt to prevent it from rotating.

A different system uses an arrangement where rather than the hook bolts riding over a striker, the hook bolts are held in an unlocked position, and a button of sorts extends from the lock body. When the door is closed, the button is depressed or otherwise moved which releases the hook bolts to spring to a locked position in the striker. This arrangement is a self locking or latching arrangement which does not require the hook bolts to ride over a part of the striker. Thus, the striker design can be changed.

A different arrangement that is also known and is the subject of an existing Lockwood lock, uses a particular design of the striker. The striker has an opening through which a hooked lock tongue can pass. The striker has a spring biased sliding latching blade provided with an opening. The hooked lock tongue can pass through the opening and latch behind it. As the hooked lock tongue moves and engages with the striker, it pushes the sliding latching blade against the bias of the spring such that the opening in the latching blade is aligned with the hooked lock tongue to allow the hooked lock 10 tongue to pass through the opening. As soon as the hooked lock tongue passes through the opening, the sliding latching blade slides back towards its rest position (by the spring action), and in doing so, the hooked portion of the lock tongue locks to the latching blade. A disadvantage with this arrangement is that an intruder could still push the latching blade back to the position where 15 the hooked lock tongue can be freed.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a lock assembly that engages with a striker of the type having a sliding latching blade, and where a deadlocking means is provided to prevent the latching blade from being 20 manipulated back to a position where the bolt of the lock can be freed.

S"In one form the invention resides in a lock and striker assembly, wherein the lock has a lock body, at least one lock tongue, suitably in the form of a rotating hook bolt, which can be rotated between a locked position and an unlocked position, the striker having at least one latching means which can move between a locked position where it can lock the lock tongue to the striker, and a free position where the lock tongue can be removed from the striker, the striker further having biasing means to bias the latching means towards the naturally locked position; and a deadlocking means which deadlocks the latching means against movement when the lock and the striker are adjacent each other and which prevents the latching blade from moving to the free position.

In this manner, when the door is closed, the hook bolt is latched to the latching means, and the deadlocking means can lock the latching means against movement thereby deadlocking the hook bolt to the latching means. When the door is opened, the deadlocking means can disengage with the latching means.

It is not necessary for this deadlocking means to also lock the hook bolts. In fact, it is preferred that this deadlocking means is designed such that the hook bolts can still move when the deadlocking means is engaged. This is in contrast to most conventional locks where the deadlocking means functions to lock the hook bolts against rotation.

However, the hook bolts may be deadlocked by a separate deadlocking 10 means which may be of known design.

g* Suitably, the deadlocking means forms part of the lock as opposed to part of the striker. Thus, as the door is opened, the deadlocking means moves away from the striker as it forms part of the lock.

The lock and striker assembly can be used on a sliding door or 15 window such as a sliding patio door. It is envisaged that the assembly may find use with other types of sliding wings.

S. The lock has a lock body which is typically substantially enclosed to house and protect various internal components. The lock body may be made of any suitable material.

20 The lock has at least one lock tongue. For sliding doors and S•windows, the lock tongue is typically in the form of a rotating hook bolt. Such hook bolts are well known. Typically, a pair of hook bolts are used to provide improved security. It is known to have the hook bolts facing away from each other when in the locked position as this provides an improved measure of security by reducing the possibility of hook bolts being lifted out of the striker by lifting the door or window. The pair of hook bolts is usually spaced apart in the lock body.

The hook bolt or hook bolts typically have a ramped nose portion. The ramped nose portion allows the hook bolt to ride over part of the striker as the door is closed. Suitably, the deadlocking means is provided as part of the lock. The deadlocking means may comprise a projection that extends from the lock body. The deadlocking means may be biased. The deadlocking means may comprise a projection formed with engagement means adapted to engage with the at least one latching means in the striker to lock the at least one latching means against movement. The engagement means may be in the form of one or more arm members which can engage with the at least one latching means.

The striker has at least one latching means. Suitably, a said latching means is provided for each lock tongue or hook bolt in the lock.

Thus, if the lock is provided with two hook bolts, it is preferred that two latching means are provided. The latching means may comprise a latching blade. The latching blade may slide between a locked position where the S0 hook bolt is locked to the latching blade, and a free position where the hook bolt can be removed from the latching blade. The latching blade may be provided with an aperture or recess through which the nose portion of the hook bolt can pass. Suitably, the latching blade is biased by a spring in such a manner that movement of the latching blade from the locked position to the free position is against the bias of the spring. This means that the latching *"blade is naturally biased to the locked position.

The latching means may be provided with a protrusion or guide member which is adapted to engage with the ramped nose portion of the hook bolt as the door or window is closed. Suitably, the contact of the hook bolt with the protrusion or guide member causes the latching means to be moved from its locking position to its free position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a lock and striker assembly in a "just touching" position.

Figure 2 illustrates the assembly of Figure 1 in the almost closed and almost latched position.

Figure 3 illustrates the assembly of Figure 1 in the closed and deadlocked position.

Figure 4 illustrates the assembly of Figure 3 where the hook bolts are being retracted such that the door or window can be opened.

BEST MODE Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is illustrated a lock and striker assembly which comprises a lock 10 and a striker 11. Lock 10 has an external lock body 12. Inside lock body 12 are two rotating hook bolts 13, 14. Hook bolts 13, 14 are fixed to pivot pins 15, 16 in the lock body. A slide member 17 connects the two hook bolts 13, 14.

Movement of slide member 17 in one direction will cause the hook bolts to rotate away from each other, and movement of slide member 17 in the opposite direction will cause the hook bolts to rotate towards each other (this being illustrated in Figure The hook bolts are spaced apart in the lock 10 body. Each hook bolt has a ramped nose portion 18, 19.

In the embodiment, a deadlocking means is provided which is part of lock 10. The deadlocking means comprises a deadlocking member that is positioned between hook bolts 13 and 14. Deadlocking member projects from the front of lock 10 such that it will engage with striker 11.

15 Deadlocking member 20 comprises a solid body formed with at least one projection, and in the embodiment, deadlocking member 20, has a pair of forwardly extending arms 21, 22 which comprises an extension of the body.

The deadlocking member 20 is spring biased by spring 35 to naturally bias the deadlocking member out of the lock body. The reason for 20 this will be described below.

S °Striker 11 is a self latching striker. Striker 11 has an outer body Inside outer body 25 are two latching blades 26, 27. The latching blades are mounted for reciprocal movement in the striker. Each latching blade is spring biased by a spring 28. In the figures, only one spring 28 is illustrated which biases latching blade 27, but it should be appreciated that another spring is also present which biases latching blade 26. Each latching blade is substantially plate like in configuration and is illustrated in side view in the figures. Each latching blade is provided with an opening or recess 29, through which the hook bolts 13, 14 can pass. Adjacent the opening or recess 29, 30 on each latching blade is a protrusion or guide member 31, 32.

The function of the guide member is to facilitate entry of the respective hook bolt through the aperture.

The lock and striker assembly functions as follows: 6 In the position illustrated in Figure 1, lock 10 is beginning to make contact with striker 11. The hook bolts 13, 14 are in the extended position and project from the lock body. The hook bolts project further than the deadlocking member 20. This means that the hook bolts will make contact with the striker before the deadlocking member 20 does. As the lock moves further forward from the position illustrated in figure 1 to the position illustrated in figure 2, hook bolts 13, 14 make contact with guide members 31, 32. The hook bolts 13, 14 do not rotate, and as they make further contact with guide members 31, 32, the hook bolts cause the respective latching blades to adopt a sliding motion towards a free position. In particular, latching blade 26 is caused to slide to the left, and latching blade 27 is caused to slide to the right. The latching blades slide against the bias of the attached spring (only one spring 28 being illustrated). For instance, movement of latching blade 27 will cause spring 28 to compress by approximately 6 mm.

15 Hook bolts 13, 14 (that is the respective nose portions of the hook bolts) pass through the opening or recess 29, 30 in each latching blade.

The opening or recess becomes aligned with the nose portion of the hook bolt as the hook bolt moves the respective latching blade.

In the position illustrated in Figure 2, the hook bolts are passing 20 through the respective openings 29, 30 and have pushed away the respective Slatching blades 26, 27 to the maximum extent.

Upon further closing of the door, the position illustrated in Figure 3 is achieved. In this position, the hook bolts 13, 14 have extended into striker 11 to the maximum extent, and the nose portion of each hook bolt 18, 19 has passed through the respective opening 29, 30 in each latching blade 26, 27. At this point, the latching blades 26, 27 shoot back (because of the bias of the spring) to the initial position. In this position, each hook bolt 13, 14 is latched to the striker as a solid part of each latching blade 26, 27 has passed under the nose portion 18, 19 of each hook bolt.

Deadlocking member 20 now engages each latching blade 26, 27 and prevents the latching blades from moving back to the free position.

This is achieved as follows:. The deadlocking member 20 is positioned between the hook bolts and projects from lock 10 but at a distance which is less than the projection of the hook bolts. This ensures that the hook bolts will initially strike guide members 31, 32 and push back the respective latching blades. In the position illustrated in figure 2, deadlocking member 20 has entered into striker 11 and is just touching the bottom wall of each latching blade 26, 27. This contact pushes the deadlocking member into the lock body against the bias of spring 35. The amount of travel of the deadlocking member is not large, and is typically in the order of a few mm. As the lock and striker move to the position illustrated in figure 3, the arm portions 21, 22 of the deadlocking member 20 pass into the openings 29, 30 of each latching 10 blade 26, 27. As well, the arm portions pass into the opening adjacent the edge of the opening. The action of spring 35 is sufficient to ensure that the deadlocking member is biased or pushed forwardly such that the arm portions pass into the openings. In this position, neither latching blade 26 nor 27 can move. Thus, the latching blades are locked in position and the lock is deadlocked to the striker.

To release the lock from the striker, a handle, key, snib or other S: member (not illustrated) is manipulated to slightly retract each hook bolt 13, 14 as illustrated in figure 4. The slight retraction moves the nose portion 18, 19 of each hook bolt away from engagement with the respective latching 20 blade and into the respective opening 29, 30 which allows the lock to slide away from the striker. As this occurs, deadlocking member 20 moves out of openings 29, 30 which frees up the latching blades.

Deadlocking member 20 is sized and shaped to allow the hook bolts to retract as illustrated in Figure 4 sufficiently to free the lock from the striker. The deadlocking member 20 may function as a stop as illustrated in figure 4 to stop unnecessary retraction of the hook bolts.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (21)

1. A lock and striker assembly, wherein the lock has a lock body, at least one lock tongue, suitably in the form of a rotating hook bolt, which can be rotated between a locked position and an unlocked position, the striker having at least one latching means which can move between a locked position where it can lock the lock tongue to the striker, and a free position where the lock tongue can be removed from the striker, the striker further having biasing means to bias the latching means towards the naturally locked position; and a deadlocking means which deadlocks the latching means against movement when the lock and the striker are adjacent each other and which prevents the latching means from moving to the free position, characterised in that the deadlocking means forms part of the lock as opposed to part of the striker. S

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the deadlocking means allows the hook bolts to move when the deadlocking means is engaged.

3. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hook bolts are deadlocked by a separate deadlocking means.

S4. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock and striker assembly are mounted on a sliding door or window.

5. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock has a lock body which is typically substantially enclosed to house and protect various internal components.

S6. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock has at least one lock tongue which is a rotating hook bolt.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, comprising a pair of rotating hook bolts.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the hook bolts rotate away from each other when moving from the unlocked position to the locked position.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hook bolts are spaced apart in the lock body.

The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 6-9 wherein the hook bolt or hook bolts have a ramped nose portion to allow the hook bolt to ride over part of the striker as the door is closed.

11. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deadlocking means comprises a projection that extends from the lock body.

12. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deadlocking is biased.

13. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deadlocking means comprises a projection formed with engagement means adapted to engage with the at least one latching means in the striker to lock the at least one latching means against movement.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the engagement means comprises one or more arm members which can engage with the at least one latching means.

15. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a said latching means on the striker is provided for each lock tongue or hook bolt in the lock.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the latching means comprises a latching blade.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the latching blade is slideable between a locked position where the hook bolt is locked to the latching blade, and a free position where the hook bolt can be removed from the latching blade.

18. The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the latching blade is provided with an aperture or recess through which the nose portion of the hook bolt can pass.

19. The assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the latching blade is biased by a spring in such a manner that movement of the latching blade from the locked position to the free position is against the bias of the spring such that that the latching blade is naturally biased to the locked position.

The assembly as claimed in any one of claim 16-20, wherein the latching means is provided with a protrusion or guide member which is adapted to engage with the ramped nose portion of the hook bolt as the door or window is closed.

21. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. Dated this 13 m day of February 2006 Assa Abloy Australia Pty Limited By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN Co. S S9. S S 0 S 0.h, S 5*4S*. S S SOS .5 5* 0 Sb 5 0 S S S S