GB2281344A - Garage door lock - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking mechanism for a garage up-and-over door includes slides (RA5 RA5, RA9) which couple to sliding latch actuating rods (not shown) and are driven via a pin-and-slot mechanism from a plate (RA4) carried on a handle shaft (RA22). A key-driven abutment (26C) acts via lost motion to move a cam (18) between two stable positions defined by a spring (17) to extend or retract a deadlock member (15) coupled to the cam to block or release one of the slides. Due to the lost motion connection the deadlock may be released by direct manual action from inside the door. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE Improvements in or relating to Locking Mechanisms This invention relates to improvements in or relating to locking mechanisms and is particularly, but not essentially, concerned with a locking mechanism for a garage door. Garage doors of the kind commonly referred to as "up-and-over-doors" have a centrally placed rotatable locking device which is coupled to rods extending outwardly to the sides of the door with latches which may be extended or retracted in order to engage either the inner face of the door frame or keepers provided in or on the door frame. Known constructions incorporate a rotatable handle with a central key lock and one disadvantage with this arrangement is that when the operating handle is turned into the latched position, automatic locking occurred.

In order to unlock the door the key has to be rotated whilst exerting a light torque on the handle and the key cannot be withdrawn until the handle starts to rotate. A further disadvantage is that although the operating handle could not be turned when the mechanism is locked, nevertheless the latch slides themselves could still be moved inwards against spring force.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a locking mechanism primarily for a garage door which includes a plurality of sliding latches disposed around the door periphery and movable from a retracted position to an extended position to engage a respective keep on the door frame by means of a rotatable handle, the handle being operatively coupled with each latch to effect retraction or extension thereof, a key actuated lock barrel having an abutment rotatable by a key from a neutral position in one direction to a first locking position and in an opposite direction to a second unlocking position, a lost motion cam coupled to a catch and movable from a first stable position wherein the catch obstructs a latch to prevent retraction to a second stable position wherein the catch is released to allow retraction, the cam being movable from one said position to the other by the abutment, the catch being manually operable to move the cam from one position to the other independently of the key.

With a construction in accordance with this invention it is now possible to make use of a profiled cylinder lock which gives much improved security and such locks are commonly known as 1,Eurolocks" or "Eurocylinder locks". With this type of lock, insertion of the key provides for rotation in either direction but it is essential for the lock to be centralised in a neutral position in order to withdraw or insert the key. In other words there is only one angular position in which the key can be entered or withdrawn from the lock. This invention thus provides a construction of mechanism principally for use on a garage door wherein the aforementioned type of key operated lock may be used.

One preferred embodiment according to this invention will now be described by way of an example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows an exploded pictorial view showing the components making up the locking mechanism, Figure la shows a detail of the latch slide sub assembly shown in Figure 1, Figure 2 shows a section through a vertical centre line of the unlatched mechanism, Figure 3 shows a side view of the unlatched mechanism, Figure 4 shows the unlatched mechanism as viewed from the interior of the door, Figure 5 shows a view from the exterior of the door when the mechanism is in the latched condition, Figure 6 shows a sectional view through the door and looking down on the top of the unlatched mechanism, Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view looking towards the back plate of the unlatched mechanism, Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of the unlatched mechanism with the water seal and the back plate removed, and Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the latched and locked mechanism with the water seal and the back plate removed.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and la, these show the components of the mechanism according to this invention which conveniently have been identified as groups of components forming sub-assemblies.

The case housing sub-assembly RA1 is produced by riveting four attachment pillars 3 to the case housing 2. The vertical latch slide sub-assembly RA9 (Figure la) is produced by riveting the attachment pin 8 to the vertical latch slide 10. The operating cam subassembly RA4 is produced by riveting the four spacers 13 to one of the three cam plates 11, two to one side and two to the opposite side in appropriate holes as shown in Figure 1. This riveted plate will be at the centre of the sub-assembly.

Taking the riveted centre plate, the vertical latch slide sub-assembly RA9 is placed in its appropriate position so that the part riveted spacer marked 13C passes though the slot 10A of the vertical latch slide sub-assembly RA9 and the lugs 12A of the spacer collar 12 are located in the half holes 11E of any two of the three cam plates 11. The two outer (unriveted) cam plates 11 are then placed in position so that the two riveted spacers marked 13A and 13B locate into the appropriate holes marked llA and llB and the other two riveted spacers marked 13C and 13D locate into the appropriate holes llC and llD of the other outer cam plate 11.

The riveting of the two outer cam plates 11 can then be completed.

The two horizontal latch slide sub-assemblies RA5 are produced by riveting one of each of the guide pins 7 and attachment pin 8 in the respective holes of each horizontal latch slide. The threaded square insert assembly RA22 is produced by riveting washer 24 to the threaded square insert 23.

To assemble the mechanism the surface 1A of the case housing assembly RA1 is laid face down on an assembly jig plate, the shuttle button pad is forming a locking catch is placed in position with the button 15B passing through the slot 1B of the case housing assembly RA1. The screw guide 16 is then placed in position with the semi round spigor 16A passing through the slot ic of the case housing assembly RA1. The lost motion locking cam 18 is then placed in the approximate position as shown in Figure 9 with the outer radius 18A and the inner radius 18B located between walls 16B and 16C respectively of the screw guide 16 and the round spigot 18C of the lost motion cam 18 placed in the elongated hole l5C of the shuttle button pad 15.

The torsion spring 17 is then placed over the appropriate attachment pillar 3 as shown in Figure 9 with the tail 17A contacting the inner side 1D of the case housing RA1 and the longer tail 17B is pulled over and released so that it induces a force against the round spigot 18D of the lost motion locking cam 18.

After placing the two shouldered collars 14 on each end of the operating cam assembly RA4, so that the lugs 14A locate into the appropriate holes llF of the two outer cam plates 11 of the operating cam assembly RA4, the open slots 5A of the two horizontal latch slide assemblies RA5 are located on the two appropriate rivets 13A and 13B of the operating cam RA4 and the complete arrangement is then placed into the case housing assembly RA1 ensuring that the vertical latch slide assembly RA9 is located in the cut out 1H and the two horizontal latch slide assemblies RA5 located in the cut outs 1J and 1K, so that all the latch slides are in their fully extended condition as shown in Figure 9. Care must also be taken to ensure that the smaller diameter 14B of the appropriate shouldered collar 14 is located into hole 1D as shown in Figure 2.

The back plate 20 is then placed on the case housing assembly RA1 ensuring that the guide pin 7 of each horizontal latch slide assembly RA5 is located into the appropriate guide slots 20E and the smaller diameter 14B of the shouldered collar 14 is located into hole 20A of the back plate 20. The back plate 20 is then secured to the four attached pillars 3 of the case housing assembly RA1 by four pan head screws 34.

With the use of a location tool if required, the profile cylinder lock 26 is located into the specially shaped hole IF of the case housing assembly RA1 until it just protrudes from the case housing assembly RA1.

The key hole 26A of the profile cylinder lock 26 should be on the same side as the back plate 20 and the tapped hole 26B should be half way between the inner face 20C of the back plate 20 and the inner face 1G of the case housing assembly RA1, so that the tapped hole 26B lines up with the through hole 16D of the screw guide 16.

At this stage the shake proof washer 33 is placed over the threaded diameter of the pan head screw 32 which is then pushed through the hole 16D of the screw guide 16 and screwed into hole 26B of the profile cylinder lock 26. This will provide axial restraint to the profile cylinder lock 26 relative to the case housing assembly RAl.

Attachment to a door is effected by placing the water seal 19 between the door interior and the back plate 20 of the latch assembly so that hole 19A of the water seal 19 lines up with hole 20A of the back plate 20 and the appropriate hole in the door, the four fixing holes 20D of the assembled back plate 20 should then be lined up with four corresponding holes in the door frame. On achieving this, the four push rivets 35 can then be pushed home so that the latch mechanism is attached to the door interior. The escutcheon 28 is provided with four pips 28A that line up with four holes provided in the door skin, so that the escutcheon 28 can be pushed and retained against the outer skin of the door. When this is done, the profile cylinder lock 26 will be just proud of the escutcheon 28.

The stem 21A of the handle 21 is then located into hole 28B of the escutcheon 28 through a hole in the door skin, through hole 19A of the water seal 19 until it makes contact with the shouldered collar 14.

The threaded square insert assembly RA22 is then passed through the handle 21 and right through the assembled latch mechanism and into the square 29A of the tee handle 29. It is then secured by the washer 20 and "nyloc" nut 31. Finally the exterior handle cover 25 is then snapped onto the handle 21 by means of an undercut ribbed periphery 25A and 21B respectively.

The door as supplied by a manufacturer provides rods that are fixed to the attachment pins 8 of the vertical and horizontal latch slides RA9 and RA5 respectively. The opposite ends of these rods are connected to latch slides (not shown) located at the edge of the door. Movement is then transferred from the lock latch slides to the door latch slides so that when the lock latch slides RA9 and RAS are fully extended as in Figure 9, the door is prevented from opening by the door latch slides having moved into keep plates attached to the door frame.

In operation and with the door closed and the latch slides fully extended and the shuttle button 15B of the shuttle button pad 15 in the upward position 1M of the slot in the case of the housing assembly RA1 as in Figure 9 the lock is in the latched and locked mode.

To unlock from the exterior, key 27 is inserted into hole 26A of the profile cylinder lock 26, (see Figure 1) and turned anticlockwise so that cam 26C pushes against the aperture side wall 18F and rotates the lost motion locking cam 18 in the same anticlockwise direction (Figure 8).

Since the shuttle button pad 15 is connected to the lost motion locking cam 18 through spigot 18C and slotted hole 15C, the shuttle button pad 15 is pulled downwards to the position ln of the case housing slot lb; if a person is on the inside of the door, unlocking can be achieved by moving the button 15B of the shuttle button pad 15 downwards from position 1M to position 1N of the case housing slot 1B without the use of a key. When the key 27 meets firm radial resistance and cannot be further turned in an anticlockwise direction, the key 27 is then turned in the opposite clockwise direction until the key is in a vertical position as shown in Figure 9 when withdrawal of the key 27 can be achieved.The torsion spring 17 will impart light radial resistance to the key 27 via the diameter spigot 18D of the lost motion cam 18 during the unlocking action and enable radial resistance to be maintained to the lost motion locking cam 18, keeping it in the unlocked position when the key 27 is turned clockwise to the vertical withdrawal position.

With the shuttle button pad 15 now in the downward position, the external handle 21 can be turned clockwise or, if on the inside of the door, the tee handle 29 can be turned anticlockwise. This in turn will rotate the operating cam assembly RA4 allowing the corner 4A to move radially upwards, at the same time withdrawing all the latch slide assemblies RAS and RA9 into the case housing assembly RA1 to the position shown in Figure 8. The door can then be opened.

To close and lock the door, the reverse procedure to that previously described is applicable whereby the door is closed so that the latches on the periphery of the door are lined up with the corresponding keeps on the door frame. When this is achieved, as in Figure 8, the external handle 21 is rotated anticlockwise which will in turn rotate the operating cam assembly RA4, so that the corner 4A moves radially downwards and at the same time extends all the latch slide assemblies RA5 and RA9 outwardly to their fully extended positions as shown in Figure 9.

The key 27 which can be inserted at any time into the profile cylinder lock 26 is then rotated clockwise so that cam 26C pushes against the aperture side wall 18G and rotates the lost motion cam 18 clockwise. Again since the shuttle button pad 15 is connected to the lost motion cam (18) through the diameter spigot 18C and elongated hole 15C, the shuttle button pad 15 is pushed upwards to the position 1M of the elongated hole in the case housing assembly RA1. When the key 27 is then rotated anticlockwise until it is in a vertical position as shown in Figure 9, then withdrawal of the key 27 can be achieved.

Again, the torsion spring 17 will impart light radial resistance to the key 27 via the diameter of spigot 18D of the lost motion cam 18 during the locking action and will enable radial resistance to be maintained to the lost motion locking cam 18, keeping it in the locked position when the key 27 is turned anticlockwise to the vertical withdrawal position and will maintain the lost motion cam 18 in the locked position until the key 27 is again inserted and turned to unlock.

When this operation is completed, it is then in the latched and locked mode. The operating cam assembly RA4 is prevented from moving since the shuttle button pad 15 is wedged between face 1E of the case housing assembly RA1 and the corner 4A of the operating cam assembly RA4.

Claims (10)

1. Locking mechanism primarily for a garage door which includes a plurality of sliding latches disposed around the door periphery and movable from a retracted position to an extended position to engage a respective keep on the door frame by means of a rotatable handle, the handle being operatively coupled with each latch to effect retraction or extension thereof, a key actuated lock barrel having an abutment rotatable by a key from a neutral position in one direction to a first locking position and in an opposite direction to a second unlocking position, a lost motion cam coupled to a catch and movable from a first stable position wherein the catch obstructs a latch to prevent retraction to a second stable position wherein the catch is released to allow retraction, the cam being movable from one said position to the other by the abutment, the catch being manually operable to move the cam from one position to the other independently of the key.

2. Locking mechanism according to Claim 1, wherein the key actuated lock barrel is biassed to the neutral position whereat the key may be freely inserted or withdrawn.

3. Locking mechanism according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the handle is connected to a plate with a plurality of pins disposed around the rotational axis with each pin engaging a slot in a slide movable in a body of the lock towards or away from the rotational axis according to the direction of rotation of the handle, each slide being coupled to a latch on the door.

4. Locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein two sliding latches at least are provided at opposed sides of the door with a third latch preferably provided at the top of the door.

5. Locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the lost motion cam is rotatable about the axis of the lock barrel and has shoulders disposed to each side of the lock barrel abutment, said shoulders being spaced and providing the lost motion whereby the abutment may return freely to the neutral position with the cam remaining in either stable state.

6. Locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the catch engages a detent on the operating handle or an associated latch operating slide.

7. Locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the rotatable handle protrudes from a forward face of a door mounting plate connected to a casing forming a lock body, the casing housing a plate connected with the handle for rotation therewith, the body housing at least two opposed slides with parts projecting from the body for connection with the door latches, each slide having a slot engaged by a pin on the plate whereby rotation of the handle and plate is translated into linear movement of the slides.

8. Locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the lost motion cam is associated with a spring means biassing same towards one or other of the stable positions.

9. Locking mechanism constructed and arranged to function as described herein and exemplified with reference to the drawings.

10. A door incorporating the locking mechanism of any preceding claim.