GB2175446A

GB2175446A - Method of mounting a switch and a lock

Info

Publication number: GB2175446A
Application number: GB08512785A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter William Hall
Original assignee: Lowe and Fletcher Ltd
Current assignee: Lowe and Fletcher Ltd
Priority date: 1985-05-21
Filing date: 1985-05-21
Publication date: 1986-11-26
Also published as: GB8512785D0

Abstract

A lock (11) is mounted in an aperture in a wall (10) with a rear end portion of the lock protruding from the wall. An electrical switch (18) is a snap-fit on the protruding end portion of the lock. A key drives a member (21) to rotate switch operating mechanism (20). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of mounting a switch and a lock, resulting assembly and lock and switch for use in the method Description of invention From one aspect, the present invention relates to a combination comprising a wall defining an aperture, a lock and a switch mounted in respective fixed positions with respect to the wall in a relation such that operation of the switch can be controlled by the lock. In known arrangements of this kind, the swich and the lock are both mounted on the wall and the arrangement is such that the switch and the lock would be mounted at the same time.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a combination comprising a wall defining an aperture, a lock mounted on the wall and extending through the aperture and a switch spaced from the wall and mounted on the lock so that the lock supports the switch from the wall, wherein the switch includes a driven member movable relative to the wall and the lock includes a driving member arranged for driving the driven member of the switch.

The lock of a combination in accordance with the first aspect of the invention can be mounted on the wall prior to association of the switch with the lock. For example, the mechanical assembly of the lock with the wall can be carried out at a first time and place, electrical connection of the switch with other circuit components can be carried out at a sacond place and the switch can subsequently be mounted on the lock to complete the combination.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of mounting on a wall a switch and a lock for controlling operation of the switch, wherein there is formed in the wall an aperture, the lock is introduced into the aperture and is fixed to the wall and the switch is then mounted on a part of the lock protruding from the wall.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention a lock and a switch, both of which are suitable for use in a combination according to claim 1.

An example of a combination according to the first aspect of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows the assembly in side elevation and partly in cross-section in a plane containing an axis of the assembly.

The assembly shown in the accompanying drawing comprises a wall 10 defining an opening which, in the example illustrated, is circular. The wall may be, for example a sheet metal wall which serves the purpose of supporting instruments and/or controls and of enclosing electrical connectors and conductors.

The assembly further comprises a lock 11 which includes a tubular housing 12 and a key-receiving member 13 disposed in the housing. The housing includes a head 14 lying at one side, generally termed the front, of the wall 10 and a portion 15 having a smaller diameter than that of the head 14, which portion extends from the head through the aperture in the wall 10 and projects from the rear face of the wall. A retaining element 16 is mounted on the portion 15 of the housing at the rear of the wall 10 to engage both the wall and the housing and prevent the housing moving relative to the wall in a forwards direction along an axis 17 defined by the lock.

Typically, the retaining element 16 is a nut which is screwed onto a male thread provided on the outside of the housing. If required, the opening in the wall may be non-circular and the portion 15 of the housing formed with a complimentary transverse cross-section, to prevent turning of the housing relative to the wall.

The head 14 on the lock housing defines an open-end of the lock housing, at which the key receiving member 13 is accessible. In the absence of a key from the lock, the member 13 is restrained against rotation about the axis 17 relative to the housing 12 by locking elements, in a known manner. The locking elements may be disc or pin tumblers or magnetic elements. The member 13 presents forwardly of the lock a key-receiving slot into which there can be inserted a key for displacing the locking elements to respective releasing positions and thereby freeing the member 13 for rotation relative to the housing 12 about the axis 17. The key (not shown) is adapted to transmit torque to the member 13.

At the rear of the lock 11, there is provided a switch 18 comprising a body 19 and a driven element 20 mounted in the body for rotation relative thereto about the axis 17.

The body and element 20 support respective electrical contacts, the contact or contacts supported by the body 10 generally being called fixed contacts, whilst the contact or contacts supported by the element 20 are generally called moving contacts. These contacts may be arranged in a known manner.

The driven element 20 presents forwardly along the axis 17 a socket having a non-circular shape, as viewed along the axis 17.

An end portion of the key receiving member 13 remote from the head 14 protrudes from the housing 12 into the socket defined by the driven element 20 of the switch. This end portion 21 of the key receiving member has a shape complimentary to that of the socket and is thereby adapted to transmit torque to the driven element of the switch.

The body 19 of the switch is provided with a plurality of mounting elements 22 which project from the remainder of the body towards, but not to, the wall 10 into overlap ping relation with the housing 12 of the lock.

Each mounting element 22 has the form of a resilient finger and is provided adjacent to its free end with on inwardly facing lip 23. The housing 12 of the lock is provided with a mounting formation in the form of an annular groove 24 which is adjacent to the rear end of the lock housing and faces away from the axis 17. The lips 23 of the mounting elements are a snap-fit in the groove 24 to hold the switch in a fixed position with respect to the lock.

The lock 11 is mounted in the aperture of the wall 10 and is fixed with respect to the wall by means of the retaining element 16, before the switch 18 is applied to the lock.

The swich can be connected electrically with other circuit components at a separate work station and then brought into proximity to the lock. The switch is advanced towards the lock along the axis 17 at the rear side of the wall 10 so that the retaining fingers 22 engage the outside of the housing 12 as the end portion 21 of the key receiving member commences to enter the socket of the switch. Application of pressure to the switch causes the fingers 22 to flex outwardly and then to snap into the groove 24. It will be noted that, in the complete assembly, the switch is spaced a substantial distance from the wall 10. Accordingly, the thickness of the wall does not affect the relation between the switch and the lock, The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. The combination comprising a wall defining an aperture, a lock mounted on the wall and extending through the aperture and a switch spaced from the wall and mounted on the lock so that the lock supports the switch on the wall, wherein the switch includes a driven member movable relative to the wall and the lock includes a driving member arranged for driving the driven member of the switch.

2. A combination according to Claim 1 wherein the lock includes a hollow housing and a retaining member, the switch includes a body, one or more fixed electrical contacts carried by the body and one or more movable contacts carried by the driven member, the driving member of the lock lies at least partly within the housing and is adapted to receive a key, the retaining member is engaged with the wall and with the housing to hold the housing with respect to the wall, the housing has a mounting formation spaced from the retaining member and from the wall and wherein the switch body has mounting elements engaged with the mounting formation of the housing.

3. A combination according to Claim 2 wherein the mounting elements are a snap-fit with the mounting formation of the housing.

4. A method of mounting on a wall a switch and a lock for controlling operation of the switch, wherein there is formed in the wall an aperture, the lock is introduced into the aperture and is fixed to the wall and wherein the switch is then mounted on a part of the lock protruding from the wall.

5. A method according to Claim 4 wherein the switch is pushed onto the lock in a direction towards the wall to snap retaining elements of the switch over a retaining formation of the lock.

6. A lock and switch suitable for use in a combination according to Claim 1, wherein the lock comprises a tubular housing defining an axis of the lock and a driving member mounted in the housing and rotatable relative thereto about the axis when the proper key is applied to the driving member, an end portion of the housing defines a channel facing away from the axis, the switch includes a driven member and a body having retaining elements which are a snap-fit in the channel of the housing, the driven member is turnable relative to the body and wherein the driving member of the lock and the driven member of the switch have complimentary formations adapted to cooperate, when the retaining elements are snapped into the channel, to transmit torque about said axis from the driving member to the driven member.

7. A switch suitable for use in a combination according to Claim 1 comprising a body, one or more fixed electrical contacts carried by the body, a driven member and one or more electrical contacts which are turnable with the driven member relative to the fixed contact or fixed contacts about a switch axis, wherein the body includes a substantially annular array of axially projecting fingers, each provided with a lip at its free end.

8. A lock suitable for use in a combination according to Claim 1 and comprising a tubular housing and a driving member disposed within the housing and wherein the end portion of the housing defines an outwardly facing channel.

9. A lock substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

10. A switch substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

11. A combination according to Claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

12. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.