EP0144221B1

EP0144221B1 - Apparatus for locking a closure

Info

Publication number: EP0144221B1
Application number: EP84308315A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ernest Charles Regent Lock Company Limited Daley
Original assignee: Regent Lock Co Ltd
Current assignee: Regent Lock Co Ltd
Priority date: 1983-12-05
Filing date: 1984-11-30
Publication date: 1990-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2004-11-30
Also published as: IE56333B1; ATE55446T1; GB2150633B; GB2150633A; DE3482941D1; EP0144221A2; EP0144221A3; GB8332392D0; IE843087L; GB8430355D0

Abstract

Keepers 1 and 10 are mounted near a jamb of the door, in which jamb the leading edge of the door carrying handle/espagnolette gear is received to lock the door. Using the apparatus embodying the invention, the door can be locked in any one of three additional positions. This provides for the door to be locked open in different ventilating positions without having a sufficient gap between the leading edge of the door and the jamb to permit unauthorised entry. The door is merely slid to the required position and then the espagnolette rods are moved to engage in a desired one of the facing pairs 2, 11, depending on the ventilation gap required.

Description

The invention relates to apparatus for locking a closure for example a door such as a french window or patio door which may be a sliding closure.
From DE-A-2 455 479, an apparatus for locking a sliding closure in any one of a plurality of positions is known, comprising facing keepers adapted for mounting on opposite frame parts of a frame for mounting the closure, each keeper having a plurality of facing means adapted to cooperate with slidable espagnolette rods, and means adapted to slide the espagnolette rods in opposite directions, which espagnolette rods can engage, in facing holes of a keeper.
DE-A-2 455 479 however provides a complex camming action which is liable to jam, so rendering the door inoperative.
From document GB-A-2 118 611 espagnolettes provided with catch means in the form of studs and a tooth gear to move the espagnolettes in unison are known per se. However, the espagnolettes known from this document are not in line and therefore not suitable for the apparatus for locking a sliding closure like a patio door.
It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.
According to the invention there is provided apparatus for locking a sliding closure in any one of a plurality of positions, comprising facing keepers adapted for mounting on opposite frame parts of a frame for mounting the closure, each keeper being adapted to cooperate with slidable espagnolette rods, and means adapted to slide the espagnolette rods in opposing directions, characterised by a plurality of facing means in the keepers in opposite ones of which the espagnolette rods can engage, by the facing means of one keeper comprising substantially parallel blind holes, the facing means of the other keeper comprising separate slots, each slot being aligned with a respective hold, and by catch means projecting at substantially right angles to the espagnolette rods releasably engageable with a striker plate, by lock means operatively connected between the means to slide the espagnolette rods and the catch means, and by the means comprising a toothed gear turntable with the lock means and which engages with respective racks of the espagnolette rods so that on rotation of the gear by the lock means, the espagnolette rods and catch means move in unison.
The slidable locking means may comprise a stud or studs, say two studs, the or each of which has an enlarged head for engagement with the striker plate or keeper which comprises a plate with one or more key-hole shaped slots for receiving the or each stud and in one position locking the head.
The invention extends to a closure incorporating apparatus as hereinbefore defined.
Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief description of drawings

Figs. 1 to 3 are respective plan, side elevational, and part sectional enlarged views of a keeper for a head and frame;
Figs. 4 to 7 are respective plan, side elevational, end elevational and part sectional enlarged views of a keeper for a cill of a frame;
Fig. 8 shows schematically a plan view of a lock with parts of the top plate removed to show the interior;
Fig. 9 and 10 show end elevational views of a gear of the lock of Fig. 8; and
Fig. 11 shows a exploded perspective view of locking apparatus of a sliding door and a striker plate arrangement for the locking apparatus, according to the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the head keeper 1 comprises a cast metal plate with three discrete facing means in the form of three elongage blind holes 2 with rounded ends 3 which are substantially parallel. The keeper 1 has a ramp 4 inclined at 20° to provide for smooth passage of a closure, and countersunk holes 5 for receiving securing means such as screws whereby the keeper 1 can be secured to a head frame part of a frame in which a slidable closure such as a patio door is mounted for sliding movement.
Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7, the cill keeper 10 shown therein is similar to the head keeper 1 in that it comprises a cast metal plate with three discrete facing means on the form of three blind slots 11 with rounded ends 12, which slots 11 are substantially parallel. The keeper 10 has opposite ramps 13 inclined at 30° and inclined in opposite directions, at each end, and projection 14 with a base 15 which is inclined at 15° 5'to the horizontal in order to conform to cill formation.
The holes 2 and slots 11 have identical widths, 9mm in the embodiment shown, and adjacent ones are separated by an identical distance, namely 5mm in the embodiment.
The facing means are "facing" in the sense that the keepers 1 and 10 are mounted opposite each other on respective head and cill frame parts of a frame in which a patio door is slidably mounted so that opposite pairs of holes and slots are aligned in the same vertical plane.
In use, the keepers 1 and 10 are mounted near a jamb of the door, in which jamb the leading edge of the door carrying handle/espagnolette gear is received to lock the door. Using the apparatus embodying the invention, the door can be locked in any one of three additional positions. This provides for the door to be locked open in different ventilating positions without having a sufficient gap between the leading edge of the door and the jamb to permit unauthorised entry. The door is merely slid to the required position and then the espagnolette rods are moved to engage in a desired one of the facing pairs 2, 11, depending on the ventilation gap required.
The espagnolette rods are locked by locking apparatus 20 as shown in Figs. 8-11.
The apparatus 20 has separate connectors 22 and 23 in the form of racks which are adapted as at 24 for connection with espagnolette rods 25 and a slidable locking means in the form of studs 26 in a housing 27 which studs 26 project from and are secured to the rack 22, so that when the racks move in the direction of the arrow X, the studs move too. The racks 22 and 23 are flat, stiff, metal strips with holes through them and are engaged with teeth of a means in the form of two parallel spaced, of which one is shown in Fig. 8, gears 28, which are turned in unison on insertion of a key in a key hole 29 of a lock 30, there being the usual differ pins (not shown) for operation by the key to permit turning of the lock, a projecting shaft 31 of which engages in a bush 32 to drive the gears 28 in unison, the gears being solid with the bush and each gear engaging in holes of both racks to drive same.
The gear 28 and racks 22 and 23 are mounted between two plates one of which 33 is shown which is supported by housing 27. The housing 27 have grooves in which the racks sent and which act as guides therefor.
The housing includes a face plate 34 with spaced key-hole slots 35 through which heads of the studs 26 project, the enlarged parts of the slots 35 enabling the studs 26 to be passed through the face plate 34 as the studs are smaller in diameter than the diameter of the enlarged parts (which are essentially circular). The narrower part of each key-hole slot provides a guide for a limb 36 of each stud 26 which is connected to a respective rack 22 or 23. The locking arrangement 20 is set on a slot or recess in the leading edge of the patio door with the face of the housing 27 and face plate 34 with the key-hole slots 35 flush with that edge, so that there is a gap between the rear faces (to the left in Fig. 11) of the heads of the studs 26 and the leading edge. A handle 37 with the key operated lock 30 is mounted on an inner face of the door adjacent the leading edge so that the shaft 31 engages the bush 32 for turning the gears 28, and hence for raising and lowering the studs 26, and espagnolette rods 25, in unison. There is also on the inside face of the door a dead lock 38 which is essentially a slidable bolt which can be pushed under finger pressure to engage a hole of the upper rack to prevent operation of the whole locking mechanism. The door frame (not shown) includes a striker plate arrangement 39 set into a slot or recess so that key-hole slots 40 of a strike plate 41 of the arrangement are at the same vertical height as the key hole slots 35 in the face plate 34.
The striker plate 41 lies over an intermediate plate 42 having elongate slots 43 which have a lateral extent at least as great as the diameter of the enlarged parts of the key hole slots 35, 40 and both plates 41 and 42 are secured to a base plate 44. The three striking plates 41, 42, 44 are adjust- ably secured together as by adjustment screws 45, and the whole assembly or arrangement 39 is secured to the door frame by screws 46 passing through aligned holes 47.
The arrangement is such that when the door is slid up to the frame in the fully closed position with the studs 26 in the lower, unlocked position, the studs pass through the enlarged parts of the key-hole shaped slots 40, and into the slots 43. When the key is turned (anticlockwise in Fig. 11) to lock the door shut the shafts of the studs 26 ride up the narrower parts of the key- hole slots 35 and 40 so that the heads of the studs 20 ride in the slots 43 and are held captive by the striker plate arrangement 39, the rear surfaces of the heads being caught behind the parts of the striker plate 41 flanking the narrower parts of the two key-hole slots 40.
At the same time, the racks 21 and 23 move away from one another so that the espagnolette rods 25 move upwardly and downwardly respectively to engage in upper and lower keepers. The door is thus locked shut. Turning the lock 30 clockwise (Fig. 11) provides a reverse motion so the studs are aligned with the key hole slot enlargements, and the espagnolette rods 25 are lowered and raised respectively out of engagement with their keepers. The door is thus unlocked, and can be slid away from the striker plate arrangement to open the door. When it is desired to lock the door open, it is merely necessary to align the nose or leading edge of the door with the keepers 1 and 10 so that the espagnolette rods 25 can engage in a desired facing pair of three pairs of holes 2 and slots 11 so that on insertion of the key and turning it anticlockwise as viewed raises the rack 22 and lowers the rack 23 to "throw" the connected espagnolette rods to engage in the respective head and cill keepers 1 and 10. On withdrawal of the key, the door is locked in the "open" position.
The apparatus thus has a four-point locking action.

Claims

1. Apparatus (20) for locking a sliding closure in any one of a plurality of positions, comprising facing keepers (1, 10) adapted for mounting on opposing frame parts of a frame for mounting the closure, each keeper (1, 10) being adapted to cooperate with slidable espagnolette rods (25), and means (30) adapted to slide the espagnolette rods in opposite directions, characterised by a plurality of facing means (2) and (11) in the keepers in opposite ones of which the espagnolette rods (25) can engage, by the facing means (2) of one keeper (1) comprising substantially parallel blind holes, the facing means (11) of the other keeper (10) comprising separate slots (11), each slot (11) being aligned with a respective hole (2), and by catch means (26) projecting at substantially right angles to the espagnolette rods (25) releasably engageable with a striker plate (41), by lock means (30) operatively connected between the means (32) to slide the espagnolette rods (25) and the catch means (26), and by the means (32) comprising a toothed gear turnable with the lock means (30) and which engages with respective racks (22, 23) of the espagnolette rods (25) so that on rotation of the gear (32) by the lock means (30), the espagnolette rods (25) and catch means (26) move in unison.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that each keeper (1) and (10) comprises three facing means (2) and (11) respectively.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterised in that the facing means (2) and (11) of the respective keepers (1) and (10) are three espagnolette rods receiving apertures.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the holes (2) are elongate.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, characterised in that one rack (22) supports the catch means (26) for engagement with the striker plate (41) whereby on movement of the gear the racks (22, 23) and catch means (26) are moved in unison.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised in that the catch means (26) comprises one or more studs (26), the or each of which has an enlarged head for engagement with one or more key-hole shaped slots (40) in the striker plate (41) for receiving the or each stud and in one position of the or each stud locking the or each head whereby to lock the closure.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by dead-lock means (38) for the lock means (20).

8. A closure, characterised by incorporating apparatus according to any preceding claim.