EP1367199B1

EP1367199B1 - Automatic lock

Info

Publication number: EP1367199B1
Application number: EP01909842A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Xabier Zubiri Sanchez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-06
Filing date: 2001-03-06
Publication date: 2006-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-06
Also published as: PT1367199E; DE60123287D1; EP1367199A1; WO2002070844A1; ES2273810T3; DE60123287T2; DK1367199T3

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to an automatic lock of the those which act mechanically and which, on closing the door, remain with the bolt or bolts introduced into the frame as well as the latch without the use of the key being needed.
A characteristic of this lock is the presence of a push button on the inside face which permits the opening both of the latch and of the bolt by depression of said push button.
A further characteristic is opening of all the anchoring means from the outside by means of a quarter turn of a key.
This lock permits the incorporation of remote opening mechanisms.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Automatic locks are known for application in anti-panic doors like that considered in the Patent document ES 2 006 126 in which a description is given of a mechanism which acting on secondary bolts by means of independent vertical escapes, the opening being contemplated by means of a knob and having likewise a key.
This lock is specially designed as an anti-panic locking system, in which when opening, by manipulating the handle, the bolts are automatically released.
Also known and habitually in use, are the locks which have a key system which, after applying the turns necessary, unlocks the door by withdrawing the bolts and, in the last stage, withdraws the latch.
The present invention comprises an automatic lock based on a special arrangement of springs, rocker arms and trips which permit the locking of the door and consequently the lodging of the bolts in the frame in an automatic fashion without the use of the key, and, when opening, its unlocking with no more than the depressing of a push button or in its absence by simply turning the key through 45°.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposed herein consists of an automatic lock which permits the locking of the door on which it is installed by means of the displacement of one or various bolts by tripping, pushed by springs tightened by the latch on closing the door.
In this closing and locking operation, neither the key nor the turning of a knob or handle intervenes.
Likewise when opening, use is made of other springs previously tightened when closing the door such that, by simply depressing a push button from the inside, they unlock the door by releasing both the bolts and the latch.
The most outstanding features of this mechanism rest in that there is no requirement to provide external power in the form of an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic source since the energy required for its operation is obtained from the force exercised by the frame on the latch during the closing and opening of the door: part of the energy obtained on closing the door is employed to slip the bolt or bolts and the latch, and another part is stored in a spring assembly to be used later in the opening operation; the energy obtained when opening the door is employed to make the latch retract and return to its initial position.
Moreover this lock can be actuated by any type of key, be it conventional, by electronic card, or by means of a remote signal, in which case these additional electronic devices would be the only items requiring electric power.
The incorporation of a remote operating system makes sense for example in the case of access gates to community housing where in addition to having direct access it is possible to have remote opening by means of a doorman located at a distance as well as from each dwelling.
Depending on each individual case, it is possible to substitute the push button with a relay or to have both mechanisms together.
It shall be sufficient to make the present invention of adequate size in order that it may be fitted on various types of door like for example house doors, safes, trapdoors and others.
The essential operating principle of this lock consists in taking advantage of the energy which is applied to the door panel on closing, storing said energy in several springs which shall act to displace the locking bolts in an automatic manner.
Part of this energy shall also be employed on opening the door, withdrawing the bolts and releasing the latch.
Once the bolts and the latch have been released, the latter proves to be capable of rotation so that the thrust applied to the door panel to open it, implies an additional amount of energy stored in other springs which shall permit completion of the door locking and unlocking operations.
The description of the various mechanisms that constitute and act in this lock is divided into two sections which correspond to the two operations, that of closing and that of opening.

Closing operation.

Both in this description and in the preferred embodiments of the description, one latch and a single bolt have been included, however a greater number of the latter would not alter the nature of the invention.
Both the bolt and the latch have their housings in the door frame in order to permit locking after closure, that is, when the panel has turned to situate itself in the angular position coincident with the frame.
Since the latch presents an oblique face to the frame, on closing, when the latch makes contact with the frame the latter is pushed inwards since linear displacement is the only degree of freedom which it has.
In its linear displacement it carries with it a pusher which rests on an intermediate point of a rotary arm.
This arm which is hinged at one end, has the opposite end fixed to a spring in such a manner that during the turning movement imposed by the pusher joined to the latch, the spring is tightened.
This arm also has, at a point between the pusher and the end joined to the spring, a supporting projection which passes over a rocker arm installed on the bolt.
This rocker arm is in an inclined position through the effect of a spring, the axle pin of which is perpendicular to the floor of the lock encasement.
[027] In this manner, the projection from the arm passes over the inclined rocker arm which swivels on its axle pin in order to permit this by overcoming the compression in its spring.
Once the latch is positioned opposite its housing in the frame, it no longer has support and through the effect of the force in the spring which it has just tightened, it is moved into its housing.
In this displacement, pushed by the arm attached to the spring, it re-encounters support on the rocker arm, but this time the inclination is not favourable to the direction of displacement of the arm for which reason instead of passing over it, it rests on it pulling the bolt which shall lock the door.
Since the bolt has a linear movement and the pusher joined to the arm describes an arc of a circle, the bolt is not pushed over its entire course; however, by inertia, the bolt continues its displacement to the end of its travel.
In the course of its displacement the bolt tightens a second spring of less strength.
A second rocker arm, by means of a spring, applies force with its extremity on a side face of the bolt and, as the bolt has a boss which surpasses the position of the rocker arm when the bolt reaches its end of travel point, the return of the bolt is impeded whilst the second spring is maintained in tension.
After this set of movements both the bolt and the latch lock the door, the closure and locking of the door having been completed.

Door opening.

The opening of the door can be carried out either from the inside or from the outside.
On the inside the door has a push button and from the outside it is possible to make use of a key which only requires a quarter turn.
Either of the two mechanisms act on the same rocker arm, the rocker arm which retains the latch in its housing.
When the push button is depressed or the key is turned, the supporting end of the rocker arm on the boss of the bolt is removed, in such a manner that the spring which was tightened withdraws the bolt to its inside position.
Furthermore, the other end of the rocker arm acts on the latch to permit the door to be opened.
The latch of which it has been said it is only provided with a linear movement, may also be above to rotate with respect to an off-centre axis in the proximity of the face opposite to the outside oblique plane.
Up to this time, the rotation has been impeded by means of a projection situated on the face opposite to that of the axle pin and which fits into a mortise of a plate.
This plate constitutes the arm of a rocker joined in turn to the rocker arm which has released the bolt.
By being joined to this other rocker arm, not only is the bolt released, but also the projection of the latch housed in the mortise of the plate.
A spring that pulls on the latch partly turns it, the projection ceasing to be opposite the mortise in which it was held and, in addition, the latch comes to rest on a second spring which hampers its rotation.
When the panel of the door is pushed, the latch must overcome the frame and it does so by rotating at the expense of compressing the spring which hampers its rotation.
In this way sufficient energy is accumulated so that once the frame is surpassed, the spring trips the latch recovering the tension in the first spring which has turned it partially, the projection being lodged again in the plate so that the latch is capable of moving only linearly and thereby permit the next closure.
In this manner the opening operation is completed and the initial position recovered as envisaged in the closing operation.
The invention likewise contemplates the possibility of replacing the springs with elements which perform the same function, like pneumatic cylinders of those which accumulate energy through the compression of a gas.
A possible variation which is included in the second preferred embodiment consists in having a latch which does not have the capacity to turn.
In this way the closure would be produced identically but the opening would differ with regard to the latch.
After depressing the push button, the mechanism described would release the bolt; however, the latch which before was resting on the wall of its housing, now rests against a plate which swivels about a vertical axis.
This plate is immobilised by means of a rocker arm which rests on the bolt.
As in the opening the bolt has already been withdrawn, the plate ceases to be prevented from turning and permits the latch to pass over it.
The plate is returned to its position by means of a spring waiting for the door to be closed, tripping the bolt which in turn shall block the plate of the latch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the present descriptive specification, a set of drawings is attached, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention in a not restrictive manner.
Figure 1. - Shows a theoretical schematic of a first embodiment of the invention when the lock permits the opening of the door; and in addition a detail is included showing the geometrical shape of the latch.
Figure 2 shows a theoretical schematic of the same first embodiment of the invention in the locked position with the bolt housed in the frame.
Figure 3 shows a theoretical schematic of a second embodiment of the invention in which the latch cannot rotate and the bolt is not locking the door.
Figure 4 shows a theoretical schematic of the same second embodiment of the invention in which the lock is locking the door and, in addition, a detail is included of the latch and the swivelling plate installed in the frame viewed from above.
Figure 5 shows a spring of pneumatic type which can be employed instead of the spiral type springs.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above explanation, the present invention relates to an automatic lock which mainly, by means of rocker arms and springs, is capable of locking and unlocking the door with the bolt with no need to turn a key.
In this section two embodiments are included which describe two possible variants of a same invention.

First embodiment.

In this first embodiment, an automatic lock is considered held in a case (1) installed in the side of a door opposite the hinges and facing housings (2) and (3) present in the frame (4).
As has been mentioned in the description, the preferred embodiments include only one bolt (5) which serves to lock the door when it is shut.
In parallel with this bolt (5) is located the latch (6) in the detail of which is shown its axle pin (6.1) contiguous with the face (6.4) parallel to the door and around which it can pivot when it is not impeded because the projection (6.3) situated on the opposite side is housed in the mortise (7.4) of the plate (7.1) of a rocker arm (7).
The rocker arm (7) rests, according to the detail view, on the latch (6) by pivoting on an axle pin (7.3) the base (8) of which is common to the support for the axle pin (6.1) of the latch (6), to one of the ends of the spring (9) which withdraws the latch (6) and to one of the ends of the spring (10) for recovering the latch (6).
This common base (8) shows the possibility of a linear displacement which permits the withdrawal of the latch (6) when the frame (4) rests on its oblique face (6.2).
In the linear displacement of the base (8), an arm (12) is pushed by a pusher (11.1) joined to the base (8) by means of a joining structure (11).
The arm (12) pivots about its lower extremity (12.1) and the other extremity is connected to a spring (20) which is tightened.
At an intermediate point of the arm is a support (12.2) which passes over a rocker arm (13) joined to the bolt (5).
This rocker arm (13) is passed over because it is inclined favourably through the effect of a spring (13.1), for which reason the support (12.2) of the arm (12) compresses the spring (13.1) forcing the rotation of the rocker arm about its axle pin (13.2).
When the latch (6) is opposite its housing (3) in the frame (4), it enters and recovers the initial position.
The arm (12) likewise recovers its initial position pulled by the spring (20) and in turn pulling the bolt (5) since the rocker arm (13) is not facing its extremity favourably.
In the displacement, a spring (14) connected with the bolt (5) is tightened.
The time arrives at which the arm (12) does not rest against the rocker arm (13) as the arc described by the point of support (12.2) descends below the level at which the rocker arm (13) is situated.
In figure 1 an arc is drawn consisting of alternate dashes and dots showing the locus of the support point (12.2) of the arm (12).
The bolt (5) continues by inertia on its path until the boss (5.1) passes over the position of the end (15.1) of the other rocker arm (15).
This end (15.1) of the rocker arm presses by means of a spring (15.2) on the bolt (5) to secure it at the end of its displacement and maintain the tension in its spring (14).
When this point is reached, the closure of the door is complete.
The opening occurs when either a push button (16) is depressed from the inside face of the door, or a key (17) is operated.
Either of the two means lifts the end of the rocker arm (15.1) that is blocking the bolt (5) in such a manner that the latter (5) is withdrawn by the action of its spring (14).
On the other hand, it is the other end (15.3) of the rocker arm (15) which is joined, in its movement perpendicular to the main plane of the lock, with the end (7.2) opposite the plate (7.1) of the rocker arm (7) which blocks the latch (6).
This linkage permits not only the release of the bolt (5) but also of the projection (6.3) of the latch (6) in order that it be withdrawn through the action of the spring (9) which works in traction and complete its rotation through the force of the frame on the latch (6).
This rotation compresses the spring (10) which works in compression and which shall restore the previous tension of the spring (9) and the initial position of the latch (6).
In figure 3 is shown a second embodiment of the invention in which the latch (6) does not have the possibility to turn, being able to move only in a linear fashion.
In this manner the description and elements involved in the closure are common with those of figure 1.
The difference lies in that, in addition to the disappearance of the elements which permit the rotation and the securing of the latch (6), there is a tongue (18) which shuts the housing (3) of the latch (6).
This tongue (18) swivels about its axle pin (18.1) arranged perpendicular to the path of the latch (6) when it is released by means of a rocker arm (19).
Just as is shown in the detail of figure 3, this rocker arm (19) is held firmly by the bolt (5) so that, when the bolt (5) is withdrawn, the tongue (18) can rotate and the latch (6) is free to leave its housing (3).
The tongue (18) recovers its position by means of a spring which is not shown in the figures.
Figure 4 is a repetition of the same schematic showing the bolt (5) inserted in the housing (2) of the frame (4) and resting against one end of the rocker arm (19) of the frame (4) in order to maintain the tongue (18) blocked and therefore the latch (6).
Figure 5 is a detail of a spring of pneumatic type which can replace the conventional spiral type springs.
The essential nature of this invention remains unaltered by variations in materials, shape, size and arrangement of the constituent elements, described in a non-restrictive manner, sufficient for an expert to proceed to its reproduction.

Claims

Automatic lock of those which block the door by means of bolts working in correspondence with the latch both when opening and when closing characterised in that it consists of an energetically independent mechanism which obtains the power required for its operation from the force exercised by the frame on the latch (6) during the closing of the door being formed by a case (1) in which is arranged a latch (6) joined to a base (8) by an axle pin (6.1) positioned opposite the oblique face (6.2) of the latch (6) and which permits its relative rotation, the base (8) being common to a rocker arm (7) and the ends of two springs (9) and (10);
wherein on the top side the latch (6) has a projection (6.3) which impedes rotation being lodged in a mortise (7.4) of the plate (7.1) which forms the arm of the rocker arm (7) in order that when it is released, the latch (6) is withdrawn, turning about its axle pin (6.1), by means of a first spring (9) which works in traction until coming to rest on a second return spring (10) which works in compression;
wherein the base (8) can be displaced linearly in order to permit the latch (6) to retract when the door is closed, being connected by means of a pusher (11.1) to an arm (12) able to move in an angular manner and which is supported on a rocker arm (13) which is mounted on the bolt (5) which locks the door, support which is made possible by means of a projection (12.2) only when the rotation is favourable also tensioning in its displacement a return spring (20), that is this rocker arm (13) is passed over by the projection (12.2) because it is inclined favourably through the effect of a spring (13.1), for which reason the projection (12.2) of the arm (12) compresses the spring (13.1) forcing the rotation of the rocker arm about its axle pin (13.2),
and wherein the bolt (5) comes with a boss (5.1) in order to be retained by means of a rocker arm (15) joined to the restraining rocker arm (7) on rotation of the latch; and equally this lock is fitted with a push button (16) for access from the inside and with a key (17) for access from the outside connected with the rocker arm which retains the bolt (5) and acts on the rotation restraint of the latch (6).
Automatic lock of those which block the door by means of bolts working in correspondence with the latch both when opening and when closing characterised in that it consists of an energetically independent mechanism which obtains the power required for its operation from the force exercised by the frame (4) on the latch (6) during the closing of the door being formed by a case (1) in which is arranged a latch (6) joined to a base (8) and by the frame (4),
wherein the latch (6) is not prepared to turn there being present on the mobile base (8) only the latch (6) the possible sole movement of which is linear for withdrawal, the frame (4) having in turn a tongue (18) with a central axle pin (18.1) for retention of the latch (6) when it is prevented from turning by means of a rocker arm (19) which is limited by the bolt (5), the tongue (18) being returned to the initial position by means of a spring,
wherein the base (8) can be displaced linearly in order to permit the latch (6) to retract when the door is closed, being connected by means of a pusher (11.1) to an arm (12) able to move in an angular manner and which is supported on a rocker arm (13) which is mounted on the bolt (5) which locks the door, support which is made possible by means of a projection (12.2) only when the rotation is favourable also tensioning in its displacement a return spring (20), that is this rocker arm (13) is passed over by the projection (12.2) because it is inclined favourably through the effect of a spring (13.1), for which reason the projection (12.2) of the arm (12) compresses the spring (13.1) forcing the rotation of the rocker arm about its axle pin (13.2),
and wherein the bolt (5) comes with a boss (5.1) in order to be retained by means of a rocker arm (15); and equally this lock is fitted with a push button (16) for access from the inside and with a key (17) for access from the outside connected with the rocker arm which retains the bolt (5) and acts on the rotation restraint of the latch (6).
Automatic lock in accordance with the first and second claims characterised in that the springs which it incorporates are spiral.
Automatic lock in accordance with the first and second claims characterised in that some or all of the springs which it incorporates are pneumatic cylinders.
Automatic lock in accordance with claims one to four characterised in that the bolt (5) is made up of more than one body, all of them joined to each other.
Method of closure by means of automatic lock in accordance with claims one to five characterised in that it takes place in two phases:

the first when the door panel turns and the oblique face (6.2) of the latch (6) makes contact on the frame (4) of the door, so that it retracts, displacing integrally the entire assembly situated on the common base (8) as well as the arm (12) which serves to push the bolt (5) by means of the pusher (11.1), tightening the return spring (20) and passing over the rocker arm (13) situated on the bolt;

in the second phase the latch (6) ceases to have support from the frame (4) and is introduced into its housing (3), the arm (12) ceasing to push so that the latter returns to its initial position pulled by the spring (20) which has tightened in the first step and pulling in its displacement the bolt (5) through interfering with the rocker arm (13) which does not permit overshooting by acceding from the other side, and maintaining the thrust up to a point after which the arc described by the pusher (12.2) of the arm no longer interferes with the rocker arm (13) so that the bolt continues by inertia tightening its return spring (14) up to its end-of-travel where it is blocked by the rocker arm (15) which engages with the side boss (5.1) of the bolt (5).
Method of opening by means of automatic lock in accordance with claims one, three, four and five characterised in that it takes place when either the push button (16) is depressed from the inside or the key (17) is turned from the outside, since in either case the two lift the rocker arm (15) which holds the bolt (5) permitting it to be withdrawn by means of its return spring (14); and, this same rocker arm, by being joined to the retaining rocker arm (7) of the latch (6), lifts the plate (7.1) freeing the projection (6.3) that holds the latch (6) so that the latter (6) is permitted to retract in part through the effect of spring (9) which works in traction being limited by spring (10) which works in compression, following its rotational movement due to the force exercised by the frame (4) on the latch (6) until it ceases to have support, at which point in time the compressed spring (10) trips the latch (6) until its projection is again housed in the mortise (7.4) which holds it and the tension in the return spring (9) is restored.
Method of opening by means of automatic lock in accordance with claims two, three, four and five characterised in that it takes place when either the push button (16) is depressed from the inside or the key (17) is turned from the outside, since in either case the two lift the rocker arm (15) which holds the bolt (5) permitting it to be withdrawn by means of its return spring (14); and, in addition, frees the rocker arm (19) which secures a tongue (18) thereby permitting its rotation about a vertical pin (18.1) to permit the latch (6) to escape, the tongue (18) subsequently recovering its position by means of a spring.
Method of opening the automatic lock in accordance with claims seven or eight characterised in that the push button (16) can be activated by means of a relay in order to permit remote opening.