GB2040344A - Locking handles - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking handle, for example for a window comprises a lever-type handle portion and an integral locking nose (2) pivotally mounted on a fixing plate (8). A cylinder lock (10) for locking the handle portion (4) to the fixing plate (8) is mounted in an enlarged part of the handle portion (4) adjacent to, but offset from the pivotal axis 6 of the handle portion (4). The axis of the cylinder lock (10) may be parallel with the pivotal axis 6 of the handle portion (4) as shown, or transverse to the pivotal axis of the handle portion (4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Locking handles The present invention relates to locking handles, and more particularly to latches incorporating locking handles.

In one well known type of latch for a casement window, a pivotal locking nose is integral with an actuating handle by means of which the nose can be pivoted into engagement with a locking place secured to the fixed part of the window frame, so as to fasten the window in its closed position.

To provide additional security to a latch of this type, it has been proposed to incorporate into the latch, a key-operated lock by which the handle can be locked when the latch is in its fastened position. In certain previously proposed arrangements, a cylinder lock for locking the handle is mounted to lie on the handle boss so that the axis of the lock coincides with the pivotal axis of the latch. With this arrangement, the depth of the latch in the zone of the handle boss is relatively great which means that this portion of the latch must be offset inwardly from the edge of the window by a sufficient distance to prevent it from fouling the fixed part of the window frame when the window is swung open. With most types of window, the offset required means that the latch is visible from the outside of the window.

The novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a latch incorporating a locking handle in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the latch shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the latch shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the latch shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the handle portion of the latch of Figure 1, with the fixing plate removed; Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 4 but showing a modified form of locking mechanism for the handle; Figure 7 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of a latch incorporating a locking handle; Figure 8 is a front elevation of a latch shown in Figure 7;; Figure 9 is a plan view of the latch shown in Figure 7; Figure 10 is a section taken on line A-A of Figure 8; and Figure 11 is a section taken on line B-B of Figure 10.

The latches to be described herein are primarily intended for locking a casement window, although they may also be used for locking other openable members, such as doors.

The latch shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a pivotal locking nose 2 formed integrally with an actuating handle 4. The handle 4 is formed with a boss 4a which is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 6 carried by a fixing plate 8 which is intended to be secured to the movable part of the window. The nose cooperates in known manner with a locking plate (not shown) secured to the fixed part of the window frame. The handle 4 incorporates a locking mechanism whereby the handle 4 can be locked in the position it occupies when the nose 2 is engaged with the locking plate, whereby to prevent unauthorised opening of the latch except by means of an appropriate key.

This locking mechanism comprises a locking cylinder 10, preferably with four or more levers, located in a housing formed in an enlarged portion of the handle 4 below the boss 4a. The axis of the cylindrical housing and of the locking cylinder 10 located therein is parallel with the axis of the pivot pin 6, and the housing is open at its front end to permit insertion of a key into the locking cylinder 10 to permit release of the cylinder in a conventional manner. The housing is closed at its rear end (that is, the end adjacent the fixing plate 8) by means of a plate 12 having an integral sleeve 14 which receives a cylindrical locking pin 16, which extends axially from the rear end of the locking cylinder 10.When the locking cylinder 10 is released by means of the key, it can be rotated within the housing and at the same time can be moved axially within the housing to enable the free end portion of the locking pin 16 to be extended into a locking position in which it projects beyond the plate 12, or to be retracted from this position. A rearwardly-facing helical surface 18 is formed within the housing around the locking cylinder 10, the locking cylinder 10 having at its rear end a radially projecting lug l0aarrangedtocooper- ate with the helical surface 18.The housing is formed with axial grooves 19 on diametrically opposite sides of the locking cylinder to receive, respectively, the levers of the cylinder in either one of two rotational positions of the cylinder 10 displaced through 180 and corresponding to forward and rear positions of the cylinder 10. A compression spring 20 located around the sleeve 14 is interposed between the plate 12 and a washer 22 at the rear end of the locking cylinder 10 to thrust the locking cylinder 10 forwardly, that is axially to the right as viewed in Figure 4, whereby to urge the lug 10a into engagement with the helical surface 18.

In the unlocked position of the handle, the angular position of the locking cylinder 10 with respect to the helical surface 18 is such that the front end of the cylinder projects externally through the housing as indicated in broken lines at the right of Figure 4; in this position, the free end portion of the locking pin 16 is retracted within the sleeve 14, and the handle is free to enable the nose 2 to be pivoted into, or out of, its latched position in engagement with the locking plate. Extension of the free end portion of the locking pin 16 when the nose 2 is in its latched position, will cause the free end portion of the locking pin 16 to lie laterally adjacent an abutment face 8a of the fixing plate 8, and in this state, rotation of the handle 4 to move the nose 2 into its unlatched position will be prevented by engagement of the locking pin 16 with the abutment face 8a.

The operation of the locking mechanism will now be briefly described.

When the handle has been pivoted into the latched position of the nose 2, with the locking cylinder 10 and locking pin 16 intheirforward positions, rotation of the locking cylinder 10 by means of the key will cause the locking cylinder 10, and thus the locking rod 16 to be moved rearwardly against the bias of the compression spring 20, due to the cooperation between the lug 1 0a and the helical surface 18 when the cylinder is rotated; the cylinder 10 will be locked in its rear position when the key is withdrawn. As discussed above, in this position the projecting free end portion of the locking pin 16 will prevent the handle from being rotated to unlatch the nose 2.

When it is required to release handle 4, the locking cylinder 10 can be rotated into its forward position by insertion of the key and this will cause retraction of the locking pin 16.

In the modified arrangement shown in Figure 6, the locking pin 16 projects rearwardlyfrom a housing 30 mounted at the rear end of the locking cylinder 10 such that the housing 30 together with the locking pin will move axially with the locking cylinder 10, but the cylinder 10 can rotate relative to the locking pin 16 and the housing 30. The assembly comprising the locking cylinder 10, the housing 30, and the locking pin 16 are biased forwardly by compression spring 20 which is interposed between the plate 12 and the rear end of the housing 30.

The housing 30 carries a plunger 32 which is biased radially outwardly by means of a spring 34.

When the locking cylinder 10 is located in a rear position in which the locking pin 16 projects beyond the plate 12, the plunger 32 can enter a recess 36 in the main body of the handle 4 to prevent rearwards axial movement of the cylinder 10 and locking pin 16 until the cylinder 10 has been released by the key.

The cylinder 10 is linked to the plunger 32 by means of an eccentric projection 1 Ob whereby rotation of the cylinder will cause the plunger 32 to be withdrawn radially inwardly against the bias of the spring 34. In this form of the locking device, the locking cylinder 10 can be pushed into its rear locking position against the bias of the spring 20 by a finger pressure, the cylinder 10 being retained in this position by engagement of the plunger 32 in the recess 36. The plunger 32 can subsequently be released to permit retraction of the cylinder 10 and the locking pin 16 by rotation of the cylinder 10 by means of the key.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 7 to 11, the locking cylinder 10 is mounted in the main body portion of the handle 4 for rotation about an axis transverse to the axis of the handle boss 4a and pivot pin 6, the cylinder 10 being located beneath the boss.

The locking cylinder 10 carries a locking lug 10c which extends radially outwardly from the locking cylinder and which is pivoted upon rotation of the locking cylinder into and out of facing relationship with the abutment surface 8a of the fixing plate. In view of the orientation ofthe locking cylinder transversely to the axis of the pivot pin 6, no axial movement of the locking cylinder is required in this embodiment, the locking cylinder 10 being only rotated by means of the key so as to move the locking lug 10c into and out of its locking position.

In the embodiments described, the locking mechanism is mounted in the portion of the handle beneath the boss, and this portion of the handle will be pivoted inwardly away from the fixed part of the window frame when the handle is rotated to unlatch the nose 2. Due to this inwards pivotal movement, this portion of the handle will not foul the fixed part of the window frame when the window is swung open. This, in turn, means that the latch can be mounted close to the edge of the window so that it is not visible from the outside.

Claims (8)

1. A locking handle comprising a lever-type handle portion pivotally mounted on a mounting member, and a key-operated lock mounted in the handle portion at a position spaced from the pivot and on the same side of the pivot as the handle portion, said lock being operable to lock the handle portion against the mounting member to prevent release of the handle portion.

2. A locking handle according to claim 1, wherein the lock is a cylinder lock mounted in the handle portion for movement in a helical path between an inner position at which a locking pin of the lock projects into a recess in the mounting member to prevent release of the handle portion and an outer position at which the locking pin is withdrawn from the recess.

3. A handle according to claim 2, wherein the helical path of the cylinder lock is defined by a helical surface formed in the handle portion around the cylinder, the cylinder having a lug engageable with the surface.

4. A handle according to claim 3, wherein the cylinder is spring-biased in an axial direction to maintain the lug in engagement with the helical surface.

5. A handle according to claim 1, wherein the lock is a cylinder lock mounted in the handle portion for rotation about an axis transverse to the pivotal axis of the handle portion, and the cylinder carries a locking lug pivotal, upon rotation ofthe cylinder, between a locking position in which the lug engages with the mounting member to prevent release of the handle portion and a position retracted from the mounting means.

6. A locking handle for a window, comprising a lever-type handle portion and an integral latch portion, the handle portion and latch portion being pivotally mounted on a mounting member of the handle, a key-operated cylinder lock mounted in an enlarged part of the handle portion at a position adjacent to, but offset from the pivotal axis of the handle portion, with the axis of the lock being parallel to the pivotal axis of the handle portion and being on the same side of the pivotal axis as the handle portion, the lock being spring-mounted in the handle portion for movement relative to the handle portion along a predetermined helical path between an inner position in which a locking pin extending axially from the cylinder engages in a recess in the mounting memberto secure the handle portion against pivotal movement relative to the mounting member, and an outer position in which the locking pin is withdrawn from the recess.

7. A locking handle for a window, comprising a lever-type handle portion and an integral latch portion, the handle portion and latch portion being pivotally mounted on a mounting member of the handle, and a key-operated cylinder lock mounted in an enlarged part of the handle portion in a position adjacent to, but offset from, the pivotal axis of the handle portion, with the axis of the lock being transverse to the pivotal axis of the handle portion and being mounted on the same side of the pivotal axis as the handle portion, the lock being mounted in the handle portion for rotation between a position at which a locking lug extending radially from the cylinder engages in a recess in the mounting member to secure the handle portion against pivotal movement relative to the mounting member, and a position in which the locking lug is withdrawn from the recess.

8. A locking handle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.