AU677973B2 - Improvements in locks - Google Patents

Description

P/00/01I 21W Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: fle tt .The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best :::::.method of performing it known to me:- .1

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P \OPERRSH\WATTS552 048- 53/97 -2- This invention relates particularly to locks for sliding doors, such as aluminium and timber framed glass sliding doors.

There are many types of locks for glass doors commonly available. Some such locks are described in the Australian patents of Ogden Industries Pty Ltd. Whitco Pty Ltd, Doric Industries Pty Ltd. Hardware Developments Ltd, Schlegel Ltd and others. These patents describe locks having a hooked beak supported within a casing and which is brought into engagement with a strike plate to effect engagement between the casing and strike plate.

In some cases the beak is pivoted into the engaging position while in other cases it is slid into engagement in both cases after the lock casing and strike plate are adjacent and able to be engaged.

Commonly available locks do not have a latching capability whereby the lock atomatically engages the strike plate when moved adjacently in which cases the closed door remains unrestrained until the lock is hand actuated.

Commonly available locks are easily damaged by actuating the locking beak prior to moving the lock adjacent the strike plate in which case the momentum of the closing door must be absorbed by the beak.

I Commonly available locks often have exposed fixing screws so that the lock can easily be removed.

20 Commonly available locks often engage inadequately and often only horizontally in a longitudinal direction so that after engagement the door can easily be moved vertically.

According to the invention there is provided a lock for a sliding door comprising a first casing mountable on one face of the door, means mountable on a frame defining a door opening, engaging means carried by one from the first casing and mountable means, and 25 engageable means carried by the other from said first casing and mountable means, the engaging means automatically engaging the engageable means during sliding movement of the door in a closing direction to provide a latching engagement which takes place under the action of a biasing means and which prevents sliding movement of the door in an opening direction without release of such engagement, means for locking and unlocking the door against opening movement, said locking/unlocking means including a first key-operated locking cylinder, and a second casing mountable on a second face of the door in a position P \OP1MR~RSI1\WATTS552 048, 513/1 -3opposite to the first casing, said second casing carrying means for effecting release of the latching engagement and/or at least part of the locking/unlocking means.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of the lock in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic partial cross sectional side view of the lock showing an engaging member and engageable member when not in latching engagement; Figure 3 is a schematic partial cross sectional side view of the lock when the engageable member is adjacent the casing but longitudinally disengaged; Figure 4 is a schematic partial cross sectional side view of the lock when the engageable member is adjacent the casing and is longitudinally engaged; Figure 5 is schematic partial cross sectional end view of the lock; Figure 6 is a schematic partial cross sectional side view of the lock; Figure 7 is a schematic view of the locking mechanism and lock actuating means oo within the casing; Figure 8 is a schematic edge view showing the interconnecting spindle and shaft and •lock actuating means and operating means on both sides of a door; i 20 Figure 9 is a schematic side view of the locking mechanism comprising a bowl and S:offset disc in the unlocked configuration; Figure 10 is a schematic side view of the locking mechanism comprising the bowl and offset disc in the locked configuration; and Figure 11 is a schematic partial cross sectional side view of an alternative preferred 25 embodiment of the lock when the engageable member is adjacent the casing and is longitudinally engaged.

The first embodiment of the invention comprises in summary a box-like casing 10, at least one engaging member 20 supported within the casing and having a leading end 23 engageable in a recess within a casing 30 secured to the frame defining the door opening, and assemblies on both sides of the door by which the lock can be operated.

The box-like casing 10 is secured to one side of a door 40, usually the inside, by two screws 42 which originate in the casing and pass through two apertures 43 within the door to I L P ()PEiRS1tWArS552 04l 21 r2,9 -4engage in threaded holes 44 within a secondary casing 41 on the other side, usually the exterior, of the door. There is usually a third central aperture through which operating members of the lock pass from one side of the door to the other. Supported within the casing is an actuating means such as a key operable cylinder 51 and an operating means such as 62.

a moveable lever-,\and likewise there is supported within the secondary casing 41 an actuating means such as a key operable cylinder 52 and an operating means such as a moveable lever. The lock is not confined to the above described usual configuration. The actuating means may be a thumbturn or may be completely omitted on one or both sides of the door. The operating means may be a slideable lever or a pivotally supported lever or may be omitted from one side of the door and each side of the door need not employ the same actuating means or the same hand operable member.

Referring to Fig. 2 the preferred embodiment is shown as having two engaging members 20 each supported within the casing 10 within two longitudinally spaced recesses 13, 14 bound by shoulders 11 of the casing, the engaging members 20 having annular shoulders 21 behind the forward shoulders 11 of the forward recess to restrict relative outward movement of each engaging member 20. The cross sectional form of each engaging .i member 20 within the casing 10 is generally circular to accommodate angular displacement in relation to the casing 10. There is on each engaging member 20 a geared portion 22, Figure 6 which engages a rack portion 15 of a moveable slide 12 which is supported within S. 20 the casing 10 with the rack adjacent and engaged with the geared portion 22; movement of the slide 12 causes the engaging members 20 to angularly displace. The slide 12 is normally biased to an undisplaced position by springs 16. Each engaging member 20 has at least one i engageable feature on the leading end. This feature may take the form of a groove, a raised hook, a raised curved shoulder or any other engageable form but preferably it takes the form of multiple annular ramps 24 which define a set of ratchet teeth. Two diametrically opposite fins 25 extend through the ramps 24 and are of equal or greater height than the ramps.

In this preferred embodiment each engaging member 20 is designed for co-operation with an engageable member within the casing 30, each engageable member comprising a pair of jaws 31 with opposite concave ramped portions 32 defining a set of ratchet teeth which are biased towards each other by springs 33 and supported within box-like cavities 34 of the

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I' i'TERxSIIMWATFT5Z 048 21219 casing 30, the ramped portions 32 being matable with the ramps 24.

Upon sliding movement of the door in a closing direction each engaging member enters between the jaws 31 ar:d drives the jaws 31 apart against the bias of springs 33. Due to the ratchet toothed formation on the member 20 and jaws 31, the jaws 31 engage the engaging member to prevent its withdrawal (Fig. 4) and hence to prevent movement of the door in an opening direction. Once engaged, the engaging member 20 can be moved further into the jaws 31 if geometry permits but it cannot be retracted without actuating the operating means. Angularly aligning the fins 25 with the jaws 31 by rotation of the member 20 causes the jaws 21 to be driven apart to enable release of the member Rotation of the engaging member 20 is effected by displacing the slide 12 whereby the fins 25 can be made to drive the jaws 31 apart (Fig. 3) to longitudinally disengage the engaging member to permit its withdrawal. It should be noted that while so disengaged the engaging member 20 may still be vertically engaged and horizontally engaged in a lateral direction.

15 It is also to be noted that the ratchet teeth will inherently provide a series of different :latching positions for the door spaced in the direction of closing movement thereby avoiding i the need for adjustment on installation.

In another preferred embodiment (Fig. 11) the engageable member comprises a plate secured to the frame defining the door opening and having at least one protruding engageable leading end 37 which is engageable within a recess 17 within the casing 10. The engaging member comprises a moveable jaw 18 within the casing 10, the jaw 18 being carried 'y the slide 12 which is biased by a spring 16 to effect engagement of ratchet teeth on the jaw :18 with ratchet teeth on the leading end 37 of the engageable member out of engagement by the slide 12, Fig. 11.

The box-like casing 10, preferably is constructed of an open box in which the various components are placed and an enveloping lid each having side holes through which threaded studs 18 pass to secure the lid to the base portion, the studs having threaded engagement with a portion of the casing.

The studs 18 preferably project from the edge of the casing 10 to locate in the recesses 37 in the casing 30 in which the fixing screws 38 are located so that when the lock is engaged -slsraRsi I' U)i'l 011SI\0W6VA11602 48 21rI -6- (Fig. 3) the fixing screws are inaccessible. In one form the studs 18 may intersect the fixing screw holes 43 of the casing to render these screws inaccessible in which case the studs 18 would be applied after fixing of the casing 10 to the door. These studs also provide vertical and lateral horizontal engagement between the engageable member and casing.

The lock is operated by movement of the slide 12 by a hand-operable member 62 which may take a number of forms. The slide 12 is coupled to a bowl 61 which is supported within a recess t!in the base of the casing 10, the bowl 61 having an e4weaallgeared portion 63 which engages with a second rack portion 64 of the slide i2. The bowl 61 has an elongated tubular shaft portion 65 projecting from the base which couples to a second bowl 66 on the other side of the door. The shaft preferably engages a similar shaft from the second bowl 66 in splined engagement provided by each shaft being forklike with each fork blade having the form of a quarter annulus 67. The second bowl 66 is likewise coupled to a slide having a hand operable member movement of which causes the shaft to angularly displace to V. displace the bowl in the casing and hence the slide 12.

15 Within the wall of the bowl in the casing is a radial aperture 68 within which is a displaceable pin 69, this pin being longer than the wall thickness so that it must project from i the wall. In the unlocked configuration the pin 69 protrudes internally in the bowl where it is restrained by an adjacent intermediate ball 71 biased by a spring 72 supported in an extension 73 to the recess 19. Within the bowl is an offset disc 74 supported coaxially with 20 the axis of the bowl, the disc 74 having a portion of reduced radius 75 to accommodate the pin 69 when projecting into the bowl and having a portion of greater radius 76 which when moved adjacent the pin drives the pin outwardly to engage in the extension 73 to the recess thereby coupling the bowl to the casing.

Similarly withdrawal from the pin 69 of the portion of greater radius 76 allows the spring 72 to drive the pin inwardly to a point where it is withdrawn from the recess.

Within the disc 74 there are on opposite sides elongated annular slots 7 7vithin which pins 79Jocate. On the casing side the pin projects from an actuating means such as a key operable cylinder and the elongated slot provides engagement with some free movement between the pin and disc so that the cylinder can be turned to advance the disc to the locking position and then reversed to the undisplaced position so that the key can be removed while

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P \O1'IR1RSI MwAITS2 40 211W'97 -7leaving the disc in the locking position. On the other side of the disc in the bottom of the bowl is a second disc 81 having a similar protruding pin 82. This second disc has an integrally connected spindle 78 which is supported by and passes through an axial aperture in the base of the bowl and into the recess within the tubular shaft. The spindle passes through the door and bowl on the other side of the door to couple with a third disc 83 in which there is a recess to engage a pin 84 projecting from a second actuating means which may also take the form of a key operable cylinder which may be turned to advance the disc to the locking position and then reversed to the undisplaced position so that the key can be removed while leaving the disc in the locking position.

In an alternative mechanism the second disc 81 and the disc 74 may be replaced by a single disc having an accumulation of features of the discs 74 and 81 with the intermediate elongated slot and pin omitted in which case the slot within the disc 83 is elongated to provide some free rotation between the actuating means and the disc.

To provide for interchangeability of actuating means the actuating means 51 is simply 15 held adjacent the discs 74 by the lid of the casing 90 in which there is an aperture 92 to provide passage for the operating end of the cylinder. Removal of the lid provides an *opportunity for changing of actuating means. The operating means may be further supported by a recess 94 in the base of the casing.

'"In usual application the lock casing would normally be secured to the interior side of a door while an assembly supporting a lever and locking cylinder would be secured to the S" exterior side of the door. The lock would be secured by two screws which pass through two apertures in the door, a third central aperture providing passage of the spindle and shaft. The casing member 30 would be secured to the door jamb or other part of the frame by screws.

In the case of one preferred embodiment, on closing the door the protruding engaging member is driven into the recess within the jaws within the engageable member. To open the door a hand operable lever on either side of the door must be moved to cause the slide 12 to move to orientate the fins to disengage the jaws. Turning a cylinder on either side of the door causes the bowl to become coupled to the casing thereby preventing movement of the slide 12.

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Claims (19)

1. A lock for a sliding door comprising a first casing mountable on one face of the door, means mountable on a frame defining a door opening, engaging means carried by one from the first casing and mountable means, and engageable means carried by the other from said first casing and mountable means, the engaging means automatically engaging the engageable means during sliding movement of the door in a closing direction to provide a latching engagement which takes place under the action of a biasing means and which prevents sliding movement of the door in an opening direction without release of such engagement, means for locking and unlocking the door against opening movement, said locking/unlocking means including a first key-operated locking cylinder, and a second casing mountable on a second face of the door in a position opposite to the first casing, said second casing carrying means for effecting release of the latching engagement and/or at least part of the locking/unlocking means.

2. A lock according to claim 1, wherein the first casing carries means for effecting '...release of the latching engagement and/or at least part of the locking/unlocking means.

3. A lock according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first locking cylinder is mounted in one of the casings.

4. A lock according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the locking/unlocking means comprises a second locking cylinder mounted in the other of the casings.

5. A lock according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first and second casings are adapted to be coupled one to the other by two screws passing through the door from one face to the other and by shaft means passing through a single passage through the door to link mechanism carried by the two casings whereby to permit release of latching engagement and/or unlocking to occur from either side of the door. -rr dl P \OPBR\SI\WATS552.048 5/3/97 -9-

6. A lock according to claim 5 wherein the shaft means comprises a plurality of co-axial shafts.

7. A lock according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the locking/unlocking means includes a hand operable member actuable to enable unlocking of the door.

8. A lock according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the engaging and engageable means each comprise a set of ratchet teeth, the two said sets of teeth being interengageable to provide said latching engagement, said sets of teeth being ramped to permit movement of the door in a closing direction by relative movement between the sets of teeth while restraining movement of the door in an opening direction.

9. A lock according to claim 8, wherein the bias means acts on one of said sets of ratchet teeth to releasably restrain the set to thereby permit relative movement between the two sets of ratchet teeth when the door is moving in a closing direction. So.

10. A lock according to claim 9, wherein the sets of ratchet teeth are releasable from "•latching engagement by displacing said one set of ratchet teeth away from the other set of ratchet teeth against the action of the bias means. S

11. A lock according to claim 10, wherein the said other set of ratchet teeth are provided on a rotatable member rotation of which causes disengagement of the two sets of teeth.

12. A lock according to claim 11, wherein rotation is effected by linear movement of a slide member.

13. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said one set of ratchet teeth are provided on a slide member and disengagement of the two sets of teeth is effected by linear movement of the slide member. P:\OPER\RSIH\WATT 52.048 53/91

14. A lock according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein actuation of the locking cylinder locks the slide member against movement.

A lock according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein movement of the slide member is effected by movement of a hand actuator and the locking/unlocking means locks the hand operator against movement.

16. A lock according to any one of claims 1 to 7, whei~ iu. :rom the engaging and engageable means comprises a set of ratchet teeth adapted to cooperate with the other from the engaging and engageable means to provide said latching engaging, said ratchet teeth being ramped to permit movement of the door in a closing direction while restraining movement of the door in an opening direction.

17. A lock according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the engaging and engageable means are configured to provide a series of different latching positions spaced in the direction Sof closing movement of the door.

18. A lock according to claim 1, wherein actuation of the first locking cylinder enables release of the latching engagement.

19. A lock according to claim 4, wherein actuation of the second locking cylinder enables release of the latching engagement. C A lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 5th day of March, 1997. JOHN RUSSELL WATTS By his Patent Attorneys: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE IIRI~-- U 9 7 a~* ~P U ABSTRACT A surface mounted lock for a slideable door including a casing, an engaging means comprising an engageable member to restrain relative displacement between the casing and engageable member, a locking means to restrict disengagement of the engageable member, at least one lock actuating means for actuating the locking means, latching means including biasing means whereby the engaging means provides engagement of the engageable member when the casing and engageable member are relatively positioned to accommodate engagement, and an operating means to provide disengagent of the engageable member. *o e a u~cl II.