EP1249543B1 - Device for mutually latching two members, in particular a covering element on a support frame - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a locking device for mutually locking two elements, in particular a covering element on a support frame element for this covering element, and more particularly applies to road devices, for example chimney closing devices. visiting or inspecting an underground network, such as manholes or sidewalks, and shutting down technical inspection chambers of an underground cable network, such as hatches.

There are currently many mechanical devices to make tamper proof such buffers or such hatches, either lock type or lock type.

The locks include a mechanism that can be complex, causing the movement of a bolt under a strike through a specific key. They generally offer a relatively high level of security, but their complex mechanism, often located in a corrosive environment and favorable to fouling, requires expensive protection ("noble" materials and sealed housing).

The locks are simple and economic devices, insensitive to the environment, generally actuated by a key rotating in a special head pivot secured to a mobile bolt under a striker. They generally offer a lower level of security, the head of the pivot being apparent and likely to be manipulated by conventional tools.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks by creating a device of the lock type that is insensitive to fouling and corrosion, which can easily be made invisible from the outside and inaccessible to conventional tools, in order to provide a level of inviolability and security comparable to that of a lock.

To this end, the invention relates to a locking device for mutually locking a first and a second element, in particular a covering element on a support frame element for the covering element, of the type comprising a movable bolt and a key d actuation of the bolt, and two bolt guide members carried by one of said first and second elements, the bolt comprising a key introduction light, two guide ramps adapted to cooperate respectively with the two guide members, and a third guide ramp adapted to cooperate with the contour of the key when it is inserted into said light, to actuate the bolt selectively from a locking position to a position of unlocking or unlocking position to a locking position, by rotation of the key, characterized in that one of the bolt guide members is carried by the first member and formed by a wedge-shaped finger, and the guide ramp adapted to cooperate with this member is a region of a side edge of the bolt having a notch forming a housing for the finger, so as to lock the bolt in the locking position and unlocking position.

The fact that the lock itself consists of few organs, also makes it very economical.

• l'autre des organes de guidage du pêne est porté par le premier élément et est formé par un organe de solidarisation du pêne audit premier élément, et la rampe de guidage adaptée pour coopérer avec cet organe est une paroi d'un trou oblong ménagé dans le pêne et dans lequel est inséré l'organe de solidarisation et de guidage ;
• l'organe de solidarisation et de guidage est une vis dont le corps est enfilé à travers le trou oblong et porte un écrou-frein situé sous le pêne ;
• le doigt en forme de coin est en une seule pièce avec le premier élément et s'étend en saillie en sous-face de celui-ci ;
• la troisième rampe de guidage adaptée pour coopérer avec le contour de la clé est constituée par la paroi latérale de la lumière, cette paroi latérale étant adaptée pour coopérer avec un panneton de la clé lorsque celui-ci est introduit dans la lumière ;
• la lumière présente une échancrure dont un chant forme butée pour le panneton quand le pêne est en position de déverrouillage ;
• le panneton présente une encoche adaptée pour venir en prise avec un bossage en forme de couronne circulaire entourant un trou d'introduction de la clé, ménagé dans le premier élément et situé en regard de la lumière, ce bossage étant en saillie dans la lumière et coopérant également avec la troisième rampe de guidage ;
• le trou présente une forme tronconique évasée vers la face extérieure du premier élément et adaptée pour coopérer avec une surface tronconique complémentaire de la clé, de manière à assurer le guidage en rotation de la clé ;
• le trou tronconique présente un grand diamètre notablement plus petit que la lumière ; et
• la clé comporte, à la base d'une tige, une collerette destinée à prendre appui sur le premier élément, et la région de liaison du panneton à la collerette présente une surface tronconique adaptée pour coopérer avec une surface tronconique d'un trou du premier élément .

The locking device according to the invention may furthermore have one or more of the following characteristics:

• the other of the guide members of the bolt is carried by the first element and is formed by a bolt securing member to said first element, and the guide ramp adapted to cooperate with this member is a wall of an oblong hole formed in the bolt and in which is inserted the securing member and guide;
• the securing member and guiding is a screw whose body is threaded through the oblong hole and carries a locknut located under the bolt;
• the wedge-shaped finger is in one piece with the first element and protrudes on the underside thereof;
• the third guide ramp adapted to cooperate with the contour of the key is constituted by the side wall of the light, this side wall being adapted to cooperate with a bit of the key when it is introduced into the light;
• the light has an indentation whose singing stop shape for the bit when the bolt is in the unlocked position;
• the blade has a notch adapted to engage with a circular crown-shaped boss surrounding a hole for introducing the key, formed in the first element and located opposite the light, this boss being projecting into the light and also cooperating with the third guide rail;
• the hole has a frustoconical shape flared towards the outer face of the first element and adapted to cooperate with a frustoconical surface complementary to the key, so as to ensure the rotational guidance of the key;
• the frustoconical hole has a large diameter significantly smaller than the light; and
• the key comprises, at the base of a rod, a flange intended to bear on the first element, and the connection region of the bit to the flange has a frustoconical surface adapted to cooperate with a frustoconical surface of a hole of the first element.

• la figure 1 est une vue de dessus d'un pêne équipant un dispositif de verrouillage selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue montrant en coupe longitudinale selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1, le pêne de cette figure et une partie d'un tampon de voirie en position de fermeture auquel ce pêne est solidarisé en position de déverrouillage du tampon, les organes de fixation du pêne au tampon, et, en traits mixtes, une partie du cadre du tampon et le pêne en position de verrouillage du tampon,
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus de la même partie du tampon équipée du pêne, mais ce dernier étant représenté en position de verrouillage du tampon,
• les figures 4 à 11 montrent schématiquement en vue de dessus, les positions relatives successives du pêne, du panneton de la clé, de la gâche (schématisée en trait mixte), et des organes de guidage du dispositif de verrouillage selon l'invention, lorsque le pêne passe de sa position de verrouillage à sa position de déverrouillage puis de cette position de déverrouillage à nouveau à la position de verrouillage,
• la figure 12 est une vue similaire à la figure 2 montrant l'implantation dans le pêne d'une partie de la clé équipant le dispositif de verrouillage selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example, illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a top view of a bolt equipping a locking device according to the invention,
• the figure 2 is a view showing in longitudinal section along the line II-II of the figure 1 , the bolt of this figure and a portion of a road buffer in the closed position to which the bolt is secured in the unlocking position of the buffer, the bolt fastening members to the buffer, and, in phantom, part of the frame buffer and the latch in the buffer lock position,
• the figure 3 is a view from above of the same part of the buffer equipped with the bolt, but the latter being represented in the locking position of the buffer,
• the Figures 4 to 11 schematically show in plan view, the successive relative positions of the bolt, key bit, striker (schematically in phantom), and guide members of the locking device according to the invention, when the bolt passes from its locking position to its unlocking position and then to this unlocking position again to the locking position,
• the figure 12 is a view similar to the figure 2 showing the implantation in the bolt of a part of the key equipping the locking device according to the invention.

The locking device illustrated in the figures is intended to mutually lock a buffer T, a part of which is represented on the Figures 2, 3 and 12 , and a frame C of buffer part of which is shown in phantom on the figures 2 and 12 . Advantageously, the buffer is provided with hinge means (not shown) opposite the locking device.

This locking device comprises a bolt 1 and a key 2 ( figure 12 ) adapted to actuate the bolt selectively from a locking position to an unlocking position, and vice versa, when, after being introduced into a bolt of light, it is turned in one direction or in the opposite direction. The locking and unlocking positions of the bolt are respectively a position thereof in which one of its end regions is trapped under a strike G carried by the frame C (in phantom on the figure 2 ), the striker projecting inwardly of the frame, and a bolt position in which the end region is sufficiently offset from the striker so that the bolt is no longer engaged under the striker.

The device further comprises two bolt guide members 3, 4 ( Figures 4 to 11 ) carried here by the buffer and adapted to cooperate respectively with two guide ramps of the bolt. One of the guide members may be constituted by a screw 3 for securing the bolt to the buffer; the other guide member is a fixed finger 4 which can be in one piece with the pad, projecting under the lower surface thereof and having a 90 ° wedge shape whose apex is turned towards a lateral face of the bolt as will be seen in more detail later. Thanks to this arrangement, it avoids housing the bolt in a housing whose fouling could eventually hinder the actuation of the bolt.

More specifically, the bolt 1 is constituted by an elongated metal plate bent at a hundred degrees and cons-bent also at a hundred degrees so that it has two wings 11,12 extending approximately parallel in opposite directions respectively on either side of a connecting portion 13. One of the flanges is an elongated guide flange 11 adapted to be secured to the buffer T by means of the screw 3, while being confined to moderate pressure against the lower face of the pad so that the bolt is movable in rotation about the axis of the screw and in translation in a direction parallel to this lower face, and the other wing is a short locking wing 12 comprising the end region 121 adapted to cooperate with the latch G of the chassis C and which will be referred to in the following as "locking end region".

To allow this mobility of the bolt, the guide wing 11 is pierced with an oblong hole 111 in which is threaded the screw 3, whose width is slightly greater than the diameter of this screw, and whose length, limited by two surfaces the edge of the hole against which the screw is in abutment respectively in the locking position and in the unlocking position of the bolt, extends along the longitudinal axis of the guide wing and the bolt. The wall 112 of the oblong hole, including the two locking and unlocking abutment surfaces, thus constitutes the first guide ramp of the bolt with respect to the guide member constituted by the screw 3.

The second guide ramp of the bolt is intended to block it when in the unlocked position and in the locking position, and is constituted by a region 113 of a side edge of the bolt which is opposite the fixed finger 4 ; this region 113 of the side edge of the bolt is located near the free end of the guide wing 11, which is opposite the locking end region 121; it has, in plan view, a W-shape whose central notch separating the two V constitutes a housing for the finger 4 when the bolt is in the unlocking position and whose side branch closest to the free end of the wing 11 constitutes a stop against the finger 4 when the bolt is in the locking position.

The region of the free end of the guide wing 11 is further traversed right through by a key introduction light 114, which does not open at the periphery of the bolt and whose wall 115 thus constitutes a third guide ramp forming a drive profile adapted to cooperate with the contour of the bit 21 of the key when it is introduced into the slot 114.

The light 114 has, in plan view, a generally square shape whose vertices are rounded, and whose side has, starting from one of the vertices of the square, a notch 116 in the shape of a right triangle. One of the diagonals of the square extends along the longitudinal axis of the guide wing and the bolt, and the other is aligned with the axis of symmetry of that of the two V of the W formed by the second ramp 113 which is closest to the free end of the wing 11.

The rounded shape of the vertices of the square formed by the light 114 gives the movement of the bolt greater progressivity when actuated by the key. The side of the square having the notch 116 in the form of a right triangle is that which connects the top of the square closest to the oblong hole 111 to the nearest vertex of the second ramp 113. The vertex of the square where the notch 116 originates is that which is close to the second ramp 113, and from which the diagonal which is in the axis of a V of the W formed by this second ramp; the side of the notch 116 which is born at this vertex is perpendicular to this diagonal, and the second side of the notch is parallel to this same diagonal; the edge of this second side thus constitutes a stop for the bit of the key when the bolt is in the unlocking position; when the bit is in abutment against this edge, the key is in a position such that its grip (not shown) is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bolt and therefore parallel to the hinge axis of the buffer when the it is equipped with a hinge, thus facilitating the lifting of the buffer by means of the key.

So that the bolt can not be actuated by introduction and rotation in the light 114 of any tool, the buffer has, facing this light 114, a frustoconical hole T1 of significantly smaller diameter than the diagonal of the square of the light, thus preventing from perceiving, from the outside, the shape of the light 114 which allows the driving of the bolt; so that, on the one hand, the key can be inserted into this hole, and on the other hand it can cooperate with the third ramp 115 (wall of the light), it has a bent shape and its bit has a thickness and a width relatively weak; the multi-ramp system of the bolt requiring good accuracy of the positioning of the key, it is necessary that the rotation movement of the bit is guided accurately and that the rod 22 of the key remains perfectly perpendicular to the guide flange 11 of the bolt during the rotation of the key. This guide rotation of the key is ensured by the fact that the hole T1 has a frustoconical shape flared towards the outer face of the buffer; in addition, a circular countersink surrounding the hole T1, the outer side of the buffer, improves the rotational guidance of the key. In addition, the face of the pad to which the wing 11 is contiguous comprises, around the frustoconical hole T1, a boss T2 in the form of a circular ring concentric with the hole, and the bit 21 of the key has a notch 211, centered at a distance from the axis of rotation of the key equal to the average radius of the circular ring boss. In addition, the base of the shank 22 of the key comprises a semi-circular collar 221 intended to bear on the buffer when the notch 211 is in engagement with the boss T2. The blade 21 preferably extends approximately perpendicularly to the rod 22, its length being greater than the diameter of the hole T1 while its width and thickness are smaller than the diameter of this hole T1, and its connection region to the collar 221 presents a frustoconical surface having a curved bottom groove, at which the connection region takes a flattened shape facilitating the insertion of the bit in the hole T1 when the rod 22 of the key is in a position quasi-parallel to the upper face of the buffer.

It follows from this arrangement that the rotation of the key 2 takes place about an axis perpendicular to the buffer T and held in a fixed position relative thereto.

The fact that the shape of the key introduction hole T1 is different from the shape of the bit 21 makes it possible to mask the particular key profile to be used to actuate the bolt and thus offers effective securing against "picking".

The projection T2 projecting inside the light 114 constitutes an obstacle to the access of the third ramp 115 to hinder the introduction of a picking tool and acts as a stop for the bolt limiting the deflection of the and the radius of the "rounded" vertices of the square located on the longitudinal axis of the bolt is approximately equal to the radius of the protruding crown forming a boss, so that the crown is housed in the oblong hole-side top when the bolt is in the unlocking position ( figures 7 and 8 ) and in the free end end of the guide wing when the bolt is in the locking position ( figures 4 and 11 ).

The length of the blade 21 (distance from the front surface thereof to the axis of the rod 22 of the key) is equal to the half-diagonal of the square ( figures 7 and 8 ), the dimensions of the hole T1 being significantly less than the length of the bit.

Thanks to the adjustment of the key 2 in the buffer T and the rigorous positioning of the light 114 of the bolt 1 relative to the buffer, the frustoconical surface of the hole T1 of the buffer provides an effective support reaction to the thrust of the face front of the bit 21 against the wall 115 of the light 114 for actuating the bolt.

The fastening of the bolt 1 to the buffer 2 is ensured as has been seen by the screw 3, passing through a through hole machined in the buffer, whose frustoconical head bears on an elastic member 5 inserted in a countersink of this hole. passage, the compression of the member 5 ensuring the bolt the optimum pressure for its operation; opposite the screw head, a locknut 6 is screwed around the body of the screw, and a thrust washer 7 interposed between the locknut and the guide wing 11 of the bolt receives the latter resting around the oblong hole 111; thanks to this assembly, the screw 3 can rotate freely, without this rotation loosens the locknut and thus causes the release of the bolt; thus, to remove the bolt, it is necessary to act simultaneously on the head of the screw 3 and on the locknut located under the bolt, the lock nut being inaccessible from the outside when the buffer is in position closure.

• du guidage de la rampe 112 du trou oblong 111 par la vis 3,
• du guidage de la rampe 113 en W par le doigt 4,
• du guidage de la rampe 115 de la lumière 114 par le panneton 21 de la clé,

provoquant, en raison de la forme approximativement carrée de la lumière 114, un mouvement du pêne selon une trajectoire sensiblement quadratique.The operation of the device during unlocking and locking results from the conjunction:

• guiding the ramp 112 of the oblong hole 111 by the screw 3,
• of guiding the ramp 113 in W by the finger 4,
• of guiding the ramp 115 of the light 114 by the bit 21 of the key,

causing, due to the approximately square shape of the light 114, a movement of the bolt in a substantially quadratic trajectory.

To facilitate the understanding of the movement kinematics, the crown boss T2 is shown in fine dotted lines and the free end of the striker G is symbolized in strong dotted line, on the Figures 4 to 11 .

When the bolt is in the locked position ( figure 4 ), the end of the oblong hole 111 light side 114 is substantially in abutment against the screw 3, while the portion of the ramp 113 free end side of the guide wing 11 bears against the inclined face of the finger 4 side spoils ; the longitudinal axis of the bolt is then coincident with the line passing through the center of the passage hole of the buffer for the screw 3 and the center of the hole T1, and the boss T2 bears against the rounded wall of the free end-side light of the guide wing 11.

If the bit 21 of the key is inserted in the light 114, the only possibility to move the bolt is to turn the key clockwise until the blade pushes a section of the ramp 115 to the opposite the finger 4 free end side of the guide wing 11; it follows from this rotation of the key that the second ramp 113 slides against the finger 4 towards the top thereof, until the longitudinal axis of the bolt is sufficiently inclined relative to the line passing through the center of the hole for the screw 3 and the center of the hole T1, so that the second ramp 113 is completely free of the finger 4 ( figure 5 ); the screw 3 is then approximately in the middle of the length of the oblong hole 111; during this maneuver, the bolt is released partially from the grip of the strike.

If we continue the rotation of the key clockwise, the front face of the bit pushes a section of the third ramp 115 on the finger side 4, and the notch of the second ramp 113 comes to wrap the finger while the longitudinal axis of the bolt returns to the position it occupies when the bolt is in the locking position; at the end of this movement, the end of the length of the oblong hole 111 on the striker side bears substantially against the screw 3 ( figure 6 ).

By continuing the key rotation, the front face of its bit reaches the bottom of the notch 116 of the light 114, and it is ensured that the bolt is in the unlocking position ( figure 7 ); the bit can then be removed from the light 114 by tilting the shank of the key or using the key as a gripping tool to lift the pad.

To lock the bolt, the keystone of the key is introduced into the light 114 just as before ( figure 8 ), but the only way to move the bolt is to turn the key counter-clockwise until the bit pushes a section of the ramp 115 also opposite the finger 4 but the waste side of the guide wing 11; it results from this rotation of the key that the bottom of the notch of the second ramp 113 away from the finger 4 and the bolt slides towards the keeper, until the longitudinal axis of the bolt is sufficiently inclined relative to the line passing through the center of the hole for the screw 3 and the center of the hole T1, so that the second ramp 113 is completely free of the finger 4 ( figure 9 ); the screw 3 is then approximately in the middle of the length of the oblong hole 111.

If we continue the rotation of the key in the counter-clockwise direction, the front face of the bit pushes a section of the third ramp 115 on the side of the finger 4, until the bit reaches the notch 116 of the light 114 ( figure 10 ), the bolt then being in the locked position, in which position the portion of the second ramp 113 free end side of the guide wing 11 bears against the inclined face of the finger 4 side striker, the longitudinal axis of the bolt is again confused with the line passing through the center of the hole for the screw 3 and the center of the hole T1, the boss T2 bears against the rounded wall 115 of the light 114 on the free end side of the flange 11, and the end of the oblong hole 111 light side 114 is substantially in abutment against the screw 3. The continued rotation of the key remains ineffective until it reaches a stop; it is therefore possible to remove the key, and the bolt remains locked ( figure 11 ).

Note that the locking device according to the invention is economical, compact and not very sensitive to the medium because the rotation of the key in the direction of the lock or in the unlocking direction acts directly on the bolt and causes the only movement of the bolt , unlike traditional mechanisms where the rotation of the key causes the additional movement of other parts coupled to the bolt.

Note also that thanks to the mounting mode by means of the screw 3 and the locknut, the bolt is not removable from the outside. Moreover, thanks to the small diameter of the hole T1, it is impossible to observe the mode actuation of the bolt. Finally, thanks to the boss T2 projecting under the buffer around the hole T1, it is difficult to access the ramp 115 of the light 114 and thus "hook" the lock, and thanks to the frustoconical shape of the hole T1, the difficulty of "picking" is further increased.

Claims (10)

1. Locking device for mutually locking a first and a second element, in particular a cover element (T) on an element constituting a support frame (C) for the cover element, of the type comprising a sliding bolt (1) and a key (2) for actuating the bolt, and two members (3, 4) borne by one of said first and second elements (T, C) for guiding the bolt, the bolt (1) having an aperture (114) for introducing the key, a first (112) and a second (113) guide ramps designed to co-operate respectively with the two guide members (3, 4) and a third guide ramp (115) designed to co-operate with the contour of the key (2) when it is introduced into said aperture (114) in order to actuate the bolt (1) selectively from a locked position to an unlocked position or from an unlocked position to a locked position by rotating the key (2), characterised in that one (4) of the guide members of the bolt is borne by the first element (T) and formed by a wedge-shaped finger, and the second guide ramp (113) designed to co-operate with this member is a region of a lateral edge of the bolt incorporating a notch constituting a seat for the finger (4) in order to block the bolt (1) in the locked position and in the unlocked position.
2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the other (3) of the guide members of the bolt is borne by the first element (T) and is formed by a member for securing the bolt to said first element, and the first guide ramp (112) designed to co-operate with this member is a wall of an oblong hole (111) disposed in the bolt and in which the securing and guide member (3) is inserted.
3. Device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the securing and guiding member (3) is a screw, the body of which is inserted through the oblong hole and bears a locknut (6) disposed underneath the bolt.
4. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the wedge-shaped finger is a single piece integral with the first element (T) and protrudes out from the bottom face of it.
5. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the third guide ramp (115) designed to co-operate with the contour of the key is formed by the lateral wall of the aperture (114), this lateral wall being designed to co-operate with a bit (21) of the key when it is introduced into the aperture (114).
6. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the aperture (114) has an indentation (116), one edge of which constitutes a stop for the bit (21) when the bolt is in the unlocked position.
7. Device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the bit (21) has a notch (211) designed to move into engagement with a boss (T2) in the shape of a circular crown surrounding a hole (T1) through which the key (2) is introduced, disposed in the first element and located facing the aperture (114), and this boss extends through the aperture (114) and also co-operates with the third guide ramp (115).
8. Device as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the hole (T1) is frustoconical in shape, flared towards the external face of the first element (T) and designed to co-operate with a complementary frustoconical surface of the key (2) in order to guide the key in rotation.
9. Device as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the frustoconical hole (T1) has a major diameter significantly smaller than the aperture (114).
10. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the key (2) has a collar (221) at the base of a rod (22) designed to assume a position supported on the first element (T), and the region where the bit (21) is linked to the collar (221) has a frustoconical surface designed to co-operate with a frustoconical surface of a hole (T1) of the first element (T).

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