GB2425145A

GB2425145A - Lock keep with fibre strip

Info

Publication number: GB2425145A
Application number: GB0507293A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen John Lambert
Original assignee: ERA PRODUCTS Ltd; Laird Security Hardware Ltd
Current assignee: ERA PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 2005-04-11
Filing date: 2005-04-11
Publication date: 2006-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 2025-04-11
Also published as: GB0507293D0; GB2425145B

Abstract

A lock keep is for use on a closure such as a door or window where a leaf is hinged to a frame for swinging opening and closing movement out of and into the frame. The leaf carries a locking mechanism including a locking member retractable into the leaf and extendable out of the leaf. The frame carries a keep having an aperture (16) for receiving the extending locking member when the leaf is closed into the frame. The aperture (16) is closed by a strip of fibres (26) that extend over one side of the aperture (16) and are deflected by the locking member as it enters the aperture. The fibres (26) resume their normal position after the locking member leaves the aperture (16). This prevents the passage of dust and grit through the aperture (16) and provides easier fitting of the keep to the frame.

Description

LOCK KEEPS

The invention relates to lock keeps.

A lock keep is associated with a locking member and comprises a plate including an aperture with the locking member entering the aperture on movement of the locking member from a retracted position to an extended position. The keep may, for example, be mounted on a frame of a closure with the locking member carried on a leaf hinged to the frame for swinging movement into and out of the frame. The locking member in the extended position is received in the aperture in the keep when the leaf is closed into the frame to lock the leaf to the frame.

It is known to provide the keep with a dust pocket in the form in a chamber carried on the plate behind the aperture. The locking member is received in the dust pocket when in the extended position. The dust pocket is provided to stop the ingress of unwanted foreign bodies through the aperture and behind the plate, as well as giving a better visual appearance to the final assembly.

In order to accommodate such a dust pocket, when fitted to a frame, the frame must be provided with an aperture to receive the dust pocket. In some circumstances this may not be a problem but, for example, where the frame is formed from extruded PVC member having a reinforced core, it may be difficult to form a suitably sized aperture through the core to receive the dust pocket.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a keep for receiving a locking member comprising a plate including an aperture normally closed by a plurality of generally parallel fibres extending across the aperture, the fibres being deflected by a locking member entering the aperture on movement of the locking member from a retracted position to an extended position.

The use of fibres does not require the provision of an aperture in an associated frame sized to receive a dust pocket. The fibres stop the egress of unwanted foreign bodies as well as providing the keep with an attractive appearance.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a closure comprising a frame and leaf hinged to the frame for swinging movement into and out of the frame, the frame carrying a keep according to the first aspect of the invention and the leaf carrying a locking member removable from a retracted position to an extended position, the locking member in the extended position being received in the aperture in the keep when the leaf is closed into the frame.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a view from above and to one side of a keep for receiving a locking member and, Figure 2 is a view from beneath and to one side of the keep of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the keep comprises a generally rectangular metal plate having a front face 11 and rear face 12. The plate is provided with three pairs of fixing holes 13, 14, 15 for use in mounting the plate, as described below. The plate 10 is formed with a rectangular aperture 16 having first and second opposed longer sides 17a, 17b interconnected by first and second opposed shorter sides 18a, 18b.

The rear face of the plate 10 carries a first mounting block 20 and a second mounting block 21. The first mounting block 20 is located beyond the first shorter side 18a of the aperture 16 and the second mounting block 21 is located beyond the second shorter side I 8b of the aperture 16. The first and second mounting blocks 20, 21 may be plastics mouldings provided with respective fixing holes 22, 23 in register with the fixing holes 13, 14.

The first and second mounting blocks 20, 21 carry a brush type seal 24. The seal 24 is formed by an elongate U-section mounting strip 25 which may be made of metal. The channel formed by the U-section receives first ends of a plurality of fibres 26. The fibres 26 are all of the same length and the U-section mounting strip 25 is crimped to hold the fibres 26 in the strip 25. The fibres 26 may be of any suitable plastics material such a polypropylene. The mounting strip 25 has first and second ends each carrying a respective first and second mountings 27, 28. The first mounting 27 engages with the first mounting block 20 and the second mounting 28 engages with the second mounting block 21. In this way the mounting strip 25 is located relative to the plate 10 with the mounting strip extending along the rear face 12 of the plate 10 adjacent to the first longer side 1 7a of the aperture 16. The fibres 26 extend generally parallel to one another across the rear face of the aperture, with the free ends of the fibres 26 terminating beyond the second longer side 1 7b of the aperture 16. Thus, as seen from the front face in Figure 1, the aperture 16 appears closed by the fibres 26.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the plate also carries a conventional angled slot 29 for receiving the head of a locking cam (not shown).

In use, the keep cooperates with a locking system for closure such as a door or window in which a movable leaf is hinged on a fixed frame to swing into and out of the frame in closing and opening movement. The leaf has an edge surface lying in a plane normal to the plane of the leaf and closely adjacent a cooperating parallel frame surface, when the leaf is closed into the frame. A locking mechanism of any suitable known kind is carried in this edge surface of the leaf. The locking mechanism may include a key operated bolt moveable from a retracted position which the bolt is in the leaf to an extended position. In addition, the locking mechanism may also include a latch member which is extendable and retractable by operation of a handle.

The plate 10 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is mounted on the cooperating frame surface by screws placed in the fixing holes 13, 14, 15. The aperture 16 is aligned with the bolt on the locking mechanism and the slot 29 is aligned with the locking cam of the locking mechanism, when the leaf is closed into the frame. The frame is formed with an aperture aligned with the plate aperture 16 and sized to receive the bolt.

Operation of the locking mechanism moves the bolt from the retracted position to the extended position and, in this movement, the bolt enters the aperture 16. The head of the bolt deflects the fibres 26 it engages and, when the bolt is retracted, the fibres 26 are sufficiently resilient to resume the position shown in Figures I and 2. In this way, the fibres 26 prevent dust and grit passing through the aperture 16 and also maintain a pleasing visual appearance. The keep requires no dust pocket and therefore there is no need to provide an aperture in the frame sized to receive a dust pocket. The frame aperture for the bolt will be of smaller size. This makes the fitting of the keep easier and quicker.

The fibres 26 of the brush sea! 24 all extend from one side of the aperture 16. It will be appreciated that fibres could extend from both sides and meet in the centre of the aperture 16. Alternatively, the fibres could extend from both sides and overlap to an extent at the centre of the aperture 16. The fibres could extend from one of both ends of the aperture 16. As shown in the Figures and described above, the fibres 24 are in a plane parallel to the plane of the aperture 16. This need not be the case. The fibres could be angled to such a plane. As shown, the fibres are on the opposite side of the plate 10 to the locking mechanism. This need not be the case, the fibres could be on the same side. Although the fibres are shown and described as parallel, this need not be the case. The fibres could have any orientation that allows them to be deflected by the locking member.

Claims

1. A keep for receiving a locking member comprising a plate including an aperture normally closed by a plurality of fibres extending across the aperture, the fibres being deflected by a locking member entering the aperture on movement of the locking member from a retracted position to an extended position.

2. A keep according to claim 1 wherein the fibres are generally parallel.

3. A keep according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the aperture is generally rectangular with first and second opposed longer sides connected by first and second opposed shorter sides, the fibres extending from the first longer side across the aperture to the second longer side.

4. A keep according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the plate has a front face and a rear face, the fibres being mounted on the rear face of the plate and extending across a rear side of the aperture.

5. A keep according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 3 wherein the fibres are mounted on said rear surface adjacent said first longer side and extend across the rear side of the aperture to terminate beyond the aperture adjacent said second longer side.

6. A keep according to any one of claims ito 5 wherein the fibres are of generally equal lengths.

7. A keep according to any one of claims ito 6 wherein each fibre has a first end and a second end, the first ends of all the fibres being held in an elongate mounting strip and the second ends of the fibres being free.

8. A keep according to claim 7 wherein the mounting strip is a metal strip.

9. A keep according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the mounting strip is connected to the plate.

10. A keep according to any one of claims ito 9 wherein the fibres are formed of a plastics material.

11. A keep according to claim 10 wherein the fibres are polypropylene fibres.

12. A keep according to any one of claims 7 to Ii wherein the plate carries a first and second spaced mounting blocks, the mounting strip having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the first mounting block and the second end being connected to the second mounting block.

13. A keep according to claim 12 wherein the first end of the mounting strip carries a connector engaging with the first mounting block and the second end of the mounting strip carries a connector engaging with the second mounting block.

14. A keep substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A closure comprising a frame and a leaf hinged to the frame for swinging movement into and out of the frame, the frame comprising a keep according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and the leaf carrying a locking member movable from a retracted position to an extended position, the locking member in the extended position being received in the aperture in the keep when the leaf is closed into the frame.

16. A closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.