EP1593780A1 - Locking device for a manhole - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a bolt (10) whose plate has notches supported on an inner side of base wall of a cavity (5) of a pad (1). Lateral surface of the cavity has two grooves (29), where width of each groove for passing a tang of a key bushing is lower than that of a notch as the grooves overhang the plate. The width difference permits a notch (14) to be inaccessible by a screwdriver in locked position of the pad with a frame.

Description

The present invention relates to a device to lock and unlock by means of a key a pad or cover on a frame.

It can be applied in equipment of roads, such as, for example, a manhole.

Such a locking and unlocking device is known to include a lock integral with the buffer which has an access opening to the lock for the key. This key has an arm carrying at its end a sleeve portion for operating the latch when the key is inserted into the buffer opening a locking position in which a bolt of lock is held prisoner of a striker of the frame to a unlocking position for which the bolt is released from the strike and the key is held captive in the opening of the buffer. The lock also includes a rotor rotatably mounted in the buffer and accessible by the opening of the buffer, the rotor being coupled to the bolt perpendicular to the latter. When the key is introduced into the buffer in the locked position of this one to the frame and is maneuvered to unlock the frame buffer, the assembly consisting of the rotor and the bolt pivots from its trapped position to the strike at its unobstructed position of it.

This known device has the disadvantage that the rotor, which is directly accessible from outside to through the buffer opening, can be maneuvered by malicious people using a different tool than that necessary to maneuver this lock, in the purpose of fraudulently accessing the equipment installed in the look of roadway.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above disadvantage by proposing a device for locking and unlocking with a key pad or cover on a frame, comprising a latch secured to the buffer that has an access opening to the lock for the key having an arm carrying at its end a sleeve portion for operating the latch when the key is inserted into the buffer opening a locking position in which the bolt of the lock is held prisoner of a striker of the frame to a unlocking position for which the bolt is released from the strike and the key is held captive in the opening of the stamp, the lock also comprising a rotor rotatably mounted in the buffer, accessible by the opening and coupled to the bolt perpendicularly to this last so as to allow the bolt to be pivoted around the longitudinal axis of the rotor under the action of the key between his prisoner positions and cleared from the striker, and which is characterized in that the rotor of the lock includes a generally cylindrical barrel mounted to rotation in the buffer being secured in rotation to the bolt and a cylindrical axis mounted crazy in the barrel, the cylindrical axis comprising a cylindrical head in support on the drum and housed in a buffer cavity accessible from the outside by the opening of this buffer, means being provided for resiliently retaining and axially in the buffer the barrel and the cylindrical axis whose head engages axially in the socket of the key when introduced into the buffer cavity.

Advantageously, the bolt is constituted by a flat rigid plate comprising, in the vicinity of one of its ends, a hole in which are arranged two diametrically opposed radial arch cuts and a third radial arcuate notch directed towards the active opposite free end of the bolt plate, the barrel passes through the bottom wall of the buffer cavity and has a circular head with radial pin housed in the piercing the bolt with the ergot engaged in the third notch of the bolt, the cylindrical head of the axis cylindrical mounted crazy being in support on the head Circular barrel, the socket of the key has two diametrically opposed parallel external tenons engage respectively in the two opposite cuts of the bolt in the locked position of the buffer to the frame at through two diametrically opposite grooves of the side wall of the cavity overhanging the two opposite grooves of the bolt and allowing to drive in rotation about a quarter of a turn the entire axis cylindrical, barrel and bolt plate by turning the key in the corresponding direction to bring the bolt to its unlock position to which the key is trapped in the buffer by its two retained tenons axially respectively in two notches longitudinal sides of the side wall of the cavity.

According to one embodiment, the width of each groove of passage of a tenon of the socket of the key is less than the width of the notch it overhangs of the bolt plate in the locked position of the buffer at framework so that the notch is inaccessible to a tool such as a screwdriver inserted into the opening of the buffer and groove to prevent any maneuver fraudulent use of this tool.

Each tenon of the socket of the key is shaped inverted L whose small branch is united radially of the socket and the other branch, parallel at the arm of the key, protrudes beyond the game opening out of the socket.

The bolt plate and the barrel head are resting on the inner face of the bottom wall of the cavity of the buffer and the means elastically retaining the head of the shank resting on the bottom wall and the head cylindrical of the cylindrical axis on the barrel head comprise an elastic member, such as a spring, mounted co-axially to the part of the shaft located outside of the bottom wall being prestressed between the face outer wall and a retaining washer retained axially relative to the barrel by a pin crossing the free end of the cylindrical axis making protruding from the barrel.

The elastic member bears on the outer face the bottom wall through a washer corrugated integral rotation of the barrel and cooperating with four notches made in this external face and regularly spaced around the piercing hole of the through the bottom wall during the rotation of the barrel to position the bolt at one or other of its locking and unlocking positions of the buffer at frame.

The barrel comprises a flat cooperating with a flat part of the corrugated washer to rotate this last when the bolt is pivoted.

The bolt protrudes outside the wall side of the buffer cavity through a slot allowing the bolt to pivot about a quarter of tower.

• la Figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée d'un dispositif de verrouillage et déverrouillage d'un tampon sur un cadre conforme à l'invention ;
• la Figure 2 est une vue en coupe agrandie suivant la ligne II-II de la Figure 1 des différents éléments assemblés du dispositif de l'invention occupant sa position de verrouillage du tampon ou cadre ;
• la Figure 3 est une vue en coupe semblable à celle de la Figure 2 et représentant le dispositif de l'invention à sa position de déverrouillage du tampon du cadre ;
• la Figure 4 est une vue partielle de dessous suivant la flèche IV de la Figure 2 ;
• la Figure 5 est une vue partielle de dessus suivant la flèche V de la Figure 2 ;
• la Figure 6 est une vue partielle de dessous suivant la flèche VI de la Figure 3 ;
• la Figure 7 est une vue partielle de dessus suivant la flèche VII de la Figure 3 ;
• la Figure 8 est une vue en perspective d'un ensemble à rotor et pêne du verrou du dispositif de la Figure 1 ; et
• la Figure 9 est une vue en perspective de dessous suivant la flèche IX de la Figure 2.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, features, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the explanatory description which follows, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings given solely by way of example, illustrating a method of embodiment of the invention and in which:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a locking device and unlocking a buffer on a frame according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view along the line II-II of Figure 1 of the various assembled elements of the device of the invention occupying its locking position of the buffer or frame;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to that of Figure 2 and showing the device of the invention in its unlocked frame buffer position;
• Figure 4 is a partial bottom view along arrow IV of Figure 2;
• Figure 5 is a partial top view along arrow V of Figure 2;
• Figure 6 is a partial bottom view along the arrow VI of Figure 3;
• Figure 7 is a partial top view along arrow VII of Figure 3;
• Figure 8 is a perspective view of a rotor and bolt assembly of the latch of the device of Figure 1; and
• Figure 9 is a bottom perspective view along arrow IX of Figure 2.

The locking device of the invention that will to be described is particularly intended to equip a buffer, lid or the like 1 for closing a frame, chassis or the like 2 and defining the opening of a look of road for example.

The locking device is operable by a key 3.

The upper wall 1a of the buffer 1 has a access opening 4 for key 3 and which leads to a side out of the buffer 1 and the other side into a cavity 5 in which is mounted the mechanism of unlocking which will be described later.

The key 3 comprises a cylindrical arm 6, one of which end has a sleeve portion 7 and the opposite end has an operating handle 8 secured to this end transversely to the arm 6.

The sleeve 7, which extends coaxially with the arm 6, is in this case achieved by a thorough drilling flat at the end of the arm 6, but it could be formed by a socket attached to the end of this arms.

The end of the arm 6 comprising the bushing 7 is provided with two external tenons 9 secured to the arm 6 in being diametrically opposed and parallel to the axis longitudinal axis of the arm 6. Preferably, each tenon 9 is inverted L-shaped whose small branch 9a is radially secured to the end of the sleeve 7 and the large branch 9b extends parallel to the arm 6 of key 3 protruding beyond the part opening of the socket 7.

The locking and unlocking mechanism comprises a lock integral with the buffer 1 and comprising a bolt 10 that can cooperate with a keeper 11 of the frame 2 and constituted in the present case by one of the ribs of the frame 2 to support the buffer 1. The bolt 10 is constituted by a rigid flat plate the active end 12 is positioned below the rib 11 constituting the striker in the position of locking the buffer 1 to the frame 2.

The bolt 10 comprises a piercing 13 made in neighborhood of its arched end opposite the party active 12. In the piercing 13 are provided two diametrically opposite radial arch cuts and identical 14 and a third radial arcuate notch 15 directed towards the active free end 12 of the plate of the 10. The two notches 14 extend along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the notch 15.

The plate of the bolt 10 is disposed in the buffer 1 having its end portion including the cuts 14 and 15 resting on the inner face of the bottom wall 1b of the cavity 5 and its active end portion 12 protruding outside the tampon through a slot substantially in right angle 1c made in a part of the side wall delimiting the cavity 5 of way the bolt 10 can rotate about a quarter turn from its lock position from buffer 1 to frame 2 at its unlocking position of this buffer.

The lock further comprises a rotor 16 mounted to rotation in the buffer 1 while being coupled to the bolt 10 perpendicular to the latter. Key 13 can access to the rotor 16 through the opening 4 and the cavity 5 so that it can rotate the rotor around of its longitudinal axis and, therefore, ensure pivoting of the bolt 10 along this axis between its position prisoner of the striker 11 and its released position of it.

The rotor 16 comprises a barrel generally cylindrical 17 rotatably mounted in the buffer 1 while being secured in rotation to the bolt 10 and a cylindrical axis 18 mounted idle, that is to say freely rotated, in the 17. The latter passes through a hole 1d of the wall of bottom 1b of the cavity 5 of the buffer 1 and comprises a head circular 19 radial pin 20 housed in the bore 13 of the bolt 10 being supported on the inner face of the bottom wall 1b, the lug 20 being engaged in the notch 15 to rotate the barrel 17 to the bolt 10. Like this better in Figures 2 and 3, the thickness of the head circular 19 of the drum 17 is smaller than the thickness of the bolt plate 10.

The cylindrical axis 18 mounted in the barrel 17 has a cylindrical end head 21 secured co-axially of the axis 18 via successively a shoulder of larger diameter 22 and a cylindrical bearing surface 23 housed in the bore 13 on the circular head 19 of the barrel 17, the shoulder 22 being bearing on the bolt plate 10. The diameter of the cylindrical head 21 of the axis 18 is slightly less than the internal diameter of the socket 7 of the key 3.

The cylindrical axis 18 passes completely through the barrel 17 and has its free end opposite the head 21 making protruding outward beyond the barrel 17.

An elastic member 24, such as a spring helical, is mounted prestressed between the outer face of the bottom wall 1b of the cavity 5 and a washer 25 disposed co-axially around the end of the barrel 17, protruding outside the wall Ib, the washer 25 being held axially relative to the 17 by a pin 26 with a branch running through a drilling made at the free end of the axis 18.

The elastic member 24 bears on the face outer wall 1b through a washer 13 slightly wavy in places and cooperating with notches 28, in this case four in number, made in the wall 1b so as to hold the bolt 10 at either of its locking positions and unlocking the buffer to frame 2. Specifically, the washer 27 has at least two corrugations or diametrically opposite bosses 27a that can engage to one or the other of its two locking positions and unlocking respectively in two notches 28 diametrically opposite on both sides of the hole 1d 17. The four notches 28 are made in this case by small lights extending crosswise around the piercing 1d.

The drum 17 has on practically all its length a flat 17a cooperating with an internal flattened 27b of the washer 27 to secure the latter in drum rotation 17.

The assembly constituted by the stack of washers 25, 27 and spring 24 is a means of elastically and axially maintain the drum 17 in support by its head 19 on the inner face of the wall 1b and the axis 18 supported by the shoulder 22 and the span 23 on the head 19 and the bolt plate 10.

The side wall defining the cavity 5 comprises two parallel internal grooves and diametrically opposites 29 in which can engage respectively the two tenons 9 of the sleeve 7 of the key 3.

The two grooves 29 respectively overhang the two notches 14 of the bolt 10 when the latter occupies its buffer lock position 1 to frame 2. In in addition, the width of each groove 29 passing a tenon 9 is smaller than the width of the notch 14 it overhangs the bolt plate 10 so in the locked position of buffer 1 to frame 2, the notch 14 is inaccessible to a tool, such as a screwdriver, inserted into the opening 4 of the buffer 1 and the groove 29 to thereby prevent any fraudulent maneuver pivoting the bolt 10 with this tool. Indeed, the two radial side walls delimiting each notch 14, at the locking position of the buffer 1, are located as shown in top view of the Figure 5 on both sides of the side walls of the corresponding groove 29 below the end out of this groove so that the end of the tool can not reach the wall side of the notch 14 to rotate the bolt 10 in the sense of unlocking the buffer 1. The case where appropriate, the depth of each cut 14 may be such that it is equal to or greater than the depth of the groove 29 which overhangs to prevent the tool to reach the arcuate wall of the notch 14 and, by therefore, avoid turning the bolt 10 in the direction of unlocking the buffer.

The side wall of the cavity 5 further comprises two notches or longitudinal notches 30 diametrically opposed and located on both sides of the grooves 29. These two notches allow to retain axially the tenons 9 of the sleeve 7 when the key 3 has been turned to its unlock position of the bolt 10 in order to hold prisoner key 3 in the buffer 1 when the latter is disassociated from its frame in order to make the key 3 captive.

The head 21 of the inset mounted shaft 18 projects into the cavity 5 of the buffer 1.

Starting from the closed position of the buffer 1 represented in Figure 2, key 3 is introduced in the opening 4 and the cavity 5 so that the tenons 9 engage in the grooves 29 until the ends of the branches 9a of the tenons engage in the two notches 14 as shown in phantom on this figure, the head 21 of the axis 8 then being engaged in the cylindrical bore of the sleeve 7 to limit the insertion depth of the studs 9 into the cavity 5.

Then turn key 3 to unlock the buffer 1 of the frame 2, the branches 9a of the tenons rotate in the notches 14 the bolt 10 which rotates with the assembly constituted by the axis 18, the barrel 17, the washers 25, 27, the elastic member 24 and the pin 26 in the direction indicated by the arrow F1 to the figure 5 about a quarter of a turn to bring the bolt 10 to its unlocked position shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7 and to which buffer 1 can be disengaged from frame 2. When the bolt 10 is pivoted from its locking at its unlocking position, both bosses 27a of the washer 27 leave their position respectively in two of the notches 28 diametrically opposed to engage in both other notches 28 diametrically opposed against of the restoring force of the elastic member 24. In unlocking position, the tenons 9 are imprisoned axially by their radial branches 9b in both notches 30 so as to hold the key 3 in the buffer 1 until it is locked again at frame 2. Each notch 30 has a side wall 30a serving as a stop at the corresponding branch 9a of the socket 7 so as to limit the rotation of the key to the angular value of a quarter of a turn.

To close the frame 2, simply put the buffer 1 on the ribs 11 and turning the key in the opposite direction to that of the arrow F1, the bolt 10 is brought back to its locking position below the corresponding rib 11 and the key can be freely removed from buffer 1.

In locked position of buffer 1 to frame 2, any unauthorized person who does not have key 3, can not unlock the lock. Indeed, the use for example a clamp acting on the cylindrical head 21 only rotates freely the cylindrical axis 18 in the barrel 17 inaccessible from the outside, eliminating by the risk of rotating the bolt. Moreover, as already explained above, the introduction a screwdriver in either of the grooves 29 is inoperative to turn the bolt 10 since the notches 14 of the bolt 10 are inaccessible through these grooves.

Claims (8)

Device for locking and unlocking with a key (3) a buffer or cover (1) on a frame (2), comprising a latch integral with the buffer (1) which has an opening (4) for access to the lock for the key (3) comprising an arm (6) carrying at its end a sleeve (7) for operating the latch when the key (3) is inserted into the opening (4) of the buffer (1) of a locking position in which bolt (10) of the latch is held prisoner of a latch (11) of the frame (2) at an unlocking position for which the bolt (10) is released from the latch (11) and the key (3) is trapped in the opening (4) of the buffer (1), the lock also comprising a rotor (16) rotatably mounted in the buffer (1), accessible through the opening (4) and coupled to the bolt (10) perpendicularly to the latter so as to allow the bolt (10) to pivot about the longitudinal axis of the rotor (16) under the action of the key (3) between its positions ion trapped and released from the striker (11), characterized in that the rotor (16) of the lock comprises a generally cylindrical barrel (17) rotatably mounted in the buffer (1) being secured in rotation to the bolt (11) and a cylindrical axis (18) idly mounted in the shaft (17), the cylindrical axis (18) having a cylindrical head (21) resting on the shaft (17) and housed in a cavity (5) of the buffer (1) accessible from the outside by the opening (4) of the buffer, and in that means are provided for elastically and axially retaining in the buffer (1) the barrel (17) and the cylindrical axis (18) whose head (21) engages axially in the socket (7) of the key (3) during its introduction into the cavity (5) of the buffer (1). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bolt (10) is constituted by a flat rigid plate having, in the vicinity of one of its ends, a bore (13) in which are formed two diametrically opposed radial arcuate notches ( 14) and a third radial arcuate notch (15) directed towards the active opposite free end (12) of the bolt plate (10), in that the shaft (17) passes through the bottom wall (1b) of the cavity (5) of the buffer (1) and comprises a circular head (19) with radial pin (20) housed in the bore (13) of the bolt (10) with the lug (20) engaged in the third cut (15) of the bolt, the cylindrical head (21) of the idler shaft (18) resting on the circular head (19) of the shank (17), in that the socket (7) of the wrench (3) comprises two external tenons diametrically opposed parallels (9) engagable respectively in the two opposite notches (14) of the bolt (10) in the locked position of the ta mpon (1) to the frame (2) through two diametrically opposite grooves (29) of the side wall of the cavity (5) overhanging the two opposite grooves (14) of the bolt (10) and allowing to drive in rotation of about a quarter of a turn the crazy axis assembly (18), barrel (17) and bolt plate (10) by turning the key (3) in the corresponding direction to bring the bolt (10) to its unlocked position to which the key (3) is trapped in the buffer (1) by its two lugs (9) retained axially respectively in two longitudinal slots (30) of the side wall of the cavity (5). Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the width of each groove (29) for passage of a tenon (9) of the socket (7) of the key (3) is less than the width of the notch (14). ) that it overhangs the plate of the bolt (10) in the locked position of the buffer (1) to the frame (2) so that the notch (14) is inaccessible to a tool, such as a screwdriver, introduced into the opening (4) of the buffer (1) and the groove (29) to prevent fraudulent operation of the bolt (10) with the aid of this tool. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each tenon (9) of the sleeve (7) of the key (3) is inverted L-shaped whose small branch (9b) is radially integral with the sleeve (7). ) and the other leg (9a) parallel to the arm (6) of the key (3) protrudes beyond the opening portion of the sleeve (7). Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the plate of the bolt (10) and the circular head (19) of the shaft (17) are supported on the inner face of the bottom wall (1b) of the cavity (5) of the buffer (1) and in that the means elastically retaining the head (19) of the shaft (17) bearing on the bottom wall (1b) and the cylindrical head (21) of the axis mad (18) on the head (19) of the barrel (17) comprise an elastic member (224), such as a spring, mounted coaxially with the portion of the barrel (17) located outside the bottom wall (1b ) being prestressed between the outer face of this wall and a bearing washer (25) axially retained relative to the shaft (17) by a pin (26) passing through the free end of the idle shaft (18) projecting from the barrel (17). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the elastic member (24) is supported on the outer face of the bottom wall (1b) by means of a corrugated washer (27) integral in rotation with the barrel ( 17) and cooperating with four notches (28) made in this outer face and regularly spaced around the bore (1d) for passage of the barrel (17) through the bottom wall (1b) during rotation of the barrel (17). for positioning the bolt (10) at one of its locking and unlocking positions of the buffer (1) to the frame (2). Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the shaft (17) comprises a flat (17a) cooperating with a flat (27b) of the corrugated washer (27) to cause the latter to rotate during pivoting of the bolt (10). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bolt (10) protrudes out of the side wall of the cavity (5) of the buffer (1) through a slot (1c) allowing the pivoting the bolt (10) about a quarter of a turn.

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