GB2210661A

GB2210661A - Reversible lockable handle unit for doors

Info

Publication number: GB2210661A
Application number: GB8823338A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mario Bertelli
Original assignee: BERTELLI SNC FLLI
Current assignee: BERTELLI SNC FLLI
Priority date: 1987-10-06
Filing date: 1988-10-05
Publication date: 1989-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-05
Also published as: IT212790Z2; GB2210661B; GB8823338D0; IT8707110V0

Abstract

The unit comprises a spring-loaded device for returning the handle to its starting position after every movement and an abutment member 18 engageable with the said device to prevent operation of the handles and lock the door in a closed position, the spring-loaded device comprising a plate 15 with an endpiece 15'' extending towards said abutment member 18 in which the member 18 is rotatably mounted on a lockplate 12 of a handle parallel to the axis of rotation of the handles. Two curved slots 23-23' which are concentric with the latch are made in said lockplate 12 and the member 18 has a pin 24 which engages one of the said slots selectively to adapt the member 18 to either right-handed or left-handed handles and to determine the inoperative position and operative position of the member in either case. <IMAGE>

Description

HANDLE-PLATE UNIT FOR DOORS This invention relates to a handle-plate unit for doors incorporating a spring-loaded device for returning the handle to its starting position after use and a latch which acts together with said device for preventing operation of the handle and locking the door in a closed position.

At the present time both handle-plate units for doors incorporating a spring-loaded device for automatically returning the handle to its starting position after use and means for immobilising the handle from the inside in order to prevent a door from being opened when it is closed are already known.

A handle-plate unit simultaneously incorporating both spring-loaded returning means and means for obstructing the action of the handle from the inside of the door have also been proposed. One unit of this kind has for example been designed for the doors of toilets and rooms where it is desired to prevent access by securing the handle from inside the door without using any key lock. In known embodiments, however, the unit and more specifically the means for obstructing the handle, must be specifically designed for right handed handles and there is no possibility of reversing them for left-handed handles.

The object of this invention on the other hand is to provide a handle-plate unit with a latch capable of obstructing the action of the handle which is reversible and which can be used with both right handed handles and left handed handles, the lockplate with which the latch is incorporated being designed to permit such reversibility.

According to the present invention there is provided a handle-plate unit for doors incorporating a spring-loaded device for returning the handle to its starting position after every movement and a latch working together with the said device to prevent operation of the handles and lock the door in a closed position, the spring-loaded device comprising a plate with an endpiece pointing towards said latch in which the latch is rotatably mounted on a lockplate of a handle parallel to the axis of rotation of the handles, in which two curved slots which are concentric with the latch are made in said lockplate and in which the latch has a pin which engages one of the said slots selectively to adapt the latch to either right-handed handles or left-handed handles and to determine the inoperative position and operative position of the latch in either case.

Preferably, the locking latch has a cam portion which operates in conjunction with the endpiece of the plate and has a protrusion and two sides or flats, the protrusion pointing towards the plate in order to engage it when the latch is in the operative position, while one of the two flats is turned towards the plate when the latch is in the inoperative position.

Further preferably, the locking latch is keyed onto the end of a bar which bears at its opposite end a head for emergency action using a tool.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view, in partial cross-section of a hand-plate unit mounted on a door; Fig. 2 and 3 are perspective views of handleplate unit with and without the locking latch, respectively; and Fig. 4 and 5 are internal rear views of the handle-plate unit with the latch in the free and locked positions, respectively.

As illustrated, a door 11, has inside and outside handles 10, 10' and lockplates 12, 12' which support and mount the said handles 10, 10' on the door 11.

The handles 10, 10' are designed to operate a spring latch 14 to lock the door 11 against a jamb in a known way by means of a square or polygonal bar 13. Each handle, or at least the handle 10 on the inside of the door, is also fitted with a device to automatically return the handle to its starting position after any movement of the spring lock. A device of this kind includes, in a known way, a plate 15 which is mounted on the inside face of lockplate 12 and is keyed onto and rotates with handle bar 10, and a coiled spring 16, one end of which engages the handle shaft and the other end of which engages a pin 17 which is integral with the lockplate.The plate has two projections 15' which act together with pin 17 to determine the rotation and resting position of the handle and an endpiece 15" which is designed to operate together with a locking latch 18, which can be gripped and rotated manually by means of a knob.

The locking latch 18 is fixed to the end of a second bar 19 mounted between lockplates 12, 12', parallel to the handle bar 10, 10' and bears a head 20 at its distal end.

Locking latch 18 projects from the inside of the door and has a cam portion projecting inside lockplate 12 formed by a protrusion 21 which is designed to engage and interact with end portion 15" of plate 15 and two flat pieces 22, 22' mounted in such a way that the latch does not obstruct plate 15 when the latter rotates together with the handle and the latch is in the resting position.

Two curved slots 23, 23' are cut concentrically with latch 18 in lockplate 12 and on the front side of the latch has a pin 24 designed to engage selectively one or other of curved slots 23, 23'.

The purpose of this is to make the latch suitable for both right handed handles and left handed handles and to limit the rotation of the latch from the resting position to the position in which locking occurs, and vice versa.

Locking latch 18 is therefore reversible and when it is in the operating position - see Fig. 4 - one of its flat sides 22 or 22' is turned towards endpiece 15" of plate 15 depending upon whether the handle is right handed or left handed. The plate 15 is then not engaged by any part of the latch with the result that the handles can be operated normally in order to open and close the door.

On the other hand, when latch 18 is in the operating position - see Fig. 5 - protrusion 21 of its cam portion is turned towards endpiece 15' of plate 15, engaging with it so as to prevent its displacement and operation of the handles and therefore opening of the door when it is closed.

The locking latch is moved into its inoperative position and its operative position from inside the door.

In emergencies, and in order to open the -door from the outside when it is locked by means of latch 18, all that is required is to engage head 20 which is keyed onto the second bar 19 of the opposite part of the latch using any kind of tool.

Claims

1. A handle-plate unit for doors incorporating a spring-loaded device for returning the handle to its starting position after every movement and a latch working together with the said device to prevent operation of the handles and lock the door in a closed position, the spring-loaded device comprising a plate with an endpiece pointing towards said latch in which the latch is rotatably mounted on a lockplate of a handle parallel to the axis of rotation of the handles, in which two curved slots which are concentric with the latch are made in said lockplate and in which the latch has a pin which engages one of the said slots selectively to adapt the latch to either right-handed handles or left-handed handles and to determine the inoperative position and operative position of the latch in either case.

2. A handle-plate unit for doors as claimed in claim l,in which the locking latch has a cam portion which operates in conjunction with the endpiece of the plate and has a protrusion and two sides or flats, the protrusion pointing towards the plate in order to engage it when the latch is in the operative position, while one of the two flats is turned towards the plate when the latch is in the inoperative position.

3. A handle-plate unit for doors as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the locking latch is keyed onto the end of a bar which bears at its opposite end a head for emergency action using a tool.

4. A handle-plate unit for doors, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.