AU714448B2

AU714448B2 - Multi-point lock

Info

Publication number: AU714448B2
Application number: AU77495/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Lugton; John Russell Watts
Original assignee: Austral Lock Industries Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Austral Lock Industries Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1991-06-03
Filing date: 1998-07-23
Publication date: 2000-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-03
Also published as: AU7749498A; AU694581B2; AU714565B2; AU7749598A; AU4031195A

Description

-1I-

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 DIVISIONAL

APPLICATION

NAM OFAPICN() AUSRA LOKIDSRISPYL ADDES FO*ERIE DAIE COLI.

CV

Paen Atony I. LiteClisSre Mebore,300 INETO

TITLE

"Mli-on Lock" NAME floFin satPLICnts):fl ecito f hsivnin nldigtebs ehdo pefrmn itkow os Q:\OPER\RSH\141NGED.204.23//8 P:\OPER\RSH\7749598300 27/10/99 -1A- Title Multi-point Lock Field of the Invention This invention relates to a multi-point lock suitable for use in security screen doors and other applications.

Discussion of Prior Art Multi-point locks traditionally comprise a central or main lock that has a locking bolt and a key operable cylinder and at least one and usually two auxiliary or remote locks that are spaced remote from the central lock and include remote locking bolts that are operated S 10 simultaneously by the cylinder. The remote locks are often connected to the main lock by bars ee or rods, which connect to the top and bottom of the main lock. Australian Patents 574388 and 557075 disclose multi-point locks and Australian Patent 578811 and Application 55701/90 000 disclose other such locks.

S. Summary of the Invention S 15 According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a lock for a door or the like including a main lock mountable to the door and having associated engageable means for an element defining part of a door opening said main lock including a main casing and latching means engageable with the engageable means and wherein the latching means when the main lock is mounted to the door engages the engageable means during movement S 20 of the door in a closing direction to thereby restrain the door from being moved in an opening Sdirection, unlatching means to disengage the latching means from the engageable means including a first hand operable member, two remote locking means mountable to the door one above and one below the main lock each including an operable engaging means to provide engagement with an element defining part of the door opening to restrain the door from being S 25 moved in an opening direction, and operating means for operating the engaging means and for locking/unlocking the main lock to respectively restrict/allow disengagement between the latching means and the engageable means, said operating means including an operable cylinder, a second hand operable member and slide means through which each engaging means is operably connected to the cylinder and second hand operable member, said slide means including one or more rectilinearly moveable slide members each of which is supported c directly or indirectly by the main casing, each remote locking means being connected to a P:\OPER\RSH\77495-98.300 27/10/99 -2said slide member of the slide means by a displaceable elongated connecting member having a connecting portion connected to the slide member, and said connecting portion and slide member being moveable together to execute substantially the same displacement.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a lock for a door and being mountable to the door and having associated engageable means comprising a member with a hooked portion mountable to an element defining part of a door opening, the lock including a casing and a latching means including an engaging arm having a hooked end portion said engaging arm being engageable with the engageable means in hooked engagement and wherein the latching means when the lock is mounted to the door engages the engageable S• 10 means during movement of the door in a closing direction to provide a latching engagement which takes place under the action of a biasing means to thereby prevent movement of the OeVe door in an opening direction without release of the such engagement, operating means for ••locking/unlocking the main lock and to respectively restrict/allow disengagement between the latching means and the engageable means, said operating means including a key operable double cylinder, a hand operable member and slide means including one or more rectilinearly moveable slide members each of which is supported by the casing and moveable by operation of the cylinder and by operation of the hand operable member, and wherein one said slide member includes a deadlocking portion displaceable to engage the engaging arm, said lock S*.o providing for operation of remote locking means by including means for connecting interconnecting means directly to at least one said slide of the slide means to operably couple remote locking means to the slide means.

In a preferred embodiment, the latching member may be engageable with the associated engageable means with a horizontal longitudinal engagement and/or a horizontal Slateral engagement.

Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic partial side view of a multi-point lock fixed to a security screen door, Figure 2 is an internal isometric view of the lock fitted to the door, Figure 3 is a schematic partial side view of the lock illustrating drive from the central P:\OPER\RSH\7749598.300 27/10/99 -3lock to remote locks, Figure 4 is a schematic partial edge view of an alternative drive means, Figures 5 and 6 are schematic partial side views illustrating the operation of a remote lock, and Figure 7 is an exploded partial isometric view illustrating the attachment of the drive means to the central lock.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments Door locks generally selectively restrain displacement of a door relative to an opening.

Usually the lock is fitted to a door to be engageable with an engageable element, for example a strike plate, attached to the door opening so that when the two are in engagement the door cannot be opened without operating the lock.

S"Generally there is an engaging member of the lock, for example a bolt, which when in the engageable position can, if adjacent the engageable means, engage it to restrain the lock *0 from displacing with the door in the direction of door opening. It can also be said that the S 15 engageable position of the engaging member is the operative position since a lock engages to be operative and the word "operative" is used herein synonymously with the word "engageable" and the term "operative lock" is used to mean a lock having he engaging member in the operative position. When the lock is operated to open the door the engaging .o member is generally moved to a position where it does not engage with the engageable element.

S. If the lock and engageable element automatically engage when the door is closed then •the lock is said to be self-latching and it would have, for example a spring biased engaging

S

member which may be a latch bolt or hooked member, which is urged by the spring to engage the engageable element.

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000

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S. SO .0 0 500 0e 5 The multi-point lock described in this specification is an improvement to the lock described in the applicant's co-pending Australian Patent Application 55701/90. The disclosure of Patent Application 55701/90 is incorporated herein by reference.

An embodiment of the lock described in Patent Application 55701/90 incorporates a central lock that includes an engaging member comprising an angularly or pivotally displaceable latch bolt which is angularly displaceable by spring biasing means to an operative position in which it is engageable with a strike plate. The latch bolt of this lock is held removed from the operative position by a detent controlled by an auxiliary bolt. When the auxiliary bolt engages the strike plate, as occurs when a door is being closed, the auxiliary bolt is driven inwardly to render the detent inoperative to allow the spring to drive the latch bolt to the operative position, a position in practice, where the latch bolt engages the strike plate. Thus it can be said that this lock provides latching engagement.

As outlined in 55701/90, a conventional latch bolt that merely slides out of a lock face only provides lateral engagement. Such a bolt would engage in the aperture of a strike plate such as that shown in Fig 2, 3 of 55701/90, to resist lateral relative displacement with the strike plate, (relative displacement in a direction normal to the plane of the face of door).

20 A "beak type" engaging member having a leading portion comprising a hooked portion radially displaced from the pivotal axis, provides longitudinal engagement by having the hooked portion locate behind part of an engageable element. As the engaging member pivots towards the operative position the hooked portion moves forward and vertically in the direction of the leading portion to pass 25 over and then move down behind a shoulder or edge of an engageable means. For example, the hooked latch bolt shown in Fig 2, 3 of 55701/90 locates behind an edge part of the strike plate aperture to longitudinally engage it to resist longitudinal relative displacement, (relative displacement in a direction parallel to the plane of the face of the door). This engaging member comprising a hooked latch bolt is moveable between a disengageable position and a fully pivoted or angularly displaced operative position. It should be noted that the term angularly displace and pivot are taken herein to be synonymous i~ ,An embodiment described in 55701/90 and shown in the drawings, employs 1-4- *555 S 5

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a "beak type" hooked latch bolt to provide both lateral and longitudinal engagement and latching engagement. Other embodiments employing more conventional sliding latch bolts are also envisaged by the lock described in 55701/90 and a variety of bolt operations are also anticipated.

The central lock of lock 55701/90 incorporates a deadlocking slide which is moveable by both a key operable cylinder and a hand operable snib lever or turnscrew located on the inside of the door within the lever assembly. The slide is moveable to engage behind a part of the latch bolt to prevent it from being moved from the operative position. In the embodiment shown, the deadlocking slide locates behind a shoulder of the hooked latch bolt when the latch bolt is in the fully pivoted position to prevent it from being moved from this position.

The lock described in application 55701/90 provides a multi-point lock by including within the internal lever assembly a drive mechanism for two rods, which connect to an upper, and a lower remote lock mounted on the face of the door. The mechanism comprises a geared cam which is coupled to the snib lever shaft and which meshes with a second geared cam of smaller diameter mounted within the lever assembly. This second cam has radially projecting arms that locate within go 0 recesses in slides that connect to the drive rods. In practice operation of the key S would cause the deadlocking slide to move to cause the snib shaft to rotate to drive o20 the gear train to move the arms to drive the drive arms. The remote locks included a remote engaging member that can pivot between an extended and a retracted

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position but which cannot deadlock.

The lock that is the subject of this application has remote locks 20 positioned one above and one below a central lock comprising a lock according to 55701/90.

The remote locks are connected to the central lock 30 by moveable elongated connecting members comprising the inner element of Bowden cables 24,25. The central lock has a deadlocking slide 60, which is driven by both an internal snib 112, Figure 2, and a keyed cylinder 113. The handles ill operate the central latch bolt 121. When the lock is in the unlocked position the remote locks 20 are inoperative and the remote engaging members are in the disengageable position. To lock the door, either the snib 112 or the keyed cylinder 113 is operated to displace the deadlocking slide to deadlock the latch bolt and pivot the remote engaging members to the operative position.

As shown in Figure 3, Bowden cables 24,25 are coupled to the central lock via the drive means 70. As shown in Figure 7, the drive means 70 is driven by an extension 61 of the deadlocking slide 60 that forms part of the central lock 30. This drive means comprises a rectangular box 71 housing a slide plate 72 which has a leg 73 that clips onto projecting studs 74 formed on the extension 61 of the deadlocking slide 60. The box 71 also has a flanged bracket 75 that slides into a profiled means 76 formed on the casing 65 of the central lock 30. An advantageous feature of the assembly described above is the design of the drive means and its simple attachment to the pins of the elongated leg of the deadlocking slide. The assembly has been designed so that it can be simply adapted for attachment to existing locks which enables a security screen door to be converted from a single point to a multi-point lock without having to replace the central lock.

As shown in Figure 7, the Bowden cable 24 from the upper remote lock connects to the upper end 77 of the box 71 and the inner wire end is coupled to the slide plate 72 as shown in Figure 3 where a wire end portion 78 of increased diameter is shown located in a slot within the slide plate 72 said slot having an aperture to permit passage of the wire. Similarly the Bowden cable 25 from the lower remote lock connects to the lower end of the box 71 and the inner wire end is coupled to the slide plate 72 as shown in Figure 3 where a wire end portion of S20 increased diameter 78 is shown located in a slot within the slide plate 72 said slot o od •8 having an aperture to permit passage of the wire.

S •In the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 each remote lock comprises a rectangular casing 41 that supports a "beak type" locking bolt 42 having a hooked tongue portion 43 displaced radially from the pivotal axis and a 0 25 return portion 51 located on the opposite side of the pivot point. The locking bolt 42 pivots about a pivot pin 44 at the middle of the lock casing 41. The locking bolt i °42 can pivot from a disengageable, retracted position shown in Figure 5 where the bolt 42 is inoperative and withdrawn to a fully pivoted, operative position as shown in Figure 6 and in which position it may be deadlocked. A rocker 47 in the form of a triangular plate is mounted for pivotal movement about a pin 48 displaced vertically from the pin 44 as shown. The apex of the triangle has a downwardly projecting pin 49 that is a sliding fit within an elongated drive slot 50 in the side of the return portion 51 of the locking bolt. Referring to Figures 5 it can be seen that an upward I> -6vertical force applied to the forward corner of the rocker base or a downward vertical force applied to the back corner of the rocker base will effect an anticlockwise moment on the rocker causing it to rotate anticlockwise and in doing so to cause the pin 49 to move the slot 50 but about the axis 44 and hence to move the locking bolt in a clockwise direction and towards the operative position.

Similarly that a downward vertical force applied to the forward comer of the rocker base or an upward vertical force applied to the rear corner of the rocker base will effect a clockwise moment on the rocker causing it to rotate clockwise and in doing so to cause the pin 49 to move the slot 50 but about the axis 44 and hence to move the locking bolt in an anticlockwise direction and towards the disengageable position.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5 it can be seen that the forward corner of the rocker base of the upper remote lock is connected to the cable 24 through a pin joint comprising a cylindrical wire end 52 located in a cylindrical recess in the rocker while the rear comer of the rocker base of the lower remote lock is similarly connected to cable 25. The inner cable of Bowden cable 25 from the lower remote lock and the inner cable of Bowden cable 24 from the upper remote lock are connected to the slide plate 72 as described above. As can be seen by comparing the S• osame pin joint in Fig 5 and Figure 6, the pin joint accommodates angular S 20 displacement between the rocker and inner wire to allow the wire to move in a o• substantially vertical direction.

The drive means slide plate 72 moves in unison with the deadlocking slide to simultaneously move in unison the end portions of the inner cables connected to the slide plate to pull one cable end portion while pushing the other. The o 25 deadlocking slide 60 can be moved to deadlock the central lock while S. simultaneously moving the inner cables to operate the rockers in the remote locks to cause the locking bolts to move to the operative position. Similarly, the deadlocking slide can be moved in the opposite direction to unlock the central lock while causing the rockers to move in the opposite direction to cause the locking bolts to move towards the disengageable position.

Each remote or auxiliary lock 20 includes a spring (not shown) positioned between the pin 44 on the locking bolt 42 and the drive pin 49 on the rocker 47. The R)/I spring acts to urge the rocker to assume an over-center position on either side thereby assisting the throw of the lock bolt 42 in either direction. The drive slot of the locking bolt 42 has a smooth side a while side b is shaped such that, at two positions of the driving pin 49, a line normal to the surface of contact would pass behind the pin. The significance of this feature is that, at these two points a load applied to the locking bolt in retracting direction will not cause the locking bolt to drive the rocker 47 in an unlocking direction. In these two positions the locking bolt is deadlocked. In the first deadlocked position the locking bolt 42 is in the fully pivoted position while in the second deadlocking position the bolt is substantially but not fully pivoted.

Whilst the preferred embodiment employs remote engaging members comprising locking bolts with beaked tongues it is to be understood that conventional sliding tongues are also envisaged by this invention.

The Bowden cables are of conventional form comprising a semi-rigid outer sheath 25A which may comprise an elongated coiled tightly wound spring as is well known, while the inner moveable member may comprise a single strand of wire as shown in Figure 5 and is well known. The remote end of each outer sheath is secured to the remote lock casing while the other end is connected to the adjacent end of the drive box 71. It should be noted that the outer sheath while supporting the inner cable also acts to define the location of the remote locks in relation to the 20 central lock.

Alternatively the inner member may comprise multi-stranded wire and Sgo preferably the remote locks are connected by Bowden cable 26 as shown in Figure 3.

The inner member of this cable directly connects and couples the rockers 47 of each remote lock as will be described below. Referring to Figures 3 to 6 it can be seen •0 25 that the rear corner of the rocker of the upper remote lock is connected to the cable t •26 through a pin joint as previously described and the forward comer of the rocker of the lower remote lock is similarly connected to cable 26. As described above, the slide plate 72 (which is connected to the extension 61 of the deadlocking slide that forms part of the central lock 30 to move in unison with the deadlocking slide 60) simultaneously moves the end portions of the inner cables connected to the slide ot.o&: plate. Movement of the deadlocking slide towards the deadlocking position causes the cable 25 connected to the cylindrical wire end 53 ofthe lower remote lock to be pulled to cause the rocker to angularly displace and simultaneously to move the -8a 0 9.

locking bolt towards the operative position while causing the cylindrical wire end 52 on the other side of the pivotal axis to move downwards to pull on the connected cable 26 to pull the cylindrical wire end 53 of the upper lock to which it is connected to simultaneously cause the locking bolt of the upper remote lock to move towards the operative position and to cause the wire end 52 to move upwardly to pull the cable 24 while the end portion of cable 24 is moved upwardly by the slide 72. The lock is configured so that when the central lock is deadlocked in the operative position by the key operable cylinder the locking bolts of both remote locks are in the operative position. During unlocking of the central lock the deadlocking slide, the cables and the rockers are moved in the opposite direction to cause the locking bolts to move towards the disengageable position.

In another format illustrated in Figure 4, the drive means 70 comprises a pair of slide plates 80,81 supported within the casing 70 for slide movement one of which is attached to the deadlocking slide extension 61 in the manner described above. These slide plates 80,81 include rack portions 82,83 respectively as shown which mesh with a geared pinion 84 positioned between the plates. In this embodiment, the top end of each plate 80,81 is connected to the upper remote lock by two Bowden cables 25 and 24 respectively while the bottom end of each plate 80,81 is connected to the lower remote lock by two Bowden cables 24 and 20 respectively. In a configuration where the plate 81 is attached to the deadlocking slide, displacement of the plate 81 by the deadlocking slide 60 causes equal and opposite displacement of the other plate 80 through the rack and pinion gear train.

By this means the rocker of each remote lock is connected to the centre lock by a pair of cables and deadlocking slide movement causes the end one of the cables to be pulled and the other to be pushed to cause the locking bolt to pivot. It can also be seen that movement of the deadlocking slide 60 towards the deadlocking position causes rack 81 to pull the inner cable connected to the rocker in the lower remote lock while the other rack 82 pulls the inner cable connected to the rocker in the upper remote lock. Cables are configured such that movement of the deadlocking 30 slide in a locking direction causes both remote lock bolts to move towards the operative position.

Whilst the preferred embodiment illustrates engaging members comprising locking bolts with beaked tongues it is understood that conventional sliding tongues -9- 0a

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0a 0e .9 0 i i_= are also envisaged by this invention.

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers and the positional prepositions such as up, down, rear which are used to assist in description of the preferred embodiments have in general no absolute significance.

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Claims

1. A lock for a door or the like including a main lock mountable to the door and having associated engageable means for an element defining part of a door opening said main lock including a main casing and latching means engageable with the engageable means and wherein the latching means when the main lock is mounted to the door engages the engageable means during movement of the door in a closing direction to thereby restrain the door from being moved in an opening direction, unlatching means to disengage the latching means from the engageable means including a first hand operable member, two remote locking means S. 10 mountable to the door one above and one below the main lock each including an operable engaging means to provide engagement with an element defining part of the door opening to restrain the door from being moved in an opening direction, and operating means for 0• operating the engaging means and for locking/unlocking the main lock to respectively restrict/allow disengagement between the latching means and the engageable means, said 0•o operating means including an operable cylinder, a second hand operable member and slide means through which each engaging means is operably connected to the cylinder and second hand operable member, said slide means including one or more rectilinearly moveable slide members each of which is supported directly or indirectly by the main casing, each remote SC C. C° s e: 0 locking means being connected to a said slide member of the slide means by a displaceable 6* 20 elongated connecting member having a connecting portion connected to the slide member, and 0: said connecting portion and slide member being moveable together to execute substantially the same displacement.

2. A lock according to claim 1, wherein the slide means is moveable by operation of the 00 25 second hand operable member.

3. A lock according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the slide means is moveable by operation of the cylinder

4. A lock according to any one of claims 1 to 3, including means for restricting \movement of the slide means by either engaging means. P:\OPER\RSH\77495-98.300 27/10/99

12- A lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each remote locking means includes an engaging member and an angularly displaceable rocker to which the elongated connecting member is connected and to which the engaging member is operably coupled; the rockers of both remote locking means being simultaneously displaceable by elongated connecting member movement caused by actuating slide movement to cause both engaging members to simultaneously displace 6. A lock according to claim 5, wherein each engaging member is deadlockable by the rocker whereby the engaging member is unable to be displaced to urge the rocker to displace. S7. A lock according to any one of the preceding, wherein latching means comprises a latching member displaceable by resilient biasing means to an engageable position where the O latching member is engageable with the engageable means to be engaged to restrain relative displacement between the main lock and engageable means and said latching member being S 15 displaceable to a disengageable position in which the latching member does not engage the engageable means to restrain said relative displacement between the main lock and engageable means, and wherein the unlatching means moves the latching member to the disengageable o. position, said unlatching means including the first hand operable member, and locking means for locking the main lock to restrict the latching member from being moved to the disengageable position. S8. A lock according to claim 7, wherein the locking means is operable by operation of the cylinder. S S. S S 25 9. A lock according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the locking means is operable by operation of the second hand operable member. A lock according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the slide means is lockable against displacement, by the locking means. 11. A lock according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the main lock is such that when I P:\OPER\RSH\77495-98.300 27/10/99

13- locked by operation of the cylinder it cannot be unlocked from this locked configuration by operation of the second hand operable member. 12. A lock according to claim 7, wherein the slide means includes a slide member having a deadlocking portion which engages the latching member when the main lock is locked to restrict the latching member from being moved to the disengageable position. 13. A lock according to claim 12, including a slide member comprising a slide extension member attached to the slide member having a deadlocking portion to move with the slide S 10 member, said slide extension member facilitating the connection between connecting portion and slide member. go*• 0

14. A lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slide means includes 01 a pair of counteracting slide members moveable simultaneously but in opposite directions. 0*

15. A lock according to claim 14 when dependent claim 13, wherein one of the counteracting slide members the side extension member and the other comprises an associated °slide which is moveable by movement of the first-mentioned slide member in a direction o: opposite to that of the first-mentioned slide member.

16. A lock according to claim 12 or any claim dependent on claim 12, wherein the slide 6006 member having the deadlocking portion is displaceable by operation of the cylinder and operation of the second hand operable member. 0 O• 0 25 17. A lock according to claim 6 or any claim dependent on claim 6, wherein a locked condition of the main lock corresponds with each engaging member being deadlocked.

18. A lock according to claim 7 or any claim dependent on claim 7, wherein the latching member urged by the resilient biasing means to the engageable position is restrainable in a position away from the engageable position to facilitate latching engagement with the engageable means. ~IiS~i~iL~i~- P:\OPER\RSH\77495-98.30 27/10/99 -14-

19. A lock according to claim 7 or any claim dependent on claim 7, wherein the latching member is engageable with the associated engageable means with a horizontal longitudinal engagement.

20. A lock according to claim 7 or any claim dependent on claim 7, wherein the latching member is engageable with the associated engageable means with a horizontal lateral engagement.

21. A lock according to claim 7 or any claim dependent on claim 7, wherein the latching 10 member includes a hooked portion, said hooked portion being engageable behind part of a member comprising the associated engageable means.

22. A lock according to claim 5 or any claim dependent on claim 5, wherein each engaging member includes a hooked portion. S

23. A lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cylinder includes an angularly displaceable element that directly meshes with the actuating slide to move the actuating slide. 20 24. A lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cylinder is a double cylinder operable by a key from either side.

25. A lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engageable means comprises a catch plate having a hooked portion and the engaging means comprises an angularly displaceable beak having a hooked end portion which is engageable with the catch plate in hooked engagement to restrain displacement of the main lock relative to the catch plate.

26. A lock for a door and being mountable to the door and having associated engageable means comprising a member with a hooked portion mountable to an element defining part of a door opening, the lock including a casing and a latching means including an engaging arm P:\OPER\RSH\77495-98.300 27/10/99 having a hooked end portion said engaging arm being engageable with the engageable means in hooked engagement and wherein the latching means when the lock is mounted to the door engages the engageable means during movement of the door in a closing direction to provide a latching engagement which takes place under the action of a biasing means to thereby prevent movement of the door in an opening direction without release of the such engagement, operating means for locking/unlocking the main lock and to respectively restrict/allow disengagement between the latching means and the engageable means, said operating means including a key operable double cylinder, a hand operable member and slide means including one or more rectilinearly moveable slide members each of which is supported by the casing S 10 and moveable by operation of the cylinder and by operation of the hand operable member, and wherein one said slide member includes a deadlocking portion displaceable to engage the engaging arm, said lock providing for operation of remote locking means by including means for connecting interconnecting means directly to at least one said slide of the slide means to S 15 operably couple remote locking means to the slide means.

27. A lock substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. DATED this 27th day of October, 1999 AUSTRAL LOCK INDUSTRIES PTY.LTD. By its Patent Attorneys: S. DAVIES COLLISON CAVE