EP0296086B1 - Espagnolet with one or more springactuted bars - Google Patents

Abstract

This casement lock (1), notably for casement doors, French windows or the like, comprises essentially a casing (2) enclosing a mechanism for actuating a half-turn bolt, and one or a plurality of operating rods (5, 6) urged to their locking position by resilient means (9). This casement lock is further provided with damping means (14) for slowing down the operating rods (5, 6) during their return movement to the locking position under the action of the resilient means (9).

Description

The invention relates to a locking device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Already known, in particular from document US-A-1,688,472, a device for locking a leaf and, more particularly, a lock which comprises a housing containing a control mechanism making it possible to actuate, for example by a handle, a locking element constituted by a latch bolt. The latter is subjected to elastic return means which, when the handle is released, systematically brings it back, in the locked position, namely salient with respect to the front edge of the leaf in which said lock is inserted.

Note, moreover, that some of the elements of the control mechanism of this lock, such as the follower, are themselves subjected to the action of elastic return means in order to bring back, after having actuated it, the handle. in its initial position.

The problem which the invention described in this prior document proposes to remedy lies in the fact that after having actuated the lock through the control handle, and following the release of the latter, the various elements, subjected to means elastic return, tend, arriving at the end stop, to produce a noise which can be particularly annoying. The solution proposed consists in equipping the lock, precisely, with damping means which slow down the movement of the latch bolt, as well as all of the means making it possible to maneuver the latter, during the return to the locking position through the various elastic means.

In fact, these damping means consist of a pneumatic cylinder body in which a piston moves directly connected to the latch bolt. More precisely, due to the play existing between the bore of the cylinder body and said piston, the displacement of the latter during the return to the locked position, causes the rolling of the air contained in this cylinder body through this annular space which the above-mentioned clearance defines.

However, it should be noted that due to the fact that the damping means are active as soon as the latch bolt, starting from the unlocked position, begins its return to the locking position, there is a good chance that this slowed-down latch bolt, from the start, is no longer able, even under the impetus of elastic means, to overcome the resistance efforts which are offered to it when entering the opening of the strike located in accordance with the sleeping frame.

In no case can these damping means be associated with a locking element having the function, apart from locking, of ensuring a certain compression of the leaf of the door, window or the like, against its sleeping frame, this because of considerations above. Indeed, such a locking element is supposed to meet a particularly high resistance when inserting into the keeper and it is necessary to have, at this instant, all the power of the elastic return means, or even a certain initial speed of this locking element.

Finally, these damping means, corresponding to this document US-A-1,688,472, can be the cause of a malfunction of the lock or any other locking device, the latter providing, under these conditions, only limited security.

One of the aims of the present invention consists in proposing a locking device which is, more particularly, a cremone bolt or cremone bolt making it possible to remedy all of the aforementioned drawbacks, namely to limit the operating noise produced during the return to position. locked of the locking element constituted by one or more operating rods, this, while ensuring that this locking is perfect even in the case where said locking element must compress the leaf of a door or window against its sleeping frame .

The invention, as characterized in the claims, solves the problem and consists of a device for locking a leaf controlled by a handle comprising a housing containing a mechanism for actuating a locking element, such as a latch bolt, on the one hand, returned to the locking position under the action of elastic means and, on the other hand, subjected to damping means to slow down its movement during this return to the locked position, these damping means being constituted by a double action damper, using the inertia effect of a fluid when a throttle passes, this device of locking mechanism being a cremone bolt or locking bolt and the locking element, subjected to elastic means as well as to damping means consisting of one or more operating rods provided with at least one locking member, this cremone bolt or cremone bolt being provided, in addition, with a blocking element holding said operating rods in the unlocked position and unlocking means, integral with the dorman frame t and coming to cooperate, during the closing of the leaf, with the blocking element to authorize the return of these operating rods in the locked position, the damping means comprising a fixed piston inserted in a central recess of a sliding movable piston in a housing of a cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, said fixed piston and the cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder being made integral with the housing and the movable piston coming to cooperate, either directly or through a connecting rod with the operating rods, these having an idle stroke before the drive of said movable piston which consists of two parts located in the extension of one another, the upper part being provided of the central recess and the lower part having a cylindrical shape of diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the housing and sliding in the latter, this by lower tie comprising, in addition, means of communication between the central recess and the housing to ensure the flow of a fluid contained in the latter.

The advantages obtained thanks to this lever or lever-bolt that constitutes the locking device according to the invention, consist essentially in that its damping means make it possible to reduce the speed of movement of operating rods under the action of the means elastic while retaining the effectiveness of the latter at the start of this recall of said operating rods in the position of locking. It is, in fact, essential to obtain through these elastic means, sufficient power to compensate for any resistance to the engagement of the locking elements in their corresponding keeper.

Another advantage of the present invention consists in that the damping means are of particularly reduced dimensions allowing their insertion in a standard size case.

• La figure 1 représente une vue en élévation et partielle d'un dispositif de verrouillage conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 2 représente une vue schématisée selon flèches II-II de la figure 1.

The invention is set out below in more detail with the aid of drawings representing only one embodiment.

• Figure 1 shows an elevational and partial view of a locking device according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 represents a diagrammatic view according to arrows II-II of FIG. 1.

The locking device, according to the invention consists, more particularly, in a lever or lever-lock, as shown in the attached drawing. In order to facilitate understanding of the description which follows, this cremone bolt or bolt lock will be designated by the generic term of bolt lock.

In fact, it comprises a housing 2 formed by two parallel plates 3, 4, enclosing a mechanism (not shown) whose function consists in actuating one or more locking elements and, in particular, a latch bolt (not visible ), as well as one or more operating rods 5, 6.

Figure 1 shows a bolt lock whose operating rods 5, 6 are made integral by a connecting rod 7 and, therefore, they are subjected to strictly identical movements relative to each other. However, it is possible to provide the lock-bolt 1 with an appropriate mechanism making it possible to give these operating rods 5, 6, movement in the opposite direction.

The two operating rods 5, 6 are slidably mounted behind a headrest 8 and comprise one or more locking elements (not shown) cooperating with strikes arranged on the edge of the sleeping frame.

This cremone bolt 1 is provided with elastic means 9, acting on the connecting rod 7 to recall said operating rods 5, 6 in the locked position. The elastic means 9 shown in FIG. 1 consist of two concentric helical springs 10, 11, cooperating, at their lower end 12, with the connecting rod 7 and having their upper part inserted in a housing 13 secured to the housing 2. Due to this arrangement, the helical springs 10, 11 push the operating rods 5, 6 downwards into the locked position.

However, it should be noted that the bolt lock 1, according to the invention, is in no way limited to this particular configuration of the elastic means 9. Thus, it can be envisaged to replace the coil springs 10, 11 with a spring spiral. Similarly, it is possible to modify the arrangement of these elastic means 9 to make them cooperate directly with one of the rods 5, 6.

Due to the presence of these elastic means 9, the bolt lock 1 is provided with a locking element (not shown) making it possible to maintain the operating rods 5, 6, in the unlocked position, when the opening of the door, French window or the like. When the leaf is closed, this blocking element cooperates with unlocking means, integral with the sleeping frame, to release said operating rods 5, 6 and recall the latter in the locked position.

The locking device that constitutes the lock-bolt 1 also comprises damping means 14 whose function consists in slowing down the speed of movement of a locking element and, more particularly, operating rods 5, 6 during their return to the locked position under the action of the elastic means 9. By thus slowing down the movement of the operating rods 5, 6, the operating noise of the bolt lock 1 is considerably reduced.

These shock-absorbing means 14 are constituted by a double-action shock absorber 15, using the inertia effect of a fluid when a throttle 16 passes. This shock absorber 15 is fixed to the housing 2 of the bolt lock 1 and cooperates with the operating rods 5, 6.

In the context of the present description, relating to the lock-bolt 1 shown in FIG. 1, the cooperation between the operating rods 5, 6 and the damper 15 is achieved by means of the connecting rod 7. However, by making slight modifications in the configuration and arrangement of the operating rods 5, 6, it is possible to associate the damper 15 directly with one of the latter, in particular in the context of operating rods moving in opposite direction. It should be noted that these modifications are within the reach of those skilled in the art.

The damper 15 consists of a fixed piston 17 inserted into a central recess 18 of a movable piston 19, the latter sliding in a housing 20 of a cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic jack 21. The fixed piston 17, like the cylinder body 21, are made integral with the casing 2 of the lock-bolt 1. In contrast, the movable piston 19 cooperates with the operating rods 5, 6, by means of the connecting rod 7.

This movable piston 19 has a particular configuration and consists of two parts 22, 23 located in the extension of one another, the upper part 22 being provided with the central recess 18 into which the fixed piston 17 is introduced. that the lower part 23 slides in the housing 20 of the cylinder body 21. For this purpose, it should be noted that the external diameter 24 of the lower part 23 of the movable piston 19 is slightly less than the internal diameter 25 of the housing 20. From even, to allow relative movement of the fixed piston 17 in the central recess 18 of the movable piston 19, it is preferable to adjust their diameter properly.

Because the shock absorber 15 is based on the principle of inertia that a fluid presents when a throttle passes, the lower part 23 of the movable piston 19 further comprises communication means 26 between the central recess 18 and the housing 20 to ensure the flow of a fluid contained in the latter.

Preferably, the communication means 26 are in the form of a bore 27 machined in the lower part 23 of the movable piston 19. This bore 27 opens, on the one hand, into the central recess 18 of the movable piston 19 and, d on the other hand, in the housing 20 of the cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 21. The diameter of this bore 27 can be determined so that it alone constitutes the constriction 16 through which the fluid is brought to flow. However, to facilitate its machining, the bore 27 has a larger diameter and comprises, at its lower end 28, opening into the housing 20, a peripheral flange 29 forming the constriction 16.

The diameter of the constriction 16 is determined as a function of the viscosity of the fluid used and of the damping intensity which should be reached. This damping intensity is determined according to two criteria, namely the reduction in the operating noise of the bolt lock 1 and the effort which a user must provide to actuate the operating handle. These two criteria seem contradictory. However, it should be noted that the speed of movement of the operating rods 5, 6 under the effect of the rotation of the operating handle is significantly lower than their speed of movement resulting from the elastic return in the locked position. For this reason, it is possible to determine a damper 15 offering only a very low resistance under the action of the operating handle, while ensuring its function of retarding the operating rods 5, 6 at the time of closing. of the door, French window or the like.

At no time, the damper 15 must fulfill the functions of a spring. For this purpose, it is essential that the ascent of the movable piston 19 and its descent cause the transfer of a quantity of fluid, contained in the central recess 18 and the housing 20, substantially identical. This result is obtained by giving the housing 20 a diameter 25 equal to the diameter 30 of the central recess 18.

The stroke of the movable piston 19 depends, on the one hand, on the depth of the central recess 18 and of the housing 20 and, on the other hand, on the length of the fixed piston 17 and of the lower part 23 of the movable piston 19 Preferably, this stroke is greater than the length of movement of the operating rods 5, 6.

The advantage obtained by such a shock absorber 15, in accordance with the invention, essentially consists in a significant reduction in its size. This advantage is all the more advantageous since it is necessary to comply with standard dimensions of the housing 2 of the locking lever 1. In particular, this damper 15 must be able to be inserted between the two parallel plates 3, 4 having a determined spacing 31 .

It has been mentioned above that the fixed piston 17 and the cylinder body 21 are made integral with the housing 2. For this purpose, the fixed piston 17 has at its upper end 32 a flange 33 cooperating, on the one hand, with gripping means 34 integral with the housing 2 and, on the other hand, with the upper wall 35 of the latter. More specifically, the gripping means 34 consist of a square-shaped element comprising a vertical wing 36 and a horizontal wing 37. The latter is provided with a cutout 38 of width slightly greater than the diameter of the fixed piston 17 and in which is inserted the latter. Therefore, the upper face of the horizontal wing 37 cooperates with the shoulder 39 defined by the flange 33 and prevents a downward movement of said fixed piston 17. Furthermore, due to the small spacing between said upper face of the 'horizontal wing 37 and the inner face of the upper wall 35 of the housing 2, the fixed piston 17 is also immobilized in a vertical direction and upwards.

As regards the cylinder body 21, the latter has on its external face 40 and at its ends 41, 42, peripheral grooves 43 cooperating with retaining elements 44, 45 of the housing 2 of the lock-bolt 1.

The connection between the movable piston 19 and the operating rods 5, 6 is constituted by gripping means 46 located at the upper end 47 of a vertical wing 48 secured to the connecting rod 7. These gripping means 46 cooperate with a peripheral groove 49 machined on the external face of the upper part 22 of the movable piston 19.

Consequently, during the elastic return of the operating rods 5, 6, in the locked position, the latter drive, via the connecting rod 7, the movable piston 19. Therefore, and due to the inertia of the fluid to flow in the passage of the throttle 16, the movement of the operating rods 5, 6 can only be carried out at reduced speed, considerably reducing the operating noise of the bolt lock 1.

Generally, the locking elements, located on the operating rods 5, 6, have a certain resistance to their engagement in the corresponding keepers. However, the higher the speed of movement of the operating rods 5, 6, the easier it is to compensate for this resistance. Therefore, it is preferable that the effects of the shock absorber 15 are felt only after partial introduction of the locking elements in their keeper. Advantageously, the connecting rod 7 has an idle stroke 50 before driving the movable piston 19. This idle stroke 50 is equal to the difference of the height 51 of the peripheral groove 49 and the thickness 52 of the teeth 53 cooperating with said peripheral groove 49 and constituting the gripping means 46 of the connecting rod 7. Thus, it is only after displacement of the operating rods 5, 6 over a length corresponding to the idle stroke 50 that the rod link 7 drives the movable piston 19 of the shock absorber 15.

It is obvious that the proper functioning of the damper 15 depends on a perfect seal between, on the one hand, the fixed piston 17 and the central recess 18 and, on the other hand, the lower part 23 of the movable piston 19 and the housing 20. For this purpose, the fixed piston 17 and the lower part 23 of the movable piston 19 comprise, at their lower end, respectively 54, 55, a peripheral groove in which a seal 56 is inserted.

The advantages obtained, thanks to this invention, essentially consist in that the lock-bolt 1 includes automatic return means for the operating rods 5, 6 in the position of lock and, has reduced operating noise. Furthermore, by considerably reducing repetitive shocks on all of the elements making up the lock-bolt 1, the longevity of the latter is improved.

Claims (6)

1. Locking device for a leaf operated by means of a handle, comprising a casing (2) containing a mechanism for actuating a locking member, such as a latch bolt, on the one hand, restored into locking position under the action of the springy means (9) and, on the other hand, subjected to damping means (14) in order to decelerate its movement during this restoring into locking position, these damping means consisting of a double-action damper (15) making use of the effect of inertia of a fluid when passing through a narrowing (16), characterized in that this locking device is an espagnolette or espagnolette-lock (1) and the locking member, subjected to springy means (9) as well as to damping means (14), consists of one or several operating rods (5, 6) provided with at least one locking organ, this espagnolette or espagnolette-lock (1) being furthermore provided with a locking member keeping said operating rods (5, 6) in unlocked position and unlocking means, integral with the sash-frame and co-operating, when closing the leaf, with the locking member in order to enable the restoring of these operating rods into locked position, the damping means (14) comprising a fixed piston (17) engaged into a central recess (18) in a movable piston (19) sliding in a bore (20) of the cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic jack (21), said fixed piston (17) and the cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic jack (21) being made integral with the casing (2) and the movable piston (19) co-operating, either directly or through a connecting rod (7), with the operating rods (5, 6), these latter having an idle stroke (50) before the carrying along of said movable piston (19) which is comprised of two portions (22, 23) located in the extension of each other, the upper portion (22) being provided with the central recess (18) and the lower portion (23) having a cylindrical shape of a diameter (24) slightly smaller than the diameter (25) of the bore (20) and sliding in this latter, this lower portion (23) furthermore comprising means (26) for communicating the central recess (18) with the bore (20), in order to ensure the flowing-out of a fluid contained in these latter.

2. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the communicating means (26) consist of a bore (27) machined in the lower portion (23) of the movable piston (19) and ending, on the one hand, into the central recess (18) in the upper portion (22) and, on the other hand, into the bore (20) of the cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic jack (21), this bore (27) being provided, at its lower end (28), ending into said bore (20), with a peripheral rim (29) forming the narrowing (16).

3. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the diameter (30) of the central recess (18) of the movable piston (19) is substantially equal to the diameter (25) of the bore (20) corresponding to the cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic jack (21).

4. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixed piston (17) comprises, at its upper end (32) a side plate (33) co-operating with gripping means (34) integral with the casing (2) in order to immobilize said fixed piston (17) with respect to this latter.

5. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylinder body of a hydraulic or pneumatic jack (21) comprises, on its outer face (40) and at its ends (41, 42), a peripheral groove (43) co-operating with holding members (44, 45) integral with the casing (2).

6. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable piston (19) comprises, at its upper portion (22), a peripheral groove (49) co-operating with gripping means (46) integral with a connecting rod (7) or with one of the operating rods (5, 6), the height (31) of said peripheral groove (49) being determined substantially larger than the thickness (52) of said gripping means (46), the difference corresponding to the idle stroke (50) of the operating rods (5, 6) before carrying along the movable piston (19).

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