FR2768763A1 - Electromechanical lintel-mounted door-lock, esp. for emergency exits - Google Patents

Abstract

In closing, the door carries a vertical bolt (4a), on a standoff bracket (4b,4c) near the top edge, through a side opening in the lock case (E), fixed under the lintel, into the lock's open jaws (15, 16). The pressure of the bolt on rear faces of jaw notches (22) rotates (A, B) the jaws in opposite directions about their pivots (17,18). The notches approach each other till their cutouts (21) envelop and immobilize the bolt.- DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Linkages (30,37,40) on each jaw transmit the rotary motion to plate armatures (42), swinging them (G) into close contact with the pole faces of two electromagnets (46), previously energized, which securely immobilize the linkages and jaws.De-energising the magnets, e.g. in emergency, subjects the linkages and jaws to powerful return springs (43), and they immediately revert to the open position, freeing the door. Each jaw comprises two separated parallel plates, the plate pairs being mutually interleaved

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for locking an opening on a frame which comprises electromagnetic means. The invention applies in particular to an opening consisting of a door, such as an emergency exit door.

 By way of example, the French patent document FR-A-2 694 328 presents such a locking device. This device comprises an elongated box of parallelepiped shape which is mounted in one of its end walls on a frame, and a bolt forming a loop which is integral with an opening.

 The device comprises, inside said housing and at one end thereof, two toothed jaw clamps which are provided to cooperate with the bolt via an orifice that comprises said housing, so that said bolt can occupy positions or the opening is locked on the frame and unlocked relative to the latter.

 These clamps are provided to evolve in rotation in a plane perpendicular to that of said orifice, so that they overlap each other to retain said bolt in said locking position. These clamps have facing branches which are designed to close one on the other in contact with said bolt, so as to retain it by overlapping the loop which it forms.

 Said device also comprises a multiplier system consisting of several pinions mounted downstream of said clamps so as to mesh in pairs.

The first of these pinions is provided to mesh one of said clamps, while the last is provided to drive in translation a system of links via a disk of which it is integral.

 A hollow cylinder is mounted at the free end of said link system, and it is designed to slide inside a sleeve fixed relative to said housing, under the effect of the rotation of said clamps which is transmitted to said pinions.

 This device comprises, downstream of said rod system, an electromagnet provided with a rod which is designed to slide in said hollow cylinder, so as to immobilize the latter in said sleeve and thus to lock said bolt in the clamps provided to retain it .

 A spring is mounted inside said cylinder, so that it presses on it and on said rod. This spring is designed to exert an axial restoring force on said rod, so that said cylinder is no longer immobilized in said sleeve.

 Mechanical means for maintaining said electromagnet in said immobilization position of the hollow cylinder are further provided facing the end of the housing which is opposite to that relating to said clamps.

 To unlock the opening on the frame, the action of said means for holding the electromagnet is firstly eliminated. Then it ceases to electrically excite said electromagnet.

 As a result, the hollow cylinder is no longer immobilized inside the sleeve, thanks to the aforementioned effect of the spring. We can then remove the bolt from said pliers, hence the desired unlocking.

 A major drawback of this device lies in the complexity of its structure and, consequently, in its manufacturing cost.

 The object of the present invention is to provide a device for locking an opening leaf on a fixed frame, said device being intended to be mounted on said fixed frame and being of the type comprising jaw clamps intended to retain a bolt secured to said opening leaf, and electromagnetic locking means of said bolt in said clamps, which is reliable and also facilitates the abovementioned locking and unlocking operations.

 To this end, a locking device according to the invention comprises at least one link which is pivotally mounted on one or each of said clamps, said or each link being provided to form a lever for an arm intended to cooperate with said locking means. .

 According to another characteristic of the invention, said locking means comprise at least one electromagnet which is designed to attract and immobilize a plate secured to the free end of said opposite arm.

 According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, said locking means comprise at least one electromagnet which is provided with a finger intended to occupy a locking position where it blocks said opposite arm under the effect of an electric pulse, and an unlocking position where it emerges from said arm under the effect of a new pulse.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, said clamps, said link (s) and said arm (s) are each mounted on pivots parallel to each other and fixed relative to said frame, an oblong hole being provided in said or each arm to receive a pivot integral with the corresponding link, so as to allow the transmission of the rotation of said clamps to said or to said arms during actuation of said bolt.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, said locking device comprises elastic means which are provided to exert a restoring force on said clamps, in the direction of a mutual spacing of the latter.

 According to an exemplary embodiment, said elastic means comprise a spring which is mounted on said fixed pivot of said or each arm, one of the ends of said or each spring being provided to exert said restoring force on said pivot connecting a rod and an arm between them.

 According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, said elastic means comprise a tension spring which is mounted at its respective ends on said clamps by overlapping them, said spring being designed to exert said restoring force on said clamps.

 According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, each clamp consists of two plates connected in parallel with each other by said fixed clamp pivot, the corresponding link being mounted between said plates.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a top view of the interior of a locking device according to the invention and of a bolt provided for cooperating with said device, the latter being shown in an unlocking position,
Fig. la is a perspective view illustrating the mounting of said locking device and of said bolt on a frame and an opening, respectively,
Fig. 2 is a side view of the interior of said locking device in a locking position,
Fig. 3 is a detail view of said bolt, in planar projection on the plane of the opening shown in FIG. 1,
Fig. 4 is a top view of the interior of said locking device, in the locking position of FIG. 2,
Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of said locking device in the position of FIG. 1, and
Fig. 6 illustrates the position of FIG. 4 for said variant of said locking device.

 There is shown in FIG. 1 a frame 1 on which is mounted a locking device 2 according to the invention, and an opening 3 on which a pin 4 is mounted.

 The device 2 comprises a metal case 5 of elongated shape and substantially parallelepiped, which delimits it externally. The box 5 is for example made of a bent sheet in the shape of a "U", and it is mounted on the frame 1 by means of one of its end walls 6.

 A cover 7, shown only in FIG. 2 for reasons of clarity, is intended to be mounted on said housing 5 parallel to the bottom 8 thereof. Only are visible in FIG. 1 of the means 9 provided to allow the fixing of the said cover to the said housing 5.

 The device 2 includes inside the housing 5 means 10 provided to cooperate with the bolt 4, so that said bolt 4 can occupy positions where the leaf 3 is locked on the frame 1 and unlocked relative to the latter .

 As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the bolt 4 consists of a transverse bar 4a mounted on the ends of two feet 4b parallel to each other. These two feet 4b are mounted on a base 4c, which is intended to be secured to the opening 3 by fixing members 4d (symbolically shown in Fig. 3).

 Said device 2 also includes means 11 which are provided for holding the bolt 4 in a locking position of said opening 3. The holding means 11 are connected to said retaining means 10 by connection means 12.

 The housing 5 has an orifice 13 in one of its side walls 14, which is perpendicular to said bottom 8 and is intended to face the opening 3.

The orifice 13 is provided to allow the introduction of the bolt 4 into the housing 5.

 The mounting of said locking device 2 is illustrated in FIG. la, where the opening 3 and the frame 1 respectively consist of a door panel and a frame on which said panel is hinged.

 Preferably, said device 2 is fixed under the lintel 1a of the frame 1, so that it can receive through said orifice 13 the bolt 4 which is mounted opposite in the upper part of said door panel.

 There is shown in exploded view in FIG. the Sa cover, for example in folded sheet metal with a "U" section The cover Sa is designed to be mounted from below on the device 2 which has been fixed to the frame 3, so as to wrap it. As can be seen in this Fig. la, said cover 5a comprises an orifice 13a corresponding to said orifice 13 of said housing 5, so as to allow the introduction of the bolt 4.

 Said retaining means 10 of the bolt 4 consist of two jaw clamps 15 and 16 of the same shape which are pivotally mounted on pivots 17 and 18 parallel to each other, so that a clamp 15 overlaps the other clamp 16.

 The pivots 17 and 18 are mounted fixed relative to the housing 5, perpendicular to said bottom 8. As can be seen in FIG. 2, each pivot 17, 18 is for example mounted on said bottom 8 and said cover 7 at its respective ends.

 The clamps 15 and 16 are thus provided to pivot in a plane parallel to the bottom 8 of the housing 5.

 The two clamps IS and 16 respectively comprise two pairs of branches 19 and 20 which are designed to close one over the other, so as to retain the bolt 4 inside the housing 5 when said bolt 4 is engaged in the orifice 13 thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, each IS clamp, 16 has two parallel branches 19 and 20 which are interconnected by a semi-cylindrical section 21 (a single branch 19 and a single branch 20 are visible on the
Fig. 1).

 As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 4, the clamps 15 and 16 are mounted on the pivots 17 and 18, so that their respective semi-cylindrical sections can be located opposite one another.

 The clamps 15 and 16 are provided to occupy mutual positions of opening and closing.

 In an open position, the branches 19 of the clamps 15 and 16 which are adjacent to said orifice 13 are distant and symmetrical from one another with respect to the median plane P of symmetry of the pivots 17 and 18, so as to allow the passage of the bolt 4 between said branches 19.

 In addition, this position is such that the other branches 20 of the clamps 15 and 16 overlap, forming an inverted "V" whose tip 22 is located in said plane P.

 In a closed position, the sections 21 of the clamps 15 and 16 overlap each other to form a resulting closed section 23, for example cylindrical (Fig. 4), so as to allow the cross bar to be retained. 4a of the bolt 4 by closing it (said bolt 4 is not shown for reasons of clarity in this Fig.).

 Securing means 24 are provided on the clamps 15 and 16 to connect them together in their open position, so that said sections 21 are retained opposite one another.

 In this exemplary embodiment, these means 24 consist of a rod 25 which is mounted integral with the lower clamp 16 and which is designed to evolve in a notch 26 opposite that comprises the upper clamp 15, during the passage of the clamps 15 and 16 from said open position to said closed position (see arrows A and B in Fig. 1), and vice versa (see arrows C and D in Fig. 4).

 Preferably, each clamp 15, 16 comprises means 27 for limiting its pivoting in the direction of the arrow A (respectively B), when it passes from said open position to said closed position.

 In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, said means 27 consist, for each clamp 15, 16, of its branch 20 which is adjacent to the pivot 18, 17 of the other clamp 16, 15, in the pivoting direction indicated by the corresponding arrow A or B.

Each pivot 17, 18 is provided to constitute an abutment with respect to said branch 20. For this purpose, the part 27 of the latter which is intended to be abutted has a shape of a portion of cylinder, so as to conform to the shape of said pivot 17, 18.

 As can be seen in the embodiment of FIG. 2, each clamp 15, 16 consists of two identical plates 28 and 29 which are mounted parallel to each other and spaced on the corresponding pivot 17, 18, which secures them together. The lower clamp 16 is for example mounted so as to overlap the lower plate 29 of the upper clamp 15.

 As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the connecting means 12 which connect each clamp 15, 16 to means 11 for holding the bolt 4 in the locked position consist of a bent rod 30, for example in the shape of an L.

Each link 30 is mounted at its elbow 31 on a pivot 32 fixed relative to the housing 5, like said pivots 17 and 18.

 Each link 30 is thus provided to pivot in a plane parallel to the bottom 8 of the housing 5.

 Each link 30 is connected at one of its ends, preferably from the base of said "L", to a clamp 15 or 16 by means of a movable pivot 33. The latter is mounted in part of said clamp 15 or 16 which is substantially opposite to said branch 20, relative to the pivot 17 or 18 on which said clamp 15 or 16 is mounted.

 In the example of FIG. 2, it can be seen that each link 30 is mounted on the corresponding clamp 15 or 16, so that the latter overlaps it by means of the two plates 28 and 29 constituting it.

 The means 11 for holding the bolt 4 in the locked position comprise an angled arm 34 forming a "V" which is mounted at its elbow 35 on a pivot 36 fixed relative to the housing 5, like said pivots 17, 18 and 32.

Each bent arm 34 is connected, in one of its branches 37, to the free end of a link 30 by means of a movable pivot 38. As can be seen on the
Fig. 1, each pivot 38 is provided to evolve along the walls of an oblong hole 39 which comprises on its length said branch 36 of the corresponding arm 34.

 Note that the simultaneous pivoting of the clamp 15 or 16, of the link 30, and of the corresponding arm 34 around the pivots 17 or 18, 32 and 36, respectively, are possible due to the structure of said arms 34 including said oblong holes 39.

 In the example of FIG. 2, it can be seen that each bent arm 34 is also designed to move in a plane parallel to the bottom 8 of the housing 5.

In addition, the arm 34 which is connected to the link 30 articulated on the lower clamp 16 is mounted on said link 30, with respect to said bottom 8. In contrast,
The other arm 34 which is connected to the link 30 articulated on the upper clamp 16 is mounted under said link 30.

 The other branch 40 of each bent arm 34 is provided, projecting from its external face 41, with a metal plate 42 parallel to said face 41. We see in FIG. 2 that the plate 42 is intended to evolve while remaining perpendicular to the bottom 8 of the housing 5.

 Preferably, elastic means 43 are provided inside the housing 5 to exert a restoring force on the clamps 15 and 16, in the direction of a mutual spacing of the latter.

 In the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the elastic means 43 consist of a spring with contiguous turns which is mounted axially around the fixed pivot 36, above said upper arm 34 and below said lower arm 34, respectively. One of the ends 44 of each spring 43 is mounted under the cover 7 (respectively on the bottom 8) of the housing 5, apart from play, while its other end 45 is mounted in contact with said pivot 38.

 Said end 44 of the spring 43 is provided to exert a restoring force on said movable pivot 38 in the direction of the mutual spacing of the clamps 15 and 16, this in a plane perpendicular to that of said orifice 13 of the housing 5.

 In the variant embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the elastic means 43 consist of a tension spring 43a which is mounted at its respective ends on said clamps 15 and 16 by overlapping them, via rods 15a and 16a integral with said clamps 15 and 16. Said spring 43a is also provided to recall the branches 19 and 20 of said clamps 15 and 16 towards one another.

 It will be noted that a locking device 2 according to the invention could comprise both said springs 43 and said spring 43a.

 As can be seen in FIG. 1, two electromagnets 46 electrically supplied by a terminal block 47 for their electrical charge are provided at each end of the housing 5, opposite the corresponding plate 42. Each electromagnet 46 is designed to attract and retain on one of its faces 48 the plate 42 which faces it.

 Said face 48 of each electromagnet 46 is perpendicular to the bottom 8 and to the side walls 14 of the housing 5. It will be noted that the fixed pivot 36 of each arm 34 is mounted at a distance from said corresponding face 48 which is such that the plate 42 which is provided with said arm 34 occupies a position parallel to said face 48 when it is retained by the electromagnet 46 opposite.

 As for the terminal block 47, it is connected to conventional electrical supply means (not shown).

 In the example of FIG. 1, a support plate 49 has been shown for the terminal block 47 which is mounted on the internal face of said end wall 6 of the housing 5.

Two support brackets 50 have also been shown on which the electromagnets 46 are respectively fixed, by means of screws 51.

 As can be seen in Fig. 2, each bracket 50 is connected, on the one hand, to the corresponding electromagnet 46 by one of its faces 52 and, on the other hand, to the bottom wall 8 of the housing 5 by its other face 53.

 Due to the electrically conductive property of the housing 5, each bracket 50 thus makes it possible to establish the electrical connection between the terminal block 47 and the electromagnet 46 which it supports.

 A locking and unlocking device according to the invention operates in the following manner, in relation to FIGS. mentioned above.

 In the unlocked position of FIG. 1, the opening 3 is open relative to the frame I which is designed to receive it. It follows that the clamps 15 and 16 occupy said mutual opening position.

 To lock the opening 3 in the closed position, an electrical current is first delivered to each electromagnet 46.

 Then the leaf 3 is actuated in the closed position on said frame 1, which has the effect of introducing the bolt 4 through said orifice 13 between the branches 19 of said clamps 15 and 16. Said bolt 4 then exerts a force on said branches 20 at the tip 22 of the "V" they form (this force is illustrated by the arrow E in Fig. 1).

 The action of this force has the effect of rotating the clamps 15 and 16 in the directions of the arrows A and B, respectively, until the part 27 of each clamp 15, 16 abuts against the pivot 18, 17 from the other clamp 16, 15.

 The clamps 15 and 16 then occupy the mutual closed position which is shown in FIG. 4. This position is such that the branches 19 of the clamps overlap by closing around the transverse bar 4a of the bolt 4, by defining by said section 21 a closed housing for said bar 4a.

 This pivoting of the clamps 15 and 16 has the effect of pivoting the rods 30 concomitantly in the directions of the arrows F (see FIG. 1). This results in a simultaneous pivoting of the bent arms 34 in the directions of the arrows G.

 As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 4, the movable pivot 38 connecting between them each link 30 and the corresponding bent arm 34 evolves in the oblong hole 39 of said arm 34, during the aforementioned pivoting of the latter.

 It results from this pivoting of each arm 34 in the direction of the corresponding arrow G that the plate 42 mounted on said arm 34 is applied to the face 48 of the electromagnet 46 opposite (see Fig. 4).

 Due to the electric current which feeds its excitation coil via the brackets 53, each electromagnet 46 exerts a magnetic force of attraction of predetermined intensity on the plate 42 which is applied to its face 48, so that each plate is held in the position of FIG. 4.

 This has the effect of maintaining the clamps 15 and 16 in their mutual closed position where they retain the bolt 4 by buckling it and, consequently, of maintaining the opening leaf 3 in the closed locking position on the frame 1.

 To unlock the opening 3 in the closed position, firstly, each electromagnet 46 is electrically excited.

 Consequently, the abovementioned return force of the elastic means 43 or 43a is exerted only on said clamps 45 and 16. In the case of the two springs 43, for example, this force tends to move each pivot 38 in the corresponding oblong hole 39, so as to rotate each link 30 in the direction of the arrow H and, consequently, each clamp 15, 16 in the direction of arrow C or D.

 The bolt 4 is then actuated so as to release its transverse bar 4a from the housing formed by said section 21, via the pivoting of the clamps 15 and 16 in the direction of the arrows C and D (Fig. 4).

 It will be noted that this release of the pin 4 is facilitated by the aforementioned action of the elastic means 43.

 In general, it will also be noted that a locking device 2 according to the invention could comprise a single link 30 connected to one of the clamps 15 or 16 and a single arm 34 connected to said link 30. In this case , a single electromagnet 46 would be necessary for immobilization by attraction of the plate 42 secured to said arm 34.

 In the case of two electromagnets 46 respectively mounted opposite two arms 34 connected to said rods 30, one could supply one of the two electromagnets 46 independently of the other (unlike the example described above with reference to Figs.), so as to have a means of "overlocking" which complements that provided by the other electromagnet 46.

 It will also be noted that the electromagnetic locking means 46 of said bolt 4 could comprise at least one electromagnet of the type provided with a "plunger" finger, in combination with an electromagnet 46 of the aforementioned type for obtaining a different "overlocking" from the previous one.

 This finger would be provided to occupy a locking position where it would block the opposite arm 34 under the effect of an electrical pulse, and an unlocking position where it would disengage from said arm 34 under the effect of a new pulse.

Claims (8)

 1) Locking device (2) of an opening (3) on a frame (1), said device (2) being intended to be mounted on said frame (1) and being of the type comprising jaw clamps (I 5 and 16) provided for retaining a bolt (4) integral with said opening (3), and electromagnetic locking means (46) of said bolt (4) in said clamps (1 5 and 16), characterized in that said device (2 ) comprises at least one link (30) which is pivotally mounted on one or each of said clamps (15 and 16), said or each link (30) being intended to form a lever for an arm (34) intended to cooperate with said locking means (46).  2) Locking device (2) according to claim l, characterized in that said locking means (46) comprise at least one electromagnet which is designed to attract and immobilize a plate (42) secured to the free end of said arm ( 34) opposite  3) Locking device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said locking means (46) comprise at least one electromagnet which is provided with a finger intended to occupy a locking position where it blocks said arm (34) opposite under the effect of an electrical impulse, and an unlocking position where it emerges from said arm (34) under the effect of a new impulse.  4) Locking device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said clamps (15 and 16), said link (s) (30) and said arm (s) (34) are each mounted on pivots (17, 18, 32, 36) parallel to each other and fixed relative to said frame (1), an oblong hole (39) being provided in said or each arm (34) for receiving a pivot (38) integral with the corresponding link (30) , so as to allow the transmission of the rotation of said clamps (15 and 16) to said arm or arms (34) when actuating said bolt (4).  5) Locking device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises elastic means (43) which are provided to exert a restoring force on said clamps (IS and 16), in the direction of a mutual spacing of these.  6) Locking device (2) according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said elastic means (43) comprise a spring which is mounted on said fixed pivot (36) of said or each arm (34), one ends (45) of said or each spring (43) being provided to exert said return force on said pivot (38) connecting a link (30) and an arm (34) between them.  7) Locking device (2) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said elastic means (43) comprise a tension spring (43a) which is mounted at its respective ends (1 Sa and 16a) on said clamps ( 15 and 16) overlapping them, said spring (43a) being provided to exert said return force on said clamps (15 and 16).  8) Locking device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each clamp (15, 16) consists of two plates (28 and 29) connected in parallel with each other by said fixed clamp pivot (17, 18) , the corresponding link (30) being mounted between said plates (28 and 29).