WO2004018810A1

WO2004018810A1 - Detachable lock

Info

Publication number: WO2004018810A1
Application number: PCT/SE2003/001304
Authority: WO
Inventors: Katarina Hjalmarsson
Original assignee: Katarina Hjalmarsson
Priority date: 2002-08-22
Filing date: 2003-08-22
Publication date: 2004-03-04
Also published as: AU2003253544A1; SE522076C2; SE0202494D0; SE0202494L

Abstract

A detachable lock for locking a door (200) or the like to a frame (202), arranged to be fitted through an opening in one or more existing lockable parts (204, 206). The lock (100) comprises a first locking half (102) provided with a substantially straight protruding locking shackle (104), and a second locking half (106) shaped with a recess (108) corresponding to the locking shackle. Furthermore, the recess is provided with a locking mechanism (214) for retaining the locking shackle in the recess as the two locking halves are brought together. The two locking halves are formed separately to be freely brought together towards each other with the locking shackle running through the opening of the existing lockable part or parts in a locked position in the recess. In the assembled position, the locking halves form a hollow protecting cover over the existing lockable part or parts, such that these, as well as the locking shackle, are substantially concealed and inaccessible to damage from the outside.

Description

Detachable lock

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a detachable lock for locking a door or the like to a frame, e.g. in a storage cabinet. In particular, the lock is designed as a covering casing, which in use makes existing lockable parts and a locking shackle in the lock inaccessible from the outside .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Different types of detachable padlocks having a locking shackle are often used for locking a door, hatch or the like to a frame, provided with one or more existing lockable parts. The lockable parts are typically designed as plate flanges or the like having some kind of through hole or opening. For example, in storage cabinets, the cabinets are often provided with this type of flanges, such that a user can fit the locking shackle of the padlock through the holes of the flanges when the door is in a closed position in its frame. Existing doors and/or frames may also be provided with other types of lockable parts intended to be locked by means of padlocks. Structures exist, e.g., with one or more movable parts, such as plate sheets or covers, which can be turned or moved into a position for locking the door, wherein an opening or channel is formed for the padlock.

Storage cabinets are often used in publicly accessible places, such as dressing-rooms, schools and train stations. However, there may at such places be a relatively great risk for burglary and damage, when the lock is broken open by using physical force on the detachable lock and/or the existing parts of the cabinet. Thus, a drawback associated with using conventional detachable padlocks is that the lock is openly exposed, making it easily accessible for external damage by means of tools.

Solutions have previously been proposed to this problem, where the lock is enclosed and concealed by a cover or the like, in order to make such external damage more difficult. For example, US 3996774 describes a lock 10 provided with a cover 12 in which a loose piston 26 can be brought into a locking position in existing lockable parts, designed as flanges 18, 20. The cover is made in one piece provided with recesses for the piston and for the existing lockable parts in the form of flanges 18, 20. In this design, the lock including its cover is accurately shaped to fit the existing lockable parts 18, 20. Hence, this lock provides a very limited usage, and cannot be used if the existing lockable parts are shaped differently.

By US 4754626, another structure is known where a protecting cover 10 as one piece is fitted with a block 11 to be locked at an existing lockable part 23. DE 472107 discloses another solution with two locking halves 2, 3 being pivotally connected by means of a pivot joint 1. A plain shackle 4 in one half fits into a recess in the other half 3 as the halves are turned together. Here, however, a separate locking mechanism 7, 8 is required, separated from the shackle 4. This lock may also be difficult to apply in certain cases, as the locking halves can only be turned together in one way around the joint 1.

An ordinary padlock having a U-shaped shackle, which can easily be hooked for engagement in existing lockable parts, allows for greater application variations and flexibility. However, conventional padlocks do not provide any protection against external damage, as stated. Thus, there is a need for a simple lock providing high flexibility and inhibiting external damage. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a detachable lock, having a relatively simple structure allowing flexible usage for locking a door or the like to a frame, which is configured to make breaking by external damage more difficult, and which can be used for several different types oi existing xθc ιng parts.

These objects and others are obtained by the features of the invented lock making the lock and existing locking parts to be enclosed and concealed in order to inhibit such external damage. The detachable lock is arranged to be fitted through an opening in one or more existing lockable parts. The lock comprises a first locking half provided with a substantially straight, protruding locking shackle and a second locking half shaped with a recess corresponding to the locking shackle. Furthermore, the recess is provided with a locking mechanism for retaining the locking shackle in the recess as the two locking halves are assembled together . The two locking halves are formed separately in order to be freely brought together towards each other with the locking shackle of the first locking half running through the opening formed in the existing lockable part or parts to a locked position in the recess of the second locking half. In the assembled position, the locking halves form a hollow protecting cover over the existing lockable part or parts, such that these, as well as the locking shackle, are substantially concealed and inaccessible from the outside.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in more detail below by means of a preferred exemplary embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a lock according to the invention in an unlocked state.

Fig. 2 is a schematic section view of the lock of Fig. 1 in a locked state when applied in practice.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Fig. 1, an outline diagram is shown of a preferred embodiment of a detachable lock 100 according to the invention, configured to lock a door to a frame, by fitting the lock to one or more existing lockable parts on the door and/or the frame, not shown in Fig. 1. The lock 100 comprises a first locking half 102 provided with a protruding, substantially straight, locking shackle 104, and a second locking half 106 shaped with a recess 108 corresponding to the locking shackle 104. The recess 108 is in turn provided with a locking mechanism, not shown, for locking the locking shackle 104 in the recess as the two locking halves 102, 106 are brought together. The locking mechanism in the recess 108 may be any optional, e.g. previously known, mechanism for maintaining the locking shackle 104, which to this end is preferably provided with some notch or the like. However, the invention is not limited to any particular locking mechanism.

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic section view of the lock 100 in a locked position when applied for locking a door 200 to a frame 202. In this example, the door is provided with a flange 204, and the frame is likewise provided with a corresponding flange 206. The flanges 204, 206 are further provided with through holes 208, 210 substantially located just in front of each other, such that an opening is formed through them when the door is closed, as shown in the figure. The locking shackle 104 of the first locking half has been put through the opening of the flanges into a locked position in the recess of the second locking half, as the two locking halves 102, 106 are brought together towards each other.

The locking halves 102, 106 are configured as separate parts, each having an inside cavity, such that an inner space 212 is formed as the two halves are brought together. The locking shackle 104 runs through this space, and the space 212 is also intended to accommodate existing locking parts therein when in use, in this case the flanges 204, 206. In Fig. 2, a locking mechanism 214 is also indicated schematically for retaining the locking shackle 104 in the recess 108. Preferably, the locking mechanism 214 may be of the same type that occurs in ordinary padlocks operated by means of a key.

In the closed position, the separate locking halves 102, 106 form a relatively tight and hollow cover over the flanges 204, 206, such that the flanges as well as the locking shackle 104 are concealed and inaccessible from the outside. In the assembled position, the locking halves 102, 106 are preferably configured to abut against each other, basically with no open gap between them, regardless of the dimensions of the existing part or parts or of their design. Hence, intruders are prevented from sawing, cutting or otherwise breaking the parts included in the locking by force. Preferably, the cover formed in this way has a rounded outline, as shown in the figures, in order to make intrusion even more difficult.

By means of the invention, a very simple but effective construction is obtained, which can be used for many different types of existing lockable parts. This flexibility is chiefly obtained by means of the separate locking halves forming the substantially closed space when assembled, and by the two locking halves being easily put together in any optional direction. Naturally, various modifications of the above-described configuration are possible within the scope of the invention, which is not limited to the described embodiments, but is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A detachable lock for locking a door or the like to a frame, wherein the door and the frame comprise one or more lockable parts (204, 206) provided with through holes, which in a closed position form an opening through which the lock is adapted to be fitted for locking the door, characterized in that the lock (100) comprises:

- a first locking half (102) provided with a sole, substantially straight, protruding locking shackle (104), and

- a second locking half (106) shaped with a recess (108) corresponding to the locking shackle (104), and a locking mechanism (214) for retaining the locking shackle in the recess as the two locking halves are brought together, wherein the two locking halves are formed separately in order to be freely brought together in any optional direction, with the locking shackle of the first locking half running through the opening formed in the existing lockable parts to a locked position in the recess of the second locking half, wherein the locking halves are each shaped with an inside cavity, such that an inner space (212) is formed as the two halves are brought together, and configured to abut tightly against each other in the assembled position with no open gap between them, wherein the lock forms a hollow protecting cover, when in use, with the locking shackle and the existing locking part or parts accommodated in the inner space, such that these are substantially concealed and inaccessible from the outside.

2. A detachable lock according to claim 1, characterised in. that the formed cover has a rounded outline.