NL2007662C2

NL2007662C2 - Lock assembly with a bolt.

Info

Publication number: NL2007662C2
Application number: NL2007662A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Albertus Gerard Have
Original assignee: Assa Abloy Nederland B V
Priority date: 2011-10-27
Filing date: 2011-10-27
Publication date: 2013-05-06
Also published as: EP2771528B1; WO2013062405A1; EP2771528A1

Description

NLP190026A

Lock assembly with a bolt BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a lock assembly with a bolt, in particular for locking and unlocking a door.

5 A known lock assembly comprises a housing in which a latch bolt, a deadbolt and a trigger bolt are arranged. The latch bolt is operated by a handle on the door. The deadbolt is controlled by a key operated mechanism. The trigger bolt automatically triggers the deadbolt to move 10 into the deadbolt position once the door closes.

The latch bolt, the deadbolt and the auxiliary latch occupy a space within the housing which is unavailable for other components, such as electronics that can control or assist the operation of the lock assembly.

15 It is an object of the present invention to provide a lock assembly with a compact bolt design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

20

According to a an aspect, the invention provides a Lock assembly with a bolt, comprising a housing, an elongate front plate at one end of the housing and a first opening in the front plate, wherein the bolt is placed 2 within the housing, wherein the lock assembly is provided with a bearing that couples the bolt to the housing, wherein the bearing allows for a translation of the bolt with respect to the housing parallel to a center axis that 5 extends through the first opening, wherein, in a first position, the bolt is substantially retracted into the housing, wherein, in a second position, the bolt extends from the housing through the first opening into a deadbolt position, wherein the bearing allows for tilt of the bolt 10 with respect to the housing around the center axis, wherein the lock assembly is provided with a biasing part that biases the bolt to tilt with respect to the first position and the second position when the bolt is moved to a third position between the first position and the second position, 15 wherein, when the bolt is tilted, the bolt is in abutment with the front plate in a direction parallel to the center axis .

The bolt of the lock assembly according to the invention can be moved into three positions, thereby 20 integrating the functionalities of the separate bolts of a traditional lock assembly into one single bolt. This can increases the free space within the housing, which would otherwise be occupied by the separate bolts.

In an embodiment, when the bolt is tilted in the 25 third position, the projection of the bolt in the direction of the center axis intersects the front plate around the first opening. The bolt will hit the front plate around the first opening when it is moved in tilted orientation to the front plate.

30 In an embodiment the bolt comprises an abutment surface, wherein, when the bolt is tilted in the third position, the abutment surface is in abutment in the direction of the center axis with the front plate around the first opening. The abutment surface can hold the bolt at the 35 third, partially extended position and can prevent that the bolt moves further through the first opening towards the second position.

3

In an embodiment, diagonally opposite to the abutment surface with respect to the center axis, the bolt is provided with a recess to accommodate an edge of the front plate. The recess can provide a clearance space 5 between the bolt and the first opening which provides the freedom of movement for the bolt to be tilted out of alignment.

In an embodiment, the bolt comprises a locking surface at one side and a beveled surface at the other side, 10 wherein the locking surface and the beveled surface converge into a leading edge, wherein, when the bolt is tilted in the third position, the locking surface is out of alignment with respect to the longitudinal direction of the front plate. The misalignment of the locking surface with respect to the 15 longitudinal direction of the front plate can cause the bolt to hit the front plate around the first opening.

In an embodiment the lock assembly further comprises a strike plate, wherein the lock assembly is provided with a second opening in the strike plate for 2 0 receiving the bolt, wherein, when the bolt is received in the second opening, the strike plate is in abutment with the bolt in a tangential direction around the center axis. The local abutment can counteract the biasing force exerted by the biasing part on the bolt. By counteracting the biasing 25 force, the tilting of the bolt can be prevented. By preventing the tilting of the bolt, the bolt will not be misaligned with respect to the first opening, so that the bolt can be moved from the first position into the second position without being held at the intermediate third 30 position.

In an embodiment the second opening is bounded by a straight edge of the strike plate, wherein, when the bolt is received in the second opening, the straight edge of the strike plate is in abutment with the leading edge and/or the 35 locking surface of the bolt. The local flat abutment between the straight edge of the strike plate and the leading edge and/or the locking surface of the bolt can counteract the 4 tilting of the bolt.

In an embodiment the leading edge of the bolt is provided with a deflection surface which extends at a sharp angle with respect to the plane of the strike plate. The 5 deflection surface can smoothly deflect the abrupt transition as the leading edge of the bolt moves over the straight edge of the strike plate into the second opening of the strike plate.

In an embodiment the biasing part is a torsion 10 spring. The torsion spring can provide torsion force to bias the bolt to tilt out of alignment with respect to the first opening when the bolt and axial pressure force to bias the bolt to move from the first position towards the second position.

15 In an embodiment, in the first position, the bolt is retracted against the axial force of the biasing part. From this first position, the bolt acts as a trigger bolt, wherein the axial force can cause the bolt to move to the second position when the tilt of the bolt is counteracted by 20 the strike plate, or to move to the third position when the bolt is allowed to tilt out of alignment.

In an embodiment, in the third position, the bolt acts as a latch bolt. In the third position, the bolt can be retracted into the first position by operating a door knob, 25 handle or electronic actuator.

In an embodiment, in the second position, the bolt extends approximately twenty millimeters from within the housing past the front plate. This can prevent burglars from being able to force the strike plate and the housing away 30 from each other so that the bolt is no longer engaging the second opening of the strike plate.

In an embodiment, in the third position, the bolt extends approximately twelve millimeters from within the housing past the front plate. This can enable the bolt to 35 engage with the strike plate to lock the door.

In an embodiment the bolt is retracted from the third to the first position by a driving part, preferably a 5 manually operated handle. The driving part allows an operator to control the position of the bolt between the first position and the third position.

In an embodiment the bolt is a single part, 5 preferably a solid part. Because there are no separately moving bolts, the wear of the bolt can be reduced, resulting in a more reliable and secure lock assembly.

In an embodiment the bolt is retracted from the second to the first position by an unlocking mechanism, 10 preferably a key operated or an electrically operated unlocking mechanism. With an unlocking mechanism, unauthorized access can be prevented.

In an embodiment the lock assembly is a mortise lock assembly. A mortise lock can be placed in a cutout 15 space of a door, so that the front plate can be placed flush with the leading edge of the door.

The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, in particular 20 the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, can be made subject of divisional patent applications .

25 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment as shown in the attached schematic drawings, in which: 30 figure 1A shows a view of a lock assembly with a bolt according to an embodiment of the invention; figure IB shows a side view of the lock assembly according to figure 1A; figures 2A-E show views of the working principle 35 of the lock assembly according to figures 1A and IB; figures 3A-D shows the working principle of the lock assembly according to figures 1A and IB in front view; 6 figures 4A-C show views of the bolt according to figures 1A and IB; and figure 5 shows a rear view of the lock assembly according to figures 1A and IB.

5

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figures 1A shows a self locking mortise lock 10 assembly 1 with a latch bolt 3 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Figures IB and 2A-E show the lock assembly 1 wherein part of the housing has been removed to schematically expose the internal components of the lock assembly 1. The lock assembly 1 is arranged between a door 15 91 and a door jamb 92 of a door frame in a building. In a similar way, the lock assembly 1 can be arranged between a window and a window frame (not shown) . The latch bolt 3 can be moved relative to the door 91 in a extension or locking direction L and a retraction or unlocking direction U in a 20 manner which will be described hereafter.

As shown in figures IA, IB and 3A, the lock assembly 1 comprises a first housing part 11 and a second housing part 12 which are mounted against each other with rivets to form a bolt case or bolt housing 10. The lock 25 assembly 1 is provided with a rectangular, vertically elongate front plate 13 at one end of the housing 10. The front plate 13 comprises an opening 14, which, in this embodiment, is bounded by a first, substantially vertical straight edge 15, a second, substantially vertical straight 30 edge 16 parallel to the first edge 15, and a first curved edge 17 and a second curved edge 18 which connect the straight edges 15, 16 at the top and the bottom of the opening 14, respectively. The curved edges 17, 18 define segments of a circle which has its center at the center C of 35 the opening 14. The bolt housing 10 is placed in a cutout space at the leading edge of the door 91, wherein the front plate 13 lies flush with the leading edge of the door 91.

7

As shown in figure 1A, the lock assembly 1 further comprises a strike plate 81 which is placed in a cutout space in the door jamb 92. The strike plate 81 is positioned directly opposite to the front plate 13 of the bolt housing 5 10 when the door 91 is closed in the door jamb 92. The distance between the strike plate 81 and the front plate 13 in the closed position of the door 91 is, in this example, six millimeters or less. Theoretically, the distance can be anywhere between zero and twelve millimeters, wherein a 10 smaller distance improves the security of the lock. The strike plate 81 lies flush with the rebate of the door jamb 92. The strike plate 81 is provided with a rectangular opening 82 with a vertical side edge 85. The opening 82 of the strike plate 81 has the same width as the opening 14 in 15 the front plate 13. Behind the rectangular opening 82, a cutout or locking chamber (not shown) is provided for receiving the latch bolt 3. At one end, the strike plate 81 is provided with a leading strike edge 83. Between the strike edge 83 and the opening 82, the strike plate 81 20 comprises a blind striking surface 84.

As shown in figure 5, the lock assembly 1 is provided with a first curved bearing surface 21 that protrudes inwards from the first housing part 11 and a second curved bearing surface 22 that protrudes inwards from 25 the second housing part 12. The bearing surfaces 21, 22 form segments of a cylindrical bearing channel 23 which has a rotational axis R that extends horizontally through the bolt housing 10 and through the center C of the opening 14. The bearing 20 has a constant inner cross section when viewed 30 parallel to the rotational axis R.

As shown in figures 4A-C the latch bolt 3 comprises a wedge section 31 at the leading end of the latch bolt 3, an alignment section 32 at the trailing end of the wedge section 31 and a bolt shaft section 33 extending from 35 the trailing end of the alignment section 32. In this embodiment, the wedge section 31, the alignment section 32 and the bolt shaft section 33 are manufactured out of a 8 single, solid piece of metal. The bolt shaft section 33 is placed in the bearing channel 23 as shown in figure 5, wherein the wedge section 31 faces points in the locking direction L and wherein the bolt shaft section 33 point in 5 the unlocking direction U.

The wedge section 31 is provided with a straight locking surface 34 at one side and a sloped run-on surface or striking surface 35 at the other side, wherein the locking surface 34 and the striking surface 35 converge into 10 a leading edge 36. The locking surface 34 extends over twelve millimeters in the locking direction L. The wedge section 31 comprises a deflection surface 37 at the bottom of the leading edge 36, which is extends at an angle that deviates from the angle of the locking surface 34 and the 15 angle of the striking surface 35.

The alignment section 32 is provided with a first straight guide surface 38 which is a continuation of the locking surface 34 of the wedge section 31. The first guide surface 38 and the locking surface 34 combined extend over 20 approximately twenty millimeters or more in the locking direction L. The alignment section 32 comprises a second straight guide surface 39 which extends parallel to the first straight guide surface 38 from the end of the striking surface 35. At their top ends and the bottom ends, the guide 25 surfaces 38, 39 merge into a third convex, curved guide surface 40 and a fourth convex, curved guide surface 41, respectively. The curved guide surfaces 40, 41 define segments of a circle which has its center at the center C of the opening 14 as shown in figure 3A. As such, the curved 30 guide surfaces 40, 41 concentrically follow the curved edges 17, 18 of the front plate 13. All guide surfaces 38-41 combined form a cross section of the alignment section 32 which substantially corresponds to the cross section of the opening 14 in the front plate 13.

35 Figure 4B shows that, along the transition from the sloped striking surface 35 to the second straight guide surface 39, the alignment section 32 is provided with a 9 first tilt surface 42 which extends at an angle H of approximately five to ten degrees with respect to the second guide surface 39. The first tilt surface 42 starts out as flush with the second guide surface 39 at the middle between 5 the curved guide surfaces 40, 41, before gradually recessing with respect to the second guide surface 39 towards the third guide surface 40. As a result of the first tilt surface 42, a pie-shaped frontal abutment surface 43 is formed which extends between and perpendicular to the first 10 tilt surface 42 and the second guide surface 39. The abutment surface 43 faces in the locking direction L. The first tilt surface 42 extends in the locking direction L in front of the abutment surface 43 over a distance which corresponds to the thickness of the front plate 13.

15 Figure 4C shows that, along the transition from the locking surface 34 to the first straight guide surface 38, diagonally opposite to the first tilt surface 42, the alignment section 32 is provided with a second tilt surface 44. The second tilt surface 44 extends parallel to the first 20 tilt surface 42 and at an angle H of approximately five to ten degrees with respect to the first guide surface 38. The second tilt surface 44 starts out as flush with the first guide surface 38 at the middle between the curved guide surfaces 40, 41, before gradually recessing with respect to 25 the first guide surface 38 towards the fourth guide surface 41, thereby forming a recess 45 in the first guide surface 38. The recess 45 is bounded on both sides by slopes 46, 47 of forty-five degrees. The recess 45 extends in the locking direction L over a distance which substantially corresponds 30 to the thickness of the front plate 13.

As shown in figure 4A, the alignment section 32 is provided with a protrusion 54 which extends from the back of the alignment section 32 in the unlocking direction U.

As shown in figure 4A, the bolt shaft section 33 35 is provided with a circular shaft 51 which extends in the unlocking direction U. The diameter of the shaft 51 is smaller than the diameter of the bearing channel 23 as shown 10 in figure 5. The bolt shaft section 33 further comprises a cylindrical rotation disc 52 at the trailing end of the shaft 51. The rotation disc 52 has a diameter which corresponds to the diameter of the bearing channel 23. The 5 rotation disc 52 is provided with a circumferential wall 53 that is in abutment with the first bearing surface 21 and the second bearing surface 22.

As shown in figures 3A and 5, the latch bolt 3 is suspended or guided at one end by its guide surface 38-41 10 within the opening 14 of the front plate 13 and at the other end with its rotation disc 53 within the bearing channel 23. As a result, the latch bolt 3 can be translated back and forth through the opening 14 in the unlocking direction U and the locking direction L, respectively, and can be 15 rotated or tilted with respect to the rotation axis R depending on the position of the alignment section 32 within the opening 14 of the front plate 13.

As shown in figure IB, the lock assembly 1 further comprises a torsion spring 48 which is placed between the 20 latch bolt 3 and the bolt housing 10 in a manner which will be described hereafter. At one end, the torsion spring 48 is provided with a first free end 49 which is rotation fixedly coupled to the bolt housing 10. At the opposite end, the torsion spring 48 is provided with a second free end 50 25 which in abutment with the protrusion 54 extending from the back of the latch bolt 3, as shown in figure 4A. The torsion spring 48 has a torsion axis T around which the torsion spring 48 twists. The torsion spring 48 exerts a torsion force F in a tilting direction M and a pressure force P in 30 the locking direction L, thereby biasing the latch bolt 3 to move in the locking direction L and to tilt in the tilting direction M.

The operation of the lock assembly 1 with the latch bolt 3 according to the aforementioned embodiment of 35 the invention is elucidated with figures 2A-D and 3A-D.

Figures 2A and 3A show the situation wherein the latch bolt 3 of the lock assembly 1 is in a fully retracted 11 position or trigger bolt position. The latch bolt 3 arrives at this position when the lock assembly 1 is operated by a handle (not shown), a panic handle or a electronic actuator (not shown), which causes the internal mechanism of the lock 5 assembly 1 to retract the latch bolt 3 in the unlocking direction U against the pressure force P of the torsion spring 48. In this situation, the locking surface 34 and the leading edge 36 of the latch bolt 3 are in abutment with the first second straight edge 15 of the front plate 13. The 10 leading edge 36 is substantially flush with the front plate 13.

In the trigger bolt position, the latch bolt 3 is biased by the pressure force P of the torsion spring 48 to move in the locking direction L through the opening 14 in 15 the front plate 13. Retracting the latch bolt 3 into a trigger bolt position will trigger the latch bolt 3 to subsequently move into a partly extended position or a fully extended position, also known as a latch bolt position or a dead bolt position, respectively, depending on the 20 situations as described below.

Figures 2B, 2C and 3B show the situation wherein the latch bolt 3 of the lock assembly 1 has moved into the latch bolt position. The latch bolt 3 moves into the latch bolt position when the strike plate 81 is not directly in 25 front of the front plate 13 as the latch bolt 3 is being pushed outwards in the locking direction L by the pressure force P of the torsion spring 48. The strike plate 81 is not in front of the front plate 13 when the door 91 is opened with its leading edge rotated away from the door jamb 92 of 30 figure 1A.

During the movement of the latch bolt 3 from the trigger bolt position as shown in figures 2A and 3A into the latch bolt position as shown in figures 2B, 2C and 3B, a torsion force F has been exerted by the torsion spring 48 on 35 the protrusion 54 of the latch bolt 3. However, as the locking surface 34 moved through the opening 14 of the front plate 13, the torsion force F has been counteracted by the 12 abutment of the locking surface 34 with the first straight edge 15. It is only until the tilt surfaces 42, 44 pass through the opening 14 in the front plate 13, that the recess 45 allows the latch bolt 3 to be tilted in the 5 tilting direction M.

The latch bolt 3 has been tilted in tilting direction M over an angle H of approximately five to ten degrees around the rotation axis R. The curved guide surfaces 40, 41 of the latch bolt 3 and the curved edges 17, 10 18 of the opening 14 in the front plate 13 are concentrically arranged around the rotation axis R so that the latch bolt 3 can smoothly rotate within the opening 14 of the front plate 13. In the tilted orientation of the latch bolt 3, the alignment section 32 is misaligned with 15 the opening 14 of the front plate 13, wherein the projection of the cross section of the alignment section 32, as defined by the guide surfaces 38-41, in the locking direction L onto the front plate 13 intersects with the front plate 13 around the opening 14. More in particular, the first guide surface 20 38 and the second guide surface 39 intersect or are misaligned with respect to the vertical straight edges 15, 16 of the opening 14.

As shown in figure 2C, the abutment surface 43 of the alignment section 32 rests against or is in abutment 25 with the back side of the front plate 13, around the opening 14. The first tilt surface 42 rests against or is in abutment with the first straight edge 15 of the opening 14. As shown in figure IB, diagonally opposite to the first tilt surface 42, the second tilt surface 44 rests against or is 30 in abutment with the second straight edge 16 of the opening 14. The front plate 13 is partly accommodated in the recess 45, between the sloped surfaces 46, 47. The recess 45 facilitates said tilting out of alignment of the latch bolt 3.

35 As shown in figure 2C, the abutment surface 43 holds the latch bolt 3 at an intermediate, partially extended position and prevents the latch bolt 3 from moving 13 further into the locking direction L. In the latch bolt position, the wedge section 31 of the latch bolt 3 extends over a distance of approximately twelve millimeters past the front plate 13 in the locking direction L. The latch bolt 3 5 acts as a latch bolt, wherein it is retractable in the unlocking direction U by either the operation of the handle, the electronic actuator or wherein it is pushed into the bolt housing 10 in a manner which will be described hereafter.

10 Figures 2D and 3C show the situation wherein the latch bolt 3 of the lock assembly 1 is moved from the latch bolt position into the trigger bolt position during the process of closing the door 91 of figure 1A. As the door 91 moves into a closed position with respect to the door jamb 15 92, the front plate 13 of the bolt housing 10 becomes situated directly in front of the strike plate 81 at the door jamb 92. The sloped striking surface 35 of the latch bolt 3 hits the strike plate 81 under the angle H of five to ten degrees as shown in figure 3B. The contact between the 20 striking surface 35 and the strike plate 81 causes the latch bolt 3 to be tilted back into its upright or original untilted orientation, against the torsion force F of the torsion spring 48, as shown in figure 3C. The striking surface 35 slides along the striking edge 83 of the strike 25 plate 81, while at the same time the strike plate 81 forces the wedge section 31 of the latch bolt 3 inwards into the bolt housing 10 in the unlocking direction U, against the pressure force P of the torsion spring 48. The slopes 46, 47 of the recess 45 smoothly guide the latch bolt 3 along the 30 second straight edge 15 of the front plate 13 during said tilting back and said inwards movement of the latch bolt 3.

Eventually, the sloped striking surface 35 of the latch bolt 3 has slid completely along the striking edge 83 of the strike plate 81, thereby lifting the leading edge 36 35 of the wedge section 31 in the unlocking direction U onto the blind surface 84 of the striking plate 81. As shown in figure 2D and 3C, the latch bolt 3 is being held inwards, 14 against the pressure force P of the torsion spring 48, in its retracted trigger bolt position by the abutment of the leading edge 36 with the blind surface 84 of the strike plate 81.

5 Figures 2E and 3D show the situation wherein the door 91 has been moved into the normal closed position within the door frame, wherein the leading edge of the door 91 is directly opposite to the door jamb 92. The opening 82 in the strike plate 81 and the opening 14 in the front plate 10 13 have been aligned so that the cross section of the opening 14 in the front plate 13 falls within the cross section of the opening 82 in the strike plate 81. In particular, the second vertical straight edge 15 of the front plate 13 is directly in front of the vertical side 15 edge 85 of the strike plate 81 in the locking direction L.

In this situation, the leading edge 36 is no longer held back by the blind surface 84 of the strike plate 81. Instead, as soon as the leading edge 36 left the blind surface 84 of the strike plate 81 and entered the opening 82 20 of the strike plate 81, the pressure force P of the torsion spring 4 8 caused the latch bolt 3 to move in the locking direction L into the deadbolt position. During this movement, the deflection surface 37 has ensured that the leading edge 36 of the latch bolt 3 is smoothly deflected 25 over the side edge 85 of the strike plate 81. As the latch bolt 3 slides into the opening 82 of the strike plate 81, the locking surface 34 and subsequently the first guide surface 38 are aligned with and in abutment with the side edge 85 of the strike plate 81. This aligned abutment 30 counteracts the torsion force F that is exerted by the torsion spring 48 on the latch bolt 3, thereby preventing the latch bolt 3 from tilting in the tilting direction M. As a result the recess 45 is skipped and the latch bolt 3 moves directly into the deadbolt position.

35 In the deadbolt position, the latch bolt 3 extends approximately twenty millimeters from the front plate 13 in the locking direction L into the opening 82 of the strike 15 plate 81, thereby firmly engaging with the strike plate 81. In this embodiment, the latch bolt 3 can only be retracted from the deadbolt position into the trigger bolt position by using a key operated unlocking mechanism (not shown) or an 5 electronic unlocking actuator (not shown).

During the movement of the latch bolt 3 from the trigger bolt position into the deadbolt position, the locking surface 34 and the second guide surface 38 have been subsequently in abutment with the vertical side edge 85 of 10 the opening 82 in the strike plate 81. The subsequent abutment of the locking surface 34 and the second guide surface 38 with the strike plate 81 has counteracted the torsion force F of the torsion spring 48, thereby preventing the latch bolt 3 from tilting in the tilting direction M 15 into the latch bolt position as the recess 45 of the latch bolt 3 moved through the opening 14 of the front plate 13.

In a traditional lock assembly, the trigger function is performed by two or more separate bolts with are mechanically coupled to each other. This mechanical coupling 2 0 causes the traditional lock assembly to wear over time, resulting in unacceptable tolerances and a less secure traditional lock assembly. The latch bolt 3 integrates the functionalities of the separate latches of a traditional lock assembly in one single latch. In the manner as 25 described above, the latch bolt 3 acts as both a latch bolt, a deadbolt and a trigger bolt, wherein the movement is guided by the shape of the latch bolt 3. Because there are no separately moving latches, the wear is reduced, resulting in a more reliable and secure lock assembly 1. The 30 integration of the aforementioned separate latches into one single latch bolt 3 furthermore increases the free space within the bolt housing 10, which would otherwise be occupied by the separate latches. This allows for electronics or other components, such as a solenoid or a 35 processor for electronic entry verification, to be placed within the bolt housing 10, which control or assist the operation of the lock assembly 1.

16

Alternatively, the torsion spring can be replaced by a biasing part or biasing assembly which exerts a force in a direction similar to torsion direction F and a force in a direction similar to the pressure direction P.

5 It is to be understood that the above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be 10 encompassed by the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

A lock assembly with a bolt, comprising a housing, an elongated front plate at one end of the housing and a first opening in the front plate, wherein the bolt is placed in the housing, the lock assembly being provided with a bearing that engages the bolt to the housing, the bearing allowing translation of the bolt relative to the housing and parallel to a center axis extending through the first opening, the bolt being, in a first position, substantially retracted into the housing, the bolt, in a second position, extends from the housing through the first opening into a dead bolt position, the bearing allowing a tilt of the bolt relative to the housing about the center axis, the lock assembly being provided with a preloaded part that the bolt is preloaded to tilt with respect to the first position and the second position when the bolt has been moved n at a third position between the first position and the second position, wherein the bolt, when the bolt is tilted, is in abutment with the face plate in a direction parallel to the center axis.

2. Lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein, when the bolt is tilted in the third position, the projection of the bolt in the direction of the center axis intersects the face plate around the first opening.

3. Lock assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the bolt comprises an abutment surface, wherein, when the bolt is tilted in the third position, the abutment surface is in abutment with the front plate around the first opening in the direction of the center axis.

A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bolt, with respect to the center axis diagonally opposite to the abutment surface, is provided with a recess for accommodating an edge of the front plate.

Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the bolt comprises on one side a closing surface and on the other side a chamfered surface, wherein the closing surface and the chamfered surface converge into a leading edge, wherein the closing surface when the bolt is tilted 10 in the third position, is not aligned with the longitudinal direction of the face plate.

6. Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the lock assembly further comprises a strike plate, wherein the lock assembly is provided with a second opening in the striking plate for receiving the bolt, wherein the striking plate, when the bolt is received in the second opening , is in contact with the lap in a tangential direction around the center axis.

7. Lock assembly as claimed in claims 5 and 6, wherein the second opening is bounded by a straight edge of the striking plate, wherein the straight edge of the striking plate, when the bolt is received in the second opening, abuts the leading edge and / or or the closing surface of the bolt.

8. A lock assembly according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein the leading edge of the bolt is provided with a deflection surface that extends at an acute angle with respect to the face of the striking plate.

9. Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the pre-loading part is a torsion spring.

A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in a first position, the bolt is retracted against the axial force of the preload member.

A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the third position, the bolt acts as a latch bolt.

12. Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein, in the second position, the bolt protrudes from the housing about 20 mm beyond the front plate.

13. Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein, in the third position, the bolt protrudes from the housing about 12 mm beyond the front plate.

14. Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the bolt has been withdrawn from the third position to the first position by a drive part, preferably a hand-operated grip.

A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bolt is a single part, preferably a solid part.

16. Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the bolt has been withdrawn from the second position to the first position by a unlocking mechanism, preferably a key-operated or an electronically operated unlocking mechanism.

17. Lock assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the lock assembly is an insertion lock assembly.

18. Lock assembly provided with one or more measures as described in the description and / or as shown in the attached figures. -o-o-o-o-o-o-o-