Bolt locking apparatus

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a security lock assembly which is especially suitable for doors.

[0002] It is known from DE-C-433 321, which forms the basis for the first portion of claim 1, to provide a lock assembly comprising a movable lock bolt, a striker unit adapted for mounting in a door jamb, which unit defines a cavity to receive said lock bolt, latch means mounted for movement to an operative position protruding into said cavity in which the latch means is engageable with the bolt when therein to prevent its withdrawal from the cavity, means to drive the latch means to said operative position, and a switch mounted on the striker unit and responsive to receipt of the bolt in the cavity to activate the drive means.

[0003] It is an object of the invention to improve on the security and the automatic operation of such a lock assembly, and to this end, according to the invention, there is provided a lock assembly of the type above in which the assembly is characterized in that the switch is a magnetically operable switch mounted behind a bounding wall of the bolt cavity, and the lock bolt has a magnetized element therein for operating the switch.

[0004] The magnetically operable switch mounted behind the bounding wall of the bolt cavity may, for example, comprise a reed switch, and may be advantageously encased in a solid medium behind the bounding wall. The reed would typically then be movable in a small elongate hollow in the medium. For operating the switch, the bolt is provided therein with a magnetized element, and preferably the element is encased in a spherical or cylindrical core within the bolt. The core may be rotatably disposed within the bolt to thwart cutting through of the bolt and/or removal of the magnetized element.

[0005] Said structure may comprise a metal striker plate with a rectangular bolt cavity to receive the lock bolt of a deadbolt mechanism. The movable latch means engageable with the bolt may be a pin, rod or the like, e.g. a cylindrical rod, adapted to engage in a hole in the bolt and preferably arranged so that it tends to fall from the bolt cavity under gravity unless held in its operative position. A suitable helical spring may be provided to augment the gravity bias on the rod.

[0006] The drive means preferably includes a solenoid which is energizable, preferably in response to receipt of the bolt lock in the cavity, to drive the latch means, directly or indirectly, into locking engagement with the bolt and to retain it in such locking engagement.

[0007] Further switches are advantageously provided for indicating to a remote control panel whether the bolt is in the cavity and whether the latch means is in its operative position.

[0008] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section through a closed door fitted with one example of a security lock assembly in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the striker assembly of the security lock shown in Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are cross-sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 in Figures 2 and 3 respectively;

Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 in Figure 2, but with the locking pin shown retracted; and

Figure 6 is an enlargement of the central area of Figure 1.

[0009] The illustrated security lock assembly, fitted to a door leaf 6 and door jamb 8, includes a deadbolt latch mechanism 12, having a rectangular bolt 14, in leaf 6, and a striker assembly 16 defining a striker plate 18 and bolt cavity 20, manufactured as a single unit adapted for mounting in the jamb 8. Screw holes 16a are provided for this purpose.

[0010] Deadbolt latch mechanism 12 is of a conventional construction apart from the bolt 14 and, except for this aspect which will be detailed hereinafter, will not be further described.

[0011] Striker plate 18 is of L-section steel. Bolt cavity 20 is defined by a box protrusion 22 cast integrally with the striker plate. The narrower flange 19 of plate 18 carries the usual bolt lead ramp 24 adjacent cavity 20.

[0012] The bolt locking apparatus_/which constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, is mounted behind the striker plate 18. The principal components of the apparatus include latch means comprising a slidable bolt locking pin 26, a drive solenoid 28 for the pin, a pair of reed switches 30, 50 encased in a solid resin medium 32 at the rear of bolt cavity 20, and a switching relay 34 operated by reed switch 30 for setting the state of the solenoid and thereby the position of pin 26. Reed switch 30, relay 34 and solenoid 28 together constitute means responsive to receipt of the bolt in the cavity to drive pin 26 to an operative position in the cavity in engagement with the bolt 14 to prevent withdrawal of the bolt from the cavity. For enhanced clarity, electrical wiring connections are not fully detailed in the drawings, although the leads for reed switches 30, 50 are depicted at 43.

[0013] With reference in particular to Figure 4, reed switches 30, 50, comprise respective reeds 31, 51 in elongate hollows 33, 53 extending between contact sets 35, 55 cast in medium 32. Medium 32 is fixed behind a back plate 36 for cavity 20 provided by a bracket 38 (Figure 3). Bracket 38 is adjustably mounted by small bolts 39 to a plate 40 projecting integrally from striker plate 18 adjacent cavity 20. Media 32 is adhered to bracket 38 and is further retained by return lugs 42 at the top and bottom of plate 36.

[0014] Reeds 31, 51 are of a magnetically sensitive metal and are operated, to open the contacts 35, 55, by a magnetized slug 44 (Figures 1 and 6) in bolt 14. Slug 44 is encased in a spherical core 46, which is in turn freely rotatable with all degrees of freedom, in a complementary cavity in the bolt so that any cutting implement applied to the bolt will in due course strike the sphere and indefinitely rotate it rather than cut it through. The core 46 thus thwarts both cutting of the bolt and removal of the magnetized slug.

[0015] Pin 26 is one of a pair 26, 27 fixedly coupled by a horizontal plate 48. The pins are firmly but freely slidable through respective apertures in a rearwardly projecting flange 61a behind striker plate 18. Pin 26 projects through a matching aperture 25 in box 22 and is slidable upwardly to an operative position in which it firmly engages in a complementary hole 56 in the underside of bolt 14. When not held in this operative position, the assembly of pins 26, 27 and plate 48 tends to fall under gravity to withdraw pin 26 from cavity 20. A helical compression spring 62 about pin 26 between box 22 and plate 48 augments the gravity bias.

[0016] The lower end of pin 27, which is of course shorter than pin 26, abuts a magnetically sensitive rod 64 which is surrounded by the coil 29 of solenoid 28. When the solenoid is not energized, the enlarged bottom 65 of rod 64 rests on a lower flange 61 behind striker plate 18.

[0017] The space above cavity 20 is occupied by a small circuit board 66 with multi-point connector 68 and the aforementioned relay 34. As already foreshadowed, the contact set 35 of reed switch 30 is connected for operating relay 34. The contact set 55 of reed switch 50 is coupled via connector 68 to a remote central monitoring control, not shown, at which the state of the reed switch would be indicated in any suitable manner, such as by a light.

[0018] A third reed switch 70 is mounted to plate 40 under bracket 38 but is mechanically rather than magnetically operated. The external reed 72 of this switch is engaged by plate 48 as it nears the top of its upward travel and reed switch 70 may thus be employed to indicate at the remote control that pin 26 is in an operative, bolt engaging position.

[0019] The operation of the security lock assembly will now be reviewed. When the door leaf 6 is shut and the bolt 14 thrown, the receipt of the bolt into cavity 20 is sensed by both reed switches 30, 50 in that the magnetized slug 44 changes the state of the switches. Switch 30 thereby triggers relay 34 to energize solenoid 28. Rod 64 is propelled upwardly against pin 27 and the pin 26 thereby driven against gravity and spring 62 into the hole 56. Bolt 14 is thereby positively and physically locked into the striker cavity. Switch 50 will have transmitted a signal to the control monitor to indicate that the bolt has entered striker cavity 20, while plate 48 will have operated switch 70 to transmit a further signal confirming that pin 26 is in its operative position. This action will have taken place entirely automatically and thus any person who has passed through into a security area and shut the door will be trapped in the security area and will only be able to depart on withdrawal of the power supply to the solenoid by appropriate switching at the central control. Moreover, consequent unlocking and withdrawal of the bolt are separately monitored by switches 70 and 50.

[0020] It will be noted that the security provisions do not prevent opening the door in an emergency. In the event of a fire or other emergency in an installation with multiple doorways fitted out as illustrated, the power may be simultaneously withdrawn from the solenoids of all doorways to permit the withdrawal of the respective bolts from their striker cavities.

Claims

1. A security lock assembly comprising: a movable lock bolt (14), a striker unit (16) adapted for mounting in a door jamb (8), which unit (16) defines a cavity (20) to receive said lock bolt, latch means (26) mounted for movement to an operative position protruding into said cavity in which the latch means is engageable with the bolt (14) when therein to prevent its withdrawal from the cavity, means (28) to drive the latch means to said operative position, and a switch (30) mounted on said striker unit (16) and responsive to receipt of the bolt in the cavity (20) to activate the drive means (28), characterised in that the switch (30) is a magnetically operable switch mounted behind a bounding wall (36) of the bolt cavity (20), and the lock bolt (14) has a magnetized element (44) therein for operating said switch.

2. A security lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the switch (30) is encased in a solid medium (32) behind said bounding wall (36) of the bolt cavity (20).

3. A security lock assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the movable latch means engageable with the bolt is a pin (26), rod or the like adapted to engage in a hole (56) in the bolt.

4. A security lock assembly according to any one of the preceding' claims, wherein the latch means (26) is so arranged that it tends to fall from the bolt cavity (20) under gravity unless held in its operative position.

5. A security lock assembly according to claim 4, further characterized by a helical spring (62) to augment the gravity bias on the latch means (26).

6. A security lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said drive means includes a solenoid (28) which is energizable to drive the latch means (26), directly or indirectly, into locking engagement with the bolt (14) and to retain it in such locking engagement.

7. A security lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further characterised by one or more further switches (50, 70) for indicating to a remote control panel whether the bolt (14) is in the cavity (20) and/or whether the latch means (26) is in its operative position.

8. A security lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetized element (44) is encased in a spherical or cylindrical core (46) which is rotatably disposed within the bolt (14) to thwart cutting through of the bolt (14) and/or removal of the magnetized element (44).

Ansprüche

1. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung mit einem bewegbaren Verriegelungsbolzen (14), einer in einer Türzarge (8) montierbaren Anschlageinheit (16), die einen Hohlraum (20) zur Aufnahme des Verriegelungsbolzens aufweist, einem Verriegelungsmittel (26), das in einer Betriebsstellung in den Hohlraum hineingeführt ist und mit dem Bolzen (14) in Eingriff steht, wenn sich dieser in dem Hohlraum befindet, um ein Herausführen des Verriegelungsbolzens (14) aus dem Hohlraum (20) zu verhindern, einer Antriebseinrichtung (28) zur Überführung des Verriegelungsmittels in die Betriebsstellung, und einem mit der Anschlageinheit (16) verbundenen Schalter (30), der auf die Einführung des Bolzens in den Hohlraum (20) anspricht und die Antriebseinrichtung (28) einschaltet, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Schalter (30) ein magnetisch betätigbarer und hinter einer Grenzwand (36) des Bolzenhohlraums (20) angeordneter Schalter ist und der Verriegelungsbolzen (14) in seinem Inneren ein magnetisiertes Element (44) zur Betätigung des Schalters aufweist.

2. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Schalter (30) hinter der Grenzwand (36) des Bolzenhohlraums (20) in einem festen Medium (32) eingebettet ist.

3. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das bewegbare und mit dem Bolzen in Eingriff bringbare Verriegelungsmittel ein Stift (26), Stab oder dergleichen sowie in ein Loch (56) innerhalb des Bolzens einführbar ist.

4. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Verriegelungsmittel (26) so angeordnet ist, daß es unter der Wirkung der Schwerkraft aus dem Bolzenhohlraum (20) herausfällt, wenn es nicht in der Betriebsstellung gehalten wird.

5. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung nach Anspruch 4, gekennzeichnet durch eine schraubenförmig gewickelte Feder (62) zur Unterstützung der auf das Verriegelungsmittel (26) wirkenden Schwerkraft.

6. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Antriebseinrichtung eine Spule (28) aufweist, bei deren Ansteuerung das Verriegelungsmittel (26) direkt oder indirekt mit dem Bolzen (14) in Eingriff bringbar ist, um diesen zu verriegeln und ihn im verriegelten Zustand zu halten.

7. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, gekennzeichnet durch einen oder mehrere Schalter (50, 70), um auf einer entfernt liegenden Überwachungs- bzw. Steuertafel anzuzeigen, ob sich der Bolzen (14) innerhalb des Hohlraums (20) und/oder das Verriegelungsmittel (26) in seiner Betriebsstellung befinden.

8. Sicherheitsverriegelungseinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das magnetisierte Element (44) in einem kugelförmigen oder zylindrischen Kern (46) eingeschlossen ist, welcher sich drehbar innerhalb des Bolzens (14) befindet, um zu verhindern, daß der Bolzen (14) zerschnitten und/oder das magnetisierte Element (44) aus diesem entfernt werden können.

Revendications

1. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté comprenant: un pêne de serrure mobile (14), une unité d'impact (16) adaptée à être montée dans un jambage de porte (8), laquelle unité (16) définit une cavité (20) pour recevoir ledit pêne de serrure, un moyen de verrouillage (26) monté de façon à se déplacer vers une position de fonctionnement en saillie dans ladite cavité dans laquelle ledit moyen de verrouillage peut venir en engagement avec le pêne (14) quand il s'y trouve pour éviter son retrait de la cavité, un moyen (28) pour entraîner le moyen de verrouillage vers ladite position de fonctionnement, et un commutateur (30) monté sur ladite unité d'impact (16) et sensible à la réception du pêne dans la cavité (20) pour activer le moyen d'entraînement (28), caractérisé en ce que le commutateur (30) est un commutateur pouvant être actionné magnétiquement et monté à l'arrière d'une paroi limite (36) de la cavité à pêne (20), et le pêne de serrure (14) comprend un élément magnétisé (44) à l'intérieur pour actionner ledit commutateur.

2. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le commutateur (30) est incorporé dans une substance solide (32) à l'arrière de ladite paroi limite (36) de la cavité à pêne (20).

3. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, dans lequel le moyen de verrouillage mobile qui peut venir en engagement avec le pêne est constitué par un tenon (26), une tige ou analogue, apte à s'engager dans un trou (56) du pêne.

4. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le moyen de verrouillage (26) est monté de manière à avoir tendance à tomber de la cavité (20) du pêne par gravité à moins qu'il soit retenu dans sa position de fonctionnement.

5. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en outre par un ressort hélicoïdal (62) destiné à augmenter la sollicitation de gravité appliquée au moyen de verrouillage (26).

6. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ledit moyen d'entraînement comprend un solénoïde (28) qui peut être excité pour amener le moyen de verrouillage (26), directement ou indirectement, en engagement de blockage avec le pêne (14) et pour le retenir dans cet engagement de blocage.

7. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en outre par un ou plusieurs autres commutateurs (50, 70) pour indiquer sur un panneau de commande à distance si le pêne (14) se trouve dans la cavité (20) et/ou si le moyen de verrouillage (26) est dans sa position de fonctionnement.

8. Ensemble de serrure de sûreté selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'élément magnétisé (44) est incorporé dans un noyau sphérique ou cylindrique (46) qui est disposé de façon rotative à l'intérieur du pêne (14) pour empêcher la découpe du pêne (14) et/ou le retrait de l'élément magnétisé (44).

Drawing