EP0490287B1 - Grounding lock washer and earthing a closure bolt therewith - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an earthing spring for the electrical connection of a metal mounting bracket, lock housing or the like, a rod lock, with the mounting surface, such as a metal mounting wall, such as a control cabinet door or control cabinet flap.

Furthermore, the invention deals with the combination of a rod lock for control cabinet doors, control cabinet flaps or the like is.

An earthing spring, which connects a mounting bracket of a rod lock with the metallic wall of an electrical control cabinet, and a rod lock, on the lock case of which there is one Grounding springs are already state of the art, see for example the catalog sheet B152 of a catalog from the company EMKA Beschlagteile, Velbert, which was published in December 1988, and catalog sheet B145.2 from the same catalog.

Also of interest is EP-A-025472, from which a "grounding attachment" emerges, that is, an object that grounds and attaches at the same time.

For simple applications, in particular for twist-lock closures, the spring-like embodiment of such an earthing fastening described in this publication is also quite suitable, while in the case of heavier closures, in particular for rod closures which work with a rod lock, the strength of the springs used is not sufficient. For this reason, the exemplary embodiments described in the publication only deal with twist-lock closures, but not with rod closures, which are also mentioned in the introductory part of this publication, but only in passing. Rod locks, be it for control cabinet doors, be it for control cabinet flaps or the like, are therefore not equipped with fastening clips of this type which are to be earthed at the same time.

Instead, the rod lock shown in catalog sheet B152, which can also be seen in FIG. 12 (while FIG. 13 refers to catalog sheet B145.2, which figures are also used to explain the following invention), is in the Designed in such a way that a welding bolt with nut and spring washer is provided for grounding the rod lock on the inside of painted doors on the metal mounting bracket that carries the lock case of a rod lock. Although this measure serves its purpose, it has several disadvantages. That's the way it is cumbersome to apply a welding bolt to the door leaf to be grounded, which can then be grounded using the grounding spring and a nut (as shown in FIG. 12). The embodiment according to FIG. 12, which can also be taken from a further catalog from EMKA Beschlagteile, Velbert, published in April 1990, works similarly, see catalog sheet B145.4 there. The welding bolt attached there in the middle of the door leaf in turn carries an earthing spring, which resiliently attaches to the lock case, which is designed differently here, and thereby electrically connects it to the door leaf.

In addition to the cumbersome fastening of a welding stud to the door leaf, the space required for the construction shown is often also not available or the space taken up is lost for other construction parts.

The object of the invention is to provide an earthing spring of the type mentioned at the outset, which is able to ground the rod locks, as shown for example in FIGS. 12 and 13, in a simpler manner, and also a combination of a rod lock for control cabinet doors To create control cabinet flaps or the like with an earthing spring, in which there is no need to attach a welding bolt to the door leaf and, moreover, no significant additional space is required on the door leaf surface, so that no restrictions with regard to the attachment of various additional parts, such as rod guides, locking pins on the Rod, receptacles for retractable operating levers and the like arise.

With regard to the earthing spring, the object is achieved in that the earthing spring is disc-shaped and has a, preferably ring-shaped, clamping area which, when the lock housing is mounted, between a metallic one bare or electrically conductive fastener fastening surface of the fastener, such as outer fastening surface, outer lock case surface, and the fastening wall surface and come under clamping action by fastening means, such as nuts or screws, and that a projection extends from the clamping region, which is bent in the direction of the wall surface, that tips or edges of the projection initially lie obliquely when tightening the fastening means on the wall surface, and partially flatten out when tightening further, and the edges or tips move a little along the wall surface. This creates a very intense scratching effect, which enables safe grounding without requiring additional space or additional welding bolts on the door leaf.

The spring can be single or double axially symmetrical or have a rectangular shape, at the corners of which there are incisions or cutouts, and the area separated by the cut can be z. B. be bent out on the remaining connection area. The spring can have an outer contour adapted to the mounting bracket or the like and an opening adapted to the mounting bracket opening (or the components protruding from the lock case, such as the actuation axis).

The projections or at least part of a projection carrying an edge or tip can furthermore be optically visible after assembly. In particular, the projection can protrude beyond the outer contour of the mounting bracket or the like. If these spring lugs remain visually visible when the lock is installed, it is easier to check that the earthing spring has actually been installed.

The inner contour of the breakthrough opening can also form a chord that makes the earthing spring asymmetrical. To this A certain orientation is achieved in this way, and the same can be achieved if the outer contour forms a flattened portion.

The grounding spring can have two or even four projections, one projection pointing in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

With regard to the combination of a rod lock for control cabinet doors, control cabinet flaps or the like with an earthing spring, the metallic or electrically conductive lock case of the rod lock or a metal fastening bracket carrying this lock case being electrically connectable by an earth spring with a lock fastening surface such as a door leaf or flap The above object is achieved in that the combination uses one of the earthing springs, as already mentioned above. In particular, it is also possible to design the combination so that the spring for mounting fixation in a certain orientation is simply axially symmetrical or asymmetrical and the lock case forms the recess area into which the spring can be received in the desired orientation. This special design of the lock case not only enables inexpensive accommodation for this earthing spring, it is also ensured that it is correctly installed by appropriate measures. This can also be done in that corresponding returns for the z. B. are no longer symmetrical spring available, so that it can only be mounted in a very specific position that is suitable for the grounding purpose or particularly well.

When using the combination, a rod lock is used, which consists of a lock case consisting of two identically constructed parts and a flange that can be optionally attached to these parts, with the fastening surface during assembly is clamped between one of the two parts and the flange, wherein an edge region of the flange extends through an opening in the wall into a depression in the lock case part and a mutual locking of these parts to one another and to the wall opening is effected, it is advantageous if the Edge area of the flange forms a recess for receiving the grounding spring.

According to yet another development of the combination, in which the lock case part lies on the wall surface with an edge, it is advantageous if this edge also has a recess in the area of the earthing spring.

In the case of a combination in which the flange forms slugs in the area of the fastening screws, which point in the direction of the one lock case part, it is advantageous if the slug has an asymmetrical outer contour (for example a circular shape with a cut-in chord) and the earthing spring washer with its opening can be placed over this slug in such a way that alignment takes place in a certain direction.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the figures.

Fig. 1

in einer teilweise geschnittenen Seitenansicht einen mittels eines Montagebügels an einem Türblatt festgelegten Schloßkasten eines Stangenverschlusses;

Fig. 2

eine Ansicht von oben auf den Stangenverschluß gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht auf eine zwischen Türblatt und Montagebügel eingelegte Erdungsfederscheibe;

Fig. 4

eine Ansicht von oben auf die Federscheibe der Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

in einer ähnlichen Ansicht wie Fig. 1 einen Schloßkasten für einen Flachstangenverschluß, der mittels eines Schlüsselfangs und in diesen eingeschraubte Schrauben an einem Türblatt gehalten wird, wobei dieser Schloßkasten wiederum eine Erdungsfederscheibe zwischen sich und dem Türblatt einklemmt;

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf den Schloßkasten mit aufgesetzter Erdungsfederscheibe;

Fig. 7

in einer Draufsicht die in Fig. 6 ebenfalls erkennbare Erdungsfederscheibe;

Fig. 8

eine Ansicht von oben auf die Federscheibe gemäß Fig. 7;

Fig. 9

eine andere mögliche Ausführungsform in einer Ansicht von oben;

Fig. 10

den Schloßkasten gemäß Fig. 5 in einer Ansicht von oben während des Montagevorganges bei noch entspannter Feder;

Fig. 11

in einer ähnlichen Ansicht wie Fig. 10 den fertig montierten Schloßkasten mit gerade ausgerichteter, unter Spannung stehender und den Schloßkasten elektrisch mit dem Türblatt verbindende Erdungsfeder;

Fig. 12

eine Seitendarstellung eines mittels Befestigungsbügels montierten Rundstangenverschlusses herkömmlicher Bauart zur Erläuterung der Erfindung gemäß den Fig. 1 bis 4;

Fig. 13

in einer Ansicht von hinten einen direkt am Türblatt montierbaren Flachstangentürverschluß herkömmlicher Bauart zur Erläuterung der Erfindung gemäß den Fig. 5 bis 11;

Fig. 14

eine Seitenansicht und

Fig. 15

eine axiale Schnittansicht auf den Schloßkasten gemäß Fig. 13, zur Erläuterung der Erfindung gemäß den Fig. 5 bis 11.

It shows:

Fig. 1

in a partially sectioned side view of a lock case of a bar lock fixed by means of a mounting bracket on a door leaf;

Fig. 2

a top view of the rod lock of FIG. 1;

Fig. 3

a plan view of a ground spring washer inserted between the door leaf and mounting bracket;

Fig. 4

a top view of the spring washer of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

in a view similar to Figure 1, a lock case for a flat bar lock, which is held by means of a key catch and screws screwed into this on a door leaf, this lock case in turn clamps an earth spring washer between itself and the door leaf;

Fig. 6

a plan view of the lock case with the grounding spring washer attached;

Fig. 7

in a plan view the grounding spring washer which can also be seen in FIG. 6;

Fig. 8

a view from above of the spring washer according to FIG. 7;

Fig. 9

another possible embodiment in a view from above;

Fig. 10

5 in a view from above during the assembly process with the spring still relaxed;

Fig. 11

in a view similar to that of FIG. 10, the fully assembled lock case with a straight aligned, live and grounding spring connecting the lock case electrically to the door leaf;

Fig. 12

a side view of a round rod lock of conventional design mounted by means of a fastening bracket to explain the invention according to FIGS. 1 to 4;

Fig. 13

in a view from behind a flat rod door lock of the conventional type which can be mounted directly on the door leaf to explain the invention according to FIGS. 5 to 11;

Fig. 14

a side view and

Fig. 15

13 shows an axial sectional view of the lock case according to FIG. 13 to explain the invention according to FIGS. 5 to 11.

12 shows a lock case 16 mounted on a door leaf 14 by means of a fastening bracket 12, from which two rods 18, 20 and a sash tongue 22 extend in the usual way. A square 24 is used to actuate the lock, which is mounted in a cylindrical housing 28 provided with a flange 22 and external thread 26 in a manner not of interest here and extends into the lock case 16 for actuating a lock nut. The bracket 12 is held on the door leaf 14 by screwing a union nut 30 onto the thread 26, which on the one hand presses the fastening bracket 12 against the door leaf 14 and on the other hand also fixes the housing 28 in the door leaf 14.

For earthing purposes, the door leaf has a welding bolt at the point 32, preferably the center of the door leaf, which extends through a corresponding opening in the bracket 12 and onto which a spring washer 34 of conventional design is placed and then pressed against the bracket 12 by means of a nut 36 . This creates an electrical route between the metal door leaf 14, the weld bolt 32 welded to it, the nut 36 placed on this weld bolt, the spring washer 34 in frictional and pressure contact with the nut, and the spring washer also in friction with the bracket 12. and pressure contact Spring washer 34.

Obviously, such a welding stud must be attached in advance in order to carry out the grounding measure. The welding stud is also covered by the lock case 16 and is therefore difficult to access. If one looks at the lock case 16 from the rear, it is not recognizable whether the welding bolt is present and is correctly grounded by means of a spring washer and a nut 36.

In order to be able to recognize this, the door leaf would have to be shaped in such a way that eye contact is possible from the side, or the lock case would have to be dismantled, for which purpose then also a dismantling of the lock rods 20 and possibly also the rod guides mounted by means of a welding bolt, see reference number 38, would be required.

In Fig. 1 an embodiment can now be seen, which in turn shows a lock case 16, mounted by means of a mounting bracket 12 on a door leaf 14, again by means of a housing 28, which has a flange 22 and a screwed onto an external thread of this housing 30 has. However, the welding bolt 32, the spring washer 34 and the nut 36 placed thereon are missing here.

Instead, an earth spring washer 40 can be seen, which has a preferably annular clamping area 42 (see the top view according to FIG. 3) which has an opening or at least notch 44 through which the fastening means, here the housing 28 provided with a union nut, can be passed . When the lock is installed, this clamping area is inserted between a bare metal or electrically conductive closure fastening surface, here the outer surface of the fastening bracket 46 and the fastening wall surface 48 of the door leaf and gets there under clamping effect.

3 and 4, the clamping area 42 has at least one, here even four projections 50, which projections extend in the direction of the wall surface 48, these projections 50 being bent such that edges or tips 52 of the When tightening the fastener on the wall surface 48, initially protrude obliquely and partially flatten out when tightening further, the edges or tips 52 being displaced a little along the wall surface until they have reached the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. During this movement, the tips 52 dig through any lacquer layers on the wall surface and penetrate into the metallic base material of the door leaf 14 and thereby establish a safe ground contact between this door leaf 14 and the ground spring washer 40, which in turn is in direct electrical surface contact the bare surface of the mounting bracket 12 or, not provided in the figures shown here, are connected to the lock case 16.

This can create dangerous voltages such. B. by touching a loose wire within the cabinet with the cam tongue 22 or the lock case 16, flow directly to the (always grounded) door leaf 14 and will not endanger an operator who, for example, puts a key on the square 24 to lock to operate.

As can be seen from FIG. 13, a rear view of a flat bar lock, from FIG. 14, a side view of the associated lock case, and FIG. 15, an axial sectional view through this lock case, the lock case 116 on the door leaf 14 on too be attached other than as described above, namely by a key catch 54, in the z. B. two screws 56 can be screwed, which press the lock case 116 consisting of two symmetrical half shells with edge areas 58 against corresponding edges of the door leaf 14, which are formed by a suitable opening provided in the door leaf. Rods emerge from the lock case again, here in the form of flat rods 118, 120, which are guided by rod guides 138 and carry locking means in a manner not shown here, such as caster rollers 21, which lie behind the fold 23 of a door frame or a cabinet housing 25 can.

According to FIG. 13, a weld bolt 132 (preferably in the middle of the door leaf) welded into the door leaf is again provided, on which a tongue 11, which extends up to the housing 116 of the lock case and engages against it, is fastened by means of a conventional spring washer and the housing 116 can thus be grounded. Space is required for this tongue 11, which can make it difficult, for example, to attach fasteners located close to the lock case 116 to the locking rod 120 or to attach a receptacle 90 for a retractable pivoting lever.

For this reason, the embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 10, which has been improved according to the invention, is provided, FIG. 5 again showing a side view of a lock case 216 for actuating two flat bars 118, 120, again fastened by means of screws 56 which are fastened in a key catch 154 ( who can have a slightly different training here) are screwed in. The lock case 260 differs from that according to FIG. 14 (with the reference number 116) in that the edge region 158 has a (preferably even two) recesses 60 into which a grounding spring washer 140 can in turn be inserted in such a way that it has an annular clamping region , see reference number 142 in Fig. 7, when assembling the lock between a bare metal or at least electrically conductive fastener fastening surface, here the lock outer surface 146, see Fig. 10, and the fastening wall surface 48, with increasing clamping action when tightening the screws 56, compare 10 and 11, the projection 150 proceeding from the clamping area 142 initially lies obliquely with its tip 152 on the wall surface, as shown in FIG. 10, but when tightened further, the edge or tip 152 is shifted a little along the wall surface, see arrow 62, and finally the position shown in FIG. 11 is reached.

3, the spring is axially (even twice axially) symmetrical, and there has a rectangular shape, at the corners of which there are incisions or cutouts 64, the area 50 separated by this cut or cutout 64 from the rectangular plane 66 on the remaining connection 68 is bent out, in the embodiment according to FIG. 7 there is only a simple axial symmetry (about the axis 70) with respect to the projections 150. If one takes into account the asymmetrical shape of the opening 144, there is no symmetry whatsoever. This opening 144 has the effect that (if the slug 72, which starts from the key catch 154, has a corresponding outer contour, see FIG. 6), the grounding spring washer can only be mounted in a certain position, namely in the position in which the tips 152 in Point in the direction of the wall surface 48 of the door leaf 14. This asymmetrical shape can therefore preclude incorrect assembly, in which, for example, the tips would not point to the door leaf surface 48 but to the surface 146 of the lock case 216. This asymmetry can be produced by a tendon-like constriction 74, as can be seen in FIG. 7. Correspondingly, the slug 72 has a flat 76.

The spring 140 also has a flat 78 on its side facing away from the projections 150, which serves, for example, to give space to the housing walls 80 of the flange 154, which form the receiving space 82 for a socket wrench.

As is apparent from Fig. 6, the extension of the spring 140 is such that it projects over the outer edge 84 of the lock case 216 by a dimension 86, so that it is visually visible from the outside whether the ground spring washer 140 is present at all in the assembled lock case. It can also be seen in which orientation the tips 152 are located, so that the perfect function of the mounted spring is also visually recognizable.

The recess 146 also has such a depth and extension that the essentially flattened spring 140 can be accommodated in its thickness as well as its extension.

Only one such spring 140 can be seen in FIG. 6, but it is expedient, also for reasons of symmetry and production and because of the convertibility from the right and left, both slugs 76, which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 originate from the flange 154 , to be provided with the flattened portion 76 and on both sides in the lock case 216 sufficient edge area 258 on both sides with a recess area 246 so that the spring can also be inserted on both sides.

In this respect, both the flange part 154 and the half 86 of the lock case 216 facing this flange part have a depression 246 or 146 provided for the spring, and for reasons of symmetry it is again favorable to also provide the other half 88 with such a depression, designated 346 in FIG. 10. Then it plays no matter how the lock case is mounted around.

As is clear, the space required by the earthing spring used here is very small outside the lock case area (practically only the area protruding by dimension 86 for optical control), while in the prior art, as can be seen in FIG. 13, the spring 11 carried by the welding bolt 132, which abuts the ground on the outer surface of the lock case 116, takes up considerably more space and, in some embodiments in which, for example, an additional part 90 (here, for example, a receptacle for a pivot lever) is provided, this additional part 90 cannot be mounted anywhere close to the lock case 116, which would sometimes be useful, for example with very short swivel lever locks.

9 shows a somewhat different form of an earthing spring 240, which can also be used and with its tip 152 lies against the door leaf 14, with its other tip 253 against the outer surface 146 of the lock case. This embodiment cannot be installed incorrectly, since if the assembly were reversed, one point would point to the door leaf 14 and another point to the lock case.

The spring is preferably made of stainless steel or galvanized spring steel and then has a thickness of z. B. 0.4 ... 0.6 mm.

Claims (13)

1. Earth spring for the electrical connection of a mounting bracket (12) consisting of metal, a closure housing (16) or the like of a rod closure, with the mounting surface such as a metal mounting wall (14), like a switch cabinet door or switch cabinet flap, characterized in that the earth spring (40, 140, 240) is disc-shaped and has a preferably annular clamping area (42) which, upon mounting of the closure housing, is located between a closure mounting surface of the closure which has a bright metallic finish or is electrically conductive like a mounting bracket surface (46), the external surface of a lock case (146) and the mounting wall surface (48) and is subject to a clamping action of mounting means like nuts (30) or bolts (56), and in that a projection (50, 150) extends away from the clamping area (42) which is bent (50, 150) in the direction of the wall surface (48) in such a way that points or edges (52; 152; 252; 253) of the projection initially lie skew to the wall surface when the mounting means are tightened and, when tightened further, flatten out to some extent and the edges or points move a little along the wall surface.
2. Earth spring as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the spring is singly or doubly axially symmetrical or has a rectangular shape at the corners of which recesses or cutouts (64) are located and that the area (50) separated by the cut is bent out of the rectangular base plane (66), e.g. at the remaining connecting area (68).
3. Earth spring as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that the internal contour of the aperture (144) forms a chord (74) which makes the earth spring unsymmetrical.
4. Earth spring as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the external contour forms a flat (78).
5. Earth spring as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the earth spring exhibits two (or four) projections (150), one projection pointing in one direction and the other in the opposite direction (253).
6. Combination of a rod closure for switch cabinet doors, switch cabinet flaps or the like with an earth spring, the metallic or electrically conductive lock case (16, 116, 216) of the rod closure or a metallic mounting bracket (12) carrying this lock case being capable of being electrically connected to an earth spring with a closure mounting surface (48) like a door leaf (14) or flap, the combination being characterized in that the earth spring (40, 140, 240) has a form according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5.
7. Combination as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that the spring for fixing the assembly with a specific alignment is singly axially symmetrical or unsymmetrical and the lock case forms the recoil area (146; 246) in which the spring can be accommodated with the desired orientation.
8. Combination as claimed in Claim 7, characterized in that the lock case comprises two identically constructed parts (86, 88) and only one flange (154) which can optionally be placed on these parts, the mounting surface (14) in assembly being clamped between one of the two parts (86) and the flange (154), whereby an edge area of the flange (154) reaches through an aperture in the wall into a depression of the lock case part (86) and causes these parts to interlock with one another and with the wall aperture, and in that the edge area of the flange (154) forms a recoil area (246) for accommodating the earth spring (140).
9. Combination as claimed in Claim 8, the lock case part (86) resting with one edge (158) on the wall surface, characterized in that in the area of the earth spring (140) this edge (158) too exhibits a recoil area.
10. Combination as claimed in Claim 9, the flange (154) forming buttons in the area of the mounting bolts, which point in the direction of one lock case part (86), characterized in that the button has an unsymmetrical external contour (for example, a circular shape with incised chord), and in that the earth spring disc with its aperture (144) can be placed above this button in such a way that orientation in a specific direction occurs.
11. Combination as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that the earth spring has an external contour adapted to the mounting bracket or the like and an aperture (44) adapted to the mounting bracket aperture or the like.
12. Combination as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the projections of the earth spring or at lest a part of a projection (50) carrying an edge or point continues to be optically visible after assembly.
13. Combination as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that the projection for the earth spring projects beyond the external contour of the mounting bracket or the like (86).

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