EP0444972B1 - Lock including a stator and a rotor mounted to rotate freely in the stator - Google Patents

Description

• le pêne étant situé à l'extérieur du logement prévu dans le rotor pour la clé, le pêne étant constitué par une pièce s'étendant selon la longueur du rotor, et articulé sur un axe agencé dans un évidement de la paroi extérieure du rotor propre à recevoir la majeure partie du pêne, le pêne comportant un moyen d'entraînement propre à coopérer avec un moyen complémentaire de la batteuse, lorsqu'une clé conforme a été introduite , et que le pêne a basculé, pour l'entraînement en rotation de la batteuse,
• des moyens de déplacement du pêne étant prévus pour déplacer le pêne, lorsqu'une clé conforme a été introduite, vers une position active entre le rotor et la batteuse,
• des moyens étant en outre prévus pour ramener le pêne dans sa position effacée lors du retrait de la clé .

The invention relates to a lock of the type which includes a stator, a rotor mounted to rotate freely in the stator, a member such as a thresher provided towards one end of the rotor and a bolt suitable for passing from a position. cleared in an active position to ensure the rotary drive of the thresher by the rotor, this rotor comprising a housing opening at the end opposite to the thresher and suitable for receiving a key, selection members being provided to pass through radially the wall of the rotor and open into the housing so as to cooperate with the key so that when a conforming key has been properly inserted into the housing of the rotor, the selection members are placed in a position allowing the movement of the bolt towards its active position and the thresher drive,

• the bolt being located outside the housing provided in the rotor for the key, the bolt being constituted by a part extending along the length of the rotor, and articulated on an axis arranged in a recess in the external wall of the clean rotor to receive the major part of the bolt, the bolt comprising a drive means capable of cooperating with a complementary means of the threshing machine, when a conforming key has been introduced, and that the bolt has tilted, for the rotation drive of the thresher,
• means for moving the bolt being provided for moving the bolt, when a conforming key has been inserted, towards an active position between the rotor and the thresher,
• means being further provided for returning the bolt to its erased position when the key is withdrawn.

Such a lock has the advantage of being disengageable, that is to say that during an attempted break-in, for example using a non-conforming key or a screwdriver blade inserted in the housing of the rotor, so as to exert a torque on this rotor, the latter will rotate freely in the stator, without driving the thresher, and without causing deterioration of the selection members. The control of the lock will therefore not be ensured and the lock will not be destroyed.

Locks of this type are known, in particular from US-A-3,410,123. According to this document, the bolt is articulated around an axis, orthogonal to that of the stator, provided at one of its ends. At its other end, the bolt is provided with a transverse leg suitable for establishing a rotational connection between the rotor and the thresher. In its active position, the bolt is inclined relative to the axis of the stator, which complicates the production of this bolt, at its contact surface with the selection members in order to achieve alignment. In addition, the transverse foot of the bolt, when it passes into its active position, performs a movement having a component parallel to the axis of the stator, which can be a source of friction and a decrease in the reliability of the lock.

The invention aims, above all, to provide a lock of the kind defined above, which no longer has, or to a lesser degree, the drawbacks mentioned above. In particular, it is desired that the production of the bolt be simplified, that the bolt be as least accessible as possible from outside the lock and that the friction due to the relative movements of the parts be reduced.

According to the invention, a lock of the kind defined above is characterized in that the bolt is articulated on a longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the rotor, that the means for moving the bolt are located outside the rotor and that the drive means comprises a lug located at the end of the bolt, oriented parallel to the axis of the rotor, and suitable for entering an internal radial notch of the thresher or of the rotor when the bolt swings inwards in response to a appropriate arrangement of selection bodies.

Advantageously, the lock comprises, for the thresher, a radially movable locking pin, provided with a groove, the locking pin being pushed by a spring.

Preferably, the selection members consist of flakes whose mean plane is orthogonal to the axis of the rotor, these flakes being mounted with the possibility of radial sliding in the rotor, each flake comprising at least one notch on a longitudinal edge, these notches being able to align when a conforming key has been introduced into the rotor, the latter comprising a window suitable for allowing the entry of a tip of the tilting bolt, the assembly being such that when the notches have been aligned by the introduction of a conforming key, the beak of the bolt can enter these notches, which allows the radial tilting of the bolt and the driving of the thresher by the rotor .

The radial notch can be provided at the edge of a circular groove of the thresher in which said lug can engage.

The groove of the locking pin is adapted to receive the end of the lug.

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the internal radial notch is provided in the bottom of a recess in the cylindrical wall of the rotor, the depth of this recess being at least equal to the diameter of the lug of the bolt.

Preferably, the radial notch has a semi-circular concave shape.

The threshing latch pin bears against the lug of the bolt and is suitable for entering, at one end, into the recess of the rotor to contribute to the rotary drive of the thresher by the rotor, the groove being able to receive the end wall of the stator.

The lock is arranged so that the rotation of the rotor, while the bolt is in the erased position, causes the spacing of the locking pin which comes out of the recess and bears against the outer surface of the rotor.

A lock according to the invention is suitable for locks intended for the automotive industry as well as for locks intended for the building industry.

The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set out above, of a certain number of other arrangements of which it will be more explicitly question below in connection with exemplary embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but which are in no way limiting.

Figure 1 of these drawings is a section along the line I-I, Figure 2, of a lock according to the invention, with tilting bolt.

Figure 2 is an axial section of the lock of Figure 1, the rotor is not cut.

Figure 3 is a section on III-III, Figure 4, similar to Figure 1, but while a conforming key has been introduced and the bolt has swung into its active position.

FIG. 4 is an axial section according to FIG. 3.

Figure 5 is a cross section along V-V, Figure 2 showing the locking pin in rotation of the threshing machine relative to the rotor.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the thresher alone.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tilting bolt with, at the end, its drive pin.

Figure 8 is a cross section of an alternative embodiment of the lock of the invention, with bolt in the erased position.

Figure 9 is a cross section of the rotor and the bolt, in the erased position, at a straw.

FIG. 10 is an axial section, with external parts and parts broken away, of the lock of FIG. 8.

Figures 11 and 12, finally, are views similar to those of Figures 8 and 9, but while the bolt has swung into its active position, following the introduction of a compliant key.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, one can see a lock 301 comprising a stator 302 and a rotor 303 mounted freely in rotation in the stator, but immobilized in translation.

A member formed by a thresher 304 is provided towards one end of the rotor 303. The thresher 304 is mounted to rotate freely on an extension 305 of the rotor. A rotational connection can be established between the thresher 304 and the rotor 303 by a bolt 306 suitable for passing from an erased position, represented in FIG. 1, to an active position, represented in FIG. 3 when a conforming key 307 has been introduced into a housing 308 of the rotor 303, this housing opening at the end of the rotor opposite the threshing machine.

Selection members 309 constituted by flakes are arranged radially to the cylindrical wall of the rotor 303. When a conforming key 307 is introduced (fig. 3 and 4), the selection members 309 are placed in a position allowing the movement of the bolt 306 to its active position and the thresher drive by the rotor.

The bolt 306 is tiltable and is constituted by a part (see FIG. 7) of cylindrical appearance whose generatrices are oriented parallel to the axis of the rotor 303. The cross section of this bolt 306 has substantially the shape of an arc of circular crown whose radius of the outer edge is substantially equal to the outer radius of the rotor 303; at one end of this cross section, situated on the right of FIGS. 1 and 3, the bolt 306 comprises a head 59 of larger dimension in the radial direction, projecting inwards by a spout 60, and, towards the outside, by a rounded part 61. At its end facing the threshing machine, the bolt 306 carries, in this part 61, a cylindrical finger 62 projecting relative to the transverse face of the bolt, parallel to the generatrices.

The longitudinal edge of the bolt 306 opposite the head 59 has two notches 63, adjacent to each of the longitudinal ends of the bolt. A bore is provided in this edge, parallel to the generatrices of the bolt, over the entire length so as to pass through the two notches 63. This bore is suitable for receiving a hinge pin 64 formed by a cylindrical rod.

The rotor 303 has, on its outer wall, a recess 65 suitable for receiving the major part of the bolt 306. Two bearings 66 are provided in this recess 65 to be accommodated in the notches 63, these bearings comprising bores for the passage of the rod 64.

The finger or lug 62 is suitable for being engaged in a circular groove 67 provided on the threshing machine 304 and centered on the axis of the rotor 303. The radius of this groove 67 is determined so that, when the finger 62 is engaged in this groove, the bolt 306 is held in a raised position with respect to the rotor 303, as shown in FIG. 1, the spout 60 being spaced apart from the flakes 309.

A radial notch 68 is provided on the inner edge of the groove 67, to receive the finger 62 and thus allow the tilting, radially inward, in the clockwise direction as shown in Figures 1 and 3, of the bolt 306 .

The rotor 303 has a longitudinal window 69 communicating with the housings in which the flakes 309 constituting the selection members can slide.

Each straw 309 has, on its longitudinal edge facing the latch 306, a notch 70 adapted to receive the corresponding longitudinal area of the spout 60.

Elastic means 74 (see FIG. 5) are provided to urge the bolt in rotation towards the inside of the rotor 303, that is to say in the clockwise direction around the rod 64 according to the representation of FIGS. 1 and 3. The notches 70 are arranged in such a way so that, when a conforming key has been inserted into the housing of the rotor 303, the notches 70 are aligned in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotor and are located in line with the spout 60 to receive it.

Indexing of the position of the thresher 304 relative to the stator 302 (see Figure 5) in the rest position or zero position is obtained using a locking pin 354 movable radially in a groove 71 provided in the thresher and which communicates with a region of the groove 67, on the side opposite to the rotor 303.

The pin 354 has a groove substantially in an arc 72 suitable for being placed opposite the corresponding region of the groove 67 in order to receive the end of the finger 62. The dimensions of the parts are such that when the finger 62 is engaged in the groove 67, the outer radial end of the pin 354 protrudes beyond the outer contour of the threshing machine 304 and is engaged in a housing 358 provided on the stator 302. A pusher 73 is disposed in this housing 358 and is pushed by a compression spring 74 which therefore urges the bolt 306 to tilt inward.

That said, the operation of the lock of Figures 1 to 7 is as follows.

When a conforming key 307 is inserted into the rotor, the notches or notches 70 of the flakes 309 align and the bolt 306 can tilt inwards, its beak 60 coming to be housed in the notches 70, while the finger 62 enters notch 68. This movement of the bolt is helped by the spring 74 which slides, towards the center, the pin 354 in the groove 71. When the bolt occupies the position of FIG. 3, the separation face between the pin 354 and the pusher 73 is located on the cylindrical contact surface between the thresher 304 and the stator 302 so that the thresher can rotate relative to the stator by driving the pin 354.

This rotary movement of the thresher is obtained by exerting an appropriate torque on the conforming key introduced into the rotor, which makes it possible to control the lock.

The return to zero is ensured by the spring 329. After removal of the key, the bolt 306 is raised, under the action of the flakes 309 pushed outwards by the corresponding springs. We find the position of figure 1.

If a non-conforming key, or a tool blade, is inserted into the rotor for burglary, at least one of the flakes 309 will not come into alignment, at its notch, with the other flakes, so that the spout 60 of the bolt remains in abutment on the side of this straw in the raised position of FIG. 1. The pin 62 remains in the groove 67.

The rotor 303 is free to rotate and can rotate, under the effect of a torque, the finger 62 moving in the groove 67, without driving the thresher.

The means for withdrawal of the bolt 306 in its retracted position (raised) of Figure 1 are formed by the sloping surfaces 70 has conjugated, 60 has notches 70 and spout 60, combined with an springs.

The key used for the lock of Figures 1 to 7 is a flat key.

Referring to Figures 8 to 12, we can see an advantageous alternative embodiment of a lock according to the invention.

The elements of this lock identical to elements already described in connection with the preceding figures are designated by the same reference numerals, their description not being repeated or being carried out only succinctly. The elements of these figures 8 to 12 having undergone some modifications relative to the previous figures, but whose functions can be compared to those of elements of these previous figures are designated by numerical references having the same digits of tens and units but of which the hundreds figure is four, instead of three in the previous figures.

The bolt 406 is always a tilting bolt whose articulation around the geometric longitudinal axis 64 is obtained using cylindrical pins such as 75, coaxial with the geometric axis of rotation, and projecting longitudinally on each transverse face end of the bolt 406. Each pin 75 is received in a housing 76 provided in the rotor 403 (see Figures 9 and 12). This housing 76 is delimited, inwards, by kinds of teeth 77 which engage in openings 78 provided in the radial wall of the bolt 406. The rotary guide of the bolt is thus ensured, with maintenance in the longitudinal direction by cooperation of the teeth 77 and the walls of the openings 78.

The rotor 403 comprises, towards its end near the thresher 404, a recess 79, of substantially rectangular cross section, opening on its cylindrical surface. The depth, that is to say the radial dimension, of this recess 79 is at least equal to the diameter of the lug 62 of the bolt 406. When the bolt is in the retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the lug 62 is engaged in the recess 79 and is located radially inside the virtual extension of the cylindrical surface of the rotor 403 at the level of the recess 79. The peripheral width of this recess 79 is greater than the diameter of the lug 62 so as to be able to receive the inner radial end 80 of the plunger 454 of the thresher. This pusher passes through a notch 81 provided at the end of the stator 402.

The bottom of the recess 79 has a radial notch 468 which has a concave semi-circular shape. When a conforming key 407 (see FIG. 12) has been introduced into the openings 308 of the flakes 309, the notches 70 are aligned and the bolt 406 can tilt. The lug 62 can then enter the notch 468 which allows the pusher 454 to move radially inwards under the action of the spring 74.

This pusher 454 has a groove 472 which, when the bolt occupies its active position in FIG. 12, is placed in line with the wall of the stator 402. It is then possible for the thresher 404 to be rotated by the rotor 403 because the pin 454 no longer blocks it in rotation relative to the stator since the wall of this stator 402, limiting the notch 81, can engage in the groove 472 wide enough for this.

It should be noted that the inner radial wall of the end 80 has a concave shape matching the surface of the lug 62.

When the bolt 406 is in the retracted position of FIGS. 8 and 9, no rotational connection is established between the rotor 403 and the thresher 404 which is locked in rotation relative to the stator 402 by the pusher 454.

If a rotation of the rotor 403 is caused, from the position of FIG. 8, the pusher 454 is slightly repelled radially by the lug 62, when the rotor begins to rotate about its axis. The cylindrical outer surface of the rotor 403, at the edge of the recess 79, will engage under the pusher 454 and keep it pushed back while the rotor 403 will turn mad.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, the entrance to the rotor housing can be closed by a flap 82 subjected to an elastic return, this flap 82 disappearing, in a conventional manner, during the introduction of a key.

The thresher 404 envelops the end of the stator 402 (see FIG. 10) and the indexing member 454 of the thresher, relative to the stator, is made in one piece.

This being the case, the operation of the lock of FIGS. 8 to 12 immediately results from the preceding explanations.

When a conforming key 407 is inserted, as illustrated in FIG. 12, all the notches 70 align and allow the entry of the beak 60 of the bolt and the tilting of this bolt 406 in the counterclockwise direction according to the representation of FIGS. 8, 9, 11 and 12, around the geometric axis of articulation 64.

Under these conditions, the lug 62 enters the notch 468 as illustrated in FIG. 11 which allows the descent of the pusher 454 and the alignment of the groove 472 with the wall of the stator 402. The entry of the end lower 80 of the pusher in the recess 79 contributes to establishing a rotational connection between the rotor 403 and the thresher 404. The cooperation of the notch 468 of the lug 62 and the concave end of the part 80 also contributes to this bond.

The rotation of the conforming key 407 rotates the rotor 403 and the thresher 404, which controls the lock.

If a non-conforming key is inserted into the rotor 403, or if any tool is inserted in order to force the lock, as explained above, the rotor 403 will turn mad, the pusher 454 being spread radially outwards and s' pressing against the external cylindrical surface of the rotor 403.

Claims (7)

1. Lock comprising a stator (302), a rotor (303, 403) mounted to rotate freely in the stator (302), a member such as an arm (304, 404) provided towards one end of the rotor and a bolt (306, 406) capable of passing from an idle position to an active position to ensure that the arm (304, 404) is driven in rotation by the rotor, this rotor (303, 403) having a housing (308) opening at the end opposite the arm (304, 404) and capable of receiving a key (307, 407), selector members (309) being provided to pass radially through the wall of the rotor and enter the housing (308) so as to cooperate with the key (307, 407) so that when the correct key has been inserted in an appropriate manner into the housing of the rotor, the selector members (309) are placed in a position allowing for displacement of the bolt (306, 406) towards its active position and driving of the arm (304, 404), the bolt (306, 406) being situated to the exterior of the housing (308) provided in the rotor (303, 403) for the key (307, 407), the bolt consisting of a component extending along the length of the rotor and pivoting about an axis provided in a recess (65) of the outer wall of the rotor (303, 403) capable of receiving the greater part of the bolt (306, 406), the bolt (306, 406) having a drive means (62) capable of cooperating with a complementary means of the arm (304, 404) in order to drive the arm in rotation when the correct key has been inserted and the bolt has swung, displacement means for the bolt (306, 406) being provided to displace the bolt towards an active position between the rotor and the arm when the correct key has been inserted, means moreover being provided to return the bolt to its idle position when the key is removed, characterised in that the bolt (306, 406) pivots about a longitudinal axis (64) parallel to the axis of the rotor (303, 403), that the displacement means for the bolt (306, 406) are situated to the exterior of the rotor (303, 403), and that the drive means include a fence (62) situated at the end of the bolt (306, 406) directed parallel to the axis of the rotor and capable of entering an inner radial notch (68, 468) of the arm (304) or of the rotor (403) when the bolt (306, 406) swings towards the interior in response to an appropriate arrangement of the selector members (309).
2. Lock according to claim 1, characterised in that, for the arm , it has a radially movable stop pin (354, 454) provided with a groove (72, 472), the stop pin (354, 454) being pushed by a spring (74).
3. Lock according to claim 1, characterised in that the inner radial notch (68) is provided at the edge of a circular throat (67) of the arm in which the said fence (62) can engage.
4. Lock according to claim 2, characterised in that the groove (72) of the stop pin is capable of receiving the end of the fence (62).
5. Lock according to claim 2, characterised in that the inner radial notch (468)is provided in the bottom of a recess (79) of the cylindrical wall of the rotor (403), the depth of this recess (79) being at least equal to the diameter of the fence (62) of the bolt.
6. Lock according to claim 5, characterised in that the stop pin (454) of the arm bears against the fence (62) of the bolt and is capable of entering the recess (79) of the rotor via one end (80) to help the rotor (403) drive the arm (404) in rotation, the groove (472) being capable of receiving the end wall of the stator (402).
7. Lock according to claim 6, characterised in that it is adapted so that rotation of the rotor (403) while the bolt (406) is in the idle position results in movement of the stop pin (454) which comes out of the recess (79) and bears against the outer cylindrical surface of the rotor.

Images