FR2936543A1 - Lock protecting device for entrance door allowing entry of e.g. psychiatrists, has lock plate and elongated oscillating flap integrated together in work position, by locking unit that is provided with magnet inserted in magnetic pin - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has an elongated oscillating flap (4) arranged between a rectangular lock plate (2) and a door lock. The flap is rotatably coupled to an exterior handle of the door, and is movable in rotation between a work position in which a key inlet orifice formed opposite to a hole (3) of the plate is closed, and a rest position in which the flap permits accessing of the orifice. The plate and the flap are integrated together in the work position by a locking unit that is provided with a magnet inserted in a magnetic pin (12).

Description

-1- DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A LOCK.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for protecting a lock, intended to render inaccessible to third parties the entry orifice of the key or the control allowing the opening and closing of this lock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

We know that locks are more and more sophisticated and more secure, since now uncloakable.

However, since these locks have an input port of the key, or control allowing their operation, which is accessible to third parties, they have a drawback inherent in their constitution, namely that they do not prevent the vandalism by penetration of foreign bodies into said inlet port. Some professions, such as bailiffs and psychiatrists, suffer from such forms of vandalism. For various reasons, most often for revenge, some ill-intentioned people try to introduce in the door locks objects or other products, including matches, chewing gum, paper, glue, sawdust and sawdust, which make it impossible to operate the lock later. To overcome this drawback, the applicant has already proposed, in his French patent application FR-2,677,069 published on December 4, 1992, a device for protecting a lock comprising a plate, secured to the door provided with this lock and traversed. a light giving free access to the key inlet, and a fly = movable in a vertical plane, by sliding on the front of this plate, between at least two positions, a working position in which the flap covers the orifice and a rest position in which the flap makes this orifice inaccessible from the outside. The shutter is locked in working position by locking elements provided with magnets, arranged between the plate and the flap, and unlocked by the external application of magnetic associated means. The device described above solves: functionally the problem of the protection of a lock, but still has the disadvantage of having a movable flap sliding outside the plate secured to the door. As a protective element, it is not itself protected against glue deposits on the slides. Note that the problem of the protection of the inlet port 10 of the key of a lock and that the contribution of the corresponding solutions are known for a very long time. For example, in the British patent application GB-18.182 of August 6, 1909, the inventor Franz Blum proposes in particular to prevent an unauthorized person from introducing a key into a lock from outside. To do this, an oscillating flap, arranged between the lock plate and the lock, is coupled to the stem of the door handle and normally obscures the keyhole. The end of the flap has a stud cooperating with the end of the key 20 when the lock is closed from the inside only so as to prevent any rotation of the flap. The advantages of this lock protection device are that the shutter is itself protected and that its opening and closing are obtained simply by turning the door handle in a natural way after having released the key. However, it has the disadvantage that the shutter is not blocked when the lock is not closed from the inside and it is impossible to use this system from the outside.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore aims to optimize the design of a lock protection device and overcome the disadvantages of devices of this type known from the state of the art. It relates specifically to a device for protecting a door lock of the type of those comprising a lock plate and an elongate oscillating flap arranged between the plate and the lock. In this type of device, the oscillating flap is coupled in rotation to the outer handle of the door and is movable in rotation between a working position, in which an inlet of a key of the lock next to a hole in the plate is obscured, and a rest position, in which the oscillating flap makes the orifice accessible. The device according to the invention is remarkable in that the shutter and the plate are secured in the working position by locking means comprising at least a first magnet inserted into a pin. Another essential feature of the invention is that the shutter and the plate are released in the working position by unlocking means comprising at least a second magnet. Advantageously, these locking means consist of magnetic pins arranged in the first blind bores of the flap, the first ends of the pins cooperating in the working position with second blind bores arranged in the plate. Preferably, these first blind bores are staggered with respect to a longitudinal direction of the flap. It is also advantageous because at least one third magnet is arranged opposite the second ends of the pins and can be oriented for the attraction of the pins (informer) or the repulsion of said pins (locking). The unlocking means preferably consist of magnetic studs placed opposite the first ends of the pins. These magnetic pads are advantageously arranged in a removable support. The protection device of a lock according to the invention is also remarkable in that it further comprises a first switch capable of controlling a sound and / or light indicator 35, this first switch being in a first state when the flap is in the working position and in a second state when the flap is in the rest position. Similarly, it will be noted that a portion of the flap, facing the hole 40 of the lock plate in the working position, comprises a part coated with a non-stick coating in contact with this plate. Preferably, this piece is rotatable on the flap and has a flats facing, in the working position of the flap, a second switch adapted to control an alarm in case of attempted drilling of this part. According to another of its characteristics, the protection device of a lock according to the invention further comprises a door knob constituting the door handle. Preferably, this door knob has a torque limiter. A seal is advantageously arranged between the door knob and a bearing of this door knob. The rotation of the door knob is preferably free over a quarter of a turn. The invention also relates to a magnet adapted to unlock the protection device of a lock described above. This key is remarkable in that it comprises at least one magnetic stud arranged in the vicinity of a surface element intended to be placed facing at least the first magnet. Preferably, this magnetic key comprises a first elongated substantially rectangular planar portion, and a second portion which is inclined relative to the first 25 and which is pierced with a hole forming the ring of the key. The first part of this key, advantageously non-magnetic metal, is formed of a flat having a first rectangular section arranged in a hollow rectangular section and having a second inner section 30 complementary to the first section. The longitudinal edges of the plate preferably comprise a plurality of notches, arranged staggered, and at least one magnetic insert is placed in at least one of these notches. These few essential specifications make it obvious to those skilled in the art the advantages provided by this lock protection device over the prior art. Detailed specifications of the invention are given in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these drawings have no other purpose than that of illustrating the text of the description and that they in no way constitute a limitation of the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures la and lb are a general perspective front view of the lock protection device according to the invention, respectively in the rest position and in the working position. Figures 2a and 2b are respectively a general perspective view of the back of the lock protection device according to the invention shown without cover, respectively in the rest position and in the working position. Figure 2c is a general perspective view of the back of the lock protection device according to the invention, provided with its lid. Figure 3 is a vertical vertical sectional view of the lock protection device according to the invention, also showing, in cross section, a detail of a door handle axis. Figures 4a, 4b and 4c are respectively a rear view, a side view and a front view of the housing of the lock protection device according to the invention. Figures 5a, 5b and 5c are respectively a side view, a front view and a cross section of a magnetic key adapted to the lock protection device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As shown in Figures la and lb, the lock protection device 1 comprises a lock plate 2 of rectangular shape, extending from above downwards, and intended, in a manner known per se, to cover, to protect , a door lock entry. Plate 2 is sufficiently thick and massive to provide effective shielding. It is preferably metallic. The plate 2 has a hole 3 facing the entry port of the key of the underlying lock. A flap 4, arranged between the plate 2 and the lock, occults the hole 3 of the plate 2 and prevents access to the barrel of the lock when it is in the so-called working position, as shown in FIG. Of course, alternatively, in a so-called rest position, the flap 4 clears and releases the access to the barrel, as shown in Figure 1b, thus allowing the introduction of a key. Figures 2a and 2b, showing the inside of the protective device after removal of its cover, reveal the shape and arrangement of the flap 4. It is a flap 4 oscillating about an axis 5 which is 15 intended to be coupled to the door handles. The flap 4 consists of a bar extending inside a recess 6 of the plate 2 which thus forms a housing for the entire mechanism. The upper end of the bar 4 is fixed on the axis 5 by means of a screw 7. The constituent details of the flap 4 appear better in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3. As shown in the sectional view of FIG. the axis 5 executed at the screw 7 for fixing the flap 4, this screw 7 is preferably in engagement with an annular groove 8 of the end of the axis 5 extending over a 90 ° angular sector (quarter turn) to release by the rotation of the handle the free bolt of the lock. A diametral smooth hole 8a, arranged at the bottom of the groove 8, 30 makes it possible to block the flap 4 on the axis 5 after rotation of the axis by 180 °, the rotational release of the handle being able to be done only after insertion of the magnetic key. The lower end of the bar 4, which conceals the hole 3 of the plate 2 in the working position, comprises, facing this hole 3, a circular pellet 9 coated with a non-stick coating 10, preferably Teflon. This pellet 9 is intended to prevent any attempt to pierce the flap 4 which could give access to the opening of the lock. To do this, the pellet 9 has a central pin 11 and this equipment is rotatable in the end of the bar 4. Attack by means of a drill is impossible because the wick is only cause the pellet 9 to rotate without being able to start it. The non-stick coating 10 renders ineffective the use of glue, introduced into the hole 3 to block the shutter 4.

The shutter 4 is locked in the working position (FIGS. 1a and 2a) by means of magnetic pins 12, arranged in the first blind bores 13 of the shutter 4, the first ends of which cooperate with second blind bores 14 arranged in FIG. inside the plate 2.

According to the known principle of magnetic locks, these magnetic pins 12 each have at each first end a south pole or a north pole. The first end of each pin 12 is disengaged from the corresponding second bore 14 when a second magnet 15 of the same polarity is placed in its vicinity and pushes it away. The flap 4 is thus unlocked by placing a set of magnetic studs 15, inserted in a magnetic key 16, and having poles of the same polarities with the magnetic pins 12 which correspond to them.

All the magnetic pins 12 must be pushed by the inserts 15 of the key 16 so that the flap is unlocked: the unique spatial distribution of the south and north poles to the surface of the flap 4 facing the outside of the plate 2 must The Figures 4a and 4c thus show a staggered arrangement of the second blind bores 14 in the recess 6 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plate 2. To this arrangement corresponds a identical provision 35 in staggered blind first bores 13 of the flap 4 with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof: such a staggered arrangement makes it possible to prevent the penetration of certain magnetic pins 12 into some of the second blind bores 14 which do not are not intended during the oscillation of the flap 4. 2936543 -8- This staggered arrangement also allows to best distribute the magnetic pins 12 all over the available flap 4 by reducing the mutual influences of the first magnets 12 inserted in the pins.

The magnetic pins 12 are pushed towards the second blind bores 14, or attracted towards the bottom of the first blind bores 13, by third magnets 17 arranged in the vicinity of this bottom and each having, in the direction of the opening of these first blind bores 13, 10 a pole of respectively identical or opposite polarity to that of the second end of the corresponding magnetic pin 12. In the case where one of the third magnets 17 has, in particular near the bottom of one of the first blind bores 13, a pole of opposite polarity to that of the second end of the corresponding magnetic pin 12, this pin is likely to become active and block the flap 4 when an outer magnet of opposite polarity is approaching the device.

The role played by this particular third magnet 17 is in this case a role analogous to that of an informer in a lock cylinder. The working (FIG. 2a) and rest (FIG. 2b) positions of the shutter 4 are indicated to the user by means of a first switch 18, preferably a microswitch-type inverter (shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b). adapted to control an indicator, advantageously sound and / or light. This first switch 18 is housed inside the recess 6 of the plate 2. It comprises a first lever 19, whose end is supported on a vertical edge of the flap 4, which holds a first button push when the flap 4 is in the working position. The first lever 19 is released and the first push button is released when the shutter 4 is moved to the home position (Figure 2b). An advantage of this characteristic is that the user is warned of the position of the flap 4 and, indirectly, of the possible forgetting of his key in the lock, which can occur if the flap 4 has remained in the rest position. . FIGS. 2a and 2b show the presence inside the recess 6 of the plate 2 of a second switch, preferably a microswitch-type inverter, capable of controlling an alarm, advantageously a sound and / or luminous.

This second switch 20 comprises a second lever 21, bearing on a flat portion 22 of the anti-drilling pad 9 arranged at the lower end of the flap 4, so that a second push button remains relaxed. When the lock undergoes a drilling attempt, the wick 10 causes the pellet 9 to rotate, which has the effect of moving the flat part 22 in a circular manner, so that the periphery of the pellet then bears on the second lever 21 and thus pushes the second push button, thus triggering the alarm.

The recess 6 of the plate 2 containing the flap 4 and the first and second switches 18,20 is closed by a cover 23, as shown in FIG. 2c, which has the advantage of giving the protection device 1 of a lock according to the invention the general appearance of a conventional armor plate. As shown in Figures la and lb, the protection device 1 of a lock comprises an outer door button 24 which can be secured to the inner handle. In order to prevent any possibility of forcing the mechanism of the flap 4, and in particular of the magnetic pins 12 in the first and second blind bores 13 and 14, this door knob 24 is provided with a torque limiter, the details of which are well known. 3 according to a principle known per se, the door knob 24 drives the axis 5 of the flap 4 by means of a metal ball 25 pushed into a paraxial cylinder 26 by a compression spring 27 in the direction of a peripheral lumen 28 of a metal washer 29 integral with this axis 5.

The door knob 24 is held axially on the axis 5 by a key 29a. The limit value of the driving torque exerted by the door knob 24 on the axis 5 depends on the stiffness of the compression spring 27. The free rotation angle depends on the number 40 of slots 28 arranged on the periphery of the washer. The lock protection device 1 according to the invention has been designed so as to have the maximum resistance to environmental aggressions (water, gel, salt, sand, dust, insects).

For this purpose, an internal shoulder 30 of the bearing 31 of the axis 5 of the flap 4 surrounds the base 32 of the door knob 24 and extends inside an annular groove 33 in the outer portion 34 of the knob. A seal 35, preferably an O-ring, arranged in the annular groove 33 between the door knob 24 and the bearing 31, thus effectively protects the flap mechanism 4 from dust and humidity. The magnetic key 16, shown in Figures 5a, 5b and 5c, specially adapted for unlocking the lock protection device 1 according to the invention, also provides a technical solution to the problem of withstanding severe environmental constraints. This magnetic key 16 is formed of a non-magnetic metal plate 36, of rectangular section, as shown in the cross-section of FIG. 5c. A first portion 37 of the magnetic key 16 comprises magnetic studs 15 placed in notches 38 formed along the longitudinal edges of the plate 36. The notches 38 are staggered in a configuration identical to that of the first and second blind bores. 13 and 14 of the shutter 4 and the plate 2. The presence or absence of a magnetic pad 15 in a particular notch 38 and the orientation of the poles of this pad 15 correspond to the chosen code of the lock protection device 1 determined that the magnetic key 16 is intended to unlock, or the codes of a set of such devices, in the case of a magnetic key 16 having a pass function. The studs 15 are held in place in the notches 38 by a nonmagnetic metal sheath formed of a hollow rectangular section section 39 complementary section of the plate 36. The second portion 40 of the magnetic key 16 is constituted by an end of the plate 36 forming a tab, inclined relative to the plane of the first part 37. This tab 40 advantageously comprises a hole which will constitute its attachment ring 41. As shown in Figures la and lb, the front face of the plate 2 of the lock protection device 1 5 comprises a housing 42 intended to receive the magnetic key 16. This housing 42 is a longitudinal groove of rectangular section complementary to the outer section of the profile 39, and exactly located opposite the second bores 10 blinds 14 of the plate 2, as shown in Figures 4a and 4c, that is to say vis-à-vis the magnetic pins 12 of the flap 4 when it is in the po The insertion 43 of the magnetic key 16 into the housing 42 thus allows the user to unlock the protection device 1, and to access the opening of the protective device 1, as shown in FIG. input of the key behind the hole 3 of the plate 2 by turning the door knob 24 in the counterclockwise direction 44. Its particular structure gives the magnetic key 16 20 according to the invention a very great robustness. Unlike the usual magnetic cards, in credit card format, it can not bend or deform. The magnetic pads 15 are not sensitive to external magnetic fields, and the code represented by their particular arrangement can not be erased, unlike a magnetic card track. Unlike a conventional key, the magnetic key according to the invention does not have a profile that can be copied or used. The magnetic key 16 has no mechanical action on the protection device 1; it is therefore not likely to break during an unlocking maneuver of the device 1. The tightening device e = e according to the invention also has the advantage of being able to be fixed on a door 35 provided with a rabbet lock in the same way as a standard protection plate, while offering a much higher level of protection. To do this, blind holes 45 of standard diameter and spacing are provided in the plate, as shown in Figures 4a, 4b and 4c. As goes without saying, the invention is not limited to the single preferred embodiment described above. Thus, the staggered spatial distribution of the first blind bores 13, on either side of the longitudinal axis of symmetry 5 of the flap 4, is only an exemplary embodiment. Other arrangements are possible, for example a simple alignment along this axis. The number of magnetic pins 12 shown in the figures is also an example. The number of magnetic pins 12 can be increased, or decreased, depending on the number of desired combinations. It goes without saying that the particular shape and structure of the magnetic key 16 specified above are only an example embodiment.

Finally, it has already been noted that FIG. 1b represents a mode of operation in which the unlocking of the protection device 1 is obtained by turning the door knob 24 counterclockwise 44. According to the position of the lock on the door , unlocking clockwise may be required. In this case, the first switch 18 is placed on the side of the recess 6 of the plate 2 opposite that where it is shown in Figures 2a and 2b. The second switch 20 is then turned over, so that the direction of rotation of the second lever 21 is reversed. Those skilled in the art will easily design a large number of removable media 16 of shapes and containing magnetic studs unlocking the protection device 30 of the invention. The invention thus embraces all the various structures, and suitable for the lock 1 according to possible variants of embodiment subject of the claims below.

Claims (18)

CLAIMS1) Protection device (1) of a lock of a door of the type of those comprising a plate (2) lock and a flap (4) of elongate shaped oscillation arranged in: re said plate (2) and said lock said oscillating flap (4) being rotatably coupled to a handle of said door and being movable in rotation between a working position in which an inlet of a key of said lock faces a hole (3) of said plate (2) is obscured and a rest position in which said flap (4) oscillating makes accessible said orifice, characterized in that said flap (4) and said plate (2) are secured in said working position by locking means comprising at least a first magnet (12) inserted in a pin. 2) protection device (1) of a lock according to claim 1, characterized in that said flap (4) and said plate (2) are released in said working position by unlocking means comprising at least a second magnet (15). 3) Protection device (1) of a lock according to claim 2, characterized in that said locking means consist of magnetic pins (12) arranged in first blind bores (13) of said flap (4), the first ends of said pins (12) cooperating in said working position with second blind bores (14) arranged in said plate (2). 4) Device for protecting (1) a lock according to claim 3, characterized in that said first blind bores (13) are arranged staggered with respect to a longitudinal direction of said flap (4). 5) Protection device (1) of a lock according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that at least a third magnet (17) is arranged opposite the second ends of said pins (12) and can be oriented for the attraction of the pins or the repulsion of the latter. 6) Protection device (1) of a lock according to any one of claims 3 to 5 above, characterized in that said unlocking means consist of magnetic studs (15) placed opposite said first ends of said pins (12). ). 7) Device for protecting a lock according to claim 6, characterized in that said magnetic pads (15) are arranged in a removable support (16). 8) Protection device (1) of a lock according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises a first switch (18) adapted to control a sound and / or light indicator, said . first switch (18) being in a first state when said flap (4) is in said working position and in a second state when said flap (4) is in said rest position. 9) Protection device (1) of a lock according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a portion of said flap (4) facing said hole of said plate (2) in said position of The invention relates to a workpiece (9) coated with a non-stick coating (10) in contact with said plate (2). 10) Protection device (1) of a lock according to claim 9, characterized in that said piece (9) is rotatable on said flap (4) and has a flat (22) facing, in said position of working said flap (4), a second switch (20) adapted to control an audible and / or light alarm. 11) Device for protecting (1) a lock according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it further comprises a door knob (24) constituting said door handle. 2936543 -15- 12) Device for protecting (1) a lock according to claim 11, characterized in that said door knob (24) comprises a torque limiter (25,26,27,28,29,29a). 5 13) Device for protecting (1) a lock according to any one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that a seal (35) is arranged between said door knob (24) and a bearing ( 31) of said door knob (24). 10 14) Device for protecting (1) a lock according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the rotation of said door knob (24) is free on a quarter turn (7,8), is blocked, the quarter turn is then obtained with the help of the magnetic key. 15 15) magnetic key (16) adapted to unlock the protection device (1) of a lock according to any one of claims 1 to 14 above, characterized in that it comprises at least one magnetic pad (15) arranged at 20 adjacent a surface element intended to be placed opposite said at least first magnet (12) inserted into a pin. 16) A magnetic key (16) according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises a first portion (37) plane elongate form, substantially rectangular, and a second portion (40), inclined relative to the first (37) ), pierced to form the ring of the key. 17) A magnetic key (16) according to claim 16, characterized in that said first portion (37) is formed of a plate (36) of non-magnetic metal having a first rectangular section arranged in a hollow rectangular section (39) having a second inner section complementary to said first section. 35 18) A magnetic key (16) according to claim 17, characterized in that the longitudinal edges of said plate (36) comprise a plurality of notches (38), arranged in staggered rows, and in that said at least one magnetic pad (15) ) is placed in at least one of said notches (38).