GB2165578A - Locking mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A door 11 for locking an aperture has a plurality of locking devices 14, 21, 31 and 32 spaced around its periphery. The locking devices are movable together between locking and unlocking positions. A linear guide 13 is aligned with the direction of movement of the devices 14 and 21 and a linkage 22 including a member 12 movable along the guide 13 connects the locking mechanism for simultaneous movement. The linear guide 13 preferably extends across a line joining the other locking devices 31 and 32 in order that the linkage can go "over-centre" to prevent the devices being moved from their locking to their unlocking positions by pressure on one of the devices. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Locking mechanism This invention relates to a locking mechanism for locking a structure by operating a plurality of locking devices together. A structure such as a door has been conventionally locked at one edge only, that edge being opposite to the hinged edge. Since the hinges themselves may be weak, it has been proposed to provide a door which can be completely removed from its aperture when unlocked, but which is locked by locking devices spaced around its periphery. The present invention can be applied to such an arrangement and an embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawing. A square door 11 is provided with a locking bolt along each of its edges.

The bolts are connected together for simultaneous operation by an linkage. This linkage includes a first member 12 which is moved linearly along a slot 13 in the interior of the door 11. One locking bolt 14 is connected directly to the member 12, being withdrawn to a position flush with the edge of the door in the unlocked position shown in full lines in the figure and being extended by the length of the stroke of the member 12 to the position shown in dashed lines in the figure.

The bolt 21 on the opposite side of the door is connected by means of a reversing linkage 22 to the member 12. The linkage 22 includes a lever 23 pivoted at 24 so as to convert the stroke of the member 12 and the bolt 13 to a smaller stroke for the bolt 21, corresponding to the ratio of the lengths of the lever 23 on either side of the pivot 24. In the unlocked position, the bolt 21 is withdrawn to a position flush with the edge ofthe door and in the locked position it is extended to the position shown in dashed lines in the figure and the lever 22 moves from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dash lines by pivoting about 24 as the member 12 moves along the slot 13.

The linkage can be moved between its locked and unlocked positions by moving the member 12 along its slot, or by pivoting the lever 23 about its pivot 24.

On the two other sides of the door, locking bolts 31 and 32 are provided, connected by mirror-image linkages 33 and 34 to the member 12, and which cause the bolts 31 and 32 to extend proud of the corresponding edges of the door 11 as the member 12 moves along the slot 13. In the locked position, the member 12 moves slightly past the line joining the bolts 31 and 32 so that the mechanism cannot be moved from its locked position to its unlocked position by exerting pressure on the bolts 31 and 32, although this can be done by exerting pressure on the bolts 14 and 21.

The operation of the locking mechanism can be arranged by a simple handle, or by fitting a lock or by a remote controlled mechanism. This can apply linear movement to the member 12, or rotary movement to the lever 22.

The figure shows the linkage for operating the bolts, which linkage is contained within the interior of the door. The linkage will be protected from tampering by a cover on either side, so that the only access to the mechanism from the or each side of the door which is desired to be secure will be by means of the handle, lock or controlled mechanism.

The relative strokes of the locking bolts can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the slot 13 relative to the line joining the bolts 31 and 32 and adjusting the position of the pivot 24 along the length of the lever 23.

The background of the invention can be broadly defined as a locking mechanism for locking a structure to its surroundings comprising a plurality of locking devices arranged around the periphery of the structure, an actuating device on the structure for moving each locking device between its locking and unlocked positions and a linkage between all of said devices.

The improvement in this background arrangement made by the invention may reside in a linear guide in the structure for an actuating member so that the actuating member moves along a linear path in moving the locking devices between their two positions. The linear guide may be aligned with the stroke of one of two locking devices. The length of the guide may extend on either side of a line forming two of the locking devices.

The improvement may reside in a lever forming part of the linkage which lever causes one locking device to have a stroke different in length from another locking device.

Other expressions of the improvement may be deduced from the description above or from the drawing.

1. A door for locking an aperture comprising a plurality of locking devices spaced around the periphery of the door and operable together between locking and unlocking positions, the door comprising a linear guide aligned with the direction of movement of one of said locking mechanisms and a linkage including a member movable along said guide, the linkage connecting said locking mechanisms for simultaneous movement.

2. A door as claimed in Claim 1 comprising a second locking mechanism aligned with said one locking mechanism and located on the opposite edge of said door from said one locking mechanism.

3. A door as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein two further locking mechanisms are arranged on opposite edges of the door along a line at right angles to said linear guide.

4. A door as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said linear guide extends on either side of said line joining said further locking mechanisms.

5. A door as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein one of said locking mechanisms has a longer stroke between the unlocked and locked positions than other locking mechanisms.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Locking mechanism This invention relates to a locking mechanism for locking a structure by operating a plurality of locking devices together. A structure such as a door has been conventionally locked at one edge only, that edge being opposite to the hinged edge. Since the hinges themselves may be weak, it has been proposed to provide a door which can be completely removed from its aperture when unlocked, but which is locked by locking devices spaced around its periphery. The present invention can be applied to such an arrangement and an embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawing. A square door 11 is provided with a locking bolt along each of its edges. The bolts are connected together for simultaneous operation by an linkage. This linkage includes a first member 12 which is moved linearly along a slot 13 in the interior of the door 11. One locking bolt 14 is connected directly to the member 12, being withdrawn to a position flush with the edge of the door in the unlocked position shown in full lines in the figure and being extended by the length of the stroke of the member 12 to the position shown in dashed lines in the figure. The bolt 21 on the opposite side of the door is connected by means of a reversing linkage 22 to the member 12. The linkage 22 includes a lever 23 pivoted at 24 so as to convert the stroke of the member 12 and the bolt 13 to a smaller stroke for the bolt 21, corresponding to the ratio of the lengths of the lever 23 on either side of the pivot 24. In the unlocked position, the bolt 21 is withdrawn to a position flush with the edge ofthe door and in the locked position it is extended to the position shown in dashed lines in the figure and the lever 22 moves from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dash lines by pivoting about 24 as the member 12 moves along the slot 13. The linkage can be moved between its locked and unlocked positions by moving the member 12 along its slot, or by pivoting the lever 23 about its pivot 24. On the two other sides of the door, locking bolts 31 and 32 are provided, connected by mirror-image linkages 33 and 34 to the member 12, and which cause the bolts 31 and 32 to extend proud of the corresponding edges of the door 11 as the member 12 moves along the slot 13. In the locked position, the member 12 moves slightly past the line joining the bolts 31 and 32 so that the mechanism cannot be moved from its locked position to its unlocked position by exerting pressure on the bolts 31 and 32, although this can be done by exerting pressure on the bolts 14 and 21. The operation of the locking mechanism can be arranged by a simple handle, or by fitting a lock or by a remote controlled mechanism. This can apply linear movement to the member 12, or rotary movement to the lever 22. The figure shows the linkage for operating the bolts, which linkage is contained within the interior of the door. The linkage will be protected from tampering by a cover on either side, so that the only access to the mechanism from the or each side of the door which is desired to be secure will be by means of the handle, lock or controlled mechanism. The relative strokes of the locking bolts can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the slot 13 relative to the line joining the bolts 31 and 32 and adjusting the position of the pivot 24 along the length of the lever 23. The background of the invention can be broadly defined as a locking mechanism for locking a structure to its surroundings comprising a plurality of locking devices arranged around the periphery of the structure, an actuating device on the structure for moving each locking device between its locking and unlocked positions and a linkage between all of said devices. The improvement in this background arrangement made by the invention may reside in a linear guide in the structure for an actuating member so that the actuating member moves along a linear path in moving the locking devices between their two positions. The linear guide may be aligned with the stroke of one of two locking devices. The length of the guide may extend on either side of a line forming two of the locking devices. The improvement may reside in a lever forming part of the linkage which lever causes one locking device to have a stroke different in length from another locking device. Other expressions of the improvement may be deduced from the description above or from the drawing. CLAIMS

1. A door for locking an aperture comprising a plurality of locking devices spaced around the periphery of the door and operable together between locking and unlocking positions, the door comprising a linear guide aligned with the direction of movement of one of said locking mechanisms and a linkage including a member movable along said guide, the linkage connecting said locking mechanisms for simultaneous movement.

2. A door as claimed in Claim 1 comprising a second locking mechanism aligned with said one locking mechanism and located on the opposite edge of said door from said one locking mechanism.

3. A door as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein two further locking mechanisms are arranged on opposite edges of the door along a line at right angles to said linear guide.

4. A door as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said linear guide extends on either side of said line joining said further locking mechanisms.

5. A door as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein one of said locking mechanisms has a longer stroke between the unlocked and locked positions than other locking mechanisms.

6. A door for locking an aperture substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.