FR2576960A3 - SAFETY LOCKING DEVICE FOR VOLTAGE LATCHES - Google Patents

Abstract

THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A DEVICE FOR POSITIVE LOCKING A TENSIONAL LOCK WITH RESPECT TO AN OPENING IN WHICH THE LOCK IS MOUNTED AND FOR ALLOWING A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE LOCKED OR UNLOCKED STATE OF THE LOCK. THIS DEVICE IS CHARACTERIZED IN THAT IT INCLUDES A SLIDING BODY 16 HAVING A RETRACTED FIRST POSITION AND A SECOND EXTENDED POSITION, A GUIDE 17 CONTAINING THE SLIDING BODY 16 DURING THE MOVEMENT OF THIS SLIDING BODY 16 BETWEEN ITS FIRST AND SECOND POSITION GUIDE 17 BEING ADAPTED SO AS TO BE FIXED ON PART OF A LOCK, AND ACTUATION MEANS OF THE SLIDING BODY 16 TO CAUSE THE MOVEMENT OF THIS SLIDING BODY 16 RELATIVE TO THE LOCK.

Description

The present invention relates to locks and in particular to a mechanism

  a safety latch device which holds the latch in the closed state, securely, relative to the panel on which the latch is mounted. In the aeronautical industry, tension locks are required to secure access panels and engine covers on an aircraft. In spite of their usefulness these vorru have raised a number of repetitive problems which, until the present invention, could not be solved for several years. These problems mainly concern the opening or unlocking of tension locks which subject the aircraft to the possible loss of speed.

  panel or hood as well as serious and costly

  expensive. For example, in certain applications to engine hoods, locks are installed in the immediate vicinity of the blades of a propeller of an aircraft. If the lock jumps out of its closed or flush position, it can be hit by the rotating blades causing damage and the safety of the aircraft in flight. Attempts have been made in order to provide

  a security locking device for such ver-

  but these attempts have been unsuccessful and have not been well accepted by the industry.

  the aeronautical industry does not wish to modify or

  the existing design of an aircraft to enable

  to accommodate mechanisms of complex or bulky security locking devices for locks, for various reasons. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to meet the specific demands of the aeronautical industry while simultaneously achieving the goal of providing a security lock device suitable for an installation on existing latches In addition the present invention satisfies another request

  of industry h know the possibility of determining visual-

  if the safety interlock is in the locked position and when it is

find so.

  The present invention relates to a safety latch mechanism which prevents

  locks on an aircraft do not open or unintentionally

  outwardly from the position of the latch normally mounted flush with the latch. Three basic components are provided to achieve the desired results, namely a sliding member which comes into positive contact with

  below the surface of the panel adjacent to the installed lock.

  a guide for directing the movement of the slide

  between a locked position and a unlocked position.

  rusty, and a mechanism to cause the movement of

  the sliding member relative to the lock.

  The invention is installed on a part of the

  clear of the latch with the operator mechanism clearly visible to the operator, to allow convenient access as well as a visual inspection. Preferably the organ

  sliding is relatively flat and the guide is fixed

  right on the underside of the lock lever.

  This lock lever is foryue an opening located directly above the guide, to allow the mounting of the actuating mechanism. This actuating mechanism may be constituted by an eccentric cam device or even a step or step button, solicited by

  a spring. Whether the particular structure chooses

  the invention is inexpensive to manufacture because it

  only some elements and it can be assembled

  easily for quick installation and

reliably.

  Other details and advantages of the present invention

  will be explained in the detailed description

who will follow.

  The following will be described as non-limitative examples.

  various embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

3 2576960

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a

  first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of the first form

  shown installed and the state unlocked.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first represented embodiment shown installed and in the locked state,

  relative to the latch and the panel.

  Figure 4 is an elevational view of what is

shown in Figure 3.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a

  second embodiment of the present invention.

  Figure 6 is a plan view of the second form

  shown represented and in the unlocked state.

  Figure 7 is a bottom view of the shape

in Figure 6.

  Fig. 8 is a plan view of the second form

  runtime shown installed and locked].

  Figure 9 is a bottom view of the shape

execution of FIG. 8.

  Figure 10 is an elevational view of what is

shown in Figure 8.

  The lock illustrated in the drawing is a conventional tension lock constituting a typical example of a lock to which the present invention relates. The lock

  illustrated is fully described in US Pat. No. 3,259,411.

  A first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. The invention is mounted at one end of a lever of the latch 35. The three basic components of the invention are constituted by

  a sliding member or tongue 16, a guide 17 for di-

  the movement of the sliding member 16 and a mecha-

  actuation mechanism. In the first embodiment the actuating mechanism is incorporated in a device for

  step or step button and elastic washer.

  The sliding member 16 is constituted by a flat rectangular metal part having an upper surface 18, a lower surface 19 and a central opening 20. This opening 20 has a size and a shape comparable to a portion of the button h stepped, as will be explained later.Le quide 17 is constituted by a C-shaped cross-section metal piece, of a size such that it can accommodate the sliding member to allow free movement of the sliding member inwardly and outwardly of the guide 17. This guide 17 has an upper surface 21 and a pair of sidewalls 22,23 extending downward, each of them ending

  by a wing 24, 25 which extends over a predetermined distance

  born inward, towards the other wing and which is substantially parallel> the upper surface 21 of the guide. The distance between the lower face of the upper surface 21 and the upper face of the wings 24,25 can not be less than the thickness of the sliding member 16. A sufficient portion of the upper surface 21 of the guide is cut in such a way as to forming an opening 26 for the installation of the actuating mechanism. In the upper surface 21 are also provided two opposite rivet holes 27,28 to facilitate the fixing of the guide

  17 on the underside of the latch handle 15.

  The actuating mechanism comprises a knob 30 and a spring washer 31. In the illustrated embodiment, the knob 30 has a three-step or stepped configuration, with an echo 32 extending

  low. The highest step 33 of the button has a first dial

  metre. In this step is provided a slot 34 for a tour-

  nevis, this slot allowing the use of a tool to slide the button 31. The second step or intermediate step 35 has a second diameter greater than the diameter of the highest step 33. The lower step or the most

  36 has a diameter greater than that of the intermediate step

  35. The pin 32 extends over a predetermined distance

  from the lower face of the lowest step 36 and preferably has a square cross section. The ergot 32

  must be long enough to come and stay in the house.

  2n of the sliding member. The washer forming

  The fate 31 is of a conventional type and has an outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the lowest step 2576960 36 of the button. central opening line 38 is provided in the washer 37 for the passage therethrough of the lug 3? of the button. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a conventional hydrogel spring could be used instead of an elastic washer. The latch handle 15 has a 4n surface portion

  which is provided with a pair of opening 41.42 overlaps

  singing partially. The first open or rear opening 41 has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the largest button 33. The opening or

  front opening 42 has a diameter corresponding to the diameter

  of the intermediate step 35. Thus the opening 4.1

  only places on the highest step 33 of the; button; 3) to protrude through it while the adjacent opening afferance 42 allows both the highest step 3- and the intermediate step 35 of the button to protrude through it, however, preventing the most down 36 to protrude. The latch handle 15 is provided

  a pair of opposing rivet holes 43,44 which are

  to align with the rivet holes

  27.28 in the guide 17.

  To build the first form of execution

  tion the spring washer 37 is engaged on the er-

  Button 32 has its tab 32 and this button is then inserted into the opening 41 in such a way that its highest step protrudes through this opening, above

  the upper surface 4n of the joystick. Once the gold

  sliding guide 16 has been inserted into the guide 17, it is then possible to insert the pin 32 of the button into the opening 20

  of the sliding member and the alignment holes can be aligned

  27,28 of the guide with the respective rivet holes 43,44 of the latch handle 15.nn then engages a rivet

  conventional 45 in the aligned holes 27,43. To allow

  To engage a second rivet 47 in the aligned holes 29,44, a second opening 47 is provided in the sliding orifice, which opening is of sufficient size to allow the rivet 46 to pass therethrough without securing the member The resulting mounted mechanism appears as shown in FIG.

  is in the unlocked or retracted state. This form of px4-

  may be amended so as to eliminate the second

  opening 47 in the sliding member in the following manner.

  you. The guide 17 can be riveted first at the handle. Then we engage the sliding member 16 in the guide

  17. The lowest step 36 can be removed from the button.

  The lug 32 of the button is formed with a cross section

  circular. The button thus modified and the spring under-

  lf cent are set up and the button is then riveted to the gold-

  slide 16 through the circular aperture to the

Square opening square 20.

  To use the mechanism of the device of the first

  In the first embodiment, the user only needs to

  plucking a sliding force forward to the button 31.

  A sufficient force causes the button to move away from its first position in the small opening 41,

  forward to make it pass into the larger-or-

  42. The forward movement of the button 31 simultaneously amines the pin 32 to move the slide member 16

  forward. When the button 31 is located total-

  in the large aperture 42, it can be released. The button 31 which is elastically solicited upwards, then moves under the action of the spring and is held in this position by the lowest step 36 which is pressed in contact with the lower face of the lever of the lock, the the highest 33 and middle 35 steps of the button then protruding through the opening (see Figures 3 and 4). Thus the safety locking device is then in the locked position with a part of the sliding member protruding or extending

  forward of the lock knob so as to get in

  worm immediately below the immediately adjacent portion 48 of the panel or hood. It is this protruding part that prevents the lock from opening and untimely flipping outward from its position

  desired flush in the panel. The user can determine

  easily undermine if the security lock -7

  is engaged or not below the panel, simply by

  if the button is in the small opening

  41 or in the previous large opening 42. By

  all the requirements of the aviation industry

  nautical with regard to the problems of maintaining certain tension locks in a flush closed position are satisfied by the present invention and its three

basic components.

  A second embodiment of the present invention

  This is illustrated in Figures 10in. As in the case of the first embodiment, three basic components are present and the lock lever is identical to that illustrated in FIGS.

  embodiment of the invention an eccentric cam is used.

  and an elastic finger for the actuating mechanism.

  The guide and the sliding member are modified accordingly.

  this. In Figure 5 the sliding member 50 is constituted

  by a relatively flat rectangular metal piece.

  This member slides to an upper surface 51 and a

  lower surface 52. In the posterior half of the

  A portion of this member is slidably disposed so as to disengage a finger 53 extending into the area of the cutout and forming an integral part of the remaining portion.

  of the sliding organ. At the tip or anterior end

  Ref 54 of the finger, along the upper face 55 is provided a boss 56 for reasons explained later. A transverse slot 57 is cut in the sliding member b a short distance in front of the finger 53. This slot 57 is closer to an edge 58 of the sliding member than the

opposite edge 59.

  The guide 60 containing the sliding and directing member

  Its movement between a locked position and an unlocked position is constituted, as in the case of the first embodiment, by a substantially C-shaped straight section metal part having an upper surface 61 and a pair of side walls. opposite

  62,63 extending down from the top surface

  61. Each side wall 62, 63 ends with a respective wing 64, 65 directed towards the other and lying in a plane parallel to the upper surface 61. Here again the distance between the upper surface 61 and the wings 64,65 must be greater than the thickness of the gold-

  slide 5n, in order to allow a movement of the

  slide 50 relative to the guide 60. An opening

  circular 66 is provided in the upper surface 61.

  This opening 66 is located directly above the

  slot 57 and the boss 56 of the elastic finger when the or-

  The sliding frame is housed in the guide 6n. At the rear of the opening 60 is a rivet hole 67 for attaching the guide to the underside of the latch handle 70. A similar rivet hole 68 is provided in the latch handle at a location such as the rivet holes 67, 68 may be aligned and the guide attached to the latch lever by means of a rivet 64 of a conventional type. The actuator of the sliding member for this form

  embodiment of the invention is constituted by a button 72.

  However, instead of being a step button

  or ladder solicited elastically, the button 72 is for-

  viewed from an eccentric cam 73 and a trigger recess 74. The knob 72 has a head 75 of a given diameter and a body 76 extending below the head 75. The body of the button has an outer diameter which is smaller than the outer diameter of the button head but which is not greater than the diameter of the opening 66 in the guide 60. The button 72 has a bore in which the cam or finger 73 is housed

  to form the eccentric cam for this form of e-

  xecution. The finger 73 has a lower end comprising

  a head 77 which protrudes from the lower end

  upper body 76 of the button. The finger 73 has an outer diameter which is not greater than the width of the slot 57 of the sliding member. However, the outer diameter of the head 77 is greater than the width of the slot 57.

  74 is provided in the button, in opposition to the

  in order to receive the boss 56 of the slide member

2 576960

  when the device according to the invention is

  locked positiono To make it easier to maneuver

  user a screwdriver slot 78 is provided in the head

  button, to allow the rotation of it.

  For its mounting the latch handle 70 is provided with an opening 79 of a size substantially equal to that of the opening 66 in the guide and which is arranged to be aligned with the opening 66 when the guide

is attached to the controller.

  To build the second embodiment of the invention,

  The button 72 is introduced from the top, above the handle 70, into the openings 79 and 66. The rivet hole 67 of the guide is aligned with the rivet hole 68 of the

  handle and we rivet these two elements together. We introduce

  the sliding member 50 is then guided in the guide 60 and the knob is rotated until the recess 74 is situated on the side of the slot 57, opposite to that where the boss 56 of the finger is located, and the alignment is aligned bore in the button with the slot 57. Once this alignment is achieved, we fix the finger

  73 in a conventional manner, in the bore, leaving

  head 77 protrude beyond slit 57.

  If reference is made to FIGS. 6 to 10, the locked state and the unlocked state of this second embodiment of the invention can be seen. Once the locking device mounted and placed in the unlocked state, it is as shown in Figures 6 and 7. To bring

  the safety lock device in the green state

  rusted compared to the panel 80, the user has

  turn knob 72 approximately 180 degrees clockwise. The rotation of the knob 72 causes the cam, i.e., the assembly formed by the finger 73 and the head 77, to move relative to the slot 57 and this movement is in turn transformed into a movement

  linearly towards the front of the sliding member 51.

  At the completion of about half a turn, the trigger recess 74 provided in the lower face of the knob 72 is located above the boss 56 of the finger and at that moment this boss Plasiquement enqaqe in this hollow is

  taken in this one to maintain the device of ver-

  Safety rusting in the locked state. Figures qh illustrate the state of the second embodiment of the invention in the locked state. As in the case of the first embodiment, only a part of the organ

  slider protrudes below Portion 80 of the

  neau. However this protruding part is sufficient to prevent the lock from opening unexpectedly towards

  outside. To unlock the lock device

  the user has only to turn the

  approximately 180 degrees in the opposite direction of the

  guilles of a watch, to thereby cause the boss 56 to move away from the trigger recess 74. The button and the organ

  sliding can then return to their unlocked positions.

  rusted in relation to each other as illustrated

in Figures 6 and 7.

  From the foregoing it can be seen that the present invention constitutes, in both embodiments, a

  reliable safety interlocking device for

  Signboards. The invention provides a positive locking of the lock so that it can not open unexpectedly under the action of vibration forces and other operational forces normally involved.

  during the commissioning of an aircraft. In addition, the invention

  This provides the user with visual indicators so that the user can easily see if the security lock is in the locked or unlocked state. The panel of the aircraft does not have to be modified to receive the invention. The lock does not require

  no appreciable change. The user must simply

  appropriate opening in the controller handle.

  lock to allow to receive the button of the action-

  neur of the invention. The device according to the invention has a low cost due to the small number of components that must be used to achieve. It is easy to mount and also reliable for use. 1 1

Claims (6)

REVENDTCATTnNs   ] .- Device for positively locking a tension lock with respect to an opening in which   the lock is mounted and to allow visual inspection-   the state of the locked or unlocked state of the lock, characterized in that it comprises a sliding member (16, 5n)   having a first retracted position and a second position   extended guide, (17,60) containing the sliding member (16,50) during the movement of this sliding member in (16,50) between its first and second positions, this guide (17,60) being adapted from h can be fixed on a portion of a latch, and actuating means of the sliding member (16.50) to cause the movement of this organ   sliding (16,50) relative to the latch, these means of ac-   tionally connected to the   smoothing (16,50) and being able to occupy a first position corresponding to the first position of the sliding member (16,50) and a second position corresponding to the second position   position of the sliding member (16,50), these means of   comprising the means for manually moving the slide member (16) from the first position to the second position so that when the slide member (16,50) is in its second position, the lock is   positively maintained in the closed position because the   sliding gene (16.50) is in contact with a surface   underlying the panel containing the lock.   2 - Device according to claim 1 characterized   in that the actuating means comprise a button (30) with steps or steps, biased by a spring (31), this button (30) having a lower portion (32) which cooperates with the sliding member (16). by making a commitment   in this one, and an upper part (33,35,36) which co-   father with the lock (15) by engaging in it, when   that the actuating means are in the first and second positions.   3. Device according to claim 1 characterized   in that the actuating means comprise a   button (72) having an eccentric cam (73) and the   sliding gate (50) comprises a portion provided with a slot (57) to be able to receive the eccentric cam (73), the button (72) being rotatable between the first and second positions of the actuating means, the slot (57) retaining the eccentric cam (73) and the sliding member (50) being moved between the first retracted position and the second   extended position as a result of the rotation of the knob (72).   4.- Device for positively locking a tension lock with respect to an opening in which   the lock is mounted and to allow visual inspection-   the state of the locked or unlocked state of the lock,   characterized in that it comprises a sliding member (16N having a first retracted position and a second extended position, a guide (17) containing the sliding member (16) during the movement of said sliding member (16) between its first and second second position, this guide (17) being adapted so as to be fixed on a part of a lock already   installed, and means for actuating the slide member   (16) to cause the movement of this sliding member   (16) relative to the latch, the actuating means comprising a button (30) arranged to be engaged in the sliding member (16) and in the lock, and means for biasing the button (30) towards a first position when the sliding member (16) is in its   first position, the lock being adapted so as to pre-   to open an opening in a portion thereof, to maintain the button (30) in its first position and in a second position, so that the movement of the button   (30) between its two positions causes a simultaneous movement   born from the sliding member (16,50) from its retracted position to its extended position, the sliding member (16) coming into contact with a portion of an adjacent panel when   in its extended position, thereby blocking positi- vemor the lock.   5.- Device for positively locking a tension lock with respect to an opening in which   the lock is mounted and to allow visual inspection-   the locked or unlocked state of the lock,   characterized in that it comprises a sliding member (16,50)   having a first retracted position and a second position   extended and including a pierced part of an opening   cross-section (57), a quide (60) containing the neck member   (50) during the movement of this sliding member (50) between its first and second positions, this guide (60) being adapted so that it can be fixed on a part of a   already installed lock, and means for actuating the   slider (50) to cause the movement of this body.   sliding gate (5in) with respect to the lock, the means of ac-   comprising a button (72) having a top head   (75), a lower body (76) and a cam (73) engage   in the transverse opening (57) of the neck member   smoothing (50), the button (72) extending through the latch   (70) and the guide (60) and being constructed and disposed of   to be able to turn in relation to these, the cam (73)   taking a first position and a second posi-   in the transverse slot (57) as a result of the movement of the cam (73) resulting from the rotation of the knob (72), the sliding member (50) being in its first retracted position when the cam (73) is in its first position while the sliding member (50) is moved into its second extended position when the cam (73) is moved to its second position, the sliding member (50) then being in contact with a portion of an adjacent panel and   positively blocking the lock in relation to this neau.   6. Device according to claim 5 characterized   in that the sliding member (50) has a finger   (53) next to the transverse slot (57), this finger presents   as a free extreme part carrying on her a boss   (56), and the button (72) further comprises a depression of   te (74) made and arranged to receive and hold   firmly press the boss (56) when the cam (73) is in the second position and the slide (50) is finds in its extended position.