EP1422363A2

EP1422363A2 - A key lock handle for doors and windows

Info

Publication number: EP1422363A2
Application number: EP03425732A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Lambertini
Original assignee: GSG International SpA
Current assignee: GSG International SpA
Priority date: 2002-11-22
Filing date: 2003-11-14
Publication date: 2004-05-26
Also published as: ITBO20020739A1; EP1422363A3

Abstract

A key lock handle (1) for doors and windows comprises at least: a handle casing (2) that can be fixed to the door or window sash and presenting, on one side, a protruding portion (3) from which there projects a handgrip (4) by which a spindle (5) housed inside the handle casing (2) can be rotated about an axis (Y) transversal to the handle casing (2) from at least a first position to a second position and vice versa; the other side of the handle casing (2) presenting operating means (6) engageable with a sash closing device in such a way as to determine an open configuration and a closed configuration of the sash; key lock means (7) being provided to operate between the handgrip (4) and the handle casing (2), and comprising engagement / disengagement means (8) acting on the handgrip (4) in such manner that, when the handgrip (4) is in the open configuration, it is engaged with the operating means (6), and when the handgrip (4) is in the closed configuration, it is disengaged from the operating means (6) and from the handle casing (2) so that it can turn freely about the transversal axis (Y) if an attempt is made to force the handgrip (4) itself.

Description

The present invention relates to a key lock handle for doors and windows, in particular a cremone handle equipped with a lock to stop the handgrip of the handle in a defined position.
At present, the market offers several types of cremone handles that can be locked in a desired position, usually the position where the sash to which the handle is fitted is closed.
The locking devices used for this purpose are known as key lock devices, where the term "key" means not only the typical metal instrument with a code cut into the bit but also any coded opening element.
In a first known solution (see patent EP-446.566 to the same Applicant), there are key-operated interference means on the handgrip of a handle which, in this specific case, is shaped in such a way as to cover part of a boss between the handle casing and the handgrip.
The interference means act on the handle casing at the boss which presents a pair of non-cylindrical external surface areas whose axis coincides with the axis of rotation of the handgrip (allowing reversibility of the handle): in this way, the handgrip can be locked stably in one of the positions that it can adopt as it turns about its axis of rotation.
The interference means consist of a barrel that can be inserted into a through bore in the handgrip which is offset from the axis of the handgrip and in such a way that the barrel can be operated from the outside. Operation of the barrel actuates a slide which produces interference between the handgrip and handle casing, thus preventing rotation of the grip from one position (sash closed) to another position (sash open) and vice versa.
In another improved solution of a key lock cremone handle disclosed in patent IT-1.285.897 to the same Applicant, a pair of grooves made in a boss facing the handgrip are arranged at right angles to each other to match the positions that can be adopted by the handgrip. The grooves can be engaged by an interference element pivoted on and housed in the handgrip and actuated by key-operated control means from the outside of the handgrip that move it from an idle position to a forward working position in which the element rigidly engages with one of the grooves in such a way as to prevent the handgrip from being turned.
Both the prior art solutions described above have proved highly satisfactory in terms of manoeuvrability and reliability of the handgrip and control means but, precisely because the two parts are designed to be locked relative to each other, they produce a rigid connection. While, on the one hand, the above is effective in locking the handle under normal conditions, it does not, on the other, prevent a would-be burglar from breaking one or more parts of the handle by turning the handgrip in an attempt to force the lock open.
Forcing the handgrip in this way releases the opening device connected to both the handgrip and the sash drive mechanism, enabling the sash to be opened and allowing the burglar to get inside.
The present invention has for an aim to overcome the above mentioned problems through a key lock handle for doors and windows offering a high degree of security by allowing the handgrip to be disengaged from the rest of the handle casing when the handle is set to predetermined positions corresponding to configurations of the sash where such security is required, but without reducing the strength, manoeuvrability and attractive appearance of traditional handles.
According to the invention, the above mentioned aim is achieved by a key lock handle for doors and windows, comprising at least: a handle casing that can be fixed to the door or window sash and presenting, on one side, a protruding portion from which there projects a handgrip by which a spindle housed inside the handle casing can be rotated about an axis transversal to the handle casing from at least a first position to a second position and vice versa; the other side of the handle casing presenting operating means engageable with a sash closing device in such a way as to determine an open configuration and a closed configuration of the sash; key lock means being provided to operate between the handgrip and the handle casing, and comprising engagement / disengagement means acting on the handgrip in such manner that, when the handgrip is in the open configuration, it is engaged with the operating means, and when the handgrip is in the closed configuration, it is disengaged from the operating means and from the handle casing so that it can turn freely about the transversal axis if an attempt is made to force the handgrip itself.
The technical characteristics of the invention, with reference to the above aims, are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, with some parts in cross section in order to better illustrate others, of a key lock handle according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view, with some parts cut away in order to better illustrate others, illustrating a handgrip of the handle of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side view, with some parts cut away and others in cross section, showing a part of the handle of Figure 1, namely, the key lock means;
Figure 4 illustrates the key lock means of Figure 3 in a side view;
Figure 5 is a side view of a boss forming part of the lock means of the handle of Figure 1;
Figure 6 is cross section through line VI - VI of Figure 5;
Figures 7 and 8 are, respectively, a side view partly in cross section and a top plan view, illustrating an element supporting the key lock means.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, in particular Figure 1, the handle according to the invention is applicable to sashes, especially, but not restricted to, metal sashes forming part of doors, windows or French windows.
The handle according to the invention may be of the type known as cremone handle and is equipped with key lock.
This type of handle, denoted in its entirety by the numeral 1, comprises: a handle casing 2 that can be fixed to the door or window sash (not illustrated) and presenting, on one side, a protruding portion 3 from which there projects a handgrip 4 by which a spindle 5 housed inside the handle casing 2 can be rotated about an axis Y transversal to the handle casing 2 from at least a first position to a second position and vice versa.
The other side of the handle casing 2 presents operating means 6 engageable at their respective free ends with a sash closing device (which is of well known type and therefore not illustrated).
The operating means 6 are mobile between the aforementioned first and second positions corresponding to at least one open and one closed configuration of the sash.
The numeral 7 denotes key lock means operating between the handgrip 4 and the handle casing 2 in such a way as to stabilise the handle 1 in the sash closed configuration.
Still with reference to Figure 1, the key lock means 7 comprise engagement / disengagement means 8 acting on the handgrip 4 in such manner that the open and closed configurations of the handgrip 4 enable the following, respectively:

engagement or rigid connection of the handgrip 4 to the operating means 6 in order to allow the sash to be opened; and
disengagement of the handgrip 4 from the operating means 6 and from the handle casing 2 so that it can turn freely about the transversal axis Y if an attempt is made to force the handgrip 4 itself.

As shown in Figure 1, the operating means 6, which are of known type, comprise the aforementioned spindle 5 attached to a toothed base ring 27, described in more detail below, that meshes with two opposite racks 6a and 6b (drawn with a broken line) which actuate bars 6c and 6d partly protruding from the handle casing 2 to connect with the aforementioned sash closing device.
The key lock means 7 are positioned along the transversal axis Y inside a hole 9 made in the handgrip 4 and in the handle casing 2 to connect with the operating spindle 5.
More specifically (see also Figures 3 and 4), the key lock means 7 comprise a barrel 10 that can be operated by a key 11, which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated is a key of traditional type but without thereby excluding other types of coded elements.
The barrel 10 is housed inside a supporting boss 12 extending along the aforementioned transversal axis Y, that is to say, along the handgrip 4 and the portion 3 which protrudes from the handle casing 2 and which the operating spindle 5 is associated with at the innermost end of the boss 12 itself.
The engagement / disengagement means 8 are associated with the barrel 10 and can be operated by the barrel 10.
Looking in more detail, the engagement / disengagement means 8 comprise a pin 13, associated with a rotatable inside portion of the barrel 10 extending transversally to the transversal axis Y in such a way as to protrude from both sides of the barrel 10 and from the supporting boss 12, and presenting two through slots 14 on opposite sides of it.
The barrel 10 also has, on its fixed outer shell 10a a step-shaped cam-like groove 15 which, upon operation of the key 11 to turn the inside part of the barrel 10, enables the pin 13 to move between at least:

a first raised working position where the handgrip 4 is engaged and the pin 13 is housed inside a groove 16 made in the handgrip 4 (see continuous line in Figures 1 and 2 and arrow F); and
a second lowered working position where the handgrip 4 is disengaged and the pin 13 is away from the handgrip 4 (see broken line in Figure 1).

More specifically, when the pin 13 is in the second lowered disengaged working position, it is accommodated in an octagonal base 17 which mounts the boss 12 (see Figures 7 and 8) and which is housed inside the protruding portion 3 of the handle casing 2.
The mounting base 17 features a cylindrical protrusion 18 for accommodating the pin 13 and whose upper profile is divided into sectors 19 and 20 of different heights designed to guide the pin 13 into its different positions.
In particular, the pin 13 can adopt three different working positions (of which two are shown by the broken line) at different heights and corresponding to three different configurations that can be adopted by the handgrip 4, at right angles to each other and corresponding to three configurations that can be adopted by the sash (that is to say, closed, turn opened and tilt opened).
Similarly, the upper profile of the cylindrical protrusion 18 is divided into three sectors 19, 20 and 21 of different heights relative to the base 17 and corresponding to the three different configurations that can be adopted by the pin 13. Further, the cylindrical protrusion 18 protrudes partly into the handgrip 4.
As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the outer surface of the boss 12 may be equipped with elastic retaining means 22 positioned between the boss 12 itself and the hole 9 inside the handgrip 4 and acting on the handgrip 4 at least when the handgrip 4 is in the aforementioned second position where it is disengaged from the operating means 6: this makes it possible for the handgrip 4 to maintain the static position it adopts when it is released from the pin 13.
The elastic means may consist of a leaf spring 22 fitted inside a circumferential seat 23 in the second boss 12 and protruding from the boss 12 itself.
The protruding part of the spring 22 can be stably coupled with a matching groove 25 made in the hole 9 in the handgrip 4 and forming a reference point for positioning the handgrip 4.
In other words, if the handgrip 4 is moved from its free rotation position, it can be repositioned in its exact original configuration by snapping the spring 22 back into the groove 25.
The handle casing 2 houses a block 26 for supporting the boss 12 and the barrel 11 and for operating the barrel 11.
The block 26 comprises the aforementioned toothed ring 27 and the mounting base 17 spaced from each other by an interposed damping spring 28.
The boss 12, axially coupled with the toothed ring 27 and with the base 17, has a lower octagonal protrusion 12a that fits into a matching seat 27a made in the ring 27 which in turn has a central through hole 27b for the passage of the aforementioned operating spindle 5, consisting of a screw that can be screwed into a threaded hole 12b made in the second boss 12: in this way, the toothed ring 27 and the boss 12 are attached to each other.
A handle made as described above achieves the aforementioned aims thanks to a system of elements that is at once extremely simple and compact, keeping the handle within well-defined dimensions.
The system of engaging and disengaging the handgrip significantly enhances the security of the handle: thus, when locked with the key, the handgrip is disengaged so that any attempt to force it does not damage the sash operating mechanisms but simply causes the handgrip to turn idly.
When the handgrip is repositioned and the key turned in the lock, the sash can be opened as usual.
In this way, complex torsional strength tests on the closing system are not necessary because a simple device makes it possible to disengage the handgrip from the operating means when the door or window is locked with the key.
This solution also makes the handle lighter in weight because it allows the use of lightweight elements and materials, with smaller lock/unlock mechanisms.
It will be understood that the invention described may be useful in many industrial applications and may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

A key lock handle for doors and windows, the handle (1) being of the type comprising at least:

a handle casing (2) that can be fixed to the door or window sash and presenting, on one side, a protruding portion (3) from which there projects

a handgrip (4) by which a spindle (5) housed inside the handle casing (2) can be rotated about an axis (Y) transversal to the handle casing (2) from at least a first position to a second position and vice versa; the other side of the handle casing (2) presenting

operating means (6) engageable at their respective free ends with a sash closing device and mobile between the first and second positions corresponding at least to an open configuration and a closed configuration of the sash;

key lock means (7) being provided to operate between the handgrip (4) and the handle casing (2) to stabilise the handle (1) at least in the sash closed configuration, the handle being characterised in that the lock means (7) comprise engagement / disengagement means (8) acting at least on the handgrip (4) in such manner that, when the handgrip (4) is in the open configuration, it is engaged with the operating means (6), and when the handgrip (4) is in the closed configuration, it is disengaged from the operating means (6) and from the handle casing (2) so that it can turn freely about the transversal axis (Y) if an attempt is made to force the handgrip (4) itself.
The handle according to claim 1, characterised in that the key lock means (7) are positioned along the transversal axis (Y) inside a hole (9) made in the handgrip (4) and in the handle casing (2) and are connected to the operating spindle (5).
The handle according to claim 1, characterised in that the key lock means (7) comprise a barrel (10) that can be operated by a key (11) and that is housed inside a supporting boss (12) extending along the aforementioned transversal axis (Y), that is, along the handgrip (4) and portion (3) protruding from the handle casing (2); the boss (12) being associated with the operating spindle (5) at its inner end; the engagement / disengagement means (8) being associated with the barrel (10) and being operated by the barrel (10) itself.
The handle according to claim 3, characterised in that the engagement / disengagement means (8) comprise a pin (13), associated with a rotatable inside portion of the barrel (10) and extending transversally to the transversal axis (Y) in such a way as to protrude from both sides of the barrel (10) and from the supporting boss (12) which presents two through slots (14) on opposite sides of it; the barrel (10) having, on its fixed outer shell (10a) a specially shaped groove (15) which, upon operation of the key (11), enables the pin (13) to move between at least a first raised working position where the handgrip (4) is engaged and the pin (13) is housed inside a groove (16) made in the handgrip (4), and a second lowered working position where the handgrip (4) is disengaged and the pin (13) is away from the handgrip (4).
The handle according to claim 4, characterised in that the pin (13), when it is in the second lowered disengaged working position, is accommodated in an octagonal supporting base (17) of said boss (12) housed in the boss portion (3) of the handle casing (2); the base (17) featuring a cylindrical protrusion (18) for accommodating the pin (13), the upper profile of this protrusion (18) being divided into sectors (19, 20) of different heights and being designed to guide the pin (13) into its different positions.
The handle according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the pin (13) can be positioned in three different working positions at different heights and corresponding to three different configurations that can be adopted by the handgrip (4), at right angles to each other and corresponding to three configurations that can be adopted by the door or window sash.
The handle according to claims 5 and 6, characterised in that the upper profile of the cylindrical protrusion (18) is divided into three sectors (19, 20, 21) of different heights relative to the base (17) and corresponding to the three different configurations that can be adopted by the pin (13).
The handle according to claim 4, characterised in that the outer surface of the boss (12) is equipped with elastic retaining means (22) positioned between the second boss (12) itself and the hole (9) in the handgrip (4) and acting on the handgrip (4) at least when the handgrip (4) is in the aforementioned second position where it is disengaged from the operating means (6) so that the handgrip (4) can maintain the static position it has adopted.
The handle according to claim 8, characterised in that the elastic means consist of a leaf spring (22) fitted inside a circumferential seat (23) in the boss (12) and protruding from the boss (12) itself; the protruding part of the spring (22) being able to be stably coupled with a matching groove (25) made in the hole (9) in the handgrip (4) and forming a reference point for positioning the handgrip (4) .
The handle according to claim 4, characterised in that the handle casing (2) houses a block (26) for supporting the second boss (12) and the barrel (11) and comprising a toothed base ring (27) and a mounting base (17) spaced from each other by an interposed damping spring (28); the boss (12), axially coupled with the toothed ring (27) and with the base (17), having a lower octagonal protrusion (12a) that fits into a matching seat (27a) made in the ring (27) which in turn has a central through hole (27b) for the passage of an operating spindle (5) that can be screwed into a threaded hole (12b) made in the boss (12).
The handle according to claim 5, characterised in that the cylindrical protrusion (18) of the mounting base (17) protrudes partly into the handgrip (4).