GB2265936A - A door lock with disabling means for the handle - Google Patents

Abstract

A door lock for the rear doors of a van has an inside handle 16 and an outside handle 56 with an operating member 60 connected between the two handles such that the operating member can be turned by either handle to extend or retract shoot bolts 18, 20 which move axially relative to the edge of the door. In the unlocked condition, either handle can be used to turn the operating member; in the locked condition, the outside handle turns freely without affecting the operating member. Between the operating member and the outside handle are two relatively axially movable components 60, 80 which engage with each other in the unlocked condition but are separated in the locked condition. The engagement is by means of dogs 82 on part 80 engaging recesses (not shown) in the base of the cylindrical housing 84 of part 60. Relative movement of parts 60 and 80 is effected by the locking mechanism itself which has an arm with a pin locating in circumferential groove 90 of part 80. <IMAGE>

Description

A DOOR LOCK This invention relates to a door lock which is particularly adapted for use on the rear, loading doors of 'a van or truck, but which is not exclusively intended for such use.

The closure mechanism for the loading doors of a truck or van conventionally comprises two shoot bolts which extend vertically along the edge of one of the pair of doors and can be moved axially to engage in keepers at the top and bottom of the door frame, to latch the door in a closed position or can be retracted from the keepers so that the door can open. A single operating handle is required to operate both bolts, and it is desirable that the latching mechanism can be locked to prevent unauthorised opening of the doors.

According to the present invention, there is provided a door lock comprising an outside operating member, an inside operating member, a latch mechanism and a lock mechanism, wherein, in the unlocked condition, the two operating members are connected at opposite ends of a force transmission path which can transmit rotational force between the operating members, so that the operating members can move together to operate the latch mechanism, and wherein the force transmission path includes two relatively axially moveable components which can be moved apart by the lock mechanism to interrupt the force transmission path so that operation of at least one of the operating members does not operate the latch mechanism.

The two relatively axially moveable components preferably comprise one component with a dog or dogs which engage in corresponding recesses in the other component. One of the components is preferably held against axial movement, whilst the other one is axially moveable.

The axially moveable component can include an annular groove, and an actuator pin can engage in this annular groove so that whatever the rotational position of the axially moveable component, the actuator pin will still engage with the component. The actuator-pin can be provided on a pivoted lever so that as the lever is turned between two opposite end positions the axially moveable component is either connected to or disconnected from the other component.

The lock preferably comprises a frame to be fixed in the interior space within a motor vehicle door, with the axially moveable components being supported in the frame for rotational movement. The frame may also form the mounting for a central locking motor and for a lever carrying an actuator pin.

One of the components forming the force transmission path may carry a cam which cooperates with a switch mounted adjacent the position of the component to provide a "door ajar" warning function.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a view of two rear doors of a van, viewed from inside the van, and incorporating a door lock in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows part of the door lock according to the invention, viewed from the outside of the van; Figure 3 is an exploded view of the part of the lock mechanism omitted from Figure 2; Figure 4 is an assembled view of the components shown in Figure 3; Figures 5 and 6 are respectively elevation and end views of an axially moveable component for the lock of the invention; Figure 7 is an elevational view of another component; Figure 8 is an elevational view of part of the outside door handle; and Figure 9 is an end view of the part of the door handle shown in Figure 8.

Figure 1 shows two doors 10 and 12 of a van. Each door has a window 14 and the left hand door 10 has an inside door handle 16 which is connected to two shoot bolts 18, 20. The handle 16 is housed in a recess 22 in the inside door panel and can be turned through 90o. When the handle is turned through 90 the shoot bolts 18, 20 are retracted into the interior of the door so that the door can be opened. When the door is latched shut, the handle 16 is in the position shown in Figure 1 and the shoot bolts 18, 20 are extended as shown.The projecting parts of the shoot bolts at the top and bottom engage in keepers in the door frame which is itself not shown in Figure 1. The doors 10, 12 are arranged so that the door 12 is shut before the door 10 and when the door 10 is shut and latched, then the door 12 is also held closed.

Figure 2 shows in phantom lines the inner door panel 24 of the door 10 and the outer panel 26. A space 28 is enclosed between the inner and outer panels and this houses the door lock. Figure 2 shows a frame which is generally designated with a numeral 30, but from which most of the moveable parts of the lock have been omitted. The frame includes two coaxial bearing rings 32 and 3d which will support other components shown in Figures 3 and 4. An escutcheon plate 36 is fitted in the inner panel 24 to form the recess 22 and a hole 38 is provided in this plate to allow an operating shaft to extend through the inner panel 24. A similar hole (not shown in Figure 2) will be provided in the outer panel 26.

A key-operated lock 40 is mounted in the outer panel 26, in a conventional manner. A central locking motor 42 is fixed to the frame 30.

An actuating pin a is mounted on one limb of a bell crank lever 46 which is pivoted at 48 and has a spring 50 to return it to a rest position. The other limb of the lever 46 is connected by a rod 52 to the lock 40 and by a rod 54 to the central locking motor 42. Thus the lever 46 can be moved, to move the actuating pin 4t, either by operation of the central locking motor 42 or by operation of the lock 40.

The effect of movement of the actuating pin 44 will be described with reference to the remaining figures.

Figure 3 shows an outside door handle 56 and an inside door handle 16. A first rotational force transmitting component 60 has a pair of diametrically opposite lugs 62, 64 which will each engage with one of the shoot bolts 18, 20. The component 60 has a first bearing surface 65 which will be received in the bearing ring 32 of the frame 30 and a second bearing surface 66 which will be received in the bearing ring 34. A circlip 68 will be fitted in a groove 70 to retain the component 60 in position.

The right hand end of the component 60 has a squared shank 72 which will project through the hole 38 in the escutcheon plate 36. The handle 16 which has a correspondingly squared socket 74 will then be placed on the shank 72 and retained in place, for example by a screw 76 In this way rotation of the inside door handle 16 will always rotate the component 60. Rotation of this component through an angle of about 90 will move the shoot bolts from their fully retracted position in which the door can be opened to their fully extended position as shown in Figure 1 when the door will be latched.

A second rotational force transmitting component 80 fits inside the component 60 and has two axially extending dogs 82 at its inner end. The component 80 is inserted into a blind bore 84 in the component 60, and the base of this bore has corresponding recesses 86 (see Figure 7) for receiving these dogs when the component 80 is fully received within the component 60.

An internal circlip 88 will be fitted around a reduced diameter centre portion 90 of the component 80 when this is partly received in the bore 84, to retain the two parts together but to allow relative axial movement sufficient to disengage the dogs 82 from the recesses 86.

The component 80 also has an annular groove 92 and the actuator pin 44 will engage in this groove so that when the pin is moved, the component 80 is either moved out of or moved into the bore 84 to engage and disengage the dogs 82 in the recesses 86.

The exterior handle 56 will have a mounting arrangement (not shown) for securing it on the door outer panel 26, and has a shaped shaft 94 which engages in a corresponding shaped socket 96 in the component 80. The engagement between the shaft 94 and the socket 96 is such as to ensure that the parts remain engaged whatever the axial position of the component 80.

One further feature should be mentioned. The axially fixed component 60 has a cam surface 98 which will be located between the bearing rings 32 and 34. This cam surface cooperates with a "door ajar" switch 100 (see Figure 2) and the switch 100 will be able to tell from the position of the cam 98 whether the door has been properly latched or not, and this can be indicated to the driver by a conventional indicating arrangement.

In use, when the door is unlocked the dogs 82 will engage in the recesses 86 and the door can be latched or unlatched (ie the shoot bolts 18, 20 can be retracted or extended) by using either the external handle 56 or the internal handle 16.

When the door is locked either by the central locking motor 42 or through the key cylinder 40, the actuating pin 4 is moved in a direction towards the outer panel 26 of the door, the component 80 is moved axially and the dogs 82 disengage from the recesses 86. In this condition the outside handle 56 can move freely between its opposite end positions without having any effect on the positions of the shoot bolts 18, 20. Because of the sliding connection between the shaft 94 and the socket 96, any axial force applied to the outside handle 56 will not affect the position of the component 80 and will not affect the disconnection of the rotary force transmission path. However the inside handle 16 can still be operated to latch or unlatch the door.

The outside door handle 56 will normally be spring-loaded to return to a latched position, but when the door is locked it will freewheel against the action of this spring loading.

In the unlocked condition, the components 60 and 80 form a rotational force transmission path, that is a rotational force applied either through the inside handle 16 or through the outside handle 56 will be transmitted to the shoot bolts via the lugs 62 and 64 and to the other of the handles. In the locked condition however the force transmission path is interrupted and rotational force applied to the outside handle will not be transmitted to the lugs 62 and 64.

Claims (9)

Claims

1. A door lock comprising an outside operating member, an inside operating member, a latch mechanism and a lock mechanism, wherein, in the unlocked condition, the two operating members are connected at opposite ends of a force transmission path which can transmit rotational force between the operating members, so that the operating members can move together to operate the latch mechanism, and wherein the force transmission path includes two relatively axially moveable components which can be moved apart by the lock mechanism to interrupt the force transmission path so that operation of at least one of the operating members does not operate the latch mechanism.

2. A door lock as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two relatively axially moveable components comprise one component with a dog or dogs which engage in corresponding recesses in the other component.

3. A door lock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein one of the components is held against axial movement, whilst the other one is axially moveable.

4. A door lock as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the axially moveable component includes an annular groove and an actuator pin engages in this annular groove so that whatever the rotational position of the axially moveable component, the actuator pin will still engage with the component.

5. A door lock as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the actuator pin is provided on a pivoted lever so that as the lever is turned between two opposite end positions the axially moveable component is either connected to or disconnected from the other component.

6. A door lock as claimed in any preceding claim, including a frame to be fixed in the interior space within a motor vehicle door, with the axially moveable components being supported in the frame for rotational movement.

7. A door lock as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the frame also forms the mounting for a central locking motor and for a lever carrying an actuator pin.

8. A door lock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one of the components forming the force transmission path carries a cam which cooperates with a switch mounted adjacent the position of the component to provide a "door ajar" warning function.

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