Adjustable selvage for locks

Abstract

 An adjustable selvage for locks of the type comprising a profiled plate (2) that has a substantially rectangular contour and is provided with at least one through opening and with means for fixing to a jamb, the plate having flat ends (10), which have, both on a same surface, longitudinal incisions (11); two blocks (3) provided with respective means for fixing to the jamb having a portion (15) that is suitable to rest against the smooth surface (12) of a respective flat end (10); fastening elements that engage in a respective lamina (4), which has a surface provided with closely spaced longitudinal incisions (19) that are complementary to the incisions of the plate (2), the ends (10) of the plate (2) being lockable between the block (3) and the lamina (4) by way of the action of the fastening elements in various configurations of mutual engagement of the incisions (11, 19) of the plate (2) and of the laminas (4), respectively.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustable selvage of the type normally installed in the jamb, for operation in association with a lock installed in the door.

[0002] Installing a lock in a door requires a series of final adjustments, needed in order to correctly align the spring-latch and the bolt of said lock with the respective openings provided on the front surface of the selvage installed in the jamb.

[0003] Currently, these adjustments are obtained mainly by acting on the installation position of the selvage.

[0004] The selvage is installed in the jamb by fastening the selvage to the jamb by way of threaded means (screws, grub screws, et cetera), which may even bite into the jamb directly. The adjustments are obtained by way of the presence of slots in the selvage, which allow it to perform a translational motion to a limited extent in the direction defined by the major axis of the slots.

[0005] This solution entails the drawback of ensuring that the selvage cannot move only when the screws are perfectly tightened; moreover, the loosening of even just one of the screws may allow small translational motions of one end of the selvage, misaligning it and making it impossible or difficult to engage the spring-latch and the bolt of the lock in the appropriately provided openings of the selvage.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-cited drawbacks and to meet the mentioned requirements, by providing an adjustable selvage for locks that is simple to install and adjust and ensures correct fixing and correct parallelism and perpendicularity conditions even when the fixing screws are not tightened to the point of forcing.

[0007] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable selvage that is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost.

[0008] This aim and this and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present adjustable selvage for locks of the type comprising a profiled plate that has a substantially rectangular contour and is provided with at least one through opening and with means for fixing to a jamb, characterized in that said plate is provided with flat ends, which have, both on a same surface, longitudinal incisions; in that two blocks provided with respective means for fixing to the jamb have a portion that is suitable to rest against the smooth surface of a respective flat end; in that there are fastening elements that engage in a respective lamina, which has a surface provided with closely spaced longitudinal incisions that are complementary to the incisions of said plate, the ends of said plate being lockable between said block and said lamina by way of the action of said fastening elements in various configurations of mutual engagement of said incisions of the plate and of the laminas, respectively.

[0009] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an adjustable selvage for locks, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a selvage according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view of a selvage according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional side view, taken along a longitudinal plane, of a selvage according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a block of a selvage according to the invention.

[0010] With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an adjustable selvage for locks.

[0011] Each selvage 1 comprises a plate 2, two blocks 3, two laminas 4, two cams 5, two screws 6 and two pins 7.

[0012] The plate 2 is a generally metallic laminar element provided with two openings, a shorter one 8 and a longer one 9.

[0013] The opening 8 is designed to accommodate the spring-latch of the lock that will be associated with the selvage 1; in the assembly configuration, it is located above the opening 9 that will accommodate the bolt.

[0014] The plate 2 is provided with flat ends, which have, both on the same surface, closely spaced longitudinal incisions 11, constituted by an alternated arrangement of crests and troughs having a regular profile.

[0015] On the opposite smooth surface 12 there is a protrusion 13, which is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the plate 2. The contour of the ends of the plate 2 is provided with a respective tooth 14.

[0016] Each one of the blocks 3 is provided with a portion 15, which is suitable to rest against the smooth surface 12 of a respective flat end 10 of the plate 2. The portion 15 is provided with a groove 15a, which accommodates, when the selvage 1 is assembled, the protrusion 13, facilitating retention of the correct alignment of the parts.

[0017] Each block 2 has a rectangular contour and has an eye 16 and a hole 17, both of which are arranged along the longitudinal axis of symmetry.

[0018] Each block 3 is provided, on its lower face, with two lateral bands 18, which act as shoulders and constitute respective stroke limiting abutments for the tooth 14 during the mutual translational motions of the plate 2 and the blocks 3.

[0019] The laminas 4 have a lower part that is wider than the upper part, and one of the two surfaces of the wider lower part is provided with closely spaced longitudinal incisions 19, which are complementary to the incisions of the plate 2. The upper part is instead provided with a threaded hole 20, whose axis is substantially inclined with respect to the plane that is perpendicular to the plane that contains the lamina 4. The inclination is such that an angle of 90° or less is comprised between the axis of the screw 6 (when accommodated within the hole 20) and the surface on which the incisions 19 are provided. This inclination facilitates the mutual fastening of the incisions 19 on the incisions 11.

[0020] The hole 17 accommodates the pin 7, which is provided with a head 21 that has a larger diameter than the hole 17 and whose opposite end is threaded and engaged in a central receptacle 22 of the cam 5.

[0021] The screw 6 is inserted in the eye 16, and its head 23 likewise has a larger diameter than the eye 16; its stem 24 is threaded and suitable to engage in the hole 20 of the lamina 4.

[0022] The operation of the invention is as follows. The selvage 1 is fixed to the jamb by means of the cams 5.

[0023] The jamb is in fact normally provided by means of profiled elements made of various materials, which have a slot provided on the face of the jamb on which the selvage 1 is fitted. The cam 5 can rotate from a first configuration, in which its major axis is aligned with the slot, and in this case the cam 5 is fully contained within said slot, to a second configuration, in which its major axis is perpendicular to the axis of the slot, the ends of the cam 5 being inserted in receptacles provided below the surfaces that delimit the slot. The rotation of the cam 5 about its own axis (which is also the axis of the pin 7 by means of which it is possible to turn the cam 5) therefore allows to lock it in the metallic profiled element that constitutes the frame.

[0024] Once the selvage 1 has been positioned on the frame, the plate 2 can perform a translational motion at right angles to its longitudinal axis of symmetry.

[0025] The screws 6 are in fact loosely screwed into the hole 20 of the lamina 4, the portion 15 of the block 3 rests against the surface 12 (the protrusion 13 is inserted within the groove 15a), and the tooth 14 is comprised between the two lateral bands 18. The incisions 11 provided on the plate 2 face, and are proximate to, the incisions 19 of the lamina 4. The plate 2 can therefore perform a horizontal translational motion with respect to the blocks 3 until it is positioned in a manner that ensures correct mating with the lock provided on the door.

[0026] Once the correct position of the plate 2 has been determined, it is fixed by tightening the screws 6, so that the incisions 11 and the incisions 19 mate (the crests of one set enter the troughs of the other set and vice versa). In this manner, the plate 2 is locked firmly.

[0027] It should be noted that during translational motion for positioning, the protrusion 13 is accommodated constantly in the groove 15a, preventing the plate from tilting with respect to its longitudinal axis of symmetry (there are two protrusions 13, arranged at the ends of the plate 2, forcing the translational motions to occur so as to keep the plate 2 parallel to itself).

[0028] Further, the plate 2 cannot perform a translational motion beyond a certain limit set by the presence of the lateral bands 18 and of the tooth 14: the resulting advantage is that the risk that the plate 2 may exit from the blocks 3 once they are fixed to the jamb is eliminated. If this occurred, it would be necessary to release the blocks 3 and fix them again after inserting the plate 2 again.

[0029] It has thus been shown that the invention achieves the proposed aim and object.

[0030] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0031] All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.

[0032] In the embodiments described, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other embodiments.

[0033] For example, the pin 7 can engage directly in a respective receptacle of the jamb with a coupling of the biting-screw type, coupling the corresponding block 3 and therefore the entire selvage 1 to the jamb.

[0034] Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

[0035] In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the protective scope of the appended claims.

[0036] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. BO2004A000022, from which this application claims priority, are incorporated herein by reference.

[0037] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. An adjustable selvage for locks of the type comprising a profiled plate (2) that has a substantially rectangular contour and is provided with at least one through opening and with means for fixing to a jamb, characterized in that said plate is provided with flat ends (10), which have, both on a same surface, longitudinal incisions (11); in that two blocks (3) provided with respective means for fixing to the jamb have a portion (15) that is suitable to rest against the smooth surface (12) of a respective flat end (10); in that there are fastening elements that engage in a respective lamina (4), which has a surface provided with closely spaced longitudinal incisions (19) that are complementary to the incisions of said plate (2), the ends (10) of said plate (2) being lockable between said block (3) and said lamina (4) by way of the action of said fastening elements in various configurations of mutual engagement of said incisions (11, 19) of the plate (2) and of the laminas (4), respectively.

2. The selvage according to claim 1, characterized in that said longitudinal incisions (11, 19) are constituted by an alternated arrangement of straight crests and troughs, all of which are very narrow, said incisions being provided along the entire width of the plate (2) and of the lamina (4).

3. The selvage according to claim 1, characterized in that said lamina (4) is provided with a threaded hole (20) above the surface provided with incisions (19), said hole (20) being suitable to accommodate the stem (24) of a screw (6) in which the head (23) is accommodated within an eye (16) of the block (3), said threaded hole (20), said screw (6) and said eye (16) constituting one of said locking elements.

4. The selvage according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that said means for fixing to the jamb comprise a pin (7), which is accommodated in a through hole (17) of said block (3), said hole (17) being external with respect to said eye (16), said pin (7) being provided with a head (21) that has a larger diameter than said hole (17), and a cam (5), in which the other end of said pin (7) is engaged.

5. The selvage according to claim 4, characterized in that said cam (5) can rotate from a first configuration, in which its major axis is aligned with a slot provided on the face of the jamb on which the selvage (1) is fitted, said cam (5) being fully contained inside said slot, to a second configuration, in which its major axis is perpendicular to the axis of said slot, the ends of the cam (5) being inserted within receptacles provided below the surfaces that delimit said slot.

6. The selvage according to claims 1 and 3 and as an alternative to claim 4, characterized in that said means for fixing to the jamb comprise a pin (7), which is accommodated in a through hole (17) of said block (3), said hole (17) being external with respect to said eye (16), said pin (7) being provided with a head (21) that has a larger diameter than said hole (17) and with a distributed thread, said pin (7) being suitable to engage directly a respective receptacle of the jamb with a coupling of the biting-screw type.

7. The selvage according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flat ends (10) have at least one respective protrusion (13) and said portion (15) of said block (3) is provided with a groove (15a), which is perpendicular to said incisions (11) and is suitable to accommodate said protrusion (13), acting as a guide for the translational motion of said plate (2) during positioning.

8. The selvage according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flat ends (10) of said plate (2) have, along the axis of symmetry of said plate, a respective protruding tooth (14).

9. The selvage according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said blocks (3) is provided with two stroke limiting lateral bands (18), said tooth (14), and therefore said plate (2), being able to perform a translational motion between two limiting configurations, in which said tooth (14) rests against one side band (18) or the other.

10. The selvage according to claim 9, characterized in that said through openings of said plate are two and are rectangular, the first opening (8) being shorter and suitable to accommodate the spring-latch, the second opening (9) being longer and suitable to accommodate the bolt.

11. The selvage according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the threaded hole (20) has an axis that is inclined with respect to the direction that is perpendicular to the plane that contains the lamina (4) and is suitable to force the incisions (11, 19) against each other when said screw (6) is tightened within said threaded hole (20).

Drawing