GB2315805A

GB2315805A - Locking Mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2315805A
Application number: GB9616080A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Les Brooks
Original assignee: Huntleigh Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Huntleigh Technology Ltd
Priority date: 1996-07-31
Filing date: 1996-07-31
Publication date: 1998-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-31
Also published as: GB9616080D0; GB2315805B

Abstract

A Locking mechanism 10 to lock two co-operating members 11, 12 includes a male part 13 engageable into a female part 14. A sleeve 14 surrounds the male part 13 and has a projection 16 at one end. The sleeve 15 is movable with the male part 13 and in the fully locked position of the locking mechanism i.e. the male part fully engaged within the female part, reveals a green band on the operating member 11 with projection 16 extending beyond that member. The projection 16 can be felt by touch. Therefore a visual as well as a tactile indicator is provided to show the fully locked position of the locking mechanism.

Description

LOCKING MECHANISM This invention relates to a locking mechanism and in particular to a locking mechanism having means to indicate when the mechanism is in the fully locked position.

Locking mechanisms are known which comprise a detent engageable into a notch, spring loaded catches or projections that snap into corresponding apertures to lock co-operating members into a desired position. Locking mechanisms of the above kind are used to lock folding support members of a bathlift into their extended in-use state, for example. The bathlift consists of a seat and a backrest supported for vertical movement within a bath to enable a user to sit onto the seat beside the rim of a bath and then be gently lowered into the bath and vice versa.

However, although the locking mechanisms are designed to operate without any safeguards, it has been discovered, for example, with the bathlifts that the locking mechanism has been used whilst not in the fully locked state resulting in the disengagement of the support members during use.

According to the present invention, there is provided a locking mechanism for locking co-operating members into a desired position comprising a male part formed on one member engaging a corresponding female part formed on the other member wherein means are provided to indicate when the male and female parts are fully engaged.

Preferably, the said means comprises a visual indicator provided on the co-operating members. Conveniently, the visual indicator may comprise a sleeve co-operating with the male part and slidable along the corresponding member to a first position when the male part is fully engaged within the female part and a second position when the male part is not fully engaged within the female part. In this way it is possible to. see at a glance whether the locking mechanism is fully locked and the male and female parts fully engaged.

More preferably, the locking mechanism is also provided with a further means to indicate whether the locking mechanism is fully locked, which comprises a projection co-operating with the male part and moveable with respect to said corresponding member into a first position when the male part is fully engaged within the female part, and into a second position when the male part is not fully engaged within the female part, wherein the in the first position the projection extends beyond the end of said member. In this way a tactile indicator is provided to indicate whether the locking mechanism is fully engaged or not which is a useful indicator for the less sighted users who may not be able to see clearly the visual indicator.

Preferably, the locking mechanism comprises both the visual and tactile indicators.

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the indicator in the fully engaged position of the locking mechanism of the invention; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the indicator in the not engaged position of the locking mechanism of the invention; Referring to Figure 1, a locking mechanism is shown schematically at 10. The locking mechanism 10 is formed to lock two co-operating members 11 and 12. As shown the locking mechanism 10 comprises a male part 13 engageable in female part 14. Attached to the male part 13 is a surrounding sleeve 15 slidable on cooperating member 11 and adapted to move with the male part 13. The sleeve 15 is moveable into two positions with respect to member 11 which is provided with bands of colours, red 20 and green 21. In one position the sleeve 15 covers the band of red 20 and in the second position the sleeve covers the band of green 21 provided on co-operating member 11. The sleeve 15 is also provided with a narrow projecting end 16 away from the male and female parts 13,14 of the locking mechanism.

The co-operating members 11,12 are normally folded away for storage with the locking mechanism not engaged. In-use the co-operating members 11 and 12 are extended until the male part 13 on co-operating member 11 clicks fully into the female part 14 provided on co-operating member 12. When the male part 13 is fully engaged within the female part 14, that is, in the fully locked position of the locking mechanism, the indicator will indicate this clearly in two ways.

Firstly, a green band 20 is visible next to the sleeve 15 and secondly the end 16 of the sleeve 15 will project beyond the end of the corresponding member 11 which can be felt by touching the end of the member 11. Therefore, a visual as well as a tactile indication is provided to show that the locking mechanism is fully locked. When the locking mechanism is not fully locked, and the male part 13 is not fully engaged within the female part 14, firstly, a red band 21 is visible adjacent the sleeve 15 and secondly the end 16 of the sleeve 15 does not project beyond the end of member 11 and cannot be felt by touching the end of member 11.

It is envisaged that the invention will be applicable to any locking mechanism wherein two co-operating members are locked into an operative position and indicating means are required to ensure that use only occurs upon full locking of the locking mechanism.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism for locking co-operating members into a desired position comprising a male part formed on one member engaging a corresponding female part formed on the other member wherein means are provided to indicate when the male and female parts are fully engaged.

2. A locking mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said means comprise a visual indicator provided on the co-operating members to indicate when the male and female parts are fully engaged.

3. A locking mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the visual indicator comprises a sleeve co-operating with the male part and slidable along the corresponding member to a first position when the male part is fully engaged within the female part and a second position when the male part is not fully engaged within the female part.

4. A locking mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein a further tactile indicator is provided on the co-operating members.

5. A locking mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein the tactile indicator comprises a projection co-operating with the male part and moveable with respect to said corresponding member into a first position when the male part is fully engaged within the female part, and into a second position when the male part is not fully engaged within the female part, wherein the in the first position the projection extends beyond the end of said member.

6. A locking mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.