WO2009060483A1

WO2009060483A1 - Lock

Info

Publication number: WO2009060483A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000785
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco Patti
Original assignee: Assa Abloy Italia S.P.A.
Priority date: 2007-11-07
Filing date: 2007-11-07
Publication date: 2009-05-14

Abstract

The present invention relates to a safety lock. In particular it is a safety lock improved in order to provide an increased level of resistance to cracking. The main advantage consists in the fact that the lock subject of the present invention remarkably increases the safety of the locking device by operating a small modification to a lock of classic type and offering an additional safety point with respect thereto.

Description

LOCK

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a safety lock. In particular, it is a safety lock improved to provide an increased level of resistance to cracking. Some safety locks used nowadays provide "one closing point", represented by the central latch group. In order to increase the resistance offered by "one-point" locks, for example for houses' main doors, often one resorts to locks of the "three- point" type which are represented, apart from the central latch group, by the two upward and downward vertical rods. Notwithstanding the "three closing point" locks guarantee a high safety level, often they do not resist to attempts at cracking the locking device, mostly performed with tools such as crowbars or levers in general.

The modifications introduced thereto to increase the safety level thereof are usually articulated and therefore expensive and in some cases they even risk of ruining the aesthetic aspect of the locking device itself.

In fact, a method utilized nowadays in attempting to increase a lock resistance consists in increasing the number of latchs arranged along the two vertical rods. Usually, apart from the central latch, other two latchs are positioned above and under thereto. In this way, the lock resistance is clearly increased, however to the detriment of a greater use discomfort (considering that one key is available for each latch), together with the fact that the costs to install this type of locks are extremely high.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to obviate the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to the known art, by providing a lock as substantially described in claim 1.

On the contrary, secondary features of the present invention are defined in the respective depending claims.

The present invention, by overcoming the mentioned problems of the known art, involves several and evident advantages. The main advantage consists in that the lock subject of the present invention remarkably increases the safety of the locking device, by performing a small modification to a lock of the classic type and offering an additional safety point with respect thereto. In fact, as it will be described in details hereinafter in the present invention, the drive of the central latch determines the locking of the spring-latch of the locking device, which consequently assumes an active role in a possible act of forcing the locking device itself.

Furthermore, the lock subject of the present invention could be also advantageously pre-arranged to implement the two top and bottom closures thanks to the vertical rods, bringing to four the safety points offered as a whole. An additional advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that the larger the distance between the central latch and the spring-latch will be, the higher will be the resistance offered by the locking device during a cracking. In fact, it will be surely appreciated that upon increasing the distance between the two members, the lock flexural rigidity and therefore the capability thereof to resist to break-in attempts will increase.

Other advantages, features and application modes of the present invention will be evident by the following detailed description of two embodiments thereof, shown by way of example and not for limitative purpose. The figures of the enclosed drawings will be referred to, wherein: figures 1 to 3 show a lock subject of the present invention according to a first embodiment; figures 4 to 6 show a lock subject of the present invention according to second embodiment; and figures 7 and 8 show an embodiment variant which can be applied to both embodiments.

The present invention will be described hereinafter by referring to the above- mentioned figures.

In particular, by referring to figure 1 , a lock 1 is shown for a general locking device (not shown in figure) having a box-like body 2 illustrated in section. Still by referring to figure 1 , the box-like body 2 comprises a first mechanism 3 in the inside thereof. Said first mechanism 3 is apt to drive a latch 5 to bring it from a resting configuration, wherein it is substantially contained inside the box-like body 2, to an operating configuration (not shown in figure 1) so as not to allow to open said locking device and viceversa. In the operating configuration, the latch 3 is engaged in a first frame portion of said locking device (not shown in figure too). Said mechanism 3 comprises a gear 10, connected to the latch 5, driven by a key (not shown) which causes a step rotation thereof. It will be appreciated that said mechanism 3 more generally comprises a gear chain (not shown in figure), driven by the key turns, the gear 10 thereof constitutes an end member thereof. The technical implementation of said gear chain, being widely known to the state of art, has been evaluated to be within the comprehension of a person skilled in the art and it will not be described herein.

Therefore, the key turns cause a step advancing of the latch 5 outside the box-like body 2, by assuming in this way said operating configuration so as not to allow the opening of the locking device. As underlined in figure, the latch 5 has a substantially parallelepiped shape. It will be appreciated that it could assume other implementation shapes. By way of example and not for limitative purpose, it could be implemented in the shape of one or more bolts with substantially cylindrical shape.

Still by referring to figure 1 , the lock 1 subject of the present invention comprises a spring-latch 7 which, as it is known, is usually engaged within a second frame portion of the locking device and it is kept in such position by means of a spring 25.

In this way, the spring-latch guarantees that the locking device remains closed. The box-like body further comprises a second gear 4, apt to return inside thereof the spring-latch so as to make possible to open the locking device. The mechanism 4 is controlled by a grasping member of the locking device such as, by way of example and not with limitative purpose, a usual handle (not shown in figure).

In fact, as clearly shown in figure, the rotation of the handle causes the compression of the spring 25 by determining the return of the spring-latch inside the box-like body 2. Then, it is meant that the spring-latch allows to close the locking device, however not being locked by any lock member.

A detailed description will not given also about the gear 4 for returning the spring- latch, as it is widely known to the state of art.

The lock 1 subject of the present invention comprises inside said box-like body 2 locking means 8, driven by said first gear 3 and apt to cooperate with the spring- latch in order to prevent it from returning inside the box-like body, when the latch 5 is in the operating configuration.

In particular, said locking means 8 comprises a lever 11 sliding inside the box-like body and step driven by the gear 10. Said lever 11 is characterized by the fact of comprising a contrast member 12 apt to insert in a recess 13 obtained in the spring- latch 7.

Therefore, starting from the resting position shown in figure 1 , the key turns determine the rotation of the gear 10, which step drives, and simultaneously, the advancing of the latch 5 and the sliding of the lever 11.

Preferably at the last turn, the contrast member 12 inserts into the recess 13. In this way, it cooperates with the spring-latch 7 by preventing the return thereof in the - A -

box-like body and consequently the opening of the locking device, in a possible break-in attempt.

It will be thus appreciated that the spring-latch 7, when the latch is in the operating configuration, assumes the function of an additional safety point. By referring to figure 2, the lever 11 is illustrated. In particular, the contrast member 12 further has a small tongue 14, slightly tilted with respect to the direction detected by the sliding of the lever 11 , in order to ease the inlet thereof inside the recess of the spring-latch.

By now referring to figure 3, the lock 1 is illustrated, with the latch 5 brought into the operating configuration. As it results clearly from figure 2, the step driving of the latch 5, by means of the key turns, determines the insertion of the contrast member 12 inside the recess 13 by causing the locking of the spring-latch.

Alternatively, as shown in figures 7 and 8, the contrast member 12 can position, preferably at the step of the gear 3 driven after the last turn, at a rear portion of the spring-latch 7. In a manner wholly similar to the embodiment described above, the contrast member prevents it from returning into the box-like body, when the latch is in the operating configuration. Also in this case, the contrast member 12 has the small tongue 14, apt to ease the positioning thereof at said rear portion.

In the subsequent figures 4 and 5, the lock 1 subject of the present invention according to a second preferred embodiment is illustrated.

In particular, as shown in figure 4, said second embodiment is substantially equal to the first embodiment described above, with the difference that in this case the lever 11 additionally controls a first vertical rod (not shown in figure) which implements an additional upper closing point. In fact, still by referring to figure 4, said lever 11 comprises, at one end thereof 20, an extension 21 , said extension being outside the box-like body 2 and comprising means 22 for connecting to said first vertical rod.

By referring to the subsequent figure 5, the step sliding of the lever 11 , driven by the gear 10, determines both the locking of the spring-latch 7 and the sliding of the vertical rod by implementing, apart from the latch 5, two additional closing points of the locking device.

Alternatively, as shown in the figures 7 and 8, also for the second embodiment the contrast member 12 can position, preferably at the step of the mechanism 3 driven after the last turn, at a rear portion of the spring-latch 7. In this way, the contrast member prevents it from returning inside the box-like body, when the latch is in the operating configuration. Also in this case the contrast member 12 has the small tongue 14, apt to ease the positioning thereof at said rear portion.

At last, it will be appreciated that a second lever 16 could be inserted inside the box-like body, both in the first and in the second preferred embodiment, step driven too by the gear 10 and connected to a second vertical rod (not shown in figure) so as to implement an additional lower closing point.

At last, the lever 11 , related to the second preferred embodiment described above, is illustrated in the subsequent and last figure 6.

The present invention has been sofar described by referring to two preferred embodiments. It is to be meant that other embodiments belonging to the same inventive core may exist, all however comprised within the protective scope of the herebelow reported claims.

Claims

1. Lock (1) for a locking device or the like, having a box-like body (2) comprising:

• a latch (5) driven by a first gear (3), said first gear (3) being apt to bring said latch (5) from a resting configuration wherein it is substantially contained inside the box-like body (2) to an operating configuration wherein the latch (5) is engaged in a frame portion of said locking device, so as to prevent the opening of the locking device and viceversa; • a spring-latch (7), driven by a second mechanism (4) in turn controlled by a grasping member of said locking device, said second mechanism (4) being apt to return said spring-latch (7) into said box- like body (2) so as to allow to open said locking device when said latch (5) is in the resting configuration; said lock (1) being characterized in that it comprises locking means (8), driven by said first mechanism (3) and apt to cooperate with said spring- latch (7) to prevent it from returning inside said box-like body (2) when said latch (5) is in said operating configuration.

2. Lock (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said first mechanism (3) is step driven by means of one or more turns by a key or the like.

3. Lock (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first mechanism (3) comprises a gear (10), said gear being step driven by means of one or more turns by a key or the like.

4. Lock (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said locking means (8) comprises a lever (11) sliding inside said box-like body (2) step driven by said mechanism (3).

5. Lock (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said gear (10) is apt to step drive said lever (11) and said latch (5) simultaneously.

6. Lock (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said lever (11) comprises a contrast member (12) apt to insert inside a recess (13) made onto said spring-latch (7) when said latch (5) is in said operating configuration.

7. Lock (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said contrast member (12) has a small tongue (14) tilted so as to ease the inlet in said recess (13).

8. Lock (1) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said contrast member (12) is apt to insert in said recess (13) at the step of said mechanism (3) after having driven the last turn.

9. Lock (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said lever (11) comprises a contrast member (12) apt to position at a rear portion of said spring-latch (7) when said latch (5) is in said operating configuration.

10. Lock (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said contrast member

(12) has a small tongue (14) tilted so as to ease the positioning thereof at said rear portion.

11. Lock (1) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said contrast member (12) is apt to position at said rear portion at the step of said mechanism (3) after having driven the last turn.

12. Lock (1) according to any claims 4 to 11 , wherein said lever (11) is connected to a first vertical rod apt to implement an upper closing point of said locking device.

13. Lock (1) according to any claims 2 a 12, further comprising a second lever (16) step driven by said mechanism (3) and connected to a second vertical rod apt to implement a lower closing point of said locking device.

14. Locking device, characterized in that it comprises a lock according to any claims 1 to 13.