EP2201201A1

EP2201201A1 - A lock for a door having big handles

Info

Publication number: EP2201201A1
Application number: EP08784605A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ivo Finardi
Original assignee: Prefer Commerciale Srl
Current assignee: Prefer Commerciale Srl
Priority date: 2007-09-25
Filing date: 2008-06-27
Publication date: 2010-06-30
Also published as: RU2010116345A; WO2009039905A1

Abstract

A lock for a door (P) having big handles (M), formed of an outer unit (E) and an inner unit (I), the outer lock unit including a key cylinder (17) with web (18) and the inner lock unit including a key cylinder with web or a knob; wherein each inner and outer lock unit (I1E) comprises an intermediate member (3) housed in the cavity of the corresponding big handle (M) and suitable for sliding along the longitudinal direction of this big handle; the intermediate member (3) of the outer lock unit (E) comprises component parts (4) suitable for cooperating with the web (18) of the corresponding maneuver member; the intermediate member (3) of the inner lock unit (I) comprises two first toothings (5) located at the end portions of the intermediate member; the intermediate members (3) of both the lock units comprise a second toothing (6) located in the central portion of the intermediate member; the inner lock unit (I) comprises two bolt operating members (12) and two first toothed wheels (9); each first toothed wheel (9) meshes with one of the first toothings (5) of the corresponding intermediate member (3) and with one of the bolt operating members (12); each unit comprises a second toothed wheel (21 ) which meshes with the second toothing (6) of the corresponding intermediate member (3); and the lock comprises a rotary shaft (25) that mutually connects for the rotation the second toothed wheels (21 ) of the two lock units.

Description

DESCRIPTION

A LOCK FOR A DOOR HAVING BIG HANDLES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject of the present invention is a lock particularly intended for the doors that are provided with a pair of big handles.

The doors of the considered kind, which in most cases are doors of glass, are provided at both the inner side and the outer side with a big tubular handle that may extend substantially over the entire height of the door or only over about a half of the height of the door. Inside the big handle located at the inner side of the door are housed one or two bolts intended to allow blocking the door at the bottom and/or the top thereof. Both big handles are connected to the door near at least one of their ends by means of cross support means, and they are connected to the door, at a height suitable for the maneuver, by a device which fastens a lock intended to drive the bolt or bolts. At the side external to the door, the lock is provided with a key cylinder that can be operated by a key, and at the side internal to the door the lock has a similar key cylinder or even a maneuver knob. It is just to said kind of locks, and to the device which fastens the lock, that refers the present invention. These locks have special problems, in particular in view of an easy installation irrespective of the door thickness, and in order to ensure that the inner and outer maneuver means are always set in corresponding positions, so as to ensure that the lock may be maneuvered from either the one or the other side, irrespective of the side from which the last maneuver had been done. Moreover there is the need that the lock may always be maneuvered from both sides even if one of the key cylinders is blocked in the absence of the respective key. Also, the devices for the fastening the lock have component parts whose manufacture is relatively expensive and whose installation requires operations of a certain complexity. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to give rational solution to the problems of the locks of the considered kind, by using sturdy and reliable means and without having recourse to complicated solutions capable of im- pairing the cost, reliability and durability of the installation.

This invention concerns a lock for a door having two big handles, formed of an outer lock unit and an inner lock unit, the outer lock unit including maneuver means consisting in a key cylinder with web and the inner lock unit including maneuver means consisting in a key cylinder with web or in a knob; and it is mainly characterized in that: each inner and outer lock unit comprises an intermediate member housed in the cavity of the corresponding big handle and suitable for sliding along the longitudinal direction of the big handle; at least the intermediate member of the outer lock unit comprises component parts suitable for cooperating with the web of the corresponding maneuver means; at least the intermediate member of the inner lock unit comprises two first toothings located at the end portions of the intermediate member; the intermediate members of both the lock units comprise a second toothing located in the central portion of the intermediate member; the inner lock unit comprises two bolt operating members and two first toothed wheels; each first toothed wheel meshes with one of the first toothings of the corresponding intermediate member and with one of the bolt operating members; each lock unit comprises a second toothed wheel which meshes with the second toothing of the corresponding intermediate member; and the lock comprises a rotary shaft that mutually connects for the rotation said second toothed wheels of the two lock units.

Thanks to these arrangements, when a key cylinder has its web in the rest position it does not hinder the lock maneuver effected by another key cylinder or by a knob. When a lock unit is operated by a key cylinder or by a knob, the intermediate member of the operated lock unit displaces in transla- tion and, by means of the corresponding second toothed wheel, the rotary shaft and the second toothed wheel of the other lock unit, causes a corre- sponding displacement of the intermediate member of the other lock unit, whereby the intermediate members of both lock units are always set in corresponding positions; and the intermediate member of the inner lock unit, through its first toothings and the corresponding first toothed wheels, actu- ates the bolts. In this way all the main specific needs of the locks of the considered kind are systematically satisfied.

Preferably, the intermediate members of both lock units are mutually identical, and they comprise component parts suitable for cooperating with a web, two first toothings located in the end portions of the intermediate mem- ber, and a second toothing located in the central portion of the intermediate member. In this way, some parts of each intermediate member may remain inactive, but an advantageous standardization of manufacture between the inner and outer lock units is obtained.

It is of advantage that each intermediate member also comprises two notches, and each lock unit comprises a spring member intended for loosely engage one of said notches when the corresponding intermediate member takes one of its operating positions. In this manner may be prevented any accidental displacement of an intermediate member from the position in which it has been set by the operation of the lock. Preferably, the two lock units are connected to the door by two respective support members; a sleeve passes through the support member for the outer unit and through the door and is fixed to the door by engaging a fork, whereas the support member for the inner unit of the lock is fixed to said sleeve by means of a radial set screw. In this manner, the lock may be connected to the door effectively and by a very simple operation.

Preferably, said fork engaged with the sleeve is fixed to the sleeve by means of screws. In this manner the possible disengagement of the fork from the sleeve is positively prevented.

Preferably, said fork is shaped like a wedge, whereby the connection is correct even if the thickness of the door varies within certain limits.

Said sleeve is axially bored and it is traversed by said rotary shaft which mutually couples the second toothed wheels of the two lock units. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, objects and advantages of the subject of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description of an embodiment, being a non limiting example, with reference to the ap- pended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 represents an exploded perspective view of the main component parts of a lock according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows in a perspective view the inner lock unit and some component parts that cooperate therewith. Figure 3 represents the separate parts forming the inner lock unit.

Figure 4 shows in a perspective view the outer lock unit and some component parts that cooperate therewith, seen in the same position of Figure 1.

Figure 5 represents the separate parts forming the outer lock unit, seen from the side of the maneuver member.

Figure 6 shows a vertical axial section of the lock installed on a door.

Figure 7 is a side view of the inner lock unit, and it has the purpose of indicating the planes according to which the sections of the following Figures are taken. Figure 8 represents a section of the inner lock unit, taken according to line A-A of Figure 7, in a condition wherein the lock is open but the web of the key cylinder has been displaced and enters the engagement with the intermediate member for starting a closure operation.

Figure 9 represents a section of the inner lock unit, taken according to line B-B of Figure 7, in a condition wherein the lock is open.

Figure 10 represents a section of the inner lock unit, taken according to line A-A of Figure 7, in a condition wherein the lock is closed.

Figure 11 represents a section of the inner lock unit, taken according to line B-B of Figure 7, in a condition wherein the lock is closed. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to Figure 6, letter P designates a portion of the cross section of a door to which is connected the lock according to the invention, in correspondence with a bore F of the door P. In the Figures 6 and 1 are rep- resented portions of the tubular big handles M, each of which has an opening D for mounting a unit of the lock. The lock comprises an outer unit E, an inner unit I and component parts connecting said two lock units. As the outer lock unit E it is meant the lock unit which is intended to be mounted at the external side of the door P, and whose maneuver member should always be a key cylinder 17 suitable for being actuated by a key C. As the inner lock unit I it is meant the lock unit which is intended to be mounted at the internal side of the door P, and whose maneuver member may be, at will, a key cylinder 17 suitable for being actuated by a key C, or even a knob (not represented).

The inner lock unit I, that has the task of directly operating the bolts, will now be described; the outer lock unit E will be described later on.

The inner unit I of the lock, represented in particular in Figures 2 and 3, comprises two supporting plates 1 and 2, and between them is housed and guided for longitudinal displacement an intermediate member 3, which has at least one recess 4 suitable for cooperating with the web 18 of a key cylinder 17. In the represented embodiment there are two recesses 4, because it is foreseen that the lock is operated by two key turns.

The intermediate member 3 has two first toothings 5 located near its longitudinal end portions, and it has a second toothing 6 located in its central region. Moreover the intermediate member 3 also has at least two notches 7 intended for stabilizing its position, as it will be explained later on. In the represented embodiment there are three notches 7, because it is foreseen that the lock is operated by two key turns.

On studs 8 carried by the support plate 1 are pivoted, freely rotating, two first toothed wheels 9 having on one side a toothing 10 and on the other side a toothing 11. The toothing 11 may be seen in Figure 3 on the visible face of the toothed wheels 9, whereas the toothing 10 is located on the not visible face of the toothed wheels 9. Of these toothings is visible in Figure 3 only the corresponding concavity resulting by the pressing operation in the manufacture of the toothed wheels 9. The structure of the portion of the toothed wheel 9 which is not visible in Figure 3 can be observed in Figure 2 with reference to the second toothed wheel 21 , whose face visible in Figure 2 is structurally identical to the face not visible in Figure 3 of first toothed wheels 9. The toothing 10 of each first toothed wheel 9 is intended to mesh with one of the first toothings 5 of the intermediate member 3.

Between the supporting plates 1 and 2 are also housed and guided for longitudinal displacement two bolt actuation members 12. Each member 12 has at one end a means 13 for connecting a bolt (not represented). Each member 12 has a toothing 14 suitable for cooperating with the toothing 1 1 of one of the first toothed wheels 9. With advantage, both members 12 may have identical structures and be mounted in the lock in upside-down positions. Only one member 12 can be used when the big handles of the door extend only over about a half of the door height.

On the supporting plate 1 is also mounted a spring 15, whose shaped end portion 16 is suitable for engaging one of the notches 7 of the intermediate member 3, when this notch faces the shaped end portion 16. Said parts are so arranged that spring 15 engages its shaped end portion 16 in a notch 7 when the intermediate member 3 takes one of its operating positions that, in the shown embodiment, are three, because it is foreseen that the lock is operated by two key turns. In this manner, the operating positions of the intermediate member 3 are stabilized against any accidental action that may aim to unexpectedly displace the intermediate member 3 when it is not engaged by the web of a key cylinder.

When the component parts described until now, which are singularly visible in Figure 3, are assembled together as it appears from Figure 2, a key cylinder 17 provided with its web 18 is inserted through a profiled opening 19 of the supporting plate 2 and through the opening D of the big handle M in which the inner lock unit I has been inserted. The key cylinder 17 is fixed in any usual way, in such a position that the web 18 can engage the recesses 4 in order to displace the intermediate member 3, and then the key cylinder is covered by a covering and supporting member 20. It is to be noted, however, that in the inner lock unit I the key cylinder 17 could be replaced by a knob (not represented) having inner component parts suitable for engaging the recesses 4 of the intermediate member 3. The inner lock unit I also comprises a second toothed wheel 21 , whose toothing 22 (which corresponds to the toothing 10 of the first toothed wheels 9) is arranged for meshing with the second toothing 6 of the intermediate member 3. The toothing 23 of the second toothed wheel 21 engages an element 24 which on its turn engages a rotary shaft 25 (Figure 1 ), described later on. However, the element 24 can also be solid with the second toothed wheel 21 , as shown for example in Figure 1.

The operation of the inner lock unit I is as follows. At rest, the bolt actuating members 12 are located mutually near in the longitudinal direction, and therefore the bolts are retracted; the door can be opened. The shaped end portion 16 of spring 15 engages one of the notches 7 of the intermediate member 3 and thus it stabilizes this rest position (Figure 9).

When the key cylinder 17 is operated by a key C, the web 18 rotates and engages one of the recesses 4 of the intermediate member 3 (Figure 8). Continuing the rotation of the web 18, it causes the intermediate member 3 to displace (upwards according to the Figures), and this intermediate member 3, by means of the first toothed wheels 9, causes the bolt actuating members 12 to mutually move away, whereby the bolts are displaced towards the closure position. When (after two key turns, in the embodiment represented) the lock attains its closure position (Figures 10 and 11), the intermediate member 3 has attained its extreme position and it has caused the bolts to close: the door is blocked.

Of course, the same operation now described take place in the opposite direction during the displacement of the lock unit I from the blocked posi- tion to the open position. It is to be remarked that spring 15 always provides to stabilize the positions of the intermediate member 3 in which it does not engage the web 18, and this takes place when the lock is open, when it is closed, and also in the intermediate position attained after a first key turn, when the lock is arranged for operating with two key turns. Of course, however, in other embodiments the lock can be arranged for operating with only one key turn.

The outer lock unit E will now be described. It can be formed by a part of the same members forming the inner lock unit I, and this is of advantage for reasons of standardization of the manufacture. For this reason, the common component parts will be designed with the same references and their detailed description will be omitted. Therefore, the outer lock unit E comprises two supporting plates 1 and 2, and between them is housed and guided for longitudinal displacement an intermediate member 3, which has the toothings 5 and 6, the recesses 4 and the notches 7 cooperating with the shaped end portion 16 of a stabilization spring 15, and comprises a second toothed wheel 21 with the toothings 22 and 23, this second toothed wheel 21 engaging an element 24 and meshing with the toothing 6. The outer lock unit E should necessarily be provided with a key cylinder 17 having a web 18, which in the outer lock unit E cannot be replaced by a knob. All said compo- nent parts are assembled together in the same manner as in the inner lock unit I₁ and some of them fulfill the same functions. On the contrary, the outer lock unit E may not include the first toothed wheels 9 and the bolt actuating members 12, these component parts being present in the inner lock unit I only. However, for a complete standardization one may prefer to include the component parts 9 and 12 in the outer lock unit too, as shown in Figure 1.

In the installed lock (Figure 6), the inner lock unit I and the outer lock unit E are mutually connected by the rotary shaft 25 that links the elements 24 solid with the second toothed wheels 21. As a consequence, both toothed wheels 21 are solid in rotation and, because they mesh with the second toothings 6 of the respective intermediate members 3 of the inner and outer lock units, also these two lock units are always obliged to take exactly corresponding positions when the lock is installed, and to the operation of one lock unit follows a corresponding operation of the other lock unit. As a consequence, the lock may be operated from either the one or the other side of the door P, irrespective of the side from which the former operation had been done.

For mounting the lock onto the door P₁ two supporting members 26 (Figures 1 and 6) are provided, which are connected to the supporting members 20 of the key cylinders 17 by means of screws 27 that traverse the lock units I and E. The supporting member 26 of the outer lock unit E is fixed to the door P by means of a sleeve 28 that passes through the support member 26 and through the bore F of the door P. The sleeve 28 has conformations 29 suitable for receiving the engagement of a fork 30, which is inserted into the sleeve 20 at the inner side of the door P, whereby the outer unit E of the lock is fixed to the door P. It is of advantage that fork 30 is fixed in a stable manner to the sleeve 28 by means of screws 31. It is also preferable that fork 30 is shaped like a wedge, as represented, thus allowing compensating, within certain limits, some differences in the thickness of the door P. Then the inner lock unit I is applied to the door P by means of its supporting member 26, which is fixed to the sleeve 28 by means of a set screw 32. This latter is located at the inner side of the door and therefore it cannot be accessed from outside. It is to be remarked that thanks to these arrangements the lock installation onto the door is easily effected by simple operations, and it gives rise to an effective, stable and reliable connection.

The sleeve 18 is axially bored for allowing the passage of the rotary shaft 25 that mutually links the second toothed wheels of the two lock units I and E.

Thanks to the features and arrangements described, all parts in- tended to the connection of the lock may be realized by manufacturing operations of low cost and of easy industrial realization, and they do not require the use of special or expensive materials.

It has been said that, for reasons of standardization of manufacture, both inner and outer lock units can use with advantage common component parts, or can be equal, even if some features thereof are not always exploited; for example, when the lock is used on a door whose big handles extend only over about a half of the height of the door. However it is to be understood that, in those cases in which this standardization of manufacture is not required, the component parts of the two lock units may be different and be provided only with the features that are of use in the considered lock unit. it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the embodiment which has been described and shown as an example. Several possible modifications have been stated in the description, and others are available to those skilled in the art. These modifications and others, as well as any re- placement by technically equivalent means, may be applied to what has been described and shown, without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the present Patent as defined by the appended Claims.

Claims

1 . A lock for a door (P) having two big handles (M), formed of an outer lock unit (E) and an inner lock unit (I), the outer lock unit (E) including maneuver means consisting in a key cylinder (17) with web (18) and the inner lock unit (I) including maneuver means consisting in a key cylinder (17) with web (18) or a knob, characterized in that: each inner and outer lock unit (I₁E) comprises an intermediate member (3) housed in the cavity of the corresponding big handle (M) and suitable for sliding along the longitudinal direction of this big handle; at least the intermediate member (3) of the outer lock unit (E) comprises component parts (4) suitable for cooperating with the web (18) of the corresponding maneuver member (17); at least the intermediate member (3) of the inner lock unit (I) comprises two first toothings (5,6) located near the end portions of the intermediate member (3); the intermediate members (3) of both the lock units (I₁E) comprise a second toothing (6) located in the central portion of the intermediate member (3); the inner lock unit (I) comprises two bolt actuating members (12) and two first toothed wheels (9); each first toothed wheel (9) meshes with one of the first toothings (5,6) of the corresponding intermediate member (3) and with one of the bolt actuating members (12); each lock unit (I₁E) comprises a second toothed wheel (21 ) which meshes with the second toothing (6) of the corresponding intermediate member (3); and the lock comprises a rotary shaft (25) that mutually connects for the rotation said second toothed wheels (21) of the two lock units (I₁E).

2 . A lock for a door having two big handles, according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the intermediate members (3) of both lock units are mutually identical, and they comprise component parts (4) suitable for cooperating with a web (18), two first toothings (5) located near the end portions of the intermediate member (3) and a second toothing (6) located in the central portion of the intermediate member (3).

3 . A lock for a door having two big handles, according to Claim 1 , characterized in that each intermediate member (3) also comprises at least two notches (7), and each lock unit comprises a spring member (15) intended for loosely engage one of said notches (7) when the corresponding intermediate member (3) takes one of its operating positions.

4 . A lock for a door having two big handles, according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the two lock units (I₁E) are connected to the door (P) by two respective support members (26); a sleeve (28) passes through the support member (26) for the outer unit (E) and through the door (P) and is fixed to the door by engaging a fork (30), whereas the support member (26) for the inner unit (I) of the lock is fixed to said sleeve (28) by means of a radial set screw (32).

5 . A lock for a door having two big handles, according to Claim 4, characterized in that said fork (30) engaged with the sleeve (28) is fixed to the sleeve (28) by means of screws (31 ).

6 . A lock for a door having two big handles, according to Claim 4, characterized in that said fork (30) is shaped like a wedge, whereby the connection of the lock units (I₁E) is correct even if the thickness of the door (P) varies within certain limits.

7 . A lock for a door having two big handles, according to Claim 4, characterized in that said sleeve (28) is axially bored and is traversed by said rotary shaft (25) which mutually couples the second toothed wheels (21 ) of the two lock units (I₁E).