EP1249568B1 - Chain or cable lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a chain, cable or joint lock with a lock body and an elongated shut-off in the form of a chain, a cable or a hinge rod, which or which connected with its or its first end fixed to the lock body and with its or its second end is lockable in the lock body by means of a closing mechanism, wherein the second end of the shut-off element is formed as an elongated, substantially in a plane extending end member.

The problem with such locks, which find particular application in the two-wheeler, is the fact that the lock body has relatively large dimensions, as by the cooperation of the locking mechanism with the second end of the elongated shutoff relatively much space is claimed.

GB 227,994 describes a lock having at one end of a chain a locking bolt provided with a lateral constriction into which engages a locking element which is movable in the plane of the locking bolt. DE 198 24 921 A1 describes a lock with a rotationally symmetrical closing cam, which is introduced against the biasing force of a spring accumulator in a locking device of a lock housing.

The object of the invention is to develop a lock of the type mentioned in such a way that while maintaining a high Safety levels a slimmer design of the lock body is possible.

By an inventive lock according to the features of the independent claim 1, said object is achieved.

In the context of the invention, it is evident that the direction of movement of the locking elements lies in the plane in which the end link designed as a chain link extends. In this way, it is possible that both the end member and all parts of the locking mechanism can be arranged within a flat region, so that the use of a slender lock body is possible, which can have minimal dimensions in a direction perpendicular to said plane.

The second, in the lock body by means of the locking mechanism lockable end of the shut-off element has two symmetrical or asymmetric undercuts, which are engaged behind in the locked state of the castle on two opposite sides of two locking elements. During the locking operation, these two locking elements are accordingly moved towards each other in the opposite direction until they engage in the undercuts of two opposite sides. This requires a particularly secure locking of the end member in the lock body, since the locking is done from two sides.

The two undercuts are by a two-sided, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the end member extending constriction educated. As a result, then each side of the constriction forms one of the two undercuts, in each of which a locking element engages.
The designed as a chain link end member is made, for example, that it is placed around a suitably shaped, in particular cylindrical spacer, whereupon one or two rolling jaws are moved to produce a two-sided constriction of two opposite sides against the chain link and thereby a deforming force on the Exercise chain link. The rolling jaws thereby attack on areas remote from said spacer, so that the chain link is bent around the spacer by the rolling jaws. After completion of the deformation of the rolling jaws are moved back away from the chain link, which due to unavoidable bias the chain link slightly "pops up" again. This expansion of the chain link then allows easy removal of the spacer.

It when the two locking elements are arranged within a force cell, where they are supported directly or indirectly in the locked state is particularly advantageous. This support complicates that a bolt in the locked state can be moved out of engagement with the undercut of the end member of the shutoff element by external force. The support of the bolt on the power cell can - as mentioned - done either directly or indirectly via an additional separate component. Deformation of the bars by impacts on the lock body do not affect the locking state in this case, since such deformations have no influence on the support of the bolt on the power cell. Outward forces of departure, trying to to move the latch or bars out of their locking position in the locked state are picked up by the said force cell and rendered ineffective in this way.

The force cell may in particular have walls formed as a drill protection and / or impact protection, by which a protective space for the bolts is at least partially limited. In this case, the force cell not only serves to receive forces acting on the bars, but in addition also increases the resistance to other external influences, such as e.g. Attempts to cancel the locking engagement between end member and bolt by drilling.

The first locking element can be firmly connected to the force cell, whereas in this case the second locking element is movable within the force cell via a locking mechanism. In this case, the entire force cell can be movable together with the first locking element against a spring force in the lock body. By this arrangement it is achieved that both locking elements are biased in the unloaded state against each other and can be moved apart by an inserted end member, however, they come to rest on fully inserted end member due to the spring force on each other and come to rest in the constriction of the end member. Thus, the end member is secured by the spring force immediately after its insertion into the lock body in the lock body against accidental falling out. Then then the actual locking process, which prevents further movement of the bolt done.

A further advantage is when the first, firmly connected to the lock body end of the shut-off element forms a loop which surrounds a connecting pin, which connects two areas of the lock body together. The loop may be realized by the end loop of a cable, by a chain link or by a hole in a hinge rod element. The two, connected by means of the connecting pin areas of the lock body may be integrally formed with each other and form a substantially square or U-shaped receptacle for the connecting pin.
It is preferred if the first, firmly connected to the lock body end of the shut-off element is designed as a chain link as well as the second, lockable in the lock body by means of the closing mechanism end of the shut-off element.

The said, the first, firmly connected to the lock body connected to the end of the shut-off locking connector pin may be made of steel with a tensile strength of more than 700 N / mm ² , and by means of at least at its two front ends made compaction cold work riveting in corresponding openings of the be fixed square-shaped or U-shaped receptacle.

By using a steel with the properties mentioned for the connecting pin, it is possible to achieve, with the above-mentioned cold-forming riveting process, a deformation of the connecting pin, which fixes it in the openings of the receptacle and on the other hand to produce a work hardening in the connecting pin, which ultimately replaces a known from the prior art, taking place under heat hardening process. So it is with the same process, namely the achieved with one and the same process, namely the deformation of the connecting pin, both the non-positive and positive connection with the recording and the "hardening" of the connecting pin, which of course is a very economical and on the other hand ensures that the produced power and positive connection between the receptacle and the connecting pin can not be affected by a subsequent curing process.

It is particularly preferred if a connecting pin with a tensile strength of more than 800 N / mm ² is used, since then a particularly good "curing" can be achieved. The connecting pin can for example consist of wear-resistant steel, in particular of hard manganese steel, for example X120Mn12 according to DIN.

It is particularly preferred if the two connected by means of the connecting pin areas of the lock body and the receptacle are integrally formed with each other and form a substantially formed as a square profile receptacle for the connecting pin. The two opposite sides of the square profile then have the openings in which the connecting pin is fixed by means of said cold-deformation riveting operation. The riveting operation must be carried out in this case after the end member formed at the first end of the shut-off element has been laid around the connecting pin. The subsequent inventive compound of connecting pin with lock body then ensures that a subsequent release of the end member of the connecting pin is not possible.

Fig. 1

eine dreidimensionale Explosionszeichnung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Kettenschlosses, und

Fig. 2a bis 2c

Schnittansichten eines montierten Kettenschlosses gemäß Fig. 1, welche den Vorgang des Verriegelns eines Kettenglieds im Schloßkörper veranschaulichen.

The invention will now be described by way of explanation of embodiments with reference to the drawings; in these show:

Fig. 1

a three-dimensional exploded view of an embodiment of a chain lock according to the invention, and

Fig. 2a to 2c

Sectional views of a mounted chain lock according to FIG. 1, which illustrate the process of locking a chain link in the lock body.

Fig. 1 shows a three-dimensional exploded view of a chain lock, in which one end of a chain 12 fixed in a lock body 13 in the assembled state and another end of the chain 12 in the lock body 13 by means of a locking mechanism can be locked.

The chain 12 consists of a number of intertwined, substantially O-shaped chain links, wherein in Fig. 1 for reasons of clarity, only five chain links are shown. In an operational version of a chain lock, the chain 12 will have a higher number of links.

The two end chain links 14 and 15 each have a two-sided constriction 16, which extends in each case perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the chain links 14, 15. The functions of these constrictions 16 are explained below in connection with FIGS. 2a to c.

The lock body 13 consists of a housing 17 in the form of a square profile made of hardened steel.

In a lateral end region of the housing 17, an opening in the form of a circular recess 18 is provided, which extends through both side walls of the housing 17 therethrough. In Fig. 1, only one side of the housing 17 can be seen and, accordingly, only one recess 18th

The diameter of the recess 18 is so dimensioned that it corresponds to the diameter of a connecting pin 3, which is shown in Fig. 2 in a state after performing the cold-working riveting operation. Before the cold-forming riveting operation, the connecting pin 3 has a constant diameter without end-side thickenings 8, so that it can be easily inserted through the recesses 16 therethrough. Only when carrying out the cold-forming riveting process according to the invention, the thickenings 8 form, by which the connecting pin 3 is fixed in the recesses.

Before the connecting pin 3 is inserted into the recesses 18, the end-side chain link 14 is moved so far into the housing 17 in the arrow direction that the formed by the constriction 16, substantially circular passage area 19 of the chain link 14 is aligned with the recesses 18. Subsequently, the pin 3 is inserted through the recesses 18 and the passage area 19. As a result of the subsequent cold-forming riveting operation, the chain link 14 is thus fixed inseparably in the housing 17.

In the housing 17 different parts of the locking mechanism can be inserted from the side facing away from the chain link 14 side. This is essentially a receptacle 20 for a lock cylinder, which also serves as a longitudinal guide for a force cell 21. The power cell 21 is placed in the receptacle 20 by means of two coil springs 22 under bias.
The side walls of the force cell 21 have circular openings 23 which serve to receive a pin 24, which ultimately represents a first locking element.
Adjacent to the lock cylinder 20, an actuating element 25 is arranged in the receptacle, which acts on a second locking element 26 in the locked state.

The receptacle 20 has on its underside a not visible in Figure 1 blind hole into which a locking pin 27 can be pressed through an opening of the housing 17, whereby the locking mechanism is fixed in the housing 17. Furthermore, the force cell 21 has at its end facing away from the pin 24 a bent at right angles support tab 29th

The operation of the parts 20 to 29 will be explained below in connection with FIGS. 2a to 2c.

2a to 2c show sectional views of a lock according to FIG. 1 in the unlocked state (FIG. 2a), during the insertion of the chain link 15 into the lock body 13 (FIG. 2b) and in the locked state (FIG. 2c).

• Dabei wird in einen Endbereich des Kettenglieds ein zylindrischer Abstandsbolzen 30 eingeführt, der während des Erzeugens der Einschnürung sicherstellt, daß der von der Einschnürung umfaßte Durchgangsbereich 19 den letztlich gewünschten Durchmesser besitzt. Anschließend werden dann zwei Rollbacken 31 aufeinander zu bewegt, wodurch die beidseitige Einschnürung 16 letztlich erzeugt wird. Wenn die Rollbacken 31 wieder wegbewegt werden, springt das Kettenglied geringfügig auf, so daß der Abstandsbolzen 30 problemlos herausgezogen werden kann. Nach Erzeugung der Einschnürung 16 kann das Kettenglied 15 gehärtet werden.

FIG. 2 a further schematically illustrates how the constriction 16 of the chain link 15 can be produced:

• In this case, a cylindrical spacer pin 30 is inserted into an end region of the chain link, which ensures during the creation of the constriction that the passage area 19 covered by the constriction has the ultimately desired diameter. Then, two rolling jaws 31 are moved towards each other, whereby the two-sided constriction 16 is ultimately generated. When the rolling jaws 31 are moved away again, the chain link jumps slightly, so that the spacer pin 30 can be easily pulled out. After creating the constriction 16, the chain link 15 can be hardened.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2a is advantageous that both chain end members 14, 15 have an identical design, which makes the production of the chain more economical and which can be avoided in an advantageous manner assembly errors.

FIG. 2 a shows that the chain link 14 is permanently connected to the housing 17 by means of the connecting pin 3 fixed in the housing 17.

Furthermore, it can be seen that the receptacle 20 is fixedly and immovably connected to the housing 17 by means of the locking pin 27. In the receptacle 20, a lock cylinder 33 is arranged, which is actuated by means of a key 34. The key is inserted through a provided in the housing 17 on the underside recess 35 in the lock cylinder 33. At its top is the lock cylinder 33 coupled to the pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the lock cylinder 33 actuator 25, which is shown in Fig. 2a in its unlocked position. Adjacent to the actuating element 25, the second locking element 26 is provided, which is mounted perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lock cylinder 33 slidably.
On the receptacle 20, the force cell 21 shown only in regions for reasons of clarity in Fig. 2a is placed, which is also mounted perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lock cylinder 33 slidably. Fixedly connected to the power cell 21 is the pin-shaped first locking element 24th
At its end facing away from the first locking element 24, the force cell 21 has a perpendicularly bent supporting strap 29 with which it is supported on the actuating element 25 in its locked state (FIG. 2c).
When an attempt is made to pull the chain link out of the lock body 17 in the locked state of the lock, on the one hand a force acts on the pin 24 fixedly connected to the force cell 21 and on the other hand a force acts on the support tab 29 via the second lock element 26 and the actuating element 25 , which is formed integrally with the power cell 21. Ultimately, all forces act on one and the same component, namely the force cell 21, which, of course, is advantageous given a correspondingly stable design of the force cell 21, since no susceptible component connections are present in the power line chain.
Of particular advantage in the illustrated embodiment is the fact that the lock would remain in the locked state even with a cancel of the support tab 29, since the actuator 25 in this case - possibly on the aborted support tab 29 - on the front page 38 of the indentation 37 and above would be supported directly on the chain link 14.

The housing 17 is provided on its upper side with an opening 36 through which the chain link 15 can be inserted into the housing 17. Further, the housing 17 has on its top a indentation 37, which on the one hand for additional fixing of the chain link 14 and on the other to support the inserted into the housing 17 locking mechanism and in particular the support tab 29 is used.

In Fig. 2a, the force cell 21 is biased by the (only in Fig. 1) coil springs 22 in the direction of the chain link 14, which means that the first locking element 24 is in the insertion path for the chain link 15.

Fig. 2b shows that during the insertion of the chain link 15, this first locking element 24 is pressed back against the spring force of the coil springs 22 together with the force cell 21, so that a complete insertion of the chain link 15 in the housing 17 is possible.

When then the chain link 15 has been completely inserted into the housing 17 as shown in FIG. 2c, the first locking element 24 jumps together with the force cell 21 due to the spring force of the coil springs 22 back to its position shown in FIG. 2a, so that the chain link 15 by this spring force Even in the unlocked state of the locking mechanism (Fig. 2a and 2b) is secured against accidental falling out.

Subsequently, the locking mechanism of Fig. 2c is then actuated such that the actuating element 25 is rotated by means of the key 34 by 90 °. This rotation causes a displacement of the second locking element 26 in the direction of the first locking element 24, so that the two locking elements 24 and 26 come to lie in the constriction 16 of the chain link 15 and thus lock the chain link 15 in the housing 17. In this locked state, there is a power line chain between first locking element 24, chain link 15, second locking element 26, actuating element 25, supporting strap 29 and force cell 21. Since the first locking element 24 is fixedly and permanently connected to the force cell 21, which also includes the support tab 29, all in an attempted pulling out of the chain link 15 caused by the lock body 17 forces are ultimately taken up by the force cell 21 and the lock body 17, which Riser of the castle increased.
According to the invention the direction of movement of the locking elements 24 and 26 in the plane of the drawing (Fig. 2c), wherein the chain link 15 also extends in this plane. Thus, it becomes possible to form the lock body 14 slender, ie, the lock body 14 to be dimensioned so that it has minimal dimensions perpendicular to the drawing plane.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

3

connecting pin

8th

Countersunk-like thickening

12

Chain

13

lock body

14

link

15

link

16

constriction

17

casing

18

recess

19

Passage area

20

admission

21

load cell

22

coil springs

23

openings

24

Pin (first locking element)

25

actuator

26

second locking element

27

locking pin

28

opening

29

support tab

30

Standoffs

31

rollbacks

33

lock cylinder

34

key

35

recess

36

opening

37

depression

38

front

Claims (10)

1. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock comprising a lock body (17) and an elongated locking element in the form of a chain (12), of a cable or of a jointed bar which is fixedly connected at its first end (14) to the lock body (17) and is latchable in the lock body (17) via a closing mechanism at its second end (15), wherein the second end of the locking element (12) is made as an elongate end member (15) extending substantially in one plane,
   characterised in that
   the end member is a chain link (15) and has two undercuts (16) which are formed by a two-sided waist (16) on two sides, which extend in the plane of the end member (15) at its longitudinal sides in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the end member (15) and which are engaged behind in the latched state of the lock by two bolt elements (24, 26) of the closing mechanism at two mutually opposite sides, with the direction of movement of said bolt elements lying in that plane in which the end member (15) extends.
2. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that both bolt elements (24, 26) are arranged inside a power cell (21) at which they are supported directly or indirectly in the latched state.
3. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the first bolt element (24) is fixedly connected to the power cell (21); in that the second bolt element (26) is movable within the power cell (21) via a closing mechanism; and in that the power cell (21) is movable with the first bolt element (24) against a spring force in the lock body (17).
4. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first end of the locking element (12) fixedly connected to the lock body (17) forms a loop (14) which surrounds a connection pin (3) which connects two regions of the lock body (17) with one another.
5. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with claim 4, characterised in that the two regions of the lock body (17) connected by means of the connection pin (3) are made integrally with one another and form a substantially square-shaped mount or U-shaped mount for the connection pin (3).
6. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with any one of the claims 4 or 5, characterised in that the loop is formed by a chain link (14), by a loop of a cable or by a bore in a jointed bar element.
7. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with claim 6, characterised in that the first end (14) of the locking element (12) fixedly connected to the lock body (17) is made in the same way as the second end (15) of the locking element (12) latchable in the lock body (17) by means of the closing mechanism.
8. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with any one of the claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the connection pin (3) consists of steel with a tensile strength of more than 700 N/mm² which is fixed in the openings (18) by means of a joint sealing cold-working riveting process carried out at at least its two end faces.
9. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with claim 8, characterised in that the tensile strength of the connection pin (3) is larger than 800 N/mm².
10. A chain lock, cable lock or jointed lock in accordance with any one of the claims 8 or 9, characterised in that the connection pin (3) consists of wear-resistant steel, in particular of hard manganese steel, preferably of X120Mn12.

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