GB2346410A - Lock bars for doors and windows - Google Patents

Abstract

A lock 1 for a sliding door 21 comprises a bar 11 mounted between an end 211 of the door 21 and a fixed face 231 of a surrounding frame 23. The bar 11 is provided with a ball-and-socket joint 12 to secure a first end 111 of the bar 11 to the fixed face 231 of the surrounding frame 23. An opposite, second end 112 of the bar 11 is secured to the end 211 of the door 21 to be locked, by means of a keep 14. An end cap 13 on the bar 11 engages the keep 14 as a positive snap-fit. A locating rib 146 on the keep 14 provides a mark 142 to denote an optimum length to which the bar 11 may be cut, when the first end 111 of the bar 11 is secured to the fixed face 231 of the surrounding frame 23 and the second end 112 of the bar 11 is brought into a position alongside the keep 14. The keep 14 is provided with an overhang 148 such that, in the event of the door 21 when locked being opened slightly, the second end 112 of the bar 11 engages under the overhang 148 to prevent the bar 11 from being disengaged from the keep 14.

Description

LOCKS FOR DOCJRS AND WINDOW This invention relates to looks for doors and windows, and is concerned particularly with locks fo sliding doors and windows.

At the present time, it is unfortunately the case that many forced entries are made to premises by w'ay of sliding patio doors. However strongly they are made and however many locks are fitted, they tend to remain vulnerable to attack.

One of the simplest and mos, t effective means of locking a sliding patio door is to jam a solid member between the sliding leaf and an opposite face of the fixed frame. Unless the solid member can be dislodged or broken, there can be no opening movement of the sliding leaf. An additional advantage of such a lock is that it is usually highly visible to would-be intruders, and therefore may act as a rapid and effective deterrent.

Problems with such a kind of lock lie, however, both in its appearance and its inconvenience of se. Unless it can be stowed neatly out of the way when not required, ut rapidly engaged when needed, householders may not always remembrer to fit the lock, or may not be bothered to take the necessary time to do so.

Preferred embodiments of the Present invention aim to provide locks for sliding patio doors that may be improved in these respects.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lock for a sliding door or window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an end of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frame or adjacent fixed panel, wherein said bar is provided with a ball-and-socket joint to secure a first end of the bar to said fixed face, and a keep to secure an opposite, second end of the bar to said end of the door or window to be locked.

Preferably, said ball and said socket are provided with interengaging means to inhibit twisting of said bar about its longitudinal axis but allow pivotal movement of the bar towards and away from the respective door or window to be locked, when the bar is in a horizontal position, and to allow twisting of said bar about its longitudinal axis but inhibit pivotal movement of the bar towards and away from the respective door or window to be locked, when the bar is in a vertical position.

Preferably, said ball-and-socket joint is provided with a closure plate to close the socket of said joint, which closure plate has an abutment face adapted to the profile of said fixed face.

Preferably, said ball-and-socket joint is provided with a plurality of interchangeable closure plates as aforesaid, each having a respective abutment face adapted to a different profile of said fixed face.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lock for a sliding door or window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an end of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frame or adjacent fixed panel, wherein said lock further comprises a keep adapted to receive an end of the bar as a snapfit.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lock for a sliding door r window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an ehd of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frame or adjacent fixed panel, the lock further comprising a keep that is adapted to receive an end of the bar and I is provided with an overhang such that, in the event of the door or window when locked being opened slightly, said end of the bar engages under said overhang to prevent said end from seing disengaged from said keep.

I According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lock for a sliding door qr window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an ehd of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frame or adjacent fixed panel, the lock i further comprising a keep that is adapted to receive an end of the bar and is formed with at least one mark to jlenote an optimum length of said bar, when an opposite end of the bar is Secured to said fixed face and the firstmentioned end of the bar is brought into a position alongside said keep.

Preferably, said keep is provided with an aperture to receive a lug at the adjacent end of the bar, such that said lug may protrude through said aperture and be locked there in position by means of a padlock fitted through an eye hole in said lug.

A lock according to any of te preceding aspects of the invention may further comprise an adapter that is adapted to be fitted to said end of the said door or window is arranged to slide externally of an adjacent fixed door or window panel, said adapter being adapted to receive said keep.

Preferably, said end of said bar to be secured by said keep is provided with an end cap to receive the bar and to engage said keep to secure the respective end of the bar to said end of the door or window to be locked.

Preferably, said end cap is adapted to engage said keep as a snap-fit.

Preferably, said end cap is provided with a lug that is formed with an eye hole to receive a padlock, such that said lug may pass through an aperture in the keep and be locked there in position by means of a padlock fitted through said eye hole.

The features of the various preceding aspects of the invention can be combined in any combination.

The invention extends to a sliding door or window provided with a lock according to any of the preceding aspects of the invention.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sliding patio door having fitted thereto one example of a door lock according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a detail view of a pivotable end of the lock; Figure 3 is a detail view of a keep end of the lock; ! Figure 4 is a side elevation of the door, illustrating how the lock is fitted ; Figure 5 is a detail view of a pivotable end of the lock; Figure 6 is a detail view of a keep of the lock; Figure 7 is a side elevation of door similar to that shown in Figure 4 but having an external slider, illusi5rating how the lock of the preceding figures is fitted; Figure 8 is a detail view of an adapter for use with the door of Figure 7; Figure 9 shows a socket of the pivotable end of the lock, in third angleelevation; Figure 10 shows a closure plate for the socket of Figure 9, in side elevation and plan view ; Figure 11 shows a ball to be mounted in the socket of Figure 10, in two side elevations ; i Figure 12 shows the keep of the lock, in side and end elevations; Figure 13 shows an end piece for engagement with the keep of Figure 12, in third angle elevation; and Figure 14 shows the adapter of Figure 8, in third angle elevation.

In the figures, like reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts.

The door lock 1 that is shown in Figures 1 to 6 is fitted to lock a sliding leaf 21 of the patio door 2 which, together with an adjacent fixed leaf 22, is fitted into a fixed, surrounding frame 23.

The lock 1 comprises a bar 11, for example, made of steel tube of square or rectangular cross-section. At a first end 111, the bar 11 is secured to a fixed face 231 of the surrounding door frame 23 by means of a ball-andsocket joint 12. At a second end 112, the bar 11 is secured, when in a locked position, to a keep 14, which in turn is secured to an end face 211 of the sliding leaf 21. To this end, the second end 112 of the bar 11 is provided which an end cap 13 which engages the keep 14.

As may been seen in Figure 2, the ball-and-socket joint 12 is provided with four screw holes 121, by means of which it is secured to the fixed face 231 of the surrounding frame 23. The body 122 of the socket is formed with a locating mark 123 to assist positioning of the ball-and-socket joint 12 on the surrounding frame 23, as will be explained below. The socket of the joint is formed with a part 124 which engages within the hollow tube at its first end 111, as is shown in further detail in Figure 11.

The end cap 13 has a first portion 131 to receive the second end 112 of the bar 11 as a tight push fit, and an adjacent second part 132 of reduced cross-section, to define an internal stop which limits the extent to which the second end 112 of the bar 11 can be pushed into the first portion 131 of the end cap 13. A lug 133 depends from the second end cap portion 132, and is formed with an eye hole 134.

The keep 14 is formed with a pair of screw holes 141, by means of which the keep 14 is secured to the hnd face 211 of the sliding leaf 21 that is opposite the end face 231 of the frame 23, to which the ball-and-socket 1 joint 12 is secured. The body of the lieep 14 is formed with a locating mark 142, to assist in location of the keep 14, as will be described below.

The keep 14 defines a substantially rectangular U-shaped channel 143 which is open at its top. To this end, a pair of upstanding sides 144 are joined by a web 145, such that the Odes 144 are resiliently deformable to some extent, as will be explained below. Each of the upstanding sides 144 is formed at its upper part with an Ijnwardly facing rib 145, and along its upper edge with a locating rib 146. Tlie web 145 is formed with an aperture 147 to receive the lug 133 of the end cap 13.

The basic operation of the lock 1 is as follows.

With the bar 11 hanging loosely downwardly, in the substantially vertical direction illustrated as position a in Figure 1, the lock 1 is disengaged, and the sliding leaf 21 may open and close in a conventional manner, by sliding in the frame 23.

In order to engage the lock 1, the sliding leaf 21 is fully closed. The bar 11 is then lifted upwardly into position b as illustrated in Figure 1, in which position the bar 11 may move a limited amount towards and away from the fixed leaf 22, at least to the extent that it may pass around the keep 14, as the bar 11 is raised to position b.

Thereafter, the bar 11 is moved somewhat inwardly towards fixed leaf 22, and allowed to drop down until the end cap 13 engages with the keep 14. A small amount of downwards pressure is then applied to the second end 112 of the bar 11, in order to cause the side walls 144 of the keep 14 to deform slightly outwardly, and allow the end cap 13 to drop into full engagement within the channel 143, whereupon the side walls 144 are urged resiliently back into their original positions, and the bar is then in the position c as illustrated in Figure 1. Thus, the end cap 13 engages the keep 14 as a positive snap-fit, requiring a finite amount of upward pressure to be exerted subsequently on the bar 11, to disengage it in a similar snap-action manner from the keep 14. In this way, the risk of the bar 11 being accidentally disengaged from the keep 14 is reduced.

With the end cap 13 fully engaged in the keep 14, the lug 133 protrudes downwardly through the hole 147 in the web 145, to the extent that the eye hole 134 is accessible underneath the web 145. In this position, a padlock (or other securing means) can be passed through the eye hole 134 and locked in position, thereby rendering disengagement of the lock 1 substantially impossible, without firstly unlocking and removing the padlock.

To disengage the lock 1, the bar 11 is raised under sufficient pressure to disengage the end cap 13 from the keep 14 in a snap action, as mentioned above, so that the bar 11 again occupes position b. The bar 11 is then pulled somewhat outwardly from the fixed leaf 22, and allowed to drop back past the keep 14 and eventually into its, stowed position a as shown.

The configuration of the ball-and-socket joint 12, which will be described in further detail below, is suc4 that, when the bar 11 is in the substantially horizontal positions b and c, a certain amount of movement is permitted towards and away from the fixd leaf 22 as described above, and twisting of the bar 11 about its longitudinal axis is inhibited. However, when the bar 11 is in the substantially', vertical stowed position a, the movement of the bar 11 towards and aiay from the fixed leaf 22 is inhibited, and twisting of the bar 11 about its longitudinal axis is possible.

Features of the lock 1 that facilitate the easy installation thereof will now be described.

First of all, reference is made to Figures 4 to 6, which illustrate installation in the most typical case, wherein the sliding leaf 21 is mounted for sliding movement internally of the fixd leaf 22. Generally, this arrangement of the sliding and fixed leaves 2X, 22 is regarded as the most secure. I First, the dimension A is measured, between the opposing faces 211 and 231 to which the lock 1 is to be fitted, as has already been outlined above. A distance of A + 150mm is then measured up from the bottom of the glass of the fixed leaf 22, and a corresponding pencil mark is made at this height, on each of the opposing faces 211 and 231.

Referring now to Figure 5, the ball-and-socket joint 12 is secured to the face 231 of the surrounding frame 23, such that the reference mark 123 on the body of the ball-and-socket joint 12 is aligned with the respective pencil mark that has just been made on the face 231. The ball-and-socket joint 12 is secured in position by means of screws passing through the screw holes 121, or any other suitable fixing means.

Referring now to Figure 6, the keep 14 is similarly fitted to the end face 211 of the sliding leaf 21, such that the reference mark 142 is aligned with the respective pencil mark on the face 211. The keep 14 is secured in position by means of screws passing through the screw holes 141, or any other suitable fixing means.

The bar 11 is initially of greater length than its final length, and is secured to the ball-and-socket joint 12 such that it hangs downwardly therefrom, as in the position a in Figure 1. The bar 11 is then raised until it is substantially horizontal and adjacent the keep 14. A pencil mark is then made on the uncut bar 11, at a position corresponding to that end of the locating rib 149 that is furthest away from the face 211. The bar 11 is then cut squarely at this marked position, which makes the bar 11 of exactly the right length.

The end cap 13 is then pushed into the cut end 112 of the bar 11. If desired, one or more fixing screws may be added to further secure the end cap 13 onto the bar 11.

The lock 1 is then installed Meady for use, in the manner already described above.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate tho alternative arrangement to that of Figures 4 to 6, in which the sliding lef 21 is on the outside of the fixed leaf 22. In this arrangement, the fitting procedure for the lock 1 is as follows.

Firstly, a measurement is taken, 100mm above the top of a handle 212 on a side face 213 of the frame of tht sliding leaf 21, and a pencil mark is made on the side face 213 at this position. An adapter 15 is then secured to the side face 231 such that a reference mark 155 on the adapter 15 lines up with the mark on the side face 231. the adapter 15 comprises a back plate 152 preformed with a plurality of screw holes 154, by means of which the adapter 15 is secured to the side face 231 by screws or any other suitable fixing means.

A mounting plate 153 extends'at right angles to the back plate 152, and is of such a configuration and sizd as to receive the keep 14 as a neat fit.

The keep 14 is then fixed to the mounting plate 153, in much the same manner as the keep 14 is secured to tke end face 211 in the arrangement of Figures 4 to 6.

A pencil mark is then made on the opposing end face 221 of the fixed leaf 22, at a height B corresponding to'that previously made on the side face 231, namely 100mm above the top of the handle 212. The ball-and-socket joint 12 is then lined up with its refe nce mark 123 in line with the pencil mark on the end face 221, and the b 1-and-socket joint 12 is then fixed to the end face 221, in much the same way as it is affixed to the end face 231 in Figures 4-6.

Then, the above-described procedures are repeated to bring the uncut bar 11 substantially horizontal adjacent the keep 14, mark the uncut bar at the inner end of the locating ribs 149, cut the bar to the marked length, and fit the end cap 13, whereupon the lock 1 is ready for operation.

The parts of the ball-and-socket joint 12 are shown in further detail in Figures 9 to 11. Figure 9 shows the socket housing 16 in third angle elevation. Figure 10 shows the closure plate 17 for the socket housing 16, in side elevation and plan view. Figure 11 shows the ball 18 of the joint, in two side elevations.

The socket housing 16 defines an internal socket cavity 161 having an opening 162 through which the connecting part 124 of the joint protrudes, in use. A pair of grooves 163 are formed in side walls of the socket cavity 161.

The ball 18 is formed with a pair of oppositely facing side lugs 181, each of which engages in a respective one of the grooves 163. The connecting part 124 comprises a plurality of ribs 182, which engage as a push fit within the hollow cross-section of the bar 11. Insertion of the ball 18 into the tube 11 is limited by an abutment 183.

The closure plate 17 fits into the end of the socket housing 16, and is formed with an internal protrusion 171 which defines a cavity portion 172 to complete the socket cavity 161 that is otherwise defined within the socket housing 16. A pair of protrusions 17 engage respective ones of the grooves 163, both to locate the closure plate 17 and to close off the grooves 163.

As shown in Figure 10, the ouater, rear face 174 of the closure plate 17 is plane, suitable for fitting the joint 12 to a plane face. However, alternative closure plates 17 may be provided, in which the outer, rear faces are of differing configurations, adapted to conform to correspondingly differing profiles of faces to which the joint 12 is to be secured.

Figure 12 illustrates the keep 14 in further detail. Of particular interest is the provision of an overhang 148 within the channel 143. When the sliding leaf 21 is fully closed, the end cap 13 can enter the channel 143 such that it clears the overhang 148., Should a would-intruder attempt to force open the sliding leaf 21 then, should a small amount of opening be achieved, the keep 14 moves relatively inwardly along the bar 11 by a small amount, until the end cap 13 is engaged under the overhang 148. It will readily be appreciated that, in this co dition, it is impossible to raise the bar 11, until the sliding leaf 21 is again closed sufficiently to allow the end cap 13 to clear the overhang 148. This is a particularly useful security feature.

The other features of the keep 14 have already been described above.

Figures 13 and 14 show respectively the end cap 13 and the adapter 15 in further detail. The features of tese parts have already been described above.

The ball-and-socket joint 12, ; he end cap 13, the keep 14 and the adapter 15 may advantageously be made from a plastics material, preferably by moulding. For example, they may be of nylon, to provide strength and hard-wearing properties.

Thus, there is provide a lock 1 that is simple to install, simple to use and very effective in operation. Normally, one would provide a lock such as 1 in addition to conventional door or window locks as a secondary measure. However, it will be appreciated that, even when used on its own, the lock 1 can be very effective.

Although the illustrated embodiments of the invention have been described in use with sliding doors, other embodiments may equally be used with sliding windows.

In this specification, terms of absolute orientation are used conveniently to denote the usual orientation of items in normal use and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings. However, such items could be disposed in other orientations, and in the context of this specification, terms of absolute orientation, such as"top","bottom","left","right","vertical"or "horizontal", etc. are to be construed accordingly, to include such alternative orientations.

In this specification, the verb"comprise"has its normal dictionary meaning, to denote non-exclusive inclusion. That is, use of the word "comprise" (or any of its derivatives) to include one feature or more, does not exclude the possibility of also including further features.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which ar open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least tome of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restridted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS 1. A lock for a sliding door or window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an end of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frame or adjacent fixed panel, wherein said bar is provided with a ball-and-socket joint to secure a first end of the bar to said fixed face, and a keep to secure an opposite, second end of the bar to said end of the door or window to be locked.
2. 2. A lock according to claim 1, wherein said ball and said socket are provided with interengaging means to inhibit twisting of said bar about its longitudinal axis but allow pivotal movement of the bar towards and away from the respective door or window to be locked, when the bar is in a horizontal position, and to allow twisting of said bar about its longitudinal axis but inhibit pivotal movement of the bar towards and away from the respective door or window to be locked, when the bar is in a vertical position.
3. 3. A lock according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said ball-and-socket joint is provided with a closure plate to close the socket of said joint, which closure plate has an abutment face adapted to the profile of said fixed face.
4. 4. A lock according to claim 3, wherein said ball-and-socket joint is provided with a plurality of interchangeable closure plates as aforesaid, each having a respective abutment face adapted to a different profile of said fixed face.
5. 5. A lock for a sliding door o window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an etid of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frame or adjacent fixed panel, wherein said lock further comprises a keep adapted to receive an end of the bar as a snapfit.
6. 6. A lock according to claim 5 atd also according to any of claims 1 to 4.
7. 7. A lock for a sliding door or window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an e4d of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frame or adjacent fixed panel, the lock further comprising a keep that is adapted to receive an end of the bar and is provided with an overhang such that, in the event of the door or window when locked being opened slightly, said end of the bar engages under said overhang to prevent said end from being disengaged from said keep.
8. 8. A lock according to claim 7 aid also according to any of claims 1 to 6.
9. 9. A lock for a sliding door or ; window, the lock comprising a bar adapted to be mounted between an ehd of the door or window to be locked and a fixed face of a surrounding frme or adjacent fixed panel, the lock further comprising a keep that is adapted to receive an end of the bar and is formed with at least one mark to note an optimum length of said bar, when an opposite end of the bar is secured to said fixed face and the firstmentioned end of the bar is brought into a position alongside said keep.
10. 10. A lock according to claim 9 and also according to any of claims 1 to 8.
11. 11. A lock according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said keep is provided with an aperture to receive a lug at the adjacent end of the bar, such that said lug may protrude through said aperture and be locked there in position by means of a padlock fitted through an eye hole in said lug.
12. 12. A lock according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising an adapter that is adapted to be fitted to said end of the door or window to be locked, when said door or window is arranged to slide externally of an adjacent fixed door or window panel, said adapter being adapted to receive said keep.
13. 13. A lock according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said end of said bar to be secured by said keep is provided with an end cap to receive the bar and to engage said keep to secure the respective end of the bar to said end of the door or window to be locked.
14. 14. A lock according to claim 13, wherein said end cap is adapted to engage said keep as a snap-fit.
15. 15. A lock according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said end cap is provided with a lug that is formed with an eye hole to receive a padlock, such that said lug may pass through an aperture in the keep and be locked there in position by means of a padlock fitted through said eye hole.
16. 16. A lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
17. 17. A lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 as modified by Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
18. 18. A lock substantially as hereigbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 together with Figures 9 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.
19. 19. A lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 together with Figures 9 to 13, and as modified by Figures 7, 8 and 14, of the accompanying drawings.
20. 20. A sliding door or window provided with a lock according to any of the preceding claims.