[0001] The present invention relates to a door-locking system, more particularly a locking
system for a cabinet door, which system can be used in particular for an access door
of a housing for electronic equipment.
[0002] In order to protect it, electronic equipment, in particular equipment for data processing
and telecommunications processing, is normally mounted in electronics housings. To
this end, a mounting rack is provided in a housing, for the purpose of mounting therein
the equipment to be protected, which is normally of the known 19-inch system. The
dimensions of this type of equipment are standardized, as are the external dimensions
of the housings. However, in this field a changeover is taking place from the conventional
19-inch system to a metric system, in the case of which the dimensions of the equipment
to be protected increase slightly compared with the dimensions of the conventional
19-inch system. It is desired also to be able to mount this new equipment with metric
dimensions in existing housings, with the mounting rack in such a housing actually
being adapted to the new dimensions of the metric equipment, but with the external
dimensions of the housing itself remaining unchanged. A problem here is that the access
door to the housing is provided with a locking system in which a number of parts are
situated on the inside of the cabinet door, which parts could come into contact with
protruding parts such as buttons and switches and cable connectors of the larger equipment
according to the new metric system. It is therefore an important object of the present
invention to provide a locking system that is as compact as possible.
[0003] There are various types of electronic housings, such as cabinets with right-hand
or left-hand doors, and doors with a one-point, two-point or three-point lock. In
the case of a one-point lock, a door has a locking lip at a side edge; in the case
of a two-point locking system, a door has a locking facility at its top edge and its
bottom edge; in the case of a three-point system, a door has both a locking lip at
its side edge, according to the one-point locking system, and the locking facilities
according to the two point system at its top and bottom edges. It is a further object
of the present invention to provide a locking system that can be used in all the abovementioned
situations with as few parts as possible.
[0004] As is known, a one-handle locking system for a two-point lock comprises two locking
bars, directed upwards and downwards respectively from a handle, for operating the
lock at the top edge and the bottom edge respectively of a door. By turning the handle,
said locking bars are shifted in the vertical direction, in order to bring about the
locking and unlocking respectively. For this purpose, the locking bars are provided
with a pattern of holes in which a toothed wheel connected to the handle engages.
In the case of the locking systems used in practice until now, said toothed wheel
has been rotatably mounted in a block-shaped housing, consisting of two substantially
identical housing halves undetachably connected to each other. In order to permit
use for both left-hand and right-hand doors, the housing can be mounted in two different
orientations on a door surface, which orientations are rotated through 180° relative
to each other. This implies a symmetrical construction of the toothed wheel housing
in relation to a central plane parallel to the door panel, with the result that the
toothed wheel housing has relatively large dimensions in the direction perpendicular
to said plane.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a locking system in which those
dimensions are reduced. More particularly, the present invention aims to provide a
locking system wherein the axial distance between a locking lip and a door panel can
be as small as possible.
[0006] In the case of a one-point locking system, no vertical locking bars are present,
but a slidable bar part with a pattern of holes is in fact accommodated in the toothed
wheel housing, in engagement with the abovementioned toothed wheel, in order to provide
a stop for the handle. In the case of a two-point and a three-point locking system,
on the other hand, the abovementioned locking bars are in fact present. Since in the
case of the known locking system the toothed wheel is enclosed in the toothed wheel
housing, as are any locking bars, while the toothed wheel housing cannot be opened
other than by wrecking it, the toothed wheel housing can be only designed either for
a one-point system or for a two-point or three-point system, and the choice must be
known in advance when the toothed wheel housing is being manufactured. This is an
inconvenience when the toothed wheel housings are being manufactured, and also means
that a relatively large number of different parts must be held in stock.
[0007] It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a locking system
that can be used with fewer parts for all types of doors.
[0008] According to an important aspect of the present invention, the toothed wheel is mounted
directly on a central shaft of the control handle, and the housing is a bottomless
housing which is not fitted over the toothed wheel until after said toothed wheel
has been mounted on the control handle. Thus, the question of whether the locking
system is mounted for one-point, two-point or three-point application, and for a left-hand
or a right-hand door, does not have to be decided until the time at which the locking
system is being fitted on a door.
[0009] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be
explained in greater detail by the following description of a preferred embodiment
of a locking system according to the invention with reference to the drawing, in which
the same reference numerals indicate the same or comparable parts, and in which:
figures 1A-B and 2A-B are diagrammatic perspective views of a locking system;
figures 3A-C illustrate diagrammatically a known lock housing; figures 4A-B illustrate
diagrammatically a lock housing according to the present invention; and
figure 5 shows diagrammatically a top view of a toothed wheel with two locking bars.
[0010] Figures 1A and 1B show a front view and a rear view respectively of a part of a door
plate 1, with a three-point locking system 2 fitted thereon, in the closed position,
while figures 2A and 2B show comparable perspective views with the locking system
2 in the opened position or release position. In the example shown, the door 1 is
a right-hand door, by which it is meant that, viewed from the user's position, the
hinges are situated along the right-hand side edge of the door.
[0011] The locking system 2 comprises a central shaft 11, which is rotatable relative to
the door panel 1, and the axis of rotation 11A of which is directed substantially
perpendicular relative to the door panel 1. For the rotation of the central shaft
11, the locking system 2 comprises a control handle 10, which is directed substantially
perpendicular to said central shaft 11. Although not essential for the technical functioning,
it is desirable for the control handle 10 in the closed position of the locking system
2 to have a vertical orientation, as shown in figure 1A, and for the central shaft
11 to rotate through an angle of more than 90° when the locking system 2 is taken
from the closed position to the release position, as illustrated in figure 2A. The
rotational movement of the control handle 10 from the closed position to the release
position is indicated in figure 2A by the curved arrow P1.
[0012] The locking system 2 is fitted in the vicinity of the free side edge 1C, in this
example the left side edge, of the door panel 1. A locking lip 50 is coupled to the
central shaft 11. In the closed position of the locking system 2, the locking lip
50 is directed from the central shaft 11 towards the free side edge 1C of the door
panel 1, so that the locking lip 50 can act upon a corresponding locking lip or engage
in a corresponding locking opening made in a corner upright of a protective cabinet.
Said closed position of the locking lip 50 is shown clearly in figure 1B. When the
central shaft 11 is rotated by means of the control handle 10 to the release position
of the locking system, the locking lip 50 rotates away from the free side edge 1C
of the door panel 1, as indicated by arrow P2 in figure 2B.
[0013] The locking system 2 in the embodiment shown also comprises two locking bars 70 and
80, which extend along the rear wall 1B of the door panel 1 substantially in the vertical
direction, in the direction of the bottom edge and the top edge of the door panel
1 respectively. These locking bars 70 and 80 are axially displaceable in the vertical
direction and are connected to said central shaft in a manner that will be described
later, in such a way that a rotation of said central shaft 11 results in an axial
displacement of the locking bars 70 and 80. When the locking system 2 is in the closed
position, the vertical extension of the locking bars 70 and 80 is relatively great.
In this position they can achieve locking of the bottom edge and the top edge respectively
of the door panel 1 with a bottom edge and top edge respectively of a protective cabinet,
which locking can be achieved in an otherwise conventional manner and for the sake
of simplicity is therefore not illustrated. When the central shaft 11 is rotated by
means of the control handle 10, in order to bring the locking system 2 into the release
position, the bottom locking bar 70 moves upwards in order to eliminate the locking
at the bottom edge of the door panel, and the top locking bar moves downwards in order
to eliminate the locking at the top edge of the door panel 1, as indicated by the
arrows P3 and P4 respectively in figure 2B.
[0014] The locking system 2 further comprises a lock housing 40, which is fixed by means
of screws 41 to the rear side 1B of the door plate 1. The lock housing 40 is in a
substantially block-shaped form, with a top wall 42 extending substantially parallel
to the door panel 1, two lateral side walls 43
1 and 43
2 extending substantially vertically and substantially perpendicular to the door panel
1, and two end-face side walls 44
1 and 44
2 extending substantially horizontally and substantially perpendicular to the door
panel 1. A top end 71 of the bottom locking bar 70 and a bottom end 81 of the top
locking bar 80 are guided in a sliding manner in the lock housing 40.
[0015] In principle, the locking bars 70 and 80 can have any suitable cross sectional contour.
In the example shown, the locking bars 70 and 80 are in the form of a strip with a
substantially rectangular cross sectional contour. On the one hand, the possibility
of relatively simple manufacture is thereby combined with relatively great strength,
while, on the other hand, the lock housing 40 for the slide-guiding function thereof
can be of a simple construction. In the example shown, it is shown that the bottom
end 81 of the top locking bar 80 rests against the internal surface of the first lateral
side wall 43
1 of the lock housing 40 facing the free side edge 1C of the door panel 1, and that
the top end 71 of the bottom locking bar 70 rests against the internal surface of
the second lateral side wall 43
2 of the lock housing 40 facing away from said free side edge 1C. A passage opening
45
1 is provided for this purpose in the bottom end-face side wall 44
1 of the lock housing 40, the contour of which opening corresponds to the cross sectional
contour of the top end 71 of the bottom locking bar 70. Said passage opening 45
1 in the bottom end-face side wall 44
1 connects directly to the second lateral side wall 43
2 of the lock housing 40.
[0016] The vertical dimension of the lock housing 40, in other words the length of the lateral
sides thereof, can be so great that the ends 71 and 81 of the locking bars 70 and
80 in the release position also are fully accommodated in the housing 40. In the embodiment
shown, however, in the release position, the top end 71 of the bottom vertical locking
bar 70 is projecting from the lock housing 40 at the top end-face side wall 44
2. For this purpose, a passage opening 46
2, connecting to the second lateral side wall 43
2, is provided in the top end-face side wall 44
2. In a comparable way, a passage opening 46
1, connecting to the first lateral side wall 43
1, is provided in the bottom end face wall 44
1, for the purpose of allowing through the bottom end 81 of the top locking bar 80
in the closed position thereof. The lock housing 40 is thus substantially mirror-symmetrical
relative to a vertically directed central plane running through the axis of rotation
11A of the central shaft 11.
[0017] In the perspective rear views of figures 1B and 2B is shown that the locking bars
70 and 80 can be bent in a suitable manner. With regard to the top vertical locking
bar 80, it can be seen that the bottom end 81 passes by way of an S-bend 82 into a
central part 83. The bottom vertical locking bar 70 likewise has a central part 73
which by way of an S-bend can connect to the top end 71, but which in the embodiment
shown connects to the top end 71 by way of two opposite S-bends 72A and 72B and a
straight part 72C situated therebetween. By means of the substantially U-shaped part
72A, 72B, 72C, the bottom locking bar 70 leaves clear a space 3, shown by dotted lines
in figure 1B, where a lock mechanism can be provided for the control handle 10 in
its closed position, but this lock mechanism, for the sake of simplicity, is not shown
in the figures. The said S-bends 82, 72A and 72B are dimensioned in such a way that
the said central parts 73 and 83 of the vertical locking bars 70 and 80 are situated
substantially in line with each other.
[0018] The locking bars 70 and 80 can have a length that corresponds to the vertical dimension
of the door panel 1, calculated from the lock housing 40, so that each locking bar
70, 80 extends from the lock housing 40 as an integral whole to the bottom edge and
the top edge respectively of the door panel
1. This would, however, mean that the locking bars 70 and 80 have to have relatively
large dimensions, and it would also mean that the locking bars 70, 80 have to be made
to measure for each individual door panel on which the locking system 2 in question
is to be fitted. It is therefore preferable that the locking bars 70 and 80 have a
predetermined length, for example of the order of 20 to 40 cm, and at their ends facing
away from the lock housing are provided with connecting means for connecting the locking
bars 70 and 80 to respective extension bars. If such connecting means are designed
to bring about the connection in various axial positions, so that the total length
of the locking bar 70, 80 can be set with its respective extension bar, use can still
be made of extension bars with a standard length, in order to produce locking bars
with a total length that is adjustable. Such connecting means advantageously comprise
transverse pins going out from the locking bars 70, 80 andonnecting holes provided
in the extension bars, for the accommodation of said transverse pins, or vice versa.
[0019] The embodiment shown of the locking system 2 is a so-called three-point type, which
means that locking of the door panel 1 relative to a protective cabinet can be achieved
at three points, namely at the free side edge 1C by means of the locking lip 50, and
at the bottom edge and the top edge by the bottom locking bar 70 and the top locking
bar 80 respectively. It is, however, also possible that a locking is achieved with
the locking lip 50 alone, so that the locking bars 70 and 80 can be omitted, in which
case the locking system is indicated as a one-point type. If the locking is achieved
by means of the locking bars 70 and 80 alone, thus omitting the locking lip 50, the
locking system is indicated as a two-point type.
[0020] Figure 3A shows diagrammatically a perspective view of a known lock housing 140.
Figure 3B shows a diagrammatic horizontal longitudinal section thereof, and figure
3C shows a diagrammatic cross section thereof.
[0021] The known lock housing 140 is in the form of a closed box, constructed of two housing
parts 140A and 140B, which are identical to each other and are undetachably fixed
to each other. A toothed wheel 120 is rotatably disposed in the housing 140, which
toothed wheel 120 has a centrally profiled through hole 121, generally a square hole.
The teeth 122 of the toothed wheel 120 are shown in the longitudinal section of figure
3B and in the cross section of figure 3C, and it can be seen clearly that their ends
extend until in the vicinity of the internal surface of the lateral side walls 43
1 and 43
2 of the lock housing 140. A side view of an end 71, 81 of a locking bar 70, 80 is
also schetched in figure 3B, in order to illustrate that said end is provided with
a number of holes 131 in which the successive teeth 122 of the toothed wheel 120 engage
when said end 71, 81 of said locking bar 70, 80 is situated inside the lock housing
140 and extends along the internal surface of a lateral side wall. It will then be
clear that a rotation of said toothed wheel 120 produces an axial displacement of
said locking bar 70, 80.
[0022] The maximum axial freedom of movement of the locking bar 70, 80 is determined by
the number of holes 131 that are provided next to each other in said'locking bar.
In the example shown, five of such holes 131, with a hole width of approximately 4
mm and a distance between holes of approximately 2 mm, are present. The extreme positions
of the locking bar 70, 80 are then determined by a tooth 122 knocking against the
locking bar 70, 80 at a position before the first or after the last hole 131. The
total axial freedom of movement of a locking bar 70, 80 is then 23 mm.
[0023] In this case an axial movement of a locking bar 70, 80 from the closed position to
the release position, as indicated by the arrows P3 and P4 in figure 2B, corresponds
to a certain direction of rotation of the toothed wheel 120, namely to the left in
figure 3B, and thus to a certain direction of rotation of the control handle 10, as
indicated by the arrow P1 in figure 2A. As mentioned, in the case of this known lock
housing 140, the housing parts 140A and 140B are undetachably connected to each other,
and the bar parts 132 adjacent the outermost holes 131 form a stop for the teeth 122
of the toothed wheel 120, so that it is impossible to remove the locking bars 70,
80 from the known lock housing 140. The known lock housing 140, together with the
toothed wheel 120 rotatably mounted therein and the locking bars 70 and 80 slidably
fitted therein, thus forms a complete unit. In order to make it possible for this
unit to be usable for both left-hand doors and right-hand doors, so that situations
in which a displacement of a locking bar in the direction of the release position
corresponds to a rotation of the toothed wheel 120 to the right are also possible,
the unit formed by the abovementioned lock housing 140, the toothed wheel 120 and
the locking bars 70 and 80 is mirror-symmetrical relative to a central plane perpendicular
to the axis of rotation 11A. During fitting of the lock housing on a door panel 1,
the direction of fitting is then adapted to the type of door. More particularly, the
top housing part 140A is shown with a top wall 42 in figure 3A, and the corresponding
wall 142 of the second housing part 140B is a bottom wall. As mentioned, the known
lock housing 140 is mirror-symmetrical relative to the contact face between the two
housing parts 140A and 140B, so that the lock housing 140 can also be fitted upside
down, in which case the face 42 of the first housing part 140A then faces downwards.
[0024] In figure 3C, a cross section is shown of the known lock housing 140, fitted on the
rear wall 1B of a door panel 1. An ornamental frame 12 of the control handle 10 is
fitted on the front wall 1A of the door panel 1, which ornamental frame 12 is provided
with a projection 13, extending from the front wall 1A through a hole in the door
panel 1 to beyond the rear wall 1B of the door panel. The said hole in the door panel
1 is of a rectangular shape, and the projection 13 is of a corresponding shape, fitting
into said hole. The dimensions of said hole are slightly smaller than the dimensions
of the lock housing 41, and a peripheral edge 143 is provided on the bottom face 142,
which peripheral edge fits round the part of said projection 13 of the ornamental
frame 12 projecting through said hole of the door panel 1. When the lock housing 140
is in position, it is secured by said peripheral edge 143 for rotating relative to
the ornamental frame 12 and relative to the door panel 1. It can be seen in figure
3C and in figure 3A that such a peripheral edge 143 is also provided on the top wall
42 of the lock housing 140. This top peripheral edge is ineffective in the orientation
shown, but fulfils the rotation-locking function when the lock housing 140 is fitted
the other way round.
[0025] As shown clearly in figures 3B and 3C, the known toothed wheel 120 has a central
disc 123, the said teeth 122 being formed on the circumference of said disc 123. A
top guide ring 124A is provided on the top surface of the disc 123, and a bottom guide
ring 124B is formed on the bottom surface of the disc 123. From the bottom wall of
the housing 140, a supporting table 125B extends upwards, and from the top wall 42
of the lock housing 140, a supporting table 125A extends downwards. The disc 123 is
disposed with slight play between a bottom surface of the top supporting table 125A
and a top surface of the bottom supporting table 125B. This play is such that a rotation
of the disc 123 is permitted, but an axial displacement of the toothed wheel 120 relative
to the lock housing 140 is substantially counteracted. In the lateral direction, the
toothed wheel 120 is supported by a circular hole in the top supporting table 125A,
which extends with slight radial play around the top ring 124A of the toothed wheel
120, and a corresponding hole in the bottom supporting table 125B, which extends around
the bottom ring 124B.
[0026] In the situation of use, the central shaft 11 of the control handle 10 runs from
the front side of the door panel 1 through an opening in the ornamental frame 12,
and in doing so extends beyond the rear surface of the said projection 13. In order
to accommodate this projecting part of the central shaft 11 of the control handle
10, the bottom supporting table comprises an opening or accommodation area 128B. On
account of the symmetry, the top supporting table comprises a comparable accommodation
area 128A. From the free end of the central shaft 11 onwards, a profiled projection
14 extends into the hole 121 of the toothed wheel 120, for the rotational coupling
between control handle 10 and toothed wheel 120.
[0027] The lock housing 140 can be fixed to the ornamental frame 12 by means of screws,
not shown for the sake of simplicity, and the ornamental frame 12 also comprises bearings
for the control handle 10. For the fitting of a locking lip 50, which is not shown
in figures 3A to 3C, said locking lip is fixed by means of a screw to the toothed
wheel 120, for which purpose the central shaft 11 is provided with a central screw
hole.
[0028] As can be seen clearly in figure 3C, the axial dimension of the known lock housing
140, in other words the dimension indicated by the letter H in figure 3C, measured
along the direction of the axis of rotation 11A of the control handle 10, is relatively
great. The toothed wheel 120 lies fully enclosed in the lock housing 140, for which
purpose a supporting table 125A, 125B must be present on either side of the disc part
123. For the sake of the symmetry, the disc 123 must be provided both at its top side
and at its bottom side with a guide ring 124A, 124B, and both the bottom supporting
table 125B and the top supporting table 125A must be provided with an accommodation
area 128B, 128A which is large enough to accommodate the end of the central shaft
11. In addition, the lock housing 140 must be provided with a peripheral edge 143
on both its top surface and its bottom surface. Because of this all, the said dimension
H is fairly great. Consequently, the distance of the locking lip 50 from the rear
surface 1A of the door panel 1 is fairly great.
[0029] Figure 4A shows a perspective view, comparable to figure 3A, of a preferred embodiment
of a lock housing 40 according to the present invention, and figure 4B shows a cross
section comparable to figure 3C.
[0030] Figures 4A-B illustrate that a locking system according to the present invention
has been greatly simplified compared with the known locking system. The parts 11,
12 and 13 of the control handle 10 are identical to those shown in figure 3C, because
the new locking system according to the present invention is intended to be suitable
for use also in the case of existing control handles. The toothed wheel 20 with its
profiled hole 21, preferably a square hole, is now fixed directly on the end 14 of
the central shaft 11 of the control handle 10. A bottomless housing 40 is positioned
over the toothed wheel 20, which housing has in its top surface 42 a passage opening
61, the edge 62 of which extends around a top collar part 63 of the toothed wheel
20. The housing 40 is fixed directly on the ornamental frame 12 by means of screws
not shown for the sake of simplicity. The toothed wheel 20 is fixed on the central
shaft 11 by means of a screw, likewise for the sake of simplicity not shown. If the
locking system comprises a locking lip 50 for a one-point or a three-point system,
said locking lip 50 is clamped by said screw on the toothed wheel 20 and/or on the
central shaft 11.
[0031] It has been stated above that the locking system can comprise two locking bars 70
and 80 in the case of a two-point or a three-point system. Said locking bars rest
slidably against the internal surface of the lateral side walls 43 of the lock housing.
As discussed above, in the case of the known lock housing the bars are constantly
associated with the housing, and cannot be removed from it. In the case of the locking
system according to the present invention, however, it is determined at the time of
fitting the locking system on the door panel 1 whether it is a matter of a left-hand
or a right-hand door, the locking bars 70 and 80 are coupled in a suitable manner
to the one side or the other side of the toothed wheel 20 (left or right in figure
4B), and the bottomless housing 40 is then positioned over the toothed wheel 20 and
the fitted bars 70 and 80, by sliding the bottomless housing 40 in the axial direction
over the toothed wheel 20 and the fitted bars 70 and 80. Hereby it is therefore not
necessary to assemble beforehand and to keep in stock a unit consisting of a housing
140 with two housing parts 140A and 140B, a toothed wheel 120 and two bars 70 and
80, but the parts can be assembled as desired at the application location. It can
be seen clearly from figure 4A that the fitting of the housing 40 by axial sliding
is possible through the fact that the passage openings 45
1 and 46
1 in the end-face side wall 44
1 run through to the bottom end of this end-face side wall 44
1; the same applies to the passage openings 45
2 and 46
2 (not visible in figure 4A) in the end-face side wall 44
2.
[0032] As can be seen from the cross section of figure 4B, the toothed wheel 20 needs not
be symmetrical, as is the case with the known toothed wheel 120, because during the
assembly the locking system 2 according to the present invention is adapted to a left-hand
or right-hand door, and to a desired one-point, two-point or three-point lock by positioning
the bars 70, 80 to the left or right of the toothed wheel 20 and only then fitting
the housing 40. Hereby, the toothed wheel 20 can have a more efficient shape, and
more particularly the axial distance between the teeth 22 of the toothed wheel 20
and the door panel 1 can be reduced.
[0033] Further, it can be seen clearly from figure 4B that the total height H of the lock
housing 40 has been reduced compared with the total height H of the known lock housing
140, because the top wall can be entirely flat, because the peripheral edge 143 along
the top face can be omitted, and because no opening (128A) need be present on the
top side for accommodating the end of the central shaft 11 in the inverted state.
[0034] Figure 5 shows diagrammatically a top view of the toothed wheel 20 and two end parts
71 and 81 of two locking bars 70 and 80 in engagement therewith, the locking system
being in the closed position. The housing 40 is not shown in figure 5. In order to
move the locking system from the closed position to the release position, rotation
of the toothed wheel 20 to the left is necessary in figure 5; conversely, the locking
system has reached the closed position shown in figure 5 by rotation of the toothed
wheel to the right. It is desirable that the closed position can be felt as a stop,
and that the toothed wheel 20 (and thus the handle 10) can not be rotated further.
It can be seen in figure 5 that the toothed wheel 20 cannot rotate further to the
left because the last openings 131 of the bars 70 and 80 have been reached. The two
teeth 22, situated diametrically opposite each other that are in engagement with these
last openings 131, will be indicated by the term "end tooth".
[0035] The teeth 22
Y of the toothed wheel 20 situated directly next to the end teeth 22
Z, which teeth 22
Y in the closed position come into contact with the locking bars 70 and 80 and thus
prevent a further rotation of the toothed wheel 20, will be indicated by the term
"stop tooth". On account of the desired symmetry, the end teeth 22
Z are in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the locking bars 70, 80 in the
closed position, as shown. In order to make that possible while the end teeth 22
Z are still projecting relatively deeply into the openings 131 in the locking bars
70, 80, the dimensions of the stop teeth 22
Y are adapted; preferably, and as illustrated, the stop teeth 22
Y are bevelled according to a plane that in this closed position coincides with the
internal surface of the locking bars.
[0036] The teeth 22
X of the toothed wheel 20, situated at the other side next to the end teeth 22
Z are also stop teeth and are bevelled in a similar way. In the embodiment shown they
are not effective as a stop. However, if the locking bars 70 and 80 change position
with each other, which corresponds to making a locking system suitable for a left-hand
or a right-hand door, it is those other stop teeth 22
X that in the closed position prevent further rotation of the toothed wheel 20 (then
to the left in figure 5).
[0037] If the locking system is to be used in a one-point lock, the abovementioned locking
bars 70 and 80 can be omitted. In their place, one auxiliary locking bar 90 (two may
also be used, but one is sufficient) is then coupled to the toothed wheel 20. This
auxiliary locking bar 90 is of a shape and has openings that are comparable to the
ends of the locking bars 70 and 80 described above, and the interaction with the toothed
wheel 20 is accordingly the same, but the length of the auxiliary locking bar 90 can
then be much shorter than that of the said locking bars 70 and 80.
[0038] If the locking system is of the one-point or of the three-point type, a locking lip
50 (see figure 1B) is fixed on the toothed wheel 20. In one embodiment a locking lip
50 is in the form of a plate with a hole provided therein, the contour of which hole
corresponds to the contour of the hole in the toothed wheel 20. That is advantageously
a square contour. In the hole of the toothed wheel 20, a coupling sleeve is placed
on the end 14 of the central shaft 11, which coupling sleeve has an external contour
that provides rotation locking of, on the one hand, this coupling sleeve relative
to the toothed wheel 20 and, on the other hand, this coupling sleeve relative to the
locking lip 50. The coupling sleeve advantageously has a square external contour.
It is advantageous if the length of the coupling sleeve is such that the coupling
sleeve placed on the end 14 of the central shaft 11 extends into the hole of the locking
lip 50, but does not project above the top surface of the locking lip 50.
[0039] The present invention thus provides a locking system 2 with a lock housing 40 inside
which a toothed wheel 20 is disposed in a rotatable manner, which toothed wheel can
be rotated by a central shaft 11 of a handle 10, and is in engagement with a bar part
71; 81; 90 which is provided with openings 131 and is disposed in a slidable manner
inside the lock housing 40.
Assembly of the locking system is carried out at the application location. The central
shaft 11 is inserted through a door panel 1, and the toothed wheel 20 is fitted directly
on the free end of this central shaft. Depending on the circumstances, one or more
bar parts 71; 81; 90 is/are connected to the toothed wheel 20. The lock housing 40
is in the form of a bottomless cap which is shifted over the toothed wheel 20 and
the bar parts 71; 81; 90 and is then fixed relative to the door panel 1.
[0040] It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention
is not restricted to the examples discussed above, but that various changes and modifications
thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined
in the appended claims.
1. Locking system, comprising:
- a central shaft (11) extending through a door panel (1) and having a control handle
(10) situated on a front side (1A) of the door panel (1) and a free end (14) situated
on a rear side (1B) of the door panel (1);
- a lock housing (40) fixed on the rear side (1B) of the door panel (1);
- at least one bar part (71; 81; 90) disposed slidably inside the lock housing (40)
and guided along an internal surface of a lateral side wall (431; 432) ;
- a toothed wheel (20) disposed rotatably inside the lock housing (40), which for
rotation is coupled to the free end of said central shaft (11), and is provided with
teeth (22) which engage in openings (131) of said bar part (71; 81; 90); characterized
in:
that the toothed wheel (20) is fixed directly on the free end of said central shaft
(11);
and that the lock housing (40) is in the form of a bottomless cap.
2. Locking system according to claim 1, wherein, at its axial end facing away from the
central shaft (11), the toothed wheel (20) has a cylindrical guide collar (63) which
for rotation is guided through a rotation bearing (62) of the lock housing (40); characterized in that said rotation bearing (62) is in the form of the peripheral edge of a circular hole
(61) in the top wall (42) of the housing (40).
3. Locking system according to claim 2, wherein said top wall (42) of the housing (40)
is substantially flat.
4. Locking system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the toothed wheel
(20) is provided with two end teeth (22Z) situated diametrically opposite each other, the connecting line of which in a closed
position of the locking system (2) is in an orientation substantially perpendicular
relative to said slidable bar part (71; 81; 90), and wherein the toothed wheel (20)
is provided with four stop teeth (22X, 22Y) situated next to said end teeth (22Z), the dimensions of which are such that in said closed position they just touch the
surface of the bar part (71; 81; 90) facing the toothed wheel (20).
5. Locking system according to claim 4, wherein said stop teeth (22X, 22Y) are bevelled according to a plane in an orientation substantially perpendicular
to said end teeth (22Z).
6. Locking system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the toothed wheel
(20) is provided with a profiled hole (21), preferably a square profile, and wherein
the free end of the central shaft (11) is provided with a profiled projection (14)
fitting into said profiled hole of the toothed wheel (20) and having therein an axial
hole that is preferably threaded.
7. Locking system according to any of the preceding claims, provided with a locking lip
(50) coupled for rotation to the toothed wheel (20).
8. Locking system according to claim 7 insofar as dependent upon claim 6, wherein the
locking lip (50) is provided with a profiled hole whose profile corresponds to the
profile of said profiled hole of the toothed wheel (20), the profiled projection (14)
of the central shaft (11) having a length shorter than the axial length of said profiled
hole of the toothed wheel (20), and wherein a profiled coupling piece is provided
that fits into said profiled hole of the toothed wheel (20) and into said profiled
hole of the locking lip (50).
9. Locking system, intended for fitting along a free side edge (1C) of a door panel (1),
comprising:
- a central shaft (11) with a control handle (10) and a free end;
- a toothed wheel (20), suitable for direct fixing to the free end of the central
shaft (11);
- a bar part (71; 81; 90) provided with openings (131) and suitable for being brought
into engagement with the teeth (22) of the toothed wheel (20);
- a bottomless lock housing (40) suitable for fitting over the combination of the
toothed wheel (20) and bar part (71; 81; 90) in engagement with each other, in such
a way that the lock housing (40) then guides the toothed wheel (20) for rotation and
guides the bar part (71; 81; 90) for sliding.
10. Locking system according to claim 9, wherein the toothed wheel (20) is provided with
two end teeth (22Z) situated diametrically opposite each other, and with four stop teeth (22X, 22Y) situated next to said end teeth (22Z) which are bevelled according to a plane substantially perpendicular to said end
teeth (22Z).