EP1023513B1 - Fail safe lock, in particular for elevating device landing door - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a fail safe lock (1), in particular for an elevating device landing door (2), comprising within a housing (16): a bolt (10) provided with a core (200) capable of co-operating with a striker (201) integral with the door leaf; a mechanism for moving said bolt (10) towards an extreme locking position wherein it is engaged in a locking part (20) integral with the door (2), said moving mechanism being controlled by the core (200); an operating arm for controlling the withdrawal of the bolt (10) towards an extreme withdrawn position; and a mechanism for limiting the torque exerted on a connecting rod associated with said operating arm. The lock (1) further comprises a mechanism (7, 14) for adjusting the bolt (10) engaging position.

Description

The present invention relates to a security lock positive, especially for landing doors elevators.

In an elevator or lift installation, the landing door locks are an element essential for user safety since they aim to prevent any opening of a landing door when a cabin is not in front of it. In addition, these locks provide the central system with signal elevator or elevator control security logic to prohibit everything maneuvering the car when the landing door is open or poorly closed.

We already know, in particular by document EP 0 683 752, positive security locks including within a case that can be fixed on the frame a landing door, a door locking bolt likely to cooperate with a fixed fixed striker door leaf, an operating arm arranged on the housing so that it can be actuated on the plan front or side by a fixed or movable cam, and one or several electrical bolt contacts.

However, there are installations in which the mounting these locks is tricky, especially when it is necessary to take a gap into account variable between the landing door leaf and the frame of the door to secure the lock. Well often the locations where the locks are attached are cramped and difficult to access.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these disadvantages by proposing a lock that can be fixed without requiring precise positioning of the housing compared to the amount of the door.

• un pêne de verrouillage disposé à coulissement dans ce boítier et comportant un noyau coulissant susceptible de coopérer en fermeture avec un percuteur solidaire du vantail de la porte,
• des moyens pour déplacer ce pêne vers une position extrémale de verrouillage dans laquelle celui-ci est engagé dans une pièce de verrouillage solidaire de la porte et contenant le percuteur, ces moyens de déplacement étant commandés par le noyau, et
• des moyens de bras de manoeuvre pour commander un retrait du pêne vers une position extrémale de retrait ou déverouillage.

This objective is achieved with a lock for a positive security door, in particular for an elevator landing door, comprising within a housing:

• a locking bolt arranged to slide in this casing and comprising a sliding core capable of cooperating in closing with a striker secured to the door leaf,
• means for moving this bolt to an extreme locking position in which the latter is engaged in a locking piece integral with the door and containing the striker, these displacement means being controlled by the core, and
• maneuvering arm means for controlling a withdrawal of the bolt towards an extreme withdrawal or unlocking position.

According to the invention, this lock further comprises within the housing means for adjusting the position extremale of attack of the bolt compared to the case.

Installation of a lock according to the invention no longer requires delicate and tedious positioning of the housing and allows adaptation to configurations various practices, providing easy adjustment of attacking the locking bolt.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lock further comprises means for connecting rod to convert a rotational movement of the means of the operating arm in a translational movement of the bolt, return means cooperating with the means of connecting rod to permanently push on the bolt, and rocker means arranged to block the connecting rod means in a corresponding first position at the bolt attack position and determined by the adjustment means and to release said means from connecting rod to a second position corresponding to the bolt locking position in response to an action of the striker on the sliding core inside the bolt.

This embodiment provides in a limited volume the locking control and adjustment functions.

The rocker means include for example a rotating part about a rocker axis and comprising a first finger intended to come into abutment against an inner end of the core and a second finger designed to come into abutment against the connecting rod means, and the adjusting means include means for move the position of the rocker axis within the housing.

Indeed, by moving the position of the axis of the rocker, we change the stop point between the second rocker finger and connecting rod means, which has for effect of shifting the bolt's attack position.

In a practical embodiment, the means to move the axis of rotation of the rocker arm include means for supporting the axis of rotation of the rocker arm which can be rotated around an axis of fixed adjustment relative to the housing and separate from the axis of the rocker arm, and means to maintain these means of support in a determined adjustment position. This is a very simple and compact way to achieve a displacement of the axis of the rocker arm.

These support means include for example a sector-shaped part and the holding means or positioning are associated with clamping means accessible on the front face of the lock housing and which can use for example a nut and / or a screw.

The permanent push function on the bolt necessary for proper behavior of the lock and to ensure positive security is achieved by return means comprising at least one spring in compression cooperating with the connecting rod means and the rocker arm so as to place the bolt, either in position lock corresponding to a permanent push exerted on the bolt via the connecting rod means, either attack position corresponding to a blockage of the stroke of said connecting rod means by the rocker arm.

We will see in the following that this return spring actually accumulates in the lock according to the invention several functions and thus replaces several separate recall means present in the locks of prior art.

Preferably, the return means comprise in besides a connecting piece around which is arranged the compression spring, a first end of this connecting piece being arranged in a housing formed in the rocker arm so as to achieve a joint while the other end is disposed of so as to slide and be free to rotate within connecting rod means. This connecting piece has in particular for function of maintaining the longitudinal shape of the return spring. But it should be noted that we can consider many other embodiments of means of reminder, for example use axial springs.

In a preferred embodiment of a lock according to the invention, it further comprises means to limit the torque exerted on the connecting rod means by the operating arm. This allows in particular to take into account the forces exerted on the arm of maneuver that would be abnormally superior to allowable limits, which could cause deformation or deterioration of the arm and the connecting rod of the lock. This type of situation can notably meet in the case of elevators or elevators elders with significant variable play between the cabin and the amount of the cage receiving the lock.

In addition, it is all the more advantageous to limit the couple in a lock according to the invention that a lateral adjustment of the housing is no longer carried out, it is possible to encounter a situation in which the cabin skid would exert excessive force on the operating arm.

These torque limiting means are for example arranged within the head of the connecting rod means and are arranged to mechanically decouple the connecting rod means of the operating arm in the event of a limit being exceeded of couple. They include for example at least one calibrated spring mounted in compression between a part extending radially with respect to the axis of the arm of maneuver and housing provided within the head of connecting rod.

• la figure 1 est une vue d'ensemble d'une porte palière équipée d'une serrure selon l'invention;
• la figure 2A est une vue de dessus partielle de la serrure en position verrouillée;
• la figure 2B est une vue de dessus partielle de la serrure en position déverrouillée alors qu'une cabine est présente en vis à vis du vantail de la porte palière;
• la figure 2C est une vue de dessus partielle de la serrure en position verrouillée en présence d'une cabine;
• la figure 3 est une vue externe de face d'une serrure selon l'invention;
• la figure 4 est une vue interne de face de la serrure représentée en figure 3, en vis à vis d'une porte palière;
• la figure 5 est une vue externe de côté de la serrure représentée en figure 3 et 4; et
• la figure 6 représente un exemple de limiteur de couple équipant une serrure selon l'invention.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below. In the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples:

• Figure 1 is an overview of a landing door equipped with a lock according to the invention;
• Figure 2A is a partial top view of the lock in the locked position;
• Figure 2B is a partial top view of the lock in the unlocked position while a cabin is present opposite the leaf of the landing door;
• Figure 2C is a partial top view of the lock in the locked position in the presence of a cabin;
• Figure 3 is an external front view of a lock according to the invention;
• Figure 4 is an internal front view of the lock shown in Figure 3, opposite a landing door;
• Figure 5 is an external side view of the lock shown in Figure 3 and 4; and
• FIG. 6 shows an example of a torque limiter fitted to a lock according to the invention.

We will now describe a non-limiting example of implementation of a lock according to the invention, for a elevator landing door, which can be swing or sliding.

An adjustable lock 1 according to the invention is intended to be fixed in a housing 30 provided in the upright of a frame 3 of a landing door 2, with reference to the Figure 1. The lock 1 comprises a housing 16, a bolt adjustable 10 provided for engaging in a part of locking 20 secured to the door leaf 2 and provided with a fixed striker 201, and an arm operation 15 provided with a contact roller 154. The lock 1 is also connected by connecting means electrical (not shown) to elevator control. Lock 1 according to the invention is designed to allow easy adjustment of the position lateral or bolt attack depending on the spacing effective X between leaf 2 and frame 3, after fixing of the lock 1 within the location 30, by example on the inner wall 31 of the upright of the frame 3 and against the inner side wall 31.

We will now describe three situations characteristics encountered in the use of a lock 1 according to the invention, with reference to FIGS. 2A at 2C.

A first situation, illustrated by FIG. 2A corresponds to a locking of the door leaf landing 2 while the cabin is not facing screw this door. In this situation, the bolt adjustable 10 is fully engaged in the workpiece locking 20 of the leaf of the landing door 2 ensuring thus locking this door while the arm maneuver 15 is at rest. The electrical contact of lock 1 is then in a logical state "l" corresponding to an authorization to start and elevator control.

In a second situation, illustrated by the figure 2B, a cabin 4 has just arrived and comes to a standstill opposite the door leaf of the landing door 2. A command 42 causes a moving shoe 40 to move integral with the cabin 4, which comes into contact with the roller 154 of the operating arm 15 and which, by exerting a thrust on this roller, causes a rotational movement of the axis of said arm 15. This rotational movement has for effect of moving the bolt 10 towards the inside of the lock 1 and thus release the landing door 2, and open the electrical contactor with the consequence inhibiting any movement of the elevator.

When a request to use the elevator is detected, the control member 42 causes the withdrawal of the movable shoe 40 and therefore a reverse rotation movement of the operating arm 15. This has the effect on the one hand of release the bolt 10 towards the outside of the lock until that it is engaged in the locking piece 20 of the leaf of the landing door 2, and on the other hand, replace the electrical switch for lock 1 in a state "1" authorizing the motorization control of the elevator.

We will now describe a practical example of production of an adjustable lock 1 according to the invention, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, as well as the operation of this lock.

The lock 1, includes within the housing 16, the bolt adjustable 10 movable inside a guide bearing 11 and extended at its inner end by a piece sliding 110 connected by articulation to the foot of a connecting rod 12. The bolt 10 is constituted by a part sliding cylindrical 102 comprising on all its length a central bore 106 provided to receive a movable core 200 which can slide in the bolt 10. This the latter has at its outer end a chamfer 101 provided to allow engagement of the striker 201 in the central bore 106 in order to bear against the outer end of the core 200.

The core 200 is intended to be moved to the interior with respect to the cylindrical part 102 by the action on its outer end of the striker 201 secured to the locking piece 20, and towards the exterior by the action on its interior end of a first finger 141 of a moving part 14 making rocker function. The inner end of the core 200 is provided with a head 105 making a stop for restrict the relative outward movement of the core 200 inside the bolt 10.

The rocker arm 14 is movable around an adjustable axis 143 linked to a sector-shaped adjustment piece 7 which can itself be rotated around a fixed axis 70 linked to the housing 16. A screw system (not shown) allows to block sector 7 in a setting position determined according to the context installation size, as will be described in the following.

The rocker arm 14 includes a second finger 142 provided to come into abutment against a heel 121 located on the body 127 of a connecting rod 12 comprising a connecting rod head connected to the inner end of the sliding part 110 and a connecting rod head 122 movable in rotation around a main axis and connected via an axial part to the arm operating arm 15. The operating arm 15 comprises, in with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, an arm 157 comprising at one of its ends a fixing mechanism 156 to the main axis 123 and at the other end a shoe mobile 154 connected by a skid pin 153.

The big end 122 includes a housing 126 provided to receive one end 133 of a spring mechanism in compression 130 disposed between the big end 122 and a housing provided in the rocker arm 14 to receive the other end 134 of this spring mechanism 130 which comprises for example a helical spring 132 arranged around a guide bar 131.

A contact piece 17, fixed to the sliding piece 110, is provided with a finger intended to actuate mechanically an electrical safety switch 19.

We will now describe the operation of the lock 1 according to the invention, with reference to above situations illustrated in Figures 2A to 2C.

In a door lock situation landing 2 and in the absence of cabin 4, the bolt 10 found fully engaged in the locking piece 20 leaf. The striker 201 holds the core 200 in a position such that the rocker 14 does not block the displacement of the connecting rod 12. The operating arm 15, which in this situation is not subject to action on the roller 154, is however subject to the internal action of the spring 132 which keeps it in a stable position corresponding to a position exit or locking bolt 10. This extreme exit position also corresponds to a state "1" of the safety contactor 19. It is limited by the coming into abutment of the sliding piece 110 against the guide bearing 11.

It should be noted that as long as an outside couple is exerted on the operating arm, the sliding part 110 abuts against a stop piece integral with the housing. When the pad is no longer actuated, we join an attack position corresponding to a stop of the second rocker finger 14 against heel 121, when the door or striker is not opposite.

Any modification of the absolute position of the axis 143 by moving sector 7 has the effect of moving this stop 142, and consequently to modify the bolt attack position 10.

We now consider the arrival of cabin 4 in opposite the landing door leaf 2. The actuation of the pad 40 on the roller 154 has the effect cause the rod 12 to move in rotation and causing the withdrawal of the bolt 10 out of the workpiece locking 20 and opening of the electrical contactor 19 due to the recoil of the contact piece 17. The rear movement of the connecting rod 12 is accompanied also the movement of the rocker arm 14 driven by the withdrawal of the bolt 10. The withdrawal position is then reached when the inner end of the part sliding 110 abuts against a stop piece 160 fixed to the housing 16.

In this embodiment of a lock according to the invention, the spring 132 actually combines several functions which are generally dissociated in locks of the prior art. A first function consists in exerting a thrust via the connecting rod 12 permanent on the sliding piece 110 extending the bolt 10, in order to keep the latter in position exit. This permanent push is of course counteracted by the blocking effected by the rocker arm 14 against the heel 121. A second function of the spring 132 consists in maintaining the first finger 141 of the rocker arm 14 resting against the head 105 of the core 200.

If we place ourselves now in a situation corresponding to a request to use the elevator, the control member 42 is then actuated to control a withdrawal of the pad 40 which then exerts no more effort on the roller 154. Due to the permanent compression of the spring 132, the connecting rod 12 is subjected to a movement of rotation around the main axis so that the part sliding 110 and the bolt 10 move laterally towards the outside of the lock 1. Finger action 201 on the core 200 causes the rocker arm 14 to tip over and the release of the bolt 10 which returns to its position exit extreme.

We will now describe an example of setting the lock 1 according to the invention. A technician responsible for the installation of lock 1 permanently fixes it at within the housing 30 provided for this purpose in the amount of the door. It is not necessary to provide a precise lateral positioning of the lock. After fixing of the lock and prior loosening of the sector setting 7, the technician determines experimentally an adequate position of the bolt 10 in the position attack he obtains by manually exercising a force on the operating arm 15. This position adequate extremal depends in practice on the effective deviation and the clearance between the respective lateral edges of the leaf landing door 2 and frame 3, and must be chosen so as not to hinder the movement of the leaf of the landing door, while guaranteeing commitment sufficient of the bolt 10 in the locking part in extreme exit position. Position adjustment extreme attack consists in acting on the position angular of sector 7 and therefore to adjust the position absolute of the axis of rotation of the rocker arm 14. When a optimal setting is obtained, it suffices to act on the sector 7 tightening mechanism to keep following this adjustment which will determine the positions extremes of attack and exit from the bolt. Note that we could just as easily adjust the position angular of sector 7 from the extreme position Release. Clamping of sector 7 can be carried out by means of a screw or nut accessible on the face front of the housing 16 of the lock 1.

We will now describe, with reference to FIG. 6, a particular embodiment of the head 122 of the connecting rod 12 secured to the operating arm 15, to obtain a limitation of the torque exerted on this operating arm 15. This limitation makes it possible to avoid clamping which could be caused by a side shift inadvertent or excessive shoe 40 in cabin 4. In this embodiment, the big end 122 includes a main bore 63 provided to receive the main axis 123 connected to the operating arm 15, a first housing substantially radial 65 designed to receive a part 124 acting as a torque transmission part, a second substantially tangential housing 61 provided for receive a limitation spring 60 used in compression, and an obviously 66 provided to allow a relative movement of the transmission part 124 by relative to the big end 122. The main axis 123 has a hole 64 intended to receive the part of transmission 124 which bears against one end of limitation spring 60 and the other end of which is resting against the bottom of the tangential housing 61.

As long as the resulting torque exerted on the head of connecting rod corresponding to the difference between the torque exerted on the main axis by action on the arm of operation 15 and the torque resistant at the level of the head rod 122 is less than a limit value predetermined, the movement of the main axis is fully transmitted to the connecting rod body 122. Beyond this predetermined limit value, the differential of torque is absorbed by the compression of the spring limitation 60 and is not passed on to the head of connecting rod 122.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous arrangements can be brought to these examples without departing from the framework of the invention. so we can provide locks comprising several bolts and several contactors electrical safety devices in the same unit.

Claims (10)

1. Positive safety lock (1), notably for a landing gate (2) of a lift, comprising, within a housing (16):

   a locking bolt (10) disposed so as to slide in its housing and provided with a core (200) able to cooperate in closing with a striking pin (201) fixed to the leaf of the door, the core being disposed so as to slide in the bolt,

   means (12, 130, 14) for moving this bolt (10) to an extreme locking position in which it is engaged in a locking piece (20) fixed to the door (2) and containing the said striking pin (201), these movement means being controlled by the core (200), and

   manoeuvring arm means (15) for controlling a withdrawal of the bolt (10) to an extreme withdrawn position,

   characterised in that it also comprises, within the housing, means (7) for adjusting the engagement position of the bolt (10).
2. Lock (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that it also comprises linkage means (12) for converting a rotation movement of the manoeuvring arm means (15) into a translation movement of the bolt (10), return means (130) cooperating with the linkage means (12) to continuously exert a thrust on the bolt (10), and rocker means (14) arranged to lock the linkage means (12) in a first position corresponding to the engagement position of the bolt (10) and determined by the adjustment means (7) and for releasing the said linkage means (12) to a second position corresponding to the locking position of the bolt (10) in response to an action of the striking pin (201) on the sliding core (200).
3. Lock (1) according to Claim 2, characterised in that the rocker means (14) comprise a piece rotating about a rocker shaft (143) and having a first finger (141) designed to come into abutment against an internal end (105) of the core (200) and a second finger (142) designed to come into abutment against the linkage means (12), and in that the adjustment means (7) comprise means for moving the position of the shaft (143) of the rocker (14) within the housing (16).
4. Lock (1) according to Claim 3, characterised in that the means for moving the shaft (143) of the rocker (14) comprise support means which can be moved in rotation about an adjustment shaft (70) fixed with respect to the housing (16) and distinct from the shaft (143) of the rocker (14), and means for holding the said support means in a given adjustment position.
5. Lock (1) according to Claim 4, characterised in that the support means comprise a piece in the form of a quadrant and the holding means are associated with clamping means accessible on the front face of the housing (16) of the lock (1).
6. Lock (1) according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the return means (130) comprise a compression spring (132) cooperating with the linkage means (12) and the rocker (14) so as to place the bolt (10) either in the locking position corresponding to a permanent thrust exerted on the bolt via the linkage means (12), or in the engagement position corresponding to a locking of the travel of the said linkage means (12) by the rocker (14).
7. Lock (1) according to Claim 6, characterised in that the return means (130) also comprise a connecting piece (130) around which the compression spring (132) is disposed, a first end of this connecting piece (131) being disposed in a housing provided in the rocker (14) so as to produce an articulation whilst the other end is disposed so as to be free to rotate and to slide within the said linkage means (12).
8. Lock (1) according to any one of Claims 2 to 7, characterised in that it also comprises means (6) for limiting the torque exerted on the linkage means (12) by the manoeuvring arm (15).
9. Lock (1) according to Claim 8, characterised in that the torque limitation means (6) are disposed within the head (122) of the linkage means (12) and are arranged to mechanically decouple the linkage means (12) from the manoeuvring arm (15) beyond a predetermined torque limit.
10. Lock (1) according to Claim 9, characterised in that the torque limitation means (6) comprise at least one calibrated spring (60) mounted in compression between a transmission piece (124) connected to the axis of the manoeuvring arm (15) and extending radially with respect to the latter and a housing provided inside the head (122) of the linkage means (12).

Images